《The Sun - Lord of Mysteries (fanfiction)》


 Aucuses

    Aucuses

    Name : Aucuses

    Birth : 2nd Epoch

    Honorific Names : Eternal zing Sun, God of the Sun and Light, Embodiment of Order, God of Contracts, Guardian of Business.

    Titles/ Nicknames : White Angel, The Betrayer, The Fallen Angel.

    Pathway : The Sun.

    Sequence : 0 - True God.

    Authorities : [Sun], [Light], [Order].

    Status : Abstract Entity ( ''He'' is the embodiment of the ''Sun'' ).

    Weapon : Twilight Sword ( Legend - White Angel betrayed the creator by stabbing this sword into the creator''s heart. The sword waspletely dyed in the creator''s blood. Before the cataclysm, the sword is imed to have cast "Twilight" over the entire world, signifying theing of end.)

    Affiliations : Church of the Eternal zing Sun, Rose Redemption (Former).

 Chapter 1: The Beginning

    Chapter 1: The Beginning

    Northern Continent, 4th Epoch, Kingdom of Aelius.

    A magnificent city, perched along a mountain range that stretched across the continent, was illuminated by the bright golden sun.

    The city was bustling with people and filled with gothic-styled buildings; carriages with white horses could be seen on the paved road, as could streetlights with green vines intertwining around the pole.

    The city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Aelius, one of the six kingdoms on the northern continent, which is located on the edge of Solomon Empire.

    There was also the asionalughter of children, who were running along the sidewalk and gossip of nobledies in the restaurant.

    The entire city is filled with vibrancy, contrary to the rumours in the northern continent.

    In the city centre, there was a huge gothic cathedral with spires topped with a golden sun emblem.

    The gothic cathedral was built of white marble and inside the cathedral, was the featured intricate structures and drawings depicting various epics from the past, carved on the wall.

    In the cathedral''s entrance, there was a fountain with a marble statue of an angel with speared wings and open hands in the centre, facing the sun in the sky, as if to embrace it.

    Several believers were also seen throwing coins into the fountain while praying, the coins causing ripples to erupt in the clear water and revealing arge number of golden, silver, and bronze coins within the fountains.

    Inside the cathedral, nobles,moners, children, and the elderly sat in various seats facing the main aisle, where a priest with blonde hair and white robes stood before a statue of a god.

    The priest standing in the aisle had a solemn expression on his face and waved his hands at the bands of musicians, as solemn and high music echoed throughout the cathedral halls.

    The praying session then began, with believers rising from their seats and tapping four times around the chest, drawing the symbol of the golden sun, while facing the statue with a reverent expression.

    The statue depicted a handsome young man, wearing pure white robes and holding a book of deeds in one hand and a golden sphere resembling the sun in the other. At the bottom of the statue''s head was a golden halo with rays of light erupting.

    Aucuses, Eternal zing Sun, the god of the sun, order, and business, is the one depicted in the statue.

    Soon, the praying session came to an end, the priest and believers drew the holy emblems, and they finished loudly with rhythmic music that echoed throughout the hall.

    "Praise the sun!"

    With their prayers, the golden halo behind the statue of the god lit up brightly, illuminating the entire hall of church, as sparks of golden light, resembling golden stars, appeared from the light and fell on the believers.

    Their expression became more pious at the sight of this, as if the god they believed in had personally blessed them.

    As the golden light dimmed and vanished from the hall, the believers made their way out.

    A handsome man sat on a wooden bench near the church entrance, wearing a dress that did not appear to match the style of the other people in this city.

    The man had an angr face and short white hair, and his golden iris glowed and surged like the burning sun in the sky.

    If believers exiting the church paid closer attention to him, they would notice that the man sitting here was the same as the god depicted in the statue.

    The believers, on the other hand, could see him and even determine that he is most likely a foreigner based on his dress style, but they didn''t seem to notice the resemnce and continued walking without stopping.

    The man had a lethargic expression and was tapping his shoes on the ground, as if he was waiting for someone.

    The man was none other than the white angel, the one who served under Ancient sun god.

    Yes, it "was" because the man is no longer the same white angel.

    As his thoughts wandered back to his previous life in earth, the man looked out at the beautiful and vibrant city with slight mncholy.

    He had a fairly ordinary life; he had just graduated from college, expecting a bright future, only to be confronted with reality.

    For, he got a mediocre job, and that''s when things started to get worse: the daily monotonous cycle began.

    The cycle of eating, sleeping, and working remained constant. Even though he received a good sry, it didn''t improve his average life.

    It truly made him wonder a lot about life, because as a child, he dreamed of having a great and fulfilling life, earning a lot of money and saving for the future, and then travelling the world.

    Now, his younger self''s dreams seemed ridiculous, because his entire sry was spent on expenses and bills, leaving little money for him to save.

    So much for his dream of travelling around the world!

    However, things were not always bad; he dabbled in fiction to escape his monotonous life, a hobby he abandoned due to the hectic pace of college life.

    To be honest, this helped him a lot, and it even brought back one of his childhood dreams of bing extraordinary and living the way that he truly wanted to.

    However, at the end of the day, he returned to the same work, albeit with a smile on his face.

    He lived alone because he had moved out of his home at the start of his college. Despite his hectic schedule, he never neglected his family. For, he would not be where he is today without their love and support.

    He was honestly looking forward to what the future held for him because he was still young and things could turn around.

    Perhaps he could still travel with someone he cared about and spend thest days of his life in each other''spany.

    Reality, on the other hand, was far from fair.

    When he returned home one day, he looked up at the unusual night sky, for the stars shone brightly like never before, and the silver moon in the night sky changed to crimson as he gazed at it, but when he blinked again, the night sky returned to normal. Everything seemed to be just an hallucination to him.

    This vision kept reminding him off one of his favourite novel, Lord of Mysteries. The crimson moon, in particr, was something he couldn''t get out of his mind as he walked on the road''s sidewalk.

    All of sudden, he came to a halt as he became aware of an anomaly around him. He stood alone on the sidewalk, as the people he was walking with and the beeping vehicles on the road vanished. The flickering lights of the skyscrapers had gone dark, and the entire city had fallen silent.

    He was terrified by what was going on; it was just too creepy. He also felt a tinge of excitement in his heart, which raced along with his overwhelming emotions. Yes, excitement, even if what he has dragged into what may be fatal, because it was his first contact with something extraordinary. Maybe he was really insane at the time.

    But, before he could act to save himself, the surroundings became hazy and blurry. Everything was slowly fading into oblivion. The darkness engulfed him, knocking him out.

    Before he went unconscious, he had the impression that whatever was happening to him was not natural, and that he would most likely die as well.

    Suprisingly, he awoke in an unfamiliar body, and immediately, a flood of memories overflowed into his mind, depicting a fabulous life.

    The memories merged with him, for he was experiencing and felling everything, more precisely, it felt as if he were living a second life.

    From bing an orphan to being ced under the tutge of the ancient sun god. Then going on the adventures across the world and battling the mythical creatures.

    Then, swearing an oath with other kings of angels to always be sworn brothers and achieving glory at themand of the ancient sun god.

    Finally, falling greed for the power of ancient sun god, which led to him instigating the betrayal.

    Aucuses betrayed ancient sun god in the twilight of the sun, as his white sword pierced the ancient sun god''s heart from behind. Then, bing the god of the sun pathway.

    Aucuses, the white angel, lived a fabulous life that included memories spanning thousands of years.

    Inparison to Aucuses, his existence and life were insignificant. He was gradually losing himself in the process and bing more and more like the white angel.

    However, under some unknown power, his remaining "self" stopped from bing lost and submerged in the sea of memories. It was as if his remaining "self" had been anchored by this unknown power.

    The memories had such an impact on him that he wondered for a moment whether he was Aucuses or the man from the earth and whether this world was fiction or reality.

    Finally, the memoriespletely merged with his mind and the realisation kicked him.

    He knew instinctively that he wasn''t the same. He hadpletely changed, whether in his soul or mind. It was as if he had transformed into someone entirely different from who he had previously been.

    This, however, did not frighten him. In contrast, he remained calm in the face of such adversity.

    He realised he was no longer who he used to be, neither the white angel nor a modern-day man from Earth.

    He was apletely different person; to be more precise, he was abination of two, inheriting the best qualities of both; divinity and humanity. Honestly, he had no idea what he had be.

    He also knew his future fate, when the ancient sun god recovered, he will face his certain death.

    It took him a long time to process everything, and he didn''t change his name. Because it was also now a part of him. He had epted his new life and had let go of the past.

    Finally, he is Aucuses, Eternal zing Sun.

    Aucuses thoughts were cut short by a sudden voice from his left.

    "Excuse me sir, do you have a moment to talk about our lord and saviour, Eternal zing Sun." A young man stood in front of the Aucuses and spoke nervously.

    Aucuses was taken aback, but a smile soon appeared on his face.

    "Yes." He gave a light reply.

 Chapter 2: The Angels.

    Chapter 2: The Angels.

    The young manposed himself and began under the golden sun.

    As he began with a revenant look, his nervousness faded and he became solemn.

    "My Lord ims to be Eternal zing Sun,

    ''He'' was born from the creator''s spirit at the beginning of the world,

    ''He'' is also the incarnation of the sun,

    ''He'' is the inextinguishable light that illuminated the world and drives away darkness and evil,

    ''He'' is also the embodiment of order, keeping the world from falling into chaos and depravity,

    ''He'' is also the guardian of business and overseer of contracts,

    ''He'' is also the light of holiness that purifies the world."

    "Your lord appears to be very powerful." Aucuses'' smile widened as he spoke narcissistically.

    "''He'' is indeed." When the young man saw interest in the foreigner that he was tasked to preach, he became more enthusiastic and continued preaching more sincerely. "When cataclysm erupted on the world, our lord descended with other gods."

    "He was the light that illuminated the world and cleansed it of its impurity."

    "During the cataclysm, he used all of his power to protect humanity."

    "It was because of the lord''s kindness that humans survived, while other races perished one after the other in the cataclysm."

    "The humans who followed ''him'' established the kingdom of Aelius along the antal mountains."

    "With ''His'' blessings, the Kingdom of Aelius became one of the most powerful kingdoms on the continent." The young man noticed Aucuses'' expression change when he said cataclysm, which caused him to pause his preaching.

    "Continue, I''d like to know more about your lord." Aucuses drew his attention away from the ancient sun god and inquired further.

    The young man continued, despite the fact that he thought this gentleman was strange and most likely a beyonder, because just being in his presence made him calm. "My lord lives in the golden sun above the entire world, and the rays of ''his'' kingdom are spread across heaven andnd, giving life and light to all."

    "There are four angels in total under ''Him.''"

    "The Angel of Light is the Lord''s most cherished angel, for ''He'' is bestowed upon a portion of our Lord''s authority. ''He'' is the most merciful of all. ''He'' also serves as the lord''s representative and sits beside the lord''s throne."

    "The Angel of Wisdom is the incarnation of knowledge itself. ''She'' is also the recorder of long history and the mysteries fate. ''She'' was among the first to follow our Lord. ''Her'' knowledge is what got our kingdom and humanity through the post-cataclysm warring era."

    "The Angel of Temperance is the Lord''s most mysterious angel; little is known about ''Him'' other than ''His'' various honorific names, Angel of Tears and Angel of Duality."

    "Finally, The Angel of Miracles, ''He'' is the embodiment of the miracles itself. ''He'' is my lord''s messenger and the bearer of the lord''s revtions. ''He'' is the most generous of all the angels, as ''He'' is said to grant a wish to anyone who can find ''Him'' for only 5 coins."

    "Truly incredible." Aucuses had a sigh as he spoke.

    When the young man heard this, he couldn''t help but smile, so he began enthusiastically describing his lord''s miracles and deeds. "I''m not going to waste your time anymore, sir, for it''s already been 20 minutes. If you are interested, you can visit the Cathedral of Dawn right near us. The mass has just ended, but there will be another at dusk. Trust me when I say that the mass experience will be unforgettable for the rest of your life." He finally finished.

    Aucuses'' expression didn''t change much; he nodded with the smile as before. "I''ll definitely pay a visit in the evening."

    The young man turned and exhaled a sigh of relief at the sess of his preaching and the addition of another believer to his lord''s religion.

    "Wait." Aucuses yelled, causing the youth to turn around.

    "Do you have a problem, sir?" The young man was slightly nervous, remembering his strict church school and the fact that if a believer filed aint against him, he would face severe punishment.

    "No." Aucusesughed, as if he understood the source of his nervousness. "Can you tell me your name?"

    "Laius, sir." Subconsciously, the young man said his name.

    When the youth noticed this, his eyes widened, and he felt a familiar feeling when the gentleman asked his name.

    Same as, when he faced the high priest, the irresistible feeling to follow every order of the priest.

    He couldn''t even lie and remain silent when the priest asked the question, let alone not answer the high priest''s questions. This is a situation that is very simr to this one.

    The cathedral''s high priest is a saint!

    And this gentleman in front of him...

    Laius tried to tuck his trembling hands into his robes.

    "Don''t worry, Laius." Aucuses spoke in a soft voice.

    By simply hearing his voice, Laius''s fear and restlessness vanished, reced by serenity.

    "Take this as a gift." Aucuses pulled a coin with a golden sun symbol from nowhere and tossed it to Laius. "For your preaching"

    The golden coin slid through the air, and the sun symbol on the coin emitted zing light, causing the coin to gleam before dimming.

    Laius caught the coin and responded without looking at it. "But I can''t take it, sir. It goes against..."

    "You can have it." Aucuses intrerrputed him in deep voice.

    "It will be fine, and it may even save you from a future disaster."

    Despite his previous words, Laius nodded dazedly and epted the coin. He did, however, regain enough rity to ask a question. "May I inquire your name, sir?"

    "What is my name?" Aucuses was taken aback by Laius'' question. "It''s been a long time since I''ve been asked that question." He spoke in a rather low voice.

    "However, don''t you already know who I am, Laius?" Aucuses said this with a mysterious smile.

    Laius was also taken aback, and it slowly dawned on him. Despite the fact that he had been speaking to the mysterious man in front of him for quite some time and was still doing so.

    However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t recall the man''s features.

    Laius focused on him again to double-check, his eyes widening as he could now see the man in front of him.

    His eyes were filled with shock, and his entire body trembled with excitement.

    "Y-you a-are..." He stuttered in shock.

    "If fate allows, Laius, we will meet again." Aucuses spoke up, interrupting him.

    Snap!

    When Aucuses snapped his fingers, everything in Laius'' vision was filled with light.

 Chapter 3: Lucas Reyes - The Angel of Light

    Chapter 3: Lucas Reyes - The Angel of Light

    Aucuses stood up from the bench, as he looked at Laius'' body dissolving into particles of light, which was blown away with the sway of wind. Laius was just teleported back to his church school.

    Aucuses walked along the sidewalk, heading to the city''s outskirts, until he arrived at the wheat fields. The golden wheat fields stretched all the way to the snowy and steep antal mountains, swaying in the wind that blew across the fields.

    The golden sun''s rays gave the wheat a more golden hue, as if it shone with bright golden light.

    asionally, workers with scythes were cutting the overgrown wheat along therge fields.

    Aucuses was now standing on a mud and rocky road, gazing out at the beautiful scenery before him. It piqued his adventurous spirit and satisfied him, which is why he prefers to walk everywhere rather than teleport.

    Aucuses finally turned away from the gold flied and looked at the empty muddy road on the other side of him.

    "You cane out now, Lucas." Aucuses'' voice echoed down the mostly empty road, with no one in sight until the end of the road.

    However, just before Aucuses, the golden rays of the sun that illuminated the surroundings turned white as pure white feathers made of light appeared, forming two wings, with a figure made of light materialising in between the wings.

    The wings swayed and folded as the figure appeared, and the light on the figure faded, revealing a man.

    He was a handsome man with short, neat-blonde hair and blue pupils that glowed. He was dressed in a goldenyered white cloak and had a gentle demeanour.

    Lucas Reyes, the Angel of Light, was the man in question.

    "My lord," Lucas bowed with solemnity and respect in his tone. "I hope I''m not bothering you." He inquired because when he arrived, he noticed his lord silently gazing at the scenery before them.

    Aucuses looked at one of his most loyal angels, who was still bowing with utmost loyalty and reverence.

    Lucas Reyes had lost his entire family in the attack of the demonic wolf''s family remnant. He was on the verge of death, but Auceses saved him.

    For, Aucuses was on a mission to rid the of the remnants of non-human races that were still preying on the weak humans in their madness. That mission was personally assigned to him by the ancient sun god.

    Aucuses also discovered that the boy was born with sun pathway characteristics, and that his parents were most likely from his pathway. So, he took the boy and allowed him to join his legion.

    Lucas advanced much faster than others, bing an angel just before the fall of the ancient sun god, and he devoted his entire loyalty to Aucuses in return for everything Aucuses had done for him. Lucas was also kind to his own people but cruel to his enemies.

    "You''re not disturbing anything." As he said this, Aucuses shook his head. "I was just sightseeing, and it urred to me that I had never done so, and this kingdom you all built is magnificent," He praised and his eyes bright with emotion, while saying so.

    Auceses lost a lot on his path of god. When he attained godhood, he gained divinity, and he became more distant and indifferent. However, his humanity is now as vibrant as his divinity, due to change happened within him.

    "It was merely our responsibility, milord." Lucas was humble, even when he received praise from the person he greatly respected the most. And he was still bowing.

    But, Lucas was also surprised on the inside; he clearly sensed a change in his lord; the lord was not the same as before. He can tell by the tone of his lord''s voice and the words, which are different from the usual indifference and way of speaking.

    "Don''t be so modest, Lucas." With a sigh on his face, Aucuses interrupted Lucas'' thought.

    He didn''t bother, however, to press more and change Lucas'' attitude toward him. Even though he didn''t like it, but this world had different rules than life on Earth and he was also part of this world now.

    "Also, stop bowing." When Aucuses noticed he was still bowing, he motioned for him to stand straight.

    Lucas stood up from his bowed position and wanted to begin discussing the information that his lord had requested.

    "Not here." Aucuses once again interrupted Lucas and spoke with a light tone "Let''s go somewhere where no one will be able to hear us."

    "However, my lord..." Lucas didn''t understand, so he spoke up with some hesitation.

    This kingdom is the lord''s domain, and the order established by his lord is woven into the very fabric of this kingdom''s reality. There is no safer ce than here, and no one should be able to bypass his lord''s power.

    "There is nothing perfect in the world, Lucas. Even my order and rules that spread across this kingdom''s reality have some loopholes that the capable can exploit." Aucuses chuckled, exposing Lucas''s inner thoughts.

    Aucuses began walking towards Lucas, while his tone bing solemn. "Lucas, you most likely obtained the information I requested from our spies in the Solomon Empire."

    "You see, there is the problem, the reality of the Solomon Empire is also woven with very distorted rules far more than here, so much so, it won''t be wrong to say, that the reality itself obeys Solomon''smand."

    "Yet here we are, infiltrating the empire right under Solomon''s nose."

    "Thus, while I appreciate your piety and reverence for me, but, don''t let it cloud your judgement. I am not omnipotent, as you may believe subconsciously." He said this in a solemn tone, his golden iris glowed as he stood before Lucas.

    Aucuses had not expected to have such an image in the heart of the Lucas, despite the fact that he understood why it was so. However, he was not even the strongest god in the world, let alone omnipotent. So he needs to change Lucas, because if Lucas continues to believe the same way, he will suffer greatly.

    "It was my mistake, milord." Under the gaze of the Aucuses, Lucas'' head was down and he was slightly shaking, his expression was that of a daze, because he also just realised.

    Even though Aucuses didn''t use any of his authorities, Lucas felt immense pressure on both his body and soul under the gaze of Aucuses.

    Aucuses sighed as he saw this and rested his hands on his shoulder. "All right, let''s go."

    He didn''t give Lucas much time to react, as he snapped his fingers, their figures copsed and dissolved into golden light particles that dissipated in the wind.

 Chapter 4: Situation of Northern Continent (1/2)

    Chapter 4: Situation of Northern Continent (1/2)

    Lucas found himself sitting in a chair, with his lord in front of him, and a white round table with two cups and a teapot in the centre of the table.

    They were surrounded by arge field of white flowers, and the golden sun could be seen rising through the horizon, lighting up the entire field.

    There was also wind in the field, which caused the petals on the flowers to sway and separate before joining the wind.

    Lucas could now see a vast cluster of petals floating with the wind in the sky, as well as no end to the field, nothing but white flowers as far as the eye could see.

    Lucas became aware that he was in his lord''s divine kingdom. Despite the fact that he had been here before in his astral body, but this was his first time in his physical body.

    Lucas was experiencing a wide range of emotions right now as a result of being corrected by his lord and then being brought to the divine kingdom.

    Lucas paused for a moment to collect himself. He was now determined not to make any mistakes or cause himself any embarrassment.

    Then he noticed his lord taking the white teapot from the table.

    "Do you want coffee or tea?" Aucuses inquired.

    "Coffee." Lucas took a breather before responding, as he hadn''t delved into human needs and habits since bing a mythical creature. But he didn''t dare to say no because it was his lord who made the offer.

    This situation in front of him reminded him of a slight change he had noticed in his lord.

    ''Wait...'' Lucas came to a halt as he came to the most likely conclusion. ''Has the lord gained more humanity?''

    He noticed a change in his lord; he was no longer as cold and indifferent as before, and this was the only exnation he could think of when confronted with his lord''s change.

    "Yes, I have gained more humanity." Aucuses confirmed it, as if he could hear his thoughts. "Let''s not delve too deeply into thisplicated subject."

    After handing Lucas a cup of coffee, Aucuses said.

    "Start with the information."

    Lucas took a sip of his coffee before pulling out a file with a picture on the front and cing it in front of Aucuses.

    The photograph depicted a man in his thirties with blonde hair and dark brown eyes. He was dressed in a noble coat with a unique clock emblem on the top of the coat''s pocket.

    "Mobet Zoroast."

    Under the image, the man''s name was boldly written.

    Before turning to Lucas, Aucuses took a quick nce at the file.

    Lucas began reciting the information after noticing his attention.

    "Mobet Zorosarst is a viscount of the Solomon Empire and the great grandson of Duke Pallez Zoroast. He was recently promoted to the error pathway''s sequence 5 dream stealers. He is currently under the care of Duke Pallez Zoroast..."

    "Did he have a strange brown book?" Aucuses intrerrputed and inquired.

    Lucas paused for a moment and recollected, as a book is toomon to be found specifically, but they still got a hint. "Mobet took part in a recent expedition into ancient ruins led by the Zoroast family."

    "When they emerged from the ruins, Mobet said have been carried a brown book. However, my lord, we are not entirely certain." Lucas concluded.

    They were able to gather this much information from within the Solomon empire, only because of Aucuses'' personal blessings; otherwise, conducting such a detailed investigation of someone would be impossible.

    Aucuses rubbed his temples and his mind wandered.

    That book was none other than Grossele Travels, which contained the divine kingdom of the dragon of imagination.

    This book appeared to have very small significance in the original story, as it was even sometimes used as shield by Klein.

    Aucuses, on the other hand, knew the book was far from simple; if his assumptions are proven correct, he may have gained a significant advantage over Adam.

    That is why he is personally utilising his authority to assist them in conducting this investigation.

    As a god, one might wonder why he doesn''t do it himself rather than sending his subordinates over.

    As he previously said, even as a god, Aucuses is not all-powerful and omnipotent.

    Solomon''s distorted order epasses the entire Solomon empire. It''s difficult for a god to extend their influence there; only by using all of their power can they get around the order.

    Actually, one would expect Solomon to immediately stop them after this. However, he did not do so when this exact situation urred, with Leodero attempting to extend his power into Solomon''s kingdom. Solomon, on the other hand, takes it a step further and wages war arrogantly.

    This situation urred shortly after the establishment of the Solomon empire, resulting in a god''s war between Leodero and Solomon, which was stopped by Amanines and him due to the amount of coteral damage their fight caused.

    So, that''s why Aucuses uses this way, despite his dislike for the hassle.

    "Lucas, you have been tasked with obtaining that book from him." Finally, Lucas assigned a task in a casual tone, as if it were a simple task.

    "My lord," Lucas said, his voice full of shock and sorrow, as if Aucuses had assigned him a death mission.

    Well, it is a death mission because they may be able to obtain information, but doing this will immediately draw the attention of Duke Pallez Zoroast, who is sequence 1, due to this Mobet is under the personal care of the Duke, and Lucas didn''t think he could evade the duke.

    "I''m not sending you on a suicide mission." When Aucuses saw his expression, he smiled amusedly. "A change of times is upon us, Lucas. You can finish this task in the midst of the chaos that will soon ensue." His expression turn solemn, as he said it in a roundabout way.

    ''A change of the times.'' Lucas''s face became solemn; thest time he heard his lord say this, it was just before the fall of the ancient sun god.

    ''Will the Solomon Empire fall?'' Lucas made an oundish guess. He believed this was more likely because he was aware of another mission assigned to the angel of miracles that was far more difficult than this.

    "What about the war in the border?" Aucuses questioned, shifting to a different topic rather than delving deeper into the ''Change of Times.'' "Are the casualties increasing?" With a light tone, he inquired.

    "Yes, Milord." Lucas took a pause before continuing. "Our protracted war with the church of the lord of storms and the church of the god of knowledge and wisdom had reached a stalemate until before."

    "However, the saints of the Church of God of Knowledge and Wisdom have recently created a spell containing the power of night and darkness that can be cast on arge scale, restraining our troops at the border."

    "Their divination was also sessful, and they managed to circumvent the anti-divination artifact we had."

    "The entire front line had been breached. As a result, there were arge number of casualties."

    "Another side of war that was going on with the church of the Lord of Storms also suffered a setback as a result of this."

    "As the situation deteriorated, I was forced to fight in the war in order to hold the frontlines and save the situation." Lucas spoke with solemnity and desperation.

    Another major piece of news that Lucas wanted to share was this, the war had devolved into a disaster for them.

    Only his intervention saved what was left, but thankfully it also halted their advance into Aelius'' Kingdom.

    So, they had failed miserably in the war, and he was unsure how his lord would react. Even so, he is willing to ept responsibility because he was themander of the entire legion stationed there.

    ''Amanines and Herabergan,'' Aucuses rubbed his temples, regretting his previous negligence to the war. But a lot of things happened to him that took up most of his time.

    This was giving him a headache; if Herabergan could gain Amanines as an ally, the situation would shift in Herabergan''s favour.

 Chapter 5: Situation of Northern Continent (2/2)

    Chapter 5: Situation of Northern Continent (2/2)

    Aucuses will still be able to find the god ofbat, but the giant''s brain was filled with nothing but muscle, and its entire life was yed out in the hands of Amanines.

    He was so certain of Amanines'' involvement because, while the use of night in war may appear simple to others, it had apletely different meaning to Aucuses.

    For the long-running conflict between him, Leodero, and Herabergan is the result of them being in adjacent pathways and primarily over anchors. Thus, the significance of the war is clear, and the appearance of power of night on such a grand scale is not the result of some saints simted power. Without Amanines'' consent, something like this will not happen on arge scale.

    Soon, this situation will probably will evolve into a domino effect, with angles soon joining the fray and even forcing him to personally join the battlefield, which Auceses doesn''t want to see.

    It''s not that Aucuses doesn''t want to fight with his ''sworn brothers,'' but with the Solomon and true creator on the horizon, now was not the time.

    Aucuses drank a sip of coffee to soothe his tumultuous emotions.

    "It''s my negligence, Lucas." Aucuses spoke in a solemn tone.

    "It''s not your fault; you couldn''t have predicted the situation." He interrupted Lucas, who was about to speak up and take responsibility for his actions.

    "In rtion to this war..." Aucuses came to a halt, his expression thoughtful.

    Lucas was nervous as he waited in silence for his lord''s n, and he was surprised that his lord didn''t me himself for the situation on the frontlines, but this doesn''t make him happy, rather felt more guilty.

    "Don''t go aggressive; only be defensive in the war." Aucuses finally spoke up, his voice deep. "Unless another angel intervenes, leave the situation alone."

    Lucas epted his lord''smands and didn''t enquire too deeply, knowing that there had to be a deeper reason for his lord to say so.

    "Did my messengere back, Lucas?" Aucuses inquired suddenly.

    "No, Milord. He has yet to return, and we have been unable to contact him." Lucas immediately spoke up, slightly nervously, because the messenger of the lord is also his friend, Angel of miracles.

    "You don''t need to be concerned; he''s fine." Aucusesughed as he spoke. "His life is too powerful for him to die."

    Yes, the fool pathway is too special, and with the blessing he had given his messenger, so he will have no troublepleting the mission he had assigned to him.

    Aucuses had previously assigned two missions to the angels of light and miracles. Both are crucial to his future ns.

    The Angel of Miracles is tasked with contacting Solomon''s subordinates, Turnoest and Alitsa Tudor, and obtaining information on Solomon''s status.

    He was also fairly certain of the mission''s sess because he knew the future and situation within Solomon empire, while the empire may appear to be powerful, the corruption and conflicts within the empire were far more than their side.

    Trunsoest and Alista are two angels he had seen before, and he saw genuine concern for the empire in Turnoest''s eyes and a thirst for power in Alitsa.

    All they needed was a gentle nudge in the right direction and make them think it is their own decisions.

    Aucuses was confident that he could achieve his goal and bring the Solomon empire down. To be honest, Aucuses loathed Solomon; it was primarily because Solomon amodated the true creator in his kingdom that he and the other gods were forced into this precarious situation.

    Knowing the future and the situation, Aucuses can make a reasonable guess that Solomon is now looking for the uniqueness of justiciar and sequence 1 characteristics of the hand of order.

    Aucuses can''t let something like that happen. So, despite the fact that this was a high-risk mission for an angel, it had to bepleted if he wanted to bring all the gods together and make them realise the threat of Solomon and the True Creatorbined. This was also how he intended to deal with the ongoing war between the kingdoms.

    "All right, let hime and meet me when he gets back." Aucuses told Lucas, and asked on. "Are there any other special news in the Kingdom?"

    Lucas'' uneasy heart settled when he realised the angel of miracles was fine, and he then answered his lord''s query. "As a result of the sudden outbreak of a new disease and disasters on the outskirts of the continent, there is an increase in the number of refugees entering our kingdom."

    "This disease is also spreading quickly and is extremely lethal; tens of thousands have already died as a result of it. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are pouring into our and other kingdoms as we speak, milord, and the situation on the continent''s rim is deteriorating."

    "The kingdom of Hale under Earth Mother has already sent an angel to find a cure to this problem, and an angel under Lord of Storms has also gone to stop the disaster."

    "And we have confirmed that this entire situation is connected to the infamous, Cheek, the King of angels of the Demoness Pathway." Lucas purposefully emphasised the word "king," causing Aucuses to smile.

    However, Aucuses did not feel much in his heart hearing about this disaster and deaths; this was not due to the divinity that was making him indifferent; this really did not cause any ripple in his heart.

    Because he was instinctively indifferent to things that were unrted to him cos of the vast experience and knowledge he had umted in these two lives.

    ''Has Cheekpleted her preparations for the godhood ritual?'' Aucuses was thoughtful, since the ritual to be to God for the demoness pathway is not easy. It was fraught with peril and necessitated the right set of circumstances in order to be carried out. He couldn''t wait to see how Cheek would pull it off.

    "ept the refugees, and it should be no problem to amodate them; as for Cheek, just keep an eye on the situation." Aucuses gave orders and didn''t bother with cheek because he already has a lot on his te.

    Gods, contrary to popr belief, do notbel themselves as good or evil, nor do they care. At the end of the day, it alles down to personal interests.

    Lucas nodded and resumed with more important news.

    "There are also arge number of hermit pathway beyonders requesting for protection and to join the church. I nned to wait until I heard from you, but the angel of wisdom came forward and personally epted them."

    "They were defectors from Moses ascetic order."

    "They showed signs of losing control, and their spirits were unstable. This was observed in almost all of them, prompting us to look into it further."

    "After that, we concluded that they had been corrupted by an unknown source; this corruption had caused them to nearly lose control, but the situation could still be salvaged."

    "However, this situation prompted us to discover that there is a major problem within Moses'' ascetic order, and based on the information we gathered from them, there has been a major failure on a very important experiment. But, they couldn''t recall anything else rted to this experiment."

    "When the angel of wisdom attempted to pry further into the situation, she was stopped by a higher power."

    "Despite the failure, the angel of wisdom discovered that the one who interfered with her was the artisan, the king of angels of the savant pathway." Lucas finished by taking a breather.

    Aucuses'' expression bes solemn, as he heard this.

    Despite their adjacent paths, the rtionship between the Artisan and Moses'' ascetic order has always been subtle.

    Aucuses made an unfounded assumption as to what the problem with Moses'' ascetic order might be; if his guesses are proven correct, this is a serious problem and would exin a lot rted to future events.

    "Go ahead." Aucuses stated, while not providing any instructions on this.

    At themand of Aucuses, Lucas was jolted from his rxed state and continued to provide detailed information about the kingdom''s situation. Aucuses sat with his hand on his chin, patiently listening to Lucas'' report and providing some instructions and orders in between.

    This continued as the light of dawn from the rising sun illuminated their figures.

 Chapter 6: "The Last Supper"

    Chapter 6: "The Last Supper"

    The next day.

    The gentle wind blew across the vast flieds of white flowers and the rays of twilight shaded the sky in a mix of red and orange glow, making the entire sky more mesmerising.

    A white castle was present in the seemingly infinite space, as its outline was faintly visible from a distance.

    The white castle was perched on top of a mountain; the castle appeared old but not dpidated, and it had arge number of turrets and towers extending from it.

    The castle featured strained ss windows depicting a knight in white armour holding a white sword and a golden sun above his figure.

    There was argeke in front of the castle that had no ripples or waves, giving it a nearly mirror-like surface.

    The reddish-orange hue in the sky and the white castle reflected in theke and there were also some boats seen tied to the dock.

    This ce was beyond breath-taking, and one could get a sense of its grandeur just by looking around.

    A man casually sat in a chair on one of the castle''s balconies, holding a white porcin cup filled with coffee in one hand and a book in the other, reading it while taking a sip of coffee.

    The man''s expression was calm and peaceful, his handsome angr face illuminated by the sun''s twilight.

    The man was none other than Aucuses, who was drinking coffee and reading one of the popr novels at the time, which a believer sacrificed to him.

    Yes, there is still some entertainment in the world; since the beginning of the third epoch, novels, theatre, museums, and art exhibitions have been present across the eastern continent.

    But, nobody could figure out how these forms of entertainment came to be, for there was no clear precedent in history, and they appeared out of nowhere.

    Aucuses knew who was behind it all; it was Ouroboros.

    Ourobous was an art nerd to the core. Despite the fact that the ideas for this originated from Ancient Sun God, Ourobous was the one who actively pushed everything behind the scenes.

    Looking back, Aucuses was a little surprised at how Ourobous single-handedly staged the Renaissance back then.

    His friendship with Ourobous was actually quite good because he, too, enjoyed painting and they had gone on adventures specifically for this purpose.

    However, everything between them broke, at the day of his betrayal.

    And, the majority of his drawings are in his white castle''s walls; Aucuses will asionally look at these paintings to reminisce about the past.

    ''Wait?'' Aucuses'' rambling thoughts came to a halt as he remembered something. ''That painting?''

    He received a sacrifice near the beginning of the fourth epoch, shortly after bing a god; it was a painting painted by Ourobous himself.

    The painting''s title was "Last Supper," which is quite ironic now that he know the past mythology and he didn''t expect Ourobous to have the courage and audacity to actually draw something like that.

    [Image here]

    The painting depicted him, Leodero, and Herabergan standing before the corpse of the ancient sun god, which wasid in the stone b. Aucuses tore open the chest of the ancient sun god and took the beating heart of the creator into his hand, while Leodero tore apart the creator''s hand and Herabergan held the sword directly above the creator''s head, as if about to sever it, while the background of the painting waspleted dark.

    When Aucuses saw the painting at the time, he was furious, for no one will be calm and collected if their actions and stories are depicted in this manner.

    This was exacerbated by the fact that he was still conflicted about his choices and hadn''t fully epted them at that time.

    This caused quite a stir at the time, because not only did he receive the painting, but so did Leodero and Herabergan.

    To top it all off, Amon was the one who orchestrated everything; stealing this painting from Ourobous and sacrificing to them in the hopes of causing chaos.

    Amon came severely close to achieving this goal, as war nearly broke out between the Solomon empire and three other kingdoms. However, it was brought to a halt by the intervention of other gods, and Amon suffered the most as a result of his actions, while the painting was decided to be destroyed.

    This was also when Amon was dubbed "The sphemer" for daring to provoke the three gods.

    Looking back now, Aucuses didn''t fell much anymore; he hadpletely epted his own his actions and choices that he decided at the time.

    He had no regrets about betraying Ancient Sun God, even after learning that Ancient Sun God would be resurrected.

    He carved for power and strength, and this was his nature, so he didn''t question or feel guilty about his actions, despite now knowing what could happen in the future.

    *Sigh* Aucuses sighed and ced the novel on the table, while drinking more coffee to calm his nerves.

    To be honest, the survival of the Ancient Sun God did not surprise him, because he had never thought of himself defeating his previous lord so easily, and he had always known that he would face him again one day.

    But it was Adam''s situation that really surprised him, and his previous self had never even considered this possibility.

    However, the past no longer matters; Aucuses can only n ahead and achieve his goal. Knowing what might happen in the future is a huge advantage in this world.

    Despite the fact that there are numerous ways to pry on the future and destiny in the world of mysteries. Nothingpares to the knowledge of future that he now possesses.

    But, the future also started change to an unknown direction since Aucuses was reborn.

    It will not follow the original timeline at all, and Aucuses did not bother to keep it up.

    Because, from the time being, he has set his ns in motion; his adversaries will not simply sit back and watch, but will take their own actions.

    Aucuses knows that if Adam finds out about his actions, he will not let it happen. Especially if the Grossele travels are what he believes it to be.

    So, one way or another, the future is bound to change, and he must be prepared to deal with any situation that arises.

    Nheless, Aucuses has an advantage in addition to knowing the future.

    Before, he discovered that the original creator''s will within him was weaker than before.

    When he found this, he waspletely perplexed, and he specifically conducted an analysis on himself to determine the situation within him.

    He eventually concluded that the original creator''s will within him was weakening over time, albeit slowly.

    Aucuses was not delighted when he discovered this, as one might expect. After all, he couldn''t find the cause of this, even using all of his powers, and he also tried to see if he had any other powers that were causing it.

    But he couldn''t find any; all he had were the authorities of the sun pathway.

    The reason for his apprehension was because nothing was free in his world, for free things were the most expensive. He has a hunch that his situation is also rted to the transmigration.

    Finally, Aucuses sighed and decided to stop thinking about theplicated issues for which he couldn''t find answers with his current strength and instead focus on the present.

    He could only use this exnation to cheer himself up and prepare to deal with problems as they arose.

    As for why the weakening of the original will gives him a huge advantage, it''s mostly because he no longer has to spend a portion of his power suppressing the original will and can use his authority to its fullest.

    This situation in not without a precedent; during the second epoch, Lilith and Farubati were more powerful than other gods due to their pathway originating from the outer gods, and the outer gods couldn''t influence them because the barrierpletely prevented it.

    However, Aucuses'' chaotic thoughts were interrupted when a ze of light erupted directly in front of him, revealing a golden star that continued to pulsate.

    Suddenly, the star''s bright light began to dim, and it started to be static, as though it was dying.

    When Aucuses saw this, his face became solemn, because he felt his connection with the angel of wisdom weakening and almost serving.

    He immediately raised his hand to grab the star.

    The dying star immediately emitted a zing light that engulfed him, and he vanished from his kingdom.

    In Antal Mountains, Aucuses gazed at the strange scene with his golden irises that glowed with rage evident in it.

 Chapter 7: Symphony of Apocalypse

    Chapter 7: Symphony of Apocalypse

    As he stared at the strange scene, Aucuses took a moment to calm down his raging emotions.

    Before him was a vast shimmering light curtain that stretched as far as the steeps of the mountains, seemingly without end.

    The entire light curtain was expanding at an incredible rate, and the curtain asionally gave off an ethereal glow, as if it shimmered.

    However, in the eyes of the Aucuses, this mystical scene was different; all he was looking at was not a light curtain.

    But, information!

    Everything behind the curtain was nothing more than a tangled mess of disorganised information. Whatever was engulfed by the curtain had lost its sense of reality and had been reduced to basic fundamental blocks of information.

    Everything that transformed was briny assimted and woven together to form a strange creature, whether it was living or non-living before the transformation didn''t matter.

    Aucuses can see the an information inside following towards the centre and assimting together, forming a strange white whirlpool in the centre.

    He can see a woman in the middle writhing in agony, her body mutating uncontrobly as if she were on the verge of losing control.

    Aucuses wasted no time in appearing in front of the expanding curtain and raising his hand to touch the curtain.

    He came to a halt, because something captivated his attention.

    Aucuses noticed a weak influence attempting to establish a connection through the information or knowledge known mixed within this chaotic whirlpool that was merging with the women at the time.

    Aucuses looked up at the night sky, only to see a brown shining brightly, it was more like a zing star than a.

    Soon, a haunting melody echoed right beside his ears as he gazed at the bright brown.

    Before reaching the ears, the melody seemed to reverberate throughout the astral world.

    Aucuses heard a song; a song so alien that it couldn''t have beenposed by humans.

    No, it''s can''t be even called a "song" or "melody"; it''s more like a terrifying sound from the infinite abyss or void. The sound seemed to transcend all of nature, as if it represented the concept of "sound" itself.

    This sound was truly horrifying enough to chill most people to their bones, but it was also mesmerizing and enthralling;pletely capturing the listener''s attention and tempting them to listen more; despite the horrifying feeling arouse within.

    Despite being anything but human, itpletely evoked the undeniable nature of humanity; curiosity.

    Aucuses felt the might of the sound at the time, despite the fact that it had no power to affect him; just hearing the sound left an indelible impression on him.

    He couldn''t even put words together to urately describe the sound.

    This led him to discover that the sound had the ability to drive all beings under angel insane simply by hearing it, for the sound was beyond what a human mind could bear.

    ''Inextinguishable ravings'' Aucuses recalled the name of an outer god who was vying earth from outside the barrier.

    And he couldn''t believe that the outer god was able to establish a weak connection to Earth through knowledge and information; even though this connection couldn''t possibly be used to send any power; but the outer god was still able to establish a connection through the barrier.

    Aucuses had never been so serious as he stared at the brown in the starry sky, and the haunting sound echoed in his ears.

    Aucuses'' golden iris began to glow, and soon his entire eyes were filled with light; a golden divine halo with light rays appeared right beneath his head.

    Aucuses'' expression became increasingly indifferent as a divine aura erupted from him.

    He shifted his gaze to the curtain in front of him.

    "Freeze." He spoke in an emotionless tone that reverberated through the space.

    The shimmering curtain stopped in its path and the never-ending chaotic information became static; in the midst of it all, the screaming woman fell silent.

    Everything outside the curtain was frozen in an instant, the swaying petals, the flying birds, and the slow-moving night clouds; everything stopped in their path.

    Aucuses used his authority of "order" and the entire reality had been frozen under hismand.

    Aucuses turned to look the woman, his eyes still emotionless. The woman finally stopped screaming, and her process of losing control came to a halt as well, as it too was "frozen."

    Aucuses turned to face the brown in the starry sky, which was still shining brightly, after seeing she was fine.

    He raised his hand, brought his middle and index fingers together, and snapped.

    Snap!

    That sound echoed around the world as the bright light of dawn erupted from the world''s horizon and the blinding golden sun rose.

    The sun rose from the horizon at breakneck speed, reaching the centre of the sky almost immediately.

    The zing golden sun suddenly expanded and became extremelyrge, as if it desired to upy the entire sky of the world.

    The brown, which had previously shone brightly, waspletely obscured by the golden sun and vanished from the sky.

    Aucuses could hear the sounding from the astral world bing increasingly distorted, as if representing the outer god''s rage. Then everything went quiet as the connection to the starry sky was severed.

    His eyes dimmed and returned to normal, and his indifferent expression faded, giving way to a grave expression. The golden divine halo behind his head vanished, as did the enormous golden sun above him, returning the sky to night''s embrace.

    The night sky, however, had changed, as there were no twinkling stars or crimson moon.

    Aucuses looked up again, this time to see the only darkness, which was like a veil that draped the entire sky, blocking and serving any interference from the starry sky.

    Amanines was one who took action immediately after him.

    Even though everything seemed to take a long time, it had only been a few seconds.

    ''I didn''t think "they" would be able to expand their influence on Earth during this time period.'' Aucuses pondered with a sense of helplessness. ''It appeared that after the fall of the ancient sun god, the barrier weakened significantly.''

    As he walked forward towards the frozen curtain, Aucuses recalled the conversation between Klein and Adam in the original book.

    He eventually stopped thinking about it because he couldn''t stop it even if he tried, and instead focused on the frozen curtain and reality that surrounded him.

    Here, he did not remove thew that had been established prior to using his authority of order, but instead began walking towards the curtain.

    Aucuses raised his hands, and out of nowhere, a book appeared in his hands.

    Then he walked through the curtain, which was filled with an endless chaotic flux of information.

    Aucuses opened the book with empty white pages, which began flipping automatically with his actions, in the blurry environment with no sense of reality.

    When he saw this, he snapped his fingers again, and the frozen chaotic information moved, this time towards the book in Aucuses'' hands rather than the women.

    The book appeared to be a ma that attracted all of the chaotic information in the surrounding area; as the information was absorbed into the book, the empty white pages began to fill with distorted letters and paragraphs.

    Soon, the surroundings returned to normal and the brown book was filled with content and the cover was closed after it.

    The curtain had vanished, and everything inside it was restored to same as it was before the curtain engulfed it.

    Now, Aucuses stood in the green grass, facing the massive grey tower with stained windows depicting a purple eye that contained countless resplendent stars.

    This was the residence of the angel of wisdom under him, which also had been restored.

    However, Aucuses did not enter right away. He took the book in his hand and began to open it.

    As he began reading, his expression became solemn and serious.

    "Inextinguishable Ravings... the therer from the infinite void...the originator of all sounds...the one who ys the symphony of apocalypse that heralds the end of everything..."

    As he stared at these distorted words, Aucuses took a breather to calm hisplex emotions.

    ''Symphony of Apocalypse.'' Aucuses felt sense of powerlessness as he looked at this and thought the future, for even as a god, he wouldn''t stand a chance against an outer god, though he might be able to escape if he was lucky.

    He kept turning the pages and saw more information about Inextinguishable ravings, from it staying in Saturn to even performing a ritual pointing to it.

    ''''Well, this knowledge is far too precise.'' Auceses analysed. ''It''s no surprise that the outer god was able to establish a connection through this. But even I and the other gods should be unable to obtain such knowledge unless the source of this.....''

    Aucuses'' eyes widened as he considered something.

    ''Artisan and Moses ascetic order.'' Aucuses thought of the new information. ''The ident...''

    ''It seemed like I should pay a visit to artisan.'' Aucuses reflected as his eyes shed with coldness and indifference.

    He then resumed to look of the new pages, eventuallying to a halt on a page that disyed something different.

    "Sequence 9  Mystery pryer, Sequence 8  Melee Schr.....

    "Sequence 1  Knowledge Emperor,

    Potion Form

    Main ingredients : One Knowledge Emperor beyonder characteristics,

    Supplementary ingredients : The book of knowledge,

    Ritual - Spread the most abstract and diverse knowledge from the forgotten era and let it be known around the world."

 Chapter 8: Sequence 0 – Hermit

    Chapter 8: Sequence 0 �C Hermit

    "Sequence 0  Hermit,

    "Potion form  Three knowledge emperor beyonder characteristics and the hermit''s uniqueness.

    "Ritual  seclude yourself and research into the ws'' or ''truth'' of the world,

    "Then, using that knowledge as a fulcrum, create a neww and let it to sessfully integrate with the ''World'',

    "Finally, consume the potion for advancement."

    ''Well..'' Aucuses'' thoughts wandered to the past as he observed the ritual for bing a hermit. ''This ritual....''

    Despite having seen the first sphemy te and the majority of the ritual of bing god. Aucuses still felt the ritual for hermit was one of the most difficult toplete, because analysing thews of the mysteries world is dangerous in and of itself, and creating a new one is even more so.

    Still, the neww that can be created does not need to be particrly influential; it may simply be a new naturalw that has no bearing on the grand scheme of things.

    However, it must sessful integrated with the world; this is the most difficult step toplete because thew can be ipatible with the world so fail in the process, resulting in theplete copse of the ceremony.

    ''Will she have the potential to be a god?'' Aucuses had a slight expectation of his angel of wisdom.

    He was eager to see if she could be the hermit if given the chance.

    Aucuses stopped thinking more about into it, because he didn''t know the status of hermit''s uniqueness.

    However, he knew where the characteristics of the knowledge emperor were, and there was one with the mosaic ascetic order, another with the artisan, andst one was with Lilith, Earth Mother, who obtained it at the end of the third epoch.

    Aucuses finally closed the book after skimming through the rest of it, which was filled with other pathways potion form and looked at the grey tower.

    A image of a ck-haired woman shed through his mind, she was unwavering in her pursuit of knowledge, no matter what it took in the path. His lips curled into a smile, which quickly faded as he considered her condition, soon, his face became sullen.

    He looked up to see the top of the tower as his figure began to fade and vanished.

    He appeared in a massive yet dimly lit room filled with esoteric books and various drawings ofplex structures or technologies far beyond this era.

    There was also a small model of the sr system in a table, with the names of thes written on it. There was also a drawing of a starry sky with constetions right nearby.

    A massive telescope was erected on a tform, and it was extended outside to face the night sky through the rather open ceiling.

    There were several tables around the tform, each with stacks of paper with notes and calctions written on it.

    Aucuses took a look around and his attention was immediately drawn to the woman who was lying on the ground with a pool of crimson blood surrounding her; she waspletely frozen, even her painful expression and mutation were visible in this state.

    The woman had ck hair and wore a traditional blue robe that waspletely soaked in blood, and before she was frozen, she appeared to be trying to sp her hands together, as if she wanted to pray for help.

    The woman''s body seemed to have been mutating and copsing, as her entire skin around her hand, cheek, legs, and neck spit open and the flesh inside contracted to form eyeballs around her body. Her hair appeared to be growing abnormally long.

    Seeing her state only fuelled Aucuses'' rage, he immediately appeared right in front of her frozen body and immediately touched her be on her head with his index finger.

    A golden light erupted from the contact, and the light shone on the ck-haired woman''s mutating body.

    The ck-haired woman''s body immediately began to heal, and the eyeballs on her body melted away, and ruptured skin fused together, and her hair stopped growing and returned to normal. Under this light, the blood in her robes also evaporated.

    Her face regained vitality as it turned rosy under the light''s illumination.

    In the end, Aucuses looked at his angel of wisdom with some apprehension.

    Her name is Diana Knight.

    Diana was a popr woman in the third epoch; she was hailed as a innovative inventor and researcher, and she was evenpared to Artisan by some, who was also very popr at the time.

    She was born to ordinary parents, but her family was somewhat wealthy, and the money would be sufficient to support her for the rest of her life even if she did not work. As a result, she had a happy childhood.

    But the good times didn''tst long for her because her father became ill and died soon after, and her mother followed shortly in his footsteps, leaving her alone in his world.

    She had a difficult life after that, but things improved when she discovered her passion when she went to an exhibition put on by an organisation under artisan, which disyed various new inventions.

    Then, she had spent almost all of her money on pursuing her dreams and aspiring to be extraordinary. Her opportunity came, when someone her parents knew introduced her to the path of hermit.

    Diana rose to prominence on the eastern continent as a result of her natural talent in the field of research. But her thirst for knowledge grew day by day, to the point where she set her goal to be to discover the "truth" of the world and unravel its mysteries when she was only just a demigod.

    Soon, she suffered for her unrestrained pursuit of knowledge; she delved into mysteries of the second epoch and non-human gods, then ventured into ancient ruins. She would have died if she hadn''t met Aucuses, who was on an adventure with Ourobous on their painting quest.

    Aucuses saved her not because he pitied her, but because his intuition as an king of angels told him that Diana was special, and he also needed high sequence beyonder of hermit pathway in his legion.

    Ourobous looked at Diana and also confirmed his intuition, by saying that her destiny is quite special and unusual.

    Aucuses took Diana and allowed her to join his legion, but only after warning her about her pursuit of knowledge, saying that without sufficient strength, some knowledge should never be uncovered.

    He, to be honest, didn''t have much hope for her at the time, given her character. However in the end, she really managed to surprise him.

    As a result of that incident, she changed and learned from her mistakes. She performed her duties in his legion to the best of her abilities, but she didn''tpletely lose her thirst for knowledge, though she was more restrained than before. Then, at the start of the fourth epoch, she managed to be an angel.

    Now, Aucuses retracted his hand from her be as her brows trembled, then she opened her eyes.

    He truly cared about all of his subordinates; they were the ones who stayed by his side even when he left all alone after what happened, and they remained loyal to him regardless of his decisions.

    So, even though he had previously be apathetic, he still kept an eye on his subordinates and asionally assisted them. As a result, seeing Diana in that state really enraged him.

    Diana groaned as she sat up and rubbed her temples, and her blurry vision became clearer as she regained control of herself and remembered the previous situation.

    ''Am I still alive?'' This was the first thought that came to her mind. She clearly remembered an unknown entity trying to forcefully impart enormous information and knowledge into her mind when she was about to make a new discovery.

    She couldn''t even stand up to that entity and she had the absurd notion that the unknown entity was the embodiment of knowledge itself.

    The knowledge was so vast and foreign that even she, a sage, couldn''tprehend it, thus causing her to nearly lose control.

    She thought she was going to die, and she couldn''t even summon any strength to pray to her lord; she waspletely helpless.

    "Diana, what did I say to you before?" A deep voice interrupted her thoughts, causing her to jolt up from the ground and turn to face the source of the sound.

    Diana noticed her lord who stood before her; well, she knew who saved her now, but this only made her feel more useless and ipetent, as she was always the one in the group who made the blunder and caused trouble, and getting saved. She really wanted to be better.

    She also knew her lord was angry despite his emotionless face because she could tell by looking at his glowing eyes, and the surrounding temperature rose with his words.

    "Don''t get lost on the path of knowledge." Aucuses warned her as he approached her. Even though what happened now was not her fault, he remained her due to his worry

    And, bybining future events and news, he can somewhat guess what happened here.

    ''The issue is most likely due to hermit''s uniqueness.'' Aucuses spected. ''I hope it hasn''te to life yet.''

    Yes, the entire situation is most likely rted to the birth of the hidden sage, and he is now certain that the artisan yed a significant role in it.

    He would dly stop the birth of hidden sage if he could. However, the situation is still unclear, and he needs to meet with artisan to rify a lot of things.

    Aucuses did not want the hidden sage to be born; rather, he preferred that an actual beyonder to ascend and be the hermit.

 Chapter 9: Hidden Sage

    Chapter 9: Hidden Sage

    "Mi-lord, there-e had been minor-r misha-ap here." Diana stuttered as she tried to stand straight and regained control of herself. Finally, she managed to force a smile, which looked even worse than her crying face. "I apologise for disturbing you again."

    Diana was a proud and fearless woman, so even though she was an angel serving under her lord, she preferred to be independent and not always reliant on Aucuses, like Lucas. She wished to grow in strength and progress further in her own path.

    So, she really hated herself when she caught with up situations like this again and again, and believe her, she makes blunder quite frequently.

    So much so, she wondered if she had been targeted by that entric snake of mercury, who has a very dark heart despite having the appearance of a innocent boy.

    Aucuses sighed after looking at her state withplex eyes. He waved his hand, and a table with two chairs appeared in front of them.

    Diana and her lord were now sitting in the chair, despite the fact that they had previously been standing. She began rubbing her temples, as she felt the seque.

    Despite the fact that her lord mostly healed her, she still had some lingering effects from what happened.

    It was truly horrifying to have knowledge and information forced on you.

    To put it another way, Diana felt as if someone had squeezed all the knowledge and forcefully twisted it into her mind, it was as though a sharp object had been pierced right into her temple and inserting it right into her brain, followed by a twist.

    Now, an aroma assaulted Diana''s nose, jolting her out of her trance.

    "Drink this." Aucuses passed a cup of hot tea that smelled grassy and light. "It might help you regain control of yourself."

    Diana didn''t think much as she took the cup in her hands and took a sip almost immediately.

    Her dizziness in her head immediately subsided, and her spirit was revitalised. Her mind and vision became instantly clear, and the seque she was experiencing were washed away.

    Diana stared at the tea, as if she couldn''t believe what had just happened.

    "What is the recipe, Milord?" Diana said that out loud, without giving a second thought.

    Aucuses responded with a new question. "Do you think it''s good?" He brewed the tea himself, so his divinity also slightly affected the tea, that is also why it so effective for her.

    "Yes, it''s the best tea I''ve ever had." Diana responded quickly, and she didn''t hold back on herints, assuming that the tea was most likely made by her lord.

    "Well, you can pray to me after that, and I''ll give you the recipe." Aucuses said with a smile. "Now, let''s get to the point, shall we?" His smirk faded as he said this, giving way to a solemn expression.

    Diana was also aware of the gravity of the situation, so she refrained from making light of it as she had previously.

    "Yes, Milord." Diana nodded, "Just a moment." She spoke solemnly after raising her hand to her head and touching her temple with her index finger.

    Then, a dim white light appeared from the contact, and Diana moved her hand away from her temple as if she sensed it.

    The light brightened as a wisp of light extended from her temple, one end of which was sped onto the index winger. The wisp of light eventually separated from her temple.

    Diana shook her hand in the left side of the table after a brief nce at the wisp.

    The wisp of light detached from her finger and became illusory before blending into the surrounding reality.

    It caused the entire reality surrounding the table to be hazy and blurry, and then everything went dark.

    Aucuses and Diana remained seated at the table, holding a tea cup, despite the fact that everything around them was nothing but darkness.

    The darkness was immediately illuminated by a dim light, revealing a scene in which Diana was skimming through various notes and sketching.

    "This is my memory." Diana stated as she stood up from her chair and began walking towards herself.

    As a sage, it is very simple to extract memory from their minds.

    Aucuses got up and followed her. He looked around, the details of the memory almost perfectly matching reality, as it was reconstructed ording to Diana''s subconscious, and the memory is also in a different perspective.

    ''This has a lot of simrities to pensive experience in Harry Potter.'' Aucuses'' thoughts returned to the past as he walked with the Diana.

    "I was just trying to uncover some old secrets, Milord." Diana''s words brought him back to reality, and she continued with a distressed expression, pointing to herself in the memory. "That''s when it started."

    Aucuses looked around at the scene before it abruptly changed, as a blurry eye appeared right behind Diana.

    The blurry eye didn''t appear to be fully formed. The eye also didn''t hold any emotions, and Aucuses couldn''t feel any life in it either.

    In the memory, an almost imperceptible light shot out of the eye and struck Diana, who appeared to bepletely unaware of the danger lurking behind her. Then, the eye disappeared.

    Diana fell to the ground and began to lose control because she couldn''tprehend the information provided by the eye. Soon, the situation proceed to what happened before, as the everything surrounding her lost a sense of reality and started breaking into information.

    Diana''s expression worsened as she witnessed the process. She really wanted to find out what that eye was, but she eventually stopped herself because she was afraid that something even worse would happen if she did.

    "Enough of that, Diana." The sound of Aucuses'' voice echoed in her ears, instantly calming her nerves.

    Diana paused for a moment, then waved her hands around. Her actions caused the surroundings space to crack as if it were a mirror, eventually copsing on itself.

    Eventually, they returned to reality, sitting in the same chairs, facing each other.

    "What is that eye, Milord?" Diana questioned him right away.

    "That was the hermit uniqueness." Aucuses responded calmly, as if the incident didn''t bother him in the least.

    "Uniqueness." Diana''s eyes widened, as she was taken aback by the fact that what had instilled her knowledge was the uniqueness itself.

    However, this confirmed her previous feeling, as hermit uniqueness does indeed embody the knowledge.

    "However, uniqueness should not be able..." Diana''s expression has be somewhat perplexed.

    Her understanding of uniqueness was limited, but she still knew that uniqueness should not behave in that manner unless someone is behind it or there is a problem with the uniqueness.

    "There is, in fact, a problem with uniqueness." Aucuses confirmed it, as if he could see right through her mind.

    Aucuses confirmed a lot of things, and the eye is linked to hermit uniqueness. However, it has not yet evolved into what it will be like in the future.

    The uniqueness seemed to be in a strange state; it couldn''t be considered living, but it also has some weak consciousness in it.

    After seeing that eye, he knows that hidden sage will be born soon. But, the situation should be still somewhat salvageable.

    Diana, on the other hand, was experiencing a great deal of emotional turmoil when she heard her lord''s confirmation. After all, she was an angel of the hermit pathway; this situation was bound to affect her again, and she couldn''t always rely on her lord to save her.

    "You don''t need to be concerned." After seeing her worried expression, Aucuses said.

    Diana pressed her worried heart after hearing his reassurance, and in her mind, she was also nning a way to deal with the situation.

    "Would you like to apany me?" Aucuses asked abruptly, as he stood up from his seat.

    "Of course," Diana says, while she pushed her worries and thoughts to the back of her mind.

    And, her face became a little excited. Her lord will not simply ask her to apany him without a reason. When she apanied him before, she had a bountiful harvest.

    "Take my hand." Aucuses extended his hand to her, she immediatelyplied.

    "Milord, where are we going?" Diana finally asked after she had calmed down.

    "We are going to meet the famed artisan and then pay a visit to the Moseic Ascetic Order." As he spoke, Aucuses smiled. He then turned around and looked Diana in the eyes. "After all, they must pay for what urred here." He stated rather calmly.

    Aucuses then chuckled as he looked at Diana, who was too shocked and terrified to speak.

    Their figures became illusory and vanished from the tower and with their departure, the frozen reality under his order was restored.

 Chapter 10: Artisan

    Chapter 10: Artisan

    As the golden sun rose in between the range of mountains, the light of dawn zed out the horizon. Under this light, the night sky faded, giving way to day.

    The light shone on two figures standing on the mountain''s crest.

    One of the figures was a woman with caucasian skin and a sharp nose. Her hair was long and ck, almost reaching her hips, and her eyes were sapphire blue.

    The ck-haireddy wore traditional blue robes embroidered with stars.

    The woman was now standing on the crest of a snowy mountain, her eyes wide, as if she was astonished by what she was seeing.

    Next to her was a man with short white hair that was slightly messy and a golden iris that glowed and surged like the zing sun in the sky. He had a chiselled jaw and thin lips.

    He was dressed in a ck suit and held a brown book in his hand.

    The man was also looking at the scene before him, but he was calmer than the woman standing next to him.

    They were, of course, Aucuses and Diana.

    Diana couldn''t believe what she was seeing; it truly shook her to her core because what she was seeing was too incredible and magnificent.

    There was a floating continent in front of her!

    Yes, a continent that was floating directly before her, visible through the clouds. What was more astonishing was its size, which was nearly a quarter of the Northern Continent.

    She had never seen anything like it before, and even she, who had witnessed godly miracles, was truly taken aback by the floating continent.

    As for how such a massive continent could exist without affecting the rest of the world, she only felt that the space here was slightly different, so she inferred that some changes had been made to space in the surroundings.

    "Come on, you are this surprised by just seeing this." Aucuses chuckled, as he turned and looked at her shocked face. "We haven''t even gotten to the centre of the floating continent."

    "Is this the home of artisan, Milord?" Diana finally got back to her senses, and asked after slight excitement.

    She was taken aback when her lord said that they would go to Moseic Ascetic Order to avenge what had happened to her. She hadn''t expected her lord to be so concerned about her.

    It just made her feel strange, don''t get her wrong, she didn''t have any feelings for her lord, she isn''t be that stupid yet.

    And now she''s standing in front of a floating continent, where she''ll most likely meet the artisan himself. She felt a rush of excitement and utter confusion in her heart, as Artisan was her childhood idol. She even discovered her passion at his exhibition, but she never had the opportunity to meet him.

    Concerning the confusion, she didn''t understand why her lord had brought her here rather than to the mosaic ascetic order, where the uniqueness was most likely to be present.

    "It certainly is." Aucuses nodded and motioned for her to take his hands. "Come on, we don''t have much time."

    Diana grabbed his hand and felt the world before her spin for a moment before returning to normal.

    She turned and looked around, realising she was in arge room, but her attention was drawn to the scene outside the window before she could see any further.

    Outside the window, there were numerous skyscrapers with strange architecture, as well as many people flying around the city in unusual vehicles that were gliding through the sky. She also looked around, and managed to find various people conducting research on strange inventions.

    Diana stared, mouth agape, at everything.

    "I wasn''t expecting a guest." A deep voice drew her attention back, as she turned and looked at the source of the voice.

    A man stood in front of them, holding a bronze scroll in his hand; he had brown hair and ck eyes. He rather had a high nose and was dressed in a grey robe.

    The man fixed his gaze on Diana for a brief moment, causing her body to stiffen; the excitement she had felt when she finally saw her idol before was swept away as she met those indifferent eyes. For, she had the impression that she had beenpletely exposed, with all of her secretsid bare for him to see.

    Her body rxed and the sensation vanished as soon as a hand was ced on her shoulder. When she turned around, her lord was standing beside her, his hand on her shoulders.

    "Yet, a friend at that." The man smiled amicably, as he turned to face Aucuses, who was standing next to Diana.

    Aucuses looked at the artisan, who was behaving friendly, as if he had no idea why he''de here.

    He had previously met artisan and had a number of run-ins with each other.

    During the third epoch, Artisan was very famous because his talent triumphed most. One can see it clearly, by just looking at the floating continent and the city that was so out of era, that he managed to build.

    Artisan even managed to gain the guidance of the ancient sun god himself, which pushed him one step closer to bing a god. Since he learned a great deal from Ancient Sun God. This was also the time when they became acquainted.

    "Shall we cut the nonsense?" The cold tone of Aucuses caused the temperature in the room to rise.

    Aucuses had enough of this, for didn''t have the patience or time to y along with Artisan.

    His words made artisan''s smile stiffen, and Diana was attempting to make blend in with this surroundings, as she sensed the atmosphere between them was way off.

    Aucuses began walking towards artisan as a divine aura erupted from him, filling the room with golden mes.

    The room in which Aucuses was present was anything but ordinary, as it contained valuable notes and calctions that the artisan had painstakingly written. It had inventions with enough power to put most future sealed artifacts to shame. There was also endless books on the various shelves that held knowledge that delved into esoteric concept such as cosmos, time, and space.

    While, the room was also filled with restrictions and powerful defence, to the point where even an archangel would be powerless if caught in it.

    Even so, everything went up in golden mes, the mes kept burning it all and illuminating the centre of the room which was unaffected by the mes.

    "What gives you such confidence?" Artisan smiled as he spoke, and his piercing eyes locked on Artisan. "Despite everything that has happened, you are here with such calmness even when facing me."

    "Let me guess." Aucuses'' smile widened, and he continued without giving artisan a chance to reply or react. "Is it because of Adam?"

 Chapter 11: Paragon

    Chapter 11: Paragon

    The golden mes swirled around the room''s centre, illuminating the figures inside. The temperature of the mes affected literally everything, to the point where reality itself was melting, as if it were a candle in the fire.

    Artisan stared at the golden mes that were consuming all of his hard work.

    He only felt regret and pain.

    He had no idea where it all went wrong because he had a perfect n and a well-thought-out path for his bright future. Nheless, everything copsed in front of his eyes.

    He didn''t know how much of this was due to his own arrogance or self-confidence, for he used to believe that nothing could go wrong and that no one could stop his ascension.

    Looking back, Artisan''s lips turned upwards as he smiled self-deprecatingly at his previous self.

    He is now facing the terrible consequences of his actions. For, it''s truly terrifying to face an angry god.

    Artisan was aware that he was treading on thin ice, and the god''s gaze put enormous strain on his body and soul.

    Before, when confronted with Aucuses, he manages to keep hisposure.

    As he remembered a priest who always prayed to a figure in a cross, he had some hope left in his heart.

    Adam was hisst hope.

    For, he was a member of Twilight Hermit Order before, and he also personally met Adam after everything happened and exined it all, as the situation was already out of his hands.

    In response, Adam simply smiled and assured him that everything would be fine.

    Even Adam was generous enough to promise to lend a hand if the situation worsened.

    However at the time, even Artisan did not anticipate that things would escte to the point where he would attract the wrath of God.

    When he heard Aucuses mention Adam now, his calm expression finally gave way to despair.

    It wasn''t because Aucuses discovered his backer was Adam, but Auceses'' expression and look remained unchanged even after learning that.

    "Oh?" Aucuses was amused by Artisan''s changing expression. "What do you expect? Do you think I''d back down and talk to you politely?" He spoke mockingly, revealing artisan''s thoughts, as if he could see right through him.

    Adam, the angel of imagination, king of angels of the visionary pathway, creator''s son, the zealot, the list of titles given to him is endless.

    Aucuses understood why artisan had such faith in Adam, because Adam had performed such feats that many did not consider him to be a king of angels, but rather a god.

    Aucuses remembers that fateful day, when chaos and depravity engulfed the once more, as the creator''s blood spilled across the ocean.

    The golden sun in the sky dimmed as it''s finally twilight illuminated the entire world.

    The ancient sun god''s resentment and negative emotions when he experienced the betrayal manifested in reality. As a result, cataclysm erupted all over the world. The eastern continent suffered the most because it was where the true creator was born.

    Then, the second sphemy te arose from the sea. The alliance between gods and king of angels quickly fell apart, and a war ensued between them over the ownership of the te.

    However, the te ended up in the hands of Adam, who appeared in the midst of the chaos and took the te.

    Even when the gods attacked, he was unfazed, as a cathedral built from the bones of fallen ancient gods themselves, arouse around him, protecting him and letting him escape the siege.

    It was truly a slight to behold. At the time, everyone who saw it knew Adam was far from simple.

    Aucuses knew that his former self suspected that Adam was a failsafe left by the ancient sun god; if things went wrong, Adam was most likely tasked with resurrecting the creator.

    And his former self, and even other gods, were always wary of the angel of imagination, because they didn''t know how much of the ancient sun god''s legacy that he got, other than the bone cathedral.

    His former self would not have taken the risk in the situation. But he is no longer the same, as he is even prepared to face Adam, despite knowing who Adam really is.

    Aucuses, on the other hand, had a feeling Adam wouldn''t show up at all.

    "Haven''t you figured it out yet, Artisan?"

    "I never concealed my presence since I came to this floating continent," Aucuses chuckled. "I thought you were the smartest of them all, artisan."

    Artisan''s brown eyes dimmed as hisst hope was extinguished at the exact moment he realised it.

    Despite his dire circumstances, the angel of imagination did not appear at all.

    "Your excellency." Finally, Artisan spoke up rather hoarsely, his face became respectful. "I am willing to ept any conditions imposed on me because I have truly inconvenienced you."

    "Conditions, huh?" Aucuses raised his brows, his expression yful, as he noticed artisan''s sudden shift in attitude. "At least you''ve finally recognised the situation you''re in now, artisan."

    When Artisan heard this, he fell silent. However, his hands were clenched tightly together, and his body was slightly shaking, revealing his true emotions.

    "Where should we begin?" Aucuses'' smile eventually faded, giving way to apathy. "How about you start with what happened in moseic ascetic order and problem of hermit''s uniqueness?"

    "And don''t ever try to be clever with me again." Aucuses stated coldly. "Because you can''t bear the consequences." He said this while pointing to the window.

    The golden sun, which was rising over the horizon, suddenly emitted a zing light, which instantly illuminated the entire floating continent.

    "All I have to do is snap my fingers." Aucuses stated tly. "Then the light of the sun will consume your anchors and the floating continent." He stated, as if he didn''t give a damn about the countless people on the continent who will also be burned by the sun''s rays.

    "And with it, all your hard work and chances of bing a god."

    The ritual for Sequence 0 - Paragon is to construct a miracle of civilization that should be far ahead of the current era and drink the potion for advancement under the reveal of this miracle to the world.

    ______________

    A/N: This chapter is quite brief, due to my college life has been hectic nowdays. Even I can''t believe I even had time to write this. In addition, when I have free time, I try to post more chapters.

    As you may have noticed, the pace of my story is slow. I''d like to get some feedback on whether it''s okay to keep going at this pace or if I should pick up the pace a little.

 Chapter 12: The Plan of Artisan

    Chapter 12: The n of Artisan

    The golden sun in the world''s horizon shone brightly, which immediately drew the attention of everyone on the floating continent.

    The floating continent was enormous and looked no different from a natural paradise. It would not give a first impression that it was created artificially by someone.

    To be more specific, the continent was a miracle in and of itself because it contains a self-sustaining natural environment capable of supporting millions of people without difficulty. The continent can even travel safely into the astral world while protecting its inhabitants.

    The continent also had snowy mountain ranges that spread through it, as well as green prairies that ran alongside the mountains. Long rivers with numerous tributaries ran through this vast expanse ofnd.

    There were also other small floating inds near the continent that were linked together by brown bridges. One can see a massive waterfall on the continent''s western edge, where the river eventually reached its end and fell into the northern continent.

    There was a beautiful and strange city in the middle of the continent, with arge number of viges and towns connected to it via a road from the city.

    Today, however, whether it is farmers working in the fields, craftsmen working in the capital city, or believers praying in the cathedral.

    Everyone in their path came to a halt and gazed at the world''s horizon.

    As they gazed, the golden sun''s rays, which were always gentle and warm, giving life and light to everything in the world, changed suddenly under gasps of all.

    The sun in the horizon suddenly turned white and emitted a zing light; many people closed their eyes in the re of the sun, which shone across the entire continent.

    The high-sequence beyonders under artisan can clearly sense the sun''s wrath, as thier figure were also illuminated under the light of the sun.

    Many in the floating continent thought it was the end of the world and copsed on the spot, because not everyone can withstand the apocalyptic scene before them.

    At the same time, various divine gazes were cast at this location, ranging from a divine kingdom in the Amantha mountains to a cathedral made of bones in the ruins of a battle of gods. Despite seeing what was happening with the floating continent, none of the owners of divine gazes did anything.

    Here, even though the entire continent had descended into chaos, the interior of the tallest bronze tower in the heart of the capital city remained unaffected.

    Inside the room, the golden mes had been extinguished, leaving only ck charred remains and ashes floating in the air.

    Aucuses sat in a white chair, while Diana stood behind him, who was dazed and shocked by everything that had transpired.

    Artisan stood in front of him, his head down and his hands clenched together.

    He knew everything was on the line now, and if he said one wrong word and dissatisfied the sun god before him, he could be certain that the sun''s rays wouldpletely burn all of his life''s work to ashes right before his eyes.

    The powerlessness and malice of the god that he felt now made him understand the cruelty of this world once more.

    Even though everything had devolved into a total mess, there was still hope for him before. But it''s also extinguishing, as he felt his anchors kept dwindling.

    However, he couldn''t give up now, for he paid too much and if he had such a weak will, he wouldn''t have be an archangel.

    Artisan finally took a breather to calm his raging emotions and gazed at at the sun god who sat before him, who also looking at him indifferently.

    Even though everything seemed to take a long time, it was only a few seconds.

    "It all started with the n I devised at the start of the fourth epoch." Artisan''s expression and tone became unusually calm as he began to answer the sun god''s question in detail. "At the time, I was sessful promoted to archangel, I began seeking to ascend to the throne of God."

    "That''s when Adam approached me, as if sensing my predicament, and invited me to a meeting he was holding, implying I''d find my answers there."

    When Aucuses heard about the meeting, his brow furrowed.

    ording to his knowledge, almost all of the angels and archangels who were promoted in this era attended this meeting. Solomon was also present at the meeting.

    Not to mention, two of those who attended became gods in the future, and one became king of angels of door pathway.

    Aucuses intuitively felt Adam''s presence in almost every major event that affected the world during this time period.

    ''Adam...'' Aucuses felt pressure as he considered this; it was truly unfortunate to have such an adversary against him.

    His attention was drawn back as artisan continued after a brief pause, during which artisan frequently nced at him, most likely to gauge his reaction, which was always indifferent on the surface.

    Artisan continued in low tone. "I went to the meeting with many others and finally saw the god''s path and the ritual for bing god."

    "But then I noticed something else in the te that I hadn''t expected..." He came to a sudden halt, his gaze drawn to Diana.

    "You may continue." Aucuses stated, as ifprehending his actions. "There will be no problems, even if she learns the secrets."

    Artisan took a deep breath and gazed at Diana deeply, certain that she was the one who had been trying to divine into this matter before and was most likely the reason he was facing the Aucuses now.

    Diana finally awoke from her stupor and began paying close attention. She pressed all the shock and questions in her heart and focused clearly, because her intuition as a sage made her believe that the next information revealed by her idol would forever change her fate and future.

    "The second sphemy state revealed something unexpected to me: the path to bing a being above the gods, or more precisely, above the sequence."

    "The demon of knowledge, which consisted the pathway of hermit and paragon, was the title above the sequence." Artisan spoke as he averted his gaze from Diana. "It also made understand a lot about our world and thew of beyonder characteristics."

    "Before I could process what I had learned, Adam approached me alone after the end of the meeting and exined the future and threat of outer gods beyond the barrier."

    When Aucuses heard that, his expression be strange.

    Artisan chuckled and said with a self-deprecating smile as he noticed this. "I''m not sure if Adam intended for it to happen or if it was pure coincidence. But it didn''t matter much anymore."

    "Here I was, knowing the terrible future, and my desire to be stronger was unlike anything I''d ever felt before."

    "So I devised a strategy to make my ascension much easier."

    "I already had a knowledge emperor characteristics with me."

    "So, using that, I created an artificial life that I could control, with the intention of using it as a tool to gather hermit characteristics and even uniqueness."

    "I then desired to ascend to be the god of the paragon pathway and secure my position. Then, in the future, I nned to absorb it and sessfully be the dual pathway god, without having to worry about corruption and loss of control." In the silent room, Artisan''s words echoed.

 Chapter 13: The Black Door

    Chapter 13: The ck Door

    It would be a lie to say that Artisan''s bold proposal did not surprise Aucuses. Moreover, this n actually had a potential of sess.

    Because he was aware of something simr happening in the future, during Amon''s apotheosis, where Amon absorbed the characteristics and uniqueness of the door pathway from Bethel Abraham while recing him.

    Only because Bethel gave up, understanding the threat posed by the mother goddess of depravity, who is using him as an anchor to open the door and bypass the barrier, was the entire ordeal possible at the first ce.

    Artisan, on the other hand, didn''t have to worry about this because the artificial life he created would most likely obey him.

    However, Aucuses can almost guess what happened next based on Artisan''s expression.

    Diana, who was standing next to Aucuses, was in a daze again, as she processed the information she had received.

    Outer gods..Demon of knowledge..Above the sequence...These words kept repeating in her mind, because this information was too great and impactful for her.

    She had no idea there was a higher level above the gods!

    What exactly are outer gods? When her idol mentioned that term, she could clearly see fear in her idol''s eyes.

    The presence of outer gods is known only to the gods and kings of angels, as it was not known among angels during this period.

    ''Wait.'' Diana''s thoughts turned quickly as she began to analyse. ''The conflict between the lord, the god of wisdom and knowledge and lord of storms.''

    ''There are also ongoing battle between Evernight Goddess, God of Combat, and Death.'',

    ''The sun, tyrant, white tower, hanged man, visionary pathways are adjacent, as are the death, darkness, and twilight pathways.''

    ''So, the reason for the conflicts between gods, is that they are fighting for a chance to ascend above the sequence.'' Diana felt more clear than ever before, as all the doubts and puzzles she didn''t understand before became clearer as she analysed the truth.

    ''How about the ancient sun god?''

    ''Did he manage to reach above the sequence?''

    Diana''s memories of that era were as clear as day, where the ancient sun god was said by some of his believers to be above all the gods themselves. She didn''t think much of it at the time, but looking back, she realised it wasn''t as simple as she thought.

    ''How did the lord betray and survive? More importantly, how did ancient sun god die?''

    ording to her knowledge, the information and secrets of that time werepletely concealed, and even her lord never spoke about what really happened on the battlefield.

    Diana''s thoughts then turned to the n mentioned by Artisan.

    Now, when Artisan had noticed that the sun god in front of him had not spoken up, he continued on with a somewhat dejected tone.

    "And then it happened."

    "I was working on a new project one day."

    "That was when I discovered anomalies in the artificial life I created. Before I could clearly see what was going on. Itpletely escaped my control, and it managed to escape even with the restriction, and my powers couldn''t hold it all."

    ''I really didn''t expect hidden sage was created by artisan.'' Aucuses thought, slightly surprised. To be honest, he didn''t expect this kind of advancement. Even though he knew artisan had to be involved, it now appears that artisan is the main culprit behind this entire incident.

    The hidden sage is the most likely the artificial life that escaped artisan''s control.

    ''This entire situation...'' The more Auceses thought about the situation, he felt the entire situation has a huge problem.

    ''Is it possible...?'' Auceses'' thoughts came to a halt as he remembered Adam and Klein''s conversation in the future. ''If this involves that, then this entire situation will probably give huge headache for me.''

    "I had no idea what had caused this; the power of the artificial life that I created had suddenly increased out of nowhere, then itpletely escaped out of my continent."

    Artisan continued, with his head down, facing the floor.

    "Even though it managed to flee, I still fell the my connection to it and managed to tracked it down to the moses ascetic order''s headquarters."

    "Then, just as I was about to enter the mosaic ascetic order, something happened. I felt the connection with it cut off, and I also felt its consciousness fade away, as if it had died, just before it was severed."

    "I also assumed as much."

    "However, how could I have been so wrong at the time?" Artisan''s countenance was twisted, and his voice became distorted.

    Auceses didn''t show any surprise by the artisan''s sudden change, but his golden eyes gleamed as his gaze swept artisan.

    Diana, on the other hand, was taken aback by this, as she sensed her idol''s aura change at the instant he began speaking about the moses ascetic order.

    "But, I still entered to check, when I finally managed to make my way to the main area, though, I discovered something utterly unexpected."

    "It was there, a being formed of pure information constituted of light, and in it was a purple book with an eye in the middle, slowly fading and integrating into it."

    "I couldn''t believe what I was witnessing, the artificial life I built was absorbing the uniqueness of the hermit pathway on its own, right before my eyes at such a fast rate, so much so, I calcted it wouldn''t take more than a week or two to finish,"

    "Then, obviously, I intended to stop it, but I came to a halt in my tracks when something appeared directly behind it, as if sensing my intention." In the empty room, the Artisan''s low, distorted voice resonated.

    Diana, who was listening, had a shiver go down her spine and her eyes widened in sheer shock as she realised the reality around her were fading away into oblivion and a phantom of a ck door appeared behind artisan.

    As she stared at the ck door, she had a terrible feeling that if her idol kept talking, something cataclysmic would happen.

    The horrible feeling pressured her body and spirit, as she began trembling and sweating as a result.

    She instantly turned to face her lord, who was likewise staring at the door with a solemn and grave expression that she had never seen before on her lord.

    Diana wanted to speak out right away to stop artisan from continuing to speak, and she almost did, but she was stopped by Auceses'' severe re.

    Artisan went on as if he wasn''t aware of anything unusual going on around him.

    "It was a door that resembling a ck stone tablet..."

    "There was mural on the door that drew my attention almost immediately...it portrayed an inverted tree..."

    As Artisan divulged the knowledge of the door more and more, the phantom of the ck door became increasingly vivid, as if it were going to fully appear in reality.

    "There were nine branches on the inverted tree..."

    "Enough!" Auceses finally spoke up, rising to his feet and approaching artisan in an instant.

    Auceses pressed his index finger against artisan''s be before he could react.

    He dered before the ck door could fully emerge.

    "Light!"

    A blinding light exploded from the contact, engulfing artisan and the forming ck door behind him.

    Artisan eventually awoke from his weird condition beneath the re of the unending light, as the ck door behind him faded away.

    ''The knowledge moor.'' As he nced at the fading ck door with a sigh, Auceses thought. ''Just when I thought things couldn''t get much worse.''

 Chapter 14: Sefirot

    Chapter 14: Sefirot

    Knowledge Moor, the sefirot required to be Demon of Knowledge, which has been sealed by celestial worthy in the western continent.

    As he recalled this, Auceses retracted his finger from the artisan, his brows wrinkled, as he felt this incident was bing moreplicated and dangerous.

    As it involved sefirot, which can put even gods in grave danger.

    Such as the one in cauldron city of the spirit word, even gods who try to reach the dark river flowing forth there will almost certainly perish.

    But, the things can still be salvageable, if the influence of the knowledge moor is not as much as the river of eternal darkness, and it could have just managed to extend some of its power through the seal.

    Meanwhile, an entire tributary of river of eternal darkness has already flown out the seal, which is why even the gods didn''t dare to visit that ce.

    Auceses nced at an artisan who didn''t have any pollution or mutation with him, despite what had happened in the moses ascetic order. So, he felt his guess is most likely true.

    If the knowledge moor had sufficient influence over reality, artisan would not be alive now, telling him of this event.

    "What happened to me?" Artisan questioned, his face turning pale, as his brown eyes wide with terror.

    The wavering figure of the artisan came to a halt as his face revealed a look of realisation.

    "How did I forget about that ck door before...?...That door with that mural which appeared behind the artificial life...it is what responsible for everything..."

    Artisan continued to murmur to himself, fully ignoring the sun god in front of him.

    Auceses'' attention was drawn back as he looked at the man in front of him, who appeared to be going insane.

    As he gazed at this, Auceses rubbed his temples in a headache. Despite so, he managed to maintain his resolve not to act violently and waved his hands at him.

    Artisan calmed down as a white light appeared in the room and covered his figure.

    "So, how did you manage to get out from there?" Auceses cut to the chase immediately.

    Artisan took a breather, and because that event had been so traumatic for him, for he hadpletely forgotten about the door until before, even he had only described the artificial life that he had built when meeting Adam.

    He knew something influenced him all this time, most likely it should be the ck door. Even he didn''t notice until now, and this fact filled him with dread, because he was king of angels, a being only a step below gods, and yet something like this happened to him.

    "When I spotted that door, I came to a standstill. I''m not sure what got into me at the time, but when I saw the door, every fibre of my being felt threatened, and I had only one thought: to run away." Artisan responded swiftly, noticing the sun god''s countenance deteriorating. "I didn''t even think twice about it; despite knowing what was going on, I escaped from there without a second thought."

    Artisan was well aware that the situation seemed absurd and odd, yet that is exactly what urred.

    He had a hunch as to what that door might be, even though, it should impossible because it should have been in a seal.

    However, he really couldn''t conceive of anything else that might have such a powerful effect on him, which could be somewhat rted to the door.

    Artisan could definitely tell that the sun god was not in a good mood, after hearing his words, which only strengthened his suspicions.

    Even though he desperately wanted to ask the sun god, he refrained since he remembered what had happened previously and he didn''t imagine what would happen if he said its name.

    "It''s enough." Auceses waved his hands to stop him from speaking any further, since he is now very certain his prior assumption is true.

    However, knowing this, Auceses had some reservations about going there.

    It''s because the sefirots are all beyond humanprehension, especially the authority they represent, which is far too abstract. There could be a number of factors at there put him in risk.

    However, Auceses'' lips formed a wry smile as he suddenly thought of his future tragic fate.

    His hesitation faded as he realised that if he wanted to survive and be the god almighty, he would have to do even more risky and crazy things.

    And if he wanted to win in the end, he would also need allies who would not betray him at every turn.

    As he turned to see Diana standing behind him, ''Hermit'' Auceses finally decided his first crazy n.

    Yes, he really wanted to help Diana ascend to be the hermit.

    "Take this, Diana." Auceses turned to Diana and handed her a letter that appeared out of nowhere. "And pass it on to Ombe, earth mother, in the kingdom of hale."

    When Diana heard her lord, she was shaken out of her reverie. Then she instinctively took a letter and hesitantly inquired.

    "But, Milord, but..." She was well aware that her lord was about to send her away.

    "There are no more buts, Diana. Yes, I am sending you away, since the next event is not something an angel can take part in. The letter is also extremely critical; personally deliver it to Ombe." Auceses interrupted her.

    "Yes, Milord." Despite some reluctance in her heart, Diana finally nodded.

    Diana''s figure copsed into numerous golden light particles that fell into the ground and vanished swiftly as Auceses tapped her forehead with his index finger.

    "So, shall we leave?" Auceses eventually turned to face his artisan, who stood silently in front of him.

    "Your Excellency, where are we going?" Artisan inquired with trepidation, as hearing the sun god''s invitation gave him a bad feeling. However, he didn''t dare refuse.

    "Obviously, to Moses ascetic dawn." Auceses grinned. "How can I leave you out of it, artisan, since it''s your mess?"

    Auceses didn''t give artisan much time to react, as he seized his hand and both of their figures copsed into golden particles of light in the room, which vanished quickly.

    As the light that shed across the floating continent faded, the scorching sun visible through the window dimmed and reverted to normal, with their departure.

    _________

    At the same time, in the sea of ruins, sonia sea.

    In a cathedral, a golden-haired man was praying before a massive cross. The man wore simple white cloak and had a silver cross around his neck.

    The cathedral where the man prayed was anything but ordinary, with the bones of several mythical races imbedded in the surface of each column, arch, and dome.

    "Adam!"

    Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the entire cathedral, filled with rage and madness. It sounded as if the person who spoke had nothing but hatred for the man praying inside.

    A blue lightning bolt descended from the void into the cathedral, causing fissures in very reality and heading directly for the man who was praying.

    Adam didn''t open his eyes or move, he continued to pray. His posture was solemn, as if he were a priest who, no matter what, will not stop praying to his god until he finishes it.

    However, the lightning, which could easily kill angels, came to a halt in its path, as if trapped by an unknown force, and then vanished before it could reach the man praying.

    "You''re truly a zealot." With a sigh, a leisurely voice sounded, a striking contrast to the previous fury. "Those angels who spend their days singing praises to their gods will be ashamed if they see your devotion."

    A young man appeared in the cathedral, out a starlight door. He had ck curly hair and ck eyes. His forehead was rather board contrast to his thin face. What was most noticeable about him, however, was a crystal monocle he wore over his right eye, which glistened with light.

    Angel of time, Amon!

 Chapter 15: Adam

    Chapter 15: Adam

    Adam turned to face Amon after opening his golden eyes and rising from his praying stance.

    "What brings you here, Amon?" Adam asked, his limpid eyes locked on Amon, ignoring Amon''s previous words and actions.

    "Why must you be so boring all of the time, brother?" Amon replied with a smile as he adjusted his monocle. "I recall you smiling and being so pleased in Medici''s hands." He spoke about the past with a nostalgic face. "Take a look at you now, Adam; you''ve changed a lot."

    Amon''s smile disappeared, his monocle glistened, and his keen stare was fixed on Adam''s figure, as if trying to see through his brother''s mysteries.

    "Isn''t change a fascinating concept?" Adam remarked, his countenance unaffected by his brother''s piercing gaze. "In this world, expect change; nothing is permanent."

    "Shouldn''t you, Amon, know more about this than I do?" Adam asked quietly. "Since you vanished when our father died and reappeared near the end of the warring era. You didn''t appear to have changed, but I could tell you were wearing a mask and..."

    "That''s enough." Amon interrupted while his expression be indifferent and he didn''t show any anger at being exposed.

    "As expected of you, zealous brother. The subtle maniption is constantly present even while conversing with others, entirely guiding it in the direction you want."

    Amon began walking around the church while speaking, eventuallying to a stand in front of the grey te on the table near the cathedral''s edge.

    "Keep your secrets to yourself, then. Brother, I''m not going to pry any further." Amon spoke dismissively without waiting for Adam''s response. "For, it would mostly be nothing but mundane."

    Adam was silent, his limpid gaze still fixed on Amon.

    "What happened with the floating continent?" When Amon realised this, he didn''t pursue it any further and instead asked the inquiry for which he hade here in the first ce. "Why did Auceses invade it?"

    Much to surprise of Amon, Adam responded without any concealment.

    "There was a problem with the hermit''s uniqueness."

    "What''s the problem?" Amon pressed, feeling that the story behind the matter would be interesting to hear.

    Adam approached Amon and pointed to the words carved into a stone b nearby.

    It was a grey stone b. There were numerous mottled marks on its surface, giving it an ancient appearance.

    It also contained terms that appeared to be the origin of allnguages. They were inscribed with sequence and potion form names.

    "Demon of Knowledge, Aracana of Madness:

    Knowledge Moor + The Hermit Uniqueness + Paragon Uniqueness + 1 Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic + 1 Illuminator Beyonder characteristic."

    Adam pointed his index finger right at the name of "knowledge moor".

    "So, sefirot...." As he saw this, Amon''s brows furrowed. "That''s the second that managed to bypass the seal."

    "It won''t be thest." Adam stated calmly.

    "It''s to be expected. As time passes, the original ''will'' begins to weaken." As his monocle gleamed, Amon spoke. "It wouldn''t surprise me if the previous lord of mysteries'' seal starts weakening as well."

    "However, how did this affect uniqueness?" Amon inquired, his gaze fixated on Adam and a smile on his lips.

    "I am not omniscient, Amon." Adam was unfazed by Amon''s repeated attempts to test him. "Not even the gods can pry into it, let alone me."

    Amonughed. "Sorry about that, you often give off that impression, like you know everything, very much like our father." As a depressing atmosphere descended between two sons of the creator, he implied something.

    "Father always said he made me in his image and gave me some of his powers, so it''s only natural that you get that impression." Adam reasoned rationally and carried on as if nothing had transpired. "However, based on the recount that artisan provided me, I can guess what happened."

    "I am all ears," Amon said nonchntly after gazing at Adam deeply.

    "After I shared the information regarding the above the sequence with artian, he managed to devise a n..." Adam described the whole n of Artisan.

    "Artisan has lived up to his name." As he heard artisan''s n, Amon sighed. "This is an incredible n." His eyes soon be thoughtful, as if he''s thinking about something.

    "It managed to get away from the artisan''s control, which is most likely the work of the sefirot." Adam continued in a warm tone. "Then itpletely ruined the Moses asectic order; there isn''t much left there anymore."

    "It''s currentlybining with hermit uniqueness, as we speak."

    "It would have most likely seeded, but not anymore." When Adam mentioned this, his warm tone changed.

    "Are you certain?" Amon was actually taken aback. "I didn''t expect you to have such belief in Auceses."

    "The sefirot power that has been extended into reality is most likely very feeble inparison to its genuine power, as the sefirot could do a lot more if it were otherwise." Adam stated this calmly. "Auceses can handle it if he has assistance, that is"

    "Is that why didn''t save Artisan from Auceses?" Amon inquired, smiling, as he reasoned after hearing Adam''s words. "More importantly, how did Auceses notice this?"

    "Artisan is not in any real danger." As he said, Adam shook his head. "And an actual beyonder ascending to be the hermit is preferable than a puppet created by Serfoit. As, things will be more difficult in the future." Then he exined what had urred to Diana.

    "I had no idea the gods now cared for their angels." Amon chuckled. "It''s interesting that, unlike Leodero and Herabergan, he didn''t develop paranoia against his own."

    "Amon, everyone is different." Adam adviced in a gentle voice, for which Amon just smiled.

    "So, you''re just going to let uniqueness fall into the hands of Auceses." Amon then asked, as if he hadn''t considered the power disparity between them. "Given what''s happened, I wouldn''t be surprised if Auceses gives his angel the uniqueness."

    "Hermit must be born, one way or another." Adam said this without expressing his opinion.

    "Hermit, huh?" While stating this, Amon''s expression became more intriguing. "It appears that the future will not be so dull anymore." When he spotted Adam evading his questions once more, he didn''t bother, and he also got the information he needed.

    "Well, my zealous brother, I shall take my leave" Amon said with smile, as starlight door appeared behind him. "For, I can''t stand your pretence anymore."

    He didn''t wait for Adam''s reaction before opening and entering the door, which vanished with his departure.

    Adam didn''t show much change, as he took the sphemy te in his hand.

    But, all of a sudden, Adam came to a halt and turned to look in the direction of Solomon empire, his clear golden eyes shining brightly.

    "The empire shall fall...."

    In the bone cathedral, his deep voice echoed.

    _________________

    A/N : It took me a while to write this because Amon and Adam are both quiteplex characters. I did my best to portray them. Was it good?

 Chapter 16: Lilith

    Chapter 16: Lilith

    The golden sun shone through the clouds, illuminating the two figures standing on therge sand dune.

    A stony mountain range stood in front of them, with a pathway leading between two mountain peaks at its edge to a location illuminated by sunlight.

    "Your Excellency, this is Moses Ascetic Dawn." Artisan pointed to the pathway, where there was an array of buildings and statues at the end.

    "I know." Auceses said this while frequently checking his pocket watch and his surroundings, as if he was waiting for something.

    Artisan sighed as he realized the sun god had ignored him again; he already resigned to his fate. Because he can''t do much or escape under the gaze of a god.

    He can only hope that he will be able to keep his life, which seems like a luxury at this point given the situation he has found himself in.

    However, something drew Artisan''s attention away, and his gaze was quickly drawn to something unusual in front of him.

    A small nt sprouted from the dry desert sand. It didn''t end there, as more and more nts started growing from the sand dunes around him, as far as the artisan''s eyes could see.

    The vast expanse of sand dunes quickly turned into green prairies with brightly coloured flowers blooming in it.

    One can even see butterflies andrge animals appear out of nowhere and begin roaming around the green prairies, as if this is their home.

    The vibrancy here surprised artisan because he could see a lot more, as the life force present in some of the life forms in this ce rivalled demigods!

    While Auceses stood there calmly watching everything, as if he expected it.

    A divine woman appeared, dressed in a long white gown with short sleeves embroidered with drawings of various herbs and nts, as well as descriptions of various animals.

    She had silver hair that reached her hips and a half moon symbol on her brow. Her face had soft features, a high nose, and plump red lips. Her beautiful red eyes gleamed as her gaze fell on Auceses.

    With the appearance of the divine woman, the green prairies mutated further, as trees began to appear and started growing to tens of meters tall, and the nts were already the size of people.

    She also had a motherly aura that made everyone around her feel as if she was the mother of all life in existence.

    The divine woman''s beauty stood out the most.

    Auceses looked at this divine woman in a daze, for she was truly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in both of his lives. No matter how many times he meets her, she always surprises him.

    For him, her "beauty" could no longer be described in words; rather, her very existence is an interpretation of the word "beauty."

    Lilith, Earth Mother!

    Artisan did not dare to look deeply at earth mother, as the sun god had done before him, for fear of offending another god.

    He was also taken aback by her presence here, who should been called by the sun god to deal with the situation together. This alsopletely confirmed his previous suspicions.

    ''The realm of gods..'' As he gazed at the primeval forest that sprouted up due to just a decent of a god, Artisan intuitively felt the difference in power. He couldn''t even imagine how it would look if Earth Mother asserted her authority.

    "It''s been a while, Auceses." Lilith spoke in a gentle tone. "You''ve changed a lot since then." She said this while gazing at the Auceses'' vibrant golden eyes with her calm and tranquil red eyes.

    "Everyone will change with time, Ombe." Auceses responded with a smile on his lips. "In this world, nothing is static or eternal."

    Yes, he did call Lilith for assistance, as the allies he now had leaned somewhat toward the earth mother and god ofbat.

    The reason he called Lilith instead of the god ofbat is because Lilith was a god of the mother pathway, which is not adjacent to any of the gods'' current pathways.

    As a result, she has always maintained a neutral rtionship with all the gods, and she will be the only one who is likely to ept his call for assistance, as god ofbat will not be able toe, for Auceses'' heard the conflict between Evernight and him had reached a boiling point.

    Also, Auceses had no idea Lilith was still alive before and she had even managed to be a god in the disguise of another.

    He had known earth mother since the third epoch, and she had even been a member of rose redemption. Even though the members of Rose Redemption were brought together by the ancient sun god, they got to know each other pretty well in the process.

    Nheless, Lilith was never discovered, even when she was surrounded by gods and kings of angels, each with their own authority over abstract domains.

    Auceses believed that whatever authority was used was truly extraordinary, because it couldn''t be simple concealment by Amanines.

    As described in the original story, Amanines concealment may appear somewhat overpowered, but for gods, her concealment is not that effective.

    ''It could only be attributed to ancient sun god.'' Finally, Auceses reasoned, only the power of the ancient sun god could truly aplish this. He didn''t bother revealing it because it would not bring any benefit to him.

    "That is true." Lilith said with a gentle smile and continued on. "I was also surprised when I received your letter."

    "As you mentioned, this situation involves a serfoit." Lilith''s expression became solemn. "Why should I assist you in this? Even knowing that it could endanger my life." She said, her brow furrowed.

    Of course, she isn''t going to assist him for free.

    Lilith didn''t expect him to ask for her help, but she didn''t reject him outright when she saw the letters only told her of the situation and nothing else and came here out of courtesy for another god.

    "An alliance." Auceses prospered immediately after hearing her, because he was already prepared for this situation. "In the future, Ombe, you won''t be able to maintain your neutrality. You must choose a side one way or the other."

    "Indeed." Lilith nodded, as she was aware of the situation. "But why should I form one with you rather than Leodero or Herabergan?" Even though she knew the rtionship between gods, she still questioned because she wanted to hear out Auceses.

    "You should be aware that Herabregan has most likely formed an alliance with Amanines." said Auceses "While, Amanines is holding the uniqueness of moon pathway, and your son is already at war with her."

    "You''re going to have to face her one way or another, Ombe." Auceses went on, as if he was unaware of Lilith and Amanises'' rtionship. "You''d have no chance against her if you fought alone. But my authority effectively restrains hers."

    "As for Leodero, you''re aware of his history with Amanises." Auceses'' expression lightened as he remembered what happened during Leodero''s apotheosis. "So, there aren''t many options for you, Ombe." Auceses finished with his eyes narrowed.

    Lilith was deafeningly quiet for a moment before nodding. "I agree; after we''ve resolved the issues here, we''ll talk more about it."

    Her agreement does not surprise Auceses. Despite the fact that she and Amanines should have a rtionship, they should still act when they are apart.

    Concerns about Lilith who could leak his information to Amanines during the war. However, Auceses had already had a n for this situation.

    "You should be the famous Artisan." Lilith''s gaze was drawn to a brown-haired man standing next to Auceses, who was attempting to reduce his presence in front of two gods. "Your floating continent is truly miraculous," Sheplimented him.

    "Thank you, mdy." Artisan epted herpliment; it at least lifted his spirits, as it was the only good thing that had happened to him today.

    "You appeared to be in good shape now." Lilith spoke with a yful expression, causing the artisan''s heart to sink and his eyes to sh with fear.

    "Look at what you''ve done to him." When Lilith noticed the fear in the eyes of the artisan, she said to Auceses with a chuckle, and Auceses just rolled his eyes.

    "Don''t be so worried, Aristan. Auceses isn''t going to kill you," Lilithforted, "Because if he had that notion, you wouldn''t be standing here yet." Her soothing words finally made Artisan calm.

    "Shall we get started?" Lilith shifted her gaze to Auceses. "This event, I have a feeling, will be more than just dangerous and fatal. We might evene across something unexpected."

    They began their journey to Moses'' ascetic order with her words.

 Chapter 17: The Past

    Chapter 17: The Past

    Three figures strolled along a long hallway, their footsteps echoing deafeningly in rather quiet corridor, as sunlight was streaming in from the long windows on both sides of the wall.

    There were cracks in the surrounding walls, debris and damaged statutes in the hallway.

    "I''m talking about the artificial life you made. Can you tell me more about its soul?" Lilith asked softly as her voice echoed in the corridor.

    "Is there a difference between a natural soul and the artificial soul you gave it?" She inquired with intrigue, knowing that the paragon pathway, like hers, had the capacity to give life, which included soul creation.

    "There is a distinction, mdy." As Aucuses walked before them, Artisan replied while strolling with Lilith.

    "The soul is a living being''s incorporeal, ethereal essence; it consists of emotions, character, feelings, consciousness, perception, thinking, and so on."

    "However, even though an alchemist can grant a new soul to a non-living item" Artisan remarked solemnly.

    "It is so far apart from the "natural soul" that it can only be described as an imitation. It was unable to perfectly emte the natural soul." Artisan continued. "It couldn''tpare to your excellency''s authority over "life," which should be able to build perfect "life." Artisan always kept staring at earth mother while speaking, as if to gauge her reaction to what she was hearing.

    "Can''t you create it?" Lilith questioned, her brows furrowed. "You should have been able to figure something out as an illuminator."

    (Sequence 1 Illuminator of paragon pathway - Revolutionary Innovation: "They" can easily create futuristic wonders beyond the scope of current world era technologies such as nuclear fusion-based technology or giant mecha robots (Gundam).)

    "I did some research." Surprisingly, Artisan nodded. "As a king of angels, my authority over knowledge and civilization is abstract, just like any other authority."

    "My authority of knowledge is heavily reliant on one''s perspective when attempting toprehend reality. I tried to make a perfect soul but failed every time because I believed that a natural soul is something that one is born with rather than something that one can develop. But, when I attempted to look at it from a different angle; that a soul is a natural phenomena that arises when a species reaches a certain level of sentience. There was progress."

    "Did you seed?" Lilith inquired, her interest piqued by the artisan''s research.

    "I did." With a slightly depressed tone, Artisan said.

    "Did you use the knowledge emperor''s characteristics for this?" A deep voice inquired, prompting the artisan to gaze forward, only to see Aucuses turn and gaze at him, while questioning.

    At the same time, Lilith shifted her attention on him, putting Artisan under pressure from the sight of two gods.

    "Yes, even though my findings about perceptive, was helpful. I was still unable toplete the final step, resulting in failure. This stage, I intuitively understood, could only be crossed once I had be the paragon." Artisan said, his voice heavy.

    "However, I knew there could be no faults in the n I intended to aplish, so I used it and seeded, which is the artificial life I developed."

    "You''re quite daring, Artisan." After hearing this, Lilith expressed her opinion. "Or, to put it another way, all those who seek ''knowledge'' in the world share the same feature. Despite the disasterter, it''s stillmendable that you found a way."

    As soon as he heard this, Artisan fell silent. But he has alreadye to terms with everything that has urred previously

    Aucuses, on the other hand, remained silent on this and inquired about something else. "What was the name of the angel who created this organisation?"

    "He''s called Stiano." Artisan responded. "He was also present at that meeting with me andter went on to create this organisation."

    "Did you see him when you first arrived?" Aucuses inquired.

    "Your Excellency, no. After what transpired here, the entire Moses ascetic order was abandoned, and the survivors were relocated themselves to the continent''s rim." Artisan responded. "And, i didn''t see him when I first came." After hearing this, the Auceses didn''t press any further.

    "No one else here expects us in the entire ce. Even the security measures around this ce is entirely ineffective." While strolling along the corridor, Lilith said. "At the very least, whomever was in charge here acted quickly after spotting ''it'' and ordered evacuation."

    "Are you able to see everything here?" Aucuses inquired, his face serious.

    "There''s one room in the middle that I couldn''t see through." Lilith''s face was also solemn.

    "That is the main library of the Moses ascetic order, as well as the repository of the majority of information and knowledge." Artisan stated, as he already been here.

    "The serfirot should be there" said Aucuses rather calmly. "For not a lot can block our sights."

    As they walked into this ce in silence, Lilith''s expression was pretty heavy; nobody spoke throughout this time.

    They finally entered a hall with massive pirs on both sides of the room supporting the enormous dome. Each pir had symbol which depicted an eye within a triangle, as well as an open book beneath it.

    A brown door stood in front of them, closed, and the reality around it was blurry. The sun shined through the dome''s ss canopy, which included representations of many historical legends.

    Aucuses turned and nced at them for a moment, before speaking on the problem.

    "I merely want to stress that the serfirot are beyond humanprehension, as are their abilities. The serfoit authority is based on "knowledge," which is a powerful and board concept."

    "The serfirot is most certainly aware of our presence. So, whatever the next move is, it will be highly dangerous. Because knowledge can be very lethal weapon." Auceses spoke in a solemn tone.

    "However, the power that has been extended here is meager inparison to its true authority. But, there is still a high risk here."

    "Finally, I''ll use my authority of "order" to try to seal it, and Ombe, you''ll help me and also deal with artificial life. For, during that time, the serfoit will not sit back and watch."

    Lilith nodded, but her attention was always drawn to the brown door in front of them.

    "However, Artisan..." Aucuses said after a brief pause. "If you could assist, then do so. As, this situation affects your future as well, because if the hermit''s uniqueness is permitted to be integrated, it will be far more difficult for you to be a god."

    "Finally, try to survive." Aucuses said lightly, as artisan heart sunk as he considered the words of the sun god.

    They then proceeded to the door and stood in front of it.

    "I have a feeling that whatever we confront first will be absolutely unexpected." As she stared towards the door, Lilith said abruptly. Now that she was standing in front of the door, she was calm rather than being nervous.

    "I certainly hope not." While cing his hands on the brown door, Aucuses stated sharply.

    Because the doorcked a handle or a lock, Auceses just pushed it open.

    Creak!

    As the door slowly opened, the creaking sound resonated around the hall.

    Aucuses strode in without hesitation, followed by Lilith and Artisan who were close behind him.

    They were met with a great expanse of white space with seemingly no end to sight.

    Boom!

    Behind them, the door closed and vanished.

    However, before they could react, the reality of their surroundings shifted, showing apletely differentndscape.

    Massive skyscrapers stood in ruins as far as the eye could see, some nting, as if about to topple, and others upright with damage.

    There were broken bridges and a multitude of abandoned cars on thenes, as well as some nes that appeared to have crashed into the ground.

    The sky was filled with gleaming stars that gleamed brighter than they had ever done before.

    Most importantly, there was a dazzling sliver moon in the sky, which brightly illuminated the night sky.

    [Image here]

    ''This is indeed unexpected....'' As he stared at this, Aucuses had a mncholy look on his face.

 Chapter 18: Crimson Moon

    Chapter 18: Crimson Moon

    The silver moon shone brightly in the night sky, and the stars twinkled, illuminating the ruins of a once prosperous civilization before them.

    Aucuses, Lilith, and Artisan stood on a dark road surrounded by abandoned cars, with streetmps and traffic still lights flickering with light.

    Even though the skyscrapers appeared to be damaged, there were no bodies of the dead or any sign of the chaos that should have ensued if a cataclysmic event urred.

    ''Did they all vanish?'' Aucuses thought this with a heavy heart.

    He had no idea what happened during the apocalypse that wiped out modern civilization. If most just vanished, leaving some to fend for themselves, or if this was the work of some great old one.

    Even though it wasn''t his world, it made him sad, but he quickly shifted his focus to their situation, rather than sulk in his emotions, as this was not the time.

    ''The past? I wasn''t expecting the sefirot to project the past era, but on top of that, it just had to at this era. How did it manage to do this? Its strength should not be sufficient to aplish this.'' As he considered this, Aucuses'' emotions were like a roller coaster.

    Because this is not an ordinary time, the god almighty, the celestial worthy, and the mother goddess of depravity were all very active during this time.

    When Klein tried to divine the artifact of the ancient sun god using the power of Sefirah Castle, the ancient sun god in the past noticed and cast his gaze at Klein in the future, Auceses remembered this exactly. This left a deep impression on him, because,

    "We meet again, mysteries," Adam said when he met Klein during the fifth epoch.

    The ancient sun god was only a half-pir  god almighty  at that time.

    ''Ipletely miscalcted.'' Aucuses was filled with dread.

    Even though he had previously overestimated sefirot abilities, but looking now, hepletely felt otherwise.

    ''The silver moon..'' Lilith looked through the strange buildings at the silver moon with wide eyes that were filled with genuine shock.

    Lilith was no stranger to the silver moon, as she was an ancient god of the second epoch, where remnants of the previous era could still be found. She had done some investigation into it.

    She had heard the legend of the silver moon and even read a description of it, which stated that the moon was once silver, signifying purity, and that it was not always crimson. However, with the apocalypse that brought the world to an end, the moon''s silver moonlight had long since faded.

    ''Is this the forgotten epoch before the first epoch?'' Lilith examined the strange city and structures; she had seen simr ruins in the eastern continent at the start of the second epoch, but nothingpared to this.

    Her red eyes shed with tumultuous emotions as Lilith''s hands were tightly squeezed. It''s been a long time since something had such an impact on her.

    It''s because she''s always been curious about her origin and past. Because her memories of the beyond the era of the second epoch are hazy, she has no idea what happened before. But she always had the impression that she was not born in the second epoch, but rather much earlier, in a time long forgotten by her and the rest of the world.

    "Where are we?" A loud voice drew the two gods from their chaotic thoughts and made them turn in unison to face artisan.

    Artisan, on the other hand, didn''t notice their change because he was looking at the old newspaper in his hand and examining the surroundings before turning to ask.

    Before, Artisan was taken aback by what he saw; the strange machinery and structures drew his attention right away. After studying what it was, his enthusiasm overtook his caution, and he wanted to learn more about it.

    He came across the newspaper on the ground at that point. Just seeing this gave him a deja vu feeling, as newspapers were also avable outside. He had the impression that these ruins must have some connection with their world.

    Even this ce...

    Artisan had a thought as he remembered his scroll, which recorded the images of civilization up to the era of fire; he knew it was iplete, but he couldn''t find anything back before that time. However, this location might just have that origin, so he immediately inquired of the gods, who had lived much longer than he had.

    "Give me the newspaper," Aucuses said and didn''t bother to answer the question of artisan.

    The newspaper held by artisan immediately drew the attention of the Aucuses.

    After finally noticing the sun god''s grave expression, Artisan handed the newspaper without asking any questions.

    Lilith approached Aucuses'' and studied the newspaper withplexity.

    "The New York Times, Sunday, May 23, 2020, New York."

    "Oil leakage is widespread near major oil nts."

    The headlines were boldly written in English.

    ''We''re in New York!'' While looking up at the ruined city that was so unlike the one he had always wanted to visit, Auceses mused.

    "Are you able to interpret it?" After noticing he kept looking at the newspaper and the city, Lilith inquired.

    "I have seen thisnguage before." Aucuses stated. Simultaneously, he tried to calm his emotions, which had been on a roller coaster before, so he wouldn''t expose himself like he had done now.

    Even if knowledge moor projected something like this, it shouldn''t possibly involve god almighty and celestial worthy, so he calmed down from his previous findings, only by thinking like this.

    "Were have seen thisnguage before?" Artisan inquired urgently.

    "From the ancient sun god." After a brief pause, Aucuses responded with a prepared excuse. "The words here are simr to the unknownnguage he used with us on asion."

    But, he wasn''t lying; during those days, the ancient sun god spoke and wrote in English on several asions.

    "You mean.." Lilith''s thoughts strayed to far-fetched conclusions. "It''s possible that the ancient sun god..'''' She said while pointing to the ruins.

    "He could have just known thenguage at the time, because he was almost omniscient and omnipotent." Aucuses dismissed her guess without hesitation and looked at Lilith deeply, puzzled as to how she had arrived at this conclusion so correctly and easily.

    After hearing Aucuses'' words, Lilith remained silent and didn''t ask any further questions. Despite the fact that her guess was based on nothing, she still believed it was most likely correct.

    Artisan was about to ask again when he noticed the two gods looking up at the sky in unison, as if something had captivated their attention.

    Artisan also noticed that the silver moonlight that illuminated the ruins was turning crimson, which caused him to raise his head as well.

    Artisan witnessed something he will remember for the rest of his life.

    The stars that gleamed dimmed and extinguished one after another, as the crimson light that was veil that draping the entire sky became visible to the naked eye.

    ''Boom!'' ''Boom!'' ''Boom!''

    The skyscrapers began to copse one by one as a crimson sky appeared, and the entire environment began to change as blood began to seep out of the ground around the ruins.

    The bodies of various humanoids were floating on the surface of the blood river that soon formed, some of which seemed to have life, as their chests went up and down, as if they were breathing.

    As something was approaching the silver moon in the sky.

    Crack!

    Aucuses punched at the reality without hesitation, his hands were covered in golden mes, and a crack appeared in the very reality.

    The crack grewrger andrger, as if reality were nothing more than a breakable mirror.

    And, before ''its'' appearance, the "order" of this reality began to copse with his punch.

    "Wither." A deep voice echoed as the rate of copse increased exponentially, as reality began to wither visibly, turning the surroundings into likes off an abstract painting.

    Lilith also used her "deste" authority to hasten the copse of reality.

    But, just then everything came to a halt, the copse and withering of reality vanished, as the authority of "order" and "deste" was erased by an unknown power that appeared out of nowhere.

    Everything was restored by this mysterious force.

    Aucuses looked up at the crimson sky, his face heavy and his eyes filled with dread, a wry smile on his lips.

    "''She'' noticed us. No, no, it''s the other way, ''she'' had always known."

    With his words, the silver moon turned crimson and expanded to cover half of the sky.

    A indescribable being appeared next to the moon, obscuring the entire sky and casting a shadow over them.

    The being was several times the size of the moon. ''It'' had an endless number of bloody tentacles and eyes on them.

    From the crimson sky, all of ''its'' eyes turned and gazed at them.

    ___________________________

    At the same time, Amantha mountains.

    As twilight and night met in the sky above the northern continent, war horns were blown.

    As blood and mes covered the entirend, angels and saints entered the battlefield. Two kingdoms'' banners swayed in the realm, one with a crimson moon symbol and the other with a twilight sun.

    Above it all, two gods battled it out, while twilight and darkness flickered across the sky in response to their actions.

    ng!

    The reality between the shes copsedpletely when a sword soaked in twilight met with a scythe shrouded in darkness.

    In the twilight, a massive mountain-like figure wielded the sword, wearing ragged silver armour and a helmet visor that only revealed one orange eye.

    In the darkness, an equallyrge figure held the scythe; she had a veil over her face and wore a ckyered gown. It was studded with numerous brilliant lights that looked like stars in the night sky.

    As the scythe and sword separated from the sh, they moved in lockstep.

    However, something intervened in their war before they could continue.

    A crimson moon appeared in the sky obscured by night and dusk!

    The crimson moon shone brightly, its light illuminating the entire sky around the world. Its glow fully engulfed the night and the twilight.

 Chapter 19: Trap

    Chapter 19: Trap

    The moon lit up the entire sky as its crimson hue deepened, finally turning blood-red.

    The world was awakened by the blood moon, which caused many to nce up at this strange phenomenon that was visible all over the globe.

    A red sea flowed on the moon as it revolved around the earth. It was drowning everything, as though it was digesting this natural satellite.

    The crimson sea that flowed in the moon stopped as various eyes appeared on its surface when Aucuses and others encountered ''it'' in the projection of past created by authority of "knowledge" of sefirot.

    ''Its'' gazended on the moses ascetic order more urately, directly at the main room, as countless eyes nced at the blue behind the barrier.

    If one can look at the indescribable being without losing their minds, they will witness a reflection of Aucuses, Lilith, and Artisan encircled by a blood ocean in ''its'' countless eyes.

    On earth, as the massive giant''s dusk receded to his own kingdom, the Evernight Goddess and God of Combat had long since ended their conflict.

    Amanises, the Evernight Goddess, stood in the sky, lighted by crimson moonlight, silently staring at this.

    Her dark gown fluttered as she turned to face the massive crimson moon that was obscuring her view.

    She sensed the crimson moon''s power seeping into reality, bypassing the barrier though an unknown anchor, a powerful authority beyond humanprehension, and exerting towards a location in the northern continent.

    Amanises also sensed the vibrancy of life all throughout the earth, which seemed to be celebrating their mother''s return.

    The very earth trembled as endless filth and corruption in abyss moved in chaos, as though terrified by the moon''s power. She can even hear Farubati''s painful roar reverberating throughout the abyss and the oceans.

    The clouds in the sky vanished as the entire sky turned crimson, the crimson moonlight falling on earth like a veil from the moon.

    The degenerative darkness in the forbiddennd of gods receded as the crimson moon lightened it uppletely, she can see the crimson moonlight illuminating everything, for even the grey fog barrier was clearly visible to her.

    Now, Amanises, holding the scythe, stood in the crimson sky, her figure highlighted by the crimson light.

    Her tranquil eyes gazed at the blood moon, as a prophecy she read before her transmigration shed across her mind.

    "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the creator."

    "Lilith..." whispered Amanises as she stared down the Moses Ascetic Order''s location. Her serene gaze eventually expressed some worry.

    After only a brief nce, she promptly turned back to face the red moon.

    Amanines countenance became solemn behind the veil that draped over her face, as she could see numerous eyes on the moon peering through the barrier at the earth.

    She didn''t hesitate any longer and proimed solemnly in front of the entire world.

    "Night."

    The crimson moonlight that had illuminated the entire had dimmed noticeably, with darkness spreading over the sky throughout the world in an attempt to prevent the blood moon''s power from affecting the earth.

    An imaginary white tower and clouds filled with blue lightning arose in the sky shortly after, joining darkness in blocking off the blood moon''s power.

    The crimson moonlight also shone through the sea of ruins, lighting up the bone cathedral.

    The creator''s son gazed up to see the blood moon through the cathedral''srge window.

    As he gazed at the crimson sea in the moon, Adam''s clear and limpid eyes finally changed.

    "I really wasn''t anticipating this..." Adam''s calm voice echoed in the church, as even he didn''t think something like this could happen.

    ___________________

    Aucuses'' emotions was iprehensible at the moment, as he couldn''t decide whether he felt regret foring here or terror at the prospect of encountering once-pir.

    Even though he knew he would have to confront them one day, he didn''t think it would be anytime soon.

    How does it feel to be starred by a once - pir?

    He can see ''Her'' authority subconsciously influencing everything around him, so it wasn''t obviously good.

    Space, reality, knowledge, time and many other concepts have been corrupted by ''Her,'' and have entirely fallen under ''Her'' control and whim.

    Everything changed visibly as crimson eyes and tentacles appeared in the very space, and reality shifted to reveal a red world with flesh mountains and humanoids with no skinying upon it, as well as a river of blood, where various twisted foetus and other abominations that seemed to be straight out of hell were floating upon.

    They would have immediately corrupted under ''Her'' presence if it hadn''t been for their level of life, reaching the level of god and king of angels, for everything about them, whether fate, memories, life, and soul, would have been assimted with ''Her'' and be part of ''Her'', while they would have ceased to exist, if not for that.

    Aucuses also sensed the authority of a pir that influenced reality; he couldn''t quite define it at first, because it was enormous and unlike anything he''d ever experienced.

    ''She'' appeared to be an aggregate of all the cosmos'' negative powers, evil/yin. He was also struck by ''Her'' boundless vitality, to the point where ''She'' appeared to be the originator of life in the universe, or, to put it another way, the mother of all life in cosmos.

    He felt pressure on his soul and body under her gaze, even as a True God, as a nigh-infinite spiritual force crushed against their figure.

    Aucuses'' figure trembled slightly as sweat beads formed on his forehead, but soon a sun symbol appeared on his forehead, brightening the surroundings and protecting him and others from ''Her'' great spiritual strength.

    Aucuses saw that the ''Her'' eyes were entirely fixed on Lilith, who dropped to the ground with crimson blood pouring from her mouth, nose and eyes

    ''No..'' Aucuses immediately realised what ''Her'' actual objective was: to corrupt Lilith, a god from the mother pathway which originated from ''Her''.

    ''She knew this all along; it''s fucking trap!''

    He couldn''t allow something like that to happen. Because everything will be destroyed at that moment.

    Even though it seemed like an eternity, it has only been seconds since ''she'' emerged.

    But, before he could do anything, he felt ''Her'' attention turn totally to him.

    A distorted voice resonated, capable of driving even archangels insane.

    It was in anguage, which was unknown to anyone on the earth. However, he still clearly understood it.

    "You are different..."

    ''She'' spoke while looking at him, as the entire actual red world twisted and blurred, as if unable to endure ''Her'' voice,

 Chapter 20: Supernova

    Chapter 20: Supernova

    Different? Aucuses didn''t anticipate ''Her'' to find something about him, but he couldn''t think any further about it because ''She'' was floating above him, attempting to corrupt Lilith and most likely him as well.

    "Sun!"

    As he stared back at the ''Her,'' he eximed aloud.

    In front of the indescribable figure, a terrifying golden sun arose.

    The golden sun emitted an infinite amount of pure light as it shined down on the bloody beneath it.

    The golden rays descended on the depraved world below like veils of light, and wherever the veil dropped, everything lit up with golden fire.

    The fleshy mountains, which seemed to beposed of humanoids bodies with no skin, had been amalgamated together to form the mountains, which virtually filled the entire with a blood river running through them.

    As everything visible melted under the rays of golden sun, the fleshy mountains caught on fire. The bodies of the humanoids on the mountains began to shake as if they were alive, and anguished inhuman howls filled the, for golden light lit up everything, forming an ocean of mes.

    As the golden rays of the sun illuminated the river, the blood river began to evaporate, with abominations that was burning.

    Waw! Waw!

    Cries of infants resonated from the torrent of blood, while the sun rays still shone brightly with no intention of receding at all.

    Mother Goddess of Depravity waspletely indifferent in the scarlet and golden sky, gazing at the sun, which was illuminating ''Her'' body with rays, but the sun couldn''t harm ''Her'' in the least.

    Aucuses, on the other hand, snapped his fingers just then.

    Snap!

    The golden sun went entirely white as the surroundings reality and space disintegrated, unable to bear the sun''s rays any longer.

    The sun began to extend indefinitely, as if it wished to engulf this depraved world, and its core began to contract.

    Seeing this, Mother Goddess of Depravity also used ''Her'' authority.

    Around the white sun, an infinite blood ocean capable of corrupting all in existence emerged, in the hopes of corrupting the sun itself, as well as Aucuses with it.

    However, it was toote...

    A white sun pulsated visibly, as if it had infinite power, poised to unleash nothing but destruction when released.

    The sun emitted a scorching and inconceivable brightness, melting the blood ocean of mother goddess of depravity!

    As it entered the state of supernova, the white sun entirely imploded.

    Boom!!!!

    As it surged out of the sun, a sea of light almost filled the entire depraved.

    Everything was entirely annihted as the light engulfed in it, whether it was an ocean of blood, reality, space, or knowledge, nothing was spared.

    Aucuses emerged at thest moment before Lilith and Artisan, who were both absolutely unable to bear the authority that the mother goddess of depravity exerted when ''She'' appeared.

    Artisan was kneeling on the ground, his face twisted in pain as he held his head. Various fissures appeared in his body, revealing mechanical parts rather than blood and flesh, yet crimson blood began to flow out of his mechanical parts, and flesh began to appear on it as well.

    Lilith was in even worse shape, as her white gown was saturated in blood and scarlet blood poured from her eyes, ears, and mouth. She let out a inhumane screams from her throat, as if she was in unimaginable pain.

    Despite the fact that Lilith was a god, she was the one who suffered the most because her path and power came from the mother goddess of depravity.

    Despite their dreadful situation, Aucuses gazed at them, their lives still within grasp of saving.

    Lilith had not yet been corrupted, as the mother goddess of depravity focused ''Her'' attention entirely on him, after arriving, only sparing her a nce.

    One could argue that his existence saved Lilith from certain death.

    Boom!

    He punched the crimson ground in front of him without hesitation, his right fist coated in golden mes, for he realised the scorching light of supernova was not far away from them, annihting and devouring everything in this depraved world.

    Despite the fact that nothing would happen to him, but it cannot be said the same for Lilith and Artisan in their current condition.

    With the appearance of the mother goddess of depravity, Aucuses noted that the reality created by sefirot extended considerably, which included not just this.

    Contrarily, the ground before him disintegrated, revealing infinite space with gleaming stars beneath.

    Aucuses carried Lilith in both hands, and Artisan floated behind him, teleported near the shattered ground he had formed immediately.

    He needed to escape from this copsing and away from mother goddess of depravity, because Lilith''s condition didn''t allow her from being near mother goddess of depravity. She will undoubtedly be corrupted right away.

    Also, Mother Goddess of Depravity''s power that reached across the barrier was far below her true might, despite being tremendous for even gods to face. Because the barrier was still intact, even though slightly weakened.

    Even his supernova would have no effect on her if he was facing her true body.

    As he held Lilith, Aucuses finally turned to face the copsing world. Then, he began to fall back into the broken ground, and Artisan, who had been floating beside him, plummeted with him.

    Everything in Auceses'' vision slowed down, as if time itself had decelerated, while he gazed at a white ball of light in the sky spewing a scorching re that disintegrated everything it touched.

    As he fell behind, Aucuses'' lips twisted into a maniacal smile, his face waspletely pale, and his arms that held Lilith trembled.

    Even if everything appeared to be working in his favour, doing this was far from straightforward, as Auceses was entirely concentrated and developed endless ns in his thoughts within a second of fully analysing the situation and executing it.

    He was careful not to make a single error, as this could lead to his imminent death. He also used almost all of his powers and didn''t hold back at all.

    Auceses'' heart was racing as he realised how crazy this world and his life had be. Despite being a god above all, he felt entirely helpless in the position he had found himself in, which he believed to be dangerous but not fatal like this.

    Heughed maniacally, releasing all of his feelings.

    As he fell, however, something extended out of the light from the corner of his slowed vision.

    A bloody tentacle approached him, as if it wanted to im his life.

    As he realized this, Aucuses'' smile didn''t fade. He also did not show any panic.

    "Fuck you, bitch!" He didn''t hesitate to curse the pir herself.

    Before the bloody tentacle could reach him, he finally fell through the broken ground into vast starry space below.

    With his departure, the depraved world alsopletely copsed in his supernova.

    However, distorted roars filled with rage and madness could still be heard echoing.

 Chapter 21: Sun and Moon

    Chapter 21: Sun and Moon

    There was a blue star amid the vast starry space created by Sefirot, with manys orbiting around it.

    The very space on one of thes that was covered in snow and ice tore apart like paper. A white-haired man with a blood stained dress walked out of it, holding a woman in both hands, and a brown-haired man floated alongside him.

    Aucuses knelt in the snow, crystal snow falling on his face, icy touch on his hands, chilly wind blowing on his figure.

    Everything fells so real...

    Then, Aucuses looked up at the blue star, while taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down, since his mental and physical state was worsening. But, the situation, however, did not allow him to rx and adjust.

    He put Lilith and Artisan on the snowy ground around him.

    He ced his hands on both of their foreheads without hesitation after seeing their anguished expressions.

    When he touched the crimson blood that was on their foreheads, though, he flinched slightly.

    The crimson blood felt like a magma that had burst out of the earth''s core, burning his hands, as if wanting to prevent him from healing them.

    For a brief moment, Aucuses felt a little silly; as a god of the sun, he had been scorched, and if word got out, his built reputation would crumble.

    ''In this situation, what the fuck am I thinking?'' Aucuses cursed himself while also realizing his own bad mental state.

    ''It has to be because of that bitch.''

    Despite his fluctuating emotions and conflicting thoughts, he pressed on their foreheads, ignoring the scorching blood.

    The contact produced a sh of golden light that beamed on both Artisan and Lilith''s figures. Under the radiance of golden light, the blood on Lilith''s body evaporated, and the flesh on Artisan''s mechanical inner part dissolved as well.

    They healed visible to the naked eye, as his countenance became paler.

    Lilith opened her eyes after what seemed like an eternity of excruciating anguish.

    The pain before began, as she rested her eyes on the inexplicable figure that had dawned on them and the distorted murmurs echoed in her mind, affecting her soul.

    She was terrified because the murmurs were familiar to her. It was the one who tormented her during her time as an ancient god, nearly driving her insane; it was the one whopelled her to devise a scheme to save herself by faking her death.

    Sheter learned the source of the murmurs from ancient sun god; a pir of cosmos, the origin of evil, Mother goddess of depravity!

    At the moment, every fibre of her being screamed in terror and her eyes shrank in fear as the indescribable being stared at her, she instinctively knew who it was and that it hade specifically for her. She also knew they had fallen into a well-nned trap.

    She tried to do anything, to flee, even to shout for help, but it was futile as she copsed to the ground, her vision and throat filled with scarlet blood, as blood and cries were the only things that could came out of her mouth.

    Her entire life shed before her eyes in that moment, as she felt hopeless. She knew what would happen to her next, and it was far worse than the death that so many feared.

    She was desperate to use her power. It was pointless, though, because her powers were entirely useless, as if something was preventing her from using it.

    Finally, she saw a ze of light approaching her in her hazy vision, leaving nothing but ruin in its wake.

    She even believed it was far better for the light to consume and evaporate her than to suffer and lose herself under ''it''.

    However, she was lifted and held, and she remembered the warm hands around her, which helped to alleviate her anguish. She had a glimmer of hope in her heart at that time.

    Then, after what seemed like a lifetime, the golden light covered her vision, liberating her from the anguish and whispers.

    Lilith finally looked around, her attention finally falling on a figure who appeared to be trembling.

    "Aucuses." Lilith eximed as she observed the state of Aucuses, which was rapidly deteriorating.

    She desperately stood up without caring for her state and ran to him, cing her hands on his back.

    Her authority of ''life'' acted on Aucuses as her hands began to glow green, pouring near-endless life force into him from her hands.

    Aucuses didn''t refuse her help, as his state began to heal far more quickly than theirs under Lilith''s influence; his pale face regained its vitality, and his dimmed golden iris began to glow again.

    "It''s wonderful..." Aucuses spoke softly as he felt the immense life force soaking into him, mending him physically and mentally, and restoring him to his peak state. He felt sofortable, so much so, that he didn''t want it to end.

    "Did we escape?" Lilith asked, dread evident in her eyes as she observed his condition improving. "And, what happened?"

    "It''s a pity, because I wanted to stay like this all day..."

    "But, she will discover us soon..." Aucuses murmured to himself. He said this whileying his finger on Lilith''s forehead and a light shed into her forehead from his tip of his finger.

    Lilith didn''t resist, and she soon saw all that had transpired in her thoughts, from the supernova to him saving her.

    But, before she could say anything to thank him, Aucuses rose up and walked away from her, leaving her in loss.

    "We''re running out of time, Ombe...." Aucuses spoke gravely to her as he walked over to the artisan, who was dazed and had dull eyes. "My supernova won''t be able to keep ''Her'' for very long..."

    The snowy ground began to shake as he spoke, as if to confirm his words.

    But, while standing before artisan, who literally had a look of doubting life, Aucuses ignored it.

    It''s hard to me artisan, because even he was caught off guard by the turn of events, let alone him.

    "Artisan." Aucuses called out, jolting the artisan out of his daze and his eyes regained rity.

    "What just happened?" Artisan asked, his voice quivering.

    "Listen! Stop asking questions and do exactly what I say without a second thought. If you want to us to make it." Aucuses stated, while artisan continued to nod without hesitation, as if he, too, was aware of the gravity of the situation.

    "Take out your historical scroll and write down everything you can about the ruins we saw right away." Aucuses gave the order despite knowing full well that he wouldter regret it. But, he didn''t show much hesitation, though, given what was on the line.

    "It''ll only take a few moments." As he removed a bronze scroll and pen from his coat, Artisan began to enter everything as per instruction of the sun god.

    "I can get that for you." Aucuses finally turned to face Lilith, who stood behind him.

    Her face had eased, and there was no longer any fear in her eyes, despite knowing what they are going to face.

    "Can we make it?" Lilith inquired, her voice surprisingly calm.

    "If we go all out together." Aucuses said lightly, as he and Lilith turned to face the sky, as they noticed something approaching this snowy.

    The''s blue sky turned crimson almost instantly, as a terrifying beam of crimson light descended from the sky toward them. The crimson light beam, which seemed to be filled with infinite spiritual power and capable of tearing anything apart in existence, nearly covered the entire sky.

    [Image here]

    Artisan trembled as he noticed this, his pen-holding fingers quivering, but he didn''t dare to stop.

    Aucuses'' expression finally became serene, as he realized that if he wanted to survive the next fight, he would have to put everything on the line and even go beyond his limits.

    "She'' is not as strong as we believe ''She'' is."

    He finally said to Lilith, smiling, as a zing light erupted from his hand, forming a spear of light.

    Aucuses aimed his light spear at the crimson beam that nketed the entire sky and threw it.

    As it zed across the sky, the spear of light grewrger andrger, almost reaching the size of a crimson beam, leaving a trail of light in its wake.

    As the light spear and the crimson beam collided.

    Boom!!!

    On impact, a terrifying explosion urred, ripping the very fabric of reality.

    Like a dazzling sun, the spear of light exploded into a mass of brilliant light.

    A crimson moon formed when the red beam of light copsed into itself.

    The appearance of the sun and moon caused the entire snowy world to crumble and copse, unable to withstand the celestial bodies'' power.

    The first battle between gods and great old ones erupted...

    _____________________________

    Simultaneously, in the Solomon Empire.

    A handsome man with deep starry blue eyes and ck hair stood near the window of a gothic castle nestled alongside a mountain range, gazing at the blood moon that shone through the sky despite the darkness attempting to block it.

    "Bethel..." In the room where that ck-haired man stood, a voice came from nowhere.

    Bethel Abraham instantly turned to face the priest who had entered his home without permission.

    "I apologise, Adam..." As if he knew what the priest was going to ask, Bethal spoke up. "I am unable to help in this situation..."

 Chapter 22: "Door"

    Chapter 22: "Door"

    "I knew you''d say something like that." Adam spoke as he walked out of the gothic-style room''s shadows, which were still illuminated by the blood light of the moon, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

    Bethel shook his head and spoke lightly.

    "Adam, you make it sound so bad. It''s not that I don''t want to help; it''s just that no matter how hard I tried, nothing would change. My "Door" authority is far from enough."

    Adam approached Bethel, taking a moment to look around the room before speaking.

    "There''s a lot on the line now, Bethel." While looking out the window at the blood moon behind the Bethel, Adam said. "Much more than you can imagine."

    "I believe I understand what''s at stake, Adam. But it cannot change the facts." Bethel stated sternly.

    "My "Door" authority will have no effect on the barrier, as I am a still king of angels, not a god."

    "And the anchor that allowed the moon''s power to bypass the barrier is also extremely powerful."

    "As you can see, Amanines, Leodero, Herabergan, and even Solomon have already used their power to stop it. However, it has only reduced some of its power."

    "How do you expect me to aplish what you want?"

    "I know, but believe me." Adam stated. "And simply exert your authority. It may give them more off a chance."

    "Ouroboros." Adam called unexpectedly as he turned to look backwards.

    A man with long silver hair and white angelic wings appeared in the room, wearing white robes and holding a silver cross.

    "Adam.." Ouroboros'' tone was apathetic as he nodded to greet Adam, but he just stared at Bethel, with no intention of reciprocating.

    "You came well-prepared." As he saw this, Bethel said.

    Adam made noment on this, but he did address an important issue. "If your situation bes critical, Ouroboros will use "reboot" to help you and let us escape."

    "So you want me to believe you?" Bethel finally asked, even though he stood before two kings of angels, his eyes unfalteringly calm. "An visionary at that."

    "You don''t have much of choice." Adam''s tone was calm, and Bethel couldn''t figure out whether this was a threat or if he was simply stating facts given the circumstances.

    Bethel looked at Adam deeply for a moment before nodding and waving his hands in the air as the three of them vanished from his gothic style house in Solomon Empire.

    In the vast astral world - which was even more abstract than the spirit world, seemed to epass all of the universe''s authorities and symbolism. It had invisible barrier that separated the Earth from the rest of the cosmos.

    They appeared just before the barrier, as a ray of light illuminating the darkness surrounding them.

    A ck-coloured book immediately appeared in front of Bethel, and it opened, as the pages flipped on their own.

    It came to a halt in the page which had symbol of closed door, and when Bethel tapped it, the door lit up with blue light and slowly emerged from the book and flew towards the barrier.

    And it merged with the invisible barrier right away.

    At the same time, Adam''s aura grew vast and terrifying, briefly surpassing the level of king of angels as he held a golden cross that was shining brightly in his hands.

    Indifference reced his warm and calm expression.

    Ourobous'' silver eyes rippled as he stared at the Adam, as he couldn''t believe the transformation. He almost had the feeling that he had a faced his fallen lord for a fleeting moment.

    "The "door" authority was effective on the barrier."

    Adam proimed solemnly in front of the barrier, as if speaking a prophecy, and then immediately various blue ripples appeared on the surface of the barrier.

    The barrier bing visible in the astral world under the blue light that began to cover the barrier.

    As the enhanced seal separated the space inside the barrier and began severing the connection of the crimson moon with the anchor on the earth, the barrier began to strengthen under the "door" authority.

    On Earth, the blood moon became visibly dim, as if it might vanish at any moment.

    Boom!!

    But just then the barrier shook as something mmed into it, dimming the shimmering blue barrier.

    A massive indescribable face clinged on the barrier, with various bloody tentacles. Countless eyes on its face peered out from behind the barrier at the three of them.

    Roar!!

    A rage-filled roar erupted in the vast astral world, causing the barrier itself to tremble under ''its'' wrath.

    The mother goddess of depravity''s countless eyes were filled with madness and anger as they gazed at Bethel.

    Bethel''s figure began to tremble as mother goddess of depravity appeared, and blood began to dye his clothes. His blue eyes had begun to turn crimson.

    But, Bethel''s expression remained unchanged as he stood before the pir of cosmos without fear or panic.

    "Can you maintain it?" Ouroboros asked, having noticed his condition.

    "Everything is fine. We managed to stop some of its influence, but it''s still not enough," Despite the situation, Bethel said calmly, shaking his head towards Adam.

    On Earth, the brilliance of a blood moon that was beginning to fade, restored under the roar of mother goddess of depravity.

    Adam nodded as his aura faded and became noticeably weaker than it had been. Even so, he didn''t care and looked through the barrier at the mother goddess of depravity.

    When the mother goddess of depravity gazed at Adam, ''its'' rage increased all of a sudden, as evidenced by the reverberating roars in the astral world.

    When Adam realised this, his expression was still indifferent without slight change.

    Before, he didn''t proim that the ''connection of cosmos is severed with the authority of door taking effect,'' because even he couldn''t do something like that in his current state.

    "It''s now up to them." Adam''s voice echoed out in the astral realm. "We did everything we could..."

    ________________________

    The brilliance of a golden sun and crimson moon illuminated the vast starry space, causing the entire snowy to copsepletely, with the entire literally breaking into pieces soon.

    A handsome man appeared floating right before the vast sun. Despite the fact that the man was tiny inparison to the golden sun, the divine aura emanating from himpletely dwarfed the golden sun.

    He was dressed in silver armour that gleamed in the sun''s rays. He was wielding a long white spear with golden streaks down it.

    The man wore no helmet visor, exposing his face with angr features and golden iris, which glowed and surged like a burning sun behind him.

    Aucuses raised his spear to the crimson moon and dered, his voice reverberating across the vast starry space.

    "I say it''s ineffective!"

 Chapter 23: "Infinity"

    Chapter 23: "Infinity"

    "I dere it''s ineffective!"

    Aucuses dered, raising his spear to the crimson moon, his voice reverberating across the vast starry space.

    The crimson moon dimmed and the moon''s surface began to change as the blood sea that was flowing around the moon began to evaporate, turning the moon back to silver, like it was before in the past civilization.

    Under his deration, the very authority that mother goddess of depravity used to corrupt the moon was being removed.

    However, the crimson sea on the moon surged all of sudden, as it began emitting crimson light, which quickly covered the entire moon, stopping the transformation and the effect of his deration was removed with it.

    Immediately after that, the crimson moon changed visibly, bing illusory and ethereal before finally transforming into an indescribable being with countless bloody tentacles and eyes.

    Mother Goddess of Depravity!

    The mere appearance of the mother goddess of depravity caused an ocean of blood to appear in space,pletely corrupting the surrounding reality.

    This also prevented Aucuses from using "Order" authority; because reality is under ''Her'' control, hisw will have no effect.

    So, there was no other way than to make everything fall into chaos.

    "Sun!"

    At that precise moment, his deep voice could be heard.

    Now, directly in front of ''Her,'' and in the blood ocean, countless miniature suns bloomed in brilliance, instantly illuminating thisary system.

    The light of the countless miniature suns caused the ocean of blood to melt, unable to withstand the scorching heat any longer.

    Mother goddess of depravity just looked at the suns, causing some to instantly transform into crimson moons or simply dissolve in the blood ocean.

    Then, Aucuses appeared before the blood ocean''s edge and waved his spear in the space.

    "Die in this ocean of light, bitch!"

    He spoke with a grin, and immediately all of the remaining miniature suns turned white, emitting a scorching re, just like the sun that had gone supernova before.

    Boom!

    Then they all imploded as the miniature suns zing light immediately engulfed the blood ocean and mother goddess of depravity.

    The light then began to spread throughout the entireary system, obliterating everything in its path.

    Light consumed everything, including the blue star in the centre,s revolving around it, and asteroids, before annihting it.

    From afar, one would see an ocean of light almostpletely engulfing thisary system in almost an instant.

    It was a sight to behold; an entireary system no smaller than the sr system faced extinction under the light of Aucuses.

    He was able to easily destroy thisary system because it was not influenced by the authority of mother goddess of depravity, as opposed to the blood world, which was a manifestation of her authority, so he went all out.

    As Aucuses stood in the ocean of light, painful roars echoed around him, but even hearing the roars didn''t make him happy as he thought, because the powerful life force emanating from ''Her'' only reduced just slightly.

    ''Is that why they call ''Her'' ''The Indestructible''?''

    Aucuses also noticed that the mother goddess of depravity''s power was dwindling out of nowhere, as if something was attempting to interrupt her powering from the astral world.

    He could guess that it was the other in the outside world, helping them, but still he didn''t dare to underestimate ''Her.''

    He also did not allow Lilith to enter the battlefield until Artisan finished filling the historical scrollpletely, as there is still a major risk for Lilith to enter the battlefield without any protection from the mother goddess of depravity.

    Suddenly, the roars vanished, and with them, all of his senses screamed in danger.

    He didn''t hesitate to turn to his left and raise his hand, and in an instant, a shield of pure light formed on his hands.

    Boom!

    A beam of light struck his shield just then, but it wasn''t crimson, but ratherpletely pitch dark.

    When the dark beam hit him, it also instantly extinguished the very concept of ''light'' by dyeing and corrupting everything in the ocean of light around theary system.

    Aucuses was using all of his strength to keep the light shield in ce while resisting the ck beam of light, as his right hand trembling holding the shield.

    He also felt nothing but endless malice from the dark beam. The malice began to affect him, invoking evil thoughts in his mind and attempting to influence him in the battle.

    It made him shiver, for he even had some thoughts that this darkness is nothing other than the manifestation of pure evil.

    His golden iris glowed, and pure light erupted from his form, instantly dispelling the effects.

    Crack!

    Just then, his light shield resisting the dark beam began to break, seemingly unable to bear it anymore.

    Under anmand of mother goddess of depravity, the darkness in his surroundings moved closer to him in an attempt to corrupt him.

    Aucuses'' heartbeat slowed as he took a long breath, then he dispelled the light shield instantly, without hesitation.

    In the endless darkness, Aucuses floated, his figure emitting pure light. As if sensing this, the filthy darkness moved in an attempt to extinguish this pure light, and above it all, a dark beam of light was heading towards him.

    Aucuses'' expression were unwaveringly calm as he floated in the middle of this, looking at the dark beam of light that was approaching him. He raised his right hand and crossed his middle and index fingers, forming a symbol.

    He intended to use a conceptual move he created based on the power of one of his favourite anime characters in his previous life.

    "Infinity."

    As he used his authority of "order", his calm voice reverberated in the endless darkness.

    One bright star after another appeared in the uncorrupted space around him.

    With the appearance of the stars, the very "order" of space began to change. The authority of "order" strengthened the space itself to be able to withstand corruption and destructive power.

    Then, under "order" authority, space began to expand "infinitely", and the stars in the fabric of space stretched with it, extending like lines of light around Aucuses.

    When the dark beam and filthy darkness collided with the expanding space, they both came to a halt for a brief moment before being pulled away from Aucuses by infinitely expanding space.

 Chapter 24: Human Civilization

    Chapter 24: Human Civilization

    Infinity. Endless. Boundless.

    Aucuses floated in the vast expanse of the space, with light streaks extending around him in the very fabric of space. For a brief moment, he felt space expand to be truly boundless; even the mother goddess of depravity appeared to be affected by the boundless space and vanished into the horizon.

    As, he couldn''t hear her distorted angry roars any longer, which was afort to his ears. As the roars of the mother goddess of depravity were nothing short of a conglomeration of all sphemous sounds in the cosmos, they could literally drive anyone who heard them tomit suicide in order to get reprieve from the sound at least in death.

    ''It really worked...'' Aucuses thought as he tightened his grip on his white spear, his gaze roving over the infinite space surrounding him. ''It has a muchrger impact than I anticipated...''

    He created that technique not long ago, but he never had the chance to test it before applying it directly here. He wasn''t sure he''d seed, so he was always nning another attack just in case.

    ''Mother Goddess of Depravity....'' Aucuses considered ''Her'' with a headache, as the situation was deteriorating into a battle of attrition. But he knew they''d lose if this went on, because they''d be no match for her in that scenario.

    ''This reality.....'' Aucuses took a look at this recently formed reality. ''I need topletely destroy this reality...''

    He couldn''t think of any other solution because this was the only way to solve everything. Rather than fighting a battle to see who manages to survive the longest.

    But saying something is one thing; actually doing it is quite another. The appearance of the mother goddess of depravity reinforced the "reality" here.

    He felt before, the reality expanding at an incredible rate, massive enough to fit even differentary systems, at that precise moment before she arrived ahead of them.

    He didn''t know if this was ''Her'' work or the power of sefirot, but it didn''t matter anymore.

    ''Lilith..'' Aucuces thoughts turned as he remembered Lilith''s authority over "life", which can create and take life, as well as the "Deste" which can wither the very reality.

    Lilith and Artisan are in different space, with artisanpleting the historical scroll and Lilith protecting Artisan. They would not enter the battlefield until Artisan finished itpletely. All the while, he is fighting mother goddess of depravity, to prevent her from reaching Lilith.

    ''What if webined our authorities...'' Aucuses was devising various strategies to win the battle, also never letting his guard down and constantly scrutinising his surroundings, for even his godly perception couldn''t actually detect ''Her''.

    Even though his thoughts were numerous, so much so, it may appear that a long time had passed, but it had only been a few seconds.

    Boom!

    The lines of light in the space around him dimmed and faded, taking with them the authority of "order" that was acting on the space, which was also erased by another vast force that appeared.

    Aucuses tightened his grip on his spear as he realized this, and pure white light began to gather in the tip of the spear.

    Then, it appeared.....

    ''Holy crap!'' He waspletely taken aback by the structure that was appearing in front of him. ''Is there is no limit to ''Her''?''

    He saw something tearing the very fabric of reality and destroying the infinite space so easily before him.

    A swirling mass of darkness tore out of the space, extending out and upying everything in this space within next moment. The darkness swirled as countless wails or screams of pain and terror echoed from within it.

    This structure had manyyers, each of which housed abominations and souls of multiple races who were either tortured or wandered aimlessly.

    Various alien faces that looked nothing like human morphed on the edge of the swirling mass of darkness, but they all had one thing inmon: they were screaming in pure terror and fear.

    Above all of this manifestation was ''Her,'' with countless eyes filled with nothing but rage, as ''She'' stared at him, as if ''She'' couldn''t wait to tear him apart.

    Aucuses stood in front of this structure, his figure dwarfed by its enormous size, which upied almost the entire reality in his perception.

    A thought came to him out of nowhere as he gazed at it.

    He felt this was nothing but a manifestation of all that is ugly, chaotic, and, most importantly, evil in the infinite cosmos.

    ''Why does it resemble the infinite abyss?'' Aucuses noticed the resemnce, he wasn''t talking about the abyss on Earth, but about another abyss in one of the famous games from his previous life. ''Is this ''Her'' manifestation of authority of "evil"?''

    The thoughts shed in his mind, before hepletely focused on ''Her''.

    Now even though, Aucuses was facing something like this, he was just solemn and didn''t show any panic in least.

    The pure light gathered on the tip became zingly bright, literally holding the power to purify anything evil, gave him confidence.

    To be honest, his "light" authority is nemesis to ''Her'' now.

    Roar!

    As the abyss moved, ''her'' furious roar resounded.

    The abyss then literally fell towards him, carrying the power to destroy and corrupt all in existence.

    Boom! Boom!

    As it descended towards him, space and reality tore in its path.

    "Light."

    Aucuses pointed his spear at the falling abyss and dered.

    A beam of pure light erupted from its spear tip, growing in size as it approached the descending abyss.

    Boom!

    The pure light beam collided with swirling filth darkness, shattering reality. The pure light evaporated some of the filthy darkness in the abyss while the filthy darkness started corrupting the pure light and trying to turn it darkness.

    But soon, there was bnce between both sides, as their authorities just kept colliding, with no side having an advantage over the other.

    It had be a ssic situation, or more of a clich, because it was now good vs evil and light vs darkness.

    Mother goddess of depravity was enraged when she saw ''Her'' authority being challenged by a mere god of earth; even though ''Her'' current power is far from her true might, it still enraged her, as it was the first time she had faced a situation like this since the fall of the other two pirs.

    As he observed the stalemate, Aucuses wanted to use some of his other authorities to break the deadlock.

    But just then a sh of green light appeared behind him, and a deep voice echoed through the space.

    "Death."

    Immediately, a portion of the abyss trembled and became illusory before fading out of the very existence, giving the light beam an advantage as the entire abyss began to evaporate under the pure light.

    Aucuses felt relieved when he noticed Lilith appearing near him. For this entire battle had been far from easy, and it was truly tremendous to face a pir alone, even if ''She'' was weakened. He desperately needed assistance in this situation.

    Lilith appeared from the green light, and before, she used her authority of "Life" to deprive the very life from the abyss.

    Because the Abyss was a manifestation of mother goddess of depravity''s authority, it contained ''Her'' will, so it can also be considered as a life, so her authority was effective, not only affecting the abyss, but also injuring her.

    Mother goddess of depravity''s rage faded as ''She'' saw Lilith and ''She'' no longer cared about other things. Immediately, ''She'' used ''Her'' authority to corrupt Lilith.

    Lilith was nervous and anxious at the moment, unsure whether Aucuses'' n would seed.

    She didn''t dare toe to the battlefield before because mother goddess of depravity could easily corrupt her at that time, as her pathway originated from her. Even Aucuces couldn''t prevent this from happening.

    Just as Lilith began to feel a connection with ''Her'', an illusory light shot out of the void, revealing picture-like projections around Lilith and Aucuces.

    Some of them recorded humans'' helplessness and misery when confronted by supernatural beings. Some of them used an epic-like brush to re-enact scenes of humans fusing with Beyonder ingredients to gain strength and save the race. Some described the distinct cultures and traditions brought about by a ck Emperor, while others carried various points of view, books, and inventions...

    It didn''t stop there, as a massive image appeared in the projection, dwarfing everything else. It depicted the ruins of a long-forgotten civilization and the miracles that they achieved without the use of any extraordinary means.

    The contents made the seemingly thin scroll exude a heaviness and majestic aura that quickly enveloped the entire reality. It made anyone who looked at it feel the grandeur of this civilization, which even managed to pass on the fire and flourish again.

    The history left behind by hundreds of millions of humans before and after the apocalypse was vast and magnificent.

    The might of the entire Human Civilization shielded Lilith and thwarting the attempts of the Mother Goddess of Depravity, Pir of Cosmos!

 Chapter 25: "Sword"

    Chapter 25: "Sword"

    The projection swirled around Aucuses, depicting civilization''s progress and development through the ages. As he looked at it, he became slightly depressed.

    He is human, even if he is not biologically human, since he is now a mythical creature, or, more precisely, his existence is simr to that of an abstract entity that is anything but human.

    However, despite the vastly different circumstances in this and previous lives, he still considers himself human, for he was born as a human in both of his lives.

    So seeing all of this had a big impact on him for a moment, especially when some tried tobine with the characteristics that evoked some of his past memories, which he wanted to avoid.

    Aucuses was born in the second epoch and had never met his parents; for all he knew, he was always all alone from the beginning.

    He danced on the edge of a knife every day in that depraved era when humans were at the bottom of the food chain and were even raised as livestock by mythical races. There was no morality in that era forw of jungle reigned supreme.

    You could just be looking for food one day, but there''s also a huge chance you could have an idental encounter with a mad ancient god. That time period was truly insane. Those who managed to survive that period went through literal hell.

    And he was able to survive because he possessed power of light; to be more specific, he would be equivalent to sequence 5 of this era.

    He also saw many people attempting tobine with the characteristics in order to be stronger and survive.

    Despite the fact that he also umted many characteristics with which he felt affinity towards, but he never attempted tobine them recklessly. As he saw what could happen if it failed, the thought of losing all humanity and bing a mindless monster, always haunted him.

    But, his life was turned upside down when the war ravaged thend, destroying his hope and life in the process.

    He still remembered, his teenage self running from the horde of demons chasing him, while holding the characteristics in his hand. The demons were far more powerful than him.

    It drove him to desperation, to the point where he didn''t care about the consequences and instead wanted tobine with the characteristics to just have silver of chance.

    However, that''s when his life changed, because he ran into someone at that precise moment.

    It was a man dressed in ck clergy robes with a silver cross around his neck. He had pure golden eyes that was like the sun. He also had a ck te in his hands.

    When Aucuces looked at the man at the time, he had the illusion that he was looking at the literal sun itself for a brief moment.

    That man saved him that day and forever changed his life...

    Aucuces felt somewhatplex as memories of that time shed through his mind, but he quickly pushed the thoughts aside and looked at Lilith, who was actually smiling.

    "Your n really worked." Lilith''s voice was slightly trembling as she spoke. She didn''t realise whether it was happiness or overwhelming relief that washed over her, finally knowing she wasn''t going to die.

    "Indeed." When Aucuces'' eyes met Lilith''s, he smiled slightly as theplexity in his eyes faded.

    At the same time, a figure appeared out of thin air behind them, revealing Artisan.

    "I didn''t expect..." Artisan mumbled to himself as he looked at his work. It truly astounded him at the power of civilization at the time, which could block a pir. He knew what a pir represented, which only added to his astonishment at what they had aplished.

    "Even though humanity is small in the infinite cosmos, we are capable of performing impossible feats and miracles when we work together." Aucuces spoke lightly, his gaze fixed on the Aristan. He wasn''t surprised by their sess now; in fact, he expected it.

    It wouldn''t be wrong to say that the entire human civilization was shielding them and protecting them from the literal pir of cosmos at the time.

    This scroll is much stronger than it was in the original future, when artisan used it during Klein''s apotheosis. This will also give artisan a significant advantage when he ascends to paragon.

    Aucuces would not be surprised if the artisan named himself god of steam and machinery rather than god of craftsmanship.

    Aucuces knew it was all because of his own decisions, which had drastically altered the future at this point.

    However, given his current situation, he no longer cares about the future.

    Roar!

    A rage-filled roar shook the entire projection, as blood ocean covered it and waves of oceans trashed into the scroll, attempting to break it apart.

    "This will only buy us some time, but it won''tst long against ''Her.''" Lilith said as she gazed at the blood ocean, her heart finally calmed down.

    "In this situation, there is only one way to win." Aucuces'' face became solemn as he spoke. "Because if this continues, this situation will devolve into an attrition battle, which we will lose."

    "So, let''s annihte this entire reality." Aucuces said it simply, as if it were nothing more than a simple task.

    Artisan was once again taken aback by the sun god''s bold new idea. But, after seeing what they had aplished, he had no doubts in the sun god anymore.

    "How are we going to pull it off?" Lilith immediately questioned, she also appeared to believe Aucuces'' crazy n.

    "Can you make a weapon right away?" Aucuces did not respond to Lilith, instead questioning the artisan.

    "Yes." Artisan nodded before pulling another golden-glittering scroll from his coat and opening it.

    "We simply enter the information into this scroll. Then it will bepleted, but there is a requirement for characteristics, for the weapon to have some power, or it will be nothing more than ordinary." Artisan exined.

    "Give it to me." Aucuces grabbed the scroll right away, opened it, and instructed. "Ombe bless the authority of the "deste" on the weapon while it is forming."

    Lilith didn''t hesitate to follow his instructions, pressing her hand against the scroll, brown light erupting from the contact and illuminating it.

    Aucuces'' tapped his finger on the golden scroll at the same time, and as light also appeared from the contact, an image of the weapon began to form on the scroll ording to his memories. He also blessed his authority of "Sun" and "Order" at this moment.

    Instead of using the characteristics, Aucuces'' simply nned to rece it with their authorities, which the weapon should be able to withstand.

    Soon, the image of the weapon was fully formed, thanks to the blessings of two gods andbination of various authorities.

    Aucuces is doing this rather than simplybining Lilith and his authorities to pull an ultimate move, because whilebining the authorities sounds simple, it takes a lot of time, which they don''t have right now. As a result, he couldn''t think of a more efficient solution than creating a weapon, which takes far less time.

    Boom! Boom!

    The projection around them was bing increasingly blurry, as if it was about to break under the assault of the mother goddess of depravity.

    Aucuces'' didn''t hesitate any longer, and tapped the image of the weapon, causing it to light up and ripples apprered around the scroll.

    The weapon then slowly emerged from the scroll, under their attention.

    It was a weapon that was golden and red in colour. It appeared to be a sword, but it had an unusual shape that did not correspond to what would normally be ssified as something specialised like a sword. It felt more like something that existed before the concept known as a "sword" appeared in the world. As a result, it is not a true sword, nor does it have the shape of any known de.

    This weapon was based on the sword of rupture, Ea, which also had the ability to tear the entire reality apart.

    Aucuces took the handle of the sword that had formed ording to his memories.

    The sword in his hands spun as the aura of annihtion began to radiate from it, with red light covering the entire sword.

    "Take away the scroll."

    Then he yelled at artisan as he noticed the projection dimming and the eyes of the mother goddess of depravity staring at him from behind it.

    The projection vanished, and they were confronted by mother goddess of depravity, who was floating directly in front of them.

    Aucuces'' aimed the sword at ''Her,'' and surprisingly, ''She'' seemed to have anticipated this, as a crimson curtain appeared around her and protected her, while the blood ocean flowed towards them.

    But Aucuces didn''t care, and he poured all of his power into his weapon, causing it to visibly shake and crack.

    A zing ball of red light gathered at the tip of the sword, which looked like a red sun from afar.

    "This will be yourst time on earth!" As he looked at ''Her,'' he said with a grin on his lips. "Die, Bitch!"

    Boom!

    The red sun in the sword imploded, causing scorching re of red light to erupt and spread outward in all directions, submerging and annihting everything in its path.

    As, ''She'' saw what this earth god managed to pull up again, her eyes were filled with genuine shock. ''She'' used her reaming power without hesitation because she perceived a real threat from it.

    However, it was useless....

    The red light formed from theirbined power tore the crimson curtain and immediately submerged ''Her.'' The cries of anguish and rage echoed before dying away.

    Soon, the red light then engulfed this entire reality, annihting everything.

    Crack! Crack!

    The reality created by sefirot eventually started breaking under theirbined power and began to show cracks all over, as if it were nothing more than a broken mirror.

    Boom!

    Finally, reality copsed on itself, as everything crashed and broke before their eyes like shards of mirror.

 Chapter 26: Hermit Uniqueness

    Chapter 26: Hermit Uniqueness

    There was a huge ck door that looked like a te in the endless white space, with a being made of pure information floating in front of it.

    The being is none other than the artificial life or the future hidden sage, that was still being formed.

    The hidden sage was transparent, and inside him was a purple book with an eye within a triangle symbol in the middle of the cover. The book was fading and slowly blending with hidden sage.

    The purple book was the uniqueness of hermit!

    Three figures stood in front of it, each with a different expression andplexion, but they all just stood there in silence, with no intention of moving forward.

    Finally, the woman among them broke the silence..

    "We really made it through that..." With a sigh, Lilith said. "I never thought I''d say this after bing god, a being who oversaw the entire world, but when ''She'' arrived before us, I felt so small inparison to ''Her,'' and I felt fear and dread..."

    She didn''t hide her fear. She faced and embraced her fear, because only that made her understand here own mortality and weakness more than ever.

    "She was a pir of the cosmos, her true power vastly outranks us, and truth be told, we only survived due to circumstances and the assistance of others." Aucuces remarked wryly. "It was such a close call at the time, and everything could have very well been destroyed..."

    If he ever faced ''Her'' true body, ''She'' would only need to use that blood ocean, and all of his authority would be corrupted by it immediately.

    And things would have been much worse in the beginning if he hadn''t been there, Lilith would have been corrupted almost instantly.

    He couldn''t imagine about future at that time; everything he had built would have been destroyed, and he himself might have died.

    This simply made him fell powerless in the face of the vast cosmos, and it reminded that he still has a long way to go.

    It also mainly made him realise his own mortality. He could also die, despite being God above all.

    He also experienced rollercoaster of emotions during this fight than ever before and he should really take a vacation to Bayam and drink traditional tea there, to give himself a break.

    "Was ''She'' a pir?" Artisan spoke in a low tone. "And is ''She'' the one on the moon?"

    This entire journey was extremely impactful for artisan. The experience and memories of this time will certainly remain with him for the rest of his life and haunt him in his nightmares.

    Especially when ''She'' appeared, he felt pure terror and oppression. He never, ever wanted to go through something like that again!

    And, just by looking at her, a lot of knowledge poured into his mind, revealing who ''She'' was.

    Artisan knew what a pir was because Adam had been kind enough to tell him about it before.

    He knew there was a pir in the crimson moon, but it was still a huge shock to him that he actually participated in the fight against ''Her'' and to top it all that, he still survived!

    To be honest, everything felt like a dream, no, a nightmare to him. He was still perplexed by everything that had happened.

    "''She'' was a pir created by the original creator." Aucuces responded, but his gaze was drawn to the ck door.

    "However, ''She'' lost ''Her'' status and became no different from the other outer gods. But ''She'' is still the most powerful of them all."

    "How did ''She'' lose ''Her'' status as a pir?" Lilith inquired, somewhat agitatedly. She, too, was listening in before.

    She felt this might shed light on many events that were previously in dark to her, such as what happened to the ruined past civilization and her origin.

    Aucuces, on the other hand, simply smiled and dodged her question.

    "Forget about ''Her.'' To be honest, I''ve had enough of ''Her,'' and thinking about it makes me somewhat sick." He said this with a slight digust. He fought with mother goddess of depravity almost the entire fight.

    And, he''d seen a lot that shouldn''t have been seen, especially anyer abyss, where literally everything was reproducing, mating, and giving birth to abominations that should never havee to light of day.

    So much so, that he feltpelled to pour holy water from his church over his eyes, to purify him.

    Lilith didn''t ask any further questions, but she fixed her gaze on Aucuces, who seemed unfazed by her scrutiny.

    "That weapon?" To break the silence, Artisan finally asked something.

    "Do you like it?" Aucuces was amused, and the sword of rupture appeared in his hand, still with some cracks on it, causing him to frown.

    "Indeed, yes." Artisan acknowledged. "It is the most powerful weapon I have ever seen."

    "The design is strange." Lilith remarked as she looked at it. "Can you tell me what kind of weapon it is?"

    "It can be considered a sword" Auceses'' replied first, then turned to artisan, and continued. "Despite what it has aplished, it is still not the most powerful weapon on the."

    Then, he interrupted them, who wanted to speak up.

    "Now, now..." Aucuces spoke lightly while walking forward. "First and foremost, we must deal with the situation at hand and get the hell out of here!" His tone changed. "I really need to get some fresh air." He also put away the sword of rupture.

    They were even talking freely now, only because the serfoit power that had passed into reality was almost gone after what happened. Except for the residual pollution, which they must still seal, but there is no longer any danger at least for them.

    They finally focused on the door in front of them, which had a strange mural on it.

    (Image here)

    Aucuces narrowed his eyes at the mural, which resembled an illustration of the Tree of Life (Kabbh) from his previous life.

    "Isn''t this just a projection of the entrance?" Lilith inquired.

    "The sefirot would have been right there behind the door. It would have been essible previously." Aucuces spoke while raising his hand and drawing a sun symbol on the air as if it were a piece of paper. He also put away the thoughts of resemnce that he noticed and focused on the current situation

    As he finished it, the symbol began to glow, while the surrounding white space became illusory and began to fade, revealing a library.

    "Seal." He said this as the sun symbol flew towards the door and instantly fused with the ck door, causing it to rumble as if it wanted to break free from that symbol.

    But its resistance faded as the sun symbol appeared gradually on the surface and golden lines began to spread across the door,pletely sealing it!

    At the same time, the white space fadedpletely, and they found themselves at the far end of arge library, with the door in front of them.

    Lilith was already in front of the artificial life, when she touched it, and the entire being of the artificial life became illusory and faded away, as if it had been erased from existence.

    Now, Hidden Sage diedpletely at Lilith''s hands before it could even gain consciousness.

    Lilith took the purple book and the two characteristics that fell out and examined them for a moment. Then, without hesitation, threw them to Aucuces.

    Artisan only gave aplex look as he watched the uniqueness and characteristics fall into the hands of the sun god, but he didn''t speak up to say anything. Even though he has gained significant power and knowledge during this experience, he is not foolish to challenge a god who has fought a pir alone for a long time.

    "Finally." Aucuces sighed and looked at the hermit uniqueness and the two knowledge emperor characteristics for which he hade. Actually, throughout the fight, he somehow managed to forgot about them, until being reminded after the end of the fight.

    "No one below the rank of king of angels may enter this ce." Using his "order" authority, he dered. Even though it is sealed, the pollution of sefirot here is still very dangerous to those below the king of angels.

    "All right, let''s go." he finally said, as their figures vanished from Moses'' ascetic order,

    _______________

    As the sun rose, the light of dawn shone through the horizon, illuminating the vast desert on which three figures appeared out of nowhere.

    Aucuces, Lilith, and Artisan immediately felt divine gazes focusing on them from all over the world.

    The light of sun in the surroundings then dimmed slightly as a woman in a dark gown appeared.

    She was none other than Amanines, the first to arrive here, or should he say, the only one who had the courage toe and check, among the gods.

    Amanines looked at Lilith with obvious concern in her eyes, which were hidden behind the ck gauze.

    "Everything is fine." Lilith smiled, a hint of relief visible on her face.

    "We also defeated ''Her.''" Aucuces didn''t hesitate to add, and he immediately felt a range of emotions from the gazes directed at them. He felt shock,plexity, relief, and even a tinge of fear....

    "Then, I will take my leave..." Aucuces stated, for he didn''t want to stay here anymore, under all of their gazes, and he also needed some alone time.

    Under the light of the rising sun, his figure copsed into golden light particles.

 Chapter 27: Aftermath

    Chapter 27: Aftermath

    After two weeks.....

    The rising sun cast a golden glow across the sky, illuminating the world below.

    The world, which was always in turmoil due to war and strife, has been unusually calm over thest week. Conflicts and wars around the world have seized without any warning, causing widespread confusion among the popce.

    But, this was just a afterthought of many, as more were preupied with dealing with the aftermath of the disaster that swept the world with the appearance of the blood moon.

    As the blood moon''s power seeped into the world through the barrier, the spiritual world interacted with the material world.

    Various unspeakable abominations and evil spirits ravaged thend on that crimson night, bringing destruction and death; it wouldn''t be wrong to say that the blood of those fallen flowed into rivers across the continent under the illumination of the blood moon.

    On that crimson night, almost all of the churchbat force of gods was dispatched, and angels and saints who were always aloof and indifferent to worldly matters could be seen dealing with the disaster.

    If this level of disaster urred in the fifth epoch, almost everything would have been destroyed, unless the gods themselves intervened.

    However, this was the age of gods, when gods walked the earth and the extraordinary was not hidden from the general popce. Most importantly, the number of beyonders worldwide vastly outnumbers the future.

    To be more specific, the mainbat force of any church army is demigods, not middle or low-sequence beyonders.

    So, despite the fact that the disaster was catastrophic, it was eventually dealt with by thebined might of all.

    When everyone expected the wars to continue, it did not, instead restoring the long-awaited peace on thend that many had not seen since the third epoch.

    But those who were knowledgeable and experienced among the beyonders had a feeling that this was nothing more than false peace before the storm that would sweep the world...

    _________________

    In a vast river that flowed between mountain peaks, two figures stood around a roaring ck knight wielding a sword that appeared to be made of red fire.

    Dark clouds obscured the sky above, with shes of scarlet lighting.

    The ck knight was dressed in full body armour and a helmet visor over its head, which only showed two red eyes.

    The knight was bound under the whip that seemed to be made out of the starlight itself, while he was letting out a hoarse roar in madness, as he gazed at the two figures that were trying to kill him.

    "What the hell happened, Lucas?" A woman in a traditional blue robe with rimmed sses on her eyes spoke loudly as she looked at the man in front of her, who appeared to be hesitant. "Instead of hesitating, simply throw the light spear again and try to purify it. I won''t be able to keep it up for long."

    "It''s pointless, Diana." The man with blonde hair spoke helplessly. "Despite being dead and transformed into an evil spirit, it seemed to have endless vitality. My power can only weaken it, not purify it."

    "I propose that we pray to the Lord." Finally, the blonde-haired man proposed.

    "This is just a remnant evil spirit of an angel!" Diana eximed as soon as she heard his suggestion. "We two can handle it."

    Crack!

    The whip that was holding the knight down began to break down as crimson blood began to pour out of the cracks in the evil spirit''s armour, falling the whip and immediately melting it.

    When Lucas noticed this, he did not hesitate to throw the spear at the ck knight.

    "That crimson blood..." Diana''s pupils constricted as she stared at the crimson blood. "It should have been influenced by the blood moon and mutated." She guessed right away.

    This is a very rare situation, even during this time, because the blood moon caused the disaster to sweep the world and increased the power of spirits under its illumination, but after the blood moon disappeared, this advantage was lost. However, this knight appears to be unique.

    The ck knight appeared not long ago, after everything had calmed down. It caused massive damage in short of time and it was so powerful that they both had toe forward and besiege it right away.

    Diana intended to use the mystical re-enactment to join the attack on it.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    But then a cluster of scarlet lightning bolts descended towards her from the sky, with such force that the mountain around them copsed as it fell.

    Diana saw the ck knight looking at her with those red eyes visible through the mask, and she could feel the spirit''s rage and madness, which seemedpletely focused on dealing with her, as if to exact revenge for what it had suffered.

    So much so that the evil spirit ignored the light spear that was heading towards it, but a ze of mes surrounded it,pletely blocking the light spear.

    Diana didn''t waste any time and immediately used the mystical re-enactment. A golden shield appeared in her hand, with a golden sun emblem in the centre that shone brightly.

    She immediately shielded herself from the crimson lightning that was falling on her.

    "God says it''s effective!" Lucas dered, pointing to Diana.

    Under his words, the sun emblem on Diana''s shield zed with blinding light. At the time, the entire shield was strengthened.

    However, just then, a divine aura descended on this location, causing the crimson lighting to stop and vanish, as if it had faded away from existence. The dark clouds then dispersed from the sky, allowing the golden sun to shine through.

    Aucuces stood in the light of the sun, his hands sped on the helmet of the ck night and lifting the evil spirit from the ground.

    "I remember you." With a chuckle, he said. "You were the war angel under Farubati who died under my sword." He took a brief pause, as if recalling something, before continuing with a smile. "Now, as I recall, I caught you and threw you into the dungeons, and ordered that you to be tortured. Later, I honestly forgot about you."

    Aucuces hated the entire race of devils, so much so, that he didn''t hesitate to wage war on Farubati in the third epoch.

    "It appears that you did quite well after your death. Even grew stronger unintentionally as a result of ''Her.''" He smiled as he continued. "So, why were you here? To exact vengeance on me?"

    There is one more thing he despises now, and that is ''Her.'' If he bes God Almighty in the future, he will especially to go to meet ''Her'' in the crimson moon.

    Aucuces looked at the ck knight, and his grip on its visor tightened, causing cracks in it; he saw only fear in the evil spirit''s mad eyes as it looked at him.

    Actually, it indeed had a great deal of hatred for him, and even though it has be an evil spirit, the fact that it was an angel before its fall is more than enough for it to retain some of its consciousness.

    However, the hatred and blood moon blinded and affected whatever was left, allowing it to attack his country without fear. But, now that it was surrounded by his divine aura, the evil spirit regained some of its consciousness.

    "Please.."

    A painful voice came from behind the ck knight''s visor.

    "To be honest, I don''t care what you''re going to say." Aucuces spoke indifferently as his smile faded and he also noticed the red eyes of the ck knight widening, which seemed to be filled with despair. "It will make no difference to your fate."

    Golden mes erupted from his hands and engulfed the ck knight''s figure.

    The evil spirit didn''t even have a chance to scream in agony before it waspletely turned into ashes, and even its soul was destroyed under the burning of his golden mes.

 Chapter 28: Card of Blasphemy

    Chapter 28: Card of sphemy

    The Capital, Kingdom of Aelius.

    The magnificent city was shrouded in a depressing atmosphere, as the majority of people walked around in ck clothes, most of them heading towards the cemetery.

    Cries and sobs could be heard from everywhere, as some rtives clutched a photograph of their loved one tightly in their hands. While somedies exiting the carriage in ck gowns were dazed and their eyes dimmed, as if they couldn''t ept the harsh reality.

    The church bells ringing and echoing around the city were the only thing that managed to pull them out of their states and make them continue on with their lives, as this gave them a faint sense of support for they remembered their faith.

    They hoped that their loved ones would find eternal rest in God''s kingdom.

    In avish restaurant in the city''s central square - a waitress was carrying a te of three sses of wine while walking.

    She finally came to a halt in front of thest table in the row, which had three unusual guests.

    "Your drinks are ready, sir." The waitress ced the drinks in front of the gentleman who had ordered first, followed by others.

    "Would you like to order some food?" Then she inquired. "Is there something wrong with the service?" She asked, as she noticed the strange expressions of the two people who apanied the gentleman.

    "We travelled a long way to get here. So, you know..." The gentleman in the ck tuxedo spoke in their stead, smiling and trailing off at the end.

    "I understand." The waitress gave a nod. "Do you want to exchange with refersments instead?"

    "It''s all right." Thedy with gold-rimmed sses over her eyes spoke up, and the blonde-haired man next to her nodded in agreement.

    "We''ll ce our orderter." The gentleman finally said.

    Then, she nodded and left them alone.

    They were none other than Aucuces, Lucas, and Diana, who decided to go around the city after the situation with the evil spirit was resolved, on the suggestions of Aucuces.

    They toured the city, even visiting a cemetery, the ruins caused by the disaster and even cathedral, led by Aucuces.

    To be honest, it was too strange for Lucas and Diana to go to the cathedral where the mass about their lord was taking ce, with their lord with them.

    They were aware, however, that their lord was simply inspecting the damage and loss caused by the disaster. They didn''t understand though, why they had to go there and see everything when their lord could just use his authority.

    "Drink it," Aucuces said as he noticed them still in a daze.

    They nodded and started drinking their wine, both were thinking the same thing in their heads.

    ''Lord has really gained more humanity!''

    Diana was astounded when she realised this. Because her perception of gods had been refreshed as she travelled with her lord.

    She could see a distinct change in her lord now and she an even clearly sense her lord''s humanity, for her lord didn''t bother to even hide it.

    While Lucas had previously guessed it, but he has now personally confirmed it.

    "Lord, the blood moon.." Lucas finally asked the most important question for which they needed an answer.

    The entire incident was disastrous, and he and Diana were frequently called upon to deal with it. It was a real pain for them without the other two, Angel of Temperance and Angel of Miracles, where one situation was not so good and the other was still within the Solomon Empire.

    The sudden appearance of the blood moon stunned them, because the blood moon had not appeared on the world since the fall of the ancestor of the blood race.

    They also knew that when the blood moon appeared, various gods took action. For a brief moment, they believed an all-out gods war had erupted.

    They had previously prayed to their Lord about this, but he had not responded specifically to them.

    Diana put down the wine and focused, but she had a feeling it had something to do with a previous incident that had happened to her. She also intended to inquire about itter.

    "That.." Aucuces, who was enjoying his wine, paused when he heard the question. He finally put down his ss and said. "When the timees, you''ll know. It is not yet safe for you."

    He was just making an excuse because he didn''t want to talk about this.

    Aucuces had his own time alone for two weeks, during which he rested. He was also constantly double-checking himself because he was overly cautious, due to fact, he was facing a once-pir with many methods that humans cannotprehend.

    He was fine in the end, but his alone time wasn''t without incident. Because of what happened during the blood moon, the prayers and cries of angels and others poured into his mind.

    And, the number of souls entering his kingdom increased exponentially, forcing him to concentrate on the situation at hand.

    To be honest, he didn''t think the situation would reach this level on a global scale at first. But, this huge disaster didn''t cause any waves in his heart in the least. He did, however, visit some of the affected areas to assess the situation first-hand and how much it affected his kingdom.

    Then he repeatedly blessed Lucas, Diana, and some saints from his church in order to assist them. This is also when he became aware of the situation with the ck knight.

    "Is there any other significant news?" Aucuces intrerrputed them, who still wanted to ask more.

    Diana and Lucas were a little disappointed because, despite everything, they still didn''t get the answer for their lord.

    "This is the most recent news, Milord."

    Nheless, Diana responded, taking the newspaper from the very space that rippled as she did so.

    Aucuces sighed as he read the newspaper and saw how the history had changed at the moment.

    "The greatest invention of the epoch : Steam Engine."

    It was boldly stated in the headlines.

    He wasn''t surprised; he knew artisan could do it after receiving all of the knowledge.

    Artisan''s titles weren''t just there as a joke. He was truly a most talented amongst of all.

    And, because of this, the entire fourth epoch will undergo a significant shift.

    ''I can''t believe I''ll be witnessing the industrial revolution so soon...'' Aucuces thought with someplexity, however, he pushed away this thoughts.

    Then he took out a brown book and began to carry out his first n, which he still remembers.

    He pushed the newspaper aside and opened the book, much to Diana and Lucas''s surprise.

    Aucuces finally came to a halt in the pages where the entire sequence of hermit pathway was present.

    It''s the same book where he previously gathered all of knowledge, when he went to save Diana.

    He used his authority of "order", while pressing his index finger on the writings in the book.

    The power of knowledge in the book is far from ordinary, because it contains the entire path of god and it directly came from the uniqueness itself.

    The information emerged from the book and quickly became corporeal. Then, under his "Order" authority, they gathered and morphed together.

    It eventually formed a card, which floated in front of them.

    The card depicted an elderly man standing alone on the summit of a mountain, holding antern in his right hand and a long staff in his left.

    The hermit!

    Aucuces snatched the card from the air and slid it across the table to Diana.

    "This is the card of sphemy....."

 Chapter 29: Tarot Cards

    Chapter 29: Tarot Cards

    Diana held the card in her hand as various pieces of information appeared in her mind.

    ''Sequence 9: mystery pryer, Sequence 8: Melee Schr.... Sequence 1: Knowledge Emperor...''

    ''Sequence 0 - Hermit...''

    She couldn''t believe she was holding the entire path of God that so many had earned to know, for some would give anything to obtain this knowledge.

    Yet here she was, holding it in the heat of the moment, without even expecting it in the least. Now, her faith in her lord and fate itself had never been higher than it was now.

    "Does it have the entire path of God?" Lucas inquired, his gaze never leaving the card in his hand.

    He was well aware of what "sphemy" represented, and the card was something that their lord had created himself, so he can easily guess what it might be.

    Aucuces, on the other hand, was just watching them from the side-lines, enjoying his wine.

    "Yes, the hermit." Diana responded, while she also found a lot of the depiction of the old man in the card to be far from simple, and it somewhat corrtes with the essence of the hermit pathway itself.

    She truly felt her lord''s might once more; everything he does has a very deep meaning.

    She then passed the card to Lucas, whose gaze was literally too hot on the card, as she could feel the surrounding temperature rise.

    Lucas immediately epted the card and fell into a trance as he digested the full path of god for the first time.

    Meanwhile, Diana''s mind kept repeating the knowledge of the promotion ritual and form. She was also wondering if she had a chance, even if it was slim.

    She has desire to advance further in order to be stronger, because she had a terrible feeling about future from the knowledge given by her idol, the mysteries of the ck door, the blood moon and cmity that followed.

    This notion was strengthened when she saw her lord giving her this without even batting an eye and she even had a hunch, her lord hasn''t finished, he might even take out something else, which could be the very thing she always wanted and requested from her lord, by doing a lot of tasks and raising a lot of contribution.

    Her lord, on the other hand, was anything but generous. He can be very strict and expects a lot from others in return if they want anything from him. She knew there was more to this than meets the eye.

    "This card, my lord..." Diana finally said something.

    "Do you find anything special in the image of card?" interpreted Aucuces, while cing the cup below in the table.

    "Yes." Diana nodded and said as she felt her lord''s inquiring gaze. "The card has a lot inmon with the essence of the hermit. The old man is alone on his path of knowledge, and themp he holds only illuminates his front and not the entire path, indicating that he must proceed to see what lies ahead, knowing that not everything will be revealed at once."

    Aucuces gave her an appreciative look before talking something out of nowhere and setting it on the table.

    He no longer bothered and simply handed it to her.

    For the next war, some powerful archangels will be required to at least make a stand against the forces of True Creator and Solomon while they deal with them.

    Diana is the perfect fit right now at the moment, which corrted with his n.

    There were two things on the table: the characteristics of the knowledge emperor and a deck of cards.

    A silence descended as soon as he ced those things.

    Diana stared at the characteristics in the table, her mind nk.

    Even though she had anticipated it, seeing it in person had a profound effect on her.

    As it stands in this day and age, being promoted to angel is the best one can hope for, and the chances of being promoted to archangel in a path with no god are so slim that they can be dismissed entirely.

    Almost all of the remaining paths have archangels in ce, or sequence 1 characteristics are already in the hands of gods and king of angels.

    So, unless someone is blessed by fate, one can imagine the chances are too low.

    Diana was aware that her pathcked archangels, but the characteristics of the knowledge emperor were already in the hands of the king of angels and gods.

    Even though, she requested a lot to her lord about this. She didn''t have much hope, because anything involving the gods and the king of angels is bound to beplicated. Just like what happened with her idol before.

    Diana almost jumped out of her seat when she remembered. ''The hermit Uniqueness? Did the Lord get it?''

    The knowledge emperor here should be the one that was owned by her idol and the lord has it now, so there is a good chance that the uniqueness.....

    As soon as she thought of this, her heart leapt with joy. Nheless, she managed to resist the urge to inquire.

    She was well aware that nothing in this world was free, and her lord was far from generous.

    "Diana?!" Aucuces called out as she noticed her dazed state, and her eyes never left the characteristics ''Was it too much of a shocker for her?''

    "L- Lord, T-this.." Diana strutted, trying to organise herself, after jolting out of her daze.

    "Take it, Diana." Aucuces said this in between sips of wine. "You need to be promoted because I will be assigning you to face a formidable foe in theing chaos." He concluded with a smile.

    ''There it is...!'' Diana was well aware that whoever she was about to face would be anything but ordinary, and could even be fatal to her. But she knew that this was the only chance that she could advance in her path.

    She didn''t show hesitation because she knew her lord would be disappointed in her because this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, that many wouldn''t even get.

    "Thank you very much, Milord." Diana said after she had calmed down. "I will face whoever you ask!" She said it with confidence, depsite having very bad felling afterwards.

    Then, almost immediately, she took the knowledge emperor characteristics from the table and ced them in her separate space. She also noticed a deck of cards on the table, which she had previously overlooked subconsciously.

    Aucuces simply chuckled as he noticed this and turned to see the dejected eyes of Lucas, who was still starting at the ce where the characteristics was.

    "You, too, Lucas, will get your chance in the future." He said lightly, leaving Lucas perplexed, because almost every pathway interchangeable with the sun pathway already has gods.

    Aucuces wasn''t joking when he said that. With the addition of hermit uniqueness, which he can use, his overall strength has increased significantly.

    Just like Amanines, she holds the moon uniqueness, which is what made her much stronger than other gods.

    "Then, let''s move onto the final thing." Aucuces said, as he ignored the expressions of Lucas and Diana, after hearing that.

    He took the deck of cards on the table and spread it all in the table.

    There were total number of 22 cards with Roman number on top of each of card and unique image rted to its name in the below.

    The beginning of the cards was the "0"  The Fool and the ending was the "21"  The World.

    The Tarot Cards!

 Chapter 30: Ritual

    Chapter 30: Ritual

    ''The Fool...The Sun...The Death...'' Lucas examined the various images and names on the cards on the table.

    The cards, no matter how closely examined, gave off the impression that they were nothing more than ordinary cards. They didn''t give the divine and mysteries aura like the previous card of sphemy.

    However, the eerie simrities that this card has with sequence pathways, for some of the names of the cards, such as the fool, directly states the sequence 0 names.

    This alone caused Lucas'' thoughts to wander, as if he could already see his lord''s grand n, which may even cause the world to change.

    ''The hermit...'' Diana immediately focused on the card that was within 22 among them and then looked at the others. ''The fool? The sun? The death? The Hanged man? The moon?''

    ''The emperor should be rted to the ck emperor! and the wheel of fortune is self-evident. Temperance ought to be the chained pathway, and the judgement should be the justiciar.''

    ''These cards should be closely rted to all of the pathways. Why is the fool at the start? Is there anything unique about the fool? Each of these cards also contains a deep mysticism reference...''

    Diana''s mind was racing with questions and thoughts as she stared at the cards. The more she looked, the more she realised how significant this was. Ordinary people may think the cards are insignificant, but in her eyes, they are priceless treasure.

    ''The hermit card was a card of sphemy, so these cards as well...?''

    As she looked at the cards, a terrifying thought passed her mind.

    "These are not the cards of sphemy." Aucuces chuckled, exposing their innermost thoughts as if he could see right through them.

    Diana and Lucas were slightly disappointed, because they expected their lord to orchestrate the grand n that would shake the world itself.

    ''Their imagination is truly amazing.'' Aucuces found it amusing to see through their guesses. He wasn''t going to do what Roselle did and spread the cards of sphemy for destined people.

    This would have disastrous consequences; he was almost certain that in the original timeline, Roselle became the enemy of all the gods simply by doing this. It makes no difference whether it was intended or not.

    "Have you considered which knowledge you will spread for the ritual?" Without revealing what the cards were, Aucuces asked Diana.

    "Milord, I am considering it, and I''m pretty sure I''d go with the second epoch." Diana responded, as she had given much thought about the ritual. However, she is unsure which knowledge would be ideal and eptable to the rest of the world.

    Ritual - Spread the most abstract and diverse knowledge from the forgotten era and let it be known around the world.

    "You should be aware of this and proceed with caution, right?" Aucuces said this with a serious expression. "I don''t want gods knocking on my door."

    Nothing about the Second Epoch can be revealed to the public in this way. To top it all off, her ritual''s knowledge requirements should be abstract and diverse. This kind of knowledge was plentiful in the second epoch, and it could also easily cause an ordinary person to polluted.

    "That''s why I''m still undecided, milord, and I was nning to seek your advice." Diana nodded solemnly, knowing that if she was not careful with her ritual, it could very well lead to her demise. Even her lord would be powerless to save her.

    Aucuces was not surprised by her predicament; after all, strict requirements are what have kept archangels from being born in the hermit pathway until now, and not everyone is Roselle, who has knowledge of past civilization, so he didn''t have to worry about this ritual in the least.

    "Spread this!" Aucuces finally revealed his true intentions with a smile. "These are referred to as Tarot Cards. These meet all of your ritual''s requirements."

    He pointed the tarot cards in the table.

    Then, Diana took the fool card in her hand, and a flood of information about its meaning and mysticism appeared in her mind. She knew this satisfied one of the requirements, but there was still one more.

    "Milord..." Diana wanted to ask some additional questions about this.

    "This will satisfy all requirements. You have nothing to be concerned about." Aucuces said it again, seeing her concern.

    The significance of the tarot cards clearly fulfils the requirements of this ritual.

    "Thank you very much, Milord." Diana epted this with deep gratitude, knowing her lord would not put her in danger. Despite once again having the impression that this cards and her lord''s motives were anything but simple.

    Aucuces'' intentions were not obvious simple; he is far from being generous either. He was using Diana''s ritual to hide his true intention from being known by other gods.

    This was an experiment to strengthen his control on the hermit''s uniqueness. Even though he could use it, there are still a number of issues. He really wanted to strengthen his power in order to prepare for the future.

    He devised this method after witnessing hermit''s authority over "ultism". Even though the tarot cards on the table appear to be normal, they are not. He personally created those with the uniqueness, and if the tarot cards are speared now, they will bepletely rted to him under the authority of "ultism." As tarot cards gain poprity around the world in field of "ultism", this will have an impact on the authority, potentially increasing his control as well.

    Aucuces could only hope that his n would seed.

    Also, the Tarot Cards from a previous era being introduced by his angel will not reveal his secrets. As, tarot cards were not first introduced by Roselle after the cataclysm, but by ancient sun god.

    Yes, the Ancient Sun God had a habit of generously imparting past civilization''s knowledge to those close to him, but he never intended to impart all of it to mankind.

    He and the other kings of angels had done a lot of tarot divination with Ouroboros. Ouroboros also most likely still has the tarot cards given to him by the creator.

    "How about them, Milord?" Lucas inquired with concern, when he noticed that this topic had concluded. "Are they fine?"

    He was referring to the angel of miracles and temperance.

    "He''s all right." Aucuces responded. "My messenger prayed to me in the midst of the chaos; he will return soon enough."

    "As for the other, things are stillplicated..." His voice trailed off as he considered the situation of the angel of temperance.

    This immediately made Diana and Lucas'' hearts sink, as the angel of temperance''s condition had deteriorated, thest time they had meet him.

    They''ve been together for a long time and have been through a lot. As they learned of his condition before, it caused them fell at loss and pain.

    "Don''t worry, his situation hasn''t gotten that bad yet." Aucuces sighed, for, he once again felt powerless, as even he couldn''t solve his angel of temperance problem right now.

    ''It''s yet another bitch from the cosmos...'' While drinking his wine, he thought with slight frustration.

    But, at the very least, his words made those two feel better.

    "Lets order! Shall we?" Aucuces finally put his thoughts about his angel and cosmos aside and said with a smile, to lighten the depressing atmosphere. "Its on me."

    Diana and Lucas finally smiled as a result of his words.

    They went on in the light of the sun that shone through the window illuminating their figures.

 Chapter 31: Amanises

    Chapter 31: Amanises

    After a month....

    Northern Continent, Kingdom of Night.

    Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!

    As the believers entered the gothic style church under the light of the rising sun, the church bells rang loudly.

    This vibrant street was filled with passing carriages and bustling crowds. Thedies'' and children''s chatter andughter were ever-present.

    The newspaper boy could be seen shouting about on the turn, with the most recent news.

    There was also an unusual store in the long line of buildings; the store was painted white, a stark contrast to the city''s entire style, as all of the buildings were mostly dark in colour.

    There was a ck sign with the words "Tarot Divination" and the price written on it.

    The passing people, on the other hand, paid no attention and ignored this peculiar shop.

    A beautiful woman walked among the passing crowds, her long ck hair reaching her hips. She was dressed in a ckyered gown with sparkling lights that resembled stars in the night sky and a ck gauze over her face.

    Despite walking among the throngs, everyone avoided and ignored the ck-haired woman subconsciously, depsite woman''s temperament and aura were divine and otherworldly.

    The ck-haired woman eventually came to a halt in front of an alley and turned to walk into it.

    As she walked into the alley, the sun''s rays dampened, leaving nothing but thick darkness in front of her.

    The darkness moved frequently, as if it contained demons that seemly emerged from the terrible nightmares itself.

    Even after seeing this, the ck-haired woman continued walking into the darkness. With her in it, the surging darkness calmed down and cleared away, revealing the scene within.

    A girl''s whimpering voice echoed, and the ground was stained with crimson blood. In the midst of it all, there was a corpse of a man with no upper body and a teenage girl with a torn dress that revealed most of her body kneeling on the floor with a white bone knife in her hand, which she was tightly clutching. Her hands and de were covered in crimson blood. Her eyes were wide and never left the corpse.

    The entire scene revealed the tragedy that urred here.

    The white bone sword was coated in darkness, which frequently let out wisps, causing the light in the surroundings to dim.

    The ck-haired woman looked at the teenage girl in silence for a moment before approaching her.

    The girl sensed someone approaching her and immediately pointed her sword at the ck-haired woman.

    "Please don''te-me ne-ear me-e..." The girl stuttered as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Pleas-se don -n''t, I be-eg you..." With panic in her eyes, she pleaded, her voice bing smaller as she spoke.

    Even after seeing this and walking forward to her, the ck-haired woman''s expression behind the gauze didn''t change in the least.

    "No." As she realised this, the girl let out a painful cry.

    However, she was immediately drawn into an embrace, which swept away all her fear and panic, and she almost felt like she was back in her mother''s embrace.

    As her grip loosened, the white bone dagger in her hand fell to the floor. But there was no sound of it hitting the floor, as if the dagger had vanished in the middle.

    "Everything is fine." A ck-haired woman''s ethereal voice sounded, and she immediately fellpletely rxed; all the painful experiences that had been reying in her mind vanished, leaving herpletely tranquil. "You are safe now."

    The ck-haired woman raised her hand to the air, then a the ck veil apprered in her hand, she used it to cover the girl body due to her torn cloths.

    The ck-haired woman finally let the girl out of her embrace after the girl stopped trembling, but the girl didn''t let go and was still clinging to her.

    The ck-haired woman''s tranquil eyes finally showed pity as she looked at the girl.

    "Can you tell me your name?" She inquired softly of the girl.

    The girl finally separated from her embrace as she heard her voice and clung to the veil draped over her, then she looked at thedy before her in silence for a moment and whispered.

    "Ariana.."

    "What a lovely name... " The woman with ck hairplimented.

    "Yours?" Ariana questioned after a some hesitation.

    "Amanines.." The ck-haired woman replied lightly, then asked. "Where is your mother?"

    "She passed away." Ariana whispered this as tears welled up once more. "Attempting to save me from the monster raging across the blood river. I begged and prayed to the goddess countless times, but there was no hope..." Her eyes became dim, while her voice be quiter. "She left me alone in the world, with broken promises and a white dagger."

    "Dagger!?" Ariana panicked when she realised the dagger had vanished.

    "Here." Amanines handed over the dagger, that she was holding in her hands.

    Ariana snatched the dagger from her grasp and turned to face the Amanines with vignce, but she immediately felt her eyelids be heavy and her vision was bing blurry.

    "I am sorry, Ariana." She eventually fell asleep after hearing the Amanines'' voices.

    Amanines looked at Ariana in silence, her expression couldn''t be seen, as it waspletely hidden by the ck gauze that covered her face.

    When she turned around, a man with ck wings appeared behind her.

    "Bring her to church. Make certain she grows up well." Amanines spoke to her angel in an etheric voice. "Her mother was Ang, one of our martyred saints from the crimson night." She stated,

    "Yes, mdy." The angel replied and inquired with confusion "We could have done it for you, mdy..."

    Amanines interrupted him. "I''m here for another reason, but I noticed her as well on the way.."

    The angel nodded, before taking Ariana and disappearing soon afterwards.

    Amanines finally turned to look at the man''s broken body lying in the pool of blood and raised her hand, as an ethereal soul was pulled out of his body and reached her hands.

    Without even looking at it, she crushed it in her hands. The man''s body then faded out of existence along with his soul.

    Finally, Amanines approached the white building with the tarot divination sign written on it and entered it.

    Ring!

    The bell rang as she entered the strange and dimly lit room with only one table in the centre and a man sitting on one of the chairs, holding a deck of tarot cards. There was crystal ball on the table with candles.

    "Amanines, sit down" Looking at his customer, the man with short white hair said calmly.

    "I never took you for a chatan, Aucuces." Amanines said with a actual smile, but as she looked around the room, she felt a sense of dj vu.

 Chapter 32: Tarot Divination

    Chapter 32: Tarot Divination

    Aucuses ignored her remark and spoke solemnly. "Are you here for tarot divination or not?"

    Amanines finally pressed down the feeling she had when she entered this ce and went along with him surprisingly.

    "Yes." She said this as she entered the room and sat in the chair facing him. "Let''s see, if you can divine for me?" Her ethereal voice echoed throughout the room.

    It''s not easy to divine for a god, and it may even cause huge ripples in the river of destiny while doing so.

    This is especially true for her, who was once known as the goddess of misfortune.

    "Oh?" Aucuces'' brows were raised, his golden eyes glowed with a light purple light. "Amanines, are you underestimating me? After everything that has happened?"

    "No, far from it." Amanines responded as the image of the Aucuces stabbing and betraying the creator without hesitation shed through her mind. "I was simply stating the facts, Aucuces." But she continued to speak in an ethereal tone, without any change.

    "Facts? Huh?" Aucuces spoke while his lips turned upwards to form a smile and his golden eyes turnedpletely purple and shone lightly. "Let''s find out, shall we?"

    He took the remaining decks and gathered them all together, then stacked them all together into a deck and asked her in between.

    "What would you like to learn from the tarot reading?"

    Amanines remained silent for a brief moment as she gazed at the tarot cards in his hand, various past memories flooding back to her, evoking various emotions in her heart, most importantly loneliness, sadness and nostalgia.

    Despite this, she didn''t seem to show much change on the surface, quietly gazing at the cards.

    "Present, past, and future." Finally, she stated, the mostmon and popr type of tarot reading from her past life.

    It took her a moment to respond, and Aucuces was patient, as if he expected this.

    Aucuces said quietly as he pushed the deck of cards towards Amanines.

    "Shuffle the deck and cut it."

    Amanines took the deck of cards in her hand and inquired, a smile visible behind the gauze.

    "Why? Aucuces, can''t you do it on your own? I didn''t expect you to ask for my assistance."

    She was referring to her authority over "misfortune."

    "No, just normal shuffle." Aucuces retorted, shaking his head, and continued to say in a deep tone. "Everyone''s fate can only be unravelled by themselves, and I can only read it."

    What he said was a deep connection to hermit, as hermit can only peer into fate, nothing more.

    As he finished, the already dim lights on the wall wentpletely dark, plunging the entire room around them into seemingly endless darkness, with only the candle on the table giving illumination, which also began to flicker, as if it might also extinguish.

    As a faint and illusory whooshing sound echoed from the darkness, the air became thick and slightly mysterious.

    A colourless river appeared and flowed around them, with them in the middle of it all.

    The river of destiny!

    Aucuces and Amanines were unphased by the changes in their surroundings.

    Amanines, on the other hand, was taken aback when she heard his sentence. She felt as if she had already been here and done this divination for someone else in ce of Aucuces.

    The feeling of deja vu returned, but she was well aware that she hadn''t done divination for anyone in a long time.

    ''Something is wrong,'' She thought, but her hands didn''t stop shuffling and cutting the deck before cing it in front of Aucuces. She pressed down this feeling while also deciding to checkter.

    "Let''s get started." Aucuces stated this while reaching for a card from the top of the deck and cing it to the left of the Amanines. "This card represents your past."

    While cing the second card in front of Amanines, his voice became quieter. "This card represents your present."

    "This card represents your future." He finally ced the third card to Amanises'' right.

    "So, which one would like to know first?" Aucuces asked solemnly, his purple eyes deep as he looked at the woman in front of him.

    Amanines remained silent for a brief moment before speaking. "Future."

    Aucuces nodded and flipped the card to Amanises'' right, causing the calm river of destiny to surge, which even rmed two snakes of mercury who were going about their business elsewhere in the world.

    A skeleton dressed in ck armour, riding a white horse was depicted on the card. The skeleton carries a ck g decorated with a white, five-petal rose. A royal figure appears to be dead on the ground, while a young woman, child and bishop can be seen pleading to the skeleton in armour. It was numbered "13".

    "Death."

    "Death represents the end and the beginning," Aucuces said, his voice eerie. "It can be regarded as a never-ending cycle, that no one can avoid."

    "It appears that your future is anything but calm, Amanines. You might even find yourself in situations where....."

    "Present." Amanines interrupted him rudely, her tone unchanging, but her deep gaze fixed on the death card.

    Aucuces did not express anger at being interrupted. "Keep in mind that the tarot cards only provide guidance on your path." As he flipped over the card in front of Amanines, he said in light tone.

    The card featured a revolving wheel. Four winged creatures sit atop clouds in each corner of the card. It was branded "10."

    "Wheel of fortune." Aucuces exined calmly. "It symbolises change, luck, and, most importantly, a turning point in one''s life."

    "Don''t you think it''s quite urate, Amanines?"

    "After everything that has happened, you are on the verge of a new era."

    "Indeed." Amanines spoke ethereally, her voice devoid of surprise, as if she had anticipated this.

    "The past." She inquired, her voice finally changing to a low tone.

    Aucuces purple''s eyes lit up with anticipation as he turned over the card to the left of Amanines.

    A colourfully dressed character was depicted on this card, wearing ragged headgear with a stick over his shoulder. There was a bindle hanging on the end of the stick and a puppy was following behind him. It was numbered "0."

    "The fool." Aucuces'' voice echoed in the deep darkness, and the very river of destiny that was flowing froze with the appearance of the card.

    The fool? As she looked at the card that appeared, Amanines feltplex. She looked up at the endless darkness, as if she wanted to peer through it, to see the endless grey fog and that blur door.

    "It''s interesting to see the fool in someone else''s past." Aucuces said this while smiling and looking at Amanines with deep purple eyes. "It represents a new beginning, one that is full of infinite possibilities. It is not the same as the death, before."

    "It appears that your past has been anything but ordinary, Amanines." He implied.

    For a brief moment, Amanines and Aucuces stared at each other in silence, without saying anything.

    Then she abruptly raised her hand and took the three tarot cards from the tables.

    "I''m bringing these cards with me." She said this without responding to his previous divination.

    Aucuces didn''t stop her and let her take it, but a winning smile shed across his lips for a brief moment, which Amaninespletely missed, as she was cing the cards in her gown.

    "Enough already, Charlton." Despite the divination, Amanines still addressed him as such while speaking. "What exactly are you here for?"

 Chapter 33: Deal

    Chapter 33: Deal

    Aucuces abruptly put away the tarot cards and snapped his fingers.

    Snap!

    Their surroundings changed abruptly as twilight dawned on them, illuminating everything around them.

    They were sitting at the same table and chair, but they were no longer in the store or in the endless darkness. But on the snowy mountain''s edge, where a chilly wind blew.

    The vast flieds of wheat grew beneath the mountain range, and the golden light of the sun shone on these flieds, giving them a more golden hue. From the top of the mountain, it appeared as if a golden oceany beneath them.

    The crystal snownded on the table, which now had two cups filled with coffee.

    "Here." Aucuces handed the cup to Amanines, who looked at it strangely before taking it.

    "Don''t you already know why I''m here, Amanines?" Aucuces chuckled as he took a sip of coffee and immersed himself in the scenery in front of him.

    "You intend to start a war on Solomon and True Creator." Amanines spoke as she drank the coffee, which she hadn''t had in a long time. This brought back lot of memories of past.

    She was also looked deeply at Aucuces, who was immersing himself.

    She and Aucuces, on the other hand, have known each other since the second epoch. Their rtionship was, to be honest.....she didn''t know how to describe it; for a god, it''s difficult to express anything in human terms, even if they were once human.

    However, Amanines could only describe their rtionship as "on pretty good terms" in a roundabout and vague way, if she truly wanted to express it. She and Aucuces had spent a lot of time together during the third epoch, as he had been assigned to her by the ancient sun god to deal with a variety of issues in that era. Those were actually good times, at least for her.

    However, everything changed after the fall of ancient sun god.

    "Yes." Aucuces spoke softly, his face illuminated by soft sunlight. "Solomon must die in order to bring down Sasrir. ''He'' cannot continue to rule over the continent. ''His'' time has passed, and it''s truly amusing to consider that even after ''His'' death, the world is still dominated by ''Him.''" With aplicated smile, he said.

    He was referring to True Creator as Sasrir, as True Creator was an amalgamation of Sasrir and the humanity of the ancient sun god, which also what caused him to go insane.

    "Sasrir.." Amanines whispered the name with a slight ripple in her heart and went on without any change on the surface. "Indeed, everything that happened after that was still dominated by ''Him''. Don''t you remember that banquet that caused quite a stir because of you, Solomon and others?"

    "That banquet! I recall that, despite being an angel, Solomon was allowed to attend because the creator took notice of him and predicted that he would change the world." Aucuces said with smile. "To be honest, I didn''t take it seriously at the time. Because the creator always gave such vague prophecies to many, who didn''t amount much in the end."

    "Oh, and most importantly, Solomon was truly one of a kind; he literally used various methods to gain our favour and get on the good side of me and other kings of angels. Given what had happened, he expected to seed, but he was utterly humiliated by us in the end...."

    "However, look how he turned the tables on everyone." Amanines intrerrputed. "I honestly didn''t expect Solomon to join forces with the true creator, despite the fact that he would face all of us."

    "Well, nothing could deny that Solomon was a daring man. He took advantage of the opportunity, despite the grave danger, and eventually seeded in suppressing us all." Aucuces stated as he gazed at the setting sun. "In a way, he retaliated against me, Herabergan, and Leodero bybelling us as evil gods in his kingdom. I heard that some people there are even afraid to recite our divine names because of this."

    "What do you say, Amanines?" Aucuces finally inquired, turning to face her.

    "You expect me to persuade Leodero and Herabergan." Amanines remarked lightly.

    "Yes, If we all get together. There will be war right away. At the very least, Herabergan will be civilised. But I can''t say the same for the other though....." Aucuces smiled . "You are the only one who can bring them together"

    "I''ll check on Badhiel and Ombe on your behalf," Aucuces said with a chuckle after noticing her silence. "Don''t you think it''s a perfect deal between us, Amanines?"

    "Fine." Finally, Amanines nodded. "However, it''ll be difficult to actually seed for those two without any..."

    "The uniqueness of the Justiciar will soon fall into the hands of the Solomon." Aucuces said simply, making Amanines silent. "And considering the threat of Cosmos, it shouldn''t be too difficult. I will also bring necessary evidence to the meeting."

    "You really thought of everything beforeing to meet with me." Amanines spoke up unexpectedly. "You should have nned this for a long time, didn''t you? It''s different from who you used to be, for you''ve changed a lot from thest time we meet."

    The Aucuces she knew before was prideful and filled with vanity. He was a firm believer in power and disdains asking for help from others, even in dire circumstances. He frequently prefers to deal with situations with crushing force rather than taking a roundabout path.

    Yet, here he was....

    Amanines had never been more aware of the passage of time and its impact on others than she was now. It was amazing to see how much change was happening around her, yet she had remained the same since she ascended.

    She suddenly realised how much humanity she had lost along her path....

    "After experiencing everything about humanity and divinity, one is always bound to change." Aucuces softly stated, "Amanines, you should know more about this than I do. Isn''t that right?" He implied.

    "Indeed." Amanines responded, much to Aucuces'' surprise. However, she did not delve deeply. "You notify me of the date, and then we can finalise the Alliance of six gods at that time." She spoke to him without looking at him.

    Aucuces noticed Amanines acting strangely, but he didn''t pry further because he knew her character well. "All right, then." He gave a nod. "Do you want to apany me? The first knowledge emperor is about to be born. It would be a sight to behold, and your presence might help." He extended an invitation.

    "I apologise, Aucuces." Amanines spoke in the same ethereal tone that had not changed. "In any case, congrats on having an archangel under your seat." Her tone softened as her figure became illusory.

    "I''m looking forward to seeing you again, Auceses. So until then...." She faded away, leaving Aucuces alone on the mountaintop, who didn''t show much change after seeing her sudden departure.

    Finally, Aucuces sighed as he turned to face the setting sun with his heterochromatic eyes, which were now golden and purple, symbolising the authorities he now controls.

 Chapter 34: Knowledge Emperor

    Chapter 34: Knowledge Emperor

    The twilight sun cast a glow across the antal mountains as two people stood on the mountain''s edge.

    "You''ve got this, Diana." Lucas stated, in order to boost her confidence in her ascension. "Remember when I was nearly killed by demonic wolves? You were like my destined knight,ing to my aid, and it surprised me because it was the first time I had seen a violent woman like you, who didn''t hesitate to tear apart the wolf and didn''t flinch when the blood dyed on you. It was kind off hot and I must say, you are the most heroic of us all..." He said it with a grin on his lips, to lighten the tense atmosphere around them.

    It is not easy to be promoted to archangel as there is a high risk of losing control. Despite preparing and performing the ritual for a long time, many people have failed in the ascension.

    "If you like me that much, Lucas, you could just ask me out." Diana said, and her words made Lucas smile, but it quickly froze at the next words. "However, I should say that I will reject you, because you are too much of a sissy for my taste, for I can''t ept a man who nearly fainted in fear at the sight of that little wolf before." She remarked mockingly.

    ''This bastard dares to call thisdy violent.'' She reflected, but she couldn''t deny that his words did help to ease her pressure and mood.

    Dianaughed when she noticed Lucas'' twisted expression.

    "That is not correct. You''re twisting the whole situation, wolf...." Lucas was defending his honour with all his might, but Diana''sughter suddenly froze as she noticed a sh of pain in his eyes, which he didn''t hide well. Her instincts as a sage, can''t deceive her. ''Oh my goodness! Does he really have fellings for me? ....'' She didn''t expect this in the least. Her heart, which had just calmed down, had just set off a massive wave.

    Lucas came to a halt as well when he noticed her odd expression on him. ''Did she notice it?'' He could feel a little panic in her heart, but also a little excitement, which he himself didn''t notice as he observed her reaction.

    However, much to his dismay, she didn''t change much after that.

    "I''m going, Lucas." Diana spoke up after she had calmed down. She cannot allow herself to be affected in this way, especially now! The next step is critical for her. She''ll deal with Lucas and the restter. "I can''t afford to waste any more time." She paused and said, slightly hesitantly. "Thank you for being here and for all the times before." With a relieved smile, she finished.

    "Go ahead, Diana." Lucas put his jumbled thoughts aside and sincerely blessed her, knowing of the situation as well. "You will undoubtedly seed, as the Lord is also watching over you. I''ve already nned avish banquet for the asion."

    Diana walked to the edge of the mountain and turned to face him, holding a potion in her hand. She didn''t hesitate any longer, opening the lid and drinking the potion in one gulp.

    "I can hardly wait, Lucas." After finishing the potion, she finally said with a smile on her lips. "You should leave now because things are about to get out of hand."

    Lucas also wanted to leave, but when he saw what she did, his eyes widened.

    She jumped off the mountain, with an excited smile on her face.

    He didn''t hesitate to dash to the edge and yell at the top of his lungs, all the while staring at her falling figure.

    "Diana! You are truly a mad woman. What the hell were you think....." Before he could finish, a blinding pure light fell on his figure, teleporting him out of this ce.

    Diana chuckled as she fell, when she managed to heard him. She was also fully concentrated at this point, so her fall had no effect on her at all. Regardless, she decided to jump on a whim.

    ''Well, he''s notpletely wrong.'' She was thinking as she felt a change within her body, as her body began to be illusory at an rming rate.

    She disintegrated into thick and intricate knowledge, converting into an existence to that off a flux of information.

    The entire mountain range, as well as the flowing river between the peaks, the clouds, and the vast pains near the mountains, all lost their sense of reality, for they had been broken down into most fundamental blocks of information.

    Everything she had learned from the beginning of her life until now was included in the knowledge that had broken away from her. It made no difference whether it was insignificant or extraordinary. The flux of knowledge included everything.

    From second-epoch legends and rumours to secret knowledge that could pollute many simply by knowing it.

    It was a truly chaotic, yet miraculous sight to behold at the time, because every piece of her knowledge was transforming, and they all now possessed power.

    Many divine gazes fell on this ce, but none dared to interfere because the aura of "Sun" covered the entire ce.

    Diana felt that information from all over the world was infiltrating "Her" knowledge. Without "Her" previous experience, "She" would have lost "Herself" right away.

    This was a far more dangerous state than when she was promoted to Sage!

    Because the information infiltrating "Her" came from all over the world. They gravitated to "Her," as if she were a ma attracting them all.

    However, "Her" knowledge bore a distinct imprint of "Her," and it entailed a tremendous amount of power. It was extremely "solid," and it couldn''t be dispersed by information from all over the world in a short period of time. It assisted "Her" in stabilising "Her" consciousness and gradually gathering the dissipating flux of knowledge around "Her" body, to rebuild "Her" body.

    The process began to fail because "She" couldn''t keep up with the information of the entire world infiltrating "Her."

    Just then, in the vortex of information that was infiltrating "Her," various gleaming stars lit up, and the stars quickly filled the vortex.

    Simultaneously, the tarot cards that have be popr around the world, all lit up in correspondence to the stars, with an illusory light invisible to all, expect the divine gazes.

    The appearance of stars around the vortexpletely slowed the flow of information towards "Her." They also functioned as "Her" anchor.

    "She" also felt the prayers and concerns of everyone who was close to "Her". "She" also noticed "Her" lord standing in the sky, watching over her and protecting "Her" during this perilous time.

    All of this improved "Her" condition, allowing "Her" to resist the ancient will that was gradually awakening within her body.

    Diana reassembled "Her" body and used "Her" anchors to bnce out the terrifying will that was surfacing in her body, seizing this brief moment of peace immediately.

    "She" floated in, surrounded by a turbulent vortex of information. When "She" moved her hand, all the "information" that had previously attempted to infiltrate "Her"pletely obeyed "Her" will, as if "She" were the emperor of them all.

    A figure appeared in front of "Her," unaffected by everything around "Her."

    "She" noticed "Her" lord standing before "Her," holding a purple crown in "His" hand.

    With a smile, "He" ced the purple crown on "Her" head in front of all.

    The birth of Knowledge Emperor!

 Chapter 35: His Humanity

    Chapter 35: ''His'' Humanity

    The birth of Knowledge Emperor under the seat of Aucuces finally threw the peaceful world into disarray. Small conflicts have already urred between the three kingdoms of Aucuces, Leodero, and Herabergan. Despite the fact that it did not result in all-out war as it had in the past. It will be in a matter of time.

    The most important thing was that troops stationed along the borders of the Solomon Empire and the kingdom of gods, increased exponentially following that ascension.

    There was even talk that the war angel, who hadn''t been seen in public for many years, had appeared in the border. This alone made many people around the world concerned about the future.

    For, there was a well-known legend in the second and third epochs that stated that the appearance of the war angel of creator in the world only signifies theing of war.

    It was exaggerated to the point where it was imed that the mere presence of the war angel would cause strife even among the closest of all and could spark immediately conflict even among allies, who been through hell together.

    Thus, making the war angel infamous throughout the world, as even the mention of his name can cause even the bravest to cower in fear.

    The rumours became full-fledged and spread all over the world, causing widespread chaos on the northern continent.

    For many people believed, the world war was almost upon them.

    However, unlike in the past, the churches of gods did not maintain the order and went silent without warning, exacerbating the situation among the poption and beyonders.

    In the end, it didn''t matter if you were mortal or extraordinary, angel or demigod; they all felt the looming shadow of war over the entire continent.

    All that was required was a spark to blow the horns of war.....for blood and fire shall dye thend again...the demoness shall rise in the ashes.....

    ____________________

    A man held a ss of wine on the balcony of a white gothic castle, under a night sky filled with gleaming stars and the crimson moon.

    He was dressed in an all-ck ssic suit and trousers, with his short white hair slightly messy as usual. His iris were golden and violet, which shone slightly, giving him a mysterious and enchanting vibe that can pique anydy''s interest at first sight of him.

    The man was drinking wine while seemingly immersing himself in the night, while behind him was the door that revealed the ongoing banquet full ofughter and chatter. Couples could be seen dancing to the music as it echoed throughout the room.

    Despite the chaos outside, nothing seemed to affect this ce, creating a stark contrast, as if they were two different worlds.

    A man and woman dressed in ssic robes emerged from the door, heading towards the white-haired man on the balcony.

    They were none other than Lucas and Diana, were on their way to meet their lord, who had unexpectedly arrived at the banquet.

    "M''lord, you coulde inside." Lucas inquired quietly, careful not to distribute his lord too abruptly. "The lord''s presence will add more significance to the entire banquet."

    Diana, who was with him, nodded in acquiesces while holding a ss of wine. She was dressed in a long dark gown, a diamond ne with a dark ruby in the centre, and a purple crown on her head.

    Her eyes had changed colour, bing a deep purple from blue, which gave off a mystic vibe.

    "Tonight is Diana''s night." Aucuces retorted, his gaze fixed on the night sky. "My presence will only steal her spotlight."

    "Don''t mind me continue with your banquet; I just came here for the wine." He went on in a light tone.

    Lucas nodded, not wanting to distrub his lord any longer, and turned to return inside, while Diana paused, as if she had more questions, but she walked with Lucas in the end.

    Aucuces'' light voice echoed in Diana''s mind at that precise moment.

    "Love is a precious thing, Diana. It''s even more true for those of us who are gradually losing ourselves on the path. This may be the only light that shines through the darkness within us. Don''t hesitate when the timees, because it may be the only sce in this crazy and twisted world."

    Diana came to a halt in her path, her expression was hidden behind a veil of crimson darkness that had be thick and mysterious at this moment, her hands slightly clenched.

    Her body then rxed suddenly and she turned to see her lord onest time, who was still staring at the night sky without looking at her.

    She then turned around and walked back to Lucas, holding his hands, much to his surprise. Her indifferent face, which had remained unchanged since being promoted to archangel, finally broke as her lips turned upwards to form a smile while gazing at Lucas, under the light of the crimson moon.

    They entered together, as the cheers and chatter filled the ball immediately.

    Aucuces drank the wine, and a sigh escaped his lips as he finally turned away from the starry sky and looked at their smiling figures entering the ball.

    Humanity.... Divinity.... Love... Aucuces reflected as his thoughts grew.

    Despite the fact that he messed around a lot in his younger years, he never had true love in both of his lives. But, having read a plethora of romance novels, he had a good idea of how it would feel in a somewhat clichd way. It would start with euphoria and excitement at the prospect of seeing her and spending sleepless nights thinking about her. The racing heart, the way she looks at you, and, most importantly, how you feel that it''s right, when you''re around her.

    Love is an essentialponent of humanity, shaping us as we progress. It is precious, especially in this dark and depraved world where one may not even find it among the higher beings.

    Aucuces looked at them as he walked into the hall, his eyes filled withplicated emotions.

    Love huh?.. As he reflected on himself, he shook his head with a wry smile.

    One might wonder why he is always partaking in mortal activities such as drinking and attending this banquet. This may have appeared to be the result of his humanity, but things had changed now.

    This was done solely to preserve what little humanity he had left. Simple things can sometimes be the most helpful.

    When one attains divinity, they are liberated from the majority of human needs. As one progresses closer to bing an angel, they may achieve semi-immortality. But, during each step, they also lose something about their previous selves, and in the end, somepletely abandon humanity, for they might go insane in despair, seeing everything they loved and remembered fade away in the tides of time, but they would always remain unchanged.

    Aucuces took a deep breath to calm himself; the past days had not been anything but peaceful for him, despite the fact that everything appeared to be going ording to his whim and n.

    He took control of hermit uniqueness to arge extent, as his n seeded and the control was only strengthened further when Amanines personally took his cards, despite the fact that he did a lot of subtle maniption here and there, which she probably noticed. But it didn''t matter in the end because as he got what he wanted, he became stronger.

    Nothing in this world, however, was free.

    As he took control of hermit uniqueness, the will of the oldest one, which was weakening within him at a rapid pace,pletely slowed down. He also felt his humanity...

    Aucuces didn''t regret it though, as he knew this would happen from the start and still went ahead with it, after he thought of his future.

    He drank all of his wine as his thoughts raced through his mind.

    Aucuces finally turned to face the darkness in the balcony corner and asked, finally a genuine smile dawned on his lips.

    "Don''t you think they''re perfect for each other, ise?" With a nce, he indicated Diana and Lucas in the ballroom.

    With his voice, a figure emerged out of the darkness, apanied by two ck wings. He had a chiselled face and shoulder-length wavy ck hair. He was dressed in a silver suit with matching trousers. He also had deep blue eyes that were always indifferent.

    The Angel of Miracles  ise Larson.

 Chapter 36: Blaise Larson

    Chapter 36: ise Larson

    "Milord." ise said, immediately after arriving.

    Under the crimson moonlight, Aucuces looked at his Angel of Miracles in silence.

    ise Larson, the angel of miracles, was famous throughout the world. The bards themselves travel across nations to sing his praises.

    There were various legends about him throughout the world; some tell of his tales of ying mighty dragons and to saving an entire country from the demoness for only five coins from a little girl.

    He was also heralded as the messenger of the sun god himself, and many consider his will to be themand of the sun god himself at times.

    In the third epoch, the low-sequence pathway forms were widely circted. It wasn''t difficult to be extraordinary during that times.

    ise was a vagrant and part-time thief. Throughout his childhood, he learned many tricks and methods for bing sessful in his job and surviving in that era without losing his life in the hands of extraordinary people. Regardless of his profession, he would go out of his way to help others in need if asked, for a price, of course.

    Because of the connections he made in his teenager years, he was given the opportunity to be a beyonder. He had several options, ranging from the well-known sun and tyrant pathways to the revered paragon pathway.

    Yet, he chose the fool path, and when others found out, they mocked him for being a literal fool.

    But ise was unconcerned about what others thought of him. To be honest, he preferred the error path because it was more suitable for him, but the potion form for that is even more difficult to find. He didn''t know if he''d get another chance, so he chose the fool path without hesitation, as he knew that it was adjacent to error.

    During the third epoch, the most infamous paths were the error, fool, and door. The rumours about it became so widespread, that it was given a special name to represent it, "The Cursed Pathways." They called it that because most who walked these paths would face the damned fate before bing demigods.

    However, ise still chose this path, and his life was forever changed as a result. He didn''t abandon his thieving career even after bing a well-known diviner among mortals. When he advanced further, he even started his own circus.

    His life was not without adversity; like any beyonder of the mysteries pathways, he was on the verge of losing control on numerous asions. However, he pushed through it all and survived by sheer willpower at times.

    His desire for power, however, did not dim when he couldn''t obtain the forms for promotion, because he had witnessed and lived in the dark, cruel world long enough to understand the importance of power.

    That''s when he decided to try his luck and join the regiment of the King of Angels, who were actually recruiting for somepetent beyonders. ise knew that if he wanted to advance on his path, this was the best way, as the King of angels serve the creator himself.

    It would be easy for him to find about the potion form there, even though he disliked being restricted because of how he lived. But, he knew he had to make some sacrifices. He didn''t think they''d ept someone like him after learning that recruitment was for the legion under the white angel.

    He didn''t have anything inmon with those who were regarded as the most noble and respected at the time. But, much to his surprise, he was epted by them after they learned about his path and past, which wasn''t difficult for them to discover.

    ise expected to be a misfit, and this time his expectations were not disappointed. He was alone during his endeavours and mission, which he performed in order to increase his contribution and directly redeem for the potion.

    That''s when he met another misfit like himself on a group mission he reluctantly epted.

    Diana Knight was her name. She referred to herself as a researcher of truth and even boasted to him about knowing the white angel and the angel of destiny themselves. Even though he didn''t believe at first, he noticed her noble temperament and assumed she''d be a burden who only knows how to talk.

    When he saw the same noble woman tearing apart a mountain-sized giant in a single move, he realised how wrong he was.

    They hit it off right away and became friends, or so shebelled our rtionship. Because of his past experiences, he never trusted anyone and wore various masks to not reveal his true self. Nheless, he felt this will be different in some way.

    However, this was also the time when he was confronted with a challenging choice for the second time in his life, the promotion to demigod. He was already considered a miracle on the legion of lightthey called the legion of white angel just thatfor being able to advance to this stage without the assistance of anyone else.

    ise was aware of the extreme danger, but he also didn''t understand why this path of mystery was so different from others. But he didn''t give up and decided to apply for assistance during this promotion and ritual. He put on a spectacr show, ying a demigod dragon in front of arge crowd of legionnaires. However, he didn''t expect someone to appear right before him, before he could drink his potion.

    A man with white angel wings and a golden burning eye stood before him.

    At the time, ise had a subconscious feeling that the arrival of the angel wouldpletely change his life....

    Aucuces was the one who arrived at the time, and he was intrigued by someone who had made it this far down the fool''s path. At the time, he obtained this information from Diana.

    He was honestly surprised when the once-thief sessfully promoted himself to demigod of the fool pathway in his presence.

    As, the will of celestial worthy was so strong at the time that the ancient sun god himself did not want the pathways to spread.

    However, this thief far exceeded many people''s expectations, which greatly impressed him. He ordered ise to be assigned to a special unit directly under him. ise advanced with his assistance, and he became his messenger after proving himself worthy. Only after the will of celestial worthy weakened did he finally advance to the angel at the start of the fourth epoch.

    The angel of miracles was thus born, and while many referred to him as the kindest, he was far from it. He walked around the world with many different faces, leaving various legends behind. Even though he had never trusted others before, but the passing of centuries changed him. He finally found his own ce with the people he cared about, a ce he could call home at the end of the day.....

    ise then looked at Diana and Lucas in the banquet and said, "They are indeed perfect for each other." His voice was rather a little low.

    "Hm?" Aucuces raised his brow. "Your rivalry with Lucas should not be over...?"

    "No, milord." ise shook his head vigorously, attempting to deny it. "It was just, I didn''t expect anything like this between them..." He had seen a lot in his life and knew how rare this was, especially when it happened to his friends, whiche as quite a shocker to him. "But I am genuinely happy for them," he said, smiling as he looked at them.

    Aucuces hummed and inquired. "How was the Solomon Empire?"

    "Strange." ise paused, his face solemn. "Freaky. Thrilling. Dangerous"

    Aucuces was unsurprised and asked indifferently, "Who was the first to give in?"

    "Trunsoest, milord." ise felt strange when he heard the tone of the lord, but he still continued.

    Aucuces sighed suddenly as he turned to face him and said. "Are you still awaiting me to call you out? I expected you to be as daring as before."

    ise''s eyes widened as tampered and erased memories surfaced simultaneously, but before he could process them. Everything went dark for him.

    Aucuces looked at ise indifferently, who hadpletely changed his demeanour at the time.

    ise took out a monocle and ced it over his right eye, spoke in a voice that didn''t belong to him.

    "It''s been a while, hasn''t it? Aucuces."

 Chapter 37: Plan of Aucuses

    Chapter 37: n of Aucuses

    "What brings you to my kingdom, Amon?" Aucuces asked the creator''s son, as if he waspletely clueless.

    Under the crimson moonlight that illuminated the balcony, instead of the angel of miracles, a young man with pointed hat and monocle over his right eye stood in the angel''s ce. He was leaning on a pir of the balcony, with a smile, as he gazed at Aucuces.

    "Would you believe me if I told you I was only here for the banquet? Also, to tell congrats to the little girl who was promoted to archangel." Amon approached him, stood in front of him, and smiled before speaking.

    Despite the fact that he was faced with a literal god, he showed no respect or even a change.

    Aucuces stared at the angel of time in silence before asking unexpectedly. "So, why don''t we to the banquet? I also need to get some more wine, and Diana would be overjoyed to hear about your arrival."

    "That would be brilliant." Despite his previous words, Amon said with the smile.

    "Come on, Amon." Aucuces invited Amon with a gesture of his hands as he moved forward.

    Amon nodded and walked behind him, but his smile faded for a brief moment. Aucuces'' lips turned upwards to form a smile at the same time.

    The blinding light of the chandelier sparkled on them as they entered through the door, and a cacophony of noises echoed. It became clearer, as chatters andughter brimmed entire hall. Ladies and gentlemen danced in the centre to ssic music, while others watched and chatted alone.

    In the midst of it all, Lucas and Diana danced, with smiles on their faces, drawing everyone''s attention.

    "Would you like one, Amon?" Aucuces inquired as he took two sses of wine from the table and held one out to him.

    Amon nodded and epted it, his intrigued gaze drawn to the entire banquet. Like a spectator.

    Despite this, no one had noticed them since thier arrival.

    "Don''t you think the entire banquet is very interesting?" Amon finally broke the silence while standing at the corner of banquet room, with a full view of everything in front of them.

    "What gives you that impression?" Aucuces said, his brows raised.

    "It''s just that everyone who here to the banquet." With a chuckle, Amon said. "They are desperately trying to hold on to who they were, fearful of losing theirst bits of humanity, yet they are walking down a path that could turn them into anything but human, without hesitation or doubt."

    "Humans are so contradictory and entertaining..." He concluded in a light-hearted voice.

    Aucuces looked around the banquet, which was filled with demigods, saints, and even angels. Despite the fact that most of them were smiling, their eyes were indifferent. While the dances appeared to be perfect and unique, theycked vibrancy. There were also those who did not bother to hide behind masks like others.

    "They are certainly contradictory..." With a chuckle, Aucuces said. "However, there is more to them than it could ever meets your eye." He took a pause. "Let''s not get into it; you could perhaps meet Diana after she finishes the dance. I could show you around until then if you want..."

    "No, it''s fine." Amon was considerate and ignored Auceses''ment about him, and his expression finally changed. "Honesty, I wasn''t expecting such hospitality from you when I decided toe and meet you."

    "Do you expect the literal sun to shine on you?" Auceses said with a smile.

    "Only just about," Amon said, nodding. "You are far better to the other two. They don''t even think twice before striking me at first sight. And, even when I was a kid, I liked you as my teacher over the other two."

    "I can''t say the same thing, though." Aucuces said, his smile widening. "Adam was much better."

    Amon''s smile froze, but he quickly recovered hisposure.

    "I never expected to hear that from you, Aucuces," Amon says. "You indeed have changed a lot."

    Amon continued after noticing his silence. "I was genuinely surprised when I learned about your n. I must say, it is a fantastic n. Trunsoest and Alitsa have sumbedpletely to your calctions."

    "With their betrayal, the rest of the nobles will soon follow, and the entire Solomon Empire will crumble when you and the other godsy siege." He said this while adjusting his monocle and approaching him.

    "You should also be aware of the risky factors that exist within the Solomon Empire. Nheless, you sent your angel to the empire without hesitation, which had many kings of angels and two gods."

    "Whether you truly didn''t care about your angel and ns, or you were always aware that he would pique my interest from the start, considering those two live not far away from me."

    He was referring to the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence, which is very strong between the three pathways of mysteries at this era.

    "The n was always bound to be revealed to me, and knowing my character, you wanted to involve me in this, from the start to ensure its sess." Amon still smiled, and he showed no resentment at being used.

    He watched Aucuces'' expression with interest, but he was let down from his expectations.

    Aucuces'' expression has now be indifferent.

    "Wasn''t that an excellent analysis?" He pped, but his tone waspletely apathetic. "But you missed something; I even knew you''de here to confront me."

    Amon didn''t show any panic at his words.

    "As I thought, I already had a guess, when I met you in the balcony. You really anticipated everything, Aucuces...."

    He stood in front of Aucuces, looking at the god''s indifferent eyes with no fear or panic, and his smile didn''t fade in the least.

    "This is so different from who you were before, Aucuces. Even though, divinity and time can cause significant changes in a person. But your state reminded me of my zealot brother''s change after our father died at your hands." Amon said.

    Aucuces'' expression became amusing as he looked at the angel of time. He didn''t seem to be moved by Amon''s words in the least.

    "I have to say, you are the most daring person I have ever seen." He chuckled. "You are also far from reckless, despite appearances. Otherwise, You wouldn''t be here facing me with just an avatar, as your true body is in the Solomon Empire, which is protected under authority of Solomon and Sasrir."

    "But, you made an error, Amon..."

    Aucuces'' eyes becamepletely purple, which had not been visible to others until now.

    A vast and terrifying divine aura erupted from him, morphing into a purple eye without eyshes above his figure.

    Amon''s smile froze when he saw the purple eye.

    "The Hermit...."

 Chapter 38: Gungnir

    Chapter 38: Gungnir

    "You are stunning, Diana..." Lucas smiled as he danced around the room, holding her hands and hip.

    "However, I can''t say the same..." Diana mocked him, but her smile brightened as she kept up with Lucas perfectly.

    "Oww." After hearing this, Lucas gave Diana a painful look that Diana thought was really phoney.

    "You really are something, aren''t you?" Diana whispered at his ear. "You aren''t even trying to hide?"

    Lucas became serious; he was somewhat determined to seize this opportunity.

    But he was interrupted, and for a brief moment, Lucas didn''t know how to fell; he had a strong suspicion that the goddess of doom was keeping an eye on him.

    She came to a halt in the middle of the dance, causing him toe to a halt as well. As she looked over the edge of the banquet, her expression was frozen.

    "What happened!?" Lucas inquired, clutching her shoulder, having noticed her fearful expression.

    The music ceased. The guests turned to look at them, seeing the situation.

    "It is ''Him.'' ''He'' is here, along with the lord." Diana''s voice was slightly hoarse as horrible memories that she didn''t want to recall shed through her mind.

    Before Lucas could ask any more questions, a terrifying divine aura swept the entire banquet hall unrestrainedly.

    Everyone was frozen, some inplete terror and horror. While others couldn''t take the repression and froze under the pressure. But they all had one thing inmon: they all kept their heads down instinctively in their posture.

    "Don''t look, moron." Diana covered the eyes of Lucas, who could still move under this aura and was trying to see, as the divine aura didn''t affect them that much.

    Despite the fact that the divine aura had no effect on the surroundings, their lord''s authority was no longer restrained. Looking at their lord now, anyone below the rank of king of angels will be instantly burned to ashes.

    "Who exactly is ''He?''" Lucas finally asked with difficulty, under the divine aura.

    "It''s the angel of time, or, more urately, ''Him,'' the god of mischief." Diana''s voice trembled slightly as she spoke.

    In the edge of banquet hall....

    "I already have what I wanted, Amon." Aucuces spoke with a smirk while holding a brown book, which ise had obtained from Trunsoest. "Everything is already in motion; the tide of times will soon sweep the Solomon empire into history, ushering in a new era, under my ns."

    Aucuces approached Amon, looking down and raising his right hand. He used the authority of "Knowledge," giving some of the "knowledge" he knew power, more importantly, it was the myths.

    A golden spear appeared in his hand.

    With just the appearance of a golden spear in his hand, a phantom of a tree with nine gxies formed behind the golden spear.

    Gungnir, the legendary spear!

    The phantom of the tree, however, was invisible to all under Auceses'' control, concealing the identity of the spear and myth from the prying eyes.

    Amon was not in the mood to think about how the book ended up in the hands of the Aucuces because the spear screamed danger to him. He had a feeling that if he was targeted by the golden spear, he wouldn''t be able to escape it all, no amount of deceit or even time would be enough save him.

    "But, Amon, will you live to see the new era?" While golden pure light fell on Amon''s figure, melting him, Aucuces asked with a smile. "Let''s find out shall we?"

    "It''s truly..." Despite his circumstances, Amon still wanted to speak up.

    "Even if it was known to your true body, it''s pointless." Aucuces interrupted his attempts. "The timing couldn''t be better. So, consider this a deration...." He paused and looked at the direction of Solomon Empire, then he continued with a grin. "A deration of war."

    Aucuces threw the spear with all his might in the direction of the Solomon Empire. The spear immediately zed in its path before disappearing from sight.

    In the night sky above the northern continent, a zing shooting star appeared, the terrifying light that erupted from it, left a trail of light that almost illuminated the sky in its paths.

    The stars in the night sky werepletely dimmed by the illumination of light, and the sky waspletely brightened, as if the sun itself had descended on the world.

    Gungnir descended from the sky with such force that it ripped apart everything in its path.

    The very northern continent began to tremble under the mighty force that had not yet descended, as various earthquakes erupted around.

    Gungnir finally made its way into the Solomon empire, rupturing the very reality in its path.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The distorted rules woven into the fabric of reality also broke with it.

    Even though the legendary spear was extremely powerful, it only affected what was in its path under the control of Auceses, causing no coteral damage; otherwise, the entire northern continent would have been destroyed by its mere descent.

    "Aucuces, you dare!"

    A majestic voice rang out, echoing throughout the Solomon Empire.

    Immediately, a twisted world descended around the spear, attempting to contain the mighty spear itself.

    A majestic yet twisted city stood in the middle of the distorted world, where reality waspletely ck and white. Every building in the city was asymmetrical in design, and citizens wandered aimlessly through it.

    The most important thing was that there was a ck sun in the middle of the sky.

    The golden spear trembled, as if enraged, and began emitting zing light that immediately shone on the entire twisted world, dissolving all the distorted rules that were attempting to act on it.

    The spear buzzed as its power surged, and before Solomon could do anything else, the entire reality of twisted world shattered like shards of mirror, seemingly unable to bear the power of the spear anymore.

    The golden spear resumed its path to its target, seemly unstoppable by anything in the world.

    Gungnir flew towards a range of mountains, where various gothic castles was present along the mountain range.

    Amon stood on the mountain''s edge, facing the golden spear that wasing for his life; his authority waspletely useless against the spear.

    He had not anticipated the situation bing so dire that his life was in danger. He knew he had no chance against the spear; even fleeing wouldn''t work because he felt the spear had locked him and would not let go until it took his life.

    He finally sighed and shouted. "Adam!"

    Immediately, a ring of pitch-ck columns rose around him, forming an ancient cathedral thatpletely protected Amon within.

    It didn''t stop there; a phantom of being nailed in an inverted cross appeared above the bone cathedral, followed by a ck, sticky, and depraved ocean that encircled the cathedral.

    As the spear zed towards the cathedral, the ck ocean surged as waves filled with degeneration''s authority rushed towards the spear in an attempt to corrupt it.

    The spear buzzed again and continued unaffected through the ck ocean.

    Then it mmed into the bone cathedral with all its might!

    Crack!

    A sound was heard all over the world.

    As various cracks appeared all over the bone cathedral, seemingly unable to withstand the power of the spear.

    However, a powerful force from the hanged man''s phantom descended onto the cathedral, causing the cracks to heal before the cathedral could copse.

    Then there was a stalemate between the spear and the hanged man, as to whose power triumphed over the other; the spear continued to exert his power on the cathedral, but it couldn''t break it due to the hanged man. The power of the hanged man could not affect the spear; it could only keep the cathedral from copsing.

    The spear, on the other hand, trembled violently before emitting a scorching light, in hopes breaking the deadlock.

    Boom!

    The golden spear exploded in a mass of light, expanding and disintegrating everything in its path like a dazzling sun.

    The surrounding mountain range instantly disintegrated as the light expanded.

    However, the space was distorted visibly around the entire ce, in order to separate it from reality, thus prevent further destruction from spreading.

    The phantom of the hanged man also expanded andpletely covered the bone cathedral within it.

    A ck ocean manifested from the authority of degeneration appeared before the dazzling sun andpletely covered the sun within.

    The sun brightened and melted the ck ocean, but it also dimmed immediately afterwards, beneath the ck ocean''s waves.

    The golden sun and the ck ocean both disappeared after long fight, leaving only the ruins and bone cathedral.

 Chapter 39: End of the Night

    Chapter 39: End of the Night

    In the bone cathedral.

    Adam stood up from his praying position and looked out the window. The distorted space, which appeared to be like a curtain, vanished, as did the phantom of the hanged man above.

    ''He'' turned to face Amon, who sat in one of the church chairs.

    "Thew of causality." Adam stated softly. "There was such aw in the spear."

    Even though, ''He'' found some concealment on the spear, which prevented ''Him'' from probing any further. Adam said nothing about it.

    "With hermit uniqueness, Aucuces aplished a lot." While walking towards the Amon, Adam said. "Even if an actual hermit ascends, his achievements may not be surpassed."

    ''He'' genuinely praised Aucuces.

    "After everything that has happened, thises as no surprise to me." After hearing his praise for Aucuces, Amon said.

    His demeanour had not changed, despite the fact that he was almost in the embrace of death.

    "You are underestimating." Adam spoke softly. "The Gods."

    Amon stood up from his seat, ignoring his previous words, then asked.

    "Is Solomoning for me?"

    "Yes." Adam nodded. "Solomon had already noticed problems in his kingdom, but he couldn''t pinpoint them. As a result, his suspicions were directed only at those who could keep them hidden from him. He''s already convinced that it is you, given what happened now, and his knowledge of you and the gods."

    "You never escaped the calctions of Auceses, Amon." Adam said everything in a gentle tone.

    Amon sighed and moved his gaze to the cathedral''s exit.

    "Are you leaving?" Despite ''His'' expectation, Adam inquired.

    "Yes, at least until everything settles." Amon said this without turning to face ''Him''. "Despite the fact that I would have preferred to stay for the impending chaos. The six gods, on the other hand, would not be pleased about that. As for Solomon, the six gods will soon decide his fate."

    After noticing his brother''s silence, Amon moved towards the entrance. Just when, he was about to exit the cathedral.

    Adam''s gentle voice was heard.

    "This is thest time, Amon, I would assist you in this manner against him."

    Amon could sense the clear indifference in ''His'' gentle voice.

    "My zealot brother."

    "With ''Him'' against you, your path and goals will be far from easy to achieve, as you previously imagined," Amon stated with a chuckle.

    Then, Amon left without waiting for his brother''s response.

    ________________________

    Alieus Kingdom, Northern Continent

    "As expected..." muttered Aucuces, apathetically.

    He knew he was going to miss his shot from the start. However, this was more of a deration, as well as a move to expose Amon in front of Solomon.

    When ites to dealing with Solomon and the True Creator, as well as their army, which includes, most notably, Medici and Ouroboros, all of the gods and their forces will be required. Adding Amon to the mix would only make the situation more chaotic.

    Killing a god has never been easy!

    ''At the very least, this will force Amon to flee the Solomon Empire. But, there is still one, I haven''t entirely considered yet...'' Aucuces reflected as he drank the wine.

    Bethel Abraham!

    Actually, there was a reason he left this king of angels out of his ns. Bethel''s ce in the empire is ambiguous; he didn''t vow allegiance to either the true creator or Solomon.

    And, more crucially, Solomon could do nothing about it since Bethel, in his own right and power, could talk to a deity equally.

    Even most gods wouldn''t be able to stop Bethel if he decided to flee during a chaotic conflict.

    Aucuces could only sigh at the conveyance of the door pathway.

    Bethel also has another lethal move at his disposal: teleporting his opponent to the cosmos, where the outer gods are present.

    This makes him a greater threat if he ever decides to support Solomon, to the point that even the gods themselves must personally besiege him.

    Aucuces massaged his temples, it not that he hadn''t thought about bethel before. However, even he has restrictions to how much he can move in the Solomon Empire.

    ''Let''s put the matter of Bethel on hold until the rest of them convenes.'' With a sigh, Aucuces pondered. ''Finally, Adam...''

    He has no idea where Adam would stand in the midst of theing chaos, but one thing is certain: it is not with Solomon.

    But, given who Adam is, he isn''t going to risk anything. He would not hesitate to descend personally to face Adam if the situation became out of hand.

    Aucuces had a reasonable expectation that he would encounter Adam in the uing war. Especially because of the grossele travels that he had assigned to Lucas to retrieve.

    He didn''t forget about that book, for sure!

    If the book is what he thinks it is, he and Adam will have to confront each other at some point during the war.

    Aucuces drank all of the wine and put his mixed thoughts aside, and when he raised his hands, golden mes burst, forming a phoenix.

    "Go!" He let the phoenix fly to the sky, from the balcony where he now stood.

    The phoenix spread it''s wings and started flying towards the kingdom of Amanises.

    Aucuces eventually turned to face his angels, who stood silently in the balcony behind him.

    The banquet that was supposed to take ce behind the door had already been taken, and everyone had already fled, leaving the entire hall behind the door forlorn and empty.

    After everything that had happened up to this point, there was only Diana and Lucas, who were both very nervous at the moment.

    "Did ise wake up?"

    The silence was finally broken by Aucuces.

    "Milord, no. He is still asleep and under your light, the worm of time in him has already been destroyed." Lucas was the first to speak up and informed of the situation.

    Aucuces didn''t seem surprised when he nodded.

    Because, ise was an angel under hismand, Amon didn''t dare to steal his identity. He had only parasitized ise to meet with him.

    "The gods will gather in my kingdom soon." Aucuces stated. "Their angels will mostly be following them, so make sure everything is in order."

    Diana and Lucas nodded in agreement as they heard their lord, their nervousness diminishing meanwhile.

    They didn''t dare to ask any questions after noticing their lord''s mood and not wanting to upset him, after everything that happened.

    "Finally, get ready for war." His serene words reverberated through the air as his figure disintegrated into golden particles that dispersed in the breeze.

    The rising sun could be seen through the horizon, signalling the end of a historic night.

 Chapter 40: Their Arrival

    Chapter 40: ''Their'' Arrival

    Northern Continent, Alieus Kingdom

    A young boy with silver hair sat on a bench in the capital''s now deserted streets. He was having relish with a dollop of ice cream from a ss cup.

    At the same time, the boy was enthralled staring up at the sky.

    The sky was bright, not as bright as it had been with the sun, but it had a twilight tone to it.

    The sky was a mix of orange, red, and blue hues, mesmerising yet deadly, for anyone who looked at it felt weakness emerge within them spontaneously, to the point where even moving their hands and legs beneath this sky would be difficult, until they withered away and returned to earth.

    However, no one except the boy was present to witness this dazzling spectacle, as the once prosperous city had beenpletely deserted except for some patrolling demigods and saints on the outskirts of the city, who did not dare to stare at the sky like the boy.

    The shops werepletely closed, with signs stating that they would be closed for an indefinite period of time. The roads were deste, with some empty or abandoned carriages parked on the side of the road.

    The streets, which were previously filled with cacophony of noises, were nowpletely silent.

    A newspaper with headlines written inrge fonts was lying on the bench where the boy sat.

    "The Deration of War: The Kingdom of Alieus deres war on the Solomon Empire!"

    "A state of emergency has been implemented in Alieus kingdom, as well as the other five kingdoms."

    The silver-haired boy finally put the ice cream down and murmured, his gaze still fixed on the twilight sky.

    "Gods always like to be grand, don''t they, Diana?"

    "Will." A stern voice echoed, rather deafeningly, due to the silence around.

    "It''s always a pleasure to hear your divine voice." Will Auceptin said, but his face was visibly cringing.

    A woman in blue traditional robes appeared not far from the bench, wearing golden rimmed sses over her deep purple eyes. Her mere presence made the air thicken and mysterious.

    Diana, Angel of Wisdom!

    Diana ignored his remarks and opened a golden parchment. Then, she read the contents aloud.

    "Will Auceptin is required to participate in theing war by the order of Eternal zing Sun."

    Will sighed, as he heard the order.

    But, before he could say anything, he and Diana noticed a something in their perception.

    nts and trees in the city began to grow abnormally, absorbing nutrients from unknown sources. The tree began to grow long and roots erupted from the ground, as various nts began to sprout from the very roots. Flowers bloomed in a range of colours on thes, ranging from white to even dark brown.

    When viewed from above, the entire city appeared brilliant, as if it were literally nketed in a kaleidoscope of colours.

    Roar!

    A roar echoed, as a majestic lion appeared in the deste streets of the capital, followed by various other animals, marching wherever the nts and trees began to grow taller, it was as if they were following someone.

    A Natural Paradise.

    Diana felt no other description fit this, it also made her yearn for the power of God. The entire change around her was most likely caused by Earth Mother passing by.

    She couldn''t imagine what it would be like if earth mother asserted ''Her'' authority.

    Diana looked around, and only the bench and the area around her were unaffected by the ever-growing trees and nts.

    Then, she was perplexed when she saw Will, who was still trying to protect his freaking ice-cream despite everything that was going on around them.

    But, she immediately looked at the ground, not daring to move because she sensed a divine presence in the sky.

    Even though she yearned for godly power, she did not abandon her fear of gods. She was well aware that not all gods are as kind as her lord.

    She also didn''t have to think to figure out who it was in the sky.

    Earth Mother!

    However, she caught a glimpse of Will out of the corner of her eye, then her eyes widened.

    Will looked up at the sky and noticed a divine woman appear with a sh of green light. She was dressed in a white gown that was embroidered with images of herbs and nts.

    Earth Mother appeared to sense his gaze and stared down at him from the sky.

    Will didn''t even flinch when ''She'' looked at him, and he immediately waved his hands at ''Her'' with a cheerful smile on his face, as if he was nothing more than a curious kid.

    When Earth Mother saw this, ''She'' smiled and waved back to him from the sky before disappearing.

    The divine presence also receded and moved towards the nearby antal mountains.

    "You''re really getting into your role..."

    Diana was stunned; she couldn''t believe what had just happened. Others described her as courageous, and whenpared to the ''kid'' before her, she was literally nothing!

    Even though she didn''t see how earth mother reacted, she could make a guess based on Will''s still intact and cheerful demeanour.

    "All gods aren''t frightening, especially Earth Mother, who was rumoured to be the kindest of all." Will smiled as he noticed her expression.

    "You should know better than to believe these rumours..." Diana abruptly paused as she realised how she was advising him, which really looked like adults advising children, under his maniption.

    Will''s smile brightened as he saw Diana''s realisation. This situation is not simple, for it is an important part of his "acting."

    "You know what- This is not important anymore. I''m here to inform you that you will be needed at the headquarters immediately, where the briefing for war will soon begin."

    "The gods are arriving one by one, and all of the angels are gathering there. You are not permitted to roam around here, regardless of your unique situation." Diana sighed, finally calming down, and didn''t bother to say anything else to Will, before diving right into the topic.

    "I really can''t escape...?" Will said, his face sad.

    "Nothinges without a price, Will. You should be more knowledgeable about this than I am. You''ve had the sanctuary of the six gods up to this point, thus you didn''t have to worry about the true creator or the angel of fate under ''Him.''" Diana said solemnly.

    Will''s childish expression faded, and he said with a sigh. "Fine."

    "But wait a minute, Diana. I''ll take the ice cream." Will said, as he wanted to take the ice cream from the bench.

    Boom!

    Just then, thunder roared in the sky, quaking the entire city.

    "No!" Will shouted. "My ice cream!"

    Boom!

    As the twilight faded and dark clouds covered the entire sky, thunder boomed once more in the sky.

    However, the golden light of the sun shone through the dark clouds, dispersing the most of the dark clouds in the sky.

    As if enraged by the sun''s light, streaks of blue lightning began to sh in the remaining clouds.

    "Idiot!" Diana yelled at Will, as she was trying to keep her bnce against the oppressive pressure from above.

    She didn''t hesitate to take the tragic Will''s hand with hers, their figures became illusory and soon vanished from the streets.

    _________

    A/N : I just want to respond to somements and questions from here and other websites.

    1) How could Aucuces teleport despite the fact that he has no connection to the door pathway?

    I''d like to point out that Aucuces is a GOD. Klein could even phase through mes when he was only a magician!

    So, what stops Aucuces from teleporting through the literal sunlight.

    2) When Klein searches for it, the miracle invoker characteristic are already transformed into sealed artifact within the church of Aucuces, so how did Aucuces obtain the second miracle invoker characteristic for ise?

    What a silly question. It''s simple logic; ise became an angel by utilising that characteristic; there was no second one.

    Also, I''d like to point out that my fanfiction is far from perfect, and I''m making the entire story from the fourth epoch, which only contains facts in the original story.

    I''m making up the rest of it with my imagination, so there will obviously be some inconsistencies with original book, which you can point out if you find them. But if you want a perfect story, I am far from capable, because I am not a professional writer.

 Chapter 41: Lilith and Bladhiel

    Chapter 41: Lilith and dhiel

    Northern Continent, Antal Mountains.

    A illusory golden door soared above the mountain range''s highest peak, emitting an endless radiance.

    The radiancepletely engulfed the entrance to the divine kingdom, transforming it into a vast expanse of light. Within the light, however, a shadow of an illusory castle was visible.

    The door had a mythical and gentle feel to it, making anyone yearn for the eternal paradise thaty within.

    This is the divine kingdom of Eternal zing Sun, which was separated from the real world by this illusory golden door.

    A white castle perched on the crest of a mountain in the divine kingdom, with ake in front and vast flieds of white flowers all around.

    In a room within the castle, two divine figures sat on a long silver table with six chairs, two at the head and foot of the table and two on each side.

    "How can you expect me to believe Amanines?" A giant grumbled to the white-haired man in the main seat from one of the silver chairs on the side. "You should be aware, she has a way with pesky plots and tricks! And we could never anticipate it until it was toote."

    "You don''t have to be concerned about that." The white-haired man said casually. "I''ll take care of her ''Concealment.''" His purple eyes sharpened, as if it could pry through all mysteries and secrets.

    "And Amanises should be well aware of the situation we''re facing. You don''t have to be concerned about her backstab." He chuckled and stated the obvious.

    "The Hermit," The twilight giant sighed as he caught a sight of the purple eyes, and while he was relieved, he continued to inquire. "Without appropriate evidence, Aucuces, this alliance you''re nning will fall apart."

    "It''s not a problem for me to believe you and take your word for it. Your brothers, on the other hand, will not be the same."

    The word "brothers" was emphasized by the twilight giant.

    "I don''t want a full-fledged war to erupt right now..." The giant asserted, knowing that if those three could not findmon ground now, he is certain that war would erupt between them.

    The other gods will be forced to choose sides at the time, and everything will regress into chaos!

    They cannot afford chaos, which is also what Solomon wishes to see the most.

    "Amon never disappoints, Badhiel." Aucuces smiled as he took a bronze book from nowhere and ced it on the table.

    "Did you really aim at Amon?" Badhiel inquired, sitting up straight and his attentionpletely focused on this subject. He did, however, cast a nce at the book, before asking.

    He noticed the spear piercing the atmosphere and heading towards the Solomon Empire since the entire sky was illuminated by light and the spear was like the sun descending on the world.

    However, he was unaware of the oue because it urred within the Solomon empire.

    He could also deduce from Auceses'' words that the book was obtained through Amon, who Aucuces most likely used as pawn in his ns.

    Which really surprised Badhiel because he didn''t expect Aucuces to be such a scheming guy! The resemnce of white angel in his memory waspletely gone, when he saw Aucuces now.

    Aucuces gave a nod.

    "So, what happened?" Badhiel immediately inquired.

    "What do you anticipate?" Aucuces stated as he rose from his seat. "He pulled the same card like when he was a kid, and his daddy arrived just in time to save him."

    "What?" Badhiel questioned, his face nk, as if he didn''t understand what he was saying.

    Aucuces sighed, and didn''t want to bother anymore. He was standing in front of the door, staring at it.

    "Your mother is also here; perhaps you could ask her."

    Without turning back to face Badhiel, he said with a chuckle.

    Creak!

    Lilith entered the room with a gentle smile as therge white door to the room opened.

    ''Honesty..'' Aucuces took a deep breath, his heart racing. ''How the hell is she that beautiful?''

    It didn''t change now; seeing her still made him restless in his heart even as a god, with divinity.

    Her "Beauty" is certainly superior to even those jade beauties depicted so clearly in Chinese cultivation novels. Why was he so certain? When one considers Lilith''s past, she can also be considered the personification of "Beauty" itself. Her "beauty" could not even be expressed in words!

    "Aucuces." Lilith smiled as she looked at him.

    When Aucuces looked at her, he could tell she had changed, which is rare for a god. But, given what had urred, this came as no surprise to him.

    Her eyes, which had previously been calm and serene, now had a vibrancy to them, and her smile had a genuine feeling to it.

    Aucucesplimented her with a smile. "You look stunning."

    When Lilith heard that, she raised her brows in intrigue. But, she didn''t reply, because there was still another person in the room.

    "Mother." Badhiel said in low voice, his eyes darting sideways.

    ''Oh...'' Aucuces'' heart was intrigued, and he wished he had his wine to watch this drama unfold.

    "Badhiel, hasn''t it been a long time?" Lilith spoke gently, her eyes filled with concern, just like a real mother.

    "Yes, mother." Badhiel said, still not looking at Lilith, in an awkward tone. "How have you beentely?"

    ''Did Lilith stage some kind of fallout with Badhiel?'' As the strange atmosphere filled the entire room, Aucuces thought. ''But his reaction is simply....''

    "It''s been really good." Lilith said calmly. "If you don''t include the fact that I almost died the other day, it''s all good."

    Just as the atmosphere became increasingly strange.

    Boom!

    The sound of thunder booming attracted everyone''s attention.

    Aucuces'' eyes glowed as he observed everything going on outside through the light of "Sun."

    The entire sky of Alieus kingdom was covered in ck clouds, with blue lightning shing in it.

    This was a direct challenge to his authority!

    Whether it was Lilith or Badhiel, they restrained their power, thus only affecting the area around them.

    "I''m needed there." Aucuces addressed two of them. "He is here."

    "Wait a second, Aucuces." Badhiel got out of his chair. "I''ll alsoe." He moved swiftly, as if he didn''t want to be here anymore.

    "And how about you?" Aucuces asked Lilith.

    "I''m fine right here." Lilith stated as she looked around the castle. "Don''t fight with him and try to findmon ground."

    Aucuces nodded and turned to face Badhiel, who had a relieved look on his face for a brief moment. But it didn''t escape his sharp eyes.

    "All right, let''s go." He said to Badhiel, and stopped paying attention to them, for he was about to face his "sworn brother" for the first time in a long while.

    They both vanished in a sh of light that illuminated the surroundings brightly.

    ______________________

    Under the light of the sun, Aucuces and Badhiel appeared in the sky filled with dark clouds.

    "Oh, Aucuces, you''re finally willing to show up."

    An scornful voice thundered through the ck clouds as the blue lightning began to gather.

    The voice continued without giving him the opportunity to respond. "I was surprised to learn that it was you who wanted to start the alliance in the first ce. It''s very unlike you."

    "It appears that the times have done wonders for the once proud white angel, the vanity? arrogance? Everything seems to have vanished when I look at you now."

 Chapter 42: Tyrant

    Chapter 42: Tyrant

    Capital, Alieus Kingdom, Northern Continent.

    Aucuces said. "I can''t say the same for you though; it appears you''re still the same musclehead like you were back then." He had a mocking smile, while speaking.

    As if enraged by his remarks, the lightning in the dark clouds began shing at a rapid rate.

    Boom!

    Then, a bolt of lightning roared out of the dark clouds at Aucuces, carrying the power to destroy the very earth itself, while lighting up the surroundings.

    As his expression became solemn, Badhiel took his sword, which was bathed in twilight.

    He really shouldn''t have expected much from them; given their personalities, this should have beenpletely predictable.

    However, he raised his brows in surprise, when he saw, Aucuces just stood there in the sky, surrounded by the brilliance of sun, without making any move, despite the lightninging at him.

    Aucuces smiled as he looked at the lightning, which possessed the power of a. He didn''t do anything except stare at the lightning as if he knew nothing was going to happen.

    The lightning suddenly brightened, when it was not far from him and a figure morphed out of the light.

    Immediately, a tyrannical aura swept unrestrainedly, even angels gathering in the headquarters far away, felt absolute oppression on their body and soul. Many even fainted and knelt under this aura.

    A dignified man with blue hair and stormy eyes appeared in front of him. He was dressed in ck armour, as if he''d arrived prepared to fight. The blue cloak of his armour swayed in the strong winds.

    He held a blue trident encrusted with lightning in his hands.

    Lord of Storms, Leodero!

    Contrarily, Leodero did not attack immediately, after appearing.

    "It appeared that not everything had changed. You''re still as sharp-tongued as you were back then."

    His voice thundered across the sky as he spoke majestically.

    "Oh." Aucuces stated exaggeratedly. "If I am a sharp-tongued? Then, into which category will you fall..."

    He was abruptly cut off as a divine aura swept over his figure.

    Leodero snorted and raised his trident, pointing at him, as lightning began to gather in it, with enough power to make star-killer beams look like firecrackers.

    The intention of the war is clear.

    "You will lose." Aucuces stated calmly, as if it were a matter of fact. His eyes were turning purple.

    "Is that what gives you the confidence? Hermit?" Leodero said, as his eyes gleamed with no intention of retreating. "How about we find out? Isn''t it been a long time since we had a friendly spar, Aucuces?"

    Aucuces smiled as a white spear appeared in his hand, emitting a radiance of light.

    "Come on." He grinned. "If you want war that much, then I will grant it." Much to Leodero''s great annoyance, he said magnanimously.

    Aucuces will not back down or even try to talk him out of it. He knew Leodero well enough to know otherwise.

    Leodero is an absolute tyrant!

    Leodero had the courage to go and challenge Amanises for his apotheosis ritual, so the man standing before him was anything but simple. He survived under her scythe, even though Amanines was going easy on him, it''s still a big deal for a king of angels without uniqueness to face a god.

    Aucuces didn''t want war now, but that doesn''t mean he''ll passively ept someone challenging his authority.

    Soon after, a terrifying divine aura erupted from two of them, shaking the entire world''s sky.

    Natural disasters erupted all over the world, as if nature was at war with itself.

    The sky has raged with lightning storms, as if feeling the wrath of the ruler of the skies. The oceans rioted, causing massive tsunamis and submerging inds. To top it all off, a powerful earthquake struck the continents.

    At the same time, the golden sun in the sky, which gave life and light to the entire world, expanded and became incrediblyrge. It appeared as if the sun itself was falling into the world for many.

    The sky was divided, with one half filled with vast expanses of light and the other with storms.

    "You all need to rx. This is exactly what Solomon wishes for." Badhiel attempted to calm the situation, as he saw how things were spiralling out of control.

    "Badhiel, get out!" eximed Leodero. "This is only between us, brothers!"

    When he heard what Leodero said, Badhiel''s eyes twitched and he felt helpless in his heart.

    Leodero''s eyes started to glow blue, with lightning streaks erupting from the edges. He was floated in the vast expanse of ck clouds, with blue lightning shing across it. His trident was alsopletely illuminated by lightning.

    Aucuces'' eyes began topletely glow with light, and his casual suit burned away as golden mes swept across his body, revealing white armour beneath. He was standing in a light-filled sky, and pure light began to gather in the tip of his white spear.

    Everything suddenly calmed down, literally all of it went quiet. The calm didn''tst long, and just like after the calm before the storm, it broke in a spectacr way, with the entire sky around the world lighting up at the same time in a mix of golden and blue hues.

    "AUCUCES!" Leodero eximed with excitement as he moved at breakneck speed towards Aucuces, literally transforming into blue lightning.

    "LEODERO!" Aucuces also shouted with a grin, feeling long-lost excitement rekindle in his heart at the moment. He knew what was causing this; it was the thrill of battle, just pure fighting without worrying about anything.

    He also found it amusing that they were re-enacting the famous naruto scene to some extent.

    Aucuces dashed towards Leodero, erupting in a ze of pure light, transforming into a beam of light.

    At the same time, Badhiel, who was standing nearby in the sky, inserted his sword into the very space itself, then twilight erupted, mixing with golden and blue hues, forming a strange curtain that draped over the entire battlefield.

    Lilith appeared and stood not far from Badhiel, with a sigh, as she saw the situation, then various nts and trees grew on the very curtain, forming anotheryer over the curtain.

    The curtain,bined with the power of all four gods,pletely prevented the battle from affecting the outside world.

    Boom!

    The realitypletely copsed in their path, as the beam of pure light and blue lightning dashed towards each other.

    The light in the battlefield became blinding, as even Badhiel and Lilith were forced to close their eyes.

    Just then, in the middle of the battlefield, a crimson moon rose up like a scene from the apocalypse, followed by an illusory white tower brimming with an aura of insanity and destruction.

    The crimson moon and white tower emitted a terrifying aura, causing pure beam of light and blue lightning to freeze in their path.

    The light beam copsed into the figure of Aucuces, as the hands of a divine woman tightly pressed on his shoulder, holding him down, while also hovering behind him.

    The crimson moon hung behind the woman like a divine halo; she wore a long ck gown adorned with countless resplendent lights.

    Evernight Goddess, Amanises!

 Chapter 43: Trunsoest

    Chapter 43: Trunsoest

    "I take back what I said previously." Amanines said in an etheral voice as she let go of his shoulder and floated beside him.

    "You''re still somewhat the same as you were back then, Reckless and Without Any Concern For Consequences." Her voice remained ethereal, but with each word, the darkness thickened around her.

    Aucuces sighed in disappointment at the battle being interrupted. He hadn''t felt this excited in a long time, since bing a god.

    He can also detect anger in Amanines'' tone, and while he understands why she is angry, he was still indifferent. Even though he epted Leodero''s challenge, he did not initiate this, and he also cannot sit back and watch Leodero behave like that in his kingdom.

    Aucuces waved his spear, causing it to shatter into light particles that swept over his figure before dissipating, revealing him in a casual ck suit rather than silver armour.

    He started walking towards Badhiel and Lilith, not bothering to say anything to her.

    Amanines sighed as she observed Aucuces'' indifference, then turned to face Leodero, who had gone ahead of her and Herabergan.

    She specifically told him to wait, so that they wouldn''t have any problems with her in the middle of them.

    However, looking at the situation, she felt helpless; it may appear that only the fight between Leodero and Aucuces is taking ce, but Amanines noticed Solomon and True Creator''s gazes here. She was confident that they would not pass up a golden opportunity to strike.

    "Take your hand off my shoulders, Old man." Leodero grumbled in disgust.

    Before he could swat the hand that was holding him down, the hand let go of his shoulder, and the figure hovering behind him also floated down.

    An elderly man dressed in a ck hodded robe. He had starry blue eyes and white beard and he was holding a book with an omniscient eye on his other hand.

    Herabergan, God of Wisdom and Knowledge!

    "What more could anyone possibly expect from you two?" Herabergan spoke calmly, his gaze shifting between Aucuces and Leodero. "Look at you, despite the fact that everything has devolved intoplete chaos, you two are still fighting and discarding everything with little regard for the consequences."

    "Oh," Aucuces said, turning to face Herabergan. "You should first get off the high horse, Herabergan."

    He looked at the Herabergan, who was floating slightly above, holding his book and looking down at them; despite his calm tone, anyone could sense his condescending attitude from his words.

    "You speak as if you are above us." Leodero said bluntly and paused for a moment as a mocking smile appeared on his lips. Then, he continued.

    "Dragon of Betrayal,"

    He didn''t think twice about using the infamous title of Herabergan.

    When Aucuces heard that name, he smirked. Herabergan was far superior to him and Leodero, if ites to betrayal.

    One of the main reasons why the Dragon of Imagination, Ankelwelt, the most powerful ancient god, died at the hands of the Ancient Sun god was Herabergan''s backstab of Ankelwelt at a critical moment of battle.

    Despite hearing his infamous title, Herabergan appeared calm. However, his blue eyes started glowing, which were like stars in the night sky, and the divine aura that erupted from him, said otherwise.

    Lilith and Badhiel approached Aucuces and stood beside him. They maintained silence, with no intention of intervening.

    "Enough!" Amanines said, as darkness exploded around her figure like a tide, it swept away the remaining light and thunder, as well as the illusory white tower, and they all vanished silently within darkness.

    She appeared in the midst of them all and spoke, radiating an aura of terror.

    "We''re on the verge of war with Sasrir and Solomon, but you three still can''t put your differences aside. There''s also Badhiel here; can you see me and him bickering like kids? Get your things together, or let''s put an end to this alliance once and for all."

    Leodero snorted when he heard Amanines, but he still put his trident away. Herabergan, meanwhile, retracted his divine aura and floated downwards.,

    "Now, Now..." While walking towards Amanines, Aucuces said. "Given the importance of Alliance, you don''t have to say something like that, Amanines. It was just a friendly brawl between us." He didn''t think twice aboutbelling that fight which shook the world, as a simple spar.

    "We were never serious, and everything before was just a way for us to greet each other. Isn''t that right, Leodero, Herabergan?" He didn''t hesitate sprout bullshit to calm Amanines and then, turned to look at them.

    He cannot afford for the alliance to fail, which it will if Amanines back down. Even though he expected something like this to happen, still he became a little carried away when Leodero challenged him.

    After noticing his gaze, Leodero and Herabergan agreed with a nod. Despite the fact that Leodero was a little stiff while doing so.

    Amanines retracted her aura and looked at them deeply, especially Leodero, who frowned. But she didn''t bother any longer and said to everyone.

    "All right, let''s go."

    ____________________

    The six gods were finally able to gather peacefully in a room inside the white castle.

    As the sunlight streamed through the stained ss windows, a long silver table with six chairs was present in the centre of the room.

    Aucuces sat in the front chair, while Amanines sat at the foot of the table. Lilith and Badhiel sat in the two seats on the right, followed by Leodero and Herabergan on the left.

    The seating arrangement was obviously not simple; Aucuces was taking the main seat, not just for hosting this entire event, but also for making it possible, with Amanisesing in second.

    "Let''s begin."

    Aucuces said, while rising his hand to tap on the bronze book on the table.

    Several ripples erupted from the bronze book and merged with reality.

    It caused the reality around the silver table to blur and haze, and then everything went dark.

    The darkness did notst long, as it was illuminated by dim light, revealing a scene of ck pyramid-style mausoleums. The entire structure exuded a aura of chaos.

    The entire silver table floated in front of the mausoleum.

    Immediately, the scene changed, revealing a dimly lit room with a tform in the centre and a man dressed in aristocratic attire standing before it.

    A brass book was present on the tform, emitting an absolute aura of order which immediately drew the attention of all gods.

    A man stood directly in front of the tform, with brass-coloured hair and golden eyes. He had very attractive facial features and exuded a schrly aura.

    The man in the projection appeared to notice the gazes of six gods, which were now on him and immediately bowed.

 Chapter 44: Justiciar Uniqueness

    Chapter 44: Justiciar Uniqueness

    "Yet another traitor. Those appear to be in plenty during this times." Amanines said ethereally, as she gazed at Trunsoest.

    "I think it''s very wrong tobel someone like that Amanines; the situation may have forced him to make this decision." Herabergan mused, after hearing Amanines.

    "The Solomon Empire is far from fair and filled with corruption, whereas I sense a thirst for justice and order in Trunsoest..." Lilith smiled, her red eyes gleaming as she looked at Trunsoest. "Interesting, such a contradiction, just like order and chaos..."

    "It''s hard to expect much when the ck Emperor himself represents distortion and chaos." Badhiel alsomented, after hearing his mother.

    "There is a more pressing issue, Aucuces. How do you know Trunsoest was not sent here to us by Solomon himself?" Leodero inquired solemnly.

    He was not attempting to sabotage the alliance solely because it was led by Aucuces, for he knew better given the circumstances.

    He was simply expressing an extremely usible possibility.

    The gods all fell silent and started down at Trunsoest.

    Trunsoest was under immense pressure as the six gods'' scrutinising gazes fell on him. Even though he couldn''t hear what they were saying, he could still guess that they were judging him.

    He finally gathered the courage to look up and face the gods.

    They were present in colossal silver chairs that dwarfed the tform in front of him by a huge margin. The silver chairs surrounded the tform in a U shape.

    The gods were obviously toweringpared to him, with a white-haired man in the centre chair and a ck-haireddy with gauze over her face sitting in another chair right beside that white-haired man.

    He has an instinctive feeling that both of them were far more powerful than the other gods who sat beside them.

    He immediately recognised them as Eternal zing Sun and Evernight Goddess. Both were also infamous in the Solomon Empire, as Eternal zing Sun was widely regarded as a ruthless and insane heretic god, and Evernight Goddess was simrly vilified due to her authority over darkness.

    His majesty really went to great lengths to smear the six gods.

    Trunsoest was also amused by how things had turned out for him, and he wanted tough madly, releasing his suppressed emotions, for how he was confronted with the harsh reality of Solomon''s empire, which was far different from what he had expected and learned off.

    Trunsoest was born into a noble family that swore allegiance to Solomon long before the establishment of the Solomon Empire.

    He was raised with empire''s beliefs, so he was terrified of heretic gods and also harboured hatred for them in his heart, while his admiration for the ck emperor grew by day.

    He felt ironic, as he stood before the same heretic gods, looking back at his naive, teenage self.

    "I am certain." Aucuces replied whilst also cing his hand on his chin. "He''s on our side."

    "Aucuces, can''t you be more specific?" Even after hearing this, Leodero didn''t let go, raising his hands to point towards Trunsoest. "He is not your average angel in the Solomon Empire. He is Solomon''s direct subordinate! How can you be so certain?"

    "Trunsoest is on our side. Despite his fears and self-doubt abouting here, his convention did not waver in the end. As Ombe previously stated, this angel has a genuine desire for justice and order." Amanines finally spoke up.

    "And he''s far from being able to fool someone like Amon."

    Leodero was finally silenced by her words.

    Amanines was naturally aware of what had urred, as Aucuces had informed her via the phoenix.

    Aucuces finally saw their silence, after the discussion, then waved his hand to remove the order ced by him, which is what prevented Trunsoest from hearing them.

    This drew the attention of Trunsoest, who appeared calm andposed despite the six gods'' attention on him, but his slightly trembling hands and nervous eyespletely betrayed him.

    "Where is Alitsa Tudor, Trunsoest?" Aucuces inquired directly, his face frowning.

    Trunsoest felt a sense of dread rise within him as he saw Eternal zing Sun''s frown. The weight of the god''s gaze was too much for the angel to bear, thus his body trembled. To make matters worse, he became more nervous as he thought of his majesty.

    "You don''t have to be so worried." As a tranquil atmosphere filled the entire hall, Amanines'' serene voice sounded, driving away all his nervousness and causing him to calm down.

    "I am concealing the entire meeting, and the order of Aucuces is also present. Solomon will be unable to find anything unless you are in front of him." She said it as if she could see right through him.

    Trunsoest finally took a breather after hearing that, and responded to Eternal zing Sun with the prepared and practised response.

    "Your excellency, Alitsa, is currently dealing with the chaos caused by your attack on the Solomon Empire. He couldn''t find an appropriate time because the war angel is with him."

    His eyes wandered purposefully while answering, as he didn''t want to make eye contact with Eternal zing Sun, whom he really fears!

    He couldn''t get the descending sun off his mind, and the sheer power that the spear carried filled him with dread.

    This grew stronger when he knew that both the majesty and the true creator took action together to stop the cmity of sun.

    "Is Medici keeping an eye on Alitsa?" Aucuces said with a smirk on his lips as he considered the future.

    "It appears Solomon finally got some brains, and begun to doubt the loyalty of his subordinates." Leodero also stated after hearing the words of Trunsoest.

    Despite the fact that Medici swore allegiance only to the Creator, after the formation of the Solomon Empire, he created his own division of army and integrated into the empire.

    So, even if Medici may disdain Solomon''s orders in his heart, given the importance of the alliance between Solomon and his lord, Medici will not hesitate to follow if his lord also desires it.

    "It''s unlikely." Badhiel refuted his words.

    "Yes, if Solomon wants to keep an eye on Alitsa, I believe he would choose someone under hismand rather than going to Medici." Herabergan agreed with Badhiel. "However, Medici should be watching over Alitsa, but not under order the Solomon..."

    "Sasrir?" Leodero interpreted him.

    "It should be him, even though he went insane after everything that happened. The anchors brought by the entire Solomon Empire could have somewhat stabilised his state, and he would have had no difficulty locating the true problem within the empire." Lilith stated calmly.

    Leodero frowned as he heard that. While Amanines remained silent.

    "Well." As the discussion died down, Aucuces spoke up. "There won''t be any issues with Sasrir, so let''s get on with the business at hand."

    His vaguements deepened Leodero''s frown, while Herabergan''s starry eyes twinkled, very much resembling like Dumbledore for Aucuces. They didn''t speak up anymore, though.

    Amanines, Badhiel, and Lilith remained silent as Aucuces'' gaze finally fixed on the brass book on the tform.

    The brass book is Justiciar Uniqueness!

    Even though it is only a projection formed by the power of uniqueness, it is more than enough for the gods to see the truth of the matter.

    "Did you still have the Justiciar Uniqueness with you, Trunsoest?" Aucuces asked, his gaze fixed on Trunsoest.

    There is also a chance that Solomon could take the uniqueness after he attacked, and that the projection in front of them was made beforehand by Trunsoest.

    Trunsoest had gone silent in a daze after hearing the gods'' discussion, which he could hear now, as they didn''t seem to care about keeping him out.

    ''Sasrir? As in the Dark Angel under the creator...'' Trunsoest was perplexed when he heard the gods refer to the true creator as Sasrir. ''Didn''t true creator said to be a part of creator...? Could it be that dark angel as well...'' His thoughts came to a halt as he felt his instincts scream in danger, and immediately looked up, only to notice the sharp gaze of the Eternal zing Sun.

    He didn''t dare to think any further into it; instead, he immediately controlled his thoughts in his mind using the method he devised.

    Trunsoest replied hoarsely, still trying to gather himself, "It is still with me, Your Excellency."

    "Did Solomon never suspect you?" Herabergan inquired, his starry eyes twinkling. His question caused all the gods to turn to look solely at Turnoest.

    "No." Trunsoest admitted, then he felt the pressure on his body increase exponentially, causing him to tremble, but he still didn''t hesitate to continue.

    "However, I am free of the emperor''s suspicions since the angel of time was exposed as a traitor by the emperor himself. The emperor is now preupied with dealing with the avatars of the angel of time and the impending war. So the emperor still asked me to be the guardian of uniqueness."

    Trunsoest felt dread rise within him as he said this, because many things he hadn''t considered before became clear at the same time.

    The attack on the Solomon Empire by the Eternal zing sun was most likely aimed at Amon. Thus, exposing the angel of time''s involvement to the emperor, making the angel of time bear the entire me, while suspicions on others would have been mostly cleared.

    Trunsoest felt nothing but awe and fear for Eternal zing Sun.

    Herabergan''s calmness faded as he heard the Trunsoest''s words, and it was reced by solemnity. While, Leodero''s expression dignified, as he began tapping the armrest with his fingers.

    It''s also fairly simple for them to deduce the same thing from Trunsoest''s words.

    Meanwhile, Lilith''s smile remained unaffected, and Badhiel stayed calm; however, it was difficult for anyone to gauge at Amanines'' mood or expression, due to the gauze covering her face, which concealed everything.

    The atmosphere in the entire hall grew dismal by moment.

    Aucuces seemed unfazed by all of it, and stated.

    "All right, let''s move on from the topic of uniqueness and focus on another important person."

    He paused for a moment before continuing.

    "Bethel Abraham,"

 Chapter 45: Bethel Abraham

    Chapter 45: Bethel Abraham

    Bethel Abraham.

    There was only silence among the gods after hearing that name.

    The silence was abruptly broken by a thunderous voice.

    "Bethel Abraham is a major variable, if not a lethal threat." As his hand hammered on the armrest, sparks of lightning shed all over him, Leodero stated this. "Even though he''s just the king of angels, he has the power to thwart our ns."

    "But Bethel isn''t like the rest, Leodero. We should have a better understanding of this than others." Herabergan reasoned, as all of the kings of angels under the creator had encountered Bethel long before he became an angel.

    "It doesn''t change the fact that, with his might, Bethel Abraham poses a serious threat. He has the power to entirely decimate our forces." Badhiel concurred with Leodero on this point.

    "Indeed, this may exacerbate the situation by forcing us to deal with him directly. Ultimately, during that chaotic war, it wouldpletely destabilise our advantage." Lilith expressed her opinions as well.

    Leodero scowled when he heard Herabergan and others.

    "What if he''s someone we''ve met before? How long had it been since we first met him, it was back when he wasn''t even an angel? It''s been over a thousand years. He can''t be the same person, as he was before." Leodero immediately refuted Herabergan.

    "However, I''ve heard that, he frequently wanders the cosmos and rarely stays on earth. The Bethel Abraham that we knew, was the one didn''t like restrictions and desired to be unrestricted and free. He even said that rather than staying here, his dream was to roam the sea of stars."

    "Based on what I know about the events of the Solomon Empire and his position within the Solomon Empire, I believe my guess is mostly correct." After hearing that, Herabergan did not back down, instead stating all of the facts to back up his words.

    "What you just said makes him even more dangerous! He travels the cosmos, where the outer gods are present. After everything that happened with the blood moon, we can clearly see that the outer gods do notck ways to reach into our world." Leodero eximed, as a tyrannical aura swept through the hall.

    "Bethel Abraham will mostly not take Solomon''s side." Amanines finally spoke up, as a serene aura spread throughout the hall, dispersing the tyrannical aura. "Control your power, Leodero."

    "We have an angel with us." She said this as her serene aura enveloped the knelling Trunsoest, relieving him of the pressure and healing his injuries.

    Leodero snorted,pletely indifferent about Turnoest.

    "Amanines, do you know anything about Bethel?" Herabergan inquired after hearing her words about Bethel.

    However, Amanines remained strangely quiet, not answering his question.

    Aucuces who had been silent previously spoke up to silence any further discussion.

    "Let''s put this discussion to rest and ask Trunsoest himself about Bethel''s situation. As for Cosmos, I believe Bethel is more than capable of surviving there." He spoke calmly.

    His words temporarily calmed the situation, and all of the gods focused on Trunsoest, who was able to stand after being healed by Amanines.

    Trunsoest groaned in pain as he stood up with trembling legs; the aura of tyranny had earlier severely injured him, causing him to feel immense pain, as if his entire being had been torn apart and crushed. Even though the Evernight Goddess'' aura provided reprieve from torture and pain, some aftereffects remained.

    Just then, a ze of pure light fell on him, instantly alleviating all of his seque and restoring him to peak condition in an instant.

    "Thank you, Your Excellency." Trunsoest bowed his head, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

    Despite hisplicated feelings in his heart, which included a mix of hatred, fear, and helplessness, he didn''t show much change on the surface, even after being treated in this manner.

    "It''s trivial." Aucuces stated tly. "Now tell us about Bethel Abraham''s situation."

    "Mr. Door wasst seen visiting the Emperor himself after your excellency''s attack on the empire."

    "They had a disagreement." Trunsoest replied huskily. "The majesty was in a foul mood for a long time after the argument."

    "Oh?" Aucuces raised his brows in surprise, not expecting such a turn of events. "Howe that was?"

    Trunsoest looked up to Eternal zing Sun, slightly perplexed, as he reasoned that even this was under the sun god''s arrangement.

    Nheless, he responded immediately.

    "It was because of the angel of time, Your Excellency. Mr. Door and Angel of Time were said to be on good terms throughout the empire, and some even believed that they were friends. But, given their paths, I didn''t believe it until Mr. Door barged into the royal pce, following the banishment of the angel of time."

    Aucuces was speechless when he heard that. He was totally unaware of this. However, this did note as a surprise, at least not for him, because he was well acquainted with Amon''s entric personality.

    "What a surprise..." Lilithughed.

    After hearing that, Leodero and Herabergan had strange expressions.

    "It''s unexpected..." Badhiel muttered in surprise. "In particr, it is Amon..."

    "How about Antigonus?" Evernight unexpectedy asked about him, surprised, as she looked down at Trunsoest.

    "Antigonus is also said to be friendly with Mr. Door and the Angel of Time, but I''m not sure, mdy." After a brief silence, Trunsoest responded.

    ''So it truly is...'' Amanines thought, she, too, had heard about this, but she immediately dismissed this, due to the absurdity of the entire situation.

    But after hearing Trunsoest, she wasn''t sure how she felt about it, but one thing was certain: the pathways of mysteries and beyonders of that pathways never ceases to amaze her.

    ''I didn''t expect the cowardly trio to be a thing.'' Aucuces thought amusingly, recalling memes and pictures from his previous life.

    However, he was also certain that, with Amon involved, their "friendship" was far from simple.

    "So, where has Bethel gone?" Leodero inquired, starting at Trunsoest and putting immense pressure on the other.

    "Your Excellency, Mr. Door wasst seen entering his home." Trunsoest said cautiously, under the gaze of lord of storms.

    "Despite appearances, this entire situation reveals nothing." Herabergan expressed his disapproval. "Bethel Abraham is not as simple as he appears to others."

    The other gods were silent in agreement, and while they may have found the previous news amusing, as Herabergan pointed out, it doesn''t prove anything in the end.

    "Indeed." Finally, Aucuces nodded in agreement. "Bethel is a huge variable in our n, and his intentions are still unknown to us."

    He paused and looked at Trunsoest.

    "After this meeting, go to him and inform him that the six gods require his audience!"

    Aucuces'' voice was majestic and thunderous for Trunsoest, who was stunned by the order of the Eternal zing Sun, but soon realisation set in as he considered everything that had happened since meeting the angel of miracles.

    "It really took him a long time to figure it out." Lilith smiled and mused. "It''s incredible how he managed to survive in a ce like the Solomon Empire with his character."

    Trunsoest was jolted out of shock by Lilith''s voice, and he looked around at the gods, who were all calm, as if they expected this.

    "Yo-yo mea-an..." He stumbled.

    "Amon discovered my angel while meeting you, so what prevents Bethel from discovering it as well?" Aucuces cut him off. "However, Bethel is very different from Amon, which is why only Amon approached you."

    "I will, Your Excellency." Trunsoest finally epted the order while maintaining hisposure.

    But, his heart was truly overwhelmed. It was terrifying to think that his betrayal had already been revealed to others and that his fate could have already been sealed.

    More importantly, he couldn''tprehend the gods, particrly the eternal zing sun, who seemed to have considered everything and nothing seemed to escape his grasps or expectations.

    He was terrified and saddened by the prospect of working under someone like that in the future.

    However, his attention was immediately drawn forward when he noticed the gods rising from their silver thrones in unison after a brief conversation, and peering at him.

    A beam of darkness, pure light, twilight, as well as, blot of lightning, a book, and finally a seed all appeared before him and struck his figure before he could react.

    He didn''t feel any pain or difort, which perplexed him even more. To be honest, his emotions were on a roller coaster throughout the entire meeting with gods.

    Eternal zing Sun''s majestic voice echoed in the hall.

    "We, the Six Gods, bless you, Trunsoest, for your first mission, which you will know on the day of the war."

    "Trunsoest, you will be first to usher in the new era with your own hand. Just as you had envisioned, the era of order and justice will arrive."

    "So, don''t let us down and then regret it..."

    Trunsoest''s consciousness sank into eternal darkness before he could even process that.

 Chapter 46: King of Angels

    Chapter 46: King of Angels

    After the meeting with Trunsoest, the gods were still present in the white castle. They were talking about the angels under them and the impending war.

    "There''s a more pressing matter." Lilith said as her face became solemn. "And, we''re avoiding it on purpose."

    She looked around and noticed Leodero and Herabergan''s solemn expressions, but Aucuces remained indifferent.

    "That was never going to be avoided." As he turned to face Lilith, Aucuces replied. "I was nning to bring it up towards the end of the meeting, but it''s not a problem now either."

    "Adam, Angel of Imagination."

    The room was filled with an unsettling silence, and the gods, who had previously seemed indifferent and nonchnt, suddenly had serious expressions.

    "Adam is an enigma that even I can''tprehend." Herabergan spoke quietly.

    "Truth be told, he may pose the greatest threat to our ns," Leodero stated solemnly. "Even Bethel pales inparison, because we can understand Bethel''s stance at least. But nothing is certain when ites to Adam."

    Badhiel agreed with a nod. "Adam''s goals and intentions aren''t as straightforward as he made them out to be. It''s quite difficult to predict his next move or position, let alone whether he will participate in the uing war."

    "Adam is in unknown area even to us..." Lilith observed as she spoke her opinion

    "I believe it''s safe to say, he will also be there in the impending war," Amanines said ethereally. "When Adam disyed the second sphemy te to many in the beginning of the epoch, he single-handedly guided history. So, he wouldn''t want to miss such a historic event as a spectator."

    Her words just added to the heaviness of the situation; the gods aren''t scared of angel of imagination, but Adam, like Bethel, has the capacity to undermine their advantage.

    Given that they are just facing two gods, it may appear to be excessive. But, killing a god has never been easy!

    What''s more, Sasrir isn''t an ordinary god!

    "Adam..." Finally, Aucuces spoke up. "He''ll undoubtedly be present, as Amanines stated. If he chooses to oppose us, which I believe is quite unlikely. Even if ites to it, I''ll confront him and keep him from meddling with the war."

    He already knew he''d be facing Adam in the war one way or another, so it didn''t matter much to him in the end.

    After hearing Aucuces'' words, Lilith turned and stared at him with suprise. Others, particrly Leodero and Herabergan, were not much better, as they hadn''t expected him to say such a thing.

    Aucuces began speaking on the remaining issues before anyone else could ask more into this.

    "Next, Medici and Ouroboros,"

    The gods finally put their doubts and questions aside and focused on this after noticing his intentions.

    "Ouroboros..." Lilith pondered. "The little guy Will is enough face Ouroboros..." She smiled as she thought of Will.

    "Yes..." Herabergan concurred with Lilith. "I believe it is past time for that snake of mercury to repay us for the asylum we granted him."

    Will Auceptin was nearly killed by the true creator and Ouroboros, when they managed to save him, then granted him asylum. He frequently assisted the angels of their churches in dealing with various external matters in order to repay them. However, until now, the six gods had not directly demanded anything to him.

    "Ouroboros is a king of angels whocks uniqueness. Will should be more than enough to face him," Badhiel said, nodding.

    In ord, Leodero and Amanines remained silent.

    "So, it''s settled." After listening to their opinions, Aucuces pulled out a golden parchment from nowhere.

    The order for Will Auceptin was written on the parchment, which they had just discussed.

    He took a seal from his pocket and pressed it into the parchment. A golden sun insignia appeared on the edge of the parchment when he removed the seal.

    The golden parchment then vanished in a sh of light, having been sent to Diana by Aucuces.

    "Medici is different..." As he watched Aucuces finish, Leodero finally said something. "In war, no one below the gods and kings of angels can stand a chance against him. Even if arge number of angels were to besiege him, they would just perish under his sword."

    Herabergan agreed with nod with Leodero on this, as they knew Medici better than the others.

    On the battlefield, his madness is unrivalled. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to state that he has left nothing but destruction in his wake.

    "Medici is indeed a bit tricky." Aucuces stated in vague terms. "But leave it to me to handle this. I''ve already have someone to deal with him."

    "Are you referring to the new knowledge emperor under you?" Lilith inquired, surprised, for she had deduced this from his words.

    "Yes." With a nod, Aucuces confirmed it.

    "You are sending your archangel to death." With a frown, Badhiel muttered to Aucuces.

    Because he and Aucuces are allies, he didn''t hesitate to express his thoughts on the matter.

    "I understand, Badhiel," Aucuces smiled. "However, I am aware of what I am doing."

    He''d already nned a strategy for Medici and Diana. He will not send her to death. The knowledge emperor''s power isplex, and he has already taught Diana how to fully utilise it. He will also bless her with the uniqueness of a hermit, which may help her even more in the battle.

    Badhiel sighed and abandoned his attempt to persuade Aucuces.

    "I only hope your n didn''t screw up in the end, Aucuces." Leodero chastised. "We can''t afford any more chaos."

    Aucuces ignored him and turned to face Amanises, who was staring at him deeply.

    ''What''s the deal with her?'' He was puzzled, but she gradually averted her gaze, as if nothing had happened.

    Nheless, he drew his attention back to the important situation, rather than thinking about her.

    "Most of the issues within Solomon Empire have now been considered by us." Aucuces finished as he looked around, "Only Bethel Abraham is left, so we''ll have to wait a few more days. If he declines our order for his audience, we will still go ahead with our ns without any change."

    "You think he''ll say no..." Leodero was amazed.

    "It''s actually rather possible..." Lilith mused.

    "Bethel Abraham could certainly do so." Aucuces gave a nod. "If ites to that, I will personally go and meet him, while ensuring his position in the war; more importantly, Bethel Abraham will not be weed in the new empire that emerges." He said indifferently.

    He''s not going to let Bethel off the hook if he refuses even this. For them, the situation is already far too dire.

    Aucuces continued in a light tone, after taking their silence as agreement.

    "Let us now move on to the final issue."

    "Salinger and Cheek."

 Chapter 47: Death and Demoness

    Chapter 47: Death and Demoness

    Salinger...

    Gods focused first on the god of death and then looked at Amanines and Badhiel, as they might the only ones to have more knowledge about death!.

    Aucuces also recalled everything he knew about Salinger.

    To be a sequence 0 for the death pathway, one must first construct an underworld and be the sole ruler of all spirits and the dead.

    Even though death pathway rituals for advancement eventuallyy the foundation for the underworld, it is still not an easy topletely this apotheosis ritual.

    The ancient goddess of death, who built the underworld, was only able toplete it because she had some authority over the door, which aided her immensely.

    Then, Ancient Sun God invaded the underworld at the end of the second epoch, he let the light shine on the dark underworld, destroying almost the entire underworld and leaving only the Calderon city and ruins behind.

    During the war, the ancient Goddess of Death also died under the light of the ancient sun god, and the one who inherited her characteristics and uniqueness was Salinger, as he was her subsidiary god at that time.

    Salinger used these characteristics to rise to the position of king of angels at the end of the third epoch. He also joined Rose Redemption and took part in the final war.

    After the fall of the Ancient Sun God, he conquered the southern continent and established the Bm Empire.

    For the sake of bnce at the time, Solomon also did not attack or conquer the southern continent. This alone ensured that Salinger faced no opposition to his rule over the Southern Continent.

    After knowing all of the future events, Aucuces had some ideas about how Salinger managed to ascend to godhood.

    Not long after him, at the start of the fourth epoch, Salinger ascended to be death. Before that, Amanines and Badhiel both dered open war on Salinger.

    After all, it''s much easier for them to kill a king of angels than to face each other. Under theirbined pressure and assault, Salinger was forced to ascend because it was the only way he could survive.

    Aucuces guessed that, Salinger should have used the ruins of the underworld as a foundation for his own. Other than this, he didn''t have many options to speak off.

    Aucuces also knew things couldn''t be that simple.

    The ancient goddess of death must have left behind ns for her resurrection in her underworld, which Salinger should have foiled.

    But, this didn''t really matter much in the end.

    Salinger ascended to be death. Hepletely changed after that.

    As wars continued to erupt between them, unlike Badhiel and Amanines, who personally went to the battlefield, Salinger was never seen again.

    Through his spies in Bayam, Aucuces had some knowledge of Salinger''s situation.

    Salinger was said to rarely leave the underworld. He even recently appointed his son, Azik Eggers, as his ruler of his kingdom and retreated to the underworldpletely.

    Others may find this situation perplexing, but Aucuces finds it to be otherwise. He is certain that this entire Salinger situation involves the river of eternal darkness!

    If it involves that, even he can''t pry any further.

    Aucuces will also never allow Salinger to live past the war of four emperors because he knows what exactly happen in the future.

    He will ensure that death itself dies!

    Aucuces put his jumbled thoughts aside when he heard Badhiel speak up.

    Badhiel reflected. "There''s not much news about Salinger after he became a god. Despite the fact that we had conflicts, he never came to the battlefield. Given the presence of Amanines in the war, I also did not invade his kingdom after his absence..."

    Despite the presence of Amanines here, he did not hesitate to state the facts clearly.

    "The most recent thing I heard about him was that he appointed his son as emperor of Bayam and even gave himplete control over the Bayam Empire itself."

    "Salinger has an entric personality, that for sure." Leodero mused. "However, I think it''s unlikely that he would dare to involve himself in matters of northern continent,"

    He dismissed death with a casual wave of his hand, as if Salinger was nothing.

    ''Oh, if only he knew.'' Aucuces found it amusing, as he thought of the future.

    Herabergan and Lilith remained silent about death, them they turned to look at Amanises, hoping for her to speak.

    After some silence, Amanines said slowly. "We don''t have to be that concerned about his participation in the uing war."

    "Despite the fact that Salinger''s situation is unclear in general, I am fairly certain that Salinger has fallen asleep."

    Despite having more wild assumptions, she did not borate further.

    She also very much hopes that her spections will turn out to be false!

    "Sleep?!" Leodero inquired, perplexed. "What could have pushed him into that?"

    Aucuces intervened just in time to prevent this conversation from continuing.

    "It''s no longer relevant, Leodero. But, at the very least, we can be somewhat certain that Salinger will not intervene in the uing war."

    He concluded, as Leodero fixed his angry gaze on him. While Badhiel was heavy, Herabergan''s starry eyes twinkled and his expression was thoughtful, and Lilith remained calm.

    "Now let''s move onto Cheek." Aucuces continued, ignoring Leodero once more, much to his chagrin.

    "I think it''s safe to say..." Lilith stated. "After the war, there will be another god..."

    "The conditions for the apotheosis ritual for the demoness arrivepletely with the war..." Herabergan said calmly. "Cheek will not pass up this opportunity..."

    "Indeed," Aucuces nodded. "As a result, we''ll keep an eye out for her. If the circumstances permit, we can interfere with her ritual, as ascension of cheek will undoubtedly result in cmity second only to cataclysm."

    "However, if things don''t improve, let her ascend to godhood, because we already have a lot on our tes. We can deal with the cheekter, as well as the aftermath of her ascension."

    Other than that, there was nothing else they could do.

    To be honest, Aucuces wants Cheek to ascend to godhood; if he can get her on his side during the War of the Four Emperors, it will help him a lot.

    As for Cheek bing an evil god among the world in the future, he couldn''t care less. There is no such thing as good and evil for gods.

    There was only silence among the gods, after he said that.

    And, Aucuces took their silence for agreement and then waved his hand, and a golden parchment appeared before him.

    The golden parchment emitted a terrifying aura, that even archangels may not be able to bear.

    "Alliance of Six Gods."

    The heading was boldly written at the top of the golden parchment. It also contained a number of articles.

    Aucuces took out a golden quill and poured his authority into it before signing his name on the end of parchment.

    "Pass it on."

    The gods also signed their names after carefully reading and observing it.

    However, Leodero was dissatisfied after reading some articles that imposed many restrictions, but he still signed it reluctantly, after seeing everyone else do so.

    Aucuces finally obtained the golden parchment bearing the signatures and authorities of six gods and gazed at it for a while.

    Finally, he dered, in the light of the sun.

    "Let the angels blow the horns of war..."

    _______________________

    The next day....

    As the northern continent descended intoplete chaos, a handsome man appeared out of thin air in front of antal mountains, with prim facial features and hair which exerts a ckness that rivals the void, with a small amount of white hairs mixed in.

    His eyes are cerulean blue, with irises that resembleyers uponyers of rippling cerulean waves stacked on top of one another.

    The man took out his pocket watch and checked the time. He then spoke with a smile.

    "Aucuces, Eternal zing Sun..."

    "Amanises, Evernight Goddess..."

    Then he proceeded to recite all six gods'' honorific names, and most importantly, he did not forget to call out the gods'' names as well.

 Chapter 48: Corruption

    Chapter 48: Corruption

    As the man finished reciting the gods'' names, a dreadful aura descended.

    Instead of blue sky, the white clouds that had nketed the sky had blown away, revealing the boundless cosmos.

    The six gods appeared in front of the man, their mountain-sized figures staring down at the man who dared to utter their names.

    "Bethel Abraham!"

    Leodero grumbled. "Can you give me one good reason why I shouldn''t attack you right way, for daring to call our names?"

    Bethel Abraham looked at the gods that floated before him, unaffected by their divine gazes and auras.

    He then focused on Leodero and reasoned calmly.

    "You were all the first to request an audience. So, other than calling your names, how can I hope to catch your attention? Do you expect me to knock on the doors of all your divine kingdoms?"

    He stated it with a shrug and a smile on his lips.

    "Don''t try to be clever around us." As terrifying blots of lightning shed across Leodero''s figure, his voice became indifferent.

    Other gods simply stood on the side-lines and looked on in silence.

    "Enough!" Aucuces said, while ring at Leodero. "We''re already out of time, Leodero, there must be no more mishaps or chaos."

    When Leodero heard Aucuces, he snorted. But the lightning that had shed across his body had vanished.

    Bethel Abraham gazed at the sun god that floated before him, and just by looking at him, he felt the immense authority and power that other possessed.

    He even had the feeling that he was looking at a literal sun surrounded by an infinite ocean of light.

    His calmness faded, gradually being reced by solemnity. He was well aware that the sun god he was facing was no ordinary deity. The sun god also gave him a strange and frightening feeling, simr to how he felt when he first met the ancient sun god and Amanises.

    Bethel''s mind was racing with questions; he''d met Aucuces before, back in the third epoch, but hadn''t felt the same way. He didn''t know if his sequence level was too low at the time to perceive anything, but he also met the ancient sun god and Amanises not long after.

    So he couldn''t put his finger on this entire situation, which confused him more.

    "Bethel Abraham!" Aucuces said "State your position in the war. Think twice before responding to us though..."

    A white spear appeared in his hand, and he looked at the Bethel projection indifferently.

    Bethel is not physically present; he would have been a literal fool if he had arrived to meet us in his true body.

    "For, you cannot bear the consequences of a wrong choice. As no one has survived being on the wrong side of history. So, Bethel, make a wise choice."

    His majestic voice reverberated in the air.

    Despite witnessing Aucuces'' spear in his hands, Bethel kept hisposure. Aucuces'' words, or more urately, threat, resonated in his ears.

    "Ie in peace." He spoke after a brief silence, as if he had been contemting. "I will stand alongside you all in the ongoing war and assist Trunsoest when the timees."

    Aucuces put away his spear and said indifferently.

    "Bethel, state your demands."

    "In the new era, I demand a standing equal to six of you." Bethel stated his demands, with solemnity.

    Silence....

    Amanises were taken aback by Bethel''s demand, and others weren''t much better.

    "Insolence!"

    A tyrannical aura pressed over Bethel, causing him to shudder for a brief period before returning to normal.

    "Bethel Abraham, know your ce!" Leodero eximed, as the entire continent under them quaked, signifying his wrath.

    The entire northern continent began to quake more, but Lilith waved her hand just in time to stop it.

    "Your power cannot change the facts." Herabergan said in solemn voice. "Your are only king of angels, Bethel Abraham, not a god! You cannot ask for such audacious demands."

    Actually, Herabergan can see that after Bethel''s bold demand is denied, he would soon follow up with a his actual and true one. It''s merely a tried-and-true tactic.

    Nheless, his first demand was utterly out of his league. Even if another god were there in his ce, they would not make such a demand.

    On Bethel Abraham''s be, there was an illusory blue symbol that looked like doors stacked on top of each other, which allowed him to somewhat resist Leodero''s tyrannical aura.

    Abraham Bethel heard the gods'' words but was unmoved by them, focusing entirely on Aucuces.

    "No." Aucuces eventually denied his demands.

    Bethel wasn''t surprised; now he intended to convey Aucuces his true demands.

    The Eternal zing Sun, on the other hand, smiled as he interpreted him.

    "How about this, Bethel Abraham?"

    "You can be free from the new empire''s order and rules, exactly as you''ve always desired. You are, nevertheless, still under us. Before leaving for the cosmos, you must notify us at all times. This is the best we can do for you!"

    The gods looked at Bethel as their divine aura exploded from them, crushing down on him and exerting great pressure.

    As he heard the offer, Bethel fell silent, and the symbol of the door on his be darkened due to the aura of six gods pressing on him.

    When the sun god interrupted him, he realised he hadpletely lost his advantage. He is now unable of making counter-demands in this scenario.

    ''It appears that I have changed a lot without even realizing it...'' He thought.

    His perception of worldpletely changed as he travelled through the cosmos and saw the immense civilizations there, as well as the outer gods that prey and rule the cosmos.

    So, when he made the first demand, he didn''t think much of it because, even if he isn''t god, he is close; all he has to do now is finish the ritual. The gods, he reasoned, would not be angered because they could all see the truth.

    Bethel''s lips pressed together in a thin line as he realised he couldn''t take the aura of six gods any longer.

    He finally nodded.

    "I ept!"

    However, neither Aucuces nor the other gods noticed a weird sh of crimson light over Bethel''s blue eyes.

    Ironically, even Bethel himself didn''t notice anything was wrong...

    _______________________

    The next day.

    Northern Continent, No Man''s Land.

    The once uninhabited border between the Solomon Empire and the Six Kingdoms is now dyed with fire and blood.

    Dark and gloomy clouds nketed the sky, with scarlet and blue lightning striking each other from time to time.

    A mythical war was taking ce in the midst of it all, with a towering fire giant shing at two angles with a sword that was bathing in the fire.

    A ck-haired woman dressed in an ascetic robe wielded a bone white de that seemed to radiate pure darkness, her countenance serious as she saw a zing sword approaching her.

    A man dressed in white armour stood next to her, blonde hair and brilliant eyes. He glided close to her with two white wings on his back and a sword that shined with light on his sword.

    Lucas, the Angel of Light, and Selena, the Angel of Concealment, were the two angels.

    They were facing an angel of red division of empire army, which served the War Angel himself. And, this was just one of the battles across the no man''snd.

    "Let''s attack together!" Lucas shouted, his golden eyes sparkling, indicating that he had no intention of backing down. Selena only replied with a simple nod.

    Serena''s body faded and entered a concealed state, then she reappeared behind the giant, shing at him with her bone sword.

    Lucas also shed out his white sword at the massive sword of fire, that was descending towards him.

    On the battlefield, a massive sword sh of light and darkness appeared.

    Boom!

    When the light sh collided with the burning sword, a burst of light and fire erupted across the battlefield, destroying everything in its path.

    Meanwhile, the me giant waspletely distracted by the explosion, allowing the sh of the darkness to entirelynd on the giant''s back.

    Roar!

    Boom!

    The fire giant roared in pain as it crashed to the ground, unable to keep its bnce after being attacked by two angels.

    While looking at the ming giant, Selena and Lucasnded on the earth.

    The me giant was hurt but not killed. If they want to y the me giant, they had to fully unleash their mythical creature form, exactly like the me giant, and use all of their strength.

    Selena shifted her gaze to Lucas, intending to speak with him about the situation.

    Just then....

    Before they could even react, a sh of red light emerged out of nowhere and passed through their necks.

    Selena''s head separated from her neck and plummeted to the ground, gushing blood erupted from the severed neck, sshing all around.

    Lucas''s face was sshed with crimson blood, and his eyes were filled with terror and dread.

    He was too shocked to realise that just as the red light neared his neck, his entire body turned into pure light, saving him from certain death.

    "Oh." In the battlefield, an eerie voice echoed. "I never anticipated Aucuces to be so concerned about his angels...."

    "It''s rather ironic..."

    As the voice ended, a man emerged from the red ze of mes, wielding a crimson sword, the tip of which hung down to the earth.

    He was dressed in ck armour that seemed to be sshed with blood. He had red hair that resembled fire, looking young and handsome.

    The red sword continued to be dragged across the battlefield as the red-haired man marched ahead, causing the earth to be ripped apart with bursts of crimson mes.

    Lucas was totally paralysed in terror and the vicious aura emanating from the red-haired man, who grabbed his chin and forced him to gaze straight into the other''s crimson eyes.

    "Let''s see if killing you causes anguish to Aucuces,"

    With a crazy smile, the red-haired man said. When he mentioned the name of the Eternal zing Sun, though, his eyes glowed with hatred.

 Chapter 49: Medici

    Chapter 49: Medici

    Lucas was terrified, no, it was too underwhelming to put it that way; just being close to the man paralysed him to the core, his thoughts slowing and consciousness clouding by the minute.

    He desperately tried to use his remaining strength, but his illusions were quickly shattered as he felt the heavy aura pressing down on him like a mountain, rendering him unable to move any part of his body.

    He felt his chin being grabbed, and his gaze met the red-haired man''s crimson eyes.

    Everything in his vision slowly faded into darkness, but the crimson eyes remained, haunting him.

    In the crimson eyes, he saw reddish fires burning brightly like stars, illuminating the darkness.

    He began to see visions in which the red-haired man left nothing but disaster in his wake, mountains of corpses of mythical creaturesy on the battlefield as the red-haired man sat on top of it covered in blood, yet the craziness and madness in his eyes and smile didn''t fade despite the scene before him.

    It went on and on, he saw innumerable battles of the red-haired man, and his mind went almost insane, unable to stand it any longer... The visions didn''t end, though; they kepting back...

    The frightening visions repeated over and over in his mind, seeking to dismantle him into thest of his pieces.

    His consciousness became blurry, and he felt as if he were falling down at thest moment, then his blurry vision saw the dark river flowing with no beginning or end, towards which he was falling.

    ''Is this it...?'' His entire life shed before his eyes in thest moments, finally focusing on three pictures, one of which was him swearing his loyalty to his lord, another was him dancing with Diana in the ball, and finally, it was him smiling with Diana, ise, and Edward while enjoying the holidays that we rarely got.

    In the end, he felt regret and pain....

    ''I''m sorry, Diana. I broke my promise...''

    When his figure arrived just before the dark river, a burst of pure light erupted from the void, illuminating the entire darkness. It also submerged himpletely....

    ________________

    In the battlefield, a terrifying aura of destruction erupted, freezing everything across the no man''snd.

    The blots of crimson and blue lightning that had been colliding in dark clouds against each other vanished as if erased, as did the majority of the angels'' attacks across the battlefield.

    The angels felt suffocating aura covers everything around them, as screams of the pain and terror sounded everywhere.

    Medici looked up with interest, as he swatted Lucas away, causing the other to fly across and crash into the ground, leaving a trail of blood before stopping.

    Lucas'' eyes were closed, blood streaming from them, and his face was as pale as a corpse.

    While, he waspletely motionless, as if he died. But, his chest, on the other hand, moved up and down weakly, implying otherwise.

    An ancient spear zed towards Medici, annihting everything in its path, including matter itself.

    The spear was dyed crimson from tip to handle, and it emitted a horrifying aura of destruction, as though it could harm even a true deity.

    Spear of Longinus!

    This spear had once appeared in an ancient era that couldn''t be traced back, stained with the blood of a great existence.

    Through mythical re-enactment, it has now descended into no man''snd. The arrival of the legendary spear absolutely threw the entire war into disarray.

    "At longst, something interesting..." Medici spoke as his smile grew frenzied. His figure erupted with terrifying bloodlust, instantly covered the entire No Man''s Land.

    He cast a nce at the approaching ancient spear before raising his sword and pointing it at the sky.

    The entire cloudy sky was lit up with crimson light, which could be seen across the northern continent.

    Medici then swung his sword down, directly at the ancient spear.

    Boom!

    A blot of crimson lightning descended from the crimson sky, submerging the ancient spear with enough power to make the tsar bomb look like fire crackers.

    Boom!

    A terrifying explosion ensued, forming a semi-sphere of chaotic energy that pulsated visibly, as if it possessed limitless power and was poised to leave nothing but total annihtion in its wake.

    Seeing this, Medici merely waved his hands as crimson mes erupted around the semi-sphere of energy,pletely submerging and consuming it within.

    Just then, a sh of light appeared behind Medici, forming a sword and trying to stab him in the back.

    Medici smirked as he turned back in an instant before the sword could reach him and grabbed the sword with his bare hands while looking at women in ck armour.

    "Oh," Medici said, his voice surprised. "I didn''t expect to see such an act of love after all this time."

    "The angels of Aucuces are full of surprises."

    He spoke, while looking at Lucas, who was surrounded by purple light and teleporting away from the battlefield.

    Diana, the angel of wisdom, is the woman in ck amour.

    "You Bastard!" Diana roared, her eyes filled with rage, and she didn''t hesitate to grab the sword even tighter the next second after her attack failed.

    The sword in their hands broke apart into fundamental blocks of information, which immediately went to Medici''s mind.

    Diana, on the other hand, did not hesitate to attack again, she attempted to instil a vast amount of useless knowledge and misceneous information into Medici''s mind.

    She didn''t hold back, either out of rage at seeing Lucas in that state or knowing she was facing a man who had fought side by side with her lord in the past.

    However, all illusory information, whether it came from the sword or was sent by Diana, was set aze with crimson mes.

    The crimson mespletely burned the information itself, destroying it.

    Medici said with a grin, his crimson eyes glowed.

    "It''s my turn now."

    While continuing, he looked up at the crimson sky.

    "So, what are you going to do now to save your precious little lover?"

    Boom!

    A blot of crimson lightning fell from the sky, shing right at the figure of Lucas, whose teleportation had beenpletely disrupted by Medici''s tampering with the spirit world, which rendered all spirit world travel useless across the battlefield.

    "No!" Diana screamed as she saw the lightning, her eyes filled with panic and fear. She didn''t hesitate to use her most powerful move.

    At that precise moment, Medici appeared in front of Diana, filling the other''s eyes with horror.

    p!

    A resounding p echoed across no man''snd.

    Medici pped her away before she could even perform her supposedly powerful move.

    Diana felt the entire world before her spin, and she felt light. Everything in her vision was moving so fast that it took her a moment to realise what had happened.

    However, it was already toote.....

    She felt her vision be cloudy and her mouth fill with blood as she used herst remaining strength to only see the crimson lightning descending on Lucas in the distance.

    "Lucas!" Her heart-wrenching roar echoed across the battlefield.

 Chapter 50: Conqueror

    Chapter 50: Conqueror

    10 minutes ago....

    In an army camp on the outskirts of No Man''snd.

    The No Man''s Land is a stretch ofnd between the Solomon Empire and the Six Kingdoms that has be uninhabitable and dangerous due to years of incessant warfare and battles.

    In the centre of the camp, people were seen discussing inside arge tent, in front of a table with an illusory disy that realistically showed everything happening in no man''snd.

    This was one of Artisan''s inventions, which he personally sent to the alliance of six gods to express his good will to the six gods.

    While an old man could be seen meditating on the corner of the tent, the man was Horace, angel under the god of knowledge and wisdom.

    He was in charge ofmunicating directly with the gods and rying their instructions to angels here.

    "Four angels have already fallen on your side, while only two have fallen on the empire''s side! On the second day of the war, we are already at a disadvantage."

    "The angels of the Solomon Empire''s nobles families have already joined the war. Augustus and Zaratul family angels are already battling us in the second and third sectors of no man''snd."

    "We just learned that another has died..."

    The entire situation within the tent was chaotic, as angels of six gods kept discussing and arguing with each other.

    "This would be a disaster for us if the battle only remained in no man''snd. We shouldunch a frontal assault with all of our troops." A man in blue robes dered, as lightning shed across his fingers,

    "Are you crazy? Izrial. The entire Solomon Empire is enveloped in the twisted rules of the ck emperor; the moment we enter the Empire, our fate is sealed." A ck-haired man in a silver suit refuted, while pointing to the empire projection on the table.

    They were ise Larson, Angel of Miracles, and Izrial, Angel of Cmity.

    "The gods are on our side, ise!" Izrial said, as he red at ise,

    The other angels in the tent went silent as they turned to face them.

    ise said, pointing up. "The gods above are watching everything that happens here. If they had wanted that, they already have told us so."

    "Don''t let your emotions get the best of you, Izrial." ise approached him and gently advised. "Not only have you lost someone on the battlefield now, but many more are falling as we speak..."

    Izrial remained silent, his blue eyes gleaming as he gazed at ise, and sparks of lightning extended from his fingers, covering his figure.

    As he looked at this, ise''s eyes were indifferent. His right hand, however, had been inside his pocket at some point.

    He and Izrial never liked each other, and even though they are now allies, it cannot erase the fact that they were enemies who fought against each other for the glory of their lords for long times.

    "What are you two doing?"

    "Stop right now!"

    Other angels stepped in right away to stop them. Despite this, neither of them moved away in the least.

    "Enough!" A t yet powerful voice rang out, capturing their attention and making them to look at the entrance.

    A ck-haired woman in an amour stood with a few scrolls in her hands.

    Diana, Angel of wisdom!

    Diana looked at them all and then spoke up, her voice clear and loud.

    "You''re all misinterpreting the entire war!"

    "This war was never intended for us. We will not invade the Solomon Empire."

    "This has always been a war of gods."

    Diana stepped forward to rify the situation.

    Not every god is particrly concerned with his or her angels. Their instructions from the other gods were vague, only stating that they should hold the no man''snd and nothing else.

    This was also one of the source of the current crisis. They had no idea what to do next and werepletely perplexed.

    There was only silence in the tent as the angels digested the information.

    Diana wanted to continue, but just then, a divine aura descended on the tent.

    The old man in the corner, who was meditating, opened his eyes, which were filled with light rather than irises.

    The old man turned to face Diana, ignoring all the angels.

    Diana knew who was staring at her, as the only one who could speak through Horace, was,

    God of Knowledge and Wisdom!

    In the tent, a distant voice echoed.

    "Medici has entered the war."

    Without waiting for a response, the divine aura receded and the old man closed his eyes, returning to his meditative state, but hisplexion was much paler.

    Diana didn''t think twice after hearing that, bolting out of the tent,pletely ignoring the angels'' questions.

    "Wait a second, Diana..."

    She paused and turned to face ise, who had followed her out of the tent.

    "You are not joining me, ise!" Diana stated sternly, without giving him the opportunity to speak first. "The war angel is king of angels, but more importantly, he is a conqueror! You will bepletely paralysed by his mere presence, and lose all will to fight."

    A conqueror is a terrifying existence, and their mere presence ensures "victory" during a war. They can use their authority to turn someone into a puppet, robbing others of their free will. They also have the ability to easily manipte emotions, which can be detrimental in war. Their abilities realted to war goes on and on.

    She continued after noticing ise''s unwavering determination.

    "I know Lucas is out there on the battlefield; I promise he''ll be fine..."

    "Diana, listen to me!" ise yelled, finally silencing her. "You''ll need me for that."

    "The holy sword!"

    "When you are in a critical situation, you cannot visualize that sword using authority of "knowledge" in an instant. It would ce an enormous burden on you and will take time, during which you would bepletely vulnerable to an attack. Diana, you need me at that precise moment."

    Diana hesitated, knowing what ise said was true.

    However, she prepared a n for that, in which both she and Will Auceptin would enter the battlefield together to face the King of Angels and cover for each other at that time.

    Will, on the other hand, had recently been summoned by their lord and she had no idea when he would return.

    Lucas was on the battlefield, so she couldn''t wait any longer.

    As she thought of Luke, she had the uneasy feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

    Aucuces'' voice appeared in their minds just as she was about to agree to ise.

    "ise, you will be taking over the mission that Lucas was assigned."

    When ise and Diana heard their lord, they were taken aback.

    Then, ise nodded, though he was reluctant in his heart.

    "Don''t worry, by the end of the day, everyone will be fine."

    Aucuces'' reassuring voice echoed in their minds once more.

    He didn''t wait for their response as a beam of pure light descended on their figures, teleporting them to different locations via the medium of light.

    ___________________

    The six gods sat at the same white table in the divine kingdom of Aucuces, watching projections, which disyed the battlefield in no-man''snd.

    Then, they all saw the spear of Longinus descending on the battlefield, Leodero and Herabergan were surprised, while Amanises'' eyes behind the gauze wereplex.

    "Is that mythical re-enactmen or authority of Knowledge?" Leodero asked Aucuces, as he wanted to confirm personally to him.

    "Mythical re-enactment." Aucuces said, his clear eyes still fixed on Medici and Lucas on the screen.

    "I''ve always assumed that the majority of the stories told by the creator were purely fictitious..." Herabergan couldn''t hide his surprise. Based on this, he has already begun to n on creating new techniques.

    Aucuces recalled, after hearing Herabergan and Leodero.

    The Ancient Sun God did indeed tell them about the legend of Longinus'' spear, but he left out many details and gave them a hazy ount.

    He understands why Ancient Sun God said it that away; that spear of Longinus directly involved God Almighty!

    The spear was entirely real in this world, not a work of fiction.

    Aucuces knows this because Bernadette summoned this spear using mythical re-enactment in the original future. He also only told Diana the hazy version given by the Ancient Sun God.

    He already knew that anything involving a pir was extremely dangerous, and this thought only reinforced what had happened before. So he didn''t dare to tell Diana the entire mythology.

    He also had inkling, that if he had done that, something catastrophic would have urred.

    Aucuces'' attention was drawn back to the projection by Leodero''sugh.

    "Medici is still the same..." Leoderoughed louder, while ring at Aucuces.

    "I warned you before, Aucuces..." Badhiel sighed.

    The screen showed Medici pping Diana away.

    While his gaze remained fixed on the screen, Aucuces ignored Leodero and said.

    "They''ll be fine."

    ______________

    On the battlefield, just as the crimson lightning was about to fall on the figure of Lucas.

    The clouds in the sky were swept away, revealing a massive, illusory, scaleless snake.

    The dense patterns and symbols on the surface of the gigantic silver snake formed a wheel that was connected to each other. Around each wheel were different symbols.

    With a sweep of its cold, bright red eyes, the massive serpent floated above the battlefield, curling its body and biting its own tail.

    It''s shadow covered the entire battlefield like a mysterious and ludicrous wheel.

    Reboot!

 Chapter 51: Probability

    Chapter 51: Probability

    Just as the red lightning was about to strike Lucas, it froze in its path. For a brief moment, it appeared as if time had stopped.

    Then, the lightning then began to fade away, receding to the crimson clouds, from where it descended.

    The blood in Lucas''s eyes stopped flowing, and the wounds on his body began to heal at an astonishing rate.

    Lucas'' face livened up and his fingers twitched. His brows trembled as he slowly opened his eyes.

    Suddenly, he stood up from the ground, he opened his mouth wide and let out a big gasp for air. His eyes were still filled with a kaleidoscope of emotions, including panic, regret, dread, and fear.

    ''I am alive?... I am still alive... How?''

    He kept gazing about as jumbled thoughts shed in his head, only flinching backwards instinctively, when he noticed the terrible man who had been haunting him was staring at him with a sneer.

    A sliver of light shed across his vision, revealing a teenaged with silver hair dressed in a white linen shirt and ck trousers.

    Will Auceptin, Snake of Mercury!

    Will ignored Medici and reached into his pocket for a charm with a sun emblem. Then, he ced it on Lucas''s forehead, while looking at the other''s confused expression.

    "Light!"

    The charm released a dazzling light that enveloped Lucas and instantly teleporting him to the divine kingdom of eternal zing sun.

    Before, Will rebooted Lucas, returning him to his previous state before to his encounter with the Medici. It saved him from imminent death.

    Surprisingly, Medici did not intervene and instead gazed up at the dark sky.

    He said with a malicious smirk.

    "Your preparations and arrangements are truly spectacr, Aucuces. But you''re still a long way from our lord..."

    With his words, the sky above the battlefield lighted up with silver light, as an angel descended from the sky.

    The angel was d in silver robes and had six silver wings. His red vertical eyes were always apathetic.

    In his sped hands, the angel held an inverted cross with a frightening aura of degeneration!

    Ouroboros, the Tail Devourer!

    Under the mutual agreement between the two sides, the gods will not intervene in this conflict between angels. But it doesn''t mean they can''t use loopholes to their advantage.

    Ouroboros descended on the battlefield, as his apathetic gaze travelled across Medici and Will.

    Medici approached Ouroboros and stood near him, while raising his sword and resting it on his shoulders.

    "By joining this war, you dug your own grave, little snake." Medici gave Will a contemptuous scowl.

    Will didn''t respond to Medici as his solemn gaze was fixed on the inverted cross in Ouroboros'' hands.

    "Medici," Ouroboros muttered tly as he stared at Medici. "This is my fight; go deal with the Knowledge Emperor"

    He didn''t wait for Medici to respond before approaching Will.

    "Will Auceptin, this is the end of it all." Ouroboros said indifferently.

    With his words, reality became hazy and blurry, and everything fell into darkness.

    In this never-ending darkness, Ouroboros and Will floated.

    Soon, a faint and illusory sound echoed from the darkness, as a colourless river appeared and flowed, with them in the middle of it all.

    The River of Destiny!

    "The thousand-year chase is over; fate itself favours me, Will; you shall fall..."

    "Ya, ya, the same old, fate indeed always favours you, Ouroboros," Will intrerrputed rudely, while nodding his head.

    "So, shall we proceed? I really need to go and get to the buckets of ice cream that Aucuces promised me after this fight." He added, a nonchnt smile on his face.

    For a brief moment, Ouroboros'' expression froze before returning to normal.

    "What always gives you such confidence?" He asked indifferently, as his eyes glowed with silver light.

    Will''s eyes also began to glow with silver light and a golden sun symbol appeared on his be.

    "Fate indeed favours you, Ouroboros. But, unlike you, I have never surrendered to fate!"

    "So, that''s it..." Ouroboros realised, as soon as, he saw the sun emblem on Will.

    Aucuces or Will must have known this was going to happen, and Aucuces must have blessed him in the end.

    However, neither the Sun nor Will''s words created any waves in the heart of the Ouroboros. At the end of the day, this is a fight between them, and their own authority will determine who wins.

    Ouroboros dered as he pointed the inverted cross in his hands at Will.

    "Let''s put an end to it all, Will Auceptin!"

    A ck ocean descended between them, with an aura of filth and degeneration, as the waves in the ocean swept towards Will like tsunamis.

    Will eximed by opening his arms wide.

    "Praise the sun!"

    A blinding golden sun rose before him, scorching rays of the light erupted from the sun and collided with the ck ocean.

    Boom!

    The reality itself broke like shards of mirror at point of collision.

    The sun''s rays began to melt the ck ocean''s waves, while the ck ocean of filth churned with aura of degeneration, causing the blinding sun to dim.

    As the light and darkness continued to collide, there was soon an unsettling bnce between them, with no side gaining an advantage.

    Will and Ouroboros, on the other hand, also erupted with a terrifying aura that collided with one another, causing the entire river of destiny around them to be restless.

    The authority that the snake of mercury possesses enables them to manipte probability.

    The entire war between them has now evolved into a contest over who has more control over the probabilities of victory.

    It''s a battle of wills and fates. This is the stakes for both of them.

    The one who has the most control over probabilities of victory will triumph in the end, and the god''s authority, which are currently bnced, will copse and annihte the loser.

    ___________________________

    While the war of fates was taking ce in another space, Medici was walking calmly towards the ruins of the mountains that formed as a result of that girl being mmed into it by his p.

    He knew she was still alive and was probably nning her big move. He wasn''t going to interfere with her right now because he wanted to see what she had and if it could reignite the long-lost excitement of battle within him.

    He couldn''t find any suitable opponents in this era, so he''s hoping the angel of Aucuces doesn''t let him down.

    He also has a strange feeling that the battle of the snake will be more difficult than he had anticipated.

    He was unconcerned about Ouroboros'' safety, however, because he believes in his Lord''s might and that even if something goes wrong, Ouroboros will be fine in the end.

    Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, as his smile broadened in excitement.

    Rumble!

    As though an earthquake had struck the northern continent, the entire no man''snd rumbled.

    From the ruins of mountains, an aura of "Hope" and "Glory" emerged.

    Boom!

    A pir of golden light erupted, directly piercing into the sky. The brilliance of the pir shone all over the world.

    Medici noticed something extraordinary in the radiance of the pir.

    He saw the nostalgic, sorrowful, and hallowed dreams of those who were ced on the bloody hell known as a battlefield, of all warriors past, present, and future who were fully exposed to the fear of death and despair and who still clung to a desire,

    "To be exalted."

    Finally, he heard a roar that seemed to reverberate throughout the world.

 Chapter 52: Worthy

    Chapter 52: Worthy

    A golden sword emerged from the pir of light, trailed by a woman in ck armour who floated just behind the holy sword.

    The holy radiance of the golden sword gleamed brightly like a golden star, illuminating the entire world.

    The golden sword cannot be described as beautiful because the term "beautiful" will only tarnish it. Instead, it is sacred, created from people''s imaginations, a legend woven entirely from "Hope." It is the manifestation of the prayer named "Glory".

    It''s the holy sword wielded by King Arthur, Altria Pendragon!

    It was made by the as the crystallisation of mankind''s wishes, which had been stored and tempered within it.

    Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory!

    With the authority of "Knowledge" and the blessings of Eternal zing Sun, Diana Knight visualised this god-forged sword.

    But, as the saying goes, nothing is free.

    Diana floated in front of the hold sword, a kaleidoscope of emotions shing across her eyes before settling into determination. She knew what was going to happen next, and it could very well be the end of her, but she didn''t back down or hesitate.

    She raised her hand and grasped the handle of the holy sword in full view of the entire world.

    Hope. Dream. Glory. Wishes.

    Diana felt an enormous weight on her shoulders, it was the heaviest thing she had ever felt. It was as if the entire world was pressing down on her shoulders.

    She heard the whispers of countless people across various epochs, their wishes and hopes poured into her head like an avnchepletely submerging her.

    "Ahhh!" She screamed in agony as her hands, which held the holy sword, erupted in golden mes that began to melt her fingers. Her face twisted in anguish, and blood began to pour from her eyes and nose, while her body trembled.

    She managed to regain some of her consciousness, which was still cloudy due to the whispers, through sheer willpower.

    She immediately used authority of "Knowledge" to process the wishes and hopes that were filling her mind.

    Then, Diana saw countless visions in her mind, ranging from the dark era to the age of the gods.

    She witnessed it all, the hopes and dreams of those fallen. Then, she saw the magnificence of human civilization across the eons. Everything wasid out in front of her like a spectacr y.

    She witnessed the "Hope" and "Glory" in it.

    And now she carries everything on her shoulders!

    It wouldn''t be wrong to say she''s carrying the entire world on her shoulders.

    This is the cost of envisioning the holy sword.

    She will lose herself, if she cannot bear it, but if she can, she will be worthy to hold the Excalibur.

    But, Diana started losing herself gradually as the weight of the world pressed against her shoulders and mind. The only thing keeping her going was her willpower to never give up.

    Soon, she couldn''t take it any longer, as terrifying whispers tortured her. Even her authority couldn''t handle the "Hope" any longer.

    But, she still didn''t let go of the sword, keeping a firm grip on it. She promised her Lord that everything would be fine, and she will to keep her word, despite his previous warnings about this sword.

    No....

    I can''t...

    She desperately thought, as consciousness were fading away.

    Diana''s body was set aze by golden mes that spread from her hands touching the sword in the reality.

    Meanwhile, Diana saw nothing but endless darkness through her hazy vision, and the whispers vanished, leaving everything silent. However, this made no difference to her situation at the end.

    Then, she saw a river in the darkness, and despite theck of light around her, she could clearly see the river flowing without beginning or end in sight.

    In her vision, she noticed the river growingrger, she realised that she was falling towards it. Herst silver of will was also fading away in the endless darkness.

    Suddenly, a cacophony of noises broke through the silence and echoed in her ears.

    It wasn''t those whispers; she heard everyone''s prayers for her, and their concern and worry reached her heart, jolting her awake.

    She saw Lucas praying to her, making jokes about the promise they made to each other, and then she saw ise admonishing her for being reckless, despite his concern in his voice.

    Finally, she realised it...

    They were her Anchors!

    As she felt her anchors, her consciousness became clearer.

    A blinding light erupted in the endless darkness in front of her, morphing into the figure of Aucuses. He sighed as he looked at the tragic figure of Diana.

    "Diana, you''re still as stubborn as ever. But ironically, it is what got you here, so don''t give up "Hope" just yet. I''m watching over you and can''t wait for you to show off your prowess. Finally, don''t forget to destroy Medici!"

    Diana felt a terrifying "Anchor" establish itself to her upon hearing his words. Her lips curved into a smile, and tears streamed down her cheek.

    As the weight on her shoulders lightened, she finally dered with clear eyes filled with emotion.

    "I will!"

    Then her figure was bathed in golden light, full of "Hope" and "Glory," illuminating the entire darkness.

    What she didn''t realise was that her knowledge emperor potion was digesting at a breakneck pace right now.

    ________________

    Northern Continent, No Man''s Land

    "Excalibur?"

    Medici was taken aback when he saw the sword, which resembled a sword from a legend he had heard from the creator.

    At the same time, it felt different, though Medici couldn''t pinpoint what the difference was. But he had an instinct that this sword was not the one described in the legend.

    This feeling perplexed him!

    Medici put his thoughts aside and focused on Diana, whose entire figure was engulfed in golden mes as her screams faded.

    "She wasn''t worthy?" Heughed aloud as he looked up at the sky. "It''s not surprising, given that she''s your angel, Aucuces..."

    Medici''s eyes narrowed suddenly, and he raised his red sword to his side without hesitation.

    ng!

    A golden sword zed towards him and nged with such force that the everything copsed, forming the massive carter with them in the centre and disintegrating the nearby mountain range to fine dust.

    Boom! Boom!

    It didn''t stop there, as crakes appeared across the no man''snd that streched into nothern continent, with masses ofnds lifting up from the ground on one side, filling the entire battlefield in dust and smoke. All of this was caused by a single sword sh.

    Medici''s face was solemn in the crater, but when he saw the sword vanish and a figure emerge from the dust and smoke, his shining eyes and twisted smile told a different story.

    Diana walked out with a terrifying aura erupting from her. She was dressed in silver armour, with a blue cloak fluttering behind her and a purple crown on her head. Her iris were no longer blue, but rather golden with a scorching radiance.

    Finally, she took the legendary sword in her hand and casually swung it to her side, causing a sh of light to erupt.

    Then, it expanded in its path and went to the mountains that had not been destroyed by their sh.

    Boom!

    The sh of light split the mountains in half, with the separated half floating above and disintegrating in light.

    Diana said as she pointed the Excalibur at Medici.

    "It''s now my turn, Medici."

 Chapter 53: Excalibur

    Chapter 53: Excalibur

    Medici and Diana exchanged nces as their auras collided in a battle for dominance.

    Everything around them fell silent, like the calm before the storm.

    Then it all came crashing down in a spectacr way, as Medici and Diana vanished from their position, leaving massive craters in their wake due to the sheer force they were exerting with each of their moves.

    The figures of Medici and Diana transformed into streaks of golden and red lights that zed through the sky, colliding and repelling against each other along the way.

    The angels evacuating from no man''snd came to a halt and stared nkly up at the sky.

    The entire sky was filled with streaks of golden and red lights, as if someone had drawn the mostplex ziz-zag formation on the sky.

    This only appeared a fraction of a second after Diana and Medici took off into the sky, indicating they collided many times within this second, which was even far beyond what even angels could clearly do or sense.

    "Run!"

    An angel''s horrified yell jolted them out of their trance, and their eyes soom filled with fear. All of them did not hesitate to turn back and begin using their techniques or entering the spirit world to flee the battlefield as soon as possible

    Boom!

    The destructive force erupted from the shes of Diana and Medici, then impacted on no man''snd without any resistant.

    Destruction!

    When this terrifying force descended, everything was broken down into fine particles, whether it was mountains or rivers, angels or demigods, nothing could remain intact or survive the destruction.

    As everything disintegrated, the angels fled using various methods. But, no matter what, they couldn''t escape the approaching destruction, which was faster than them.

    However, the gods did not sit back and watch their angels disintegrate, as the light of the sun fell on all of their figures, teleporting them out of the battlefield.

    In the sky, Diana was solemn and grave, her eyes trailing each of the shes in Medici''s countless sword attacks on her. With swift moves of her sword, she blocked and parried all of them. She did, however, feel the attack power increase with each attack thrown at her.

    Boom! Boom!

    She finally made a decision and ignored the iing sword attacks, and raised her Excalibur, which began to glow with golden light.

    She looked at the ted Medici, who didn''t seem to care about anything but battle. It irritated her so much that she wanted to punch him in the face to get that smirk off his face.

    She ignored the sword shes falling on her, which left long gashes on her silver armour.

    Suddenly, Diana''s figure became translucent, and all of the swords attacks passed through her figure, further destroying thends behind them.

    She vanished from her position and reappeared directly in front of Medici, causing thetter''s eyes to narrow and to raise his sword to the position of chest.

    Diana thrusted her excalibur forward with all her might, aiming for his heart.

    It wasn''t a simple thrust, for the air around the entire sky was extracted and everything fell silent.

    Boom!

    Then, it shed with the red sword.

    The air finally exploded, releasing a ze of light. The space shook and copsed as it was illuminated and overwhelmed by the light storm that was sweeping everything.

    Diana and Medici continued to sh their swords as sparks of light as bright as the sun red up. Both of their armour began to crack, and blood poured out from the very crakes, revealing deep gashed wounds.

    Meanwhile, due to the sheer force of Diana''s attack, they also shot out of no man''snd.

    They were zing across the sky like shooting star, heading towards.....

    Solomon Empire!

    Boom!

    They sted into the Solomon Empire as the twisted rules woven throughout the empire literally broke into pieces along with the space in their paths.

    The ck Emperor''s "rules" over the empire is indeed strong, but that doesn''t mean it can''t be broken; this was alsorgely facilitated due to the fact that the "rules" had lost their connection to the authority that supported them.

    Solomon did not exercise his authority to stabilise the rules. He knew the six gods would not just stand by and watch, but would immediately use him of intervening in their battle. He didn''t want to fight them right away, so he could only watch everything with red eyes.

    However, he will not hesitate to intervene if they be too destructive. The previous sh of swords alone caused a sh of light thatpletely destroyed No Man''s Land and even affected the six kingdoms. He is certain that if they continued without the intervention of the gods, the northern continent would be destroyed.

    The zing star was descending from the sky in the Solomon Empire, towards a long mountain range with a beautiful city in front of it.

    Hornacis mountain range!

    Boom!

    The shooting star finally descened with enough power to make nuclear weapons look like firecrackers.

    The collision obliterated a 20-kilometer wide area in an instant, resulting in a explosion of rocks and magma erupting from the ground. As the entire northern continent rumbled, a massive shockwave shattered faces of most mountains across the range.

    An gargantuan explosion ensuded, which ripped through the beautiful city of night, obliterating gothic buildings in a matter of seconds and sumberging thousands of people who were still oblivious, thus instantly ending their lives without any pain or suffering.

    After everything had settled down, all that remained was the main peak of the Hornacis mountains, with a ruined castle perched atop it.

    The castle and main peak were copsing minute by minute, insinuating that they were still affected by the explosion, despite an archangel''s desperate attempts to protect everything.

    In the massive carter, two figures stood up from the ruined ground, still clutching their sword tightly.

    Medici walked steadily, his ck armour shattered, especially the chestte, revealing a hole through, which clearly disyed his beating heart and devastated lungs. His crimson blood hadpletely saturated his armour, dripping down on the ground and leaving a blood trail as he walked.

    Even though he blocked the legendary sword''s attack, he was still affected in the end. However, all of his injuries began to heal visibly.

    This would be a fatal blow to most, but it''s nothing for Medici.

    Diana, on the other hand, was not faring much better. In their collision, her silver armour waspletely shattered and broke into pieces, leaving her with only blue traditional robes that were also covered in blood, as deep gashs on her skin could be seen across her figure.

    Her arm that held the excalibur was broken, but she didn''t even flinch as she twisted it back with her other hand. Her face was also covered in blood, which was dripping from her head.

    She walked towards Medici, holding the excalibur, their gazes locked. Despite seeing him in this devastated state, she didn''t feel joy, because she knew better.

    "It''s been a long time..." Medici said as he spat blood from his mouth onto the ground, "Since, I''ve been forced into this state. Even though you are an angel of Aucuses, you are fully worthy of wielding the legendary sword and confronting me with all of my might, Diana." He finished with a twisted smile and his eyes shimmering with joy and excitement, as his sword began to emit crimson light.

    Dianaughed tragically. "Am I worthy?" She considered the weight she carried on her shoulders as she held the holy sword in her hand.

    Those scenes shed before her eyes, and while everything may have seemed to pass in seconds in reality, it was so long for her that she lost track of time there. Under the terrifying whispers, she almost felt like she was in eternity....

    Diana took a breather to calm down her raging emotions, as she raised her Excalibur above her head with both hands. The entire holy sword was bathed in a golden light that radiated glory and hope.

    She finally red at Medici and spoke to him word by word. "You know nothing about me!"

    Medici chuckled and raised his sword, as the crimson light on the sword surged widely like mes.

    "Diana, I hope you make it through this. So, we can still fight the next time we meet...."

    He smirked and spoke quietly.

    Then, without hesitation, he swung his sword down with all of his might.

    Boom!

    The red sword emitted a beam of crimson light, annihting everything in its path, including space and reality itself.

    Rumble!

    The entire northern continent rumbled visibly as the crimson beam struck the ground, causing earthquakes across the world.

    Diana looked at the crimson beam that was heading straight for her. She inhaled deeply as her eyes, which had shed with a kaleidoscope of emotions, finally settled into calmness.

    As a beam of light erupted from her holy sword, she clutched the excalibur with both hands.

    She dered, as her voice rang out around the world.

    "EXCALIBUR!"

    She swung her sword, unleashing all of its power, as the golden beam of light descended into the world, zing towards the crimson light.

    The golden beam cut through everything in its path.

    The golden and crimson light beams zed towards each other, annihting everything in their path.

    The gods, who were watching this, finally rose solemnly from their seats. Eternal zing Sun, Earth Mother and ck Emperor didn''t hesitate to descend on the battlefield immediately.

    However, it was already toote...

    Under the gazes of the entire world, the beams of crimson and golden light finally collided.

    Boom!

    An unimaginable sea of scorching light surged out, drowning the figures of Diana and Medici.

    As the lightpletely submerged them, they both closed their eyes and their grips on their swords finally loosened.

 Chapter 54: History

    Chapter 54: History

    Few hourster...

    Lucas paced back and forth in the divine kingdom of eternal zing sun before a massive silver door, his face tense.

    Creak!

    The door creaked and opened, as Aucuses walked out. Lucas dashed toward him and quickly inquired.

    "How''s she doing, Milord? Is she okay? Is she awake?"

    Aucuses saw worry written all over Lucas'' face. Then, he said, with a light nod.

    "Diana is fine now, Lucas. I was able to heal her and stabilise her condition. She is still sleeping and will be for some time, so be quite if you want to see her."

    Diana was actually on the verge of losing control after wielding the legendary sword and fighting against Medici.

    Lucas''s worried expression faded as he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he bowed quickly and literally ran into the room.

    Aucuses sighed and turned to look into the room, where Dianay in bed and Lucas already sat beside her, watching over her.

    He waved his hands as the door closed, leaving the couple alone.

    Then, he began walking down a long corridor lined with white pirs and oil paintings on the walls, eventually reaching the weapon shelf. He summons his weapon from here.

    He raised his right hand, as Excalibur appeared in his hands with sh of light.

    Aucuses gazed at the holy sword with gleaming eyes, analysing every detail of the sword in his hand.

    The Excalibur is far from what Diana can envision with her authority, but he personally blessed her with her hermit uniqueness, which yed a significant role in the sessful envisioning of the holy sword.

    However, the person who envisioned still have to pay the price. He also intervened at that time personally and also instructing ise, Lucas, and everyone else to pray for her and support her through the ordeal.

    Aucuses was still quite surprised, when he first gazed at the envisioned sword. He wasn''t sure if this could wield the same power as original held by Altria. However, after seeing the results, he is certain that, while not fullyparable to the actual Excalibur, it is not far behind.

    His thoughts turned to the battle between the Medici and Diana. The Excalibur allowed Diana topete with Medici in battle, and despite nearly destroying the northern continent, their battle was truly spectacr though.

    He, Lilith, and Solomon eventually descended onto the battlefield, only to see the sea of scorching light expand outwards, annihting everything in its path. If the light wasn''t stopped, it would go on topletely destory the northern continent.

    When Lilith saw this, she used her authority over "Earth" to tear apart the entire massive crater from the ground, as the sea of light was also contained within the crater by her authority.

    Meanwhile, he and Solomon rushed to protect Diana and Medici, who were both seriously injured, though Medici fared better than Diana.

    The crater with the sea of light was then thrown into the astral world by Lilith. Itpletely exploded there, illuminating the entire world''s sky. It was the end of their battle.

    Aucuses'' gaze wandered over weapons on his shelf, which he had collected over thousands of years, finally settling on the newly added one.

    It was the sword based on the sword of rupture, EA. He recently sent it to artisan to repair the damage caused by their fight with the mother goddess of depravity. Artisan was more than happy to assist and fixed it for free.

    Aucuses chuckled as he thought of artisan''s obvious ways of gaining favour with them.

    Suddenly, he turned around, only to see Amanises enter the hall through the door, a sleeping boy floating near her as she walked towards him.

    "Why is he asleep?" Aucuses inquired, his brow furrowed in curiosity, as he pointed to the boy floating near her.

    Will Auceptin was the mysterious floating boy.

    "When I descended there, he was on the verge of losing the battle. The authority of degeneration began to have an effect on his soul. Ouroboros, on the other hand, was not much better. After noticing the situation, your sun imploded, severely injuring him." Amanises spoke softly, her gaze wandering over the oil paintings on the wall. "I took care of the pollution that was bothering him and put him to sleep so he could recover faster."

    "Though, fate truly favoured Ouroboros." She said vaguely.

    "It''s not destiny, Amanises. You should be more aware of this than I am." Aucuses smiled, his eyes growing distant. "It is ''His'' blessing to ''His'' most devoted and favoured angel."

    Amanises remained silent. While Aucuses waved his hands, light appeared in the hall and gathered on the figure of the Will. It aided his recovery and teleported him to one of the castle''s rooms, which also had ice cream waiting for him, when he walked up.

    "Is that the fabled sword?" Amanises inquired ethereally, her gaze finally settling on the excalibur in his hands.

    "Yes." Aucuses'' nodded, raising the sword and looking at it as he continued. "Would you like to wield it?" He reached out his sword to her.

    Amanises took the Excalibur in her hands and caressed it with her fingers, as her eyes behind her gauze shing with a slight mncholy.

    "The worthy are the one who can unleash the sword''s power. Despite the fact that we, the gods, can hold it in our hands. Only Diana has the ability to unleash its true power." As he observed her actions, Aucuses exined. While also closing the small distance between them, by walking towards her.

    "Aucuses, you''re also certainly worthy, aren''t you?" Amanises asked abruptly, looking straight at Aucuces. "The sword is the crystallisation of mankind''s hopes and dreams. An archangel cannot bear the burden and cost of visualising something like this."

    "Oh." Aucuses admitted, "You picked up on that. Amanises, you are truly the mother of concealment. Nothing seems to be able to hide from your gaze." With a chuckle, he said.

    "So, Aucuses, you can actually use the Excalibur." While ignoring his remakes about her, Amanises pressed.

    "Indeed." Aucuses gave a nod. "However, I am worse than Diana. She is the one who bore everything directly; I simply assisted her from behind."

    "Diana is truly extraordinary..." Amanises remarked as she returned the sword to him. "Here."

    "Isn''t that obvious, Amanises?" Auceses spoke as he took Excalibur and ced it on his weapon shelf. "Considering who their leader is?" He said it with a narcissistic smirk on his lips.

    "You''re still the same in many ways, Aucuces..." After hearing his narcissistic words, Amanises responded ethereally, her lips behind the gauze turning upwards to form a shallow smile.

    Something suddenly drew their attention, however, as Aucuses and Amanises turned to face the direction of Solomon Empire.

    "It''s time." Aucuses turned to face her. "The betrayal will ur at sundown..."

    "History is truly repeating itself..." Amanises stated as she gazed at the Solomon Empire. Then, while staring at Aucuses, she said. "Ombe has already built a natural barrier around the sea of ruins..."

    "It should suffice, as they''ll only be keeping Sasrir at bay..." Aucuses was indifferent. "While we y Solomon..."

    Then, Aucuses'' figure was immediately bathed in golden mes, as his suit waspletely burned away in the mes, reced by silver armour.

    The symbol of sun graced upon his be, and his golden iris became vertical, as the mes that bathed his figure gathered to form two fiery golden wings behind him.

    He held a purple "Book" in one hand while the other was empty. Then, he finally turned to look at Amanises, his golden vertical eyes gleaming.

    Amanises wore ayered ck gown with countless sparkling specks of radiance like stars. Her ribs and waist each stretched out two arms. Two of the six hands held a ck scythe, two held a crimson "moon", and the rest were empty.

    She finally turned, her deep dark eyes gazed at him.

    "Aucuses, let''s go."

 Chapter 55: Betrayal

    Chapter 55: Betrayal

    The setting sun cast an twilight glow on the Solomon Empire.

    The capital, which is located in the heart of the Solomon Empire, also serves as the Empire''s core. This city, on the other hand, can only be described as "Crooked," as it has the potential to push a perfectionist insane at first sight.

    The city was filled with the ck gothic buildings. Their style was oddly lopsided and crooked. The city''s streets and roads were built without any order, resulting inplete unevenness throughout the city.

    The bustling streets were packed with people who defied the current outside world''smon sense in every way. Their dressing style was asymmetrical, and their habits and manners were diametrically opposed to world standards. Despite this, people went about their daily lives as if everything was normal.

    A priest sat on one of the benches on the sidewalk, ''His'' figure illuminated by the setting sun, revealing ''His'' golden beard and hair. ''He'' was dressed in a pure white cloak with a silver cross across ''His'' neck, just like any other priest. ''His'' golden and clear eyes, on the other hand, revealed ''His'' exceptionality clearly.

    Despite the stark contrast between the priest and everything around ''Him'', people walked by waspletely oblivious to priest on the bench.

    Adam, the Angel of Imagination!

    Adam was holding a simple feather quill in ''His'' right hand and a book on hisp, while writing with the quill in thest page of the book.

    ''He'' also took asional nces at the bizarre yet strangely beautiful city while writing the book.

    ''He'' was like a spectator, observing but not interfering in any direct way.

    ''He'' was present at the beginning and returned to witness its end.

    ''He'' showed Solomon and others the second sphemy te with the path of the god at the beginning of the epoch, finallyyering the cornerstone for the empire to rise.

    ''He'' witnessed the rise of the Solomon Empire, the very first human empire, since the destruction of modern civilization.

    ''He'' was ever-present in all major events throughout history of the fourth epoch.

    The angel families that rose to prominence during this period, as well as the three kings of angels, Cheek, Artisan, and Bethel, who are only one step away from godhood, were all facilitated and made possible by ''Him.''

    As ''His'' golden eyes gleamed in brilliance, Adam wrote the final paragraph of the book.

    "The radiance of Sun and Moon illuminated the empire. The national g in the top spire of the royal pce fell from its pole onto the dusty ground. The terrified crowd paid no heed as they stamped on the g that they had once revered above their own lives. The golden sun and crimson moon descended on the empire, bringing the magnificent empire that had stood for a millennia to an end."

    "-----The End-------"

    Adam finished and closed the book as the cover revealed the title, which was boldly written on it.

    "The Solomon Empire."

    ''His'' gaze was finally pulled to a gothic castle as ''He'' saw two angels walk out of the balcony, one of them holding a brass book.

    Adam''s golden eyes be deep and mystical for a brief moment after seeing those angels. Then, ''His'' gaze was drawn to his finished book, which he took and ced within his robes.

    ''He'' raised his hand, as a new book appeared from nowhere on his hands.

    Adam gently caressed the ck cover, as illusory letters appeared on it in a jumbled fashion, eventually joining to form a title on the book, which said,

    "Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire."

    ''He'' opened the book and took the quill, writing on the first page.

    "--------The Beginning--------"

    Adam, on the other hand, did not continue, but instead closed the book and ced it in his robes. ''He'' then rose from ''His'' seat and walked in the direction of the gothic castle.

    ''His'' figure vanished among the crowds under the illumination of twilight.

    ------------------

    Two angels walked out of a room onto the balcony of the gothic castle, their figures illuminated by the twilight.

    The angel in front had brass-coloured hair and golden eyes. He had attractive features, but exuded a schrly air. He was holding a brass book in his right hand.

    The brass book is the uniqueness of Justiciar pathway!

    The angel following behind had brown hair and a sharp, reserved face. He had blue eyes that were filled with indifference.

    They were Trunsoest and Alitsa Tudor, the subordinates of the Solomon, ck Emperor.

    Trunsoest came to a halt at the edge of the balcony and looked out over the city. His eyes were hesitant, and his heart was full of self-doubt and questions.

    His grip on the brass book tightened as his gaze wandered to the royal pce in the heart of the city. His eyes was drawn to the waving g atop the spire. He instinctively took a step back and dare not look at it again.

    Alitsa noticed this and grabbed his shoulders, causing Trunsoest to turn to face him.

    "Trunsoest, there is no turning back. Every minute counts from now on, as our lives hang in the bnce. The majesty will soon discover what is wrong, and Mr. Door will be powerless to protect us by then."

    Alitsa said solemnly, but a tinge of jealousy rose in his eyes as he looked at the Trunsoest in front of him.

    However, seeing his hesitation, which didn''t go away even after hearing this, Alitsa sighed and took his hands off the other''s shoulders.

    "In the end, it''s your choice." He said it firmly, as if he was willing to die alongside Trunsoest even after being exposed.

    Alitsa finally said, as his blue eyes gleamed. "Remember our dreams, Trunsoest. They cannot fade alongside us."

    What Alitsa and Trunsoest didn''t realise was that they weren''t alone; a priest was nearby, quietly watching everything that was going on.

    A sh of blue light appeared near the priest, and a ck-haired man materialised nearby.

    Bethel Abraham, Mr. Door!

    Bethel stood silently next to Adam, gazing at the two angels and listening in on their conversation.

    Finally, he asked Adam.

    "Do you think he''ll be able to do it?"

    Adam finally turned to face Bethel. ''His'' golden eyes, which were always serene and calm, gleamed brightly as ''He'' looked at Bethel for a brief moment, which went unnoticed by Bethel.

    Then, ''He'' replied softly, as ''His'' gaze fixed on the golden sun on the horizon.

    "It''s always the unexpected ones that surprises everyone in the end....."

    Bethel''s brows furrowed in surprise, and he remained silent. They were just standing in the twilight of the sun, watching history repeat itself.

    Trunsoest took a breather at the edge of the balcony to calm his raging emotions.

    He looked at Alitsa, and his words echoed in his ears.

    ''Remember our dreams, Trunsoest. They cannot fade alongside us.''

    Soon, thest words of Eternal zing Sun during the meeting shed through his mind.

    ''Trunsoest, with your own hand, you will usher in the new era. The era of order and justice will arrive, just as you envisioned.''

    ''My Dream...'' Trunsoest thought as his entire life shed before his eyes, those lies and deception stinging his heart.

    He walked forward, his eyes shining, thest of his hesitation and self-doubt gone, as did the pain in his heart.

    He opened the brass book, which began to flicker with light, and a divine aura erupted from him.

    The divine aura morphed into massive symbols of the six gods that hung in the sky. Soon, the symbols entered Turnoest''s body one after the other, under the blessings of six gods.

    His figure expanded into a gigantic ck shadow that covered the entire sky, holding the brass book in one hand and a illsuory bnce scale in the other.

    Turnoest gazed at the Solomon Empire, illuminated by the twilight, as the brass book shone brightly.

    He dered, as his majestic voice reverberated throughout the world.

    "All rules are ineffective."

 Chapter 56: Chaos and Order

    Chapter 56: Chaos and Order

    "All rules are ineffective."

    As a sh of brass light swept the Solomon Empire, Trunsoest''s majestic voice reverberated around the world.

    "Trunsoest!" A furious voice thundered from the royal pce, and an aura of "chaos" erupted, sweeping the empire like a ck tide.

    The authority of "chaos" and "order" collided in a magnificent war for dominance, as the reality around the entire empire began to glitch.

    Despite the ck emperor''s desperate efforts, the Solomon Empire began to crumble, as if it were nothing more than a fragile sand castle hit by a powerful wave.

    "No!" "Your Majesty!" Exmations rang out across the empire as realization struck everyone.

    The "Rules" woven into the reality of the empire by ck Emperor gradually faded under "Order" of Trunsoest.

    Trunsoest''s "Order" is also far from simple; it contains his subconscious desire for the ideal empire he dreams about. The authority of "Order" exerted on reality was based on his dreams, so it wouldn''t be wrong to say that his dream began to influence reality.

    Trunsoest was able to do this due to the Justiciar Uniqueness, and the authorities of the six gods assisted him throughout the ordeal. He was able to aplish thisrgely due to the "Order" of Aucuses supporting him, the "Life" of Lilith relieving him of the burden, and, finally, Amanises'' "Concealment."

    The "Order" finally shed with ck Emperor''s "Chaos," who fought to prevent it from influencing and changing his empire.

    However, even with the support of six gods, Trunsoest''s "Order" will only be short-lived.

    The reality around the empire flickered and glitched at phenomenal rate. With each glitch, the reality altered.

    One moment, it was a paradise with order and bnce.

    Another moment, it revealed a distorted empire riddled with chaos and corruption.

    The ever-changing realities in the glitches eventually converged on these two. The changes in reality were profound, as everything within the empire was changing as well.

    Themon people in the capital walked around wearing asymmetrical styled dress, but due to sudden glitch in reality, their dress transformed into noble suits and gowns identical to the fashion in the outside world.

    Their habits and manners, which were diametrically opposed to world standards, also changed to perfectly match it. The crooked and lopsided buildings, as well as the streets andnes, became normal and orderly.

    This type of change urred not only in the capital but throughout the Empire, but this paradise of order did notst long, as the twisted Solomon Empire retuned, with yet another glitch.

    The majority of people in the empire werepletely oblivious to changes; however, they can be considered fortunate whenpared to angels and archangels, who were conscious throughout the entire alterations of reality.

    This seemed to go on indefinitely, as the authority of "Order" and "Chaos" shed for dominance.

    Soon, bnce was finally broken. Despite the fact that everything seemed to take an eternity, it had only been a few seconds in reality. Finally, the changes eventually settled on the same twisted and distorted Empire.

    As "Order" began to crumble, "Chaos" won. With its fall, however, it alsopletely destroyed the rules woven into the reality of the Solomon Empire.

    Suddenly, the sky around the entire world changed as the sun in the horizon rose to the middle of the sky and a crimson moon rose from the other end of the sky.

    The sun and moon appeared in the sky at the same time, as one part of the sky became day and another part of the sky became night.

    At this point, "Rules" of Solomon werepletely lifted, allowing the gods to directly extend their power into the empire and removing Solomon''s established advantage.

    The radiance of the celestial bodies illuminated the Solomon Empire, eventually converged on the royal pce in the heart of capital.

    At a perceptible rate, royal pce became imaginary. However, "Chaos" sprang from within the castle once more, attempting to twist the trajectory of the light of sun and moon.

    However, it failed, as the light of the sun and moon shined brightly throughout the castle, illuminating the entire structure. The royal castle then vanished from the material world.

    Trunsoest''s figure returned to normal in the balcony, and he began falling to the ground unconscious. As the light faded, the brass book dropped from his grip as well.

    Alitsa grabbed him and the book, his hands still quivering and his eyes filled with horror and despair as he remembered what he had just gone through. The entire experiencepletely scarred his heart forever.

    He was jolted out of his stupor as a hand was ced in his shoulders. Then he turned around to see Mr. Door standing there.

    "Leave the capital as soon as possible." As he nced at the sun and moon in the sky, Bethel murmured solemnly. "The war of gods is about to begin..."

    "However, where could we possibly go..." Alitsa was nevertheless cautious, given their traitorous status.

    "Pray to Earth Mother." As his figure dissipated, Bethel said. "She''ll look after you and help Turnoest in his recovery..."

    With his disappearance, the entire capital began to tremble as if an earthquake had struck, and nts and trees began to grow at an astonishing rate.

    Alitsa, seeing this, did not hesitate to mentally recite the honorific name of earth mother. In the next moment, he and Turnoest vanished from the capital.

    People were racing about around the capital, terror and panic obvious on their faces, in the midst of the mayhem.

    They were indifferent, as they stamped on the national g, which they once regarded as more important than their own lives.

    Adam was sitting on the same bench; ''He'' nced at the g on the dusty ground before taking ''His'' new book and starting to write on the first page.

    "Tudor-Turnoest United Empire."

    "-Beginning-"

    "Chapter- 1 : Betrayal."

    ______________________

    In the vast astral world - which was even more abstract than the spirit world, seemed to epass all of the universe''s authorities and symbolism.

    In this infinite space filled with illusory stars, a gothic-styled pce appeared.

    Two enormous figures floated towards the castle from the corners of the astral world.

    A woman wearing a long,yered ck dress that was notplicated but had countless stars speckled on it.

    A pair of huge arms covered in dark ck short hair grew out of both her torso and waist, but there was a beautiful and gentle face covered in thin ck gauze.

    One of her two hands held a massive scythe, and the other held the crimson moon. The remaining pair held nothing as though she was holding an invisible object.

    Amanises, Evernight Goddess!

    A man wearing silver armour with golden streaks that gleamed with light. He had an angr face, short white hair, and his golden vertical iris that glinted brightly.

    A pair of massive wings emerged from his back shoulder,posed of fiery golden features that coated with mes.

    He held a purple book in one hand and an exaggerated sword bathed in red light in the other.

    Aucuses, Eternal zing Sun!

    With their approach, the royal pce began to copse. The massive walls, spires, and tower fell one by one, revealing a figure sitting on a ck throne to the astral world.

    The figure was a middle-aged man in royal robes and a ck crown. He had long ck hair that reached his hips and deep ck eyes. He had angr features and exuded aura of authority and sternness.

    Solomon, the ck Emperor!

    Solomon sat on his throne, his expression calm and majestic, overlooking the two godsing for his life from above.

    When his gazended on the white-haired god, his deep ck eyes shed with rage, and his fingers were tightly pressed in his armrest, nearly cracking it.

    "Auceses." Solomon spoke in low voice, but anyone could sense the seething rage hidden within. "It''s you again.." His eyes shed with memories of humiliations he had suffered as a result of Aucuses to everything that had happened up to this point.

    His tone finally changed as his face twisted in rage and his ck eyes shone brightly. His voice rang out across the astral world as he mmed his arms against his throne, shattering it.

    "You took everything from me!"

    _____________________

    Was the war between "Order" and "Chaos" good? That part took me a long time to write, because both of those authorities are too abstract. But I did try my best.

 Chapter 57: Ravings and Horror

    Chapter 57: Ravings and Horror

    Whoosh!

    Solomon was greeted with a colossal sword soaked in red light, which was thrusted with such force by Aucuses that it entirely shredded the very fabric of reality.

    A phantom of crimson moon rose just above the sword. The crimson moonlight with the authority of "Yin" flowed onto the sword. The moonlight swirled around the de beforebining with the red light on the sword, further saturating the light and turning it blood red.

    ''What the hell is this sword?'' Solomon thought in shock, while all of his senses and instincts screamed in danger, the kind that could take his life in an instant.

    He was most surprised by the sword. Within the sword, he felt the authority of "Twilight" and "Sun." He couldn''t fathom how that was possible in the first pce. The authority of "Yin" was nowbined with the sword, making it even more powerful.

    Just then, a legend about Aucuses that he had heard when he was an archangel shed through his mind. He had dismissed it at the time because he thought the legend was outrageous and false, but this was totally due to his prejudice against Aucuses.

    ording to legend, the white angel betrayed the creator by stabbing his sword into the creator''s heart under the twilight of the sun. The sword waspletely stained with the blood of the creator. It also said to have cast "Twilight" over the entire world before to the cataclysm, foreshadowing the end.

    This legend led many people to im that the sword of Aucuses was the most powerful weapon on the.

    If this is indeed that sword, he is certain that he has no chance under it. Solomon felt remorse as he reflected on his past. But he didn''t dwell on it and instead focused on the situation at hand.

    He didn''t use his authority to twist anything rted to the sword, because he knew it would utterly fail.

    The sword was ripping the fabric of reality; without the foundation of reality, his authority would bepletely vulnerable. He cannot bring disorder to void because there is only nothingness in void. This was one of his weaknesses, which he had recognised a long time ago, and he had already devised a method to make up for his weakness.

    Solomon rose from his shattered throne and gazed at the blood sword. He raised his hand and made a twisting gesture, while also asserting his authority of "Disorder."

    But, just then, a sound ofughter pierced his ears, echoing around him.

    Solomon''s hand froze, and his gaze was drawn to Aucuses who was staring at him, while thrusting the blood sword towards him.

    Aucusesughed, and the purple book in his hands shimmered. The eye in the centre of the book cover began to glow with light.

    He opened his mouth and spoke words that mostmon people wouldn''t understand.

    These words entwined to form terrifying and crazy ravings.

    "You are truly amusing, Solomon."

    "You recall the angel in whom you had the most faith. Trunsoest is truly one-of-a-kind. As he seeks order and justice above all."

    "It''s odd that you trusted him despite knowing all of this. But, considering your character, you must have dismissed him as a coward and weakling, but ironically, he was the first to nail your coffin shut."

    "Your empire, of which you were so proud, is copsing. Your ostensibly loyal subjects are showing their true colours."

    "How do you feel, Solomon?"

    "Betrayed by those closest to you and abandoned by those who swore allegiance to you. To be left all alone in this dark cosmos, only capable of witnessing your life crumble before your eyes and being powerless to prevent it."

    "How does it feel, Solomon??"

    "And it''s quite funny, Solomon. That you still think everything I did was just to destroy you?"

    "Let me tell you the truth. Everything I did was designed to bring down Sasrir. It''s amazing to think that ''He'' has continued to dominate the and shape it to ''His'' liking even after ''His'' death."

    "You, on the other hand, are nothing more than a poor worm in my way."

    Aucuses was deliberately using "information" to fill up the ravings, through the authority of "Knowledge". He used this to subject Solomon to the effects of a two-pronged attack: the mental corruption caused by his ravings, and the corresponding information to distract and torment him.

    He did this to disrupt Solomon''s actions and push him to the brink of losing control, allowing him to thrust his sword into Solomon and kill him in a single blow.

    His ravings are far from ordinary; with the authority of the hermit and the status of god, his ravings can affect even true gods. This is even more so for Solomon, whose anchors are copsing along with his empire.

    At that instant, the ravings of Aucuses echoed in Solomon''s mind like sharp des piercing through his psyche, tearing down his mind.

    The information poured into his mind, presenting everything that was going on in the world.

    The fall of his empire, the betrayal of the angels'' families, indifference of everyone...

    The pictures reyed in his mind again and again, striving to dismantle him into thest of his bits.

    Solomon''s form copsed onto his throne, bing pitch ck like shadow, with countless eyes sprawled all over him.

    He was filled with regret, pain and agony when he saw those images, and the emotions began to cloud his mind and heart.

    However, he was able to suppress these ravings and emotions for a split second due to his sheer willpower and authority. He then asserted his "Disorder" authority without hesitation.

    He distorted the concept of "Sound", while also distorting the concepts of "Space" and "Distance" surrounding his figure, to increase the distance between him and the sword. Despite the fact that he knew this distortion would be immediately broken with the reality shattering of the sword. This will at least buy him some time, which he desperately needs.

    The ravings was silenced and the blood sword that was close to his vision be distant.

    Immediately seizing this opportunity, Solomon desperately used his remaining anchors and authority to stabilise his mind while removing the information and pollution in his mind.

    His mind and body improved visibly; the eyes on his shadowy figure began to fade one by one. He finally avoided the fate ofplete loss of control.

    But, just then, a sh of golden light swept through the surroundings, with the aura of "Order."

    The "Order" of Aucuses rendered his distortions in the concepts of Sound, Space, and Distancepletely void.

    As he felt the "Order," Solomon''s eyes shed with deep hatred. The previously silenced ravings resurfaced in his ears, and a distant red sword appeared not far from him.

    However, he refused to sumb to the same attack and rose from his throne.

    Suddenly, he was startled to see a burly figure.

    A divine woman in a long ck gown appeared. Her face was draped in ck gauze. She had a smile, which was visible through her gauze.

    ''Amanises...How?!..... Concealment!!" Solomon realised. However, his realisation came toote.

    When his gaze fell on Amanises''s smile, his face contorted in horror and fear. He appeared to have witnessed something beyond hisprehension or peered into the unknown itself.

    Amanises'' honorific name also includes the Empress of Horror!

    Aucuses'' ravings also increased at the same time.

    Solomon''s figure copsed as an invisible storm of fear and ravings tore through his mind and wreaked havoc. His sanity was slowly eroding, pushing him over the edge.

    Aucuses increased the force of his sword thrust after noticing this. He intended to kill Solomon with a single blow of his sword.

    Solomon finally gave up stabilising his copsing condition, as he saw the red sword right in front of his heart. Hisst sanity desperately sought use authority of "Disorder" onest time.

    He did not distort "fear," "sound," "time," or "reality," as one might expect.

    But it was something he had only recently discovered within himself.

    Misfortune!

    He was cursed with misfortune by Amanises during the battle, which he didn''t realise untilter due to her concealment and his poor mental state.

    Then, he distorted the concept of "Misfortune" itself!

    Solomon immediately felt the ravings and fear leave his mind, and his copsing figure came to a halt. He regainedplete lucidity.

    He began to have illusions, that the entire world revolved around him, and that he was the centre of it all. He didn''t get lost in this feeling, though; he knew it was due to the blessing of "Luck", which he had received through distorting misfortune. It also enabled to him to temporarily to get ride of his desperate situation.

    Solomon saw the red sword approaching his chest and about to pierce his heart. He didn''t hesitate to use all of his power at this time.

    "Chaos!" He roared, and a divine aura erupted from him.

    Crack!

    The reality around his figure cracked and copsed like shards of mirror.

    Solomon used his authority of "Disorder" to destroy very "Order" of reality, causing everything to fall into chaos!

    Before the sword could pierce him, the endless surging chaos consumed his figure and throne,pletely covering everything like a cocoon.

    Aucuses'' eyes narrowed when he saw this. But, his sword still advanced, zing towards the torrent of chaos.

    ng!

    When it finally collided, a sh of orange and golden light erupted, lighting up most of the astral world within the barrier and even making the barrier visible.

    A massive, indescribable face with bloody tentacles appeared to cling to the transparent barrier at that moment. This indescribable being''s gaze was entirely fixed on the Aucuses.

 Chapter 58: Historical projection

    Chapter 58: Historical projection

    Aucuses floated in the infinite space above the beautiful. His gaze travelled across the northern continent, witnessing chaos and war.

    Under hismand, the angels of the six churches began to invade the Solomon Empire and eliminate any resistance. The light and thunder zed across the empire, wreaking havoc.

    He saw the cities being engulfed in me and lightning storms. The screams of pain echoed in his ears before being silenced forever.

    Chaos. Destruction. War. Fear.

    He saw it all in the continent beneath him. He was well aware that he was the source of all of this. His eyes reflected the burning people and destroyednds.

    Even so, he was indifferent. Seeing the devastation caused by his actions, his heart didn''t even flutter with any emotions.

    This was not because his divinity made him apathetic. He didn''t try to deceive himself into believing that these were necessary sacrifices for a new and prosperous era to arrive; in fact, he couldn''t care less.

    Other than his own people, he waspletely unconcerned about others. He didn''t care what happened to them as long as those he cared about were safe and his goal was met.

    He recognised his own selfishness. But that''s just who he is. He wasn''t going to change that for anyone or anything.....

    "Did you find Solomon?" Amanises asked.

    She was floating alongside him in the infinite space, turning to look at him.

    "You know, there are times when I truly despise fate." Aucuses stated as he raised the purple book in his hands.

    "I didn''t expect him to distort my misfortune at thest minute." Amanises said, looking away.

    "It isn''t your fault. Your concealment couldn''tst much longer." Aucuses said as the purple book in his hand began to shimmer with light. "In addition, Solomon gave up on attempting to stabilise his body and mind. He''s still as daring and reckless as ever."

    "Fate, on the other hand, does not favour him." Amanises added ethereally, "Even though your attack was unsessful and he managed to escape thanks to his luck." With a chuckle, she emphasised luck. "Ultimately, he was still affected by twilight."

    "Come on." Aucuses spoke up suddenly, his eyes glowing purple. "I tracked him down. He is in his divine kingdom which in the sky of no-man''snd. Despite his situation, he seemed have made every effort to cover his entire kingdom in many distorted rules in order to keep us from finding him. But, it''s a shame he''s facing me..." He said it with a smile.

    "Is it because of information?" Amanises inquired ethereally, as she looked at the purple book.

    "Let''s go." Aucuses said nothing in response to her question. He did, in fact, track down Solomon''s hiding ce using the information he used to corrupt him. "He''s mostly on the verge of losing control. Let''s get rid of him once and for all."

    "So, it''s indeed information." Amanises concluded in ethereal tone, simply after hearing him.

    Aucuses sighed, and turned to look at her. "There is not a lot of time..." He paused and looked down on northern continent, as his face be solemn.

    "Adam.." Aucuses murmured as his gaze was drawn to ise, who was holding a book, and Adam, who was walking towards ise.

    Adam appeared to have noticed his gaze and looked up, staring at him with a gentle smile. Before, averting his gaze and approaching ise.

    ise was given the mission of Lucas to take the Grossele travels from Mobet Zoroast. Because of the chaos, isepleted the mission quickly. He had already left the Solomon Empire under his arrangements.

    He is also now certain that the Grossele travels is a sequence-1 characteristic of the visionary pathway.

    However, Adam intercepted ise. Quite "Coincidently", there were also present in no man''snd.

    Aucuses was getting a headache as he considered the possibilities.

    And he can''t descend personally because Solomon is still alive. But it does note to a point where there is no other option. He had already told ise what he should do in this situation. He knew that there would be situations like this in the war of gods, so he devised a perfect counter-n.

    However, he is unsure whether he will seed in the end, given that he is up against his formed lord.

    "What are you going to do?" Amanises asked. She also looked at Adam from the Astral world.

    "I already have a n. Come on, let''s go and y Solomon and be done with it," Aucuses said finally, shaking his head.

    ______________________

    Northern Continent, No Man''s Land.

    ise was someone that could be described as fearless and indomitable. He had be an angel in the path of the fool despite all the difficulties in his path, which were far greater than any other, through sheer will and a little bit of luck.

    With his lord, he had confronted the gods themselves, and he had witnessed horrors beyond mortalprehension.

    He never feared death at any of those time; on the contrary, he danced in and out of death''s embrace every day of his life. Even if his lord asked him to go on a death mission, he would walk to his death without hesitation. So, there aren''t many things that can affect the heart of angel of miracles.

    However, ise was now confronted with a situation that caused his indifference and calmness to fade.

    ise noticed a priest approaching him slowly.

    In the face of the most terrifying king of angels in existence, he didn''t actually feel any fear like the most.

    Yes, the angel of imagination was far more terrifying to ise than even the infamous angel of time.

    He was not actually afraid, but he waspletely overwhelmed by the mere presence of the angel of imagination, his emotions spiralling out of control.

    Just as the angel of imagination''s golden eyes locked on him. He had the impression that everything around him waspletely striped and could be seen through by other. He felt like his life was nothing more than a book that the angel of imagination could easily read through.

    It truly disturbed him and reminded him of the first time he met the angel of imagination, one of the memories he avoided recalling.

    Despite his chaotic heart, ise''s expression remained unchanged on the surface. He turned to face Angel of Imagination.

    "Your Excellency." He unexpectedly greeted, his grip on the book tightening. His other hand was already in his pocket, reaching for a purple charm.

    "ise Larson." Adam spoke gently. "It appears that you have been doing well since thest time."

    "It''s all because of my lord''s grace..." ise was humble.

    "Aucuses.. " While staring at ise, Adam''s eyes shone brightly.

    ise''s heart clenched in anxiety as he reached for the purple charm. Eventually, he resisted the urge because he was still under Adam''s gaze.

    "It''s a pity, ise. You are quite special," Adam said abruptly. "You are better suited than Antigonus and Zaratul, to progress further on the path of fool."

    "However, fate does not favour you..."

    When ise heard that, he was taken back in his heart. Even though he is eager to advance, he is also well aware that the chances of him doing so are slim. Even his lord is powerless to help him.

    "It doesn''t really matter much to me anymore."

    As he responded, his expressionless face revealed a smile.

    Adam exchanged a silent look with ise before looking up at the sky.

    Rumble!

    As the entirend beneath them rumbled, a pure ray of light emerged from the horizon, instantly covering half of the sky.

    The thick darkness appeared on the opposite side of the sky and collided with the pure light.

    As darkness and light collided, a twisted divine kingdom appeared in the sky above the vast expanse of light and darkness.

    ''Now!'' When ise noticed the angel of imagination focusing elsewhere, he seized the opportunity.

    ''Knowledge.'' As the purple charm in his pocket began to glow with light, he uttered in his mind.

    Then, an endless torrent of information and knowledge poured down on Adam''s mind.

    Actually, ise knew that this attack would have no effect on the angel of imagination. But this was done to buy him some time.

    Then, ise quickly stretched out his right hand to grab the air.

    A figure appeared in front of him as he drew his arm back.

    The man had neat blonde hair and golden eyes. He was dressed in white robes with a sun emblem. He had attractive features and exuded a gentle aura.

    This was the historical projection of Lucas, Angel of light.

    The historical projection of Lucas that he summoned, on the other hand, was somewhat special.

    As he looked at Adam, the angel of light''s dimmed eyes regained their brilliance, and divine aura erupted from him.

    His figure emitted an endless stream of pure light, as though the sun itself had descended on the world.

    The lord had descended into the world on asion, using Lucas as a vessel. He summoned Lucas'' historical projection from one of those specific times.

    This projection was now equivalent to a portion of his Lord!

    Adam cast a nce at ise. He didn''t seem to be affected by ise''s attack in the least. He just stood there and watched, not intervening.

    His gaze was drawn to the figure emitting pure light.

    "Adam..." Aucuses smiled. "It''s been an a while."

    ___________________

    An illusory divine kingdom floated in the sky, in an endless state of disorder and chaos.

    A colossal sword shed through a section of chaos, as rays of light and darkness shone into the kingdom, causing a portion of the area to return to day and night.

    Aucuses emerged from the light, holding a massive sword that hung down naturally, causing the tip to touch the ground.

    "Your bravery and boldness astounds me, Solomon." Heughed. "However, it''s not going to change your predetermined fate any time soon."

    Then, Aucuses walked forward, his sword being dragged across the chaos, causing the illusory ground to split apart, producing glimmers of pure sunlight.

    Deep within the chaos, Solomon sat on his ruined throne. His figure had changed drastically from before.

    His long ck hair had turned white, and his face and body were wrinkled. His royal robes were ripped, and his ck crown was shattered.

    His eyes were tightly shut, and his expression was twisted as his body trembled. He appeared to be in endless pain and agony.

    Solomon''s closed eyes opened as he heard Aucuses'' voice echo in his ears. He looked tremblingly at the Aucuses who had invaded his kingdom.

    As the darkness thickened, Amanises appeared in the night, holding a massive scythe and a crimson moon.

    She flitted towards Solomon as soon as she descended, following Aucuses.

 Chapter 59: The end of an era

    Chapter 59: The end of an era

    Aucuses advanced, raising his finger and pointing to the illusory ground. A blinding golden light condensed and shot out of the tip.

    The light was illusory; it passed through the divine kingdom''s ground, heading towards the continent below.

    Then he looked ahead, at the chaos that was enveloping everything in his path like a ck ocean.

    ''Really...'' Aucuses grumbled as he saw the endless chaos in the path, rushing towards him like a raging tsunami.

    From the chaos, he can sense bone-chilling hatred and seething anger. He can see that this was just another pathetic attempt by Solomon.

    With his prying eyes, he had already seen through Solomon''s condition. Solomon is on the verge of losing control, due to his information polluting him and twilight injuring him.

    The twilight ensured that Solomon''s desperate situation remained unchanged, no matter how Solomon tried to stabilise himself with his authority. He was going insane at the moment, trying and failing every single time.

    ''Let''s switch things up!'' Aucuses had previously decided to go and y Solomon with Amanises in the depths of the twisted kingdom.

    But he decided to dismissed it. As, the northern continent is bustling with action! His presence is also needed in many ces. Despite being a god, he now feels somewhat helpless.

    What about the northern continent, you might ask? Previously, when he swept his gaze across the continent, he noticed Cheek and Bethel together. In the sea of ruins, there was also another war of gods going on with Sasrir. More importantly, Adam is right directly beneath him. So, there is really a lot going on down there.

    Finally, Aucuses decided. He turned to look at Amanises, who was following close behind him, his eyes began to glow purple as he ryed information about his new n to her.

    Amanises paused in her path and made a grapping motion in the air with one of her empty hands. She then turned gaze at Aucuses and nodded, before fading into the darkness.

    Now, Aucuses faced the oing chaos and raised the purple book in his hand.

    The purple book in his hand became illusory, before turning into a stream of light. Then, it shot into his body.

    Aucuses'' purple eyes gleamed, and a divine halo dawned behind his head.

    An outline of a bnce scale began to condense in his empty hand.

    He intended to use his "Knowledge" authority. But, he had no intention of visualising anything with knowledge.

    Yes, Hermit''s true power was far more than just visualisation of knowledge.

    The authority of "knowledge" in the hermit pathway can be summed up in a single sentence:

    "With knowledge as the fulcrum, I shall move the entire world."

    The knowledge authority enables the maniption of thews of the world. This, however, is far from easy to achieve. One must have sufficient knowledge and have thoroughly analysed all avable information about thatw before being able to manipte it.

    This was also why he had never used this aspect of authority in any of his previous battles. He didn''t have the time or patience to sit and analyse aw, which could take many years. It''s is never easy to analyse aw, especially in the world of mysteries, and it also takes an enormous amount of time.

    However, Aucuses is now using the authority of knowledge to manipte thew of order. He will have no trouble manipting the order because he himself holds and represents the authority of order.

    He was nning on a ultimate move,bining his authority of "Knowledge" and "Order." If he didn''t miscalcte, the next move is on par with the supernova attack he used to deal with Mother Goddess of Depravity.

    As he began, his heart was filled with anticipation and excitement. He didn''te up with this n right away; he already had such an idea when he first got his hands on the hermit uniqueness.

    Aucuses floated up in the light, holding an illusory bnce scale in one hand and a sword in the other.

    He closed his eyes, as a white cloth materialised and covered his eyes.

    His perception of the world changed in that instant.

    He saw the order that made reality itself. It was like shimmering brass lines on the fabric of reality, coursing through it like veins. They support reality and hold everything together.

    Even though he had sensed its presence before, this was his first time seeing it so clearly.

    He intuitively knew that all he needed was a thought tomand and control it.

    At the moment, he was very close to bing a representation of "Order" on earth. He didn''t know whether, in this state, he would be above or equal to justiciar. But, it doesn''t really matter much to him.

    How powerful is he now?

    Aucuses smiled as he looked around at the raging chaos. The illusory scale in his hand sparkled with light.

    A vast divine aura erupted from him, breaking through the restraints of the divine kingdom to cover the entire world.

    Deep within the chaos, Solomon, who was using thest of his power to attack Aucuses and Amanises, felt all of his instincts scream in danger.

    However, before he could do anything, a crimson moon rose above him.

    Amanises emerged in front of the crimson moon. The crimson moonlight merged with the darkness around her with a wave of her hand, further saturating it.

    The crimson-darkness then swept over Solomon, melting everything in its path.

    The figure of Solomon on his ruined throne froze entirely under the illumination of the crimson-darkness, as if time itself had stopped for him. The reality around him was slowly eroding; it looked as though everything had been drawn into a mosaic painting.

    Aucuses looked at this, then raised his bnce scale as chaos trembled around him. His figure began to emit an endless stream of pure light.

    "No more chaos."

    He dered, as his voice revebarted around the world.

    The bnce scale radiated a terrifying shimmer of light that illuminated it all.

    The "Chaos" of Solomon was erased from reality wherever the light passed. The light also swept the entire world in that moment, as everything and everyone below gods and kings of angels came to a halt for a brief moment. The very order of reality itself also became visible before dissipating.

    In the sky of no man''snd, the twisted divine kingdom that floated disappeared, leaving only a floating figure.

    The figure was Solomon, and his body was illusory and ethereal, it looked as if he would disappear at any moment.

    His anchors had copsed, as had thest remnants of his empire that supported him.

    In the end, he was alone, just as that bastard implied.

    Heughed at the realization, releasing suppressed emotions, as he also felt his sanity crumble.

    To top it all off, a massive curved de pierced his back, while Amanises and Aucuses floated above and before him.

    Aucuses smirked. Then, he thrust his red sword through Solomon''s chest, piercing into his heart, and draining his remaining life.

    "Yo-ou ba-satrd..." Solomon whimpered painfully between fits ofughter. His mad eyes were fixed on Aucuses.

    But, hisughter suddenly froze.

    Aucuses'' indifferent voice echoed in his mind.

    "Do you think you got away with it, Solomon? How pathetic. I''m already aware of your so-called resurrection ns. Don''t worry, I''m not going to stop your resurrection though, because you''re still a valuable chess piece in my ns."

    "Do you finally understand, Solomon?"

    "As I previously said, you are nothing more than a poor worm that never escaped my grasp."

    As the words echoed in Solomon''s mind, his eyes widened in horror and fear. His mind racing and his thoughts sluggish.

    In the next second, Solomon''s horrified eyes finally dimmed, his face frozen in terror. His body copsed and crumbled. Then, it fell into the world below.

    Somended in no man''snd, interfering with the mythical battle below. Some crushed on the Solomon Empire''s capital, drowning countless people. Some merged with lucky creatures, transforming them into insane and powerful monsters...

    The gs of the Solomon Empire began to fall from their poles and onto the dusty ground.

    Finally, twilight erupted from the sword of Aucuses and shone on the copsed empire, signifying the end of an era.

 Chapter 60: Adam and Aucuses

    Chapter 60: Adam and Aucuses

    A few moments ago...

    Northern Continent, No man''snd.

    Aucuses and Adam confronted each other in the ruins of the battlefield, stained with mes and blood, as the war of gods continued in the sky.

    "You seemed to have been through a lot, Adam." Aucuses smiled as he walked towards Adam, holding Grossele travels. "Did your father''s death affect you that much?"

    Adam remained silent as he watched the Aucuses, who descended through historical projection.

    Then, a shimmer of light shed across his hand, morphing into a golden cross.

    The cross caused Aucuses'' eyes to narrow. He actually felt a threat from the cross. Despite the fact that he has descended through historical projection and his power is far from his full might, his senses remain the same.

    ''As expected of ''Him''.'' Aucuses thought calmly, knowing full well that Adam had not revealed everything in the original timeline.

    Adam was able to shape the majority of the fourth epoch and even the most of the future. ''He'' indirectly manipted Solomon, causing the gods to be suppressed. Whether it was Sasrir or Adam, they were both a part of the Ancient Sun God. So, what he inferred is indeed correct.

    He is fairly certain that Adam is far more powerful than ''He'' appears to be. Like him, the ancient sun god intricately ns for every situation. So, even if Adam pulls out something shocking, he honestly wouldn''t be that surprised.

    He knew that the chances of him losing this battle were too great, unless his true body managed to descend after dealing with Solomon. Also, there is Grossele Travels in his hands.

    One might think, this is sequence 1 characteristic of visionary pathway, just by taking it, won''t he cut off the path of godhood for Adam?

    But, Aucuses was well aware that things would be far from simple. Adam is the "Divinity" of the ancient sun god, which added far too many variables to the mix.

    He has no idea how much power Adam really has now or what his hole cards are.

    Is the Chaos Sea included? He had no idea. He could, however, guess that even if Adam found a way to connect to the chaos sea, he would not do so until the fifth epoch, for the same reason that he isn''t touching that sea despite also having found a way to connect to it.

    The reason for this is that the God Almighty will is also strong in this era. He is certain that Almighty will began awakening in him the moment he established a connection with the sea.

    And now there''s this cross, and even though he can''t see through itpletely, he can feel a holy aura emanating from it, that''s very simr to ''His'' back then.

    Again, there are so many variables that just thinking about them gives him a headache. These will not be a problem if his true body is present, but the situation ispletely opposite and unfavourable right now.

    Nheless, he had no intention of backing down. Even if he loses, he will be able to see through Adam. This is also required for his future n against Adam.....

    Adam gave a gentle smile. "Father wille back, Aucuses." ''He'' looked the Aucuses in the eyes. "He will rise once more and reim the authority that rightfully belongs to ''Him.''"

    "It''s no surprise Amon refers to you as a zealot." Aucuses'' brows furrowed as he stood before Adam, staring at him. He then stated, "I am also waiting for ''Him''. I killed ''Him'' with my own hands in past. I''ll do it again in future." He said it word for word.

    "You betrayed ''Him,'' Aucuses." After hearing his words, Adam corrected him. "At ''His'' lowest point, when ''He'' waspletely vulnerable."

    "Yes, I did." Aucuses admitted. "However, so what?" He spread his arms wide open. "We live in a crazy world where even I, a literal god, can easily die under certain circumstances. I had to learn this lesson the hard way, Adam. I was filled with arrogance when I was a king of angels. I waswless and unrestrained. I waged war on gods under ''His'' banner and in the name of spreading ''His'' glory. But, everything I did was just to satisfy my own vanity and hatred."

    "However, ''He'' noticed my problem and took it upon ''Him'' to teach and correct my ways." He said in low voice. "Then ''He'' took me right in front of the barrier and made me see into the cosmos and the horrors thaty within..."

    "I felt so small and helpless. This was a huge blow to my past self." Aucuses stated. "This is what caused everything to change. At that moment, a fire ignited in my heart. A fire called ambition."

    "In the end, that fire burned down the world and civilization itself." Aucuses said as he raised his hand.

    A blinding ray of light fell from the sky, sent by his true body, and struck his hand. Under the blessing, his divine aura and power began to emerge visibly.

    Adam heard everything and remained silent and calm, but his eyes and the cross in his hands began to glow golden.

    Aucuses smirked and pointed with his finger at his heart. "The fire still hasn''t been extinguished, Adam..."

    As the golden sun in the sky expanded, he raised his hand and clenched it. The res of sun descended into the world, morphing into terrifying white swords.

    Meanwhile, Aucuses continued, as he looked at Adam.

    ".....Rather, it is burning brighter than ever before."

    Finally, he waved his hand down as white swords fell from the sky and zed towards Adam, each with the power to pulverise the entire earth.

    Then, Aucuses looked up at the sky and yelled.

    "Leodero!"

    Silver blots of lightning erupted from the void, illuminating the entire northern continent in blue hue and striking down on Adam.

    "Amanises!"

    The darkness of the night sky solidified and surged straight down, devouring everything in its path, including reality. It crashed from the sky to the ground like a tsunami, heading straight for Adam.

    Light. Darkness. Thunder.

    Everything descended towards Adam, intent on destroying him.

    Adam''s expression stayed unchanged as he observed everything. Then, he held up a golden cross and pointed to the sky.

    The cross shone brightly as it rose from Adam''s hands and expanded into a massive cross that pierced the sky.

    The cross, which emitted holy light, stood before Adam.

    ''Authority of light.'' Aucuses contemted the cross. ''No, this is somewhat different; I have no control over it. But, it''s indeed light..''

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    White swords, thunder blots, and raging darkness smote down on the cross. Despite its trembling, the cross remained standing. The attack of gods was concentrated on the cross and had no effect on the world around it.

    While their attacks melted upon contact with light of cross, the cross began to dim and visible cracks appeared, under theirbined bombardment. It appeared as if it could copse at any moment.

    Adam''s voice suddenly echoed in the surroundings.

    "The historical projection of Lucas..."

    He began to make a prophecy to destroy the historical projection. Why would Adam use the name Lucas instead of Aucuses? After all, the historical projection that was summoned was off Lucas Reyes.

    What does Lucas'' historical projection have anything to do with Aucuses?

    However, before he could finish the prophecy, Aucuses dered.

    "Speaking is prohibited here!"

 Chapter 61: Ancient Sun God

    Chapter 61: Ancient Sun God

    "Speaking is prohibited here!"

    Before Adam could finish his prophecy, Aucuses dered.

    The dimming light of the cross, on the other hand, brightened and illuminated the surroundings.

    Except for Aucuses, attacks of other gods had ceased. Unlike him, who is present here, Amanises and Leodero, who are fighting battles in the sky and sea of ruins, cannot send their power down here indefinitely.

    On the illusory and ethereal surface of the light that illuminated the surroundings, words began to take shape:

    "The historical projection of Lucas Reyes dissipated as the summoning time limit expired."

    Aucuses dered that speaking is forbidden here, but that doesn''t mean Adam can''tplete his prophecy in other ways.

    Aucuses noticed that his projection was bing dim and illusory. He, on the other hand, ignored it and dered once more.

    "All prophecies are null and void."

    The words on the illusory sea of light''s surface faded away, as did the sea of light.

    There was no longer a golden cross or white swords; instead, there was a massive yet illusory bone dragon.

    Adam stood beneath the bone dragon. As his golden iris shone with light, he looked at the bone dragon.

    Through his uniqueness, Adam began to use the authority of "Visionary." He intended to give "life" to the bone dragon temporarily.

    A terrifying aura filled with madness erupted from the bone dragon.

    The dragon''s hollow eyes were lit up with an illusory light, that shimmered like mes.

    When Aucuses saw the bone dragon, he cursed in his mind. He made another deration without hesitation.

    "Acts of giving life are prohibited here!"

    However, before he could even establish the order with reality, he sensed it bing void.

    Simultaneously, a phantom of divine dragon began to materialise around the bone dragon.

    Soon after, a majestic divine dragon appeared, with silver scales around most of its body and golden scales from under its neck. The dragon had massive wings that seemed to be able to cover the entire sky. It also had numerous golden and white horns that adorned its head.

    Ankelwelt, Dragon of Imagination!

    Roar!

    A terrifying draconic roar echoed around the world, and everyone, whether gods fighting in the sea of ruins or the king of angels who were already focusing here, stared in astonishment at the divine dragon.

    ''Shit! Fuck!'' Aucuses cursed repeatedly as he felt the gaze of the divine dragon, which is actually under the control of Adam.

    However, before he could do anything, he noticed that everything was fading into eternal darkness.

    He was immediately aware of what had urred. He''d been attacked by Adam and the remnant power left behind in the corpse of ancient god.

    Before sumbing to endless darkness, thest of his consciousness had only one thought.

    ''I fucking hate visionary''

    ________________________

    Aucuses awoke, gasping for air. It took him a few moments to get his breathing under control.

    Then the realisation hit him, and his face became solemn.

    He was in the valley between two mountains. The path ahead is rocky and rugged.

    Most importantly, despite the fact that the sky was bright, there was no sun visible.

    Aucuses had reverted to his teenage self. He was dressed in ragged robes. His face was dirty, and his hair was messy and unclean. The ragged robes were torn in many ces, revealing his skinny body, which was covered in scars all over. He was holding various sun pathway beyonder characteristics.

    This is the eastern continent during the second epoch!

    This is also one of the most significant events in his life. This is where his life and fate were forever altered. Subconsciously, he always recalls this memory.

    Aucuses turned around to see ugly and ferocious demons charging at him, barring their yellow and sharp teeth. As they approached his figure, their eyes were filled with malice and hunger.

    Despite the fact that nothing was different from reality, he knew this was a dream.

    He was aware of it instinctively.

    This was the moment in his life when he was forced into desperation. He was almost convinced that he was going to die or lose himself.

    He still clearly recalls his teenage self fleeing the oing horde of demons while clutching the characteristics in his hand. The demons were far more powerful than him, and all he could do at the time was flee.

    It drove him to despair, to the point where he didn''t care about the consequences and instead wanted tobine with the characteristics in order to have silver of chance.

    But that''s when his life changed, because he happened to run into someone at that exact moment....

    Aucuses ignored the demons and looked ahead. His eyes were filled withplex emotions.

    A man stood not far from him. ''He'' was dressed in ck clergy robes, with a silver cross around ''His'' neck. ''He'' had golden eyes that burned like the sun. ''He'' held a ck te in ''His'' hands.

    Ancient Sun God!

    Aucuses looked at creator, whose gaze was fixed on him.

    Unlike in his memories, the creator''s eyes were indifferent and apathetic. He already knew that the creator had recognised him. As his reflection in the eyes of the creator was not his teenage self, but his present self.

    Then, he noticed the creator turn around and walk away without looking back.

    ''The creator abandoned him and left him to die.''

    This thought appeared out of nowhere in his mind, causing his emotions to spiral out of control.

    He was filled with rage, regret, pain, and rage....

    These emotions erupted in his mind, corrupting him.

    However, his figure emitted an infinite amount of pure light, as if he had be the "Sun" that descended into the world.

    Under the light''s illumination, everything melted. The entire dream world started to crack as well.

    Aucuses rose from the cracked ground, his face calm and indifferent, as the sun res burned away all of Adam''s influence.

    "Adam..." He said in low voice. "You really have some powerful tricks up your sleeve, don''t you?"

    "However, it''s my turn, Adam. Let me give you a taste of your own medicine."

    A bnce scale appeared in his hands as a dreadful shimmer of light swept the dream world with the authority of "Order."

    _______________

    The dream world changed under the authority of "Order," revealing an astral world riddled with cracks and fissures.

    A massive golden sun stood in the middle of the astral world, but it was slowly dimming, as if it might extinguish at any moment.

    The sun was surrounded by Gods and King of Angels except the white angel, all of whom were battered and bruised. Their eyes were filled with a myriad of emotions, but they all shared one simrity: fear.

    Inside the sun, Aucuses floated towards the creator, who was kneeling in an infinite ocean of light.

    The creator''s body emitted infinite amount of light, while also breaking and copsing.

    "What are you doing here, Aucus..?" The creator asked, ''His'' voice worn and tired.

    However, ''He'' was cut off, as a white sword stabbed into ''His'' chest and pierced into ''His'' heart, draining ''His'' remaining life.

    "I''m sorry, my lord..." Aucuses spoke, but his tone was cold and his eyes were indifferent.

    "AUCESES!" The creator yelled, and the entire astral world trembled in response to his rage.

    Just then, a calm yet powerful voice spoke up.

    "Enough, Aucuses."

    The entire dream world built by authority of order copsed with that voice.

    ______________________

    In the realm of the mind, where only thoughts and dreams exist.

    Aucuses stood in the midst of a constantly changing environment.

    "What are you waiting for?" He said. "I''m not going to give you a grand wee every time, like I did for you back then."

    A figure appeared in front of him; it wasn''t Adam, but;

    Ancient Sun God!

    With a gentle smile, the Creator stood before him. Despite looking at Aucuses, ''His'' golden eyes were still filled with kindness.

    "When did you find out?" Aucuses asked in low voice.

    "I knew it the moment I saw you, Aucuses." The Creator replied gently. "I watched you grow up and also raised you. I know more about you than you realise, Aucuses. Also, you didn''t even bother to hide it."

    "That is debatable." Aucuses chuckled. "Given how you reacted after I stabbed you through the heart."

    "It was a different time, Aucuses." The Creator stated, "You can probably guess what happened at that point..."

    "So, it is indeed Almighty....." Aucuses muttered.

    "Yes." The Creator smiled and nodded. "The primordial one tampered with my omniscience."

    "You''ve also changed a lot." The Creator continued, ''His'' golden eyes fixed on Aucuses. "Different yet simr to your past self."

    "I get that a lot these days." As he raised the grossele travels in his hands, Aucuses spoke. "However, I still lost to you."

    "Don''t give up." The Creator said. "Who knows, maybe you''ll be the one to win in the end."

    "Is that a prophecy?" Auceses inquired, his brows raised.

    "It''s a blessing." The Creator said gently, as ''He'' waved ''His'' hand. The historical projection began to fade.

    "Do you ever regret it?" Aucuses inquired as his figure began to fade away. "Saving me back then."

    The Creator smiled, but did not respond as ''He'' watched the historical projection fade away. ''He'' took the grossele travels and walked ahead into the infinite expanse of light.

 Chapter 62: Cheek

    Chapter 62: Cheek

    Northern Continent.

    Amanises took the characteristics of the prince of abolition and put them in her kingdom. While Aucuses held the ck crown, the uniqueness of ck emperor.

    Suddenly, Aucuses fell into a trance as memories of the fight flooded his mind.

    He smiled wryly, as he considered the words of creator.

    The Creator especially blessed him. He honestly didn''t know what to think about it.

    Moving on, he is also not surprised that Creator was able to find that he knew ''His'' identity and has seen though ''His'' disguise of Adam. As ''He'' stated, this has nothing to do with power; ''He'' really knew him very well.

    Aucuses was well aware that this would be revealed in some way in the future. So, this came as no surprise to him.

    He now has an educated guess as to how much Adam truly possesses, and this guess doesn''t include chaos sea.

    All he can say is that Adam is freaking powerful. He really hates "visionary."

    But, he understands why the creator chose the visionary path; it has too many advantages for ''Him,'' as ''He'' said in original timeline, and it''s truly the best way for one to be god almighty in the end.

    He, on the other hand, was not the type to back down in the face of an impossible challenge just like this. He would not have been able to be who he is now if he had been someone like that.

    Finally, he was also free of the doubt that had gued him for so long. As, he got the answer from the creator.

    The creator possessed omniscience. So, why wasn''t ''He'' aware of his betrayal beforehand? If ''He'' had known about it, he would not have reacted the way ''He'' did when he stabbed ''Him'' in the heart.

    Now, Aucuses has the answer: it''s because God Almighty tampered with the Creator''s omniscience, leaving the Creator in the dark about the betrayal of ''His'' angels.

    But, this only raised more questions in his mind.

    Why would the Almighty do such a thing? After all, the creator was on the verge of bing a pir. The chances of sessfully awakening of God Almighty in the creator were extremely high. Even if the creator''s n was sessful in the end and they did not betray ''Him'', there is still a significant risk and possibility.

    However, God Almighty indirectly influenced the fall of the ancient sun god.

    Was this all part of Almighty''s grand n?

    Was his fate then too controlled in the past?

    Is his meeting with the creator also arranged?

    The questions that arose in his heart nearly caused an existential crisis and made him to question everything.

    He is not being overly dramatic. But, pirs are truly that terrifying. God Almighty is also on par with the Lord of Mysteries. Given the terrifying ns left behind by the Lord of Mysteries, he did not believe that God Almighty had left nothing...

    ''Let''s deal with things as theye...'' As he pressed his worries and anxiety, Aucuses finally thought. Other than that, there was nothing else he could do. After all, he was now too weak inparison to them, so all he focused on now was getting stronger.

    ''Oh'' Aucuses'' heart was filled with bitterness as he remembered the creator taking him before the barrier and making him see into the cosmos. ''It''s ironic that, despite everything I did to get rid of my weakness, nothing seemed to have changed in the end.''

    "Did you lose?" Amanises'' voice drew him out of his reverie. His bitterness was washed away as he focused on her and the situation on the hand, returning to his calm self.

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded, while Amanises'' eyes be deep and thoughtful.

    "The book fell into his hands." Aucuses said, turning to face her, while putting the uniqueness of the ck emperor aside. "Adam is one step closer to Godhood." He said it to Amanines on purpose.

    "So, the book is the sequence 1 characteristic." Amanises muttered and continued in a soothing tone. "However, considering everything, your loss was justified. I was also taken aback when I saw the Ankelwelt rising to the sky."

    "Don''t you think visionary authority is rigged?" Aucuses said with a wry smile.

    "Authority of visionary has an advantage." Amanises nodded, but she continued. "However, it gives the impression that it is "Rigged" and "Terrifying" to many, only because of Adam. After all, not everyone has a cathedral built from the bones and corpses of gods."

    "Do you think there will be Flegrea''s bones in that cathedral?" Aucuses asked, as he looked at Amanises'' hairy arms.

    Amanises fell silent for a moment, and she did not return to divine form from mythical creature form, even under Aucuses'' gaze.

    "It doesn''t matter if ''He'' has that wolf''s corpse." She said this as she floated in front of him, her lips curved into a smile visible through her gauze. "After all, ''He'' is not my adversary, unlike for you." She paused, as if she was contemting something, and then she finally spoke.

    "Aucuses, tread carefully. ''He'' is not as simple as ''He'' appears."

    Aucuses'' smile faded and he looked at her solemnly. He enquired. "Why are you telling me this, Amanises?"

    "I don''t think of you as someone who could be kind and generous for no reason. Especially to me, who has stood against you, many times in the past."

    Amanises said. "The future is bleak, Aucuses." With her finger, she pointed to the cosmos. "Inparison to the dangers that we will face, the minor differences between us are insignificant."

    "Oh?" Aucuses asked, "Is that a proposal for an alliance?"

    "No." Amanises said ethereally. "Think of it as insurance for a better future."

    Aucuses just gazed at Amanises, not asking any further questions into this.

    "Come on." Then, he said. "There is still another war of gods going on in the sea of ruins. It''s best if we go there..."

    Suddenly, Aucuses paused and raised his gaze to the astral world.

    He grumbled. "Bethel has a lot of guts to keep going against us."

    "Forget about Bethel." Amanises dismissed him, as she gazed at the Astral world. "Are you going to put a stop to Cheek''s ascension?"

    "No." Aucuses stated tly. "Do you?"

    Amanises remained silent, which indicated her position.

    "Well." Aucuses said with a smile. "Her ascension will, at the very least, end the war of gods and usher in the new era with beautiful fireworks."

    "Fireworks.." Amanises said in a strange tone, looking at him. "At the very least, Aucuses, try to be serious. Her ascension will bring disaster second only to cataclysm."

    Aucuses shrugged. "We''re not leaving anyway. Others who are fighting will stop as soon as they sense this and will immediately support at that time. So, there will be no problems."

    Amanises and Aucuses didn''t speak further, as they noticed the start of the apotheosis ritual in the astral world.

    _____________________

    The astral world.

    Cheek, The King of Angels of Demoness Pathway, stood in front of vast cracks in reality caused by the war of gods.

    She knew it was time. Her dream is almost a reality. She endured all the agony and pain for this dream. Finally, she was here; for a brief moment, it seemed surreal that she had made it despite everything.

    "Cheek, are you sure?" Bethel inquired, standing not far away. "Aucuses and Amanises are already focusing here."

    "It doesn''t make a difference." Cheek smiled, her smile was enough to enchant everyone, regardless of gender. "There is no better chance than this, Bethel. I''m almost there. I''m not backing down at thest minute."

    "Bethel, I owe you one." She carried on. "For doing this."

    She was only able to arrive in the astral world and even close to the remains of the Battle of the Gods due to the assistance of Bethel, while he, by doing so, contradicted the six gods once more.

    "It''s nothing." Bethel shook his head. "To be honest, I always expected you to be the first of the three of us to be a god, given your reckless and decisive nature."

    "You''re also not far from Godhood." Cheek stated as she turned to face him. "If you ever decide to advance. In the war, I will be on your side." She made a promise.

    "War? Howe you say that?" Bethel inquired, somewhat sceptically.

    "I have a feeling the six gods will not be happy, especially....." Cheek paused, pointing to the colossal golden sun at the centre of the sr system. "So, if you choose to ascend. I''ll be on your side."

    As he gazed at the golden sun, Bethel remained silent.

    Finally, he said.

    "Let''s leave that forter."

    "There isn''t much time left, so best of luck, Cheek."

    His figure dissolved into blue starry dust.

    Cheek looked at the starry dust in silence for a moment, before looking forward.

    She started walking towards the cracks in the very fabric of reality....

 Chapter 63: Primordial Demoness

    Chapter 63: Primordial Demoness

    Cheek walked ahead, in a space with no gravity. It didn''t appear to bother her, as if she were exempt from all the materialws.

    She looked at the vast cracks, that were slowly closing in the fabric of reality. She knew the cracks would soon heal, as reality repaired itself, even if they weren''t that obvious yet.

    Her heart was racing, and she was filled with anxiety, stress, and even fear.

    When talking about the gods, she appeared fearless in front of Bethel.

    But, truth be told, she was terrified of them, since she had no idea how they felt about her.

    There was also so many variables, ahead of her that could easily kill her, but she still walked forward without hesitation.

    As, there was no better time for her promotion than now. Her path represents disaster and end, while some gods will not want her to ascend in the first ce.

    That''s why she chose now, during the war of gods, when the gods don''t have much time to focus on her...

    She can, however, feel the gaze of the Eternal zing Sun and Evernight Goddess on her.

    Despite this though, she did not stop. This was her dream. She can finally control her own destiny. She didn''t have to constantly hide and be afraid of losing her life.

    She remembers the cataclysm. The massive golden sun in the sky turned orange, and the entire earth was illuminated by twilight. The twilight didn''tst long though, as a storm of thunder and a wave of degenerative darkness quickly followed...

    She lost everything in that cmity. She was also not among the fortunate few who received the protection of Gods and the King of Angels. Despite her desperate pleas for help, no one epted her.

    She still survived, losing everything, and leaving her heart scarred for life.

    In this darkest hour of her life, she saw the world for what it truly was. Then, she realised the significance of power.

    Her desire to be a god was thus be to be.

    To be honest, all she ever wanted was to survive in the end.....

    Cheek finally stopped. She wore a long white gown with ck stripes. She had a ne with a ck diamond iid around her neck. Her hair was long and straight, reaching her hips.

    Her facial features were breathtakingly beautiful, enough to lure anyone, regardless of gender, and drag them into the depths of depravity.

    She was surrounded by cracks in reality, like a cracked mirror.

    This was caused by the battle between Eternal zing Sun, Evernight Goddess, and ck Emperor.

    In silence, Cheek gazed at the sr system, passing the sun in the centre, then Mercury, Venus, and finally stopping on Earth.

    Meanwhile, her mind wandered to the apotheosis ritual of Primordial Demoness/Chaos Demoness.

    "Ritual: Cause reality to copse, bringing everything to an "End"; chaos before creation. Then, drink the potion for advancement in the midst of the chaos."

    It is quite difficult for anyone below gods, with the exception of Medici, Bethel and Adam, to actually destroy reality.

    Even Cheek, who wields the power of cmity, can only cause reality to crack, which saps all of her power.

    She has a long way to go before she can bring reality tumbling down around her. However, if she had previously amodated the Uniqueness of Demoness pathway, she should have been able to. But, it has been difficult to amodate one''s uniqueness before bing a god, since the fall of the creator.

    Finally, she eventually arrived here in the ruins left by the battle of gods. This entire reality here is weakened and cracked.

    This was an excellent opportunity for her to assert her authority and bring down the weakened reality as a whole.

    The conditions are ideal for her. Situations like this are unlikely to ur again. This was why, despite the dangers, she was determined to go on...

    "It''s time."

    She murmured, as a cataclysmic aura erupted from her and swept around her.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The healing cracks in the fabric of reality came to a halt. Then, all of it began to deepen and expand outwards into the astral world.

    Boom!

    It all came crashing down in the next moment and everything copsed into chaos around her as the centre.

    Cheek stood in the midst of the raging chaos, her body visibly disintegrating as well.

    She ignored this, raising her trembling hands, which were copsing into chaos, and twisting them with struggle.

    A blob of grey liquid formed in front of her, unaffected by the chaos. She willed it towards her with thest of her strength.

    The grey liquid swooped down on her. The liquid began to wrap itself around her, extending and changing like a translucent skin.

    Then, Cheek''s figure copsed into chaos, taking the shape of snakes. She began assimting with chaos before creation, bing one with it.

    This was the most dangerous part of the ritual, as one could be lost forever in the chaos.

    If Cheek is to seed, she must not be consumed by the chaos. And, she finally needs to rebuild her body within the chaos in order to ascend to be the chaos demoness.

    The snake-like figures that were dissipating in the midst of the raging chaos, shone brightly with grey light. They materialized and began to congregate in the centre.

    On Earth, the six gods stood in a circle around the entire, looking solemnly at the chaos before them.

    The chaos was spreading at an incredible rate, covering the majority of the outer space between Mercury and Earth. It won''t be long before it collides with the Earth. Nheless, the six gods still did nothing.

    The expanding chaos came to a halt after a few moments, as footsteps echoed through the astral world.

    Cheek emerged from the chaos, her eyes pitch ck and her hair bloated, each strand of her hair transformed into slithering snakes. The outeryer was slick and sinister, with clear ck and white eyes embedded at the tips. They flicked their tongues with their mouths slightly open.

    The Primordial Demoness was born!

    She suddenlyughed, herughter piercing, making all who heard her, feel her intense emotions as well.

    Immediately, an aura of "End" erupted, nketing the entire astral world within the barrier.

    Cmity erupted, ranging from a seemingly minor mishap to a world-ending catastrophe, manifested in reality.

    Every continent experienced earthquakes, and many people suddenly dropped dead as a result of diseases, idents, and misfortune.

    Tidal waves raged above the five seas, almost reaching the sky, while being capable of destroying continents itself.

    The blue sky changed as a cluster of zing meteorites appeared and plummeted into the world, many of which had the power to destroy the entire.

    The raging chaos that had paused in the astral world began to surge towards Earth, like a beast seeking to devour the entire.

    (Image Here)

    "Ombe!" eximed Aucuses. "The Justiciar Uniquness!"

    Lilith immediately raised her hand, as a brass book appeared. Then, she threw it towards Aucuses.

    "Everyone." Aucuses'' eyes shone purple, sending information about his n to all the gods.

    Even if the gods work together to stop this, the earth will still undoubtedly suffer as a result. But, he has a n that will put an end to it all in a timely manner.

    The gods nodded, even Leodero and Herabergan agreed. They then raised their hands in unison.

    Above Aucuses, the symbol of five gods appeared. The symbols glowed with light, illuminating his figure.

    The authorities of the five gods only shallowly supported Aucuses. It could at most be regarded as a blessing. It didn''tbine with him like it did with Trunsoest; after all, he is god, and doing so will not end well for him.

    Aucuses'' eyes turned brass as a bnce scale appeared in his hand. His calm gaze was fixed on the raging chaos.

    He dered, as his majestic voice reverberated in the astral world,

    "I will have order!"

    The brass book emitted a shimmering light, illuminating the astral world within the barrier.

    The light erased the concept of "End" brought into reality by ascension of Cheek.

    The terrifying chaos vanished, as did the disasters. With it, order was restored to reality.

    The light converged, revealing Cheek, who was still smiling, her eyes reminiscent of the past.

    Her dream hase true.

    In chaos, she was finally reborn....

 Chapter 64: Death Toll

    Chapter 64: Death Toll

    The next day...

    Tenebrous Heaven, Amantha Mountains.

    The six gods were present at a long ck table, and on the table was Uniqueness of the ck Emperor and Justiciar, as well as three characteristics of Prince of Abolition.

    Trunsoest, Alista, and Diana stood in front of the table, staring at the six gods and items on the table.

    Trunsoest and Alista were summoned by the six gods, while Diana, the only archangel called up by the six gods, to represent the angels of the six gods as a whole.

    "Your excellencies, Here are all the characteristics that we acquired during the war." Diana stated with a frail tone in her voice.

    However, she still took the characteristics from the blue bag she was carrying and ced them on the table.

    The characteristics of a Miracle Invoker, Trojan Horse of Destiny, two weather warlocks, one bncer, and one soothsayer were ced on the table.

    The majority of it was obtained by ying angels of noble families, while the soothsayer was an angel under Ouroboros.

    Diana finally took thest characteristic and ced it. Unlike others, she specifically mentioned it.

    "Hand of Order, Your Excellencies, it''s a sequence 1 characteristic. Trunsoest gave it to us. It was previously in the possession of the ck Emperor." She looked at Trunsoest, who stood beside her.

    Trunsoest nodded in acknowledgement, as he felt her gaze.

    However, whether Diana, Trunsoest, and Alista, they were ovee with emotion in their hearts, as they gazed at everything on the table.

    After all, it was a sight to behold that two Uniqueness, as well as four sequence 1 characteristics and many sequence 2 characteristics, were all on the same table.

    Despite this, they saw that the gods werepletely indifferent.

    "How are our losses?" Leodero spoke up after a quick nce at the characteristics, pausing only on miracle invoker.

    "Your Excellency, we lost one-third of our angels in the war." Diana looked at the Lord of Storms and said calmly, "We have retrieved all of the characteristics and they are being returned to the respective churches."

    Leodero remained calm; after all, it was war, and there would be casualties. However, he noticed that Aucuses had not suffered much loss. All of his angels are still alive and well. He knew this wasn''t just happenstance; he can now see the meticulous nning and arrangements made by Aucuses to ensure that.

    He couldn''t decide whether tough at Aucuses for caring so much about angels despite being a god, or to be cautious and wary of Aucuses.

    One thing he is certain of is that Aucuses has changed significantly, so much so that he fell him a greater threat from him, than Herabergan.

    This gave him a sense of crisis, like never before.

    Leodero decided that rather than giving Aucuses enough time to n, he would seize an opportunity, as soon as, it appeared and perform a fatal strike on Aucuses.

    He also knows that such an opportunity will take a long time toe, because the contract of Aucuses forbade any battle between the six gods. So, as long as, the alliance exists, there will be no war between the six gods...

    Other gods in the ck table were also calm, with their own thoughts while looking at the sequence 2 characteristics on the table.

    "You are free to leave, Diana." Aucuses said, However, he saw hesitation on her face, knowing that there is still a lot of inform and also receive orders from them. "Go gather all the angels and saints of the six churches. You will receive information from Trunsoest and Alitsa, as well as the orders through them." After finishing, he looked around at the other gods to see if anyone objected.

    Seeing no one, he finally nodded to her. Diana bowed onest time before exiting the room.

    Boom!

    With her departure, the doors closed, and the six gods finally focused on the two traitors standing before them.

    Alitsa and Trunsoest were both trying their hardest to maintain theirposure in the face of the gods'' piercing gaze. They felt as if everything about them was being scrutinised and analysed, which honestly, they didn''t like at all.

    "How much is the death toll, Alista?" Aucuses finally broke the silence, as he looked at Alitsa Tudor.

    Alista Tudor, When Aucuses looked at the angel of Solomon, he saw such a thirst for power that reminded him of himself.

    Alista tried his best to conceal it while looking at the uniqueness and characteristics of the ck Emperor. However, in front of the gods, the mask he attempted to wear was useless.

    But, despite the fact that Alista''s thirst for power is simr to his own, that was the end of it. There was no other resemnce or simrity. Though he saw a madness hidden in the depths of Alitsa, the type who would do and disregard anything to achieve his own goals.

    Alista looked surprised, as if he didn''t expect the gods to question him first. Nheless, he responded immediately after reviewing the report that they were able to collect.

    "It''s around 19 million, your excellency." Despite saying such a heavy number, Alitsa''s voice remained calm andposed.

    "That''s a lot more than we expected." Lilith said this while rubbing her temples and digesting the astronomical numbers. Unlike the other gods, she was still somewhat concerned about lives of mortals. "We actually lost 1/5 of the northern continent''s poption during this war."

    The other gods were indifferent; this was not because divinity affected them. They were immortals who had witnessed the fall of an entire civilization, and their feelings for mortals had long since faded.

    "Your excellency, the total loss of life in the war is only 10 million." Alista continued, his tone and expression bing solemn and grave, after noticing the concern of the earth mother.

    "The remaining nine million were the result of the ascension of Primordial Demoness and the fall of the ck Emperor."

    "Arge number of people died suddenly as a result of fatal diseases that contaminated and instantly killed them."

    "There were also minor idents that resulted in many deaths. ording to another report, people who had no prior health or mental problems appeared to die suddenly, without a clear cause. There have been numerous incidents like this."

    "The situation bes even more bizarre when somemitted mass murders before taking their own lives."

    "Arge number of beyonders went out of control, turning them into mindless monsters with only the desire to destroy and kill. We''re still not sure if this has anything to do with Primordial Demoness."

    "And the Solomon Empire''s capital, with nearly poption of one million, was destroyed as a result of the ck emperor''s remains falling onto the city."

    "Finally, we have a definitive report that the majority of the nine million deaths were primarily due to diseases."

    Trunsoest, who was listening, stayed quiet. His hands were clenched, and his eyes were filled with anguish.

    While, Aucuses who heard such figures remained indifferent. But, his thoughts wandered to his anchors.

    His anchors are still fine; even though they were harmed, the damage was not severe. As, the Solomon Empire bore the brunt of the casualties in the war.

    "You don''t have to be concerned, Ombe." After fully hearing the report, Herabergan spoke up. "With time, the poption will recover."

    This was all he had to say tofort her. It was the truth, even if it appeared cruel.

    Lilith remained silent and looked at the other gods. She finally sighed and reclined in her seat.

    "All right, let''s move onto the next issue." Aucuses spoke while his gaze was drawn to Trunsoest. "The angel families."

 Chapter 65: The Continent

    Chapter 65: The Continent

    Trunsoest looked up, taking a deep breath to calm down. With trembling hands, he began speaking.

    "It''s all right, Trunsoest." Amanises intrerrputed, soothingly. "You did nothing wrong. There has never been war without bloodshed. And, imagine the era that is about to arrive."

    Trunsoest''s restless heart became tranquil as Evernight Goddess'' voice echoed in his mind, reminding him of the future.

    Finally, he stared at the Eternal zing Sun and began recounting events concerning the angel families.

    "As soon as the war began, most of the angel families betrayed the Emperor. But there was still resistance from the Augustus family, the Tamara family, the Zoroast family, the Zaratul family, and the Sauron family." He paused and looked up to see if the gods had anything to say. He witnessed Eternal zing Sun acknowledged him with a nod and motioned him to continue.

    "However, with the emperor''s demise. Except for the Zoroast and Zaratul families, all of the families have surrendered."

    "Despite their conditions, both of those families publicly dered their allegiance is still with the ck Emperor."

    "We are powerless to intervene because two archangels are present in the families, and we are still recovering." He finished by looking at the gods, waiting for their verdict on these two families.

    "I didn''t expect to find idiots like those two among archangels." Leodero scowled.

    "So, what are we going to do with them? Their confidence in standing us against all of us, however, is sceptical," Badhiel said. "I believe Solomon must have left something behind with them." He made an educated guess.

    "The Zaratul and Zoroast Families should be eliminated." Aucuses proposed indifferently,

    "I agree." Amanises gave a nod.

    "But, Aucuses, saying is one thing; doing is quite another." Herabergan shot back. "Our forces are no longer sufficient topletely eliminate them."

    "Indeed." Aucuses acknowledged. "However, our angels will have enough advantage in the future to lead a crusade against the two families."

    Herabergan remained silent at that, as did the other gods, expressing their stance at this.

    "Trunsoest, don''t confront them head on and just suppress them through all means, includingpletely cutting off their territories from the rest of the world." Aucuses gave an order to Trunsoest, then turned to face Lilith. "If you could, Ombe, curse theirnds to remain barren forever. This would ruin their families."

    Lilith nodded as she heard this. While, Trunsoest was paying close attention to his words.

    Meanwhile, Alista''s thoughts wandered from the moment he heard the god ofbat mention emperor.

    "Let''s move on to the next issue." Aucuses said, as he waved his hands.

    A sh of light erupted slightly above the table, morphing into a projection of the northern continent.

    The northern continent disyed the Solomon Empire and the kingdoms of six gods.

    "The six kingdoms will join the newly formed empire." Aucuses "dered", as the projection changed. There were no more six kingdoms or the Solomon Empire, only one newly formed empire that covered the entire northern continent. "The empire will only follow the faith of the six gods!"

    His words resounded in tenebrous heaven, as an invisible fluctuation appeared on the reality, breaking through restraints of the divine kingdom and sweeping the reality of the northern continent.

    Across the northern continent, a "Order" was established.

    Alitsa and Trunsoest shook, their eyes filled with horror and terror. The angels of the ck Emperor Pathway have a far superior sense and understanding of rules than others. This was why they were terrified, because the very rules andws of reality changed with just the words of the Eternal zing Sun.

    Even their emperor couldn''t do something like that before.

    Alitsa and Trunsoest, who are so different from one another, but they now share same fear: Eternal zing Sun.

    "Now, let us decide which city will serve as the capital." Aucuses said, looking at the gods, who didn''t react like those two. Still, Herabergan''s eyes shed with surprise, and Leodero was gloomy.

    Then, he waved his hands, and four dots of light appeared on the projection, with names appearing below them.

    Backlund, Feynapotter, St. Millon, and Trier.

    "Those are the options avable to us. These four cities are the most developed on the northern continent," Aucuses said.

    "While..." He pointed to Backlund. "It is now the most popted city on northern continent, as the Solomon Empire''s capital has been destroyed."

    "Let''s go with Backlund." Amanises responded immediately.

    "Trier is better." Badhiel made a suggestion.

    The other gods remained silent, but their gazes were drawn to Backlund and Trier.

    Aucuses deliberated on amon ground.

    "Let''s vote."

    "Backlund."

    He, Amanises, Leodero, and Herabergan all voted in favour by raising their hands.

    "That''s it. Backlund shall be the capital." He "dered" once more.

    Badhiel, on the other hand, did not back down and proposed a new idea.

    "How about we divide the empire into four provinces? Backlund shall be the capital of both the empire and an province, while the other three cities shall be the capitals of the other three provinces."

    "Brilliant idea, Badhiel." As he took another look at the giant, Herabergan was genuinely surprised.

    Hearing this, Aucuses nodded before turning to face the other gods, who remained silent in agreement.

    "Turnoest, you will be in charge of drawing the borders of provinces." He assigned, while Trunsoest was jolted out of his trance by the sight of gods shaping the continent to their liking right in front of him, and nodded solemnly.

    Finally, Aucuses waved his hands as the projection of the northern continent vanished and the empire''syout was finalised.

    "There is still an important issue, Aucuses." Amanises said ethereally as she looked at Alitsa and Trunsoest.

    "Who will rule the empire?" She asked the most important question.

    The meeting room fell silent and the gods all looked at the Trunsoest and Alitsa.

    ''Here it is.'' Alista sighed nervously as the moment he had been anticipating arrived.

    Trunsoest remained unusually calm in the face of the gods'' scrutiny. He had no idea if they would pick him. But he will wholeheartedly ept the decision of the six gods, even if it is against him.

    "Double consul." As his starry eyes twinkled, Herabergan proposed. "Let them both rule the empire, with the ability to veto each other''s decisions. This will serve as a check and bnce between them."

    ''As expected of him...'' Aucuses observed Herabergan, with his brows raised.

    This type of government may work in the normal world, but it will notst long in the extraordinary world. It was doomed to fail in the future.

    Herabergan should have guessed about the ck emperor and even pried into fate, knowing that the fate of this empire is already sealed.

    He was simply hastening the copse of the empire; as the empire crumbles, so will the alliance of six gods.

    Aucuses can be certain that, Herabergan should have already begun nning for the uing war of four emperors.

    "Let''s put it up for a vote." Aucuses spoke up, before anyone else could say on this. He intended to end this quickly.

    "For Double Consul."

    He, Amanises, Herabergan, and Lilith all voted in favour.

    "Then it''s settled." He said. While Alitsa''s disappointment was palpable, Trunsoest was also surprised by the gods'' decision.

    Aucuses raised his hands and took two sequence 1 characteristics from the table. Then, he hurled it at them.

    "As rulers of the empire, one should have at least enough power to match and suppress their subjects in order to maintain the order and stability." While they both looked at him, he said. "So, promote to archangels soon. This is also a payment from us."

    Alista look the characteristics of the prince of abolition; at the very least, this alleviated his disappointment, and the prospect of getting closer to Godhood almost made him leap with joy.

    He stifled his excitement and looked for Trunsoest''s characteristic. His eyes were filled with relief.

    Trunsoest''s characteristic was Hand of Order, Sequence- 1, Justiciar Pathway.

    Aucuses smirked slightly, as he noticed Alista''s relief.

    Finally, he said.

    "The only issue left with the empire is naming it."

    "Let''s name it, The Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire."

 Chapter 66: The Uniqueness and Characterises

    Chapter 66: The Uniqueness and Characterises

    Amantha Mountains, Tenebrous Heaven.

    The six gods finally looked at the characteristics on the long ck table.

    Tudor and Trunsoest had already left after their receiving orders.

    "The sequence-2 characteristics..."

    "Let''s take one each, in order of who contributed the most to the war," Aucuses said, breaking the silence.

    Then, he took the characteristic of the Trojan Horse of Destiny, Sequence-2 of the Error Pathway.

    He really doesn''t need anything else besides this. It would be difficult to raise an angel from scratch. However, there is demigod from error pathway in his church.

    Aucuses doesn''t mind bestowing this characteristic to that demigod, if she could prove herself to be worthy and capable.

    The church of gods is not monolithic about the pathways, as in the future. Each church contains beyonders from various paths.

    All six gods have seen the sphemy te. Their understanding of potion forms extends to all 22 pathways. If they want to, they can easily grant forms for other pathways.

    The other gods said nothing when they saw him take first ce; after all, Aucuses was the one who made the whole thing possible.

    Amanises then chose the Soothsayer, Sequence-2 of the Wheel of Fortune Pathway.

    Then, the other four took the one they wanted, and they were,

    Lilith selected the Bncer, Sequence-2 of Justiciar pathway.

    Leodero chose the Sequence-2 Miracle invoker of the Fool pathway.

    While Herabergan and Badhiel held the characteristics of Sequence-2, weather warlock of Red Priest Pathway

    "That''s the end of that." Aucuses stated. Then he pushed the Uniqueness of the ck Emperor and Justiciar to the front. "The ck Emperor."

    "Solomon could resurrect again. Even though I erased Solomon''s twisted "Order" andpletely destroyed his empire, the nine mausoleums remain..."

    "I''ve already found two of those..." Leodero interpreted solemnly. "We must eliminate them as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that Solomon will be sessfully resurrected."

    "As Badhiel said before." Lilith spoke up as she looked at Badhiel. "Those two families could be rted to the mausoleums, and they could even be protecting it."

    "That''s a certainty..." Aucuses nodded; they hadn''t discussed it before because of the presence of the Trunsoest and Tudor.

    "I believe Solomon left some arrangements. He should have known that if he died, we would search and destroy his mausoleums," Badhiel spected.

    "Are you able to see the nine mausoleums, Herabergan?" After hearing all of this, Amanises inquired of Herabergan. If anyone can spot an anomaly in this, Herabergan should be the first to do so.

    Herabergan remained silent for a moment, his starry eyes twinkling. The other gods stayed quiet and waited.

    "No." As his starry eyes dimmed, he said vaguely. "I could find most of them, but there was only chaos blocking my path to rest. Solomon really nned well and thoroughly to actually able to block my sight."

    After that, there was a slight heaviness in the air.

    "I''m taking on this." Aucuses said abruptly, causing everyone to look at him. "When ites to dealing with chaos, there shouldn''t be anyone better than me. I will destroy the mausoleums myself." He volunteered.

    "I believe Herabergan is a better fit than you, Aucuses." Leodero retorted, knowing what Aucuses was up to.

    The bastard must be nning to gain the Uniqueness of ck Emperor, and him volunteering should only be a cover.

    He will never allow that!

    Even though he disliked Herabergan, he suggested the dragon because he was the only one, aside from Aucuses, who could find the mausoleums faster than others.

    The ck emperor''s uniqueness may provide some hints as to the location of the hidden mausoleum.

    Aucuses, holds authority of order; he can increase his power through this, even if he doesn''t have much control over it, as he does with hermit, but simply using it in battle will allow his power to increase exponentially.

    Inparison to Aucuses, Herabergan will not benefit as much from obtaining the ck emperor uniqueness.

    This is why, despite his dislike for both of them, Leodero suggested Herabergan.

    Looking at Leodero and Herabergan, Aucuses seemed surprised. "How did you feel about it, Herabergan?"

    Herabergan didn''t respond, instead staring deeply at Aucuses for a few moments. Then, he unexpectedly proposed. "Let''s put it to a vote. If the vote is tied, Bethel will be included in the next round of voting."

    Leodero predicted a tie vote because he and Amanises will both vote for Herabergan, while Badhiel and Ombe are already leaning towards Aucuses.

    He also has no idea which side Bethel would take.

    "Okay." Aucuses smiled as he nodded and looked around. "All for me."

    Badhiel and Lilith both raised their hands in favour.

    After seeing the tie, Leodero pondered on what to do with Bethel. But, his eyes widened in surprise soon.

    Amanises raised her hand in favour of Aucuses!

    Herabergan, on the other hand, was calm, as if he had anticipated this.

    "That''s the end of it, Leodero." Aucuses'' smile widened, as he looked at Leodero. He also did not appear surprised that Amanises voted for him.

    Then, he raised his hand and took the Uniqueness and threw it into his kingdom.

    It took a lot for Leodero to regain hisposure and refrain from hurling a bolt of lightning at the Aucuses'' narcissistic smile.

    Then, he also looked at Amanises, perplexed as to why she would support Aucuses. He waspletely taken aback by her.

    "Ombe will be given the Justiciar Uniqueness." After carefully considering, Aucuses prospered.

    Nobody objected, and Lilith took the Justiciar, but Aucuses is certain, he saw her bright smile as she took it.

    While, Leodero continued to re at Amanises.

    Amanises didn''t bother to exin herself, instead giving a name to change the subject.

    "Amon."

    "How are we going to deal with him? His avatars remain within the empire, and his true body has also entered."

    "Allow him to join the empire." Aucuses said calmly.

    "We cannot control him with "Order,"." Herabergan retorted. "He will find loopholes to exploit in "Order" to gain an advantage, and he may even turn the tables on us. More importantly, he will wreak havoc on the empire. So, Aucuses, think twice before suggesting something like this; you''re ying with fire."

    "Amon will enter the empire in one way or another," Aucuses said with certainty. "Even though his presence can be detrimental, it will bepensated for when he moves against high sequence beyonders of mysterious pathways, that are not aligned with us."

    "Is it really necessary to go that far to suppress the pathways of mysteries?" Lilith inquired, after hearing that.

    The Door, Fool, and Error Pathways were always suppressed in the third epoch. The low-sequence forms for these pathways were not widely known. This was due to the order of the Ancient Sun God.

    When the creator fell, this was removed, and angel families for these pathways began to form. Nheless, many gods still forbade the forms from spreading outside of their church in order to reduce the number of beyonders of these three pathways.

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded. "The pathways should be suppressed. There is still a significant risk of losing control in high sequence. And, not everyone is Amon and Bethel, who can remain sane and stable in the face of adversity."

    "Is Amon permitted to join the empire or not?" Amanises inquired ethereally, returning the conversation to Amon.

    "How about we vote?" Aucuces suggested. "All in Amon''s favour."

    He, Amanises, Lilith, and Badhiel all voted yes.

    Even though Leodero and Herabergan didn''t like Amon, it didn''t bother them all that much to ept him into the empire, after considering everything.

    "That settles it." Aucuses said. "I''ll send Diana to meet with Amon and inform him of our decision."

    "Next, Cheek and Artisan." He moved on to the next issue. "Cheek has a secret organisation within the empire. She is still stabilizing herself after the ascension. She has not caused any major disaster since her ascension."

    "In light of this, I propose letting her be as long as she and her organisation do not cross the line. However, her organisation will be regarded as unorthodox."

    "What are your thoughts?"

    "This is fine." Amanisesmented ethereally, while the other gods remained silent in agreement.

    Aucuses nodded and continued. "Moving on, Artisan requested our permission to implement his inventions throughout the empire."

    "Let it be implemented." Herabergan agreed. "Artisan''s steam engine will revolutionise the empire in many ways. Long term, this will also exponentially increase poption growth."

    "We can expect a new god to join us soon, a powerful god at that, if this is sessful." Lilith said.

    "Indeed, it won''t be long before he ascends." Aucuses added. He knew this would allow Artisan to properly digest his potion and ascend to Godhood. He will not face any problems, as Hidden Sage was killed by Lilith.

    "What is his divine name?" Leodero inquired, his curiosity piqued by the prospect of another god ascending.

    "God of Steam and Machinery." Amanises replied, then she looked at Aucuses. "He''s already started preaching, Aucuses. While, "Order" only considered faith on six of us to be orthodox."

    "I''ll change it after he attains Godhood." Aucuses responded. "Then, Artisan''s petition is approved." He then dered.

    He finally stood up and finished.

    "That''s all for this m."

    "Wait..." Lilith interjected, capturing everyone''s attention. "Alitsa and Trunsoest''s Coronation."

    "It will happen in a month, Ombe. The angels and saints are already preparing for it," Aucuses said.

    "I know." Lilith looked at Aucuses and inquired. "But who will crown them while representing us?"

    The gods, who had all stood up and were about to leave, stopped and thought.

    "Artisan." Aucuses decided. "Artisan will crown Trunsoest. Tudor, on the other hand..."

    He paused, only Bethel, Amon, and Adam are the remaining Kings of Angels in the empire. For various reasons, he did not bother to consider them.

    "Bethel," Amanises said ethereally. "Let him to crown Tudor. There isn''t a better person other than him."

    "All right, Bethel and Artisan." Aucuses asked, even though he didn''t want Bethel, but he didn''t express his opinion to them.

    The gods were silent in agreement.

    "Finally, the coronation will be broadcasted live across the continent. I will personally use my authority to do that," Aucuses said, "If any of you wanted to help, you cane to my Kingdom."

    "Well." Aucuses concluded with a smile. "That ends the meeting."

 Chapter 67: Era of Steam

    Chapter 67: Era of Steam

    Northern Continent.

    A month had passed.

    Historians went on consider the harsh times that followed the war and gue to be among the darkest in history. This cmity is remembered as the second most devastation disaster in recorded history, trailing only the "Cataclysm" and preceding the "Blood Night."

    As the saying goes, disaster brings with it the change. Even though the repercussions were severe, it also provided an opportunity for humanity''s most prosperous era to emerge, since the fall of modern civilization.

    Future historians will extol this era as the beginning of the great change. This era was given numerous names, but it was widely known and epted by all as,

    The Era of Steam.

    ______________

    The light of dawn shone through the clouds, illuminating the northern continent.

    A clear spectacle can be seen in the blue sky.

    As the clouds parted, it revealed a slew of airships gliding through the sky.

    (Image)

    The airship''s design was heavily steampunk, with the burning engines at the top of the passenger cabin being powered by steam, and the cabin being elegant and grand, made of gleaming and polished wood, with the front of the cabin iid with ss, providing passengers with an observation area.

    (Image)

    Aucuses was present at a restaurant table in one of those airships. There was a dozen of newspapers in front of him, each with a different headline.

    The headlines read:

    "The Miracle of Steam: Man Conquers the Sky."

    It showed a picture of the airship beingunched from the station right below, and there was arge emblem at the station''s entrance.

    The emblems represented by a solid triangle which were filled with symbols such as steam, gears, and levers.

    It was the Sacred Emblem of the God of Steam and Machinery.

    Underneath these headlines, there was news of steam engine revolutionising the stagnant industrial sector, as well as a sharp increase in the number of avable jobs, which was attributed to the revolution.

    On the same newspaper, there were also images and information about the various inventions introduced in the previous month.

    Steam ships, steam trains, and many other inventions were among them...

    Everything on the front page was about the miracles and magnificence of steam.

    "Your order is here, sir." A waitress ced a silver cup in front of Aucuses. "A Fermo Coffee."

    Aucuses nodded and handed the waitress a gold coin with the sun emblem as a tip. When the waitress saw the tip, she became brisk. Then, she bowed and left with a smile.

    Aucuses drank the coffee from his cup while turning to look to the side. His table was located on the side of the ss windows, which reced the walls and provided a clear view of the gliding clouds and rising sun. One could also look down to see the construction of the railway tracks and vast mountains in front of them.

    It was a picturesque view that couldpletely immerse oneself in it, while forgetting about time.

    Aucuses waved his hands, and the bright sun on the horizon dimmed slightly, making the view before him even more beautiful and mesmerising.

    ''Perfect...'' He thought contentedly.

    He can finally rest and travel around, witnessing the dawn of a new era. Even though he knew that, there were still mountains of issues that required his attention, and his angels were still bombarding his ears with prayers to check about the coronation.

    But, right now, he didn''t care about anything except reading the newspapers and drinking coffee while taking in the scenery.

    The sunlight illuminated his figure, he was dressed in a vintage ck suit and trousers.

    Honestly, despite being the god of light, he still prefers dark-coloured clothing because it matches well his white hair. His hair though remained unkempt, and his irises were golden.

    While, he was sitting in a restaurant inside the airship, which had been flying for two days.

    The restaurant was packed with people, not just ordinary people, but also beyonders, mostly low- and mid-sequence.

    The airship was one of the first to enter service, travelling from Trier to Backlund, and the route was finalised and monitored by both the Church of Steam and the Church of Storms.

    Aucuses finally put down the coffee, which had been reduced to half, and sighed as he looked at the newspapers on the table.

    ''Steam...'' He looked at the eye-catching headline on one of the newspapers. ''The future has changedpletely now...''

    He thought as he rubbed his temples, closed his eyes, and tried to divine the future.

    After a few moments, he opened his eyes and gazed out the window at the steampunk-styled airships.

    His eyes were filled with emotion, and his heart was surreal.

    Even if he is god, it was too shocking to see how a small change caused by him changed the entire course of human civilization.

    ''Holy crap!'' Aucuses thought with joy, as the initial surprise wore off. ''It''s going to be steampunk. I can''t believe I''m going to witness that in the future!!"

    Yes, Steampunk. The Civilization is now developing in that manner due to the maniption of Artisan.

    And, Aucuses can already guess what factors caused such a significant shift.

    Roselle introduced the steam engine in the original timeline, sparking the first industrial revolution. Even so, civilization''s progress stalled after that.

    Yet, even with the steam engine, such inventions as airships did not exist in the original timeline.

    What has caused such a shift now?

    Aucuses knew, it was all because of Artisan.

    Roselle was simply giarising from Modern Civilization in the start. Despite the fact that the Paragon pathway in the higher sequence would grant him innovative abilities, Roselle is nowhere near Artisan, who actually managed to build a floating continent in this era.

    In the original timeline, Artisan promoted without digesting his sequence-1 potion, which had serious consequences, including the loss of most of one''s humanity and the constant risk being on the verge of losing control.

    As a result, Artisan should have spent almost all of his time struggling to maintain his sanity, with little to no time to devote to the advancement of civilization, which is critical for the god of the paragon pathway.

    He should have improved as a result of the revolution brought about by Roselle, but it is undeniable that his reckless promotion affected him for the rest of his life, given the civilization''s stagnation following Roselle''s fall.

    However, Artisan will not face any of these issues right now.

    He has begun fully implementing his ideas for the empire in preparation for his apotheosis ritual.

    Why, Aucuses reasoned, would it be Steampunk? It''s simple: there''s no crude oil to kick-start a second industrial revolution, but this won''t stop Artisan, whose innovative talent was unrivalled.

    ''Well, that was something I didn''t expect... '' Aucuses reflected, as this realisation had onlye to him, during this month.

    To be honest, despite this change that may affect everything, he still can''t wait to see the future with his own eyes.

    His gaze was finally drawn to the tile that read, ''Man conquered the Sky.''

    ''Well, Leodero won''t be happy if he sees that.'' He thought with amusement, as he put that newspaper away and looked at another with different headlines,

    "The Coronation of Alitsa Tudor and Trunsoest."

    His attention was drawn to the details below the title.

    "The Coronation will be broadcast live across the Empire under the divine miracle of the Eternal zing Sun."

    Today is the Coronation Day, and he must say that the angels nned the entire event magnificently.

    How magnificent? The colossal statues of the six of them were erected directly in front of the royal pce, where the coronation will take ce. While, this was just only one part of the coronation.

    After a brief nce, Aucuses turned the pages of the newspaper and took a sip of his coffee.

    He began browsing the other news while enjoying his alone time, until someone decided to ruin it....

    "Aucuses, what a surprise?"

    Aucuses sighed and looked up at the man standing before him, his eyes clearly irked.

    The man had ck curly hair and ck eyes. His forehead was rather broad in contrast to his thin face. He was wearing a ck suit and a long overcoat. There was a golden pocket watch, which hung on the edge of the overcoat.

    What was most noticeable about him, however, was a crystal monocle he wore over his right eye, which glistened with light.

    _____________

    A/N: When I wrote the previous chapter, I didn''t fully consider the change that Artisan could bring about until I read ament.

    So, yes, under the influence of Artisan, civilization will develop in apletely different way.

    But, to be honest, I was still unsure whether to proceed with this change or not, because by the fifth epoch, it won''t be a Victorian era like the original story. I''m not sure if you all will like it, as this is a significant change.

    But, after some thought, I decided to go ahead with it; if you want to share your thoughts on this, I would wee it.

    (Image)

    Finally, this is what Aucuses saw in his divination.

 Chapter 68: Miracle

    Chapter 68: Miracle

    "Can I join?" Amon inquired, a smile on his face. He pointed to an empty seat at the Aucuses table. "There isn''t another seat in the entire restaurant except this one." Soon after, he added.

    Aucuses looked around the restaurant, which was packed and buzzing with whispers as well as conversations. All of the seats were upied.

    He did not, however, deny him. "Yes."

    ''There goes the rest of my alone time...'' He mused, slightly frustrated. But, it vanished when he saw the outline of the magnificent city slowly emerging through the clouds. ''Backlund has arrived...''

    Meanwhile, Amon sat on the chair in front of him, following his gaze to look there as well.

    "I didn''t expect you toe to the coronation too, Aucuses." Amon said as he adjusted his monocle, "After all, you are a god." Heughed.

    Aucuses averted his gaze from the windows and turned to face the Amon, then replied tly. "I''m not going, at least not officially."

    He went on. "But, Amon, what are you doing here?"

    "Did I not say it?" Despite hearing his annoyed tone, Amon replied patiently. "I am going to the coronation." He took the invitation from his pocket and shook it in front of the Aucuses.

    "I was invited, even though you didn''t bother to send a invitation. Alitsa Tudor, on the other hand, invited me and even made me a special guest."

    For a moment, Aucuses stared silently at the Tudor family emblem on the envelope. Then, he snatched the invitation from Amon''s grasp and tore it open.

    He smiled, as he gave it a nce. The letter is an invitation, but it also implies Tudor''s intention to win Amon over to his side and support Tudor in ruling of the empire. And Amon epted it.

    "You actually epted this." With a chuckle, Aucuses said. "It''s really surprising, that you''re now willing to work for someone far weaker than you." He also returned the invention to him.

    Amon was unfazed by Aucuses'' previous rudeness and spoke calmly.

    "You and the other gods have a wonderful vision in selecting them to be rulers. They both have a peculiar fate. It would be interesting to be a part of their journey, particrly Alitsa."

    Aucuses didn''t bother to inquire further. He understood exactly what Amon meant. Amon simply desires chaos, which is possible with Alitsa in the future.

    However, Aucuses will not stop this; in fact, he encourages it; after all, if his ns are to seed, he also needs chaos in the future.

    "So you meet with Artisan as well?" Aucuses narrowed his eyes at Amon''s pocket watch on his overcoat. It gave him a familiar divine aura.

    Amon gave a nod. "I recently met with Artisan. I witnessed many of his inventions, and he also gave me this golden watch as a gift." He notices Aucuses'' keen interest with it. "Artisan''s inventions are truly fascinating, so I opted to experience one myself." He pointed another airship that was floating nearby. "I decided to take a airship from Trier, which you can see flying nearby. But, after finding you in here, I decided toe over to this."

    "At the very least, you finally seemed to have gathered the courage to meet me with your true body?" Aucuces smirked and leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee.

    Amon was still calm and responded with a smile. "Wasn''t it you who permitted me into this empire? And, as an imperial citizen, the "Order" recognises and protects me."

    Even though Aucuses was the one who established the "Order," the other five gods have some sway over it, due to the contract and alliance they formed. So, if Aucuses wishes to remove Amon from the Empire using the "Order," the majority of the gods must also agree. But, that doesn''t mean he can''t do it himself.

    This was actually proposed by Aucuses. Yes, it indeed reduces his influence, but other gods will not allow a single god to have such control over reality. If he hadn''t proposed it, their alliance would have crumbled by now.

    Aucuses was also not surprised that Amon was still fearless despite nearly dying in his hands before, because while Amon is cautious, he can also be extremely courageous. He really is a contradictory person. He knew Amon wasn''t lying about boarding the ship and meeting him unexpectedly this time.

    "Indeed." While looking at him, Aucuses said indifferently. "But never forget that you are only here because of me."

    Even after hearing the threat hidden in his words, Amon''s smile didn''t lessen. He was about to say something when he turned to look out the window, as if something caught his attention.

    "Your angels are amazing to be able to pull something like this off." He marvelled.

    Aucuses also looked out the window, gazing at the magnificent city visible through the clouds.

    (Image)

    Backlund!

    The restaurant where they were also fell silent as everyone stood up from their seats and looked out. Their eyes were filled with shock, disbelief, and piety.

    In Backlund, six colossal statues stood, each towering above the clouds.

    The Six Gods!

    The statues of gods had divine halos behind their heads, and emitted a divine aura. The statues surrounded the royal ce, which was small inparison.

    The Eternal zing Sun statue had changed; now, the sun god held an open book with a single eye within a triangle in one hand and a bnce scale in the other.

    ''That is quite tall...'' Aucuses estimated that it should be nearly 600 metres. This was constructed in less than a month. At this moment, one can clearly see the efficiency and power of the mysterious world.

    Then he took a pocket watch from his suit and checked the time. After seeing the time, he turned to look at Amon, who was staring at the statue and the city.

    "Come on, Amon. It''s about time." He said, as he stood up from his seat.

    "What?" Amon asked, turning to face him. "The Coronation?"

    "Yes, and you areing with me," Aucuses smirked.

    Aucuses didn''t wait for Amon''s response, as a burst of light appeared in front of them.

    Aucuses and Amon vanished from the airship as the light faded.

    _________________

    In St. Millon, Trier, and Feynapotter, as well as major cities across the empire.

    Thousands of people packed the city squares. They came from all walks of life. They were extraordinary or ordinary, rich or poor. Their differences didn''t matter at this historic moment.

    Even during this period when the gods were said to walk on Earth, the gods still remained elusive and mysterious. There have been divine miracles of the gods recorded in history, but none on the scale that is about to ur.

    Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!

    The bells of the Churches of the Eternal zing Sun began to ring throughout the empire.

    The scattered chiming sounds suddenly became coordinated. As the holy bells rang throughout the empire, they finally sounded in an order.

    The next moment, the zing golden sun in the sky suddenly expanded and shone brightly. The rays of sun descended on the empire like veils of light.

    (Image)

    In the square of Trier, a veil of light appeared and morphed into a curtain, which floated and shimmered before all; simr scenes were urring throughout the empire.

    The curtains flickered before revealing an image of two carriages travelling down thene.

    In square of Feynapotter, a man holding the sun''s emblem gazed at the divine miracle, his eyes filled with piety and his hands trembling with excitement.

    "Praise the Sun!"

    He chanted, breaking the silence that had fallen over the empire due to the divine miracle.

    His chant was like a spark that lit up a prairie.

    "Praise the Sun!"

    "Praise the Sun!"

    "Praise the Sun!"

    People chanted madly together, like a wave of tsunami across the empire, after witnessing the miracle.

    The entire northern continent trembled, and the sky seemed to be tearing apart when the clouds of the sky were swept away, as millions of chants filled every nook and corner of the empire.

    Under the brilliance of the sun, their eyes, which had been devoid of belief for a bright future, were finally lit up with a spark of hope.

 Chapter 69: His Anchors

    Chapter 69: ''His'' Anchors

    Aucuses sat in a chair on the balcony of a magnificent white castle, holding a palette and paint brush, while a canvas was present on a wooden stand in front of him.

    He swirled his brush across his palette, mixing the paint into a bright golden colour that glistened with particles of light, like stars in the cosmos.

    He took the glistening paint-stained brush to the painting on the canvas.

    The painting depicted arge city filled with densely packed houses and stone bridges that crisscrossed through houses and streets. A vast river flowed on the outskirts of the city, where ships emitting steam were docked at a port, while the blue sky was filled with numerous airships arriving from all over the world.

    At the centre of it all, a colossal statue of a god stood. He was in a pure white robe, with a halo of light behind him. He held an open book with the symbol of the hermit in one hand and a bnce scale in the other.

    Behind the statue of the sun god, there was a bright golden sun. It emitted an endless rays of light, illuminating the city below.

    Aucuses took the brush and pressed it against the golden sun in the painting. He stroked it, saturating the colour of the sun and turning it into an almost blinding white star in the painting.

    The actual sun in the sky expanded, resonating with his strokes in the painting.

    The sun became extremely bright, resembling a white star. The rays of the sun then descended from the astral world onto the earth. The rays resembled veils of light that shimmered and swayed as they descended.

    "Praise the Sun!"

    The chants of millions thundered under the divine miracle, while the other gods cast their gazes on Aucuses.

    Aucuses finished his painting with the final stroke on the light of the sun. He smiled and nodded to the gods.

    Then, he closed his eyes, his spirit began to expand and became one with the sun in the sky.

    His vision now epassed everything, wherever the light shone, and he was also always present in the sunlight.

    He saw the vast astral world, as well as, malevolent entities outside the barrier.

    They roared in sheer rage and anger, as the sun illuminated them, especially the Crimson Moon and Brown Jupiter. Their roars, in particr, tore reality itself apart.

    He looked away from the barrier, ignoring the roars, and at the earth, passing through the northern and southern continents, while the area of the forsakennd of the gods and the western continent were hazy, as was the abyss in the oceans.

    Soon after, his vision suddenly faded into darkness, which began to be illuminated by golden stars of light that appeared within the darkness.

    He felt "Hope" within each of the golden stars, and it was as bright as the stars themselves.

    Within a few moments, the stars had filled with darkness, like an ocean of light devouring darkness. Even when the darkness faded, the stars continued to appear.

    Aucuses knew what the stars were,

    They were his Anchors!

    Which were multiplying at an exponential rate as the chants of millions filled his ears.

    Aucuses finally emerged from his divine state and opened his eyes. His eyes had changed, and the indifference that had always been present in them had begun to fade.

    And the creator''s will in his body, which had be stagnant as a result of him controlling the Hermit Uniqueness, began to weaken as well.

    The divine miracle, he performed served many purposes. Most importantly, he did it to remedy the damage to people caused by the war and disease.

    The consequences were far too severe. Imagine mountains of corpses covering the vast ins as far as the eye can see. Such scenes weremon throughout the empire.

    The total number of deaths caused by the disease and war was neen million; such figures would have sparked outrage even in the modern world, let alone here, where the poption is too small.

    The disease spread by the ascension of the cheek was extremely lethal, and people died within moments of being contaminated. And, even though the disease was finally eradicated from reality with his "Order," many people died in those few moments in between.

    Under the order of angels, the corpses of all those who had died were gathered and burned to ashes.

    Many people lost everything, including their loved ones and homes, as well as their will to live.

    As one would expect, the rate of suicides increased across the empire in the first week after the war and gue. The entire empire was also filled with a gloomy and negative atmosphere.

    Even though not allmitted suicide, their hearts were broken when they considered the future. Many didn''t know what they would face tomorrow, and the unknown haunted the hearts of everyone.

    They had lost "Hope" for a brighter future.

    All of this even began to affect him and the other gods. Their anchors shook and dwindled day by day.

    Actually, Aucuses already anticipated this at the meeting, which is why he told the broadcast at the time to them.

    After noticing the problem, Lilith, Baldhiel, Herabergan, and others did not sit still. They immediately began trying to find a solution.

    While, he and Amanises personally went to Artisan and pressed him to immediately release the majority of his inventions.

    Artisan had not intended tounch the majority of his inventions in this manner. His n was to release them one by one over the course of several years.

    However, Aucuses and Amanises made a valid point to him, telling him that in light of the dire situation, the people need something to look forward to.

    Aucuses anticipated that the situation would improve slightly with the advent of the industrial revolution. It did, but the majority of citizens, especially the poor and middle sses, will still unable to benefit from the magnificent inventions of steam for a long time toe.

    Here is where, he decided to seize the opportunity and perform the miracle.

    Even if people have lost hope and fallen into darkness, they will still yearn for the light.

    Furthermore, by broadcasting the entire coronation live, the majority of the empire''smon people will be able to witness the process, which they may never be able to do on their own. It took their focus away from the tragic past and towards the bright future ahead.

    He nned to give them "Hope." He seeded in the end. He must also admit that faith is a very powerful concept. Even he wasn''t expecting such sessful results in the end.

    He now enjoys the benefits that he earned. The gains were that his anchors/believers, which is now increasing at an astronomical rate.

    When the war of four emperors erupts, having stable anchors will be crucial. The war of four emperors will not be as quick as the previous one; it mayst centuries.

    At that time, the gods will almost certainly try to attack their enemies'' anchors. He didn''t want to risk losing his anchors at that time, which is why he was preparing for the war ahead of time.

    Finally, his fading humanity was almost restored with the rise of the anchors. He expected this, but he did not anticipate the previously stagnant will of the creator in him to resume waning. Even though it is slow, it makes a significant difference.

    ''Anchors...'' Aucuses thought, smiling. His eyes also glowed brightly.

    His n is not without any consequences; the anchors of the other five gods should have been affected because many people changed their beliefs to him due to the miracle.

    Aucuses, on the other hand, was not concerned that they woulde knocking at his door for a battle or an exnation.

    He already gave them a chance when he told them in the meeting that they could help with broadcast if they wanted. But none of them offered assistance, which surprised him somewhat, as he expected Lilith, Amanises, or Herabergan toe forward....

    Aucuses drank his cup of coffee on the balcony, his mind racing with chaotic thoughts.

    ''That is surprising...'' His pupils suddenly narrowed as he gazed at the curtain floating before him, which showed the two carriagesing to a halt in front of the royal pce.

 Chapter 70: Coronation

    Chapter 70: Coronation

    Backlund, Northern Continent.

    The day had finallye. The streets of Backlund were packed with people, all of whom wore expressions of curiosity, excitement, and anticipation.

    A gigantic white castle towered in the centre of Backlund. It stood there emitting a divine aura, as if it had been conjured from a fantasy of God. It was perfect in every sense of the word. The white castle had lofty towers that were made out of blue marble, as were the spires that held the symbols of the six gods on them. Every stone in the castle was even and square, as if the builders were obsessed with perfection, as if they truly loved what they created.

    (Image here)

    Around the castle were colossal statues of the six gods, whose divine radiance added to the surreal atmosphere of the castle.

    While thousands of people packed in front of the castle inside a vast square within the gate, awaiting the arrival of the future kings.

    Numerous demigods stood in lines on both sides of the gate, stretching all the way to the castle''s stairwell. The demigods made certain that no one obstructed the path from the gate to the castle, which was covered in blue carpet.

    (Image here)

    Creak!

    The gate opened as the bustling crowds fell silent, their gaze drawn to the gate with anticipation.

    A carriage came to a halt in front of the gate, the horses neighing. The escorts following went forward and opened the carriage door.

    Trunsoest walked out, dressed in white royal robes and carrying a coronation mantle over his shoulder. He wore a solemn expression, but it couldn''t hide the nervousness and excitement in his eyes.

    He then turned to face his carriage and extended his hand. Another pure white hand appeared and sped his, as a beautiful woman walked out of the carriage.

    (Image here)

    She wore a long red gown and her hair was curly ck. She had a ck veil over her face, concealing her otherworldly "Beauty."

    The woman was Auernia, the goddess of beauty. She is the current Sanguine queen and one of the survivors of the second epoch. She had been a subordinate god to the Sanguine Ancestor, Lilith, until her untimely demise.

    Auernia went to shoulder the burden of leading the entire blood race. The blood race is one of the mythical races that still exists and thrives, whereas the others have all died. This, in and of itself, demonstrates her capability as a queen to all.

    As a result, she was given the honorific title,

    "Queen of the Blood Moon."

    On the balcony, Aucuses peered through the veil of Auernia gazing at the face of the woman regarded as the most beautiful of all.

    ''However,pared to Lilith, she is nothing...'' Aucuses mused. ''Oh Lilith, I didn''t expect her to move so quickly. She really decided to bet on Trunsoest. Well, only if she knew...''

    Under the light of the sun, Trunsoest and Auernia locked their hands in front of the gate. They waited for the other two and the angels of the six gods rather than entering the gate right away.

    Soon after, another carriage arrived, and Alitsa Tudor emerged from it, as the door opened.

    He was dressed in red royal robes, with a coronation mantle draped over his shoulder. He looked up at the massive pce, his eyes gleaming. Then he reached into the carriage as a woman emerged, grasping his hand.

    The woman wore a sleeveless silver gown and had silver hair that reached her hips. Her stunning beauty entuated her facial features even more. Her poise and grace were undeniable. While her warm andpassionate eyes sparkled like the stars of the cosmos.

    (Image here)

    She was the famous Silvia Abraham, Granddaughter of Mr. Door. She, unlike the rest of her family, was not a beyonder of the door pathway, but rather of the Wheel of Fortune pathway. Her honorific name is "Lady of Silver."

    Trunsoest and Tudor stood next to each other, while Silvia smiled at Auernia, who nodded politely in response.

    The four of them stood there, not entering. While looking at the castle, their expressions be solemn.

    Then, under everyone exmation, a beam of pure light descended from the sky, morphing into seven figures with angelic wings behind them.

    The angels were all from the churches of the six gods, and they were all holding gs with scared emblems of their gods.

    ise Larson, Angel of Miracles, held the g of the Eternal zing Sun.

    An archangel stood in front of the six angels, dressed in a pure white robe and holding a g with an emblem depicting a bnce scale and a sword together.

    (Image here)

    She was none other than Diana, Angel of Wisdom, holding the g of the Tudor-Turnoest United Empire.

    When they arrived, a solemn and high music resounded from the white castle, echoing across Backlund and Continent.

    Diana took a breath and marched forward, her posture straight and her expression dignified, to the music.

    The angels marched forward as well, following her into the gate, holding the gs of their gods.

    Seeing this, Trunsoest and Auernia finally walked through the gate and onto the silver carpet, preceded by angels of gods.

    Then, with a smile on their faces, Alitsa and Silvia came inst.

    Creak!

    As they all entered, the gate closed.

    Thousands of cheers rang out across the square as angels and kings walked down the blue carpet towards the white castle, while colourful silk pieces cut from flowers and brocades filled the sky and fell on them.

    People were chanting the names of the Trunsoest and Alitsa as they waved their hands at their subjects with a graceful smile on their faces.

    Auernia was silently walking forward, with no intention of responding to the cheers. Meanwhile, Silvia, with the poise of a queen, waved her hands with her future husband.

    More than the future kings, she caused an uproar among the crowds with her warm smile.

    They all arrived at the white stairs and began slowly climbing to the top, under the watchful eyes of the entire empire.

    They finally came to a halt in front of the massive white door, as the angels entered with music echoing in the background.

    Trunsoest entered the door, holding the hands of the Auernia, who was still indifferent.

    "Come on, Silvia." Alitsa smiled as he noticed her pause in the path.

    Silvia nodded and turned to face the people behind her, waving her hand to them onest time.

    Her simple action heightened the raucous apuse, trembling the very capital.

    She then turned to face the front, sped hands with Alitsa, and entered the castle as well.

    Boom!

    As a massive curtain of light appeared before the white castle, showing the coronation hall to all the people, the door of the white castle closed.

    Aucuses was now finishing his next painting on the balcony, which depicted Silvia waving her hand to the people of the empire onest time.

    (Image here)

    He also knew that this painting would go on to be one of the most famous and popr paintings in the world.

    He named it "Queen of the Silver Moon."

    ''This painting came out much better than I expected...'' Aucuses admired the painting. While he was not going to take this to his divine kingdom, he will pass it on to his angels, who will most likely disy it.

    ''Bethel Abraham and Silva Abraham.....'' As he looked at Silvia, his pupils narrowed.

    He finally sighed and returned his gaze to the curtain before him.

    ___________________________

    Inside the magnificent hall, angels from all over the empire gathered under a single dome at the castle''s tallest tower, which nearly reached the clouds.

    Tudor and Trunsoest stood next to each other on the dais, surrounded by everyone.

    Behind them were their consuls, who chose to serve them in the governance of the united empire.

    The Consuls of Trunsoest were,

    Sauron, The Conqueror.

    Castiya, Lady of Order.

    William Augustus, Hand of Order.

    The Consuls of Tudor were,

    Amon, Son of Creator and Angel of Time.

    Antigonus, Son of Flegrea and Attendant of Mysteries.

    Bethel Abraham, Mr. Door and Guide to the Endless Cosmos.

    Soon, a divine aura enveloped the entire hall, as the tower''s walls and dome faded from reality, exposing the hall to the world.

    As the statue of the six gods that surrounded the castle became visible to all, the hall rose above the clouds, with white clouds floating right beneath the floor.

    The eyes in the statues of the six gods were lit up with light, as they gazed down on the open hall. The sudden movement of the statues even caused the entire continent to tremble slightly.

    (Image here)

    A burst of light erupted in dais, where the Tudor and Trunsoest were standing with their consuls, as Lucas appeared out of the light, dressed in papal robes.

    In the golden light of the sun, that zed the entire hall, Lucas began to walking to the east, west, northern and south of Dias.

    On each side, Lucas called for the recognition of the sovereign, with the words. "Sirs and Madams, I hereby present upon you, Alitsa Tudor and Trunsoest, your undoubted Kings. Wherefore all of you who aree to this day, to pay homage and service, are you willing to do the same?"

    After the angels acimed him on each side, Lucas started to walk to the Tudor and Turnoest to administer an oath to the Sovereigns.

    The power of night descended just then, bringing silence to the hall, capital, and empire.

    Lucas spoke, addressing both of them. "Is your majesty willing to take the oath?" His voice rang out across the empire, which had been silenced by the power of the night.

    ""I am willing.""

    Tudor and Trunsoest answered solemnly.

    Lucas began as an aura of order emanated from him. Then he asked them. "Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Empire ording to their respectivews and customs?"

    ""I vow to do so.""

    Tudor and Trunsoest acknowledged.

    Lucas continued. "Will you do everything in your power to see that Order and Justice, in mercy, are carried out in all your judgments?"

    ""I will""

    Tudor and Trunsoest vowed under the gazes of the gods.

    Lucas asked. "Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Order of Gods? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the Religions of the Six gods established by Order? Will you uphold and preserve invibly of the Church of six gods, as well as, its doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by Order established in United Empire? Will you ensure the peace and prosperity for the people under the power bestowed upon you by the Gods."

    Tudor nodded, while Trunsoest took onest look around, pausing on the figure of Auernia, who smiled and encouraged him.

    Then, they looked up at the statues of the gods that towered above them all.

    ""All this and those promised before, I vowed to do so. So, help me God.""

    Their oath resounded around the world, etched in the fog of history of the sefirah castle and be forever intertwined with endless information and knowledge of the spirit world.

    In the dais, Lucas presented a thick holy bible to them with words spoken. "Here is the wisdom; This is Royal Order; these are the lively Oracles of God."

    Following this, Tudor and Trunsoest proceeded to sit on two thrones present in the dais. Then, Castiya and Amon approached them and presented them with the Sword of Order, which they ced on their thrones.

    With that, a choir sang, resounding across the empire, as the final and most important part, Crowing, began. The power of night also faded as music and cheers filled the empire.

    Diana and Einhorn entered the dais, holding gold crowns adorned with diamonds on the brass pillow. Following them, Artisan entered the dais, and Bethel also began walking towards the thrones.

    They finally stood before them, as Artisan and Bethel lifted the crows from pillows and prayed in ancient Hermes, ""Oh God, the crown of the Order; bless we beseech thee and sanctify thy our king and thou dost this day set a crown of pure gold upon his head, so enrich his heart with abundant grace and crown him with all princely virtues, throughout the knownnd and sky.""

    The crowns were then ced on the heads of Tudor and Trunsoest by Bethel and Artisan.

    The angels in the hall rose from their seats and cried out in unison, as they were crowned.

    "God save the Kings."

    The chant spread like wildfire throughout the empire, filling every nook and corner.

    "God save the Kings."

    "God save the Kings."

    As the holy bells of the churches rang out across the empire, the citizens feverishly chanted together like waves of a tsunami.

    The Coronation came to an end in front of the entire world, forever etched in the annals of history.

    In the presence of God and Man, Tudor and Trunsoest had finally ascended to their royal thrones.

 Chapter 71: Five Years

    Chapter 71: Five Years

    Five yearster.

    Trier, Northern Continent.

    Diana, dressed in traditional blue robes, stood on the deck of a ship, quietly gazing at the twilight sun.

    "Diana, here you are." ise walked out, holding a two sses of wine. "I looked everywhere for you." He approached her and handed her the ss of wine.

    Diana took it, leaned against the railing, and spoke softly. "I just needed some time alone..." She paused and continued after seeing his hesitant expression. "You''re not disturbing anything, ise. I was already nning on going into the cabin..."

    After seeing her situation, ise asked with concern, "Are you doing well? I recently heard that the entire parliament had be a shambles as a result of the kings'' disagreements."

    "Parliament..." Diana mumbled to herself while drinking the wine and turning to look at the setting sun for a moment.

    ise also leaned against the railing, his gaze fixed on the setting sun on the horizon. He remained silent and waited for her to speak up after she had gathered herself, as he could tell she was in a very bad emotional state.

    He also can guess why; it should be mostly because of the empire.

    The empire began to deteriorate recently, just as the industrial revolution and mass migration were kicking into high gear, causing the entire empire to face a variety of crises.

    Every day, something new was invented, while the old was scrapped. This was true not only for inventions, but also for customs and traditions, which were bing obsolete due to ipatibility with the ever-changing times.

    The people were unable to adapt to such rapid change, resulting in full-fledged crises in various sectors of the empire.

    In light of this, the parliament convened, which is made up of the kings and their consuls, and Diana, who represents the will of the six gods, also has a seat there.

    The parliament isposed entirely of Archangels, which is why the six gods chose Diana to be their representative.

    However, in the parliament, the archangels, who should have deliberated the crisis and passed newws to counter it, did nothing but argue and quarrel with each other all day long, while the kings did nothing to maintain order. Then one thing led to another, and all hell broke loose in the parliament.

    ise only heard this much from the other angels, and the rest of what happened after that became hazy.

    Some said Sauron and Amon were at each other thoarts, while others said Tudor almost took order into his own hands, seizing it from Trunsoest.

    But one thing remained consistent throughout: Evernight Goddess, actually descended on the parliament, ending the entire conflict and chaos.

    ise can be somewhat certain that the Evernight Goddess must have been really dissatisfied and disappointed with the way things were going.

    "Do you know something, ise?" Diana finally asked, drawing his gaze to her. She went on without waiting for his response.

    "The Empire..." She burst outughing, pouring her heart out. "It''s doomed, it''s absolutely doomed!"

    "And the Kings who lead the empire are a truly fascinating duo." Her tone became mocking. "All they do all day is bicker with each other over every single decision, even more than an old married couple!"

    "It almost makes each sessionst for days! I almost stormed out of there several times, but I held myself together, remembering my duty and bearing through it all."

    "They werepletely ipatible with each other, when it was most necessary to rule the empire," She continued. "I tried numerous times to bring them to amon ground, but it was ultimately futile. It was simr to what would happen if chaos and order werebined; it was anarchy."

    ise patiently listened, his brow furrowing with worry.

    "The empire is doomed to fall in the future, ise..." She continued, indifferent to the implications of her words.

    "We already knew this, Diana," ise said, not surprised by her shocking words. "You said the same thing when the gods decided to make it double consul." He sighed.

    "I did, indeed..." Diana chuckled, self-deprecatingly, as she sipped her wine. "But, after all the blood and sweat that we put into building this entire empire, only to watch it crumble..."

    "Diana..." ise interrupted her while staring into her eyes. "Even if it falls, our efforts were not in vain. Remember what Lord said: by building this empire, weid the groundwork for many future generations. Even though it will not be the same, it will continue under a different name. And I''m sure there''s a reason why the Lord has allowed this..."

    Diana sighed, as she turns to face the sun. "I really needed to hear that..." She smiled and gathered herself, "Well, not everything is bad, my knowledge emperor potion ispletely digested."

    "That''s something we can celebrate about." ise said with a smile, raising his ss and clinking it with Diana''s, then they had chunked the majority of the wine in one go.

    "Enough about me!" Diana said, waving her hands, "How''s it going for you, ise?"

    She hasn''t had time for herself in thest five years, having spent most of it in parliament and at political banquets. It was excruciating at times, sitting in the same chair for days, if not weeks, listening to arguments and quarrels before anything productive came out of it.

    All of this hadpletely crammed her schedule; she hadn''t been to church in five years, and, more importantly, she hadn''t even seen Lucas, other than sending letters between them.

    "It''s been the same thing, meeting new faces and learning about their stories. Time goes on like that..." While drinking his wine, ise said quietly.

    "Don''t drag it on like that; I''m sure there must be something interesting going on in church." Diana smiled and interjected.

    "There is, in fact..." ise began to recount. "I am the leader of a new beyonder division that was formed in response to the various attacks on cities by the True Creator''s remnant believers and the Demoness family of the Primordial Demoness."

    "We''re dealing with it, but it''s nothing major; it''s just a fight between demigods at most."

    "What is the division''s name?" Diana inquired, her lips pursed.

    "Lightbringers." ise replied, but he suddenly smiled as he reflected on something. "You know, someone suggested the name lightzers, and he even made white zers for all of us."

    "Is it, Luke?" Diana asked, then she saw him nod. She guffawed. "When ites to naming, he really does have a terrible sense." Her eyes be slightly reminiscent.

    ise said, after seeing her in this state. "You know, Lucas, is always on and on about you." In a roundabout way, he dragged.

    "I know, ise," Diana nodded. "He sends me so many letters that it almost fills my room at times."

    She exhaled a sigh. "However, time is not on our side; he is pope of the church, and I am consul of the empire." She thenughed. "Now that I think about it, our affair could almost be a best-selling book if someone publishes it."

    ise did not join in herughter and said. "He''ll be here shortly, Diana."

    Diana fell silent for a brief moment. Then she inquired. "Did the Lord exin why he summoned all of us to this boat?"

    ise could tell she didn''t want to take about this anymore. He also didn''t push her, knowing that their rtionship is tooplicated; he can only hope that they can work out their differences on their own.

    "We''re off to the astral world." He replied.

    "Astral world?" Diana was taken aback.

    "Yes, the lord said, he wants to show us something." ise said, looking up to the sky. "There is also someone joining us."

    "Where is he?" Diana inquired after hearing this.

    "The engine room." ise gestured to the deck. "He''s fiddling with the steam engine over there." After noticing her intension, he continued. "He also told no one to bother him."

    Diana sighed and slumped, as she really wanted to go there and see what kind of adjustments her lord was making in the engine.

    They stopped talking and just stood next to each other, leaning on the wooden railing, drinking wine and gazing out at the twilight sun silently.

    Soon, the silence between was broken by the sound of footsteps, as a man dressed in papal robes appeared, with a big smile on his face.

    "I am finally here!" Lucas eximed loudly with a sigh, drawing their attention to him.

    Diana smiled brightly and ran to him, then literally pounced on him, catching other off-guard.

    Boom!

    They bothnded heavily on the boat''s wooden deck, causing it to shake slightly.

    "What the hell? Dia.." Lucas yelled, but Diana pressed her lips against his, sealing the deal for a long kiss in the fading light of the sun.

    They didn''t even bother talking anymore, instead deepening their kisses.

    Meanwhile, ise walked into themon cabin right away, with a sigh.

    The cabin was dimly lit, with a wooden table and chair, and a cab filled with wine and other drinks close to the wall. A world map and various paintings too were hung on the wall.

    He opened the cab and took a wine bottle, wanting to pour himself one more ss. Then, he took a seat at the table.

    "It''s rare, isn''t it?" A soft voice entered the room, immediately waking him up from his trance.

    ise rose to his feet, almost assuming abat stance. But he wasn''t too concerned because his lord was also on the boat.

    He finally looked up to see a beautiful woman standing in front of him, dressed in a long white gown with brown ents, holding a long wooden staff with pink roses blooming at the top.

    Earth Mother!

    He bowed when he saw her, as is appropriate for a god.

    And she wasn''t a projection either; the goddess had actuallye here.

    Finally, he knew who would be joining them.

    "Get up." Earth Mother said, after seeing him.

    Then, ise stood straight, looking at the goddess before him.

    "It is, indeed, rare, mdy." ise replied to her question, knowing that Earth Mother was referring to Diana and Lucas''s rtionship.

    After hearing that, Earth mother smiled. However, she did not enquire further, instead asking, "Where is he?"

    "In the engine room." ise responded, then saw Earth Mother nod and walk away.

    He sighed and went to the table, where he took the wine bottle. He wanted to pour one more ss again.

    ''This would no longer suffice...'' He sulked and took the entire bottle in his hand, beginning to make his way to the opposite desk on the other side.

    __________

    Lilith stood in front of a heavy wooden door in a long corridor lined with round ss windows that revealed the underwater river teeming with marine life.

    Knock!

    After a few seconds of standing in silence, she knocked on the door.

    "Come in."

    Aucuses'' voice could be heard from within the door as she pushed it open, only to be greeted by a blinding light.

    "What are you creating?" She asked, surprised, as she looked at the steam engine, which had changed beyond recognition.

    Aucuses stood in front of a massive engine that appeared to have beenpletely rebuilt, as all of the tubes and wires were connected to a singlerge cylinder with a actual sun inside.

    The sun emitted infinite light and energy, which passed through the tubes and wires, lighting them up as well as connecting them to the entire engine. There were also numerous holographic projections throughout the engine room.

    Aucuses turned to face her, his face illuminated by light. Then, he spoke, his lips turning upwards.

    "A ship capable of traversing the sea of stars."

 Chapter 72: Voyager

    Chapter 72: Voyager

    Northern Continent, Trier

    Lilith looked at Aucuses, her gaze drawn unconsciously to his smile, before averting to the sun.

    "Did you actually create a sun for the engine?" Lilith asked, quite intrigued, as she walked towards him.

    "Yes," Aucuses confirmed, turning to look at the sun.

    With his head held high, he began to exin. "The reality of astral world is an amalgamation of authorities and symbols."

    "Even we are perplexed as to how some contradictory authorities can coexist without causing reality to copse. To travel there, this much is absolutely necessary."

    However, he already had a guess, which he did not tell her; it should be the authority of God Almighty that holds everything together.

    The astral world is not what one might expect; it is not just a vast expanse of space.

    It''s more, so much more, full of mysteries and wonder that, if known, could drive most minds insane. This, however, does not reduce his curiosity and desire to explore the vast and infinite cosmos.

    But, for the time being, however, all of his ns are to roam within the barrier, as he is not a fool to dare venture outside the barrier. He is certain that the mother goddess of depravity will be overjoyed, when "She" sees him outside the barrier.

    Now, the astral world can be extremely bizarre; at times, it may appear to be no different than outer space, simr to his previous reality, while at others, everything may appear simr to an abstract painting. These changes are also frequently switchs, often without an order at that.

    In the light of this, he concluded that the essence of reality in the astral world ispletely different from his previous reality or even most other universes described in fiction.

    What is different? It is the abstractness of the entire reality.

    It is also extremely dangerous, so much so that anyone lower than an angel cannot enter the astral world, as they would be immediately corrupted by the authorities, which are ever-present throughout the entire astral world. This also means that most raw materials on Earth would be corroded and corrupted as well, if they entered the astral world.

    Overall, the Astral world is a fascinating ce, at least for him.

    To be able to travel to such a location, he redesigned the entire steam engine and ship itself, which he purchased from artisan, to support ster power.

    It took him some time, though, because he was so inexperienced with machinery and technology that he didn''t know where to begin. And, he really messed up on his first try and nearly caused a world-ending disaster.

    Nheless, he didn''t give up. In his second attempt, he used the authority of knowledge tob through his previous life memories, collecting all the knowledge-rted to the spaceship and Dyson sphere.

    Don''t get him wrong: he wasn''t a scientist or a tech geek. It didn''t really matter as his authority of knowledge would increase his IQ and his brainputing power to a level, that would leave even the most brilliant minds of mankind in the dust.

    So there he was, processing the information and knowledge he had obtained from his memories, which were just the most basic theories and models, and then he began.

    Though he must say, the entire process was eye-opening; it was like being high on drugs; everything seemed different, the world and people, and one may be able to witness things from apletely different perspective in that state.

    He was in a simr state; he sensed endless knowledge and information surrounding him; there werews, concepts, and authorities; it was a culmination of everything that was, is, and will be.

    It was the "Truth".

    Even though the "Truth" appeared to have presented everything to him, he did not dare to try toprehend it all, knowing that even he, a literal god, would face a fate worse than death if he did.

    In this dangerous state, he began to deduce the rest of it, using his memories as a foundation.

    He is now finally close to sess after spending a long time in the ocean of mathematical forms.

    He also gave the engine the name Ster Engine. Simple, but most appropriate.

    Aucuses looked at the engine, his eyes were filled with a myriad of emotions.He''s almost there, and even getting this far and building it from the ground up made him feel somewhat surreal.

    "I had no idea you liked to travel so much..." Lilith spoke up when she noticed the excitement in his eyes. She could see that Aucuses'' excitement was not solely due to the engine, and she had seen him simply travelling around in the previous five years.

    "For me, travel is a way to be free and unconstrained from my worries and concerns." Aucuses remarked, looking at her. It was also one of his anchors.

    Then he inquired. "How about you?"

    Lilith said quietly. "I never gave it much thought before..."

    She really couldn''t understand his tion. She has authority over "Earth," so she can appear in most ces on Earth almost instantly if she so desires. As a result, the concept of travel has always beenpletely meaningless to her.

    "How about right now?" Aucuses invited. "Are you sure you want to go on a journey to the sea of stars?" He said this while spreading his hands wide.

    "Don''t get me wrong, we''ll only be travelling with the barrier; I don''t have a death wish like some." He immediately rified.

    "I know, Aucuses. I will join the journey," Lilith said with a smile. She wasn''t opposed to trying something new.

    Aucuses'' smile brightened at that.

    "Now, about the knowledge emperor characteristics and the alliance." Lilith brought up the important topic.

    "We can talk about itter, since you''reing anyway." With a wave of his hands, Aucuses dismissed it. "At that point, we''ll have plenty of time."

    Lilith didn''t press any further and instead asked about something that she found before.

    "Do you have to take them to barrier like this? You could just tell them."

    With a chuckle, Aucuses said. "Hearing and seeing can leave an entirely different impression. It would be better if they could see what lies beyond the barrier with their own eyes."

    "They will feel hopeless and crushed, Aucuses," Lilith sighed.

    "Indeed." Aucuses acknowledged, but he didn''t bother to exin himself further.

    Lilith sighed when she heard this. She thought the Aucuses'' method of teaching and doing things were really strange. However, she did not question his actions.

    "Did you finish it?" Instead, she asked, changing the subject and pointing to the engine.

    "Almost done." Aucuses replied. "Only the final test remains, which begins now..." He finished.

    Ding!

    A sound echoed from the projection in front of him, which disyed data from the entire engine.

    When Aucuses saw this, he waved his hands, and the metal cylinder containing the sunpletely closed itself, sealing the sun inside.

    Then he pressed the start icon on the hologram, causing the room to shake and the engine to roar, as the entire round cylinder with the sun inside emitted the zing light.

    The scattered holograms hovered around him, and Aucuses'' purple iris gazed at the holograms, analysing the information that could copse even the most brilliant minds in an instant.

    He also entered data, as his fingers moved across the holograms at breakneck speed, leaving afterimages.

    Lilith stood close to him, watching the projections pass by with interest.

    Suddenly, her pupils constricted around metal cylinder.

    "Aucuses, the star is gradually copsing." Lilith warned quickly, her face solemn. "If you keep going, you will cause a singrity."

    With her words, the entire engine shook violently, and the infinite energy of the sun began to condense into a single point at the centre of the cylinder, erupting in a dreadful aura that spread from the engine to outside, rming everyone.

    Lilith raised her wooden staff, intending to use her power to destroy the sun at a moment''s notice, if something went wrong.

    Seeing this, Aucuses pressed his hand against the cylinder.

    The infinite energy gathered at a single point began to pour out of the cylinder and into the tubes, charging the engine with ster fuel capable ofsting many lifetimes.

    The chaotic energy that should have wreaked havoc was as docile as amb under his absolute control.

    Ding!

    The holographic projections around him glowed green, indicating the sess of his first invention.

    Aucuses sat recklessly on the floor, removing his greasy glows and tossing them aside. He breathed a sigh of relief as he gazed at the engine, which was glowing in ster luminescence.

    "Finally.." He spoke, as his shoulders felt light. "This deserves a huge celebration,"

    He can''t wait to drink a cold ss of wine while gazing at the infinite cosmos.

    "It''s phenomenal." Lilith said, her red eyes shimmering as she looked at the engine. She calcted that the amount of energy contained within the sun in the cylinder would be sufficient to power the entire human civilization for a long time.

    "Obviously." Aucuses smirked at her.

    "But you''re also taking huge risks, Aucuses." Lilith retorted, looking down at his sitting figure. "You almost caused a singrity to form."

    "One may never be sessful in life if he does not take some risks." Aucuses said, shaking his head.

    Lilith remained silent, her lips pursed, her gaze averted from him.

    "Do you want wine before we depart?" Aucuses inquired, ignoring her expression. He rose from the wooden ground and brushed his dress clean.

    "I''d be delighted to." Lilith sighed in defeat. She had no idea why she was so adamant about this. It was so unlike her, who was apathetic about most things.

    "Come on." Aucuses smiled as he approached the door, and Lilith followed behind him.

    They proceeded down the long corridor, where he shut the heavy wooden door behind them. They then proceeded to the boat''smon cabin.

    Creak!

    "What happened, Milord?"

    "Is everything alright?"

    "And, milord, what was the dreadful aura?"

    When he pushed open the door to the cabin, he was immediately bombarded with questions from his angels.

    "Everything is fine." Aucuses appeased them, while Lilith emerged from behind him, her gaze fixed on Lucas and Diana.

    Aucuses'' gaze was drawn to the necks of Lucas and Diana, which were riddled with bite marks; hickey. His gaze also wandered over their clumsy dresses as well.

    For a brief moment, the entire cabin fell silent as an awkward atmosphere pervaded the space. While ise does his best not tough.

    Diana and Lucas finally noticed this. Their face turned bright red with embarrassment.

    They did try to clean themselves up beforeing here, but they were also in a hurry because they felt a dreadful aura that almost made them believe they would lose their lives at any moment. This caused them to stop the act in midway, gather themselves, and rush here immediately.

    They wanted toe with excuses, despite knowing it was pointless.

    "You don''t need to make up any excuses." Aucuses said to them with a knowing smile. His words and smile only added to the awkwardness.

    He didn''t, however, continue to tease them. "Go clean yourself up."

    They both stormed out of the room, after bowing to him and Lilith.

    "ise." Aucuses looked at ise, who had finally calmed down. "Go ahead and raise the anchor. We will begin our journey soon."

    "Also, bring a bottle of wine with sses to the helm after doing that," He instructed.

    ise nodded and went right to work. He didn''t want to take much, as there is another god beside his lord.

    Aucuses and Lilith were left alone as he walked away.

    "Your angels are fascinating." Lilith said as she looked at him.

    Aucuses smiled, but instead of responding to her words, he said. "Come on, it''s almost time."

    After a few moments, they arrived at the helm with a clear view of the ship, and they even saw ise raise the iron anchor from the sea.

    The ship was made of gleaming and polished wood. They were now present at the helm. Their right hand side was port and their right hand side was starboard, and on the figurehead was the emblem of the Eternal zing Sun; the sun surrounded by lines of light.

    Lilith watched with interest as Aucuses pressed a button near the steering wheel.

    The entire ship began to shake as tiny doors under and on the side of the hull opened, revealing massive thrusters.

    A surge of ster energy emitted from the thrusters beneath the hull, causing the entire ship to slowly levitate from the water.

    "Let''s begin." Aucuses dered, his eyes bright with excitement. Then, he pushed the lever on his side.

    The entire ship trembled heavily and it began to ascend the sky at a rapid pace, with thrusters emitting huge ster force, leaving a trail of smoke, causing all the citizens of Trier to look up to the sky in shock.

    After reaching the clouds, Aucuses let go of the lever, slowing their ascent and catching the wheel to the left.

    "What is the name of the ship?" Lilith finally asked. She was still standing near him, seemingly unaffected by the sudden takeoff.

    ''Name...'' Aucuses thought for a moment. "Voyager. It is Voyager."

    (Image here)

    With his words, Voyager left the white clouds and headed for the infinite cosmos.

 Chapter 73: Cosmos

    Chapter 73: Cosmos

    Diana stood on the deck, her purple sparkling at the massive thrusters, which was emitting ster energy.

    Her face also flushed with excitement, as if she had found a massive treasure.

    ''Is the ship powered by an actual star?'' Leaning forward on the railing, she wondered, looking at the thrusters propelling them forward through the white clouds. ''How the hell did Lord aplish this? What exactly is principal for this? The thrusts'' design is strange, yet somewhat cool. Is this something that can be mass-produced?'' Her mind was filled with thoughts and new ideas.

    As a knowledge emperor, she can infer right away that the ship is propelled by ster fuel.

    This discovery astounded her to her core; after all, she had previously thought the steam engine was miraculous, but within a few years of that discovery, she saw this, which could render the steam engine obsolete.

    For a brief moment, she felt a contraindication and unrealness in reality, as if two engines did not belong to the same era or epoch, yet here they are, perplexing her.

    She wished she could rush to the helm and ask her lord about everything. But she restrained her desire because she knew Earth Mother was also present with her lord.

    Diana sighed in frustration and looked out the window at the passing clouds and setting sun to distract herself.

    ''That''s beautiful...'' The scenepletely captivated her.

    The sun''s twilight blurred through the clouds, shading the sky a mix of orange and yellow. It was kind of enthralling as she immersed herself in it.

    But, someone suddenly hugged her from behind, cing his head on her shoulders and whispering through her ears in dismay.

    "Diana, you didn''t seem too excited when you looked at mine. But now, you are beaming with delight at the sight of freaking metal thrusters."

    Diana rolled her eyes at that. She was also aware that he had been staring at her for some time. She didn''t bother to call him out either.

    She then spun around and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her hands wandered around his body, looking into his golden eyes, she said ambiguously.

    "I argue that. How about we do it again, so you can check it very clearly this time."

    "Really?!" Lucas beamed.

    "In your wet dreams, idiot." Diana''s face went nk, and she pushed him away from her embrace and walked away.

    "Diana" As Lucas followed her, he drawled. "We haven''t seen each other in a long time, you know I''m always thinking about you..." His eyes were sad and painful.

    "Oh?!" Diana cut him off, turned to look at him, and scoffed at his act. "The sympathy card isn''t going to work with me anymore..." She wasn''t going to fall for it, but as his expression became more pitiful, her heart began to waver. "Fine. Not here. We can go to the capital after this trip. We''ll have all the time in the world at that time." She sighed, defeated.

    "That''s more than enough..." Lucas beamed once more, his sad and pitiful expression gone in an instant. He walked right up to her and wanted to kiss her, while holding her all to himself.

    Knock!

    "Am I disturbing anything?" ise inquired, leaning against the ship''s wooden hull.

    "You are." Lucas was annoyed at being interrupted.

    "You are not." Diana followed with a smile, earning an angry re from her love. But she ignored him and asked. "What is it?"

    "Lord said we should all go inside the cabin. We can''t stay out any longer. We have arrived at the point where we will enter the astral world." ise informed, his face expressionless, even after seeing them like this.

    "Why are we going there in the first ce? What did the Lord say?" Lucas inquired, finally recalling the reason for their gathering.

    "The Lord wishes to show something to us." Diana replied, her arm folded, while his mind raced with possibilities.

    ise looked at them in silence for a moment before saying. "The lord just told me that he will show us the source of Edward''s suffering to us."

    The atmosphere became heavy, Lucas''s lethargic expression became solemn, and Diana''s mind raced with numerous guesses and thoughts.

    Edward Grant is the angel of temperance, one of their friends, and they have been there for each other through thick and thin throughout their time in the Lord''s legion of light.

    However, as the fourth epoch dawned, his condition began to deteriorate, and he told them and his lord that he began to hear murmursing from the starry sky.

    Their lord''s solemn expression after hearing that only served to emphasise the gravity of the situation. The lord then took him to his kingdom, and that was thest time they saw each other.

    Following that, whenever they inquired, their lord simply stated his dire situation without further exnation. They did try to find the source of the problems, but it was ultimately futile. This entire situation left a throne in their hearts.

    ''Outer gods...'' Diana''s expression was baffled as she thought suddenly. She had no idea why this phrase came to mind.

    She learned this from Artisan and her lord''s conversation, when she and her lord visited Artisan before the war.

    However, she had an inkling that this was rted to Edward''s problem and the reason for their trip to the astral world.

    But before any of them could say anything, the entire ship rumbled, and their lord''s voice echoed around the ship.

    "Get in right away. We''re about to enter the astral realm."

    They didn''t waste any more time and went into the cabin as the ship began to shake even more.

    ___________________

    At the helm, Aucuses steered the voyager with both hands, his gaze fixed on the vanishing clouds. His heart was racing with excitement and nervousness.

    "Do you need help?" Lilith inquired, seeing that they were at the crossroads of the astral and material worlds.

    Even though the engine was perfect, the ship''s ability to travel in the astral world remains in doubt. And, there is a simple solution to all of their problems; they can use their authority to protect the ship while travelling in the astral world.

    But she can tell Aucuses would not be happy about that. She can also see that he wants the ship to be able to travel on its own.

    And she discovered something interesting about Aucuses: he dislikes taking shortcuts, preferring to slowly experience things he likes. He didn''t care how much time and effort was required; just like with this ship, he really didn''t need to go through all of this; he could have simply used his authority and all of his problems would have been easily solved, but here he was.

    "No." Aucuses refused. "I want to see if it is sessful."

    Then, taking a deep breath, he pressed the lever near the wheel, increasing the output of ster fuel, causing an enormous amount of energy to emit from the thrusters, propelling them into space.

    The voyager began ascending at breakneck speed, the clouds vanished, and the setting sun grewrge and high, revealing the curvature of the Earth.

    This is the critical moment. The strange and wondrous astral world was right above us.

    With a wobble, the ship entered the infinite cosmos, breaking free from the materialws and rules of Earth.

    Aucuses'' perception expanded. His perception of the astral world was far greater than that of others because he was a god of the Omnipotent and Omniscient pathways, which originated from the Lord of Astral World.

    Now, he can sense the boundlessness of the cosmos and even obtain glimpses and visions of the cosmos beyond the sr system via astral authorities.

    The astral world, in his opinion, was not magnificent and beautiful at all.

    It was chaotic, as if someone had just decided to smash everything together without any order or n. It was twisted, he felt endless malice from this infinite ce, as if it couldn''t wait to tear him apart, symbolically. It was terrifying, as he sensed the indifference, the cosmic indifference at that.

    At the same time, it all felt...real.

    He had no idea why he felt that way. It just came to him as he felt the astral world.

    Aucuses shifted his gaze away from the starry space and toward the ship, which was being gradually covered by the authorities of the astral world. He waited for the final moment.

    Finally, the authorities that can corrode the most in existence simply zed over the remodelled ship, without affecting or corrupting it.

    When Aucuses saw this, he let out a sigh of relief and slumped his shoulders. His heart was surreal. He finally seeded.

    "Congrattions." Lilith said with a smile.

    Aucuses nodded to her and removed his hand from the wheel, then entered their route into a hologram and switched the ship to auto-pilot mode.

    "You can alle out." He spoke loudly, his voice echoing across the ship. His angels finally left the cabin.

    Diana, Lucas, and ise walked up to the railing, their wide eyes darting around the vast expanse of space filled with gleaming stars.

    ''Is this the Astral world?'' Diana thought, her eyes wide with wonder. ''This is so different from what I expected. It''s somewhat strange and terrifying, as well as, beautiful. What a contradiction.''

    ''Wait?'' She bent down from the railing to get a good look at the massive below. ''Is that...?!''

    Following her gaze, Lucas and ise looked down at the, reacting simrly to her.

    The resembled a blue marble with white and ck swirls. There were two continents visible on the surface, surrounded by vast oceans and inds, while a portion of the was obscured by dark clouds and ethereal grey fog.

    The gleamed in the light of the sun, telling a magnificent and tragic tale. It was breath-taking in every way. It gave off a heavy felling, as if it held the history of countless years and numerous civilizations. It felt familiar to them, giving them a sense of security.

    It also truly astounded them, when they finally realised,

    This was their home.

    "Do you know it''s name?" Lilith asked, a gentle smile on her face, as she and Aucuses walked down from the helm and joined them on the deck, both gazing at the beautiful.

    "Name?" Diana was lost. She knew they lived on a, but she didn''t know what it was called. She was irritated by this revtion.

    "Earth," Aucuses said as he looked at Lilith. "She is Earth."

    ''Earth'' Their hearts were forever etched with that name. Their gazes was also drawn to Earth Mother subconsciously.

    "Everyone.." Aucuses continued, capturing everyone''s attention. "Before I show you something, we''ll travel to the sun."

    "We will pass through twos, Venus and Mercury, before reaching the sun. If you want, I can stop the ship and let you explore those twos. Aside from that, don''t leave the ship because the astral world is a dangerous ce for everyone below the gods. Finally, you are free to do whatever you want in the meantime, but please do not bother me or Ombe unless absolutely necessary." He instructed them, and they nodded solemnly, but their eyes couldn''t hide their excitement at the prospect of exploring an entirely different.

    Aucuses and Lilith then left the deck and went to his personal cabin.

    His personal cabin was not extravagant orvish, but rather modest and cosy, giving off a warm feeling, like being at home.

    "Coffee? Rather than wine?" Aucuses asked Lilith. He had an urge to drink a hot coffee, rather than wine.

    "Anything will do." Lilith replied as she walked towards his cabin''s window, where she stood silently gazing out at the gleaming stars in the space.

    Aucuses went to his cabin''s kitchen and began preparing. He looked up at her, who was still staring at the stars, as the water boiled in the middle.

    "Do you want to see the cosmos?" He suddenly inquired, his face mysterious.

    "I would love to, but as if that is possible." Lilith turned to face him and noticed his smile. "Don''t tell me..." She had an incredible guess.

    "Look." Aucuses pointed out the window, while the entire dim room was brightened by a burst of colourful luminescence.

    He used his authority of order to change the reality around the voyager, revealing glimpses of the cosmos that he saw through the authorities of the astral world.

    Lilith turned to look out the window, her face illuminated by a rainbow of luminescence. Then, her divine eyes was filled with awe.

    The vastness of space sparkled with swirling stars and colourful neb clouds. The cluster of gxies stacked on top of each other and extend into infinity. There were ck holes, red giants, dwarfs, and maic clouds. They were all endless and infinite, full of stories and tales from civilizations and species as numerous as sand on the beach.

    It was all woven together in the cosmic ocean, which contains all that is, has ever been, or will ever be.

    Lilith felt a tingling sensation down her spine. A faint sensation in her heart. Her mind shing with a distant memory of a long-forgotten past.

    She became aware that she was staring at the greatest of all mysteries: Cosmos.

 Chapter 74: Worries

    Chapter 74: Worries

    "The Cosmos is within us; we are made of star stuff. We are a means for the universe to know itself."

    A quote from one of the astronomers from his previous life shed through his mind.

    He smiled nostalgically as he remembered it. It was a very true and urate description of the cosmos.

    And by using such a specific selection of words, that astronomer was attempting to paint it in a more light-hearted and cheerful manner. However, the underlying meaning remains the same. Those words revealed a chilling secret of the cosmos that should nevere to light in his world.

    The golden mes sparked in the firece, illuminating the room. Aucuses sat on a stool, a palette and brush in his hands, and a canvas on a wooden stand in front of him.

    His gaze was fixed on the painting, but his heart was elsewhere.

    It has been a few days since the journey began.

    Lilith returned to her room after spending time with him. But, after seeing the cosmos, she became silent and distant. She was mostly dazed while speaking to him, only responding with simple words at the end.

    She had a problem that was causing her great distress. This was clearly evident on her face. But he didn''t question her about it, instead letting her to have her own alone time to recover from whatever she was going through. He knew sometimes it was a better option to give people some space, and, more importantly, he wasn''t familiar enough with her to be there for her. His presence may even be detrimental.

    And, when ites to Lilith, her origin has always been shrouded in mystery. Not just her; it can be said of all the Ancient Gods.

    The Ancient gods were are regarded as evil, insane, and twisted. They truly are, but they were also powerful, far more powerful than the gods of this era. Their insanity and craziness increased their power. Unlike him and other gods who were always trying to suppress that primal instinct, they embraced it and grew stronger as a result.

    He had met some of them, such as the Mighty Giant King Aurmir and the Hot-tempered Elf King Soniathryum.

    The Ancient Gods dered their rule over the knownnd and sky, as well as the spirit and astral worlds, iming things far beyondprehension as their own; this actions are a clear expression of their own madness.

    Their reign of terror and madness over the worldsted thousands of years, until the creator emerged from the chaos sea. "He" was the light that shone in the dark and depraved world. "He" was regarded as humanity''s saviour. "He" ughtered the majority of the ancient gods without mercy orpassion, while the Aucuses and other kings of angels butchered and enved the mythical races.

    These crazed gods have a blurry origin, with the exception of Giant King Aurmir, whose parents were humans. This was a secret that the giant king guarded with his life, not revealing it to anyone even until his death.

    The graves in waning forest were then opened by him and other kings of angels, revealing astonishing secret to many. He recalls how shocked he was at the time.

    While other Ancient Gods origins are hazy or non-existent in historical records.

    Aucuses, on the other hand, is now aware that all races are descended from humans. Their transformations into quasi-human or non-human should be the result of rashlybining with beyonder characteristics.

    Unlike Aurmir, who was born from humans, some ancient gods may have been humans before bing insane and crazy gods, forgetting and losing all of their past selves and humanity.

    This is far-fetched, but the possibilities are so striking that no one can ignore them.

    So, now for the important questions,

    Was Lilith ever a human?

    Was she a post-apocalyptic survivor?

    During her transformation into the Sanguine Ancestor, did she go insane and forget about her past?

    These thoughts raced through his mind as he stroked the painting with his brush.

    He really wasn''t the type to be so concerned about someone who wasn''t even close to him. But when ites to Lilith, he has a different feeling.

    He wasn''t that dense to not know what the feeling was.

    He likes Lilith. He is sure of that. It was not just some sort of infatuation, he felt, influenced by her "Beauty". He really likes Lilith.

    Even though he was clear about his feelings for her, he didn''t express them to her at all.

    The feeling of holding it all back in his heart was not pleasant at all. It was tormenting. He also knew that suppressing those feelings was not a good idea.

    But there was nothing he could do about it. Unless he wishes to cause chaos and disaster by throwing away his entire n and breaking her concealment.

    As he considered this, his grip on the brush tightened.

    Crack!

    It split in two and disintegrated into flying ashes.

    Aucuses sighed, his eyes distant and his heart heavy, as he watched the flying ashes fall from his hand onto the floor.

    After a brief moment in silence, he took another brush from the nearby stand and resumed his painting. He was trying topletely focus on it, ignoring his heavy heart.

    He was painting one of the glimpses of the cosmos, that he saw through his visions.

    This glimpse wasn''t as magnificent and breath-taking as the one he showed Lilith, but it showed of the true side of the cosmos, which hides behind its wonders and mysteries, the kind that can drive most minds insane.

    His painting was of a gargantuan gxy.

    It was many times the size of his home gxy, swirling in the vast ocean of darkness known as space. There are billions of stars gleaming in this cosmic ocean. There are also billions upon billions ofs, each with their own history and tale.

    All of them, all of those seemingly limitless possibilities, aren''t made up, but are real, out there, and exist right now.

    It is the Acaris Gxy, which is 5 billions years older than the Milky Way.

    However, this was not the only aspect of his painting. It decpited something greater, something beyond.

    It emerged from within, dyeing the ocean of darkness surrounding the gxy in streaks of purple light.

    It was a serpent with five heads. It towered above the gxy, tearing the gxy apart just by being there. The serpent''s eyes were significantly bigger than any known star in the cosmos.

    The serpent''s heads were hungrily looking down on the gxy. The mouths of the three heads were open, and golden dusts was emitting from them.

    It was enormous in size, dwarfing the entire gxy inparison. It can make anyone fell insignificantpared to it.

    The serpent''s three heads were swooping down on the gxy, their mouths wide enough to swallow millions of stars.

    Their descent was tearing the gxy apart. The stars ands copsed, along with the civilizations that lived on them, who were still oblivious until their demise.

    It was all disintegrating into cosmic dust. Forgotten and buried.

    The painting truly depicted yet another tragic tale from the cosmos, which were already far too numerous to count.

    (Image here)

    Aucusespleted his painting with a final purple stroke in the ocean of darkness. At this point, he waspletely focused on the painting.

    Then, he burned the palette and brush in golden mes because they were already tainted with purple streaks. It was purified in the sun''s golden mes.

    He rose from his chair, his gaze fixed on the serpent and apocalyptic scene he had drawn on his painting. His heart was still calm and indifferent.

    The serpent was a outer god.

    It''s known as the Dominator of the Endless Void. Devourer of Worlds. His painting depicted the outer god devouring a gxy to satisfy its hunger.

    Aucuses had no terror or fear of the gxy-devouring outer god even after staring at the painting for a while.

    Why?

    Even with its immense power and might, this gxy-devouring outer god is nothing more than an ant inparison to Mother Goddess of Depravity. "She" is right here on the crimson moon, and he had confronted "Her" and felt "Her" horror. So seeing this didn''t cause much of a ripple in his heart.

    But, it reminded him of the kind of existence, he will face when the barrier breaks.

    ''It''s no surprise that it''s called Apocalypse. When the barrier breaks, the destruction caused by battles between pirs and great old ones may shatter gxies apart.''

    With a sigh, he thought. He sensed the bleakness of his future, his heart bing heavier than it already was.

    He pressed all of his worries into his heart and sealed the painting of dominator of the void and put it away.

    He then went to his cab and took out an entire wine bottle. He drank a lot in a single gulp after opening the lid with his hands.

    While doing so, he gazed out the windows at the starry sky. He finally spoke up, his deep voice echoing across the ship.

    "Venus is here."

    With his words, a brilliant yellow-white emerged from the side of his windows.

 Chapter 75: Venus

    Chapter 75: Venus

    Venus.

    The Morning Star. Evening Star. Phosphorus.

    It was always linked to a slew of legends and names.

    However, the was given the name "Venus" in honour of Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty.

    There was also a legend that Venus was once a realm of gods, a paradise for which mortals yearn in their dreams.

    However, reality always tends to be disappointing. It is far from the paradise imagined by those; rather, it is best described as a burning hell.

    On this burning hell, three figures were walking through a vast yellow in, unaware that they were the first to set foot on this dead in millions of years.

    The sky was clouded over with thick yellow clouds. The rays of the sun only partially prated the clouds, illuminating the hellish world.

    Those three figures had half of their faces covered in white cotton cloth from below their eyes. They moved slowly, leaving visible footprints in their wake.

    Their footprints, however, were surrounded by cracks in the ground, showing the seethingva flowing directly beneath the crusty ground, revealing that the entire in is vulcanisedva flowing down from the volcanoes rather than solid rocky ground.

    But, they all walked forward, unconcerned. After nearly a day of walking, they finally arrived at the foot of a yellow mountain.

    Lucas sighed as he removed the cloth from around his face. "That was entirely unexpected."

    ise also removed the cloth while gazing at the volcanoes in front of him. His expressionless face frowned in distress. "It''s hot. It''s far too hot."

    "An understatement." Lucas folded his hands and gazed up at the sky. "Thank the sun, we''re angles; otherwise, the moment we entered the atmosphere of this hellish, our bodies would have melted and disintegrated into ashes. And don''t even get me started on the air pressure..."

    "How are you doing, by the way?" Lucas asked, his gaze fixed on ise.

    "It''s fine. My body is not weaker, as some have imed." ise rolled his eyes. He could see why Lucas was concerned; the mysteries pathway had a reputation for having very weak physical bodies. However, he received his lord''s blessing several times, which inadvertently strengthened his body considerably.

    Lucas nodded. While looking at volcanoes, he inquired. "How many volcanoes did we pass on our way here?" He also kicked some rocks off the floor into theva ins below.

    Diana, on the other hand, spoke up, interpreting their conversation. "Could youe help me with the equipment here? We can begin recording the entire."

    She was standing not far away from them, taking arge number of the golden equipment from her blue bag.

    "Oh?" Lucas approached her and eyed her equipment one by one before remarking with a shake of his head. "We''re on a journey, not a scientific expedition, Diana."

    "And, honestly, do you always carry all of this stuff with you? More importantly, how does this even fit into this small bag?" He then peppered her with questions.

    Diana red at him while she handed the bag to ise, who had alreadye forward to assist her.

    "Is there anything interesting on this? Other than volcanoes andva. There is nowhere for us to go sightseeing. We might as well collect data on the entire." She reasoned rationally.

    As he heard her, Lucas sighed exasperatedly. Despite his qualms, he approached her after noticing her frown while holding the equipment.

    "Give it to me." Lucas took the equipment from Diana and began assembling it for her.

    Diana smiled as she saw this. Then she took the equipment from ise, who was taking it out of the bag, and gave it to Lucas so he could continue assembling.

    "As for your previous questions; yes, I always carry a lot of equipment and books with me. Even though I am a knowledge emperor, there is still a lot that I don''t know and want to explore, so I carry them just in case, just for a situation like this." She answered. "I also expanded the inner space of the bag using the authority of the "Knowledge." To aplish this, I studied the workings of space itself."

    Lucas, who was putting the equipment together, paused and looked at ise before asking the important question. "Howrge is it?"

    "Its.." ise paused for a moment, peering into the bag he was holding. "It should berge enough to fit a noble manor." He gave a ballpark figure.

    Lucas looked at Diana, stunned. "I want one." He asked. "Don''t you want it too, ise?" He also drew ise in, knowing that the likelihood of her agreeing to only his request was slim.

    ise was aware of Lucas''s intention. Nheless, he remained silent in tacit agreement; after all, who wouldn''t want something this convenient?

    Diana looked at them both and sighed. "Fine!"

    Lucas beamed right away. ise''s expressionless face loosened.

    "Come on," Diana said, seeing them like this. "We have to get started. Before I can scan the entire, we need to ce equipment at each of its focal points."

    "All of the focal points?" Lucas exasperated. "You are aware that this is nearly asrge as our own. This will take a long time. And then there''s this hellish atmosphere."

    "Didn''t you say you wanted to go on a journey?" Diana smiled. "We''re going on one right now. At least one that is productive."

    Lucas finished setting up the equipment and red at her.

    Diana ignored him and began walking in the direction of the next focal point, holding a map she had obtained from their Lord.

    "Let''s go, Lucas." ise said this with a wave of his hands. "At the very least, this will distract us from the hellish ce."

    Lucas stood there for a moment, watching them walk forward, before following with a defeated sigh.

    He wasn''t exaggerating when he said this is unsettling. The temperature on the surface is excessively high, capable of melting even the hardest metals in seconds, and the atmosphere is also densely popted with poisonous gases. While the atmospheric pressure is many orders of magnitude greater than on Earth.

    In this environment, most life cannot survive at all. The only reason they''re not melting or being crushed into dust is because they''re mythical creatures, and all of their clothing and equipment has been blessed by their lord to withstand such terrifying temperatures and pressure. The air he breathes in is also unbearable, like scorching magma burning through his throat every time he breathes in.

    And he can confidently state that the is now harrowing. He also did not expect the to be this way. He was aware that not alls would be simr to his own. However, the situation on this is far beyond his expectations or imagination.

    Not only was he surprised by this, but the other two were as well, when they allnded on the surface to only find a,

    Dead and Hellish.

    As the thoughts passed through his mind, Lucas joined Diana and ise on their expeditionary journey across this could-swaddled.

    The angels of sun moved across thends of Venus, which were filled with active volcanoes and flowingva.

    They lost track of time after crossing four focal points because the sun in the sky remained constant, with the only sway being the rising temperature. Throughout their time on Venus, it remained in the centre of the sky, as if the was always in perpetual daylight.

    "I never imagined there would be a day in my life when I would miss the night." As they walked, Lucas smiled and joked.

    "We''re close to the equator of venus." Diana said as she turned to face him. "Once we cross there, the rest of the should be in perpetual night."

    "Does the rotate more slowly than the Earth?" Hearing that, ise inquired.

    "Yes." Diana came to a halt in her path and calcted with her hands.

    "A full cycle of day and night on Venus is equivalent to nearly a year on Earth. We''ve been on this for at least 20 earth days."

    "A year?!" Lucas and ise couldn''t hide their surprise, as they hadn''t expected such a disparity to exist despite the twos'' proximity.

    "It should be almost there. Isn''t it fascinating?" Diana spoke up, her purple eyes glistening with thirst for knowledge. "There is such a difference between twos. And this is just the one closest to ours. I''m not sure what the situation is like on others far away from our home."

    She then went on. "Come on, there''s only one more focal point left before we start. I, too, can''t stand to be here any longer."

    They resumed their journey, heading for their next target,rgest volcano on venus.

    The sky gradually darkened and dimmed as thick grey clouds covered it, in stark contrast to the rest of the clouds that covered the.

    They arrived, the light of sizzlingva illuminating their faces as it flowed in branches like a river. They stood on rocky ground that had turned charcoal ck rather than yellow. The scorching magma cascaded down from the ridges like a waterfall.

    It stood before them, towering even the tallest statues of gods on earth. This volcano was thergest thing they''d ever seen. It was covered in flowing, shimmeringva, the light of which shone through the darkness. Unlike other volcanoes on the, it did not spew volcanic ash, insteadva flowed from mountain cracks.

    They were amazed as they gazed at the volcano from arge rock. It was astounding and terrifying... Yet, they also found it strangely beautiful.

    With just a nce, it had captured their entire attention, and an unusual "desire" to explore the volcano appeared and filled their hearts and minds.

    "This is truly a paradise of volcanos," Lucas eximed, admiring it, "Come on, let''s keep going."

    He jumped on another ck rock ahead of him and began climbing to the summit of the volcano, and ise soon followed.

    Diana frowned and adjusted her sses. She kept looking at the grey clouds, ck ground, as well as, scorchingva.

    She always felt like, she was missing something about the entire situation. She also felt the sudden urge to recite the honorific name of their lord.

    But, when she saw the volcano again, those doubts and urges in her heart were reced by her "Desire" for infinite knowledge. Then, she too joined them on their journey without giving it a second thought.

    After they left, the clouds parted, revealing Jupiter, which gleamed ever-so brilliantly in the dark sky.

 Chapter 76: Desire

    Chapter 76: Desire

    Diana, Lucas, and Basie were trekking along the steep slopes, avoiding the scorching magma that was flowing down from the spitting cracks on the volcano.

    They arrived at the summit after hours of excruciating travel. As they stepped onto the dark ground, the sky above the summit changed. It was shrouded in thick darkness, with countless resplendent stars shimmering through out it.

    They paused on the summit to catch their breath. They didn''t seem to notice the stars in the sky, which were now colliding and forming a massive phantom of a brown.

    Lucas finally couldn''t suppress his "Desire" on the summit and dashed towards the crater in the centre.

    As he approached the crater, his eyes were filled with unusual excitement, and his lips rose into a twisted smile.

    His heart was pounding like a drum with anticipation and excitement. His crazed eyes were wide open as he finally looked down at the crater.

    "It''s magnificent..." He eximed, his heart racing from the sight in front of him. He spread his arms wide, as if he wanted everything here only for him, and him alone.

    Diana and ise were not far away. They didn''t have such unusual excitement as Lucas while walking towards the crater.

    When they heard his intoxicated tone, their hearts were filled with curiosity about the crater. They then sped up to the crater, joined him, and gazed down at the mystical scene.

    The massive crater was wider, much wider, than thergest canyon on earth. It wasn''t filled with smouldering magma, but with something unexpected, something miraculous.

    It was Red Roses!

    The roses filled the entire crater. They swayed with vibrant life within them, seemingly unaffected by the harsh conditions of this hellish.

    They were a miracle.

    The thought filled the hearts of all three, as their gaze became more obsessive and sacred by the moment.

    The roses stretched and slowly opened their petals, sparkling with brilliance. The entire summit was filled with the intoxicating scent of roses.

    For them, red roses are no longer just flowers, but something sacred and invible. The roses were chaos in perfect order, science and art, yet also magic that unveiled the secrets of the cosmos...

    They are the song of the eyes and the aroma for their noses in this hellish. They are the brilliance that the world needs, even under this dark sky. They gleam brighter than the sun in the sky...

    Diana, Lucas, and ise stood in a daze, their eyes gradually losing focus. Their hearts and minds were drunk on the beauty of the flowers.

    A green stem with small buds grew out of the ground in front of the three of them. It grew to their height at a moment''s notice. The buds in the nt blossomed into red roses.

    Their gaze was immediately drawn to the roses, and their hearts were filled with crazed "Desire" for the roses. They want it. They want it all for themselves.

    "Pick it up. Take it. It will be yours in perpetuity."

    A sweet voice echoed directly in their minds, resounding right into the depths of their souls. It broke and silenced their instincts that had been screaming in danger, while their heart and mind began to sink into an ocean of "Desire" for the mesmerising roses.

    They raised their hands, their fingers moving dangerously close to the gleaming petal in brown light.

    "That''s it, little angel. That''s all, little angel."

    The sweet voice encouraged them, as the brown light began to extend off the petals to their fingers.

    Hum!

    Just as they were about to make contact with the brown light, a golden sun emblem appeared on their dress and equipment, which had been blessed by their lord. They were then frozen in ce. Their minds and eyes quickly went unconscious, as they fell to the dark ground.

    The brown light on the petals extended out to touch them, but it melted and exploded into golden particles of light under the zing emblem of Eternal zing Sun.

    The ripples appeared from the emblem, and it began breaking through the constraints in reality around the summit to reach the Eternal zing Sun in the Voyager.

    "The Sun..."

    Due to the obvious failure, the sweet voice became twisted and furious. However, it was far from giving up.

    The bright brown in the starry sky above the summit shone brightly, illuminating the entire carter of red roses.

    The red roses rusted heavily, and something emerged from deep within. It radiated the divine aura of a god!

    It was the decaying corpse of an ugly and twisted man entangled in red roses, some of which grew out of the cracks on his body.

    This was the corspe of Kvastrir, the Ancient God. He was the god of the chained pathway.

    During the second epoch, Kvastrir and Flegrea besieged Sanguine Ancestor Lilith and Giant King Aurmir. At a crucial moment in the battle, Aurmir betrayed Lilith by joining forces with his enemies to kill Sanguine Ancestor.

    The ancient goddess died. She did, however, remember to drag her enemies to the grave with her. She killed Flegrea and Kvastrir, causing their bodies to shatter and fall to Earth and Venus, respectively.

    The corpse of god floated above the crater, controlled by the brown. It raised its hand and pointed its finger at the sun emblems on the bodies of the angels.

    A ck light shot from its finger, heading towards the sun emblem.

    It was a curse!

    A curse aimed at intercepting the emblem and keeping Eternal zing Sun in the dark about his angels.

    The curse also tainted the red roses, turning them into man-eating flowers. Then, it came close to the bodies of the angels of sun.

    But, just then, a green light shed from the blue bag of Diana, as a brown seed shot out with the aura of life, striking the ck light.

    The seed struck the ck light, causing it to take on a life of its own, transforming it into a twisted puppet entangled in ck roses and no longer under the control of the brown.

    Roar!

    A roar echoed, shaking the entire volcano, as the brown shimmered brightly, refusing to give up.

    Hum!

    The sun emblem on the bodies of angels shone brightly. They emitted a pure beam of light that ripped through the dark sky.

    "Shut up! You bitch!" An enraged voice echoed from a tear in the sky, with the radiance of the sun filling the summit of the volcano.

    The sacred light of the sun illuminated the entire summit, crater, and angels. It began to purify all the filth and evil that had descended here. The divine corpse began to melt under the mes of sun, which began to destroy the corpse.

    A cluster of wheat sprouted up around the already unconscious sun angels. Flowers, mushrooms, and trees were among them. They intertwined with each other,yer byyer, protecting and cleansing the angels from any influences and corruptions.

    In the light, Aucuses appeared. His narrowed gaze was drawn immediately to his angel. His tense expression rxed when he realised there were no problems with them.

    Then he looked up at Jupiter''s phantom and the twisted man floating above the crater.

    This was all orchestrated by the Divine Whore, Mother Tree of Desire.

    He didn''t bother to yell at it in a rage, as he didn''t want to give it any more time or chance.

    He immediately dered with authority, "Order."

    "Venus is prohibited from having any connection with the astral world."

    Hum!

    The entire was bathed in a dark golden light that morphed into countlessw-like symbols and magicalbels.

    However, before it could merge with reality and expel the influence of the mother tree of desire, the phantom of the brown expanded, ascending and reaching the astral world.

    Then, it emitted a formless light filled with the authority of corruption at thew-symbols surrounding Venus.

    Lilith descended and intercepted the formless light by tapping her wooden staff against the infinite space of the astral world.

    The formless light materialised and "Withered" away from reality.

    Rumble!

    Meanwhile, a swarm of trees sprouted from the fabric of reality and encircled the phantom of the brown, which was already the size of half of Venus.

    The cluster of trees grew at an astonishing rate, filling the space around the phantom of the brown. The brown branches of the trees began to entangle the and insert right into it, in a bit to break the entire phantom apart.

    The dark-goldenw symbols finallybined with the reality of Venus, as the phantom of the brown dimmed and became illusory. But the phantom resisted the "Order," causing cracks to appear in the reality around Venus and shaking the entire.

    Seeing this, Aucuses appeared above the phantom of Jupiter. His stature towered over Venus herself. He was holding a exaggerated sword bathed in twilight.

    Then, he swung the blood-stained sword at the phantom.

    Crack! Boom!

    The twilight sword shattered reality in its path, rupturing it like shards of broken mirror.

    Mother Tree of Desire, sensing the threat, did not hesitate to use thest card in her hand to stop the sword stained with the creator''s blood.

    A ck light shot out from Venus, transforming into a scorched figure of the twisted man. It was still enveloped in the golden mes of sun, which were melting him.

    However, the corpse, which was under the control of the mother tree of desire, ignored this and flew for the twilight sword.

    An aura of tryanny descended on the astral world, as thick blots of lightning erupted from the earth, heading towards the divine cropse.

    Boom! Boom!

    The blots pierced the twisted man, submerging him in a rain of thunder. It began tearing the scorched corpse apart.

    Meanwhile, an imprable ray of darkness and a waning beam of twilight shot out of Earth. Their target was the phantom.

    The sword of twilight shed right into phantom, with no obstruction. The attacks of other gods also fell on the phantom.

    The phantom of Jupiter cracked and exploded into brilliant light particles, illuminating the astral world within the barrier.

    Soon, an angry and terrifying roar resounded throughout the astral world.

    Jupiter appeared in the sky above Earth. It''s colour quickly faded and became pure. On it was a huge, distorted brown figure.

    The illusory figure vanished as sun res appeared, submerging it within. Thus, ending the battle.

 Chapter 77: Expedition

    Chapter 77: Expedition

    Venus.

    "How are they?" Aucuses asked with concern.

    "They are fine." Lilith answered, removing her hands from their foreheads. "However, since they werepletely under influence of desire, they probably have very little memory of the whole incident. But I could restore it."

    "No." Aucuses said, shaking his head. "Let it be. It''s better to be safe than sorry."

    By saying this, Aucuses knew, he was contradicting himself. After all, he was going to show them the great old ones. But this was only under his protection and where the power of the outer gods cannot expand. Here, however, the authority of the mother tree of desire descended through the corpse of the ancient god. So, even if the influence has now been expelled, there is still a significant risk present.

    Lilith nodded in understanding. She looked at the Angels who were lying unconscious on the ground and said. "They should wake up soon." Then she got up and turned to Aucuses. "I''ll wait for you at the crater." She excused herself with a serious expression.

    Aucuses nodded and watched her disappear into the volcano''s scorched crater. Then he saw his angels slowing down, their bodies shaking as their closed eyes opened in confusion and bewilderment.

    He sighed and waited for them to get a hold of themselves...

    _____________

    In the crater, Lilith walked through the ashes of the roses. She bent down and picked up a red petal from the ashes. Her eyes were slightly reminiscent of the past as she gazed at the petal of the hand.

    The petal suddenly flew from her hand as a gust of wind erupted behind her. She turned to see Aucuses standing beside her, arms folded and eyes narrowed.

    Aucuses has already persuaded his angels to continue their scientific expedition. He didn''t make up an excuse or a story to hide what happened. He just told them they would find everything eventually.

    Yes, he is still going show them. This incident only amounted to strengthen his resolve about it. He cannot always protect his angels from the dangers of the cosmos. It was too close this time. They would have been corrupted by the divine slut were it not for the blessings, Aucuses and Lilith gave them before embarking on this journey. They need to know the whole truth so that incidents like before don''t happen again.

    His angels were still confused about everything, but they resume their journey under his stren words. He also altered reality to change thest focal point into the volcano in the nearby in so that theye back to the crater.

    Inside the crater, Aucuses approached Lilith and stopped right in front of her. His body inches from hers, a solemn atmosphere filled the entire crater.

    "Ombe, did you know it before?" Aucuses asked her, his golden eyes staring into her red eyes.

    Lilith was unaffected by his intense gaze. She calmly walked away from him, then she replied. "No, I didn''t expect Kvastrir''s corpse to be on Venus. War was chaotic at that time and I was just a subordinate god back then. So I didn''t know much about the consequences of the war."

    "But weren''t you Aurmir''s wife?" Aucuses asked, suppressing the anger that burned in his heart. God knows how excruciating it is for him to keep up with her act, even in situations like this.

    Lilith suddenlyughed. "Wife?. No, I was far from that. To him I was nothing more than his ve or tool of reproduction for his glorious race ... " Herughter died away with thest words, leaving them in an eerie silence.

    Aucuses asked worriedly. "Sorry if I said something ..."

    "No, it''s okay." Lilith cut him off, turned to him and gave him a weak smile. "I''ve alreadye to terms with all my past." She continued after she recovered and calmed down. "That War. Aurmir didn''t say much about it after returning to the castle. However, he looked frightened, as if he had seen something terrible. He was also badly injured and corrupted by the crimson moonlight. He went into solitude for long time after the war...."

    Aucuses listened while ignoring her magnificent acting.

    "Do you know Lilith, the Sanguine ancestor?" He asked the most important question. "I heard she was the one who killed Kvastrir and Flegrea."

    "Lilith..." Lilith murmured, her eyes distant. She seemed to be recollecting the past. Finally, she looked at Aucuses and said.

    "Just after the war I heard a rumour. While I''m not sure if it''s true, this is all I know about situation of Lilith during the war. She said to have gonepletely mad during the war, not even caring about her own life." She concluded sinctly.

    Aucuses eyebrows rose when he heard it. He didn''t fully believe her words, but the doubt of whether she knew the corpse of ancient god was here on venus disappeared after hearing her words.

    "Amanises and others contacted me." Lilith said, and her face turned solemn. "They want know everything that happened here."

    "I''ll tell brief them when we get back to Earth." Aucuses said, pulling a brown book out of space and throwing it at Lilith. "Read thest pages of the book."

    Lilith grabbed the book and opened it after hearing him. She was going through the first pages filled with forms of the 22 paths, and the hermit path wasplete in the book.

    She spared a nce before turning to the final pages, each page until thest the words bing distorted and twisted.

    Her expression grew heavy as her grip on the book tightened when she saw what was written on thest page of the book.

    "Inextinguishable Ravings... the therer from the infinite void...the originator of all sounds...the one who ys the symphony of apocalypse that heralds the end of everything..."

    The honorific name of a great old one was presented to her.

    "When did you get this?" Lilith asked, taking a breath to calm the surging feelings in her heart.

    "Just before our journey to Moses Ascetic Order." Aucuses replied and approached her. "This outer god tried to establish a connection with the earth through knowledge."

    The brown book is the one he created back when he went to save Diana from the Hermit''s Uniqueness.

    "Why didn''t you tell this to others sooner?" Lilith asked, ring at him.

    "Well..." Aucuses shrugged his shoulders. "I''m showing you now..."

    Lilith momentarily ignored his attitude given the importance of the situation. Her heart filled with unease when a horrible guess shed through her mind.

    "So the great old ones are starting to extend their power to Earth ..."

    That''s why she was so solemn. Unlike the way the mother goddess of depravity extended her power into the barrier, which was nned by her for a long time.

    But the situation in Venus and the brown book is fundamentally different, as it indicates something that the gods themselves fear.

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded and pointed to the ashes of the roses. "But, we don''t have worry about the outer gods, except Mother Goddess of Depravity and the Mother Tree of Desire. "Their" pathways are on Earth. "They" can influence our home more through it."

    Mother Tree of Desire is a tricky existence. "She" might be considered more threatening to many than the Mother Goddess of Depravity.

    He was sure of it, due to the "Desire" authority held by Mother Tree of Desire. Desire is an essential and integral part of Humanity and "She" has freaking control over it. This was what makes "Her" so dangerous, because even angels can easily be influenced by their own desire and corrupted by "Her". When ites to influencing and corrupting others, "Her" authority gives her a huge advantage over many other authorities.

    Aucuses guessed, this was why the gods should have been powerless to prevent the influence of Mother Tree of Desire from spreading across the southern continent in the 5th Age of the original timeline. "Her" prowess is clearly demonstrated by the fact that she has managed to corrupt a king of angels and a god of "Her" pathways sessfully. "She" should have already begun to slowly take control of "Her" lost pathways in the original timeline.

    Lilith walked ahead and looked at the sun. Then, she asked with a weak sigh. "The barrier is weakening, isn''t it?"

    "Indeed." Aucuses nodded and didn''t hide it. "The barrier is slowly weakening. If I''m not mistaken, it started with the fall of the Creator. It will soon break. It may take a few millennia, but it is already inevitable at this point."

    When he had finished, a heavy atmosphere took hold of them.

    Lilith gazed up at the sky, her heart racing as she considered the future. She was expecting it, because nothing in the universe is eternal. However, when she considered the mother goddess of depravity, whom she would have to confront in the future, she felt her own bleak future.

    Aucuses looked at her. He could immediately sense her concerns by just looking into her eyes.

    He walked over and joined her to stare at the sky. There was a moment of silence and heaviness between them before he chuckled.

    "If that bitch really dares to enter earth after the barrier is broken. I''ll kick her out like I didst time."

    Lilithughed when she heard him. Her eyes sparkled with memories of that battle. Her heart was suddenly filled with strange feelings as she looked at Aucuses.

    She somewhat envious the confidence of Aucuses; she wishes she had it, the confidence to curse a pir in their faces....

    "Come on ..." Aucuses said with a sigh, seeing that he was still silent. "Let''s go back to Voyager. I''ll make you a cup of coffee."

    "I''d love that." Lilith finally said, her smile brightening at the prospect of coffee made by Aucuses.

    They began to walk through the valley, illuminated by the twilight. The Voyager was parked nearby, a steep mountain at the end of the valley.

    "Where are your angels? Are they back?"

    "Oh, the expedition is still in progress."

    "You still let them?"

    "I made them continue it."

    "..."

    The twilight of the sun shone on their figures as they continued their journey to Voyager.

    Meanwhile, Diana, Lucas and ise were far away from the valley, making final preparations for the scan.

    "It''s enough." Diana said as she began to float off the ground, then she assumed a sitting position in the air.

    "Do you want a hand?" Lucas asked, checking the equipment onest time.

    "No." Diana shook her head. "Get away from me now."

    Lucas and ise walked away from her, but their attention was still solely on her.

    Diana began. She used her "Knowledge" authority and connected to the equipment in front of her.

    In an instant, her perception expanded and began to cover all of Venus. Meanwhile, all devices at the focal points around Venus glowed with purple light. The lights started to extend out from each device to connect to nearby devices.

    Buzz!

    Soon, the entire of Venus was bathed in violet light. From space, Venus was covered in a giant formation with points of light at every focal point on the.

    Diana floated with light purple steaks emanating from her figure. The lights converged above her head and transformed into a pair of eyes containing countless resplendent stars.

    A formless ray of light shot out from the pair of starry eyes, illuminating all of Venus.

    The entire became illusory and ethereal, as if everything temporarily transformed into a block of basic information under the power of violet light.

    The light that illuminated all of Venus almost immediately converged back into starry eyes, returning Venus to its previous form.

    The starry eyes then dimmed as the converging light recorded and brought back a ton of knowledge about Venus.

    The starry eyes eventually morphed into a journey that fell into Diana''s hands. The diary contained all the information recorded on Venus.

    Diananded and flipped through the book almost immediately. She also looked worn down from doing such feet.

    ""Are you okay?"" Lucas and ise in unison, much to the dismay of the other.

    "I''m just a little tired." Diana smiled in response. "Let''s return to Voyager. I can''t stand this any longer."

    ise and Lucas nodded in agreement. Then, using authority of knowledge, they teleported all of the equipment back to them and made their way back to voyager.

    When they reached Voyager, they saw their lord waiting for them.

    "Do you want to stop at mercury?" Aucuses asked, his hands folded and his eyes fixed on them.

    "No." They answered in unison, much to each other''s surprise.

    "I expected that." Aucuses chuckled: "Then let''s go straight to our final destination, the ''Sun''."

 Chapter 78: Great Old Ones

    Chapter 78: Great Old Ones

    Diana stood on the deck. Her wide eyes stared at the huge golden star in front of the voyager.

    It was the Sun.

    The star that gave life to the earth. It was the golden fire kindled to bring warmth to all of creation itself.

    Her eyes rested on the golden rays of the arch emanating from the sun. It is the only illumination that gives vibrant hues to the dark space of the cosmos.

    Diana always knew that the sun was different from the countless stars that dotted the dark ocean of space, but she had never felt it personally before.

    And, there was a huge difference in knowing and feeling.

    It was breath-taking in every sense of the word. It was cosmic in power and magnitude. It was something otherworldly, something sacred, something invible.

    She felt too smallpared to the infinity of the sun. Yes, in her perception, the sun was an infinite and boundless star. It was the embodiment of the authority of a god.

    She saw more...She saw an infinite ocean of light in the sun...

    She immediately closed her eyes and blocked her perception of the sun. She knew that if she continued, she would be lost in the infinity of the sun.

    "Diana,e to helm. The Lord calls us all there. He wants to tell us something." Lucas yelled, standing on the steps.

    Diana turned to him, and a smile appeared on her lips at the sight of Lucas. She pushed away the thoughts of the sun and went to the stairs.

    She gave him a light kiss on the stairs in the sunlight.

    "Does it have anything to do with what happened on Venus?" Diana asked, turning her back on him.

    "Yes." Lucas said with palpable disappointment, staring at her lips.

    Sensing his intense gaze of desire on her, Diana snorted and ran away before the bastard could make another move on her.

    "Damn! Why do you always have to be like Diana?" Lucas swore and chased her.

    Within moments, they reached the helm, where others were seated at a wooden table.

    The table was long, with two chairs at the head and three chairs beside it.

    Standing at the entrance, putting their smiles aside, they turned serious when they noticed the solemnity around the entire helm.

    "Come inside." Aucuses said, waving his hands after noticing them.

    Diana and Lucas entered the helm. They settled into two chairs to the left of the table and in front of them was ise, sitting across from them, their Lord and Earth Mother seated at the head of the table.

    The golden sun was clearly visible to all of them, as the rudder was open and exposing them to infinite outer space.

    Aucuses turned his gaze to the golden sun in front of him. It was created by him, using his authority. It also fully embodies his authority.

    The sun is not an ordinary star like in his former reality. Hell, everything in the cosmos, even if it resembles the universe of his past life, is fundamentally different.

    The astral world epasses the entire cosmos where all the authorities of the universe are present, so the stars ands of his previous universe should not be able to withstand the corruption of the authorities, unlike the celestial bodies of the cosmos.

    As he previously stated, the cosmos is vastly different and dissimr to his previous universe, as well as many other fictional universes.

    Now returning to the sun, he created it, as the previous one went supernova with the fall of the ancient sun god. And, his sun is not bound by materialws; he could make the sun as small as a ball and as big as a sr system with just a thought. His sun couldn''t also be measured or understood by any being below the gods. The fate for those who attempt it is certain death with their souls destroyed in mes of sun.

    Aucuses drank a ss of wine as his thoughts ran through his head. Finally, he put down his ss and focused on them. He sees their nervousness hidden behind their calm faces. It was to be expected by the fact that they had no recollection of the that incident would make them realise the gravity of the entire situation.

    "Did any of you know the legend of the creator during the 2nd era? Not the ancient sun god, but the original creator." He asked them, breaking the silence on the table.

    Lucas and ise were silent, while Diana contemted. She snapped her fingers as a legend shed through her mind. It was what she found in a book, while exploring the ruins of the 2nd Era.

    "The ancient gods believed that the original creator left nine entities. It was said that they were kingdoms, castles, keys, rivers and seas." Diana said, remembering the legend. Her gaze was unconsciously drawn to the Mother of Earth as the goddess seemed lost in a daze. Still, she continued on.

    "The ancient gods are said to have searched for it all their lives, believing it to be a legacy left by the original creator. It was said that the Demonic Wold Flegrea tried to find the castle, but never seeded. This is the legend I found in one of the 2nd era ruins."

    "It is the one." Aucuses nodded. "As you all guessed, the nine entities left behind by the original creator are real. All nine entities exist on earth. They are called ''Serfoit''."

    Sefirot... The word repeated itself in his mind. They actually guessed that might be true when they saw their Lord''s solemn expression, as Diana said the legend.

    ''Things left by the creator? There is a castle...A castle! Could it have something to do with that in my dreams?'' ise''s mind ran quickly with his thoughts, making a far-fetched guess.

    ''Serfoit..'' Diana thought, remembering all the important information. ''Above the sequence. Could the Sefirot have anything to do with that?'' She suspected.

    "The Sefirot separated from the Original Creator." Aucuses continued. "There are nine; Sefirah Castle, Chaos Sea, River of Eternal Darkness, Brood Hive, National of Disorder, City of Cmity, Tenebrous World, and Key of Light."

    ''Sefirah Castle...'' ise thought in a daze, as the name started to echo in his head.

    ''If we divide the interchangeable paths into different categories, there should be 9 in total.'' Diana calcted. ''9 categories and 9 sefirot...''

    "Are they really on Earth, but why have we never heard of them? And what are they for, milord?" Lucas asked with curious eyes. Of all of them, he was the least affected by the secret.

    "It''s on Earth. But expect Sefirah Castle and Chaos Sea, all others are sealed." Aucuses replied and waved his hand in the air.

    The sunlight converged above the table and turned into letters that revealed the secrets of the cosmos to them.

    It stated,

    "God Almighty, Creator, Maker, The Omnipotent and Omniscient, Lord of the Astral World:

    Chaos Sea + Visionary Uniqueness + The Sun Uniqueness + Tyrant Uniqueness + White Tower Uniqueness + The Hanged Man Uniqueness + 1 Author Beyonder characteristic + 1 White Angel Beyonder characteristic + 1 Thunder God Beyonder characteristic +1 Omniscient Eye Beyonder characteristic +1 Dark Angel Beyonder characteristic.

    Lord of the Mysteries, King of Space-Time, Beacon of Destiny, Embodiment of Sefirah Castle, Dominator of the Spirit World:

    Sefirah Castle + The Fool Uniqueness + Error Uniqueness + Door Uniqueness + 1 Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic + 1 Worm of Time Beyonder characteristic + 1 Key of Stars Beyonder characteristic.

    Eternal Darkness, Singrity of All, Space-Time-in-One:

    River of Eternal Darkness + Evernight Uniqueness + Death (Eternal Sleeper) Uniqueness + Twilight Giant Uniqueness + 1 Knight of Misfortune Beyonder characteristic + 1 Pale Emperor Beyonder characteristic + 1 Hand of God Beyonder characteristic.

    Demon of Knowledge, Aracana of Madness:

    Knowledge Moor + The Hermit Uniqueness + Paragon Uniqueness + 1 Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic + 1 Illuminator Beyonder characteristic.

    Key of Light, Endless Disorder, Incarnation of Fate..."

    The nine ways of the great old ones were presented to them.

    Diana, Lucas, and ise''s expressions were stunned, their wide eyes gazing at the knowledge of the great old ones.

    Many thoughts and assumptions shed into their minds and filled their hearts in stunned silence.

    Seeing this, Aucuses continued with a solemn expression. "Sefirot are required for gods if they are to transcend the sequences themselves."

    "Yes, there is another level above Gods. It''s called "Above the Sequence". However, Ancient Sun God gave it different names. He called it ''Great Old Ones'', ''Outer Deities'' and finally ''Cosmos''."

    The moment Aucuses revealed the secret of the cosmos, an eerie aura filled Voyager.

    Lilith, who had remained silent during their conversation, abruptly rose from her seat and stared at the barrier.

    Rumble!

    The invisible barrier had materialized in the astral world. It started shaking and trembling.

    In the middle of noon, the crimson moon suddenly appeared on Earth. The colour became extremely saturated and expanded exaggeratedly. It was as if it hung on the roofs of every house. Aside from that, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all lit up at the same time, emitting light of different textures.

    Looking down from the cosmos, the Sun, Earth, Venus and Mercury seemed caught in an invisible storm and were shaking in ce.

    On Voyager, Lilith felt the rage of Great Old Ones. "Their" fury shattered the starry sky.

    She can sense "Their" rage was actually directed at Aucuses due to his audacity and arrogance.

    Aucuses ignored "Them" and looked at his angels, who were still perplexed by everything that was going on.

    "I promised you that you would eventually know everything," Aucuses sighed. "I''m sorry for doing this. But it''s necessary."

    Diana, Lucas and ise rose from their seats as their instincts cried out in danger, the kind that could easily threaten their lives.

    But before they could react, sunlight fell on them, coating them like ayer over their bodies.

    "Open your eyes." said Aucuses in a deep voice.

    They immediately felt the reality around them stretch like rubber. They shot out of the voyager at incredible speed, with reality returning to normal.

    They were like shooting stars in space that travelled even faster than the speed of light. They passed Mercury, Venus and Earth in the blink of an eye, while their screams echoed throughout the astral world.

    They stopped abruptly right in front of the Earth, but before they could catch their breath, they shot away again as a powerful force carried them towards the barrier.

    The moment they reached the barrier, everything around them fell into darkness, eternal darkness at that.

    Darkness engulfed them and finally stopped them in their tracks. They took a break to calm their minds and hearts, which were filled with confusion, sadness, terror and bewilderment.

    Diana tried to open her eyes and failed before realizing they were open. Most of the space was the darkest of all greys, but this one was pure ck. It was as if someone had extinguished the stars and the sun. The darkness was heavy, oppressive, almost suffocating.

    Suddenly, a slippery sound echoed through the eternal darkness, catching his attention and making his hair stand on end.

    Something has crept into the eternal darkness, waiting to be seen, felt and heard.

    When they realised this, their hearts filled with horror and fear. Their bodies shivered as they sensed the darkness, which terrified them to the core.

    "Light!" Lucas screamed as if his life depended on it. "Light! Light!"

    He desired to illuminate the darkness and make the unknown known to them. But he immediately regretted it.

    The light illuminated the darkness and revealing the unknown.

    In front of them stood a thin barrier. In this godless depth they saw luminouss and the moon.

    The crimson moon copsed in an ocean of blood and transformed into a gigantic, indescribable figure with countless eyes.

    The brown jupiter red up and transformed into a gigantic tree with myriad branches extending into the infinite void. There were tree warts and flowers growing on the branches, from which sticky mucus was dripping out....

    The red mars spit in the centre, revealing a pupil filled with countless resplendent stars, all of which were perpetually in supernova.

    The yellow saturn became illusory and expanded. It merged with the ring around it, turning into a colourless ring with blinking eyes on both sides.

    The blue neptune copsed into a massive and twisted figure, intertwined in strings that vibrated and produced melodies....

    The astral world shook and crumbled in "Their" anger. "Their" malevolent gazes passed the barrier and fell entirely on Aucuses, while disregarding the angels of the sun.

    Diana, Lucas, and ise''s minds nearly exploded and copsed when they looked at the great old ones.

    ''Mother Goddess of Depravity, Mother Tree of Desire, Supernova Dominator, Ring of Comeuppance, Inextinguishable Ravings...''

    The names of the Great Old Ones struck their hearts and minds like a heavy sledgehammer.

    The oppression of the Great Old Ones weighed them all down and made them realize their own frailty and insignificance. It also destroyed all the pride and vanity they had. They began to spiral into an abyss of their own despair and hopelessness, on the verge of losing themselves forever.

    "Light!"

    A deep voice sounded, as light illuminated them and drew them out of the darkness. Then, the reality warped around them, throwing them to voyager.

    On the voyager, Aucuses looked at the angels kneeling on the floor, trembling. Their heads down, and their bodies were drenched in sweat.

    "It was the cosmos." He finished with a sigh.

 Chapter 79: Pillar

    Chapter 79: Pir

    The astral world is in chaos... Aucuses thought when he sensed the authorities of the astral world. He could see glimpses or visions before, but there was only literal chaos in his perception now.

    It was because of the rage of the Great Old Ones. "Their" authorities should have influenced the astral world on a cosmic scale. "They" did not cause the destruction, but it should have affected the concepts of cosmos realted to "Their" authorities. As for the consequences, he really didn''t know. After all, his perception of the astral world outside the barrier only shows chaos.

    Aucuses thought, as he stood on the deck, a ss of wine in his hand. His gaze remained on the barrier, which slowly became invisible again. Beyond the barrier, the Great Old Ones have already returned to theirary forms. However, "Their" res were still on him.

    For this, Aucuses smiled and drank his wine, ignoring "Them". He turned away from the barrier and looked up at the sun.

    He leaned his back against the railing and then rubbed his temples, which ached from the stress.

    Yes, stress. Even as a god, he was overly stressed due to his extreme use of power and authority.

    The endeavour with his angels and outer gods cost him a lot of strength. It was extremely difficult to protect his angels in the presence of the Outer Gods while also facing the stares and whispers of the Old Ones.

    The Great Old Ones can''t do anything to him because of the barrier, but that doesn''t mean they can''t use their profane voices to express "their" anger at him.

    He must say it was exhausting as hell trying to purge those sphemous voices out of his head. It was literally the amalgamation of all the profane and sacrilegious sounds, so much so that it could make anyone who hears themmit suicide to get reprieve from these ungodly sounds.

    He did, in the end, manage to extricate himself from that, which left him drained...

    Aucuces took another sip of wine as his body recovered minute by minute in the light of the sun. It will only take a few moments to return to its optimal state. Ultimate regenerative powers are always a big perk for gods.

    "They are here." Lilith said as she walked out of the helm.

    Hearing this, Aucuses approached the helm and asked. "How are they?"

    His angels were in a mess, both mentally and physically. He sent them to a separate room to give them ample time to process everything that had happened and he also asked them to clean themselves up before returning to the helm.

    "Physical. They are fine. There are no signs of corruption or influence in them. Their condition is actually in great shape due to your sunlight helping them recover." Lilith stated, with her hands folded "But mentally they are literally wreaked. It had left scars on both their hearts and minds. They really need long term therapy to recover from this." She seriously suggested.

    Aucuses nodded and asked. "Do you know a perfect physiatrist who fits them?" He knew some form of therapy was needed. When the creator took him to the barrier and showed him the great old ones, he was in a much worse state than they were. He only recovered due to the ambition that ignited in his heart, as well as, the long therapy sessions conducted by the creator, who was the best in the field.

    "Hermes." Lilith answered, after thinking about it for a moment. "He has an abundant knowledge of Cosmos, as well as most experienced in this field."

    There is a person more qualified than Hermes, but she did not name him because the one asked for this was Aucuses. The person is the angel of imagination, Adam.

    Aucuses nodded thoughtfully. He and Lilith approached the helm as they talked.

    They finally entered the helm, where he saw his angels sitting on the chairs. Their expressions were t, as if nothing had happened, but their shaking hands and legs clearly betrayed them.

    Then, he and Lilith sat in the chairs at the head of the table.

    "I''m sorry I did that without giving any warning." Aucuses sighed when he saw their horrible mental states.

    ise shook his head with a wry smile. "It''s better this way, my lord. It is better to know the whole truth than to live in ignorance." His hands were shaking as he pressed them against his face.

    While Lucas and Diana drank hot coffee, their faces were pale and their hands were shaking. However, as they took a few sips of coffee, theirplexion visibly improved and the tremors stopped.

    "Drink, ise." Aucuses said, pointing to the coffee for ise. ise nodded, took the coffee in his hands and started drinking.

    The coffee was brewed under the authority of him and Lilith. Lilith created the coffee beans, filled them with life force. He also used his authority during the brewing, imbuing it with his powers.

    This coffee is literally heavenly nectar; it would heal any injuries, both physical and mental, while also bringing peace to the heart and mind. He made it especially for them to aid in their recovery.

    "My lord, Mother Tree of Desire ..." Lucas finally spoke, his eyes sparkling with fear. "Is it "Her"? Is "She" the one responsible for everything?"

    His words caught the attention of Diana and ise, who finally managed to find peace through the divine coffee.

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded. He could guess that their memories of that incident should have been restored because they saw "Her". "The Mother Tree of Desire is an Outer God who rules the domain of Desire. The chained and abyssal pathways originally belonged to "Her". However, it broke free from "Her" and fell to earth. But "Her" influence on both paths is still there. So, the whispers Edward heard originated from "Her"."

    "But, my lord, Edward didn''t start hearing the whispers until the beginning of the fourth epoch," Lucas said, perplexed.

    "The barrier you saw is weakening. It previously prevented the Great Old Ones from extending their power into Earth. However, it has been weakening since the beginning of the fourth epoch." Aucuses responded to their concerns. He was aware that his simple sentences contained a wealth of information and knowledge that would perplex others.

    However, he knew they could understand it because, despite their sufferings, they should have gained a lot of knowledge about the cosmos by looking at great old ones.

    ''Weakening'' That word reverberated in the minds of three people, causing them to shiver subconsciously.

    "Weakening? Milord. Does that mean it will break in the future?" Diana asked quickly, apparently quite concerned about the possibility.

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded, not bothering to sugar-coat the truth. "The barrier will fall apart in the distant future. The Great Old Ones will invade our home, bringing Apocalypse."

    "Why are they invading our? Why is there a barrier around our? Is it because of the Sefirots? And why are some of them sealed? Why?" Diana lost herposure and poured out all the questions from her heart.

    Aucuses and Lilith listened in silence as Lucas and ise drank coffee and began to drink, to calm their troubled hearts.

    "I''m sorry, milord." Diana finally managed to recover and went in between breaths. "I was disrespectful."

    "It''s nothing." Aucuses said, pointing to the cafe in front of her. "Drink it. It will help."

    Diana nodded and immediately started drinking the dicin coffee.

    "I will tell you a legend that will answer all of your doubts and questions." Aucuses stated. "This was a legend that Ancient Sun God told me and other kings of angels to help us understand the cosmos."

    Diana, Lucas, and ise leaned forward with their hands folded on the table. Their bright and clear eyes were on Aucuses.

    Aucuses began solemnly.

    "The Original Creator awoke from the chaos. "He" created the Cosmos, everything in existence. However, due to "His" own existence; a being made of contradictory concepts, he split and diverged in the end."

    "The Pirs of the Cosmos were formed from the parts of "Him". Pirs are entities that hold the entire universe together. Their authoritiesprise the entire universe and are an essential part of it."

    "There are three pirs of the cosmos: Lord of the Mysteries, God Almighty, and Mother Goddess of Depravity."

    "After the pirs came to be, the remaining parts of creator formed the beyonder characteristics, sefirots, and pathways. While "His" residual power became the barrier that protects the earth from outer deities who are greedy for "His" remains."

    "Earth experienced a cataclysm after the Creator split. Except for God Almighty and Lord of Mysteries, who remained on Earth, everything had been destroyed. This was the first epoch."

    "However, they had also fallen by the end of the first epoch. Nobody knows what happened during that time or what caused their eventual fall."

    "But it doesn''t really matter; aside from Mother Goddess of Depravity, other pirs fell, leaving behind their Sefirot and Pathways; Sefirah Castle and Chaos Sea. Mysterious and Omnipotent and Omniscient Pathways"

    Aucuses paused and looked at ise, who had a grim expression on his face as he discovered something terrifying. His lips were open as if he wanted to say something, but he ended up lookingpletely and utterly lost.

    "Yes, ise. Lord of the Mysteries is the source of the murmurs you frequently hear. And your guess is correct. Even if Lord of Mysteries had fallen, death is never the end for that level of existence. They are a part of the creator. They, like the creator, exist within all that they have left behind. The higher one ascends, the more they awaken."

    "They are within you and me, ise." His eerie voice reverberated throughout the helm, bringing a haunting silence.

 Chapter 80: Legend

    Chapter 80: Legend

    "They''re within you and me, ise." His eerie words echoed through helm, bringing a haunting silence.

    As a heaviness covered the entire helm, the rays of sun flickered. There was the heavy breathing of three angles, who were still trying to process his terrifying words.

    It echoed in their minds, and with each resounding, they felt the world turning dimmer and darker with no light. As the words lingered in their minds, there realised that there was no light in the eternal darkness, leaving them shivering.

    ''This is our world?'' ise thought, his heart trembling, looking out into the darkness.

    ''There is no light. There is no light at all.'' Lucas thought with a broken heart, his thoughts losing control as the darkness slowly consumed him.

    ''Although I suspected this. Why do I still feel this way?'' Diana had a sad smile, her hands pressed to her chest as she breathed heavily. ''It''s our world; A world without hope or light.''

    The darkness was heavy and suffocating. It was twisted and crazy, like the abyss of creation. There was no light. It was just empty. It was indifferent. There were no boundaries to the abyss, only endless, empty darkness where everything ends. Forgotten and buried.

    "Drink the coffee." A voice echoed in their minds, breaking through the darkness and pulling them out of the abyss.

    They didn''t ask or speak. They took the white cup and drank the coffee. They didn''t care, even if their tongue got burned during it.

    "Aucuses". Lilith said with a sigh. "You are pushing them over the edge. It won''t end well."

    Aucuses remained silent, eyebrows furrowed. He can feel their desperation, despair, fear and pain in their hearts and minds. It was forming a dark abyss in their hearts.

    He knew Lilith was right. He pushed them to the edge. But the truth has to be told, cruel as it may seem. They need to know. He didn''t want them to live in ignorance. He knew how they felt because he also had been there and went through it all. It changed him drastically, and in some ways, it was the catalyst for his ascension to godhood.

    Not only him, all the gods have experienced it, albeit in different ways. The truth was something one had to know ande to terms with it. This was also a necessary phase that one had to go through if one wanted to attain divinity or godhood in the end. If this were not the case, the consequences would be unimaginable in the future.

    ''They really need therapy,'' Aucuses thought with a sigh. He looked at them, who were slowly recovering due to the divine coffee. But their minds and their hearts were still scarred. These scars cannot be healed at all by his authority. They need help, professional help to deal with the scars.

    "Can you ask Amanises?" Aucuses asked suddenly, looking at Lilith.

    "I can ask her." Lilith nodded, turned and looked at the angels, who seemed to be improving on the surface, but their hearts told a different story. "But I don''t know if she''ll agree."

    "I''ll pay the price," Aucuses promised without thinking. His brows furrowed in concern and worry as he stared at the angels.

    Lilith nodded and said nothing more. She closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat.

    An aura of tranquility soon descended over the table, with bright stars twinkling around them. The heaviness and depression in the air disappeared as a sense of peace swept across the helm.

    Numerous night moons and vani flowers appeared from the stars and descended on the angels and gave them a blessing of night.

    Aucuses noticed Amanises'' gaze lingering on his angels. She also gave him a fleeting nce before the divine aura receded and the stars vanished.

    Lilith opened her eyes, turned to him, and said. "She wants to talk to you in person after you return to Earth."

    Aucuses nodded. He didn''t think much into it, for he was focused on his angels of him. He can see that their emotions are settling and the scars in their hearts and minds are healing, albeit slowly.

    Theirplexion and condition visibly improved, as they should have achieved a sense of peace through the blessing of the night.

    Aucuses sighed, he must say, the authorities of Amanines were too convenient. The authorities used by Amanines here were Soul and Night, while she still has Darkness, Concealment, and Misfortune.

    He put those thoughts aside and focused on ise, who finally seemed to have some strength to speak.

    "The Pir will awaken within us. Is that why the paths of the mysteries have been suppressed and considered cursed, my lord?" ise asked, doing his best to be calm andposed.

    "Yes, the higher one climbs on the paths of the mysteries, the more the pir will awaken. Let''s say, if one now bes the god of these three pathways, Lord of Mysteries will fully begin to revive within them, using their bodies as a vessel." Aucuses answered, cing his hand on his chin. "Why do you think Bethel and Amon never tried to ascend to be gods, despite many opportunities in the past? That was the reason. The six gods also do not want a god of that pathways to be born either, unless the time and fate are right."

    Hearing this, ise went silent in his own thoughts about the pir and mysteries.

    "Lord." Diana spoke, leaning forward in her chair and adjusting her sses. "But isn''t God Almighty also a pir?.."

    She began to rationally focus on this knowledge and cast doubts on it, thus distracting her mind from wandering into the terrifying darkness.

    Aucuses smiled. "As expected of you, Diana. You noticed that." Heplimented her. "The will of God Almighty is powerful, but it pales inparison to the will of Lord of Mysteries."

    "In recent times, the Almighty''s will has weakened. This is why I, Leodero, and Herabergan can be gods without fear of the resurrection of the Almighty within us."

    "Milord, was the weakening rted to the Ancient Sun God?" Diana finally put forward her guess, her hands knitted together nervously, as if she was afraid of the answer.

    Aucuses was silent for a moment before speaking.

    "Let me continue the legend. In the end, you will have the answers to your questions and doubts."

    Diana nodded as ise and Lucas began to focus on him. Despite the fact, the truth was horrible, they would rather know it all, than live in ignorance.

    Aucuses continued. "The pirs have fallen. However, they left behind arrangements that would ensure their sessful resurrection in the future. Lord of Mysteries went a step further to make sure his arrangements weren''t disrupted by future generations. "He" sealed all the sefirot expect Sea of Chaos on one of the continents of the Earth, before his death. The seal can only be opened when a new Lord of Mysteries is born."

    "So there needs to be the birth of a Lord of Mysteries before the apocalypse ..." Diana gasped in horror, "The Lord of Mysteries should have predicted that the Apocalypse would happen. Even more, "He" may have foreseen it in in the future many will try to suppress "His" pathways and stop "His" resurrection. But, by doing this..." She waspletely lost, for in that moment she clearly realized the horror of a Pir.

    Lilith shifted ufortably in her seat as ise and Lucas began drinking the coffee again.

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded, his tone still calm. "You are indeed right. The Lord of Mysteries knew that in the future, many would try to stop "His" revival. So to ensure the sess of "His" ns. "He" sealed the Sefirots and blocked the ways of the Great Old One for future gods. The Lord of Mysteries knew that the barrier was not eternal. So "He" left this arrangement, which wouldpel the future gods to allow someone to be Lord of Mysteries in order to break the seal on the serfoits."

    The helm fell silent with a heaviness that covered the air as his words echoed out.

    Aucuses felt the silence and continued on the legend. "So that''s why the Sefirots are sealed. Now let''s move on to thest part of the legend, the one you know. It''s about the ancient sun god."

    The creator''s name attracted their utmost attention, as "He" was always covered in mysteries.

    "The Creator awoke from the Sea of Chaos with the first sphemy te. "He" was already a God of the two pathways of the sun and hanged man at that time. However, the Creator quickly realized that Almighty had already begun to awaken in "Him". And, in an attempt to stop this, "He" separated a part of the "Self" with the authority of Degeneration, and let that part share his burdens. "He" only partially seeded, as "He" couldn''t stop the resurrection, but "He" managed to slow it down."

    "This part was the king of the king of angels, the left hand of heaven, The Dark Angel, Sasrir."

    His words caused gasps of surprise across the table.

    Aucuses continued without giving them the chance to ask about it. He didn''t want to drag this out and wanted to end this legend quickly.

    "The Creatorunched a crusade against the ancient gods to retrieve the authorities belonging to Almighty. With the help of Chaos Sea, The Creator was unrivalled, "He" managed to get all the remaining authorities; Tyrant, Visionary and White Tower. And at the beginning of the third era, "He" took control of the sea of chaos and eventually seeded in ascending to be the Half- Great Old One."

    "The only thing that prevented "Him" from bing a pir was the will of Almighty. The Creator could no longer suppress the will of the Almighty. "He" tried in many ways, but it all failed and it becamepletely inevitable."

    "Desperate, "He" had came up with a grand n; a n to kill himself in an attempt to stop the resurrection of Almighty. Make no mistake, the Creator was far from being a saint, who would sacrifice himself to stop a pir. "He" should have left behind some ns that would have ensured "His" survival and sess in the end."

    "Sasrir, the dark side of the creator, formed Rose Redemption with Amanises, to kill "His" main self. All the gods and most of the kings of angels were part of it."

    "The fateful day had arrived. The Rose Redemption besieged Creator. In the end, we seeded. However, before Creator could enforce "His" other n to ensure "His" survival, I betrayed "Him" and disrupted it. Leodero and Herabergan quickly joined my side, and the gods, as one would expect, did not interfere. They simply stood by and watched betrayal and fall of creator."

    "What? I''m telling the truth." Aucuses said, catching Lilith''s re. "Don''t think all of you deceived me; I''ve always known all of you wanted ''Him'' dead as well."

    Lilith snorted at that and turned away, while Aucuses ended the legend with a sigh.

    "The Creator has perished."

    "His fall had many ramifications; the will of almighty has been greatly weakened. The barrier was also beginning to deteriorate. "His" remains crumbled to form the second sphemy te."

    Itpletes the legend.

    His angels were silent as they digested the vast amount of information in their minds.

    "The legend should be enough to understand the true history of our world," Aucuses said as his gaze swept over them. "Well, before I let you all go."

    He pulled something out of thin air and threw it at Diana.

    It was Sequence-1 characteristic of the Hermit pathway.

    Diana caught it in her hand. It took her a moment to realize what it was. Then, her mind went nk.

    ise and Lucas were stunned, their eyes widening. They knew the gravity of what had just transpired.

    Their Lord wants Diana to be the Hermit!

    "Diana, rise to be King of Angels after your recovery." said Aucuses solemnly. "Then begin to prepare for apotheosis ritual. I will give you the uniqueness of hermit when you are ready. I expect you to be a god before the end of this era. Finally, you don''t have to worry about Artisan, I''ll make sure he doesn''t dare interfere with your preparations."

    Diana held the nk look. Her dream had almoste true, she should have been happy, jumping and partying all day, but there was only sadness and pain in her heart.

    Eventually, she looked at the Lucas, who did his best to encourage her with simple and silly actions.

    Diana and bowed to her lord, tears gushing from her purple eyes as her trembling hands held the characteristic.

    "Thank you, milord." She said this in a strong and sincere voice, despite her pain in her heart. "I am eternally grateful. I will ascend, before the end of this epoch, to be a god."

    Aucuses smiled, while sighing inwardly as he observed her mental state. Even though he expected change, he was still very worried, when he saw how much it affected them; Diana, despite her dreaming true, was not happy at all.

    Still, he waved his hands at the sunlight. It began to converge before the three and morphed into his sacred emblem.

    "You can stay on Voyager for a few hours to gather yourselves together. Then, inject your spirituality into the emblems, and it will transport you to Backlund''s National Library. Hermes is the librarian there. He will be able to help you once you have given him the emblem." He issued the final instructions.

    His angels nodded solemnly and took the emblem without hesitation. They bowed to him onest time before leaving the helm.

    After watching them go in silence, Aucuses leaned back, shoulder slumped. He took the cup of wine from the table and began to drink it.

    He and Lilith were the only ones now at the helm. And, he chooses to remain silent even after sensing her res.

    There was only silence between them, until Lilith spoke up, sighing in defeat.

    "You were far too daring, Aucuses. You have offended all the outer gods by doing that. I can assure you that "They" are enraged and "They" are going to target you specifically in the future."

 Chapter 81: Alliance

    Chapter 81: Alliance

    "You were too bold, Aucuses. In this way you have offended all the outer gods. I can assure you that ''They'' are furious and that ''they'' will specifically target you in the future."

    "Well ..." Aucuses shrugged nonchntly. "I''ve already offended many, so it doesn''t matter anymore..."

    Though he appeared nonchnt, his heart was slightly uneasy. The outer gods cannot hurt him, but "They" can certainly target the people associated with him.

    Edward Grant...

    He can be considered an unfortunate man. He was discriminated against and went through much suffering before Aucuses took him into his legion of light. He got his home and his happiness in the legion he so longed for.

    Then, he managed to be an angel in early fourth age, but his happiness was short-lived as the barrier began to weaken.

    Aucuses did his best to quell the murmurs that continued to influence Edward. He used his authority to the fullest, thus managing to partially suppress it, giving Edward some peace. However, he is no longer sure about it. He can already guess that Mother Tree of Desire will begin to target Edward specifically due to his actions.

    ''Southern Continent,'' thought Aucuses, rubbing his fingers over the edge of a winess. ''I should visit this continent...''

    Lilith sighed at his casual tone. She took the wine from the table and drank it to calm her heart.

    She didn''t press him on his recklessness any longer since she had noticed that, while Aucuses may appear reckless, that was just his faade.

    He far from being reckless. He ns virtually for every situation he may encounter. She wouldn''t be surprised if he had already started nning how to deal with rpses caused by his actions.

    She also knew that Aucuses could not be considered a cautious type. Despite everything, he can sometimes be extremely bold and fearless.

    He has a rather contradictory character..thought Lilith, drinking the wine.

    They were both silent in thought. The aura in helm was still peaceful and calm, due to the residual power of the night lingering around the table.

    Lilith put the wine down on the table after drinking half of it. She then took an object from thin air and slid it across the table towards Aucuses. It was thest remaining characteristic of the Knowledge Emperor. She got her hands on it during the Wars of the 3rd Era.

    Aucuses put the wine away and took the characteristic, examining it.

    "It''s really surprising." Lilith smiled, picking up the wine and swriling it in her hands. "That, you are allowing your angel to be a god."

    "Aren''t you worried that she might end up betraying you?" She asked rationally.

    "She will not." Aucuses said, looking at her red eyes.

    "Do you trust her so much?" Lilith asked, squinting at him, observing his every reaction and move.

    Aucuses smiled and shook his head as he drank the wine in silence.

    For Lilith, his silence spoke volumes. This made her feel miserable. Her heart felt a slight pain. It wasn''t just this, she was also very surprised by Aucuses.

    After all, traitors are prone to bing paranoid about others, particrly their own subordinates. This came as no surprise, as no one wants history to repeat itself.

    Lilith was well aware that Leodero and Herabergan never fully trusted their own angels. After betraying their creator, they have more or less developed paranoia. Herabergan didn''t make it that clear, whereas Leodero didn''t even bother; once, he personally sent divine punishment down on one of his angels for making a minor error during a war.

    But Aucuses is theplete opposite. He was really quite a contradictory person.

    Lilith gulped all the wine at once, ignoring her strange emotions in her heart.

    She wasn''t a fool in the least. She knew exactly what it meant. She had always had feelings for Aucuses, ever since their fight with the Mother Goddess of Depravity, in which she nearly died if Aucuses hadn''t saved her.

    However, she still chooses to ignore and suppress her fellings for Aucuses.

    Lilith swirled the ss she was holding as she looked at him. Finally, she sighed and looked at Aucuses, who was pouring himself another ss.

    She spoke, without bringing up the main topic, but about the things that happened in the empire.

    "The parliament is in disarray. Within the empire, Tudor and Trunsoest are forming factions. The angels'' families have all begun to side with both of them. It won''t be long before there are tensions between the two sides."

    "It will copse anyway." Aucuses said indifferently. "There is no point in worrying about the situation."

    "Is that why you allowed Amon into the emprie?" Lilith asked, her legs crossed, her eyebrows raised. "I saw some ns of Tudor. After he became an archangel, his respect for us diminished, and his arrogance increased even more after he received the support of Bethel and Amon. And Amon is doing a great job of inducing Tudor to his whim."

    "Alitsa ..." Aucuses said, tapping the table. "You know, he wants to be the ck emperor. He already started preparing for the apotheosis ritual." Heughed. "The funny thing is that he actually thought he had sessfully hidden it from us with the help of Amon and Bethel."

    "What do you think Tudor will do about the ck Emperor''s uniqueness when the timees?" Lilith asked, rather curiously. She knew Tudor''s ns. She also knew it would all fail, but she was still curious.

    "He knew I wasn''t going to give him the uniqueness, so he nned to use the difference between us to his advantage." Aucuses chuckled. "He suspected that the empire and the alliance would notst long. Frankly, his n is pretty good, if he could use his cards well, he can gain the support of Leodero or Amanises or Herabergan."

    He paused for a moment, his eyes shing with indifference.

    "But it''s a pity, his fate is already sealed. From beginning to end, he was nothing more than a poor worm."

    Lilith said in surprise. "So, Solomon will rise again ..."

    "Yes." Aucuses said bluntly, not bothering to hide the truth. "Solomon will make ae back in the future."

    "Did you find his mausoleums?" Lilith asked, frowning.

    "Does it matter?" Aucuses said nonchntly. "You don''t have to pretend. You and the others also want him toe back as well. This is why Amanises and Herabergan did not oppose me during that vote. The alliance is great and all, but it has to end. Solomon is the best way to bring it to an end."

    Lilith knew this. It was the main reason she came to meet Aucuses. It was to talk about the alliance between them for theing war.

    Aucuses continued. "You do not have to worry. Our alliance is already formed with the exchange of characteristic. I''ll help you fight Amanises when the timees."

    Lilith nodded and asked after some hesitation. "Are you sure, Aucuses?"

    "What do you mean?" Aucuses asked, tilting his head to left.

    Lilith sighed. "Aucuses, you can''t fool me. Your actions and ns have consequences. Everyone will know when Diana bes King of Angels. While Leodero and Herabergan already see you as the a greater threat."

    "So what do you think will happen if the Empire and the alliance copse?"

    "You will be the first to bear the brunt of ensuing chaos. I wouldn''t even be surprised if Leodero and Herabergan managed to make up just to deal with you. You will under siege from all sides, Aucuses. I can''t help you at that point. You will have to face the gods all alone."

    "Are you certain you still want to go through this?" She finished, her gaze fixed on Aucuses, waiting for his response.

    Aucuses rose from his chair, wine in hand. He walked towards the deck, only stopping in the middle and speaking without looking back at Lilith.

    "I know what I''m doing. You don''t have worry about me."

    When Lilith heard his answer, she knew there was no point in trying to persuade him further. She got up from her seat, turned around and finally said.

    "Don''t die on me, Aucuses." Her voice was low and fragile.

    After leaving those words, she disappeared from Voyager, leaving flowers to bloom in her ce.

    Aucuses sighed as he leaned against the railing of the bridge and stared at the golden sun.

    Once again, he was all alone.

    ________________

    A/N :

    I just want to get this out there

    1) The Chaos Sea is currently ownerless. Even though Adam has ess to it, he has no actual control over all of it, like before his death. So, Aucuses could also assess it if he could find a way to connect to it.

    2) Aucuses has a significant advantage over others; the weakening will of the creator, which may appear insignificant at this point, but will give Aucuses a significant advantage by the 5th epoch.

    So, let me just say that Aucuses has a great chance of bing a pir.

 Chapter 82: Nation of Disorder

    Chapter 82: Nation of Disorder

    Backlund, Untied Empire.

    Aucuses leaned back in his seat and looked out the carriage window, where the rows of houses passed.

    He was alone in the carriage going to the National Library in Backlund. His gaze narrowed to the royal castle and the statue of the gods that surrounded it.

    They seemed untouched by time even when the whole empire was changing rapidly.

    Three years have passed since his journey into the astral world.

    Yes, three years. From a mortal point of view, this may seem like a long time. But the passage of years is only the blink of an eye for him.

    The spirit and mind of God are fundamentally different from those of man. The way a God perceives the world and time is also different.

    In his eyes, the world is just a book that he can open and read anytime. This was due to his authorities, which allowed him to see through the entire world, including its mysteries and destinies. There are really not many things that can be hidden from his eyes.

    Because his iris became a mix of golden and purple in this state, he named it as "All-seeing eyes." The name is indeed a clich, but it is also most appropriate.

    However, he didn''t need to separate this as a state because, if he so desires, his divine state can be permanent with no repercussions.

    It is too overpowered. He, too, was aware of it. But, he still wasn''t sure if his all-seeing eyes couldpete with Herabergan''s Omniscient eye.

    Well, even though his dreams and expectations were high, in reality, he knew that it would still fall short whenpared to the Omniscient eye of Herabergan.

    Coming back now, the reason he didn''t keep this state permanently was the effect it would have on him. His humanity would have been seriously affected if he had always perceived the world that way.

    It takes away everything that makes reality colourful and interesting and presents only the most mundane world where he already knows everything. And he just happens to abhor anything even remotely mundane.

    Such a perceptive would drive him almost mad. Therefore, he has separated it into a state, that can be activated and deactivated whenever he wants.

    Aucuses put his hands on his chin, looking at the dark clouds in the sky. His mind still wandered into the past.

    The three years. He didn''t sit still. He did two things during this time.

    He began to search for the mausoleums of Solomon. It was harder to find than he expected. He used his authority of order and chaos of Dark Emperor''s uniqueness in his search.

    It took him a month to locate the first eight mausoleums, while thest took him over a year and a half to pinpoint its location. Frankly, the whole process was excruciating as hell. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially for the Ninth Mausoleum. But he went through it all because he didn''t want new variables to arise that could affect his ns.

    From the moment he began his search for the ninth mausoleum, he knew something was up with that ce. It took so long because chaos was actively interfering with his search.

    However, he cracked it after activating his all-seeing eye andbining it in the search. But it still took a long time for him to break the chaos.

    What was the whole process like? It was a contest of rules and order. Chaos was breaking all the rules and order he implemented, while Aucuses had to find a better order to counter the chaos. He won in the end and shattered chaos by establishing his order.

    Despite finally finding all of the mausoleum, he was frustrated because he knew the chaos that had held him up for so long couldn''t be the power of Solomon.

    It was something beyond.

    Yes, Nation of Disorder, it is sefirot.

    Aucuses got a huge headache and thrashed his room in a fit of rage.

    However, not all was lost. He was able to calm down and reflect on the entire situation after that. Then he discovered that the power of sefirot that extended from the seal was not very strong; at best, it could only be considered residual aura. It was in no wayparable to the previous situation with the Knowledge Moor.

    He can handle it on his own; a seal would suffice. While thinking about it, he confirmed that this was the arrangement left behind by Solomon himself to prevent the gods from discovering the mausoleum. But, it''s too bad Solomon was against him.

    Moving on, he did not decimate any mausoleums because an important question arose in his heart.

    How did Solomon gain ess to aura of seforit?

    In light of all of this, he decided to go to the ninth mausoleum to get to the bottom of things before proceeding with his ns.

    He crossed his legs and his thoughts went to Edward.

    Edward''s situation worsens day by day as the divine slut is specially focusing on him. Not even his authorities could stop "Her". He knew that if this were not prevented, Edward would eventually be corrupted by the divine slut, which is fate worse than death.

    Aucuses sighed. There is a way to help Edward. However, it requires the help of Amanises.

    He hesitated because Amanises is far from being the kind and benevolent person she always appears to be. He had no idea what she would demand in return for this, or if he could even afford it.

    He still decided to go and meet herter because it was Edward''s life that is on the line.

    He finally concentrated on the newspaper in his hands.

    "Rose Redemption Strikes Again - The Decent of Profane Angel."

    Aucuses skimmed over this news on the Rose Redemption .

    ''Rose Redemption'' He thought. ''Sasrir.''

    With the fall of the Solomon Empire, Sasrir lost his hold on the northern continent. He is currently in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.

    However, he did notpletely lose his anchors. There are still many reaming believers. This was made possible by the timely action of Ouroboros, who wanted to save his lord.

    When the Empire fell, Ouroboros took all fanatical believers of the true Creator on a journey to the supposed sanctuary of creator in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. He even personally travelled the kingdom spreading the Creator''s message and then led all believers on the path to salvation.

    Aucuses and other gods did not intervene and let Ouroboros take them. Those who followed Ouroboros were just fanatical believers in the true Creator, who meant little to all the gods. So they let him take the believers with him.

    As for Rose Redemption, it was now under Sasrir''s control. He using them to once again expand his influence across the continent. It was impossible to stop himpletely, the only thing they could do was quell his influence.

    Aucuses watched the news that noted Rose Redemption''s attacks on the noble district of Trier, even the angels of the true Creator took part in the attack.

    However, the Churches of the Gods responded immediately and eliminated the Angel and the Rose Redemption members.

    This situation was actually anything but simple, as the newspaper put it. The Rose Redemption nned for a decent of god and the one who took them out was actually Leodero.

    ''Well'' thought Aucuses with a headache. ''Sasrir''s influence is growing more than I thought. I should revise ''The Order'' to suppress him.''

    He has been stressed a lot, having a lot on his te. He hadn''t gotten any proper rest or alone time since his journey to the astral world, and he probably wouldn''t for a long time.

    He finally let out a resigned sigh, gazing out the carriage window at the streets, as he set the newspapers down.

    He was on his way to the National Library because Diana was about to be promoted to King of Angels.

    The birth of the King of Angels will cause a lot of ruckus and attract the attention of the gods and king of angels.

    Her ascension will surely cause unease to many; especially Artisan and Leodero.

    So, he had to be there to make sure nothing interfered during her ascension process. And, there are other important issues facing his church that require his attention as well.

    As his mind wandered again, the carriage finally arrived at the National Library. He got out of the carriage and stopped in front of the gigantic structure: the national library of the united empire.

    Then, Aucuses nced around the library before staring up at the misty sky above Backlund. He frowned when he felt the pollution in the air.

    He snapped his fingers as sunlight shone through the misty clouds, scattering them. The light illuminated the entire backlund, purifying every ounce of pollution in the air, before it faded and vanished.

    ''I need make the parliament to pass some bills to deal with this.'' He thought, ignoring the exmations around him.

    He was already walking into the library, thinking about Backlund and Empire.

 Chapter 83: Library

    Chapter 83: Library

    Backlund national library is thergest library in the world. It is a sacred ce for all seeking knowledge above all else. There is a legend surrounding the library; it is said to contain knowledge of the world.

    The mysteries, the destinies, the hidden history, the legends, the inventions, the novels, the stories

    The library holds it all within its walls.

    This legend draws countless people to the library with hopes and dreams of attaining "Supreme Knowledge" or "Truth."

    The library was built in the first year of the empire. The opening ceremony was grand, as the kings themselves were invited to inaugurate the ceremony.

    (Image here)

    The library is a structure with a huge white dome and white marble towers. The dome was supported by gigantic pirs interspersed with angel statues. It was the third tallest structure on the continent, just after the Pce of Eternity (Royal Pce) and the statutes of six deities.

    Aucuses stood at the entrance to the National Library, a wide doorway nked by a massive white door. There were crowds entering and exiting the library from all walks of life.

    There were students arguing with each other as they followed the library. There were researchers and schrs going in and out, while some literally wept with joy at the sight of the library. There were beyonders; most from Hermit, White Tower, and Paragon pathways. Suprisingly, all beyonders looked at the library with devotion. There were also workers and employers around the entrance, helping and guiding people with their doubts and questions.

    In general, the entrance was buzzing with people, their faces full of hope and excitement for the bright future ahead of them.

    ''Herabergan ...'' Aucuses thought, his eyes staring at the structure. ''He never fails to surprises me...''

    This library is alive. He can feel the excitement through its wall at the arrival of people. In essence, it was sentient and conscious. Most importantly, it has a soul; a natural soul at that.

    He could also sense the authority of god wrapping every inch and corner of the library, which supported and anchored the entire library to the material world. It was due to the fact that the legend was not a lie; it truly contained knowledge of the world, with the exception of the cosmos and great old ones.

    The library was a masterpiece of Herabergan. It was damn impressive, even if he hates to admit it. He still cannot deny how impressive and magnificent this structure is.

    To put it into perspective, the library has so manyyers and sections that the interior isrge enough to amodate many cities within it.

    It took him a while to extricate himself from the splendour of the library. Then he started walking into the library with crowds beside him.

    He stepped through the wide doorway when he heard a chug in the fabric of space. Then, the very order of space changed.

    Aucuses closed his eyes, trying to perceive the rules woven into the space. The rules immediately resisted his probe, but their resistance was futile in the face of authority. He finally broke through and examined it.

    Through the analysis, he got a lot of information about the library.

    It is divided into sections for different groups of people. When people walk through the door, they''re automatically teleported to their most suited section, which has everything they''re looking for and which is best for them. In this way, the library fulfils their desire and thirst for knowledge.

    The library also has many restrictions. There are forbidden sections that can only be assessed if the requirements are met, which is usually the level of a beyonder. There are some forbidden sections, which can be assessed by only those with divinity, and another core restricted section where one must be an angel to set foot on that section. There are also numerous restrictions in each section. The information goes on and on.

    Aucuses eventually made it to the top floor, which can only be reached by librarians and angels of six gods, while analysing the information.

    He was now standing on a red carpet-covered tform with two railings on either side. He could tell the entire floor was shaped like a tower.

    When he looked up, there were endless bookshelves stacked on top of each other, extending into infinity. There was no ceiling in sight, and each bookshelf was enormous and wide, holding an almost infinite number of books. There were also some floating shelves around the structure.

    (Image here)

    The smell of paper and magic assaulted his senses immediately, and it felt like a treat to his mind, calming him down in the ocean of tranquillity that permeated the library.

    He finally nced at the old man standing on the tform''s edge.

    "Wee to the National Library, Excellency." The old man bowed to his attention. "It''s an honour to have you."

    Aucuses nodded in response and looked at the old man, Hermes.

    Hermes can be considered one of the most important pioneers in human history. It was he who invented thenguage of Hermes. He was also one of the first people to sessfully be an angel after the pathways were known.

    "How are you, Hermes?" Aucuses asked as he walked towards the Hermes.

    "I''m fine, Excellency." Hermes replied respectfully, then continued. "Diana and the others are upstairs." He gestured upward, knowing the reason for the sun god''s arrival.

    Aucuses nodded and asked about his sworn brother. "Is Herabergan still there? Or has he already left?"

    Herabergan, the God of knowledge and wisdom, is said to often stay in the library. It was why beyonders had a pious expression on their faces when they entered the library, which was almost like a god''s sanctuary to them.

    The rumour is actually true, Herabergan stays in the library quite often. It was his church that built the library with the aim of extending his influence throughout the empire.

    The anchors of the gods were severely affected by the divine miracle of Aucuses, which made the religion of the sun be the major religion of the empire.

    To counteract his influence, each of the gods took their own steps to address the problem on their shoulders.

    Herabergan''s solution was the library, which has been sessful as his anchors have been recovered since the library was opened to the public.

    "God of knowledge has already left, Excellency." Hermes said, looking at the sun god.

    Aucuses did not press on this matter, as he already knew that Herabergan must have left after being informed of his arrival. Herabergan and he were never on good terms because of their opposing personalities, even when they were both king of angels. He was very narcissistic and conceited during his time as the White Angel. Herabergan always looked down on him because of his character, which obviously did not sit well with him at all, which led to their strained rtionship.

    "How are they?" Aucuses asked, pushing away his thoughts about the past.

    Hearing his question, Hermes took a small book out of his coat pocket and handed it to him.

    Aucuses took the book and opened it, seeing the analysis; the ount of the therapy of his angels.

    Hermes began, summarizing their situation. "Their minds and their souls were severely affected by the secrets of the cosmos." He spoke solemnly, knowing that the sun god really cared about his angels. "The cosmos destroyed their perception of the world and made them see the world in a very different light, which only made their situation worse."

    "If not for the authorities of three gods which were healing and holding them together, they would have been on the verge of losing control."

    Aucuses nodded as he listened to his report, continuing to leaf through the book in his hands.

    Hermes looked at the sun god as he went on. "Eventually they managed to recover, even though it took a different length of time for each of them to get out of the abyss of despair. The first to recover was Lucas. His speedy recovery can be attributed to his faith and love." Hermes''s expression bes subtle: "His faith served as a pir of support and his love aroused a sense of responsibility in him, although he was very frustrated that he was weaker than the one he loved, but on the whole, all this helped him to ept reality faster than the other two."

    ''Lucas ...'' thought Aucuses, looking at ount of Lucas in the book. ''As expected by him ...'' He was not surprised, because despite appearances Lucas''s will was the strongest of all his angels.

    Hermes then moved on to the Angel of Miracles. "ise took it hard. He was always curious about the truth behind his sufferings and torment. As a result, it had a profound effect on him. What bothered him the most was the fact that his advancement path had been cut off, and even his lord was powerless to help him. He recovered given the number of suffering and pain he endured on his journey. It allowed him to adapt, or should I say, he became numb to it in the end..."

    Hermes felt the surroundings be scorching hot at the moment he said those words, so he immediately continued in a bit to dispel the tension in the air and save his life.

    "However, his faith and friendships allowed him to ovee it. It was one thing that brought his heart back from the abyss. In the end, it would be more appropriate to say that he adapted to the reality than epted it."

    He finished with a relieved sigh, for he felt the suffocating aura of god dissipate with his words.

    ''ise...'' thought Aucuses, shaking his head in frustration. ''There''s really nothing I can do...'' His hands are tied when ites to mysterious pathways. The fate of these paths is in hands of celestial worthy. He was far from having the power to tamper with it. Finally, he sighed, feeling powerless even though he was a literal god.

    While he was thinking, he flipped through the book detailing ise''s situation.

    Hermes continued, interpreting the silence as a sign. "Diana''s condition was the most troubling of all. She was the one who was most affected by the secrets. She thought she was close to the truth, only to discover her ignorance. She thought she was powerful, only to discover she was too small. She thought bing a god was all there was to it, only to realise how naive she was. Her hopes and dreams were crushed, and the only thing that kept her from sinking into abyss of despair was her love."

    "However, she eventually recovered due to her finallying to terms with reality and epting it for what it is, even though she loathes it. But, when she considered the terrifying future thaty ahead of all of us, she managed to push it through it all. It rekindled her desire for power, but this time she wanted to be more powerful in order to protect all those dear to her in the dark future. She also didn''t give up on her dream of finding the truth; in fact, she was even more determined after everything that had happened."

    ''Diana..'' Aucuses thought with a relived sigh, leafing through the pages on Diana onest time before closing the book and putting it in his coat pocket.

    "Hermes, thank you for helping them through this difficult time." Aucuses said on their behalf. Even though Hermes said it in a way that only implied his angles made it through on their own, he knew Hermes was crucial to their recovery, guiding and supporting them throughout the process.

    "I owe you a favour." He promised.

    "Your Excellency..." Despite being shocked, Hermes wanted to deny it.

    "It''s what you deserve." Aucuses cut him off. "They are above right."

    "They are expecting you." Hermes responded, his hesitation caused by the sun god generosity fading.

    Aucuses nodded and began to float upwards to the bookshelves. He finally looked down at Hermes and said. "Don''t let anyone bother us."

    Hermes nodded and exited the top floor, leaving Aucuses alone.

    For a few minutes, Aucuses flew among the floating bookshelves before reaching in the middle of the floor.

    He floated in front of arge, wide shelf, which was present in the middle of the stack of bookshelves.

    He flew to the shelf and pulled out several books in a certain order. With thest book pulled out, the shelf faltered before revealing a dark corridor.

    Aucuses jumped to the floor of the corridor and headed for the innermost part of the National Library.

 Chapter 84: Angel of Sun and Destiny

    Chapter 84: Angel of Sun and Destiny

    Aucuses entered the innermost part of the library where the most hidden secrets and history are kept. This room can be considered one of the most dangerous ces on earth.

    He surveyed the room, which was surrounded by bookshelves and gave off a terrifying aura that could drive most insane just upon contact.

    The room was lit by dim sunlight filtering through the round panes of the ceiling.

    In the centre of the room is a silver table with 22 chairs, surrounded by a mystical aura. His angels sat on chairs around the table. Amazingly, they sat on chairs with symbols corresponding to their pathways. They were reading various books, while waiting for him.

    """Lord."""

    His angels immediately rose from their seats and bowed upon noticing him.

    "Sit." said Aucuses, waving his hand. Then he went and sat down on the main seat of the table.

    The symbol of the fool behind the main seat changed to the zing sun as he took the seat.

    "How are you?" Aucuses asked, addressing everyone, cing a hand on his chin.

    "We''re fine." ise spoke and leaned forward. "Though the truth was bitter, it was better to know than to live in ignorance."

    Lucas nodded in agreement with ise. "It took a while to get through everything. But in the end, this brought about a better change in us, a change we always needed."

    Aucuses listened to them, observing the state of mind and soul, which was much better than the previous wreak. They have almost recovered from having had such secrets forced upon them.

    Finally, he focused on Diana, who looked nervous and anxious.

    Noticing this, Lucas reached up to hold her hand, then gave her a firm, encouraging look.

    ise waited patiently for her to get a hold of herself.

    Meanwhile, Aucuses was staring at the books on the shelves, her eyes shining purple. The books contained information about the ancient gods and other deep mystical knowledge involving the astral world and the spirit world.

    To his surprise, the books even contained basic information about him and other gods.

    He knew Herabergan was the only one who was capable of writing such books without worrying about the repercussions.

    "Have you met Herabergan?" Aucuses asked ise, eyebrows raised.

    "Yes, we met ''Him''. The God of Knowledge came to this section and met us by chance." ise replied with a strange expression, memories of the event shing through his mind.

    "No, didn''t I say before? I think ''He'' wanted to meet us. It was by no means a chance or coincidence." Lucas frowned at ise.

    "Then, why would ''He'' be so surprised when ''He'' saw us?" ise asked, with confused eyes. "I don''t think ''He'' was faking it."

    "I honestly don''t know" Lucas shrugged before returning his attention to Diana.

    They were not nervous or fearful even when they meet the God of knowledge, though "He" was the enemy of their Lord. Their confidence was not without foundation, it was due to the support of their Lord and also amicable nature of the God of Knowledge.

    "Well" Aucuses said nonchntly after hearing their conversation, leaning back in his seat. "It doesn''t matter much. Maybe he didn''t expect all of you to make it to this stage."

    He wasn''t worried that the Herabergan would do anything with his angels. The dragon was very shrewd to know better than that.

    ise was surprised by the Lord''s words. He didn''t really think about it in that perspective. He didn''t really know how to fell about it; pride?. However, he found that his heart was still indifferent.

    Aucuses looked at Diane, who had finally managed to get herself together.

    "I''m fine, milord." Diana said this as her purple eyes regained their radiance and she clutched Lucas'' hands tightly.

    Aucuses nodded. He could see that her anxiety and nervousness were due to her uing promotion and future, not the cosmos.

    "Do you have any questions about Cosmos or Great old ones?" He then asked them, crossing his hands and staring at them. He knew they must have some doubts and questions. This was inevitable as he skipped some information when he told the legend.

    They all looked at each other for a moment before Lucas spoke for them all. "Lord, Mother goddess of depravity .."

    "Mother Goddess of Depravity ..." Aucuses was not surprised and answered patiently. "The creator awakened. "His" awakening led to convergence. Mother Goddess of Depravity was born from the part of the Creator, so "She" was most affected, a part of "Her" sefirot and characteristics broke away from "Her" and thennded on Earth. Itter became the pathway of Mother and Moon, while the part of the serfoit has managed to repair itself and be an independent sefirot; Brood hive. The Mother Goddess of Depravity had lost "Her" status as a pir and been relegated to the Great Old One, but "She" is still the strongest of all the Great Old Ones."

    "''She'' is on the crimson moon. ''She'' is the one you should all keep an eye out for. ''She'' has already begun to project ''Her'' power into our world via ''Her'' pathways, but Ombe and Amanises are doing everything they can to stop ''Her.''"

    The atmosphere at the table was solemn and heavy.

    "How about Edward?" ise inquired quickly, his brow furrowed. "Does the mother tree of desire..."

    "You don''t have to be concerned about him." Aucuses interrupted and quietly assured them. "I''ll handle his problems."

    They nodded, but they didn''t understand why they had such a bad feeling after hearing from their lord.

    ise suppressed the feeling in his heart and looked at Diana, who shook her head as if she understood him. Then, he nodded, took a report from the bag by his chair and handed it to his lord.

    "These require your attention, milord."

    Aucuses took it and opened the report, which showed the profiles of two people. His eyebrows rose in surprise when he looked at the first one.

    "There are two people most qualified to be promoted to angel. They have passed all the necessary tests and requirements. We just need your approval to proceed." ise said solemnly, leaning forward and crossing his fingers. "They are Laius Wilson and Madilyn Wright."

    ise continued, "Laius''s case was special. He got your blessing. It helped him a lot during his promotion to higher sequences."

    Aucuses looked at the report as he listened to ise.

    Laius Wilson, the kid who preached to him about his own glory and might. He gave him a coin, which was actually a blessing in disguise, on a whim at the time. He didn''t expect the child to grow so quickly.

    Laius was an orphan raised by the church. He grew up in a strict lesiastical upbringing, so his belief in Aucuses was unshakable. After graduating from church school, he was epted into the Lightbringers. It was then that ise noticed the blessing in him and, with high expectations, assigned him to be captain of the squad.

    He did not disappoint the expectations ced on him, and aplished an impressive feat; he led a massive operation with the goal of crippling the influence of the Demoness family, and he was partially sessful despite nearly losing his life in the hands of the Primordial Demoness. Diana saved him from ''Her'' by stating that he has the blessing of the Eternal zing Sun, and that killing him would undoubtedly draw the attention of the Eternal zing Sun.

    In the midst of this operation, Laius was also promoted to saint. He is someone who prioritises his faith above all else; his ambition is to be recognised by Eternal zing Sun and to serve ''Him'' forever. To summarise, he is a zealot.

    ''Well, he deserves it,'' Aucuses thought, taking a pen from his coat pocket, signing his name at the end of the report and approving it.

    Then he looked at the next ount of another saint, Madilyn Wright.

    Madilyn Wright, an error pathway beyonder. Her life was a tragedy, a fate that all beyonders of the mysteries pathway must face. She lost her family in the midst of the conflict between the three churches. She then became a thief and a vagrant. She became a thief not because she wanted to, but because it was the only way she could survive. Her decision was also influenced by the fact that she was born as a sequence 8 error pathway beyonder.

    Her life as a thief was as difficult as one might expect. Then, it all went wrong when she made a bad decision while stealing and was caught by a beyonder in a higher sequence than her. She was abused and raped when she was only 13 years old.

    Eventually, she was saved by church members who also arrested her abuser. They took her to church, where she was allowed to attend the church school after some background checks. That incident left a huge shadow in her heart, haunting her. It took a long time for her to emerge from the shadow cast by that incident, and what pushed her over the final hurdle was a desire, a desire for power.

    The incident sparked a desire for power, power sufficient to protect herself in this wretched world. This caused her to push past her limits and nearly lose herself several times along the way. However, it paid off in the end, as she was now a saint and archbishop of the church.

    ''That''s one strong woman.'' Aucuses thought as he looked at thest page of the report, which showed the number of times she nearly lost control, which was staggeringly high.

    He finally gave it onest look before signing his name on it, approving her ascension. She was truly fit and capable of bing an angel of the pathways of mysteries.

    "Let them be angels." Aucuses stated as he handed over the approved report to ise. "Their honorifics will be,

    Laius Wilson - Angel of the Sun,

    Madilyn Wright - Angel of Destiny.

    Include them in the Bible so that they can get enough anchors for the promotion."

 Chapter 85: Character Illustration.

    Chapter 85: Character Illustration.

    [Aucuses- Eternal zing Sun]

    [Lilith - Earth Mother]

    [Diana Knight - Goddess of Wisdom]

    [Lucas Reyes - Angel of Light]

    [ise Larson - Angel of Miracles]

    [Amanises - Evernight Goddess]

    [Amon - God of Deceit and Trickery]

    [Adam - Angel of Imagination]

 Chapter 86: King of Angels

    Chapter 86: King of Angels

    Aucuses handed the approved report to ise, who took it and put it back in his bag.

    "Before we proceed with the ascension of Diana," Aucuses said, catching thier attention. "I have missions for all of you."

    Seeing their serious and curious eyes, Aucuses continued and turned to look at ise.

    "I need statistics on Beyonders of Mysteries Pathways, ise. It doesn''t matter if it''s low sequence or high sequence, I need figures on all of them."

    "My Lord, I am not capable of aplishing such a feat," ise said, his head bowed.

    "Lucas, assist ise with this. With both of you, it should be possible." Aucuses rubbed his chin while pondering. "If you discover any abnormalities during the process, at all costs, report to me immediately." His voice was solemn and stern.

    ise nodded and epted the mission, while Lucas asked uncertainly. "Lord, abnormalities?" He wanted more rity on "abnormalities".

    "To be precise." Aucuses answered, as his face turned solemn. "Resurrection."

    ise and Lucas were taken aback. Resurrection wasn''t anything out of the ordinary; many gods could perform it, albeit in different ways. However, because their lord had specifically mentioned it, they knew there had to be something amiss with the mysterious pathway.

    ''Has it anything to do with Lord of Mysteries?'' ise guessed broadly, but he didn''t dare delve deeper into the risky subject any longer.

    "I will definitely assist ise, Milord." Lucas said as he epted the mission. However, he immediately inquired about the mission. "May I inquire how much time we have? Can we include Madilyn in the mission as well, Milord?"

    "You can take your time." Aucuses answered considerately. "After Madilyn bes an angel, you can include her in the mission. However, do not drag it, and, once again, if you discover any irregrities, notify me immediately." He emphasised.

    ''I have a bad feeling about the whole thing.'' Diana thought as she listened in. After witnessing their Lord''s solemnity, she is almost certain that this matter is rted to the pir. She didn''t ask any questions about it, though, because it''s clear that their lord doesn''t want to borate.

    Finally, Lucas and ise agreed to the mission and nodded.

    The reason Aucuses assigned such a significant mission was simply to be certain. His presence is a major variable in the entire world. As of now, the future has beenpletely altered as a result of him. This may be unknown to gods or even outer gods, but it cannot be said of celestial worthy, who is literally known as king of time and space.

    His actions brought about a lot of change, but the fate of the pathways of mysteries still remains unchanged. However, he needed to be certain just in case.

    "Diana." Aucuses said, putting the dangerous thoughts aside.

    "Yes, Milord." Diana responded, leaning forward in her seat, her face solemn.

    "After you be King of Angels, you will lead an army to destroy the Zoroast and Zaratul Families." Aucuses assigned her a crucial mission. "All churches will lend a hand in mission, as the gods have already agreed."

    "I will destroy those families." Diana stated solemnly, her eyes filled with solemnity, knowing the significance and importance of the mission.

    "If the empire wishes to participate in the mission, allow them to participate because it will ensure the mission''s sess." Aucuses added as he rose from his seat.

    Diana epted his instructions. She knew it was best to ask the empire to join the mission as well, because angels of the mysteries pathway are almost unkible. To ensure sess, it is preferable to besiege them with arge number of troops.

    "Let''s get started." Aucuses said this while drawing a zing sun in the air with light as a medium.

    Diana, ise, and Lucas rose from their seats and walked towards their lord, who was now standing near the room''s entrance.

    Aucuses finished it and waved his hand. The sun symbol arose in the air and shot to the room''s ceiling. Then it merged with reality, altering the natural order.

    His "Order" erected a barrier based on thews of reality. This barrier is so powerful that it will be able to temporarily block any divine intervention extending into this room.

    "You can do it, Diana." Lucas kissed Diana on the cheeks and hugged her. His hands trembled as he hugged her, despite his calm and encouraging words. "You can do it, Diana." He stated it again.

    "Don''t worry, dimwit." Diana reassured him. "I''ll be fine." She hugged him onest time before leaving his embrace. "I can''t wait for the afterparty." She said quietly, implying something. Lucas'' mood was lifted by her words, and he smiled broadly.

    Diana snickered at this pervert. She calmed down after a moment and focused on ise, who was waiting for her.

    "Rock it like you always do, Diana." ise smiled.

    "ise." Diana smiled and hugged him before speaking. "Don''t worry, I''ll figure something out."

    "Go, Diana." iseughed, shaking his head.

    "Hey, I''ll find a way. You note that." Diana red at him.

    "Let''s see about that in the future." ise said, pointing forward. "Now, go. It''s already time."

    Diana sighed and nodded, giving them both onest look before turning to approach their lord, her clear eyes glinting.

    "Are you ready, Diana?" Aucuses inquired, his gaze fixed on her.

    "I am." Diana stated firmly as she stood in front of her lord.

    "Think again, you''re about to enter a far more dangerous stage full of cunning and terrifying opponents. You will be entering a wretched path, a path filled with darkness, solitude, and peril," Aucuses said. "You can''t go back and change your mind once you''ve made your decision."

    Diana remained steadfast despite his warning.

    Aucuses smiled and pulled out a potion filled with sizzling purple liquid. He then handed it to her.

    "Are you ready, Diana, to face your idol?" As Diana took the potion from his grasp, he inquired. Diana remained silent for a moment, her gaze divided between the potion in her hand and her love.

    "I never tried to be like him; I always worked harder to surpass him in the future." She said with a smile, her purple eyes gleaming with determination.

    Aucuses encouraged her with her final nod.

    Diana took a deep breath, and her eyes became clear. She finally drank the entire potion in one gulp.

    Her body disintegrated into abstract and conceptual information, which soon morphed into a divine and sacred purple eye.

    A terrifying aura erupted and descended on the entire world with the appearance of the divine eye.

    Aucuses protected ise and Lucas while looking into the divine eye. With her ascension, he sensed that the very rules of reality were changing. The concept of knowledge was the most affected; the concept itself was gradually converging on and merging with the eye.

    As he was thinking, various esoteric symbols appeared around the divine eye. It wasn''t just a symbol, either. It was a substratum of reality, or, to put it another way, a projection of "Truth."

    The symbols buzzed and blended with the eye. The eye immediately became illusory and ethereal, causing the spirit world to ovep with the material world.

    The eye dimmed even more, as if it were about to fade away and merge with the endless information of the spirit world. Aucuses knew the most important part of the ascension had arrived. He narrowed his eyes and looked up.

    The divine gazes of the gods were already directed here. He also felt Artisan''s gaze from the floating continent.

    However, whether it was Artisan or the gods, they did not intervene, after noticing the aura of sun and order covering the entire room.

    Aucuses turned his gaze to the divine eye, having deterred them all with his power.

    Diana had already seeded, as the divine eye shone with zing light and materialised. The divine eye then transformed into Diana, who was dressed in a long purple gown and wore a purple crown on her head.

    Her closed eyes opened, and her pupils were dark without light. An illusory symbol of a purple eye appeared before her, then imprinted itself between Diana''s brows.

    The entire spirit and material worlds began to gently shake as an aura of authority was draped over the world.

    It heralded the birth of the King of Angels!

 Chapter 87: Vision

    Chapter 87: Vision

    A hundred-meter-tall mountain stood in a hidden area of the northern continent, surrounded by dark-green trees that were almost ck in colour.

    A pitch-ck mausoleum stood majestically in the middle of the mountain.

    The majority of the mausoleum was part of the mountain range. A small portion of it showed signs of man-made construction and polishing. It truly defined what it meant to be a "Mountain Mausoleum."

    Thus, the mausoleum didn''t look like the pyramid. Instead, it appeared to be a colossal mountain. It wasn''t exactly symmetrical either, but it was certainly majestic.

    The sky was dark without the sun or moon, pure dark, like vantack. Oilmps with flickering fires on ck poles surrounded the mountain as the only source of light in the hidden ce.

    A sh of light erupted near the mountain, morphing into the figure of Aucuses, who was dressed in a ck suit and trousers, with a white dress shirt and gloves over his hands. His hair was unkempt and reached his neck in the back.

    Aucuses inhaled deeply while dusting his suit with his right hand and holding a torch lit with golden fire from the sun with his left.

    It''s been a few hours since Diana''s ascension, and despite their insistence that he attend their party, he left because the Solomon''s mausoleum requires his immediate attention.

    ''Well, that''s depressing.'' After finishing the suit, he contemted the mountain.

    The surrounding area was deafeningly quiet. A silence that is maddening. A silence of void, broken only by the sound of slow breaths and the beating of his divine heart.

    Literally, every sound he made boomed across the hidden area, shattering the oppressive silence.

    He ignored the sounds and closed his eyes to perceive the order of reality.

    He felt a suppression on him before he could even sense the rules of reality, preventing him from analysing reality. The suppression was like a wall, restricting his authorities from investigating the reality.

    Aucuses did not use brute force to break through the suppression because he was able to perceive an aura just as the suppression descended on him. The aura was so veiled and concealed that it could possibly elude the perception of gods.

    Despite the fact that it almost escaped his notice, he caught it. He was sessful because of his efforts toprehend thew of "Order" through the hermit''s uniqueness. It enabled him to perceive any change in reality, no matter how minor or insignificant. As a result, he discovered the aura, which was, albeit insignificantly, influencing reality.

    Aucuses raised his right hand, folding all of his fingers except the ring finger.

    His pupils constricted as a wisp of pure darknessced with golden particles appeared at the tip of his ring finger, floating directly above his fingertips.

    His authorities surrounded the wisp, preventing it from touching his finger. He didn''t dare let it get close to him.

    This was a manifestation of the aura he managed to capture during the suppression.

    He focused on the wisp, his irises turning a gold and purple mixture that gleamed in the darkness.

    All-seeing eyes!

    He gazed through the wisp, his vision revealing a dark, distorted, and chaotic world.

    Spots of pale-golden light illuminated the darkness. The rules of reality manifested and materialised with the appearance of the spots of light, causing the entire twisted world to tremble.

    The light spots symbolised "Chaos," while the materialised rules symbolised "Order."

    They began to converge in the middle of the dark world, under the emergence of an irresistible force.

    Roar!

    A terrifying roar filled with resentment and unwillingness shook the dark world.

    The roar appeared toe from the materialised rules and spots of light as they converged. They all seemed to be alive.

    They appeared to be resisting the convergence with all their might, but their "Order" and "Chaos" were insignificant inparison to the mighty force causing their convergence.

    They ultimately merged to form a harrowing golden figure.

    Aucuses could finally perceive and determine the aura, which originated from this figure. The aura was created bybining Order and Chaos.

    It was Anarchy!

    Without giving him time to process the revtion, the world shook and trembled, drawing his attention back to the golden figure.

    Boom!

    As the majesty force began binding the golden figure, it began to struggle fiercely.

    It roared in defiance, shattering reality and shaking the world.

    Sensing the struggle, something reached out from the infinite void to the golden figure.

    Aucuses noticed ethereal grey fog appearing, with a tentacle extending out of the fog, as an eerie aura filled the dark world.

    ''Shit!!!''

    He quickly closed his eyes and cut the connection.

    In reality, golden blood flowed from his eyes, and his face contorted slightly in pain. His shirt and hair were drenched in sweat.

    Sensing his state, Aucuses tapped his be with his index finger without opening his eyes.

    A zing sun emblem appeared. It shone brightly, lighting up his figure. It ''purified'' him of any influence or corruption, despite the fact that he had none. He still went through the ''Purification''.

    He then purified himself several times, checking his body for any abnormalities.

    He discovered no problems, but he did not give up and retrieved the hermit''s uniqueness.

    In the uniqueness, he tapped the symbol of the purple eye.

    The symbol quickly absorbed the surrounding light and became corporeal. Then it broke free from the book and spread out before floating above him.

    The divine eye shed with light, reflecting Aucuses and seeingpletely through him.

    Aucuses checked his body and soul over and over with his connection to the eye. He eventually concluded that he has no issues.

    Aucuses opened his eyes, which had been healed. His figure had returned to its prime, as a result of the purification process.

    Aucusesughed as he gazed up at the sky. ''I was really courting death...'' Hisughter had turned self-mocking, relieving him of the tension and anxiety that had umted in his chest.

    He finally sighed deeply.

    ''Celestial Worthy. Son of Chaos.''

    He honestly didn''t expect his probing to reveal the scene of Celestial Worthy sealing the Son of Chaos.

    Even though, he predicted that the specialness of the mausoleum could be rted to the son of chaos.

    Still, for fuck sake....

    Aucuses took a breather, hoping to calm his raging emotions.

    Still, he didn''t expect that aura to be directly rted to the son of chaos.

    Was Celestial Worthy aware of his intrusion? At least, he didn''t think that, celestial worthy did, because if "He" noticed his prying, the consequences would be far more terrifying than just his eyes bleeding.

    ''Fuck! Solomon!'' Aucuses cursed. ''I will make sure you regret returning to the world.''

    Aucuses was finally able to calm his raging emotions, after cursing Solomon.

    He didn''t dare to think much into this dangerous vision after making sure he was fine once more.

    ''Well..'' He raised his hand, red shing across his fingers, extending to form a sword bathed in red light, emitting an aura of twilight.

    Twilight Sword. The most powerful weapon in the world.

    The legend was not made up. His sword''s sheer power can reduce many grade-0 artefacts to dust. It is more urate to refer to it as a god-level artefact.

    If an archangel can bear the power within his twilight sword, he can stand up to the even the gods.

    The sword was crafted from the Sequence- 2 characteristic of sun pathway. It has followed him through countless battles and has been drenched in the blood of many great beings who once dominated the world. The sword wasn''t always called the Twilight Sword, nor was it always this powerful. When he stabbed the sword into the heart of the creator, it transformed, bing stained with the blood of the creator.

    The creator''s blood mutated the sword, imbuing it with the authority of twilight. As a result, the twilight sword was born.

    ''Just in case...'' Aucuses thought, looking at the sword. ''Son of chaos...'' He looked at the mountain mausoleum in front of him.

    ''Let''s get this over with.'' He began to make his way towards the mausoleum.

 Chapter 88: Sasrir

    Chapter 88: Sasrir

    Aucuses stood in front of the forty-meter-tall ck door engraved with symbols and images.

    He was familiar with the images and symbols because they represented Solomon''sw and rules, as well as, the pictures depicting the unique culture and tradition of the Solomon empire.

    Overall, it exuded a heavy aura while depicting the magnificence and uniqueness of the Solomon Empire.

    Looking at the massive door that seemed made for giants, Aucuses was unfazed.

    Under the authority of "Chaos," the entire reality of this specific space is hidden and concealed from the outside world.

    The authority shattered the entire reality surrounding the space, causing it to copse into chaos. It then coated the area, isting it from reality.

    The "Chaos" can even block divine probes for extended periods of time, as it did with him. It''s also extremely dangerous; he could only enter space because of his authority of order, which neutralised chaos, but it still took hours to get through the chaos. Other gods, unlike him, will have a much more difficult time finding and entering this location.

    Aucuses looked, his hands clenched around the twilight sword. Finally, he reached out and touched the massive door.

    Crack!

    With his touch, the invisible rules that bound the door disintegrated, containing the authority of chaos.

    After the shackles were removed, the door rumbled as the images and symbols on it lit up.

    When Aucuses saw the image and symbols, they began to absorb the little light from their surroundings.

    Seeing all of this, he deduced that they would all soon turn corporal and try to attack him in a bit to defend the mausoleum. This should be Solomon''s defence mechanism. The angels in the pictures and rules in the symbol each held power, and if materialised into reality, it could easily kill an archangel or banish a king of angels.

    ''Impressive'' Aucuses reflected as he admired the intricacy of the defence mechanism. The mechanism''s ultimate goal was to expel any intruder into the cosmos. Despite the fact that he appeared to be thinking, his hands were already moving to shatter the door.

    With his index finger, he touched the de of his twilight sword. A ze of twilight erupted from the sword clinging to the tip of the finger upon contact.

    Aucuses then pointed his finger at the massive door. The ze of twilight shot from his finger andnded on the door. It exploded into orange light particles that spread and covered the entire structure in an instant.

    Rumble!

    Twilight illuminated the door, and the symbols and pictures began to peel off and disintegrate into dust. Under the authority of twilight, the door soon followed suit.

    Aucuses waited for the entire door to crumble before entering the mausoleum.

    He entered the interior of mausoleum after a few moments of walking along a dark corridor.

    "Aucuses, you''ve finally arrived..."

    A deep voice echoed around the mausoleum, causing him to look up.

    The interior of the ck Emperor mausoleum was empty. There was nothing except the pitch-ck walls, the high tform in the middle, and a statue in front.

    ''That was unexpected...'' Aucuses thought, his gaze narrowing at the statue in front of him. ''I''m starting to hate these surprises.''

    The statue depicted a hanged man on an inverted cross, surrounded by deep darkness filled with filth and degeneration.

    "Sasrir. It''s surprising that we''ll meet again in this way," Aucuses said, looking at the hanged man. "And you seemed to know I was going to be here."

    The darkness around the statue surged, as a deep voice echoed out, thundering across the mausoleum,

    "I knew you wereing, Aucuses. You are the only one capable of locating thest mausoleum."

    Aucuses listened carefully, his grip on the twilight sword tightening. He was seriously considering shing at the statue and destroying the phantom of Sasrir rather than having a reunion conversation with his former lord.

    Sasrir isn''t physically present, but he can project his power through the statue, which acts as an anchor connecting to his main body in the god-forsakennd. He can clearly see that Sasrir must have anticipated his arrival a long time ago, as he was able to prepare and establish this anchor.

    Finally, he decided not to rush into the battle because he wanted to find what Sasrir was up to.

    "It''s amazing how things have changed." Aucuses smirked, pointing his sword at the statue. "I never expected to see the mighty creator standing guard to protect the things of others."

    The darkness surged widely, and Aucuses sensed anger and bone-chilling malice emanating from within.

    Sasrir spoke, his voice calm and majestic, despite his emotions.

    "You''re still as sharp-tongued as you used to be. It appears not everything had changed."

    Aucuses stared nkly into the darkness, unresponsive.

    "You''ve changed, Aucuses," Sasrir continued. "I''m sure you''ve had this said to you before. But, let me emphasize it again: "You Are Different, Aucuses"."

    Even after hearing such things about him, Aucuses remained calm andposed.

    "Is that why you''ve been waiting for me here, Sasrir?" He realised and inquired.

    "The future was consistent and obvious." Sasrir responded bluntly, his voice deep and mystical. "Until not long ago, everything was in order. Then, it shifted. The future had shifted beyond recognition. I was perplexed by the abrupt change and couldn''t figure out why or how it happened, because my remaining authority doesn''t allow me to see the future in depth, only the pattern and surface of the eras. However, after thoroughly analysing everything, I was able to make some progress. I discovered that there is a new variable in the world. That variable was the one that caused the change. I had my doubts on lot, but I was never certain until now."

    "It''s you, Aucuses." Sasrir spoke up, shaking the mausoleum. "The variable is you."

    Aucuses remained silent for a moment before confirming that Sasrir did all of this just to meet him personally and confirm his spections.

    How did Sasrir achieve this? He honestly had no idea. Even his all-seeing eyes were could not through the veil of Sasrir.

    "And then what?" He inquired, his lips curving into a smile. "Are you going to try to kill me now? Are you afarid that I will triumph in the end?" He was purposefully asking these questions, diverting the conversation in a different direction.

    "Afraid?!" Sasrir burst outughing, clearly enraged.

    Sasrir was unusual. Even though he was a part of creator, he was quite different from creator. He was apletely different person, bearing no resemnce to the creator, at least the creator he knew.

    This is reflected in the fact that he had no idea Sasrir was part of creator until the formation of the rose redemption, when Sasrir revealed this secret to him and others.

    "You''re quite amusing, Aucuses." Sasrir said loudly, hisughter dying away. "Because of your presence, the future is constantly changing. It is taking an unknown path with infinite possibilities, where the oue could be anything. So, Aucuses, don''t be too arrogant."

    "Our fight will not happen anytime soon." He went on, his voice tinged with rage. "However, I am waiting for that moment which will decide everything. Prepare well, Aucuses, so you don''te to regret betraying me."

    Boom!

    The statue of the hanged man shattered, and the darkness faded away with his final words.

    Aucuses sighed, seeing Sasrir''s anchor disintegrate as it was destroyed by Sasrir himself, who had left after saying those words.

    He needs to reconsider Sasrir''s power; he thought Adam was terrifying, but now Sasrir is equally so.

    Adam must have also discovered that he was a variable as well, but he didn''t mention it, which was understandable given his personality.

    Now, as he pondered the future, he felt a pressure on his shoulder. As Sasrir stated, the future is taking an unknown path with infinite possibilities. If he wants to win in the end, he must seize every opportunity.

    Aucuses set aside his heavy thoughts and concentrated on the tform in the mausoleum.

    There was a pitch-ck throne in the centre of the tform, with a golden kettle on its seat, covered in mysteries andplicated symbols.

    The Outer God, Son of Chaos, was sealed in that goldenmp.

    He can detect the same aura of anarchy, that now permeates the entiremp. Well, he now understood why aura of sefirot was attracted to this ce.

    The magicmp began to tremble, as if it had detected his prying.

    The golden light shone from the wick at the mouth of the magicalmp. The light radiated from themp''s core; it was extremely viscous, like water that had been heavily sweetened. It ejected and morphed into a distorted and blurry golden figure.

    Son of Chaos!

    "That was fascinating to hear." The golden figure said, "His" gaze locked on Aucuses. "So, sun god, you must have a lot of questions for me, right?"

    Aucuses gave the golden figure a deadpan expression before raising his hand and drawing a sun emblem with light as the medium.

    "Wait.." The golden figure trembled as "He" sensed the seal. "Listen, I have some information for you concerning "Him"."

    However, Aucuses ignored "Him" and waved his hand, causing the emblem in the air to shoot towards the magicalmp.

    Boom!

    The sun emblem mmed into themp, sealing the golden figure and aura of sefirot within the wishingmp.

    The golden figure became illusory and ethereal, as if it were about to vanish at any moment.

    "He"ughed, shaking the mausoleum, sensing "His" obvious failure at bewitching.

    "You will regret this, sun god. You will eventually return to me, pleading for my help."

    "His" ominous voice echoed around the mausoleum before his figure faded awaypletely.

    Aucuses remained silent,pletely ignoring the words of the outer god. He''d be a fool to respond to the question of the son of chaos, who was once the embodiment of anarchy.

    The aura of sefirot, which was previously part of Son of Chaos, was covering the magicmp. "He" could draw power from it at any time. If he had responded, the son of chaos would have distorted his response and immediately bound him under "His" order.

    Finally, he raised his hands as the magicalmp floated towards him. After obtaining it, he gave the mausoleum onest look before leaving this hidden ce with a sh of light.

    A golden sun appeared and imploded from where he had vanished. The pure and scorching light illuminated everything.

    The mausoleum, mountain, and hidden location all copsed into the ocean of light.

 Chapter 89: Antigonus

    Chapter 89: Antigonus

    Aucuses appeared with a sh of light in a remote valley of the northern continent.

    He looked at Solomon''s only remaining mausoleum; others had been destroyed by him in the previous week.

    For this week, he was wandering the world, disrupting Solomon''s resurrection ns.

    During his journey across the northern continent, he also visited St. Millon, Trier, Feynapotter, Roburg, Bes, and many other cities, admiring them and analysing the changes brought about by the industrial revolution.

    The beginning of the industrial revolution had the greatest impact on the world trend, resulting in the most significant and immediate effect; urbanisation.

    The steam engine eliminated the problems and difficulties that the industrial sector faced, revolutionising it. It led to mass migration, with people flocking to the cities in the hope of a better future in the industrial world.

    In thispetitive environment, some seed and be wealthy, while many others fail ande social outcasts.

    Such scenarios could be found throughout the empire, resulting in a plethora of tales and stories to be embedded in the fog of history; some remembered, some forgotten.

    However, most of the drastic changes brought about by the revolution didn''t even reach the world''s upper echelons.

    No matter how wealthy or rich a mortal bes, he cannot attain nobility in the United Empire, which is reserved for angel families and consuls of empire. The empire''s upper echelons are also angels and demigods; no mortals are allowed to hold positions of power.

    The extraordinary persists to reign over the mundane. This is an ironw of the universe that cannot be broken in any way.

    Aucuses'' thoughts wandered as he made his way towards the mausoleum in the valley.

    The mausoleum, like Solomon''s other mausoleums, was majestic and one-of-a-kind. It was pitch-ck in colour, erected and supported by colossal pirs, each with an image of angels engraved on it.

    He finally made it to the mausoleum and stood in front of the massive door.

    Solomon''s fated resurrection would fail and fade if he destroyed this mausoleum, as it was thest one standing.

    However, this was just a fleeting thought as he began to exert his authority of "Order".

    The entire mausoleum was illuminated in brass light, which quickly morphed intow symbols and magicalbels. Then they all blended into the reality surrounding the mausoleum.

    Aucuses used his authority to impose various rules that concealed and protected the mausoleum. It was also used to keep an eye on the entire structure. He was doing everything he could to ensure Solomon''s sessful resurrection and that nothing interfered with the process.

    Solomon''s resurrection is essential. It would be the final straw that would bring the empire crashing down. It will eventually lead to the Four Emperors War.

    The kings of Empire, on the other hand, were peculiar beings. He doesn''t need to say much about Alitsa, as it is pretty evident to all already.

    While, Trunsoest, the Keeper of the Order. Aucuses never trusted him and never will. In the beginning, he was obedient to him and other gods. He is, however, gradually changing. He''ll soon discover that it''s the gods who are upsetting his precious "Order."

    Aucuses would not be surprised if he betrays and turns against them in the end. He may appear weak and cowardly to many, but such people are often the ones who surprise everyone in the end.

    However, this was insufficient topel him to halt Alitsa or Trunsoest on their path to Godhood. He will allow it to happen. In the end, he will also end it.

    Aucuses set his thoughts aside and gazed at the night sky, which was filled with gleaming stars. The deserted valley was near the Northern Continent''s edge.

    ''The battle should have been over by now...'' He considered, his perception broadening.

    Soon, he saw angels and archangels fighting. There were three kings of angels as well, adding to the chaos.

    This was the siege of the Zaratul and Zoroast families, led by six churches and the empire.

    He frowned at what he saw.

    He decided to go there himself after some thought.

    Aucuses'' closed eyes opened as he vanished from the valley in a sh of light.

    ______________

    Aucuses descended on the battlefield without making a fuss or letting his presence known.

    The sky was overcast with thunderps, while darkness and twilight shed across the battlefield.

    Aucuses looked around and discovered castle ruins, as well as angels of six gods battling the angels of the Zaratul and Zorosarst families.

    This was not a fight in the least. It was a one-sided ughter, with dozens of church angels encircling four angels from two families.

    They are only alive because of the ridiculous survivability trait bestowed upon them by the mysterious pathways.

    It doesn''t change their fate, though. It was only dying the inevitable.

    Aucuses walked through the ruins, ignoring the battles of angels, until he sensed the aura of the king of angels.

    He arrived at the edge of ruins after a short walk. He was met with the corpse of a middle-aged man, infested with maggots, lying on the ruined ground.

    Two people were standing near the corpse, one of whom had long ck hair and was dressed in a blue suit. His face was formal, and his eyes were a deep blue. His face was solemn as he stared at the body.

    While the other was a man who appearance resembled both old age and youth, with hair that was half white and half ck. He had dark eyes, a handsome face, and a thick, ck tuft of fur on his cheeks.

    It was Mr. Door, Bethel Abraham, and Antigonus, Son of Flegrea.

    ''Well...'' Aucuses sighed, his head throbbing. ''It''s getting out of hand...''

    He was immediately aware of what had urred. Zaratul should have been besieged by Antigonus and Bethel. This happened in the original timeline as well, during the War of the Four Emperors. It had changed now, most likely as a result of his presence.

    Zaratul died, and there was no hope of his resurrection. It was unsurprising given who was besieging him: Bethel Abraham.

    Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to Antigonus'' hand, which held a translucent mask with the symbol of a fool on it.

    ''That''s the uniqueness of the fool...'' He thought, his eyes gleamed.

    However, fool''s uniqueness did not pique his interest. Honestly, he didn''t want to be anywhere near it. But what bothered him was the significance of what had urred here.

    Antigonus wants to be the King of Angels of the Fool Pathway, and eventually to be the Fool himself.

    A death wish, that is.

    Aucuses'' eyes were tinged with a mixture of purple and gold as he focused on the Antigonus.

    His all-seeing eyes saw right through Antigonus.

    Antigonus'' life, memories, and fate. It wasid bare for him to see, like a book he could open and read at any time.

    Aucuses only gave it a passing nce, focusing on Antigonus'' fate and mind.

    ''As expected...'' He discovered something, just as he had predicted not long before.

    The entire situation struck Aucuses as strange and bizarre. He always had the impression that there were invisible strings attached to everyone and that they were being manipted.

    He is now certain that someone is attempting to manipte Antigonus into bing king of the angels.

 Chapter 90: Considerations

    Chapter 90: Considerations

    Aucuses'' eyes dimmed as he finished analysing everything about Antigonus.

    He discovered many anomalies in Antigonus'' mind and fate.

    Antigonus'' fate had been tinkered with, as had his mind. It was a very delicate and precise maniption.

    It could even be considered wless, because the person manipting Antigonus did not introduce or alter his self or mind; they simply magnified his desire for promotion and his deep fear and hatred of Amanises and Aucuses.

    Yes, Antigonus also seemed to hate him because his home and country were destroyed by Diana during the Seven Nations War.

    Coming back, the maniptor was using this to push Antigonus in the direction they desired. They also made sure to tinker with his destiny so that Antigonus didn''t find any coincidences and only thought everything was reasonable.

    The maniption was also very subtle and concealed. It was intricate enough that other gods would not notice anything wrong with Antigonus at first nce.

    But it''s a pity they ran into him...

    He didn''t have to think long to figure out who they were. There aren''t many people in the world who can pull off such feats.

    It was none other than the Sons of Creator, Adam and Amon. He can already guess what their motivations are for doing this.

    Aucuses finally looked away from Antigonus, as he finished inferring the entire situation.

    Nothing, not even Adam, could stop him from taking the Attend of Mysteries from them, if he wanted to. He didn''t, however, after considering the future and dangers.

    He didn''t want to make too many changes to the fate of the mysterious pathways and end up attracting the attention of Celestial Worthy.

    In the Original timeline, Adam and Amon did the same thing. They appear to have helped Antigonus be the Half-Fool without asking for anything in return. He always thought that the entire event was suspicious in and of itself. Now, after personally witnessing everything, he can make some educated guesses about Adam and Amon''s intentions.

    Suddenly, he turned and looked at Bethel, his eyes turning golden and purple, narrowing at Bethel.

    He was well aware that, unlike Antigonus, his probing would not go unnoticed by Bethel. It will reveal his presence. But he didn''t care.

    His all-seeing eyes saw through Bethel, but he couldn''t see much because Bethel noticed his prying and used his authority to stop him. But it was enough for him to see through Bethel''s basic condition.

    "Aucuses." Bethel Abraham turned to face Eternal zing Sun, who stood nearby. "What do you think you''re doing?"

    His tone revealed his rage.

    Hearing Bethel''s voice, Antigonus turned back as well. When he saw Eternal zing Sun, his eyes shed with fear and deep hatred. He only gave the sun god a nce before bowing his head, not daring to look at the god directly. He also hid the uniqueness of fool in his robes.

    "I was prying into you, Bethel Abraham." Aucuses smirked and admitted tly. While continuing, he began walking towards them. "You always return to the cosmos, which is teeming with cunning and terrifying outer gods."

    "Your authority can help you hide from them, but nothing is certain when ites to the cosmos."

    Aucuses arrived and took his ce in front of Bethel, his stature towering over Bethel. His eyes began to gleam, and a scorching divine aura erupted from him, pressing down on the surroundings.

    As his body was covered in the divine aura of eternal zing sun, Antigonus'' mind nearly exploded. His body was slowly dposing into a vortex of maggots, but each maggot was bing engulfed in the golden fire and disintegrated.

    Bethel was better, because a door symbol appeared in his be, shielding him from the divine aura of the sun god. He quickly stabilised himself and tapped on Antigonus'' copsing body.

    His authority also epassed Antigonus, also shielding him from the divine aura of the sun and granting him a reprieve.

    Aucuses ignored their condition and continued.

    "I don''t want the outergods to find a way through the barrier, relying on your authority in the end."

    "I was checking for the world." His golden eyes glowed like the sun. "Do you have a problem with that, Bethel Abraham?"

    Bethel Abraham stared into the sun god''s golden eyes without flinching. His blue iris rippledyer uponyer, his hand tightly clenched, expressing his rage at the sun god.

    Aucuses felt Bethel''s rage and anger. Bethel almost lost control of his emotions. But, in the end, he managed to pull himself together, though his anger was still palpable.

    Aucuses was not surprised by this; after all, he had just implied Bethel as a traitor, while Bethel actually loves Earth more than anyone else.

    However, he was indifferent about this. Bethel Abraham has the potential to be the world''s most dangerous threat in the end. Nobody can deny it, not even Bethel.

    He had previously pryed into the state of Bethel, just to check for any corruption.

    In the original timeline, Mother Goddess of Depravity corrupted Bethel. He was aware of this. However, it did not specify when Bethel was corrupted. He was constantly looking for signs of it in Bethel so that he could act quickly. He didn''t act directly, despite knowing the future of Bethel''s corruption because his unbridled actions would not sit well with other gods or even the empire. He wasn''t quite strong enough to overwhelm everything.

    Coming back now, he examined Bethel''s condition and discovered nothing wrong with him.

    He waspletely normal, with no problems or issues, but sometimes the most striking thing is normal, especially when considering the future.

    After careful consideration, Aucuses decided not to take any action against Bethel right now.

    He looked at Bethel, who remained silent, not daring to respond to any of his words.

    He gave him and Antigonus onest look before turning and walking towards the nearby mountain ruins.

    Antigonus groaned as he stood up, finally recovering, after the departure of the Eternal zing Sun.

    "Bethel.." He looked worriedly at Bethel, whose gaze was still glued to the fading silhouette of Eternal zing Sun.

    Hearing him, Bethel seemed to take a breather, his emotions calming. He finally turned and looked at him, his deep blue eyes gleaming with determination, as if he had decided on something and was willing to go to any length to achieve it.

    "Take the characteristic. It''s better if we leave right away." Bethel said, looking away and pointing to the characteristic.

    Antigonus nodded, knowing its for the best and bent down to take the attend of mysteries characteristic.

    Bethel grabbed his shoulder and prepared to teleport him to the capital.

    "Where are we going?" Antigonus inquired, tucking the characteristic into his robes.

    "We''re going to the royal pce." Bethel replied, his brow furrowed. "I need to talk to Alitsa about something important. You''re alsoing; it involves you as well."

    Antigonus did not object. Then their figure was bathed in blue light, and they vanished in an instant with a blinding sh of light.

    _______________

    Aucuses arrived in the ruins of a mountain that was illuminated by twilight. He can see the nts and trees around the ruins withering and disintegrating into dust at incredible rate.

    He also felt a "bug" or "error" in reality, which was affecting the order of reality.

    He soon noticed two people standing around the various cracks in the fabric of reality.

    One of them was a woman dressed in ck amour and wielding a twilight sword. Her ck hair was tied back, leaving only a few strands hanging on her beautiful face, which was also stained with blood of archangel.

    (Image here)

    The other was a man with ck curly hair and ck eyes was the other. His forehead was rather broad in contrast to his thin face. He was dressed in a dark suit with a long overcoat. A golden pocket watch hung from the overcoat''s cuff. What stood out about him was the crystal monocle he wore over his right eye, which glistened with light.

    (Image here)

    They are Diana, the Angel of Wisdom, and Amon, the Angel of Time. They should have besieged Pallez Zorosarst.

    He overheard their conversation as he walked towards them.

    "Amon" Diana seethed as she walked towards the angel of time, who stood before her, her eyes fixed on the angel of time, of whom she had once been terrified. But her tone and voice now said otherwise. "Can''t you make it any clearer? You Fucking Let Him Escape."

    Amon chuckled as he adjusted his monocle. "Didn''t you know I was going to do that? Nheless, you wanted me to join in the fight against poor Pallez." He shook his headically.

    Diana clenched her fist around the sword, gritting her teeth.

    "Don''t even try. You will regret it," Amon said, pointing to the sword in her hand. "Your mystical enchantment is powerful and all. However, it is still a long way from the original held by Aucuses."

    Diana scabbarded her sword after hearing him. She huffed as she looked at Amon. "I''ll tell Lord about this. You will have to answer to him."

    Amon smiled amusedly before turning to look back, only to see Aucuses approaching them.

    "You won''t be waiting long. He has arrived. What are still you waiting for? Go and file yourint with him."

 Chapter 91: Consequences

    Chapter 91: Consequences

    [ Amon POV ]

    He is here again

    How does he appear everywhere important and even at the right time?

    It''s as if he has omniscience or something. And, nothing can escape his notice.

    If Herabergan finds out about this, he will be distraught.

    And, I''ll make sure he hears it.

    Aucuses should have learned about my ns by now.

    He shouldn''t have disrupted it, though, as Adam didn''t descend.

    And I was correct. Something makes Aucuses uneasy. The Great Sun God is afraid of something!

    After offending all of the outer gods, he even dismissed them.

    But there is still something that could make him cautious.

    Based on everything that has happened, I assume it is something rted to my pathways.

    What could it possibly be?

    I smiled inwardly, watching Diana walk towards Aucuses after sparing me a re, unable to refute my previous words.

    That was unsurprising much for a little girl.

    I started walking to Aucuses.

    His fear...

    I chuckled with anticipation.

    __________________________

    [ Aucuses POV ]

    Diana walked up to me and bowed in a respectful manner.

    The honorific. It didn''t bother me as much as it had in the beginning. I''ve grown ustomed to it.

    "Tell me what happened." I inquired, my gaze fixed on her.

    She wanted to say something, but she seemed distracted by her soiled appearance, with her face and body covered in blood and mud.

    While still bowing, she wiped the blood from her face and quickly cleaned herself with a wisp of wind she summoned.

    "Milord, the siege was mostly sessful." Looking up to me, she said solemnly. Then she cleared her throat and began to briefly exin the war.

    "The Zaratul and Zoroast families anticipated and prepared for our assault."

    "They fortified their homes andnds with a plethora of artefacts, creating a nearly imprable fortress."

    Oh, Solomon seemed to be extremely generous to his subordinates. That''s unexpected.

    "We assumed the artefacts were the legacy of the ck emperor. ''He'' should have left it for ''His'' faithful subordinates. The artefacts came from various paths, such as the door, fool, moon, and wheel of fortune."

    "Some of the artefacts were not even angel level, but they cleverly used them from a defence and attack formationbining artefact power."

    "They designed it so that the artefacts enhanced each other''s power andpensated for their weakness. It was extremely well thought out." She said it with wonder, while I listened patiently, unsurprised.

    "As I previously stated, their fortress was imprable to even angels. I concluded that it could even take me some time topletely break the formation. However, time is what we didn''t have. It would end give those families a significant advantage over us."

    "The empire''s army has still not arrived. So Izrial decided to pray to his lord. We didn''t object after considering our situation. Then, Lord of Storms delivered his divine punishment on both families."

    "The effect was far superior to what I expected."

    "Except for angels and archangels, almost everyone and everything in thends was disintegrated almost instantly by the thunder bathing them. I believe Lord of Storms kept them alive for us to deal with."

    "The empire''s troops arrived just as the Lord of Storms'' divine punishment ended." Her expression was subtle in that regard.

    "Then, in ordance with the arrangement. The angels and archangels were besieged. Our angels were faced by angels from noble families. Amon and I besieged Pallez Zoroast, while Antigonus and Bethel besieged Zaratul."

    "Everyone should have won by now, except us..." She drawled, bowed her head, and avoided looking at me.

    I can see how she feels responsible for what happened, as she was partially responsible for the failure, as Amon stated.

    "What urred?" Despite knowing everything, I inquired.

    "Amon." She returned her gaze to Amon, who was standing nearby, and he was just listening with interest, seemingly with no intention of interfering with their previous conversation.

    "It was Amon. He used his power to give Pallez a chance to flee. Pallez didn''t hesitate and seized the opportunity in desperation."

    I said, ring at Amon. "You really don''t care about the consequences, do you?"

    Then I noticed a sh of disappointment in his eyes, which, despite being hidden, did not escape my all-seeing eye.

    ''Disappointment?'' I thought as the gears in my brain turned again, analysing the situation. ''Did he already expect me to find out about his ns?''

    ''Oh, inferring from it in this way, he should be very perplexed about subsequent actions...'' I chuckled quietly to myself. ording to Amon''s character, he may have wanted to deduce the truth from my words and expressions.

    However, I didn''t even bother bringing up their ns. It waspletely unnecessary after I decided not to interfere with them.

    I can already guess their ns for manipting Antigonus.

    It should be an experiment. An experiment to determine the strength and status of the will of celestial worthy.

    They are pushing Antigonus towards Godhood solely for that.

    They are ying with fire. Even though this was just my spection, it could very well be true because Amon and Adam really have the audacity to do something like that.

    In the original timeline, I knew how this would end. However, because of my presence, things are changing now.

    I finally sighed inwardly, my mind racing with the possibilities of what could happen.

    ''I''m going to meet Amanises anyway. It''s better to decide on Antigonus'' situation after discussing it with her,'' I decided.

    I continued, still peering at Amon. "Amon, your actions are considered traitorous to the empire."

    "I have no such intentions, Aucuses." He gave a half-hearted smile. "You should know this better than anyone." He pointed out.

    Still, I wasn''t going to let him off the hook; he had to pay for what he had done.

    I ignored him and pulled a scroll and a pen from thin air, signing his name on it. Then I threw it at Diana.

    Diana caught the scroll and opened it to read it, her face finally showing a smile after reading the contents.

    "As a citizen of the empire, you have harmed the empire for personal motives. Amon, you will be tried in the royal court in front of the entire empire." I dered and willed the "Order" to Amon.

    The "Order" appeared in the form of brass chains and bound him.

    Amon still smiled calmly, not resisting at all, as if he knew it was futile.

    "I, invoking the authority of God, revoke your status as consul of the empire." I dered once more, but this time I made my voice heard throughout the empire.

    "Now.." I dismissed him with a wave of my hand. "Get lost."

    "Don''t worry, Aucuses..." Amon smiled as the brass chain began teleporting him to the capital. "I will prove my innocence in the so-called court..."

    "You, sphemer!" Diana charged and shed her sword at his throat, her eyes filled with rage.

    Amon looked at the charging sword, his monocle gleaming.

    The twilight sword that shed at Amon abruptly turned and pointed to a nearby mountain in an erroneous manner.

    Boom!

    Under the sh of twilight, the mountain crumbled and disintegrated.

    "Goodbye, little girl." Amon smiled and waved at her before disappearing.

    Diana stomped her feet on the ground in frustration, cracking the ground and trembling the mountains nearby.

    "I''m sorry, Milord." She finally bowed to me. "I couldn''t control my emotions."

    "It''s nothing. You don''t have to be so concerned about him," I said. "If he gets on your nerves, just ignore him. You can get the better of him in that way. He hates being ignored."

    Diana calmed down after taking my words to heart. Then, she approached him, holding a blue bag with various characteristics.

    "We got these characteristics from the war."

    "You can distribute it based on your wartime contributions." I gave the order while looking into the bag. "However, send the angel characteristics to my kingdom. We''ll figure out what to do with it."

    Diana nodded and slid the blue bag away.

    "Diana, notify the legiture. That, I will be invading the southern continent," I went on. "Maybe Ombe and Badhiel will show up too. Simply inform them of this."

    "Yes, Milord." Diana said, despite being taken aback by his words.

    "Does the church have to take part in the invasion, Milord?" She inquired immediately.

    "No." I replied with a shake of my head. "It''s only me."

    I went on, pulling out another document and handing it to her. "Finally, at all costs, let parliament pass this bill."

    The document is a bill draft pertaining to pollution control and regtions.

    After finishing everything on my agenda for this event, I teleported out of the ruins, heading to Trier for some respite and alone time.

    ____________

    A/N:

    How was this chapter?

    To be honest, I''ve always preferred writing in the third person because it gives the story more flexibility. But, after reading ament on the previous chapter, I decided to give it a shot.

    I''m not sure if I''ll continue to write in first person. It simply depends.

    However, I decided to still do POVs in third person for some important characters.

 Chapter 92: Music

    Chapter 92: Music

    St. Millon. It was a magnificent city built on the riverbank. It was a city with narrow avenues and small ces to sit and eat, and it was also a ce to unwind as people went about their daily lives.

    Sky towers stood in the centre, surrounded by thousands of houses. The towers were graced with a twilight-bathed sword emblem at the top.

    The sky was eve of the evening, when there is the strength of day and the softness of night, and the cityes alive with music and light.

    St. Millon was well-known for its liveliness and openness. It was always buzzing with noise and music, no matter what time of day or night it was. It was also filled with the vibrancy of life and the resolution of twilight. It was a contradictory city, yet that was what made it oddly beautiful.

    The city believes in two gods: Earth Mother and God of Combat.

    (Image Here)

    In the city square, crowds gathered around a gentleman who sat on a high stool holding a guitar. He was dressed in a white inner shirt and ck trousers. His white hair was messy, his irises were golden, and his demeanour wasid-back. There was a ck suit spread out before him, with numerous golden coins gleaming in the twilight of the sun.

    It was none other than Aucuses who was on his journey. He arrived in St. Millon yesterday and is actively exploring the city. He also became well-known in the city as a busker, a person who sings or ys music for money on the streets.

    What was the reason for his actions? He simply wants to. There was no other greater or deeper goal. It was just him having fun in his own way, doing things he couldn''t do in his previous life.

    One of those things was music. He had always wanted to perform in front of arge crowd. It was just a small dream in the back of his mind that was crushed due to his horrendous talent in that area.

    But, talent is no longer an obstacle....

    Aucuses smiled at the onlookers and began strumming the golden coated strings.

    He began ying one of his previous life''s favourite songs. The song reminded him of his favourite earthly memories.

    House of memories  Panic! At The Disco.

    A beautiful woman stood in the middle of the crowd, attempting not to be noticed by the white-haired man. She was going so far as to use her authority to ensure it.

    She was d in a long green gown that entuated her already otherworldly beauty. Her eyes were as red as the crimson moon, and her blonde hair swayed brightly in the twilight.

    Lilith, Earth Mother, is who she is.

    She looked ahead, past the gaps in the crowds, after ensuring her concealment.

    She noticed a slender man with long fingers and a quirky side smile; Aucuses, began ying a sombre melody while gingerly caressing a cherry-wood guitar.

    Music fills the air spontaneously, like waves filling holes in beach sand; the sound rushes in and around everyone in the square. Some react to the melody, while others continue to chatter, but it always speaks to them in many ways, drawing them in.

    A low melody was heard. The melody was a veil-like, sorrowful dream that fell into their minds

    Lilith closed her eyes and let herself sink into the sea of melody. Soon after, she fell into a mncholy dream.

    The sombre dream was about love and parting, about a boy and a girl in their youthful naivete, only to be confronted with cruel reality, about their first love, about their glorious years.

    Her thoughts were gradually drifting into her painful memories of the past, which were buried in her heart.

    But the dream was shattered when the music became loud, with a deep and gloomy melody. It drew her back to reality, and she looked at Aucuses, whose face had lost his quirky smile and had be reminiscent.

    She moved cautiously forward through the sad crowds to get closer to him and get a better view of him. When she saw him reminiscing about the past, though, she clenched her hands.

    She arrived right in the middle of the second line, just in the right spot to get his full figure without being noticed by him.

    As she approached, the tragic music became increasingly higher and boomed out across St. Millon. People from all walks of life began to gather in the square, their faces filled with curiosity and sadness. Those who couldn''t get here simply stopped what they were doing and started listening to the music filling the air around St.Millon.

    Lilith was struck by the tragic atmosphere created by the music. The melody was like dark clouds threatening to turn into arge storm.

    The light in the city square suddenly dimmed, prompting Lilith to look up, only to see dark clouds gathering in the sky of St. Millon, heralding the arrival of a storm.

    Lilith became more aware as her perception broadened.

    She felt the melody vibrating through the fabric of reality...It was as if reality was echoing with the music....dancing to the Aucuses'' tune.

    St. Millon was filled with tragic emotions. Everyone who heard the song, no matter how old or young, male or female, rich or poor, felt the deep emotion conveyed by the music.

    Many people''s eyes welled up with tears as they recalled lost loved ones.

    Many elderly people close their eyes in agony, recalling the smile of a long-gone loved one. Many adults experienced regret and grief as they recalled their first love.

    At the melodies of Aucuses, the entire St. Million was filled with a depressing atmosphere, and everyone''s heart was seized with their own sorrow.

    Lightening streaks began to sh across the dark clouds, and heavy rain began to fall on the magnificent city. It was as if the entire sky was reverberating with sorrow of all.

    Such a scene and phenomenon should have made many people realise the musician was no ordinary person. However, whether extraordinary or ordinary, they were too engrossed in the ocean of melodies to care.

    Patter

    The rain poured down on Aucuses, but he didn''t seem to mind and continued to y, his eyes glowing with mncholy.

    Lilith gazed at the Aucuses as the rain poured down. She was almost out of breath as the melody echoed in her mind, carrying tremendous power and stirring up a painful memory she didn''t want to recall.

    The memory depicted her standing atop a corpse of humans dressed strangely, surrounded by the ruins of sky-rising buildings. The crimson moon hung high in the sky, illuminating her figure, which was covered in human blood, while her eyes were wide in terror, seemingly in realisation of her actions.

    That memory was like an abyss, drowning her slowly in wave after wave, and she was powerless.

    As if sensing her predicament, the melodies changed, illuminating the abyss and pulling her back into reality.

    The music became high and solemn, and the audience noticed that the tone of the music became a little more rousing, as if gentleman who was ying guitar was trying to show them his great faith in life, encouraging them to face the pain and move on.

    The higher pitch was extremely upbeat. Many of the audience members exhaled deeply and then let out long sighs, as if they were expelling all negative emotions.

    Then came the final movement. Aucuses strummed down the golden strings with incredible speed.

    The movement of the Aucuses was so fast that the audience''s eyes couldn''t keep up. Coming out of their grief, everyone became excited, and people began to apud in the midst of Aucuses'' ying.

    Aucuses finished with a heavy strum on the final string, and his smile returned.

    The sun shone through the dark clouds in the sky, illuminating the St. Million and returning vibrancy to the magnificent city.

    The entire audience around St. Millon apuded for Aucuses, which rattled the city. As cheers filled the streets, the crowd went crazy and wild.

    The sky was almostpletely covered in gold coins as they were thrown towards the coat in front of Aucuses for his outstanding performance.

    Aucuses smiled and bowed as he put down the guitar.

    Lilith awoke from her trance and turned back. She hurried away from Aucuses, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

    "I am sorry." A soft, apologetic voice interrupted her emotions.

    __________________

    A/N: Serious question, guys: should I open up a pateon? Is my writing worth it?

 Chapter 93: Apollo

    Chapter 93: Apollo

    The environment bes silent, as if all sounds have ceased to exist. Lilith turned to face Aucuses, who was being surrounded by people holding books and papers. It was chaotic, despite the silence.

    He was smiling at them, but his apologetic gaze was fixed on her.

    His eyes gleamed as well, as if he could see right through her. Then he moved his lips.

    "Please wait for me. I''ll be right there in a second. The people here are far too enthusiastic."

    His soft voice echoed right beside her ears, tickling her earlobes and turning them crimson. It also shattered the silence.

    Hearing his apology did not make her feel better; on the contrary, it filled her heart with rage.

    "Bastard!" Looking at Aucuses, she yelled.

    She only gave him onest look before storming off into the oing crowds.

    Aucuses sighed as he watched her vanish with the crowds.

    "May I have your autograph?" A teenage girl stood in front of him, holding a piece of paper. Her other hand twirled her skirt nervously.

    His attention was drawn back to the crowds, and he put his thoughts and concerns of Lilith aside. He knew she needed some alone time for herself, which is why he didn''t rush after her immediately.

    Aucuses finally looked around at the swarm of people, who were much more docile than before. It was because of his maniption. He brought order to the chaos of the crowds.

    He was actually forced to do so because the crowds went crazy with admiration and fanaticism for him. He even witnessed some beyonders attempting to jump through the crowds in order to catch a glimpse of him, regardless of the coteral damage to the surroundings.

    If he hadn''t done that, St. Millon would have fallen within hours due to the popce''s sheer enthusiasm for him.

    The order only allowed those who were truly inspired by his music to approach him. His order is ethereal and subtle, leading people to believe it is normal and reasonable. They will find nothing wrong with situation, and some may even believe that only those people are qualified to get close to him.

    He must acknowledge that authorities can be both convenient and all-powerful. It is entirely dependent on the god who utilises it.

    ''What else could I have hoped for?'' While looking at the girl''s and other people''s fanatical eyes, Aucuses thought. ''I really shouldn''t have been so engrossed with music.'' He sighed helplessly.

    He is a conceptual being. Even if he tried his hardest to restrain his authority, his every action would still affect concepts of reality, albeit in a miniscule scale. Previously, while he was ying, his order authority subconsciously reacted and began influencing reality based on his emotions. This is why there was a thunderstorm and rain while a sad song was being yed.

    Well, that''s a new way to use order authority... He jotted it down. He didn''t mind bringing his guitar to a war of gods.

    ''That would be a sight to behold.'' He chuckled, picturing the reactions of gods.

    Aucuses tucked his jumbled thoughts away and examined the teenage girl''s paper in his hand.

    The music notes for the entire song were written on the paper. It was perfect without a blemish. She also appeared to have started deducing music lyrics for it.

    ''That''s quite impressive.'' He thought, peering at the girl again, causing her to blush and look away.

    She was no ordinary person, but a Beyonder of the Hermit Pathway, Sequence- 6. She was also a member of the Moses Ascetic Order, which is actually now led by his angel, Diana.

    ''Her fate changed. That''s not surprising given that she''s crossing paths with me. Now she''ll be connected to the fate of Diana, huh? A future angel..'' He reflected, seeing the change in her fate.

    "What is your name?" He finally asked, pulling a golden pen from his pocket.

    "Athena." The adolescent girl strutted out while blushing and shaking.

    Aucuses smiled and signed the paper. He wasn''t going to sign his own name. Names have power.

    ''Name huh. What should my stage name be?'' He pondered. ''Athena! Greek!...So, it shall be.''

    He signed his stage name on the paper and handed it back to Athena, who caught it in a hurry.

    Just then, a sh of light illuminated them, with a click in the background.

    Athena jumped up in surprise, but calmed down when she realised it was just a camera taking pictures of her new idol and her. She looked at the autograph with her name and the name of her idol while making a mental note to go get a copy of that picture.

    "Apollo" The signature was in cursive writing.

    "Apollo.." She recited it with zealous eyes. However, before she could catch another glimpse of her new idol, the oing crowds pushed her back. So all she could do was carefully stuff the paper into her bag and walk out of the square.

    She nned to go to a branch of the organisation and tell everyone about her idol.

    The music yed by her idol, Apollo, was unique. It was not as tedious as ssical music. It was distinct. It was loose. The music so clearly expressed the feelings of the heart.

    She can already see the impact of her idol. It will usher in apletely new genre of music and spark a musical revolution.

    She thought with anticipation, while repeatedly checking the condition of the recorder to ensure its condition. She did everything she could to keep it safe because it contained the music''s recording.

    Under the twilight, Athena walked out of the square with a silly smile.

    Meanwhile, Aucuses was still dealing with a swarm of fans, actually feeling quite enlightened about the problems of celebrities in his previous life...

    _________________________

    Lilithid down on the grassy ground of a mountain peak in the valley of mountains near St. Million. It was surrounded by a slew of other steep mountains, each with an abandoned gothic castle perched on top.

    When Lilith looked up at the night sky, she was greeted by sparkling stars and gleaming constetions. It restored her long-lost tranquillity.

    The respite of nearby trees swaying in a gentle breeze, and the sound of crickets at night.

    All of this brought her peace, slowly healing her scarred heart.

    She let out a sigh, expelling all of her negative emotions and finally finding peace under the night sky.

    Lilith sat up, folding her legs and resting her back against the trunk of the tree. Her gaze was still fixed on the night sky.

    She was aware of whaty beneath. A vast, endless, and unknown cosmos beyond the divine eye. A totally distinct world. A universe full of wonder and danger just waiting to be discovered.

    Something long buried in the depths of her mind stirred out and resurfaced thest time she fixed her gaze on the cosmos.

    It was that recollection. A memory that revealed her true origins, which she had always wanted to know. She was, however, horrified and terrified by the revtion. It nearly brought her down.

    The memory brought back the emotions that she experienced at the time. The pure horror and terror came crashing down on her mind, overwhelming her.

    She understood why her mind and heart buried that memory instinctively. It was too much for her to bear, even for her now. If such a revtion happened when she was the sanguine ancestor, she would have lost control on spot.

    Even now, she buried it away immediately, not wanting to recall it all. It put a tremendous strain on her mind and soul.

    But, it was all shattered by Aucuses'' sad song. It brought back the memory, which she eventually suppressed with the emotions that followed. However, it had an effect on her in the end.

    ''Human...'' She mused, her lips curved in irony. ''I used to be a human...''

    She extended her hand to the sky, as if to touch the stars. As that thought shed through her mind, her calm heart became stormy.

    ''Aucuses.''

    With that thought, an image of a white-haired man with a peculiar smile shed across her mind. When she saw the image of the white-haired man, her stormy heart calmed down.

    She also felt bad about her outburst at him. He should not have meant any harm at all.

    Suddenly, the image of a white-haired man shimmered before her eyes and moved towards the mountain''s slope, perfectlybined with a vague figure who appeared to be trekking towards her. She didn''t have to think too hard to figure out who it was.

    She rose from the grass and approached Aucuses.

    They were soon face to face.

    "I''m sorry." They both said it at the same time, causing them to stumble and making the situation even more awkward...

    __________________

    A/N: I''ve made the decision to open a patron. Meanwhile, I''ll try to write more chapters. After I''ve umted at least 12. I''ll post the link. My college has already started, so it may take some time.

    I''ll still post a chapter every day here. But, do support me at that time.

 Chapter 94: Recipe

    Chapter 94: Recipe

    "Here." Aucuses smiled as he handed her a cup of coffee.

    "I brewed it precisely how you like it..I crushed the coffee beans.....I also ensured that the water was sufficiently hot..." He went on to enthusiastically describe the entire process, breaking the awkward atmosphere around them.

    Lilith finally smiled and took his coffee that she ever so enjoyed in her hand.

    "Come on." She indicated with her hand. "Let''s sit down first."

    Aucuses nodded and followed Lilith up the mountain''s green slopes.

    They were both carrying a cup of coffee as they walked towards the tree in the moonlight. The atmosphere gradually became calm and serene.

    Lilith and Aucuses sat in the shade of trees, sipping their coffee in silence while gazing at the stars in the night sky.

    "I am sorry." Aucuses said, breaking the silence. "I should have stopped ying the music as soon as I noticed you..."

    "It''s fine." Lilith smiled, shaking her head. "You didn''t mean any harm. If we are bent on apologising, I should be the one more sorry"

    Aucuses wanted to say more, but sighed inwardly after feeling her guilt through her words.

    "How are you?" He asked abruptly, interrupting her emotions, while turning and peering at her with his hand on his chin. The gentle breeze blew through his messy white hair.

    Despite gazing at the unfathomable golden eyes that contrasted spectacrly with his messy white hair, Lilith remained unaffected by the charming man. She could even see a glimmer of concern in those deep, mesmerising eyes. But, did she still feel anything? Nope, not at all.

    She looked up at the sky, away from his gaze. Her face remained calm and soft, expressing no signs of her inner turmoil.

    "I''m fine, Aucuses..." She replied quickly, while blowing off the steam from her coffee and looking up at the sky. "Many thanks for the coffee. I really needed this."

    Aucuses noticed a sh of pain in her eyes. He sighed and didn''t press into this situation anymore.

    His music was also tinged with reminiscence. It will evoke memories, whether tragic or sad; it didn''t matter to his music. He yed it to push people to confront that tragic event while maintaining faith in life and finally moving on.

    He can guess that his music must have evoked some dreadful memory of Lilith, looking at her worse condition.

    "As usual, your coffee is divine." She continued, her gaze fixed on the coffee. Then, she jolted, as if recalling something.

    "Where is the recipe?"

    "You promised to give it to me the next time we met. So, where exactly is it?" Her face was expectant, while looking at his coat pocket. She yearned for his coffee recipe. She was always bothering him about it.

    The coffee was well worth the value. It was truly divine, and she was very curious about how he made it.

    "I forgot." Aucuses scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I was away dealing with Solomon''s ns."

    "It was hectic and tedious, as Solomon had left behind well-thought-out and intricate ns..." He continued, purposefully ignoring her increasing re.

    "Aucuses." Lilith spoke up to interrupt him. But he kept going, forcing her to yell at him. "Aucuses! Stop!"

    "What?" Aucuses said, his face nk. His gaze, however, was fixed on her beautiful face.

    ''That took her a long time...'' He finally looked at the beautiful face that had stumped her heart. ''She is truly...she...''

    Allow him to emphasise it once more. There are no words to describe "Beauty" of Lilith.

    Lilith felt a piercing and intense gaze on her face. The gaze was wanton, moving down her face, neck, and finally to her breasts.

    ''The audacity...this jerk...'' She was thinking with her heart racing and unusual emotions that she didn''t want to acknowledge.

    She immediately spoke up, trying to keep his attention on her face. She also wore an indifferent expression.

    "There''s no need to act any longer, Aucuses. You said the same thingst time I asked for the recipe. You did forget, didn''t you? It seems like you always forgot when it''s about me..."

    ''I just want to make the coffee with my own hands for you...'' Aucuses grumbled in his heart, but didn''t say anything out loud because it would shatter the fragile barrier between them.

    Yes, there is a wall. It''s a metaphorical barrier that neither he nor Lilith wish to breach. It was preventing them from admitting their feelings for each other. It was what kept them both from taking the next step.

    Aucuses was aware that Lilith was aware of the ''wall.'' How did he find out about that? Honestly, It was just a gut feeling.

    He unconsciously smiled, though it wasn''t a happy smile. But he quickly regretted even smiling in that way, as Lilith, who was already very unstable, noticed.

    "Are you smiling?" Lilith asked, and it was the final straw that broke the camel''s back in her heart. "Your smile now resembles the one you had while ying the guitar." She whispered.

    "The reminiscent smile."

    "You had it while dreaming about the past. You also have it now. Does this coffee often remind you of her? If it''s so special, why do you always give it to me?" Her wordspletely revealed her jealousy after hearing his sad song about love and breakup.

    "Oh.." Aucuses approached her and flicked her brow with his index finger. "You dolt, it was just a song."

    "It was not even my original. To alleviate you doubts, I have not fall in love with anyone in the past; that was a time when I was just messing around..." He came to a halt, looking at her dazed and dull eyes, which were most likely caused by his flick.

    "You know what? Let''s go." He spoke abruptly. The atmosphere around them was bing increasingly tense as time passed. He didn''t like it at all. So he made a decision.

    "Where?" Lilith awoke from her trance, caressing the spot where he flicked gently with her hands.

    "To Trier, the city that never sleeps." Aucuses spoke up, rising from the ground and reaching out a hand to her.

    Lilith looked at his hand in silence before looking right into his golden eyes and asking in a solemn and serious tone. "Was there really no one?"

    "No." Aucuses said, while his heart arose with strange happiness, seeing her all jealous.

    "There wasn''t anyone." He emphasised it again.

    Lilith still didn''t take her hand right away, instead staring at him before finally sighing and taking his hand. She stood up as well, passing the cup back to Aucuses.

    "I finished it, here." She said, looking away.

    "I''ll give you the recipe." Aucuses said, taking a pen and a note from his coat.

    "No." Lilith declined, pressing her hand against his fingers and preventing him from writing.

    "What?" Aucuses was perplexed. "Didn''t we just fight.?"

    "I''d prefer it if you always brewed it for me."

    "You don''t have a problem with that, do you?" She cut him off with an enchanting smile.

    "Absolutely not." Aucuses responded after a brief daze caused by her shocking words. It had a profound effect on him. Truly profound.

    He also grabbed her hands tightly, sliding his fingers against hers, tying their hands together like a knot. He stuffed the pen and note back into his coat pocket.

    Lilith asked, nodding and ignoring his clinging actions. "Where are we going in Trier particrly?"

    "It''s a surprise." Aucuses spoke mysteriously.

    "Let''s go." He continued without giving her another chance to ask a question.

    Lilith and Aucuses faded away in a blinding sh of light from the mountain....

 Chapter 95: Lantern Festival

    Chapter 95: Lantern Festival

    Trier. The City that Never Sleeps.

    The night didn''t seem to bother the bustling city, which was dotted with lights. It was as if the streets had be veins of light around the heart of the metropolis.,

    It was different from St-Millon, even though it shared a simr vibe with it, but it thrived with people and cultures from all over the world.

    Trier was the cultural epicentre of the entire world. The city has always been vibrant, regardless of the time of day. It was full of cultures and traditions from all over the world. And, despite the great differences in ethnicity and customs, the city has never had any form of xenophobia, but rather has been hospitable to everyone. This was possible only because of the "Golden Order" of Aucuses, which was subconsciously influencing the minds of citizens.

    It was a lively and colourful city, with countless stories and tales.

    In the streets of Trier, Aucuses and Lilith headed towards the city centre, where music and light were concentrated.

    They passed through monolithic towers and painted structures. Every corner of the street was buzzing with activity, even though it was already half past ten.

    Aucuses had a quirky smile as they ran down the sidewalk, rushing through the crowds of people on and off the sidewalk.

    Lilith followed, holding his right hand. She smiled and shook her head when she realised he was getting excited by these little things. Her beating heart, however, told her what it was all about, quite clearly.

    They weren''t invisible. People saw them as they ran around them at an inhuman speed. The eyes on them were filled with surprise, strange and shocked. But she didn''t care. All she was concentrating on was Aucuses watching his figure race before her.

    "It will take time if we continue like this," Aucuses said without looking back. "Let''s speed up."

    "Speed up?" Lilith asked dubiously between her runs. She actually wants to suggest that they can just teleport instead of running around like that. But, her surging emotions already got the better of her logic, so she didn''t care anymore and let Aucuses spoil and indulge her.

    Aucuses smiled and turned to look at her. Then he answered her question with action.

    He jumped off the ground, breaking the ground around him. He also released her hand andnded on the roof of a gothic house.

    "Come up!" Aucuses said, watching her as he gestured for her to get on the roof.

    Lilith came out of her trance and jumped up too, smiling at him. Unlike Aucuces'' boisterous actions, she was graceful as ever. Eventually, shended lightly on the roof, without harming anything.

    "Let''s go." Aucuses stepped forward and waved his hands. "We don''t want to bete for that event."

    Lilith nodded, not urging him to exin about the event. Then, she took his hand, widening her smile. Aucuses turned and ran on the roof with his hand in hers.

    Under the light of stars, they crossed the city of Trier, jumping from roof to roof, leaving a trail of light. They also attracted a lot of attention by jumping around the city. However, that didn''t stop them at all. They had smiles on their faces. They enjoyed the silence as they zed towards the city centre.

    Lilith looked at buildings and people passing by as her heart was filled with surging emotions. She felt the invisible ties that had always bound her loosen every minute she spent with Aucuses.

    "We are here." He suddenly yelled and jumped from the roof to the ground,, and she also plummeted with him.

    Theynded on solid ground, with an arched entrance ahead. It was decorated with sunflowers and tulips. There was also a zing sun emblem in the centre of the arch.

    Lilith stared at the decal as she entered the town square through the ornate archway with Aucuses. She was immediately blown away by what greeted her.

    The fumes of cigars and cigarettes fill the air in a hurry to fold with aromas of alcohol and wine. Lanterns and boards filled with the emblem of sun. zing music everywhere. The smells of food stalls surrounded by impatient peopleIt was chaotic with bustling people and a cacophony of sounds, but it made her fell strangely calm and serene.

    "What is this festival?" asked Lilith puzzled. She pointed to the celebration in the city square. "Did you introduce it recently?"

    "Lantern Festival." replied Aucuses, his moving eyes fixed on thenterns sold in the stalls. "It''s a new festival that I introduced this year."

    They walked into the crowded town square while chatting and holding hands.

    "What is it for?" Lilith asked, rather intrigued by his festival. "Is it for your birthday?"

    "No." Aucuses chuckled at her curious words. "My birthday is September 22nd."

    Lilith immediately jotted down the date in her mind.

    Aucuses continued, guiding her to the food stall. "I introduced the Lantern Festival to honour the fallen during the War of Seven Nations and the Night of the Blood Moon. It''s also a way to let go and start a new life, while thentern symbolises "illuminating the future." Overall, it''s a veryplex festival that" He went on and on about the festival.

    Lilith was astounded by the festival introduced by Aucuses. She saw more in this seemingly simple festival.

    Her perception expanded and changed, and the people in her vision became little suns, which told of their faith. She soon saw Backlund, Feynapotter, St.Millon, Roburg, Beaux, and....the entire northern continent.

    From her vantage point, she was a swarm of suns illuminating the entire continent.

    She suddenly realised something. The power that Aucuses wields over the world is steadily growing. His believers outnumber her and other gods'' worshippers by a wide margin. This festival is also increasing his followers. In the end, not even the gods will be able to shake his hold on the world.

    ''I should have paid more attention to the festivals.'' She thought, clicking her tongue. She also made a mental note of the Aucuses methods, which she will surely use to strengthen her anchors in the future.

    "Hey!" Aucuses waved his hands in front of her face, bringing her back to reality.

    "What do you prefer?" After gaining her attention, Aucuses inquired. "Strawberry or vani." He directed his finger to the ice cream.

    "Vani." Lilith answered, after a getting grip on reality.

    Aucuses nodded and went to the ice cream shop, leaving her to ponder her own thoughts about festivals, while tapping her hands and looking atntern shops.

    He returned in a few moments, holding two cones of vani ice cream and passing one to her.

    "Here." He said this as she took a cone from his hand. "What made you like vani?" He inquired, his gaze fixed on her.

    "It simply tastes better than the other favours." Lilith responded, her brow furrowed. But, when she saw his strange expression for her response, she inquired, pressing the subject of ''Vani.''

    "Why are you asking this?"

    "I just want to know your favourite vour." Aucuses said, turning away from her with a strange smile.

    Aucuses'' smile felt so off to Lilith. So, she didn''t back down and walked in front of him, blocking his path. She asked again, her gaze fixed on him. "What dirty thoughts are going through your head, Aucuses?"

    Aucuses sighed and grabbed her hands. He drew her in the direction of other food stores. "This festival is hosted by my church. There are food specialties from all over the world. Come on, I''ll buy you everything." He dodged her question, as he really didn''t want to answer that.

    She bickered about it, and Aucuses did his best to appease her. Nheless, the atmosphere between them became warm and ambiguous...

 Chapter 96: Ramen

    Chapter 96: Ramen

    The aroma of food wafted through the square as people streamed between the food stalls. All different vours of food from around the world were beautifully presented on the stalls.

    Surprisingly, there was a man dressed in avish suit performing mind-blowing tricks in the kitchen of a side stall. In no time, a huge crowd gathered around his stall.

    In the crowd, Lilith was holding a te, eating a pie while silently watching a man who was cooking for her. The man in thevish clothes was none other than Aucuses.

    She and Aucuses strolled through the food stands, tasting dishes from around the world.

    There really was a wide variety of food at the Lantern Festival, from grilled fish from the Southern Continent to mooncakes from the Kingdom of Night. It was a feast for her tongue.

    Aucuses took her to each of the stalls and let her taste everything. It is truly an eye-opening experience. She didn''t refuse it, although she hadn''t been used to eating anything for centuries. But it was Aucuces who personally brought everything to him.So she decided it was time to try something new.

    She munched through the dishes with Aucuses. It was an exhrating experience, she must say. And, everyone should do it at least once in their lives.

    And during their journey through food heaven, Lilith asked Aucuses something, after seeing her not-so-subtle enthusiasm for food. She asked him, if he could cook too?

    Aucuses immediately nodded to her question, sporting a big smile. Then he asked quite eagerly if she wanted to try his cooking. She obviously did not reject his offer.

    Then, Aucuses very politely "borrowed" a stall and started cooking. As for why she was bbergasted, it is because Aucuses'' cooking was different from what she thought. It would be better to say it was some kind of little show rather than actual cooking. His exaggerated movements as he manipted the golden fire from the oven, as well as many other simr tricks, really opened her eyes.

    Seeing him cooking caused many profound questions to arise in her heart,

    How can he look great in any situation? Is this charm brought by the path of the sun? Nope! It should be natural. It should indeed be.

    Lilith finally pushed her chaotic thoughts aside and looked into kitchen, focusing on Aucuses, who kept shooting a nce at her. She smiled softly in response, quite knowing that this was what Aucuses wantedto see.

    She already knew Aucuses liked her. If she hadn''t been wrong, Aucuses should have known about her feelings as well. Although they acknowledged their feelings, they did not dare express it to each other.

    It was excruciating. She really wished she could smash the earth to release her pent up emotions.

    Lilith took a piece of cake while trying to contain her surging emotions. There was really nothing she could do about theplex situation between them...

    Concealment...her identity as Ombe...many others...she even had the slightest suspicion that Aucuses had already discovered her identity, which should be impossible given the efforts of the Ancient sun god and Amanises to make sure that the concealment was infallible.

    Still, she didn''t care about any of that in this moment. She just wants to enjoy this moment without worries or burdens. She also clearly realised that her actions were totally illogical from the standpoint of a sentient, logical, and divine God.

    But, as the famous saying goes ~Love makes fool of us all~

    Suddenly, people around her eximed , her eyes narrowed to the booth where Aucuces finished his cooking show.

    The aroma of the dish immediately filled the air and made everyone''s mouth water. Despite this, no one approached the stall, as they noticed the chef cooking for one, exuding an intimidating aura.

    Aucuses ced a single bowl on the stall counter with two chopsticks right on the edge of the bowl.

    The bowl was filled with hot ramen in a broth seasoned with miso. It had several with steak, hard boiled eggs, vegetables and toppings on hot miso.

    "Come on." Aucuses invited her as he took off his apron and washed his hands. "It''s ready."

    Lilith walked over and sat down before everyone''s envious eyes. Then her eyes sparkled at the sight of the unknown dish. It caught her attention with its aroma alone.

    "What is its name, Aucuses?" She asked with vigour, picking up the chopsticks near the bowl.

    "Ramen". Aucuses replied, leaning on the counter with his hands on his chin and staring at her. "Miso Ramen".

    Lilith nodded, figuring out how to eat with these strange sticks. It wasn''t difficult, and it only took a few seconds.

    Then she began, apanied by Aucuses'' eager and expectant expression. He seemed to be more eager and anticipatory of her eating than she was.

    With her nimble fingers, she smashed the chopsticks into the noodles and, with only one of her sticks, pushed it back into her mouth.

    The vours exploded in her mouth, making her hum with pleasure. It was sweet and salty one minute, spicy and sour the next. The contrasting vours melted surprisingly perfectly in her mouth.

    It was almost like a miracle. No! It''s truly a miracle in itself, as it was her love who made it personally for her...

    The crowd around the cabin had already dispersed in the wave of Aucuses'' hands, leaving them both alone.

    "How is it?" Aucuses asked, his eyes full of expectation, leaning forward.

    Lilith didn''t respond, instead continuing to eat the noodles.

    Aucuses watched her bulging cheeks patiently. He chuckled at the sight, knowing she must be enjoying his cooking.

    He sat in the chair, his elbow on the counter and palm on his chin, his gaze fixed on Lilith, dreamy.

    Lilith finished it swiftly. She immediately raised her bowl and shouted. "Another one!"

    She looked around and noticed Aucuses'' scorching gaze fixed on her body, but she didn''t care about his unbasful action any longer and let him have his look.

    But that doesn''t mean she''s going to abandon the noddles!

    "No! Continue until I tell, Aucuses."

    Her yelling finally jolted Aucuses out of his trance, and he zed through the kitchen wearing a wide smile to cook for her.

    Lilith smiled, after seeing pure joy radiate from him simply by cooking her another bowl of noodles.

    She waited patiently, staring at the ridiculous but wonderful show of Aucuses, which made herugh and chuckle many times.

    Her eyes slowly softened and she looked at her dolt, who had done so much for her ...

    The atmosphere between them grew warm and cosy by the minute.

    When the clock struck 11:55 pm, Lilith finally ced herst bowl of noodles on the counter, breathing a sigh of satisfaction. Beside her was a series of bowls stacked on top of each other.

    "That''s more than enough, Aucuses." Sheughed when she saw him go into the kitchen again. She was still elegant andposed, despite her eating so much, which also didn''t seem to affect her at all.

    "How was it? Do the vours go well together? Were the noodles soft?." Aucuses immediately bombarded her with numerous questions as he walked towards her.

    Lilith smiled when she saw him so expectant for her answer.

    "It''s out of this world. Now it is also my favourite dish." She replied indulgently.

    "Of course." The abrupt change in Aucuses'' tone and expression caught Lilith off guard. "After all, given who made it?" He persisted in his narcissism.

    His narcissism. Oddly, Lilith loved the proud, narcissistic expression on his face. It also surprisingly entuated to his already handsome face.

    Lilithughed, covering her mouth with her hands, as her heart felt so surreal and happy for this night. She didn''t want it to end at all.

    Aucuses leaned towards her, raising his eyebrows in a questioning look at her suddenughter...

    However, the warm atmosphere was soon interpreted by the sounds of the crowd signalling the start of the great festival.

 Chapter 97: Dance

    Chapter 97: Dance

    Lilith turned and looked back, only to see people walking towards the centre of the square with a paperntern in hand, faces filled with emotion.

    "Come on." Aucuses said quickly, jumping over the counter. "We don''t really want to miss this. This is an important part of the festival."

    His words made her turn around, but she immediately was greeted by her hand, which she took without a second thought.

    Aucuses pulled her closer to him, and they headed for the market area of the town square.

    They reached the market area. The shops were already closing as people were walking out withnterns in their hands

    "I shouldn''t have lost track of the time." Aucuses grumbled, shaking his hand.

    Contrary to his impatience, Lilith looked cautiously down the street and found a bright stall with children in front.

    "Calm down, Aucuses." She said, reassuringly pointing to the shop, "I found one. Here it is"

    "Let''s go." Aucuses said, with sparkling eyes. He dragged her to the shop, without slowing down, much to her chagrin.

    Eventually, they reached the shop, which finally calmed Aucuses, much to her relief.

    They waited for the children before they finished shopping.

    "Aren''t they cute?" Lilith asked, smiling. Her eyes softened unconsciously at the sight of the children.

    "They indeed are." Aucuses nodded, his tone soft.

    A thin smile formed on her lips as she tightened her grip on her hands with Aucuses. They waited.

    Finally, it was their turn when the children ran to their parents withnterns in hand.

    Lilith and Aucuses went to the counter with a woman dressed in brown clothes, the proprietress.

    The proprietress already had thentern in her hands. She polity nodded at them.

    "Congrattions." The proprietress smiled and abruptly handed them thentern.

    On the paperntern was an emblem of the sun and the moon, which shone in the presence of Lilith and Aucuses.

    The sun and moonntern was intended for a couple entering their new life. It was a way of wishing for a more stable and happy marriage.

    "What?" Lilith asked, bewildered. Then the realization finally hit her when she saw the symbols in thentern. "No, we are ..."

    "Thank you." Aucuses interrupted, earning him a re, but she didn''t refute him in the end, much to his glee.

    The proprietress smiled knowingly when she saw their interaction with each other.

    "I wish you happiness in perpetuity." She handed them thentern.

    Aucuses took thentern and tossed a golden coin with his blessing to the proprietress.

    The proprietress'' face brightened when she saw the golden coin. She looked up after putting it in the counter to find the couple gone.

    ''They were cute,'' she thought, smiling as she shook her head...

    Aucuses and Lilith had already reached the centre of the crowded town square.

    There were adults chatting, children dancing, worshipers praising the sun, and lovers embracing each other.

    The night was alive. The air was filled with an abundance of emotion and warmth. The lights shone on the square and the city. The bell tower''s hands tolled ~ tick-tock ~, signalling the start of the festival.

    Lilith and Aucuses stood in the middle, hands folded, eyes filled with expectation, hesitation, and confusion.

    "We are doing it." Lilith whispered, her eyes looking for assurance in the man in front of her.

    "We are." Aucuses said, his eyes as bright as the sun. "We are really doing this. There is no more backing down."

    Lilith smiled, brighter and more beautiful than the crimson moon itself. She finally said. "Let''s begin, Aucuses."

    Aucuses nodded, his smile breaking at her words, and his eyes filled with joy. They held hands in the starlight.

    They began. Lilith held the paperntern as Aucuses lit it with the golden fire of the sun. Thentern was also blessed by Lilith to withstand the fire of the sun.

    Soon, thentern was zing in the golden sunlight, brighter than any otherntern held by the people around it.

    "Nice job getting all the attention," Lilith said, rolling her eyes as she felt the stares on them.

    Aucuses just chuckled; obviously, he wasn''t going to make theirntern look ordinary.

    Just then, an ethereal gong sounded through the city, announcing the arrival of midnight. The lights around the city have gone out and the silence has consumed the city.

    "Let''s do it." Aucuses said, taking a deep breath to calm his emotions.

    Lilith nodded and raised her hand. They held thentern of the sun and the moon in their hands.

    Under the night sky, they both lifted it skyward, keeping their eyes fixed on each other. Eventually they let go of thentern and let it fly to the cosmos.

    With them first, the people around them followed suit, as the atmosphere became serene and still.

    Thenterns slowly rose to the sky, like stars illuminating the dark sky of the cosmos. They were like a serenade with the emotions and stories of many.

    In the light of thenterns, Aucuses drew Lilith to him, cing his hands on her hips, bewildering her.

    "Up for a dance?" Aucuses asked with raised eyebrows and a challenging tone.

    Lilith smiled and calmed down, then abruptly taking his hands in response and answered with a confident smile. "I am."

    She pulled him into the crowd as Aucuses snapped his fingers, used his authority. The musices straight from heaven.

    Aucuses and Lilith were dancing, holding each other under the attention of all.

    They fell in step, letting the rhythm guide their movements. All thendscapes and people around them have faded. There were only Lilith and Aucuses.

    Her crimson eyes sparkled, and a smile appeared on her beautiful face.

    Uncontroble feelings raced through Lilith''s body and her fingers tingled with joy. Her hand touched his cheek. Her body acted on its own, with no chain to hold her back from this pure paradise.

    Aucuses pulled her close to his chest and wrapped his arms around her neck.

    He noticed her golden hair falling over her eyes like a curtain, blocking out the light. He yearned to gaze into those crimson eyes.

    Lilith wanted to pull her hand away to push her hair back, but his hand clung to hers. He carefully ced her slender hand on his shoulder. He delicately tucked her lock behind her ear, and her emerald eyes twinkled back at him in surprise.

    Her lips travelled to his ear as she whispered ever so softly.

    "You know how to be romantic."

    She rested her head on his shoulder. They continued dancing, too absorbed in the music to stop. Time passed as thier feet moved in the footsteps of the foxtrot.

    At this moment, they were no longer Eternal zing Sun and Mother Earth, but simply a man and a woman in love.

    "Aucuses ..." Lilith whispered softly, feeling his intense gaze on her lips while they danced.

    In the next second, Aucuses leaned forward and held her tightly. He gently nted his lips on hers.

 Chapter 98: Morning

    Chapter 98: Morning

    The rising sun shone through the clouds, illuminating Trier. Aucuses sat on the balcony, twirling a ss of wine in his hand.

    His gaze lingered on the sleeping figure in the room. His heart was full of emotions just looking at the peaceful face of the figure in the bed.

    That sleeping figure is none other than Lilith.

    Aucuses sighed and chose to drink her wine and distract himself from her.

    Yesterday, he was so careless with LilithThey both walked on thin ice, nearly breaking through concealment several times, but at thest moment managed to pull themselves together and avoid the terrible disaster.

    Yes, a disaster. Lilith''s concealment is far from what would be considered "normal". It was quite convoluted; a mixture of many authorities thatplement and bnce each other.

    ''It really is a work of art...'' He thought as he sipped the wine. He wasn''t bantering or sulking by saying that.

    It really was a work of art. He really didn''t know how else to describe Lilith''s ''Concealment''.

    To borate on this, her "concealment" has fooled the "world" itself, which includes all concepts of reality, angels, and even gods.

    Lilith had fallen, which is recognized and epted by the "World" in every manner; destiny, history and divination.It was a fact and a matter of certainty.

    Much like in the case of Lilith, Earth Mother is recognized as Ombe by many, even Badhiel himself. There wasn''t even a silver of doubt and suspicion on anyone''s part, despite Earth Mother''s strange situation. Nope, there was no doubt at all.

    Aucuses'' thoughts were interpreted through a strange image that popped up in his mind, abruptly.

    The image showed a man with a majestic golden beard, dressed in a priestly robe and carrying a silver cross. He seemed to be praying to a figure nailed to a giant white cross while clutching the silver cross. The atmosphere was sacred and divine.

    Suddenly, the priest turned, his pious eyes gradually bing pure and innocent. He said softly, "Everything is reasonable."

    Aucuses'' hand trembled, the wine almost spurted out of his mouth at the sight of this strange and frightening image.

    He immediately put down his ss, rising from the rocky chair.

    He ced his finger on the side of his head. He began to purge that image from his mind, literally; he materialized that image and transformed it into pure information, then proceeded to burn it with the golden fire of the sun. All of this was happening in his mind.

    After ensuring its destruction, Aucuses opened his all-seeing eyes and connected with his "Golden Order". He started browsing and checking everything.

    About ten minutester, he sat down with a sigh as he picked up an entire ss bottle of wine and gulped it down. There were no issues or influences with him or around him.

    And, as he previously stated, Lilith''s ''concealment'' is too high on the level. This can be proven again by the fact that he was just thinking about it, then it led to whatever that was with Adam in it.

    Putting his thoughts on Adam aside, he didn''t even want to think about him, as it only made his mood worse and more terrible than it already was.

    Now, after purging the thoughts of Adam to ashes, Aucuses refocused on the situation.

    Lilith''s "Concealment", if broken hastily, will literally lead to catastrophe.

    War and blood will wash the earth. The darkness and the light will shatter each other. They will tear everything down with them. Everything ends in chaos. In chaos, the Creator will rise again, beginning a new era.

    That was one possibility of what could happen. To summarise, their situation is quiteplex and dangerous.

    Did he, however, regret his careless actions? No, not at all. Last night was one of the most memorable nights of his life. While spending time with Lilith, he was filled with passion and joy, unconcerned about his problems and difficulties. He didn''t regret it all.

    ~ Love makes a fool of us all ~

    Aucuses deeply resonated with the saying while finishing a bottle of wine and ruminating on the previous night.

    He exhaled a long sigh, as if expelling all his surging emotions and finally calming down. The light of dawn shone through the crowds and illuminated his figure.

    He got up from his chair and walked through the sliding wooden doors into the room.

    He could already feel Lilith waking up as the light of dawn shone on her face. She should be half asleep by now.

    Auceses went to the bed, looked at her lying down. Her facial expression was stunned as she continued to roll over in bed, trying to find afortable position to go back to sleep.

    Auceses approached the bed and looked at her as shey there. Her expression was groggy as she turned around in bed, trying to find afortable position to fall back asleep.

    With hesitant eyes, he leaned forward to kiss her forehead, causing her to groan and gradually awaken.

    Aucuses smiled seeing this. Then, he walked into the kitchen to prepare coffee for Lilith.

    Yes, they were staying in the hotel room after the restless night. He knows it sounds so wrong. But nothing happened between them other than a long kiss. They didn''t even say and discuss anything about it after that and continued to dance and drink until 3 a.m.

    Lilith was literally wasted, despite being a god. It was too much for her. The difficulties and problems between them were to take their toll on her.

    Aucuses carried her to the hotel and booked a room for the night. Then heid him carefully on the bed, making sure she felt warm andfortable.

    At that time, she finally let go of her guard and fell asleep in her bed. As for him, he also slept in the same bed for an hour before getting up when the sudden realization of all that had happened struck heavily on his head.

    He then went to get a bottle of wine and started sulking about his own thoughts and memories.....

    Within a minute, he finished brewing the divine coffee the way Lilith liked it, poured it into the two cups and took them into the bedroom.

    Lilith had already awoken; she was in a trance, staring out the window while still wrapped in sheets and refusing to leave her bed.

    Aucuses approached her with a smile.

    "Here." He gave her the coffee and brought her back to reality.

    "Than-nks, Aucuses." Lilith stammered, trying her best to get a hold of reality.

    She took the coffee from his hand without trying to look at him. She then blew the coffee before taking a sip, calming down.

    Aucuses sat beside her in the bed, with one leg in the bed and another hanging, drinking coffee.

    The air around her tightened in tension and pressure as sunlight filtered through the fiberss windows, illuminating their figures.

    Lilith caught her breath after taking another sip of coffee. She seemed to have finally mustered enough strength to turn around and face him.

    "Your coffee is excellent as always..." She stopped abruptly, her wide eyes fixed on Aucuses'' body.

    Her brain seemed to shut down for a moment. Her tips of her ears turned crimson.

    "Put on a shirt, bastard." Lilith snarled, snapping out of her stupefaction when she saw his grin.

    Aucuses was only dressed in pyjamas, revealing his chiselled body to her. Her heart was nearly overflowing with strange emotions as she was struck by the sight.

    "Why?" Aucuses leaned in, their faces inches apart. "Don''t you like what you see?" He whispered subtly.

    Lilith returned his stare, stealing a nce at his body and gulping. Her heart pounded in her chest.

    But she didn''t; she shouldn''t let herself fall again. She immediately used her divinity and authority to suppress her emotions.

    Despite his previous words, Aucuses felt the atmosphere was not improving.

    "Put on a shirt, Aucuses." She spoke in a cold and indifferent tone. "You should know that we can''t..." She stood up, ced her hand on his chest, and pushed him away.

    "Fine" Aucuses groaned, grabbing his shirt from the hanger and putting it on.

    Lilith sighed when she saw him in this state. Her heart hurt as her feelings returned. "I''ll get ready. We can then go to a restaurant." Shepromised.

    Aucuses nodded duly as he watched her head for the bathroom.

    ''What will be of ''us''?...'' He thought with a sigh. He continued to drink his coffee under the light of dawn.

    ____________________

    In a restaurant in the upper part of Trier, Aucuses and Lilith sat facing each other, eating spaghetti in silence.

    Both of them avoided discussing the events of the night and the morning, but this did not dispel the heavy atmosphere that existed between them.

    Finally, Lilith spoke and broke the silence. "So, why are you invading the southern continent?"

    She really wants to release the tension between them by addressing at least some serious topics. About their rtionship, she can only sigh thinking about that.

    Aucuses put down his fork. His stoic expression eventually loosened at her question. He took the ss of grape wine and answered between his drinks. "I am going to kill Tolzana and take away the uniqueness and characteristics of the chained pathway."

    Tolzana is the future chained god who was polluted by Mother Tree of Desire in the original timeline.

    His response made her stop eating, Lilith put down her fork and said with serious eyes. "Is it for your angel again?"

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded, without hiding it from her. "It''s for him, but I''m also doing it to make sure the divine slut didn''t have anchors to spread "Her" corruption or send "Her" power into our world."

    Lilith was used to his disrespect for the outer gods, so hearing him say "Divine Slut" didn''t surprise her, but she still had to say that nickname is quite fitting for Mother Tree of Desire.

    She didn''t question his intentions because she already knew Aucuses cared about his angels, and even she paled inparison to him in this regard. Aucuses, after all, is allowing his angel to be a god.

    "It''s risky..." Lilith folded her hand, implying something. "Salinger''s situation is still unknown. I believe there is a major problem with him."

    "What kind of problem?" Aucuses inquired, raising his brows and sipping his wine.

    Lilith gave him a hesitant look. Out of concern for him, she finally said it in a roundabout way. "The kind that can endanger the entire world."

    "Don''t worry, everything will be fine. I will not invade Bayam directly." Aucuses stated matter-of-factly. "You will be there for me even if there is a problem." Heughed.

    Lilith''s eyes twitched as she responded. "I will undoubtedly be present. I will also notify Badhiel. He''d be delighted to take part, as he''s concerned about the Salinger''s situation."

    "Would you like to apany me on the invasion?" Aucuses nodded and inquired candidly.

    "No, Aucuses." Lilith rose from her seat. "Two gods invading a continent will almost certainly spark a war of gods. At that time, Salinger will not tolerate our actions. It''s best if you go alone, but I''ll keep an eye on you from the astral world..." Her eyes filled with emotion as she suddenly paused. Her eyes also shimmered with a sh of deep darkness.

    She continued, observing his every reaction. "I have to leave, Aucuses. I can''t stay here any longer..."

    "Go." Aucuses stated tly, as if he was unaffected by her sudden words.

    "I''m sorry..." Her words lingered in the air as she vanished before him, leaving him alone once again.

    Aucuses sighed, sipping his wine before returning to his spaghetti.

 Chapter 99: Southern Continent

    Chapter 99: Southern Continent

    Chaos. There was only chaos on the cursednd called the Southern Continent. The very concepts of reality have been affected by it. The line between death and life has long been blurred.

    The southern continent is a cursednd in the mouths of northerners. The legends thate from here can terrify even a war veteran. It was such a eerie ce, in and of itself.

    There is now or justice in this forsakennd. It was literally hell for the weak and heaven for the strong. It follows thew of the jungle to this day.

    Thisnd, as one would expect, was primitive, barbaric, cruel, and primordial, perfectly inheriting the characteristics of the dark age. For this alone, many gods, including Aucuses hated this continent to the bone. But they couldn''t do anything about it, as the southern continent was a tricky ce.

    This forsaken continent was always the subject of many legends. It was said to be teeming with devils hungry for souls, evil spirits who relish torturing their victims in the most gory ways, frequent bloody massacres, the doors of the underworld were always open, so be careful where one may pass, the filthy... the stories go on and on, painting a terrifying picture of the cursednd.

    The legends are true. The underworld and the abyss have a deep connection to the southern continent. It was brought about by the deities they both represent, Salinger and Farubati. This is what made the continent so tricky and difficult, even for the gods.

    Despite the fact that thends are anarchic, there is still some form of government with the goal of keeping the madness and chaos within the empire''s borders.

    It is ruled by the Bayam Empire, which was founded by Salinger.

    However, the Empire was not all of the southern continent. There are other powers as well, such as the devil faction and the chained faction, which all have some power on the continent, though not as much as the Bayam Empire.

    The Devil faction consists of the Beria, Anderaiel, and Nois angel families. They believe in the dark side of the universe, Farubati, who is the god of the abyss. He was the "only" remaining ancient god.

    The chained faction is led by the King of Angels, Tolzana. He was born in the 2nd era andter became the subordinate god of Kvastrir. After the fall of the Ancient Gods, he benefited greatly and seeded in bing the King of Angels at the end of the Third Era.

    He was also a member of Rose Redemption and participated in thest war. He was recognised as the king of angels who, along with Bethel Abraham, had the greatest chance of bing a god.

    The empire and other factions frequently engaged in conflicts. Farubati and Salinger did not get along well, but they were forced onto this continent due to pressure from the godsat the start of the fourth epoch. They can onlye to terms with one another while also manipting their subordinates to sabotage each other''s dominance.

    Tolzana tried hard to remain a third party in these disputes, but in the end, he was drawn in without even wantingor trying.

    The southern continent is a chaotic and perverse ce overall. Although it ought to have remained the same, something changed on the morning of the first of May.

    Everyone felt something distinct in the air, whether they were angels who were above all or the lowest mortals. But they truly weren''t able to pinpoint what it was. However, they undoubtedly felt a disturbance that literally made their own souls tremble.

    The disturbance made the chaos wane. The demons and spirits disappeared from the surface of the earth. The cultists, who were leaving destruction and bloodshed in their wake, now sat submissively in their base, trembling. A sliver of relief was felt by the shackled mortals. All around the continent, small-torge changes were urring simultaneously.

    The order returned and chaos vanished from existence, as the very concepts of reality became free.

    It was in the air all around them, and everyone could feel it. It was as though the very continent was jubnt over someone''s arrival.

    On this specific day, the sun was extremely hot as that someone in many people''s minds sat at a restaurant, having a ck coffee.

    That someone was none other than Aucuces, who had just invaded the southern continent. He didn''t keep quiet at all; instead, he stopped reining in his powers, which spread across the entire continent and heralded the advent of the "Golden Order."

    In the only developed area of the empire, the city of Bayam, which is the capital of the Bayam Empire, Aucuses was sitting in a restaurant in the upper part of the city.

    The capital is rtivelyrge, nearly the size of Trier, and follows the generalyout of northern cities; there are, respectively, aristocratic, industrial and residential areas.

    Yes, after the United Empire discovered a new maritime route, the industrial revolution did indeed reach the southern continent. When both empires possessed items they wanted from one another, trade between them naturally started.

    Aucuses was now savouring the ck tea, which was a specialty of the Bayam empire. It was fantastic. The trip was well worth it.

    As he savoured the aftertaste and considered the situation, Aucuses hummed in thought.

    Salinger will be able to see right through any attempt he makes to conceal or hide his existence. He realised there was no use in hiding it, so he just brazenly entered the continent while making his goal and action extremely in using his order to Salinger.

    Salinger

    As the name went through his head, Aucuses'' visage soured. He is very certain that Salinger should have already made a secret connection with the River of Eternal Darkness. Salinger is perhaps even more dangerous than Sasrir for this reason alone.

    He constantly had a horrible omen whenever he thought about Salinger, which only increased his resolve to kill Salinger.

    He would make certain that Salinger did not survive the War of the Four Emperors. He will see to it that death itself perishes away.

    While taking a sip of the ck coffee, Aucuses observed the zing sun at the centre of the sky.

    He can sense the connection between the underworld and the abyss on the continent. They were contaminating the continent inexorably and slowly.

    Now that he was here, the link between the Southern Continent and the Abyss became weaker, but it still exists.

    Whether it be the Underworld or the Abyss, it is a sensitive area that even he didn''t want to enter unless absolutely necessary.

    Aucuses asked with a smile after finishing the ck coffee and raising the empty cup to the sky.

    "It tastes far better than I anticipated. Would you like one? In my opinion, you reallymissing out on this."

    His voice caused the nearby trees and nts to rustle before withering away and turning to ash. The ash swirled in the air beforending on his table, forming words.

    "Aucuces! Focus on the present situation. You are already this close to starting a war of the gods. Everyone is focusing on you."

    "You don''t really want it?" Aucuses continued to press, ignoring the words. "I can ce an order for you and bring itter."

    For a brief period, the ashes were carried by the wind and swirled, seemingly unsure of what to say.

    It eventually calmed down. "Order one for me and bring it to me ''Afterward,'' not right now! The sire of Salinger is alreadying to meet you.".

    Aucuses'' grin widened at that. He then ced another order with the waitress.

    That was Lilith, who is currently in Astral World, directly over the Southern Continent.

    On this invasion, he wasn''t the onlybatant. Although they are not personally present, Lilith and Badhiel are also with him. So, if conflict breaks out in the end, they will descend on the southern continent, regardless of theconsequences of doing so.

    Just then, a man with tan skin and long ck hair approached him. He was dressed in a deep ck robe with golden thread embroidery. His icy, indifferent eyes were apanied by a golden bird-shaped crown on his head. The air became cold and waning just from his presence, as if death itself had arrived.

    He was none other than Azik Eggers, the Emperor of Bayam and Death Counsel.

    ________________________

    A/N: I managed to find some time to edit this chapter that I wrote on the weekend. So here it is. Still, the updates for this week will be low due to my college work, as I said before...

 Chapter 100: Awankening of Death

    Chapter 100: Awankening of Death

    "Your excellency." Azik Eggers bowed, showing the respect due to a god.

    It didn''t matter whether he was Emperor of Bayam or Consul of Death, such titles meant little to the person before him.

    Although he did his best to appear respectful and polite, his tone still remained cold and indifferent.

    Aucuses didn''t care and gestured to the seat. "Sit down, Azik Eggers."

    Azik obeyed and sat down, putting his hands on the table and intecing his fingers. He kept his head down and dared not look again at theid back god in front of him.

    At the same time, the reality around them switched, revealing a vast mountain range with a green valley in front. They sat in the middle of it all. Azik was still calm, despite noticing the change in scenery around him.

    Azik Eggers ... Aucuses'' eyes gleamed as he gazed at Azik. He saw through Azik''s mind and soul.

    There wasn''t a single ounce of humanity in Azik Eggers, which is not surprising since he was born as a mythical creature. His soul was tainted with the eerie power of death, which controlled him in more than one way.

    His memories contained no information about Salinger''s recent whereabouts; he only knew that Salinger isted himself in the underworld for centuries. He had not yet sincee out of the underworld.

    In conclusion, Azik is no more than a ve to Salinger. Aucuses almost thought Azik was nothing more than a puppet if he hadn''t noticed Azik still has some self-conscious in the depths of his subconscious mind.

    It must have been the suppression specific to the pathways of Death... Aucuses analysed, the high sequence beyonders of death pathway canpletely supress the low sequence beyonders. They can even turn them into ves.

    Aucuses wouldn''t be surprised if Salinger enved all the high-sequence beyonders in his path. He has always been known for his madness and paranoia.

    Even though it is now just Azik who hase to meet him, Azik is fully capable of representing Salinger.

    Despite being aware of this, Aucuses will put on a show because many gods are watching this location. Even though they made an effort to be as discreet as possible, it still didn''t escape his notice.

    Amanises, Herabergan, Leodero, Cheek, and even Farubati were all in his line of sight. They are putting in bids for the best moment. At this very moment, tension pervades the entire world.

    Salinger''s situation has always been a mystery, even to the gods .....

    "Doesn''t your father want toe with you?" Aucuses asked, leaning back in his chair, hands sped and eyebrows raised at Azik.

    Azik felt immense pressure on his body and soul just because he was under the Sun God''s gaze. He tried his best to stabilize himself using his connection to the underworld.

    A wave of silent darkness appeared from the depths of his soul, quickly covering his entire mind and soul, freeing him from the Sun God''s oppression.

    Aucuses frowned upon seeing the silent darkness in the depths of Azik''s soul. He actually felt danger from the Darkness, which was emitting an immense aura of death. He looked away and didn''t try to gaze into the darkness. He instinctively knew that if he continued to investigate, things wouldn''t end well for him.

    ''River of eternal darkness...'' Aucuses guessed with a heavy heart.

    "My father apologizes. He feels very guilty for not being able toe in person to wee your Excellency into his kingdom." Azik said in a low voice. "Your excellency, I invite you to Bayam Pce on behalf of my father. The royal family has prepared a sumptuous ceremony for .."

    "Enough of these useless pleasantries." Aucuses interrupted him, his tone rather blunt. "That''s not what we both want, is it? So, cut to the chase, Azik Eggers."

    Azik paused for a brief period, his eyes glistening with pale fire. The silent darkness in Azik''s body was growing by a moment''s notice.

    ''Oh..'' While cing his hand on the table and his palm on his chin, Auceses thought. ''Salinger is rather restless...''

    He is sure that Salinger is preparing Azik to serve as a vessel for his descent.

    When the eerie silence was finally broken, Azik spoke in a hushed voice. "My father questions the reason for your unexpected visit?"

    Aucuses smiled and leaned forward, still holding his pose. "It has nothing to do with the Bayam Empire. So tell your father not to worry." At the end, he chuckled lightly.

    "Your Excellency..." Azik said, trying his best to show a serious expression, "The entire Southern Continent is my father''s kingdom. So, whatever you n to do will affect the empire one way or another."

    He paused, raised his head, and looked directly at the sun god, his deep, dark eyes slowly eroding in pale fire and his aura rising far beyond even the archangels.

    A part of the spirit world began to tremble and rumble as waves and waves of spirit storms shattered countless spirits throughout the spirit world, signifying the wrath of the Eternal Sleeper, Death.

    The sky dimmed as an intense cold engulfed the world. The cold went deeper into the air. It was in the chest, in the hearts of many.

    Something terrible was about to happen. It was thest thought of many spirits, who were crushed to dust by spiritual storms.

    Many angels shivered to the bone, as they felt something awaken. It is something primordial, rooted in every being in every world.

    It''s death.

    ''He''s awake...'' Aucuses concluded as he felt themotion in the spirit world.

    Azik continued. His expression changed to one of indifference. His demeanour transformed, taking on an emperor''s bearing. He looked like apletely different person after the transformation.

    "Allow me to ask again, what is the reason for your invasion of the Empire? My father asks for your answer. If not given, he asks you to leave his kingdom immediately or face the consequences of your impudent actions."

    Aucusesughed, his deepugh echoing across the continent. The whole continent began to shake. The sun in the sky was bright, brighter than ever. It emitted a re that blinded countless people, who were curious.

    "Salinger, if you want war. I would be happy to give you one." He said without backing down at all.

    With his words the sky changed, twilight and life graced the sky, illuminating the sky in a mixture of orange and green glow.

    The nts and trees in the valley around them grew towering in a moment, before withering away in orange glow. From the ashes, nts sprouted again absorbing nutrition from the ashes. It died and grew, again and again, forming a cycle of life and death.

    An eerie aura filled the world. The earth itself trembled, as if afraid of what was toe.

    Aucuses clutched his hand, ready to summon his sword, should Salinger decide to descend through Azik.

    Although everything seemed to turn into a very terrible situation---war of gods--- Aucuses thought otherwise, as he considered the predicament of death.

    The sinister aura suddenly dissipated without warning. The chaos in the spirit world subsided, allowing many breath a sigh of relief. Everything fell silent as life and twilight left the way they arrived, giving way to peace and breaking the cycle of life and death.

    Azik returned to normal, nodding his head and speaking in a raspy voice that spoke volumes of his pain and suffering.

    "My father sends his regards. He also hopes that your excellency would keep your word."

    "Your Excellence, I''ll be leaving." He bowed as he continued. "You can find me in the Bayam Pce if you have any problems or inquiries."

    Aucuses only smirked in response. Then he took the remaining wine and drank it, watching him go.

    ''Well, that went smoothly'' He thought, shing a smile at the gods

    At the same time, a faint whooshing sound echoed through a region filled with deep, illusory darkness. There was a glow in the dark that showed a clear, colourless river flowing without beginning or end. The river was ethereal as it flowed in the endless darkness.

    In this perpetual darkness, a pale fire red up, morphing into two hollow eyes overflowing with madness and pain.

    "Aucuses..." A deep voice filled with anger, madness, and hatred thundered through the darkness, rumbling it.

    The ethereal river, however, cut off the voice as it started to agitate restlessly, as though it had picked up on the distraction.

    A painful grunt could be heard. Along with the river, the still darkness around it surged, attempting to stifle the restless river.

    In the enduring gloom, the struggle of power and will continued.

    _____________________

    100! I still couldn''t believe that I had reached here.

    I am also back! My college work ended by Thursday. I''ll have a lot of free time for the next few days.

    I already wrote three chapters yesterday and one this morning.

    Here is one. I am still nning on opening a patron. I will try to get it done by this week. I am nning on 10 chapters ahead.

 Chapter 101: Cursed Ones

    Chapter 101: Cursed Ones

    Mount Etna.

    The tallest mountain in the southern continent, with its peak piercing the sliding clouds. It was dressed in evergreens down to its crowns of silvery white.

    The mountain has guarded the souls of thisnd for an immeasurable time. This was the paradise for the cursed ones.

    "Cursed ones," they call them, rather discriminatory and yet befitting of the race.

    The cursed are the beyonders of the Chained path. The path had always been controversial all over the world, even more so than the adjacent path; The abyss.

    The controversy surrounding them is so high that most of the viins in the best-selling novel are based on them. They also appear in all the scary stories that mothers use to bring up children. From all of this, one can clearly see that they are hated and loathed by everyone.

    This was mainly due to their "mutant" nature, which is abhorred by everyone.

    People did not care even if they were human beings before bing beyonders of the chained path. They were persecuted and abhorred regardless. Some children born on this pathway were even burned alive due to fear and disgust.

    Their discrimination and persecution reached a climax in the Third Era. Humanity has regained dominion over the under the banner of the Ancient Sun God. More importantly, they got their freedom from the non-human races. The dark era ended.

    However, it also left undeniable scars and trauma on everyone. The memories and history of that time have always haunted mankind. This has caused humanity to develop xenophobia towards non-human races. People are united in this, regardless of the Extraordinary or the Ordinary.

    All of this culminated to cause one of the bloodiest massacres in history.

    The Mutant Hunts.

    The entire mutant race was nearly wiped out in the hunt. Many were crucified and burned. Chaos ensued across the continent. The cursed blood dyed thends in between. Crises of despair and hatred reverberated around the world, reaching the creator.

    It was one of the darkest times in history for humans and mutants. The ugliness of humanity was shown to everyone. They have unwittingly be the same monsters they feared and loathed.

    The angels and archangels knew of the events at that time. However, they didn''t stop it. Some even participated discreetly, releasing the hatred they had umted from that dark age.

    In the darkest times, fate always prefers someone to be the saviour. That saviour was Tolzana, who managed to ascend to be king of angels.

    He single-handedly retaliated against humans for the suffering of his race.

    His actions and existence saved his race from extinction, but made the situation worse than it already was. People were afraid. The title of "King of Angels" struck fear in everyone''s heart, walking all up.

    It caused mass paranoia. A war almost erupted in the middle of the third epoch.

    However, the Creator intervened just at the right time to prevent this. "He" dispatched the entire army of "His" angels to quell the conflict and negotiate with Tolzana.

    The result of the agreement was that Tolzana was given a sanctuary to build a paradise for his race away from human eyes. This dark period of history was erased from reality, burying the cruel and inhumane atrocities of humanity.

    That sanctuary was the Etna Mountain. It was a haven for mutants. Even though at the dawn of the fourth epoch, the istionist policy of the Etna was removed and they opened their doors for trade andmerce with the outside world, they still tried to keep minimum contact with the humans and outside world.

    The Etna Mountain is surrounded by a huge city with strange buildings that didn''t fit the aesthetic of the Stream Era. Atop of the mountain was a ck castle that perched on the edges. This was the holy sanctuary of mutants, as it was the residence of their God and Saviour.

    However, the holy mountain was now trembling, as the scorching rays of the sun shone on it, illuminating the entire mountain.

    Crack!

    The mountain began to show cracks that began to spread from the peak to the ground, causing dust and stone to slide towards the city on the ground.

    The mutants scrambled in panic and despair. They felt the trembling of the mountain. It was as if the mountain itself was crying out for what was about to happen.

    Inside the ck castle, Aucuses walked through the long hallway. The walls were filled with murals depicting the history buried beneath. In the middle of it all, there were words craved in blood,

    "WE REMEMBER."

    The hallway was empty and messy. It was as if someone had just evacuated, knowing of his descent beforehand.

    Aucuses looked at the brutal murals. It was truly a dark time. It is not that he and the other kings of angels didn''t know of the happenings, but they just didn''t care.

    In the end, though, under the order of the Creator, they were forced to intervene and managed to form an agreement. As a result of the agreement, the two races'' rtionship was severed, resulting in peace. Later, Tolzana became a member of rose redemption and participated in the final war.

    Aucuses didn''t have much of a rtionship with Tolzana; it could only be considered an acquaintance at best.

    Putting away his thoughts, Aucuses walked to the end of the hallway where arge ck door stood. His footsteps echoed across the silent hall.

    He pushed the door open, causing it to creak loudly, revealing a dimly lit room with bookshelves, a table and a firece. It was the study room.

    At the table, a man was present, sitting in the main seat with his hands forward on the table and his fingers crossed. His gaze seemed to be fixed on the door, as though he had already been waiting for the arrival of Aucuses.

    A puppet with roses intertwined around its body was present right next to him. It emitted an eerie and terrifying aura.

    Aucuses just gave the puppet a nce before focusing on the man, who was now looking at him with a calm expression.

    The man was none other than Tolzana, King of Angels of the chained pathway, who would also go on by another alias in the future: Chained God. The puppet near him was the uniqueness of the chained pathway.

    Surprisingly, for the leader of the mutant race, Tolzana was dressed quite in a humane way, wearing a checked ck suit and trousers.

    As if noticing the meaning in his eyes, Tolzana said, a calm smile forming on his lips. "I just put it on, especially for this meeting with the most powerful human god. My mythical form would have been inconvenient. Don''t you think so too, the great and merciful sun god?"

    While walking into the room, Aucuses smiled at his not-so-subtle sarcasm and sat in the opposite chair, facing Tolzana.

    "You seemed to anticipate my arrival?" He asked, ignoring the sarcasm, raising his brows and cing his hands on the table.

    Tolzana rose from his seat and made his way to the puppet on the table. He picked it up and said, though his gaze remained on the puppet.

    "I actually didn''t until a few hours ago.." His voice was low as a whisper. "It was ''Her'' who told me." He pointed up, indicating the cosmos. "''She'' told me about your arrival. ''She'' told me about your purpose. ''She'' told me about your wickedness that lies beneath your so-called kindness." His voice became hoarse as he said every word, while his eyes shed with hatred and despair.

    He suddenly paused and tried to stabilise his deteriorating condition.

    "Go on." Aucuses said, tilting his head. He asked curiously, as if he was very interested in details. He also didn''t seem offended by Tolzana''s words at all.

    Tolzana put the puppet on the table. His twisted expression loosened, his eyes became serene. He once again assumed a calm smile. "''She'' showed me the ugliness of human nature. It was darker and more twisted than anything that I had everid eyes upon."

    "After making me realise all of this, ''She'' told me that I could save my kingdom from your divine punishment. ''She'' told me that I could even kill you and also take revenge for atrocitiesmitted against us. All that was needed was for me to perform a ritual and embrace my desire for revenge. I should no longer be CHAINED!"

    "What did you choose, Tolzana?" Aucuses said, his countenance still calm, despite the terrifying meaning hidden behind the words of Tolzana.

    "What do you think I chose, the great and merciful Sun God?" Tolzana asked back. His eyes gleamed with madness, his lips rose to form a twisted smile.

    Aucuses was silent for a moment. His eyes were observing the state of Tolzana. He was already on the verge of losing control; his mind and sanity were being consumed by madness and murmurs.

    It was only due to his sheer willpower that he managed to keep thest of himself stable for his final conversation.

    "You didn''t." He answered, "You didn''t fall for ''Her'' bewitching. Even though I don''t know much about you personally, I at least heard about your love andpassion for your own race."

    Tolzana broke down, quite literally. His mental and physical bodies were copsing. The murmurs from the starry sky thundered ever so loudly in his mind, consuming his sanity.

    His body began to slowly wither, as white straps with roses appeared around him. They were like chains binding him.

    However, Tolzana ignored his condition, tears welling in his eyes, his hands trembling. "I want my race to survive. I can''t do that to them. I can''t bring such a disaster on them, even if it means that I will die at your hands."

    "Please.." He begged, "You can take my life. I don''t care about that anymore. I want to ask for onest request."

    "I request of you, the great and merciful sun god, that you grant a sanctuary to my race after my demise."

    Aucuses stood up from his seat and walked towards him. He caught the copsing Tolzana by his shoulders and lifted him up from his kneeling position. He could tell that, Tolzana was at death''s door. He also knew that Tolzana was forced into this situation due to his own actions.

    But, did he feel any guilt? No, not at all. This was a cruel and dark world. He had been through hell to get where he was. His journey of peril still hasn''t ended. And, if he wanted to survive in the end, he needed to seize every opportunity to increase his odds. Many may loathe or hate him for his indifference. However, he didn''t care. And, he''s not going to change himself for anything or anyone.

    "Get up." He said solemnly. "I promise, Tolzana. I will provide your race with a sanctuary under my own name. In the future, a new god will ascend from your pathway. He will lead your race into prosperity. He will also y ''Her'' and usurp the authority of desire from ''Her'', breaking the curse of your race. I promise this, Tolzana."

    "Thank you" Tolzana whispered, his crumbling face forming a thin smile.

    Aucuses let him go and nodded, while looking upwards at the ceiling.

    With his nod, the ceiling, walls, and castle faded away from the reality.

    The rays of the sun shone on the crumbling figure of Tolzana.

    In the rays, a phantom of a divine woman descended. Her descent caused a deep autumn scene with withering flowers, grass, and mushrooms across Etna mountain.

    The phantom embraced Tolzana''s crumbling figure, relieving him of his pain and suffering in the final moments of his life.

    The phantom also drained his life, dragging him down in an act of returning to thend, returning to the mother''s embrace, peacefully.

    The smile on the face of Tolzana faded and his eyes lost their light. His body copsed into ashes in the embrace of mother, returning to the mountain of etna in perpetuity.

 Chapter 102: Black

    Chapter 102: ck

    Aucuses stood on the deck of a boat, leaning against the railing, his face aglow with thest orange rays before sun beckons the stars. He gazed upon the vast sea ahead, his lips bearing a semnce of a smile, just enough to show that he was enjoying the view.

    He was looking into the horizon, where the sky and sea were merging together. The colour was almost ck. The setting sun was in rich crimson colour, almost as though it was dyed in blood. It looked as if the red sun was sinking into the water like a piece of live ember, and the heat made the air around the sun shimmer. The sky was almost dark and the first stars could be seen.

    It was a mesmerising scene. Aucuses gazed at it in silence, his mind wandering somewhere else.

    "Aucuses" A voice interrupted his reverie, but he felt happiness rather than displeasure, as the voice graced his ears.

    He turned and looked, letting his back lean on the pir near the railing while crossing his legs and hands.

    There was a divine woman standing in front of him. Her otherworldly beauty was illuminated by the twilight. She was none other than Lilith.

    Surprisingly, she wore different attire than usual. She was d in a sleeveless ck gown embroidered with crimson lines. Her golden hair falls down to her hip, leaving the tips of her locks white. There was a symbol of moon in between her brows, gleaming in the twilight of the sun.

    Lilith noticed that Aucuses suddenly went into a daze. She chuckled and went forward towards him. She flicked his forehead with a mischievous smile, adoring her lips. It snapped him out of his fake daze. It was an act. She knew it, but she didn''t break it either.

    Gaining his attention, she asked, walking backward and clutching the side of her gown with both her hands. She lifted it up lightly.

    "How is it? I decided to finally change it and try something new"

    She lied. ck has always been her favourite colour. The attrite that she wore when she was the sanguine ancestor was always a mix of ck and crimson.

    So, it couldn''t be considered "trying something new". It''s just her slowly returning to her true self, only for Aucuses alone.

    "ck looks great on you." Aucuses said, while walking towards her. He caught her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed in between her fingers. "You. Look. Amazing."

    Lilith smiled at hispliment, while trying her best to remain calm andposed despite the tinge of bliss coursing through her body from her fingers. She immediately took her hand from his hold.

    Aucuses smirked at her action. He asked, folding his hands, "I didn''t expect to see you here. Do you miss me that much already? It''s been only 2 days."

    "As if" Lilith snorted, though her crimson eyes gave away the truth to Aucuses.

    She noticed this when she saw his widening grin. "I just came here to check on you after what happened with Tolzana." She admitted, dodging her eyes away from him.

    Aucuses had been too silent after the death of Tolzana. When she observed him through the astral world, it really started to bother her.

    "Here." She continued, taking out a box out of nowhere. "I made this."

    Aucuses took the box with surprise stered across his face. He opened the lid, greeted with an aroma mixed with various vours sshing across his face.

    It is Ramen. Miso Ramen.

    "Oh?" Aucuses said, his eyes sparkling at the ramen. "I didn''t know that Earth Mother could actually cook...."

    Lilith pouted, "It wasn''t that hard to learn. Now, stop with the jokes and eat it."

    Aucuses nodded, though his smile stretched a tad.

    "Come on, let''s sit."

    They made their way to the chairs on the deck and sat down, facing the setting sun.

    ''That''s beautiful'' Lilith thought, gazing at the mythical scene on the sea.

    Suddenly, her attention was drawn when a cup of ck coffee was brought to her face.

    "What?" Aucuses said, noticing her sudden silence. "You didn''t think I would forget, did you?" He sounded aggrieved.

    "No." Lilith said, her heart filled with emotions. "It''s not that." She paused, as if lost for words. Then, she continued with a forced smile, almost immediately. "Thank you."

    Aucuses saw a sh of pain and sadness in her eyes as she took the ck coffee from him, which caused him to sigh, but he didn''t press on this.

    They both began to eat and drink in the silence of twilight.

    Lilith was afraid. She was afraid of how things were going on between them. They were walking on thin ice. Even though they tried their best to ignore their responsibilities and troubles while meeting each other, she knew that they couldn''t go on like this.

    As for what made her afraid, It was the future. Her concealment cannot be broken. She knew what kind of horrible consequences would happen if her concealment was broken hastily.

    It will destroy all the ns of Amanises and her opportunity to retrieve the uniqueness of the moon pathway from Amanises. It would lead to war. A war in which she would be forced to stand against the one she loves. Just thinking about that possibility tormented her heart and soul.

    She needed to find a way. No, she will find a way to deal with their situation.

    ''Amanises'' Lilith thought, her dimmed eyes regaining their brilliance. She was drinking ck coffee while her thoughts were wandering.

    She was still notpletely sure how Amanises would react, even if she had known Amanises for thousands of years. She can only hope.

    Pushing her thoughts aside, Lilith focused on Aucuses, who had already finished the ramen.

    "How is it?" She asked.

    Aucuses answered with his actions. He gave a chef''s kiss.

    A warm smile formed on the lips of Lilith. She looked at him in the illumination of the twilight.

    She didn''t want this to end at all. She wished they could be like this forever.

    Supressing her surreal emotions, Lilith continued, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay, Aucuses?"

    "I am fine" Aucuses said, shaking his head. "The death of Tolzana just got me thinking about a lot----our world and lives in general."

    "You don''t need to worry though.." He continued with a bright smile. "I often go through this emotional stuff. I will get over on my own."

    "Aucuses." Lilith sighed, seeing his act. She can clearly see that he is totally sulking in his own depressing emotions.

    "Come on." She said, grabbing his hand and standing up.

    "Where?" Aucuses asked, putting away the ss and box in a different space.

    "There is still half a day before we reach the northern continent." She said briskly. "I think we shouldn''t waste it sulking. There is a party going on in the cabin with games and much other stuff"

    She was speaking while pulling him into the cabin, while Aucuses just followed her, shaking his head.

    Finally, the sun set into the ocean, heralding the advent of night. The entire ship was in a festive mood as the couple danced under the sky.

    __________________

    Meanwhile, in the spiritual world, Amanises floated, dressed in ayered ck gown. Her beautiful face was covered in a ck veil. Her mere presence calmed the chaos in the spiritual world.

    However, her beautiful face behind the veil suddenly frowned, and her heart was troubled

 Chapter 103: The Choice of Amanises

    Chapter 103: The Choice of Amanises

    Spirit World.

    Amanises was holding a wisp of ethereal darkness in her left index finger.

    She also held the crimson moon in her other hand, which was aligned right above the wisp of darkness.

    The crimson moon was illusory, allowing her to see through the celestial body and gaze into the wisp of darkness.

    She was using all of her authority to peer through the mysterious wisp in her hand.

    The wisp was also coated in her authority, restricting it from acting on the surroundings.

    Time ticked on. Amanises stayed unmoving in her ce, her gaze still fixed on the wisp.

    Suddenly, her eyes shimmered before her gaze became deep and piercing into the wisp through the crimson moon.

    Boom!

    The wisp exploded. A surge of darkness erupted from it, like a tsunami devouring reality itself in its path.

    Rumble!

    A part of the spiritual world rumbled under the aura.

    However, it quickly calmed down under the quick action of Amanises.

    Amanises closed her eyes as dark blood began to pour down from them. Ignoring this, she immediately took a cup embedded with the dark gems.

    At the same time, she raised one of her hands, holding the crimson moon high up, letting the moon fly from her hold. The crimson moon began to expand while shedding its moonlight on the surging darkness.

    The crimson moonlight materialized in the form of a veil. It began to intercept and cover the surging dark tsunami within it.

    Amanises floated away from the darkness. She raised her cup in her hand and willed the crimson moonlight.

    The dark tsunami trashed against the veil, causing it to dim and be illusory, as though it might disappear at any moment. But, under the control of Amanises, it managed to remain stable.

    The veilpletely enclosed the darkness. It began to shrink and move towards the cup held by Amanises. When it reached right above the opening of the cup, it was the size of a pebble.

    Amanises'' hands trembled, as beads of sweat fell down from her face. Ignoring the seething pain, she took out a lid and pressed it on the opening of the dark cup with the pebble in it, effectively sealing it.

    Amanises let out a weak sigh, her figure bleak, as though all her strength had been drained for the seal.

    She looked at the cup with a grim expression. Finally, she looked up and around onest time before returning to her kingdom.

    In tenebrous heaven, after ten minutes, Amanisesid in her bed. Her eyes closed and her hands went over her forehead. She had taken off the veil that was covering her face.

    Her chest rose and fell steadily, as though she had already fallen asleep. However, her mind was wandering towards the events that happened today.

    ''River of Eternal Darkness'' She thought, her heart troubled.

    No, troubled would be an understatement. She was anxious, perturbed, dismayed and worried. It had been a long time since she felt such an emotion. It is all due to an event that happened today.

    She was right.

    Salinger got his hands on the tributary of the river of eternal darkness. She is sure now, after doing that dangerous prying into the wisp of darkness. The wisp originated from the primordial river. The prying also took a heavy toll on her. But, it didn''t matter much, as she finally confirmed her guesses.

    The confirmation, though, escted the entire situation to another level, as it involves a sefirot. She knew something terrible was going to happen with thebination of Primordial River and Salinger.

    If she didn''t stop this, she knew she would die in the hands of Salinger. Maybe her fate will be even worse, considering how much Salinger hates her.

    Amanises used her authority to calm her emotions. She still has time. Salinger shouldn''t be able to suppress the primordial will in river. Until then, she has time.

    Ancient Sun God told her that the primordial river had already managed to escape a part of the seal and flowed out. Ancient Goddess of Death, Gregace was the first toe into contact with it. She built her underworld around the river, using it as the foundation.

    After her fall, the ancient underworld was inherited by Salinger, who was pushed to the edge by Amanises. So, he made a desperate choice and inherited the underworld rather than building his own.

    Now, here she is facing the consequences of her own actions. Amanises got up from her bed, sighing. She waved her hand. With a whoosh, a cup of coffee appeared and floated in front of her.

    She drank it. Her emotions calmed down. Drinking coffee is one of the habits that she still hasn''t let go, despite the ever-changing times. It helps to calm her emotions and be clear-headed.

    Her thoughts wandered again, as she took sips of coffee from the cup.

    To deal with Salinger. She needs Allies. She alone is not enough to bring down Salinger.

    Allies are not what shecks. Leodero and Herabergan would surely join her side if she revealed a bit about the grave situation.

    She frowned at that thought. Her frown deepened more as an image of a man shed through her mind, as she thought about allies.

    Aucuses. The image depicts Aucuses.

    Amanises purses her lips, thinking about him. To be honest, she feltplex whenever she thinks about Aucuses.

    Aucuses was an enigma to her. However, he wasn''t always like that to her.

    She and Aucuses go way back. They meet in the 2nd epoch, during the dark era.

    Aucuses was the first to follow Ancient Sun God. He was also the first angel under Ancient Sun God.

    She met Aucuses when he had just be an angel. Her first impression of him was too narcissistic and arrogant for his good. From his look at that time, she knew that he also didn''t like her at all.

    They didn''t have much interaction, despite crossing paths with each other many times. It was due to their first impression, though the actual reason was the chaos of that era. They had too much on their tes already. They could care less about socializing.

    Then, the 2nd epoch ended. Ancient Sun God ruled the world. She and the gods had no choice but to submit and acknowledge his rule.

    In the new era, Aucuses and Amanises met again under the arrangement of the Ancient Sun God. Aucuses was assigned to her temporarily. He was asked by the creator to work under her for a period of 200 years. It may have seemed to be just a simple assignment on the outside, but she knew it was a punishment for Aucuses.

    Aucuses was a menace in the third epoch. He waged war just because he could. He used the name of the creator to justify all of his atrocities. His arrogance knew no bounds.

    The biggest event in the third epoch was caused by Aucuses. The war of the abyss. Aucuses dered war against Farubati. This war slowly began to affect everything and everyone, forcing other kings of angels and even her to personally enter the battlefield.

    It was a terrifying war, which ended in a human victory. Farubati ran and hid in the abyss with the remnants of his race. However, victory was not without cost. Millions died. All due to a man who just decided one day that he wanted war.

    Amanises honestly didn''t like Aucuses. Their differences and the enmity between them were palpable enough for others to take notice. So, Ancient Sun God then decided to punish Aucuses for his reckless actions by sending him to work under her.

    It didn''t go as well as one would expect. Aucuses was arrogant. He wouldn''t listen to anyone else''smand except that of Ancient Sun God.

    Their rtionships deteriorated further due to this.

    However, it all changed on one night, a drunken night. Aucuses somehow managed to get himselfpletely drunk and confronted her in a bout of anger and sadness. He subconsciously bbered about lot of personal things.

    It was there that she got to know more about Aucuses, which he was always trying to hide from others. It made her see him in apletely different light.

    The next morning, Aucuses clearly remembered everything that had happened, obviously. This made their situation very awkward, as Aucuses shared a lot about his life that he never told others.

    To make things better, she told him about her own story. It was unlike her to do such a thing as sharing secrets. But, on that day, she didn''t know what went over her mind. She decided to tell him.

    Their rtionship got better. Hepromised with her that he would follow her instructions only if he so wished. He did follow most of her instructions, though, in the end. They went on many expeditions to destroy the remnants of the mythical race. He even helped her to spread her faith very publicly, right under the nose of the creator. It was one of the crazy times of her life. In human terms, she and Aucuses could be considered "friends."

    However, things changed. He betrayed the Creator and caused the cataclysm. In the ashes of the world, he became a god.

    In the end, he changed. She knew that he was different from the Aucuses that she knew, yet simr at the same time. He had be an enigma.

    With his change, the world too soon followed. She predicted, through her authority; the war for the pir, Almighty, would not happen for the foreseeable future. Aucuses, Leodero, and Herabergan will maintain a delicate bnce between each other despite their wars and battles. No side will have an absolute advantage. This will result in stability between the pathways of Almighty.

    She also had a hunch that none of them had a chance to be the god almighty.

    But, everything has changed now. The source of change is Aucuses. The bnce had been broken by him.

    When the empire copses, the battle for the Almighty will begin. Everyone will be forced to choose sides. This was a battle that none could avoid.

    She must choose a side.

    Amanises had a gut feeling that this choice would affect her entire life.

    It alles down to who she will side with in the end. She needs to think and decide carefully, as she will be betting everything on her choice.

    Amanises drank her coffee with an unusually serious expression, her thoughts still lingering on the choice...

    ________________

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 Chapter 104: Floating Continent

    Chapter 104: Floating Continent

    10 Years Later, Northern Continent.

    Artisan knew it was time. The most important moment in his life had finally arrived.

    He stood before the window of his bronze tower, quietly gazing at the miracle that he had built. Depsite the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed in the process, he never wavered in that path. He kept going, just to reach the ultimate "Truth".

    His miracle, the Floating Continent, was a wonder in and of itself. The Continent was about 1/3 the size of the Northern Continent. The continent floated in between the provinces of Trier and Backlund.

    Despite the steam and machinery, the continent appeared to be no different than a natural paradise. The steam still didn''t change the tone of the continent. It would not at all give the first impression that it was created artificially by someone.

    The continent had a self-sustaining environment that could easily support millions. It can also travel into astral world safely while protecting its inhabitants, as it is covered in a thin protectiveyer that can withstand the authorities of the astral world.

    It took Artisan tens of years and thousands of experiments to finally invent the protective cover that could protect the continent from the attacks of other gods and authorities of astral world without needing his support for a long time.

    The continent was enormous. It was covered in green and blue. The huge forests and vast seas covered most of the continent. It was vibrant, teeming with life.

    In the middle of it all was a city. It was a strange city, even by the standards of the new era. There were towering skyscrapers. There were huge airships coursing through the air, going and returning from different parts of continent.

    Suddenly, a steam train whizzed through the skyscrapers. There were no rails in its path, indicating that the train was floating in the air while traveling. The advent of the train also rattled the windows of skyscrapers; it looked as though it might break at any moment.

    However, the families that lived in the skyscrapers were still eating their breakfast leisurely, not caring about the condition of the window at all.

    The architecture of the skyscrapers was heavily steampunk. It seemed made of metal and gears, with bridges connecting various skyscrapers together. People could be seen walking towards their daily work through this bridge.

    There were also floating structures in the clouds, which were mostly towers reserved for esteemed researchers and innovators.

    In the middle of this utopian city was a towering cathedral. The cathedral''s entrance was adorned with the emblem of the God of Steam and Machinery. It was depicted in a solid triangle filled with symbols of steam, gears, and levers.

    The entrance was packed with people who were entering with pious eyes. Their eyes even became zealous and frenzied at the sight of the sacred emblem.

    The cathedral shimmered in brass light, holding immense power within it. It was the heart of the city, no, civilization. This was civilization in and of itself.

    It was a ''miracle''. Even the Gods themselves cannot deny this fact.

    Gong!

    The holy bell in the spire of the cathedral rang, echoing throughout the floating continent, signifying the beginning of the apotheosis ritual.

    Artisan gazed out from his tower, filled with a plethora of emotions, at his miraculous continent.

    "Let''s begin." He said, with anticipation. He made his voice heard across the world.

    Sequence 0  Paragon : The apotheosis ritual for paragon is to construct a miracle of civilization that should be far ahead of the current era and drink the potion for advancement under the reveal of this said miracle to the world.

    _______________

    Northern Continent.

    The United Empire was filled with jubtion. Crowds began to gather in public areas across the empire. They are gathering to witness the miracle, the miracle of a god.

    The cities of Backlund, Feynapotter, St. Millon, and Trier were packed with people who came from across the empire to get a chance to witness the miracle up close.

    In the city square of Backlund, people packed together around a curtain that shimmered in the light of the sun.

    Diana, Lucas, and ise walked into the square through the arched entrance, looking around.

    "Where did the lord say we should gather?" Lucas asked with doubt.

    "A bench at the edge of the square." ise answered, while letting his marites search through the crowds. "He told us to gather there."

    "Which edge?" Lucas asked, pointing at the four edges of the square.

    "I am trying to find out, Lucas." ise said, ring, "Give me some time."

    "Calm down, Lucas" Diana smiled. "Nothing is going to happen to me. You don''t have to be so concerned over this."

    Lucas snorted at that. However, his tense expression rxed with her reassuring words.

    Diana chuckled, her heart warming. She knew that the idiot was so concerned about her, which resulted in him getting all worked up.

    This was all due to the Apotheosis of Artisan. The influence of Artisan was also growing exponentially day by day, making Lucas worry even more.

    The religion of the God of Steam and Machinery was now the secondrgest in the United Empire. On the seventh year after the formation of the empire, it was recognised by the "Golden Order" and became Orthodox.

    Since then, the influence of Artisan has begun to skyrocket. The inventions and revolution that followed were all rolled out in the name of Artisan. He wasn''t anonymous at all. This resulted in the entire new era being dedicated to Artisan. It was named the "era of steam" in his honour.

    This will all result in Artisan bing one of the strongest gods immediately after his ascension. This fact is what should have made Lucas so worried.

    To be honest, Diana was afraid and nervous, despite her previous confidence. She was going to face Artisan, her idol, in the future. If she wants to win, she must surpass him in every possible way. This is what stumbled her. She was really not sure whether she could achieve that in the end. To surpass her idol

    "You will do it." Lucas said, as if noticing her self-doubt and inner struggle. "You will surpass him. I believe you will do it."

    Diana sighed, hearing his reassuring words and feeling the weight of expectation on her shoulders.

    "I needed to hear that, Lucas.." Diana smiled, her tone low, almost a whisper. "Thank you"

    "Anything for my love.." Lucas said with a quirky smile. But, he didn''t press on this subject, and asked about the big news. "How did the royal court let angel of time get off that easily?"

    They were standing near the arch, while ise was searching for their lord with closed eyes.

    "Amon." Diana grumbled while rubbing her brows. "Amon literally switched the facts, making the truth the falsehood. He just got away like that. Honestly, I wasn''t surprised. After all, Amon is known as the god of deceit and trickery. Those titles aren''t there for nothing. However, I made sure that his nickname "sphemer" was known to all. It made him pretty infamous around th..."

    "I found them" ise interrupted, opening his eyes and looking at them.

    "Let''s go.." Diana said, hearing him. "The ritual is about to start soon."

    "I will tell you the rest afterwards, Lucas." She continued, to which Lucas gave a patient nod.

    Then, they made their way into the crowds, going towards the left edge of the city square.

    "Them?" Diana finally asked, while pushing through the crowd. "Is the Lord not alone?"

    ise''s expression became subtle. "There is Earth Mother as well."

    "Earth Mother.." Lucas repeated, with an upturned eyebrow. He lowered his voice and looked around twice before whispering, "Do you think Our Lord and Earth Mother"

    "Lucas!" Diana pressed her hand over his mouth, ring at him. "Don''t pry into the affairs of God. Our lord may be benevolent and partial to us, but we can''t say the same about Earth Mother."

    "I was just curious.." Lucas said, taking her hand away from his mouth with force, which spoke of his mood clearly.

    "Don''t be!" Diana snarled, making Lucas re back at her.

    "Guys." ise walked towards them and pulled them apart from each other. "Stop with your bickering. We are almost there. It''s better if we don''t leave a bad impression to Earth Mother."

    Lucas and Diana snorted, looking away from each other. However, they managed to remain quiet for the rest of the way to the left edge.

    They soon saw a wooden table in the shade of a building. It was present in a ce that would give the best and most perfect view of the curtain in the middle of the square. Their Lord and Earth Mother sat on a long wooden bench, with cups of coffee ced before them on the table.

    "Come on" Aucuses said, waving his hands at them. "Its about to start in a few seconds."

    They immediately made their way towards the table and took seats opposite of Earth Mother and their Lord.

    Just as they sat, a deep voice thundered across the sky and earth.

    "Let''s begin.."

    The voice immediately drew all of their attention to the curtain, as cries of shock and wonder began to reverberate around them.

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 Chapter 105: Apotheosis

    Chapter 105: Apotheosis

    "Let''s begin.." Artisan said deeply, his voice resounding across the world. "Start the engines"

    The entire floating continent rumbled lightly, as huge mechanical doors under the continent began to open, revealing humongous thrusters.

    In the machine control, cardinals hurriedly gave everything a final check. The engine condition, the situation of the protectiveyer, the defence mechanism, the radar, so on.

    After the confirmation, they looked at the red button in the middle of the machine control in unison.

    Finally, a woman d in silver robes walked out of the group while emanating a terrifying aura, which told of her sequence; Angel.

    She went near the button. With a deep breath, she mmed it with her palm, using all her power. The entire machine room lit up with illusory and colourless light.

    Boom!

    The thrusters under the continent ignited with illusory light. The thrusters trembled heavily before emitting a gargantuan amount of energy with force and power to make star destroyers look like firecrackers.

    Rumble!

    The continent, which had been unmoving for a millennia, finally began to ascend under the propulsion brought by the thrusters.

    Artisan sat solemnly on a bronze throne in the tallest tower of the floating continent, overlooking and checking the entire process.

    He tapped the armrest of the throne after noticing the sess of the first stage. With his action, the material rules around the continent began to change and shift. The space surrounding the continent has also started to shimmer.

    The entire floating continent was in a different space, adjacent to the reality of earth.

    Artisan created the entire dimensional space using his authority over the material rules. He can manipte space to some extent, as he has deduced a way to achieve that, using his authority and knowledge over materialws.

    But now the dimensional space has begun to copse under the action of Artisan, revealing the continent to the world.

    With a chug of space, the floating continent appeared in the sky of the northern continent. It was visible around the world without any obstruction.

    The Miracle of Civilization dawned on the world with the hymn of the holy bells resounding across the world.

    "Great God of Steam and Machinery"

    "You are the embodiment of essence."

    "You are the protector of craftsmen. You are the brilliance of technology"

    "Your name will be sacred in the annals of history. You led us through the crises of war and disaster. You gave us the sacred knowledge. You led civilisation into the new era. You gave us a life of stability and order."

    "May your kingdom bless our souls. So, we shall be reborn as your servants in your divine kingdom"

    "You are the paragon of our civilization"

    Under the divine miracle, prayers began to echo around various cities in the world. The believers shed tears from their pious eyes as they gazed at the miracle of civilization.

    "Great God of Steam and Machinery"

    "You are the embodiment of essence."

    "You are the protector of craftsmen. You are the brilliance of technology"

    "Your name will be sacred in the annals of history. You led us through the crises of war and disaster. You gave us the sacred knowledge. You led civilisation into the new era. You gave us a life of stability and order."

    "May your kingdom bless our souls. So, we shall be reborn as your servants in your divine kingdom"

    "You are the paragon of our civilization"

    The prayers resounded again, but there was a change at this time. The voices of millions of believers became one. It all sounded together in order.

    "Great God of Steam and Machinery.."

    "Great God of Steam and Machinery"

    The prayers thundered across the world, like waves and waves of tsunami, shaking the entire world.

    Every incarnation in the prayers seemed to hold an invisible yet terrible power. The powerful incarnations tore through the sky, scattering the clouds heading towards the floating continent, cracking the space in its path as well.

    The terrifying power umted from the prayers of millions collided with the floating continent.

    Boom!

    A dazzling light erupted. It was colourless and illusory, made up of countless illusory esoteric symbols and objects.

    That was the light of civilization!

    The illusory light illuminated the entire world, shining into the hearts of every human being equally, regardless of their differences.

    At this sacred moment, Artisan stood up from his throne, surrounded by the illusory light of civilization.

    His body was slowly copsing into formless light particles under the corrosion of light.

    He ignored his condition and raised his hands, twisting them. The potion for Paragon appeared in front of him. He calmly took the potion to his lips and gulped down the entire potion at once.

    His bodypletely copsed into formless light particles and scattered into the light of civilization. He slowly began tobine and assimte with the light, bing one with human civilization.

    It won''t be long before Artisanpletely loses himself and is led by the light of civilization, to be the spirit of civilization; a logical and rational being dedicated only to the preservation and advancement of civilization.

    As if noticing his perilous situation, a zing light shot out of the void. It seemed programmed by Artisan to interfere with the situation just at this time. It revealed picture-like projections across the light of civilization.

    Some of them recorded humans'' helplessness and misery when confronted by supernatural beings. Some of them used an epic-like brush to re-enact scenes of humans fusing with Beyonder ingredients to gain strength and save the race. Some described the distinct cultures and traditions brought about by the ck Emperor, while others carried various points of view, books, and inventions. Some of them resembled the dawn of the present world, starting from machinery that spewed steam, the buildings that rose higher and higher

    It didn''t stop there, as a massive image appeared in the projection, dwarfing everything else. It depicted the ruins of a long-forgotten civilization and the miracles that they achieved without the use of any extraordinary means.

    The contents made the seemingly thin scroll exude a heaviness and majestic aura that quickly enveloped the entire reality. It could make anyone who looked at it feel the grandeur of this civilization, which even managed to pass on the fire and flourish again.

    The history left behind by hundreds of millions of humans before and after the apocalypse was vast and magnificent.

    Being imbued with the history of the entire civilization, Artisan''s mind was thrown out of the light of civilization.

    With his mind as a core, Artisan slowly began to reform his body and guide the fusion of the paragon potion and his body.

    The final and most dangerous step of the apotheosis ritual began. If the ritual is to be sessful, he needs to reform his body and fuse with the potion of paragon.

    Time passed as gods and angels gazed with anticipation upon the floating continent illuminated by light of civilization.

    Suddenly, a hymn sounded from within the light of civilization. That sound shook the hearts of all, including even the gods themselves. It resounded far into cosmos, altering even the outer gods.

    The Hymn was more than a sound. The gods felt it ever so clearly. It was different. It was beyond.

    It was the entire cosmos, whatever we could see, touch, hear and feel. Moreover, it was all that was within their perception and all that was beyond our perception. It was the core of the very existence. It was the substratum of all the things and all the beings of the entire universe. It was an eternal song of the Divine. It is continuously reverberating in silence in the background of everything that exists.

    It was the "Truth"!

    The hymn was fleeting. It went away quickly, only leaving an indelible imprint on the hearts of gods, while other beings were unable to grasp the hymn within their minds. It was a blessing in disguise, as their feeble minds may never be able to bear any form of "Truth".

    With the hymn fading, an illusory light shot out of the tower in the centre of the floating continent, illuminating the world.

    At that moment, all machinery creaked together, while esoteric knowledge emerged in the most brilliant minds of civilization, giving them enlightenment and inadvertently advancing the entire civilization by leaps and bounds.

    The spiritual world and material world were illuminated together under the illusory light. For a moment, both of these worlds seemed tobine together under this light, reducing reality into countless esoteric and illusory symbols and objects.

    The illusory light converged immediately, forming a figure made of metal and gears. He had four ck wings, as well as four legs and four hands. His be had his sacred emblem and his eyes were all white.

    (Image)

    The Birth of Paragon!

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 Chapter 106: Arrodes

    Chapter 106: Arrodes

    Under the light of the sun, Aucuses got off the carriage, looking at the steam cathedral.

    It''s been a year since the ascension of Artisan and eleven years since his invasion of the southern continent.

    Eleven years flew by for him. Even though a lot happened around him, he remained the same as always.

    There have been a lot of changes in the past few years. The most influential change was due to ascension of Artisan. His ascension caused the entire human civilization to have a significant leap in every sector. It finally broke through the limitations of civilization,ying the foundation for a future steampunk civilization.

    There have been inventions being made almost every day, making the lives of citizens easier and morefortable. A major advancement in steam enginespletely reformed the entire travel industry, which reduced the minimum travel time between major cities from days to hours. It elerated urbanisation even more.

    The revolution was not only limited to the industrial sector; many others were also affected. The most major one was the Art Revolution, or as it goes by another major name, The Renaissance.

    The Renaissance began due to the revolutionary change brought by a single artist. That artist was given the title of "Father of the Renaissance" as an honour.

    The artist was none other than Apollo. The Renaissance was sparked by his painting "Lady of Silver Moon," which depicted the Queen of the United Empire, Silvia Abraham, and his song "House of Memories."

    Apollo''s art and music didn''t get that popr at first, but the situation changed when the Church of Eternal zing Sun announced that Apollo was the blessed of the Sun God. It was said that the Sun God personally sent a divine oracle to inform his church.

    As one could already expect, the unique art of Apollo was blown up with poprity and acmations, as the status of blessed was made public. Thus, resulting in The Renaissance.

    Aucuses'' eyes twitched as he thought of his other identity. This was not his n at all.

    It was Diana and Lucas. They were behind the entire renaissance. He just told them to use his other identity, Apollo, when disying his paintings. However, they ended up causing such a ruckus by using the identity of Apollo.

    He wasn''t angry at them for this, as their intentions were to help him from the start, even though they didn''t get his approval or instructions beforehand.

    Overall, the renaissance benefited him greatly. He got numerous anchors through his identity of "Apollo", so much so, he was actually considering whether to add the title "God of Music and Art" to his honorific name.

    However, this was just a passing thought in his mind. His attention nowadays was always fixed on preparing for the uing war, the situation of his angels, and Lilith.

    Diana almost digested half of her potions. It may take another half a century topletely digest it. Meanwhile, she has already started forming her own organisation. She took control of the remnants of the Mosaic Ascetic Order. With them as the foundation, she started developing her organisation. This origination was recognised as orthodox by his "Golden Order" not long after its formation.

    Aucuses will have to grant her Hermit Uniqueness soon, as it will be essential for Diana if she wants to analyse thews of the world and, from them, create one on her own.

    Then, there was Edward, his angel of redemption. Edward''s condition had gotten considerably worse in the past month. All of his actions to prevent this failed one after another. He was finally forced to consider the final option.

    Putting his heavy thoughts aside, Aucuses walked towards the steam cathedral while making sure of his concealment.

    He is in nso, one of the small towns in the United Empire.

    This town believed in the God of Steam and Machinery. And, actually, it has no significance in the grand scheme of things.

    He still came here, though, just to steal a mirror from Artisan. He wasn''t worried about attracting the attention of Artisan by stealing the mirror, as the mirror was only considered a low level artifact by the church of the god of steam and machinery. Even if it was stolen, this wouldn''t even reach the ears of Artisan..

    He was so cautious because he didn''t want anyone to know of his next actions. That mirror was the most important part of his ns. He can''t have it known to even those who are closest to him.

    Aucuses didn''t want to waste any time, as he wanted to go meet another god before the advent of night. So, he teleported directly into the core of the cathedral, where all the artifacts were kept in a sealed state.

    He found himself in a dimly lit room surrounded by various artifacts. They were all ced on a ck tform with chains around most of them.

    In the middle of it all was a silver mirror, lying quietly on the tform.

    He walked towards it and picked up the mirror with his right hand, poking its surface.

    "Arrodes, I know you already sensed me."

    "So, don''t try to hide or act anymore, otherwise I will throw you into the sun"

    Aucuses threatened, seeing no response from it.

    The silver mirror trembled, as if it was afraid. On its surface, clear words begin to take space.

    "Oh, The Great and Merciful Sun God, forgive me for my previous impudence. You can ask me any question, great sun god"

    Aucuses'' mouth twitched as he read that. He somehow felt as if it was looking at him like a dog whimpering for forgiveness.

    "Any?" He asked, with raised brows.

    "Yes, any." It immediately replied, as the words on its surface shone brightly.

    Aucuses peered deeply at the mirror before asking. "What is your origin, Arrodes?"

    The forming words on the surface flickered, as an eerie aura filled the room.

    "I came from underground" It said, with words shing blood red.

    "Not that. You know what I am actually asking about, Arrodes, don''t you?" Aucuses said, his tone low as a whisper. "So, let me ask again, what is your real ''Origin''?"

    "My originThe undergroundIt''s.." It said, but suddenly the words glitched and disappeared. The mirror became visibly dim and withered, while his surroundings became quite, abnormally quiet.

    ''Did I break it?'' Aucuses thought, ignoring the atmosphere. He opened his all-seeing eyes and examined the mirror.

    Arrodes was fine. But its condition is strange, as if its consciousness went dormant while attempting to answer his question.

    In the mirror, however, he sensed a connection. He can even see that the connection has been strengthened further now.

    Aucuses didn''t pry into the connection. He already knew where Arrodes was connected to.

    The Chaos Sea!

    Arrodes is connected to the Chaos Sea. Aucuses knew of this fact way beforehand. In the original timeline, Adam used Arrodes as an anchor to summon the chaos sea and then ced the second sphemy te in the chaos sea, just before he walked into the true creator and began to merge with True creator, in a bit to revive the Ancient Sun God.

    At that moment, Adam had already begun to slowly regain his control over the chaos sea. So, when the Ancient Sun God finally revives, he will haveplete control over the chaos sea. It was a perfect and wless n.

    Coming back, Aucuses was now holding the same mirror that had ess to the chaos sea.

    Attaining such an important artifact, which will ensure that he will notpletely lose to Adam outright, should have made him feel at least exhrated, but his eyes told apletely different tale.

    He was hesitant. He was hesitant enough to consider the mirror, despite it being the most important and key part of his n, as this would be his doorkey to the chaos sea.

    But, it''s origins

    Aucuses deeply suspects that the mirror was made by God Almighty "Himself". His hand holding the mirror trembled with that thought.

    It was a far-fetched guess. He knew that, but the striking hints and actions of Arrodes in the original story, though.

    Aucuses took a breath to supress his restless emotions. He looked at the mirror in his hands silently, as his hesitant eyes became firm.

    He cannot let go of this opportunity, despite the dangers that may lie ahead of him by making this choice. He wants to win in the end. It isn''t going to be easy, as he needs to give all it takes to even have a silver of chance against The Creator and The Almighty.

    He finally sighed, putting away the mirror in his kingdom. He added ''fix the mirror'' to his long list of agendas.

    Aucuses disappeared from the steam cathedral, teleporting himself to the Amantha Mountains.

    ____________________

    On the highest peak of Amantha Mountain, Aucuses stood, looking at a towering and illusory ck door.

    "Amanises..."

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 Chapter 107: Deal

    Chapter 107: Deal

    Rumble!

    The illusory door materialized, emanating a divine aura. It slowly opened, as the sunlight in the sky dimmed, heralding the arrival of night much sooner.

    Ignoring the changes in the sky, Aucuses strode into the door of the divine kingdom.

    Boom!

    Upon his entrance, the doors immediately closed and became illusory, beforepletely disappearing from view.

    In the tenebrous heaven, Aucuses walked. His heart felt unequally calm, though his thoughts were wandering while gazing at the divine kingdom of Amanises.

    ''I really should name my divine kingdom..'' He thought with slight embarrassment. Unlike the divine kingdoms of other gods, his divine kingdom didn''t have a title. It''s just that he forgot to give it one.

    He made his way towards a tree in the middle of the divine kingdom whileing up with suitable names for his divine kingdom.

    His path was lined with night vani and moonflowers. There were souls peacefully sleeping across the expanse of the flowers. They obtained their final rest in the arms of Amanises.

    The night sky in the divine kingdom had a gigantic crimson moon. The crimson moonlight bathed his figure while he made his way towards the centre of the kingdom.

    The moonlight is. Aucuses can sense extreme power within the thin moonlight, the power opposite to him, the power of "Negativity". It is "Yin".

    As he was thinking and analysing the moonlight, Aucuses finally reached the centre of the kingdom.

    There was a luminescent tree with a table right under it. The tree glowed all over, emanating a weak white glow, illuminating the table with a figure.

    The figure was a woman dressed in a long ck gown and a veil. She was sitting on one of the two chairs at the table.

    "Hello, Aucuses" The woman said, gesturing for him to sit down. "Sit with me."

    Aucuses gave a simple nod as a response. Then, he went to the table and sat on the remaining chair, though his sharp eyes never left the figure of the woman.

    "What do you want?.." The woman asked, her ethereal voice making anyone unable to grasp her true emotions. "Coffee or tea."

    "Coffee, Amanises" Aucuses responded, looking away and surveying the tree and castle on the peak.

    Amanises waved her hand, and a sh of crimson moonlight swept across the table. It then disappeared as fast as it came, leaving behind a cup of streaming coffee.

    "Here." She handed it to him. "It will calm your heart and mind. You need it, as you look quite troubled."

    Aucuses red at her before taking the coffee and sipping it. His heart felt peace under the tranquillity brought by the coffee.

    "I must say" He said, looking at her, "If you ever decide to be a therapist, you will make Adam run for his money.."

    "You are overpraising me, Aucuses." Amanises smiled, a smile visible through her gauze. She continued. "Now, why have youe to visit me?"

    "I need your help." Aucuses said bluntly without bothering to go around the issue.

    Amanises didn''t seem surprised. "What help do you need?"

    Aucuses stayed silent for a moment. He was contemting the entire situation once again.

    ''The price'' He mused. ''What the hell will she ask of me for this?''

    "I need you to put my angel to sleep." He said, breaking the silence. "Eternal Sleep."

    Amanises nodded, seemingly not bothering to ask for further details about his angel.

    After seeing her agreement, Aucuses immediately asked in a low voice. "What is the price, Amanises?"

    "Price" Amanises whispered, the darkness thickening around her. "I will ask for it in the future, when destiny finally converges and the great change begins."

    She paused, the atmosphere around them bing eerie by the moment.

    "You understand right, Aucuses?"

    They red at each other, invisible sparks erupting from their confrontation.

    "Come on." Aucuses said, dispersing the heavy atmosphere. "We need to go to my kingdom."

    ''I don''t like this deal at all'' He thought, while extending his hand to her.

    Amanises caught his hand. Then, she and Aucuses teleported away in a sh of light that illuminated the entire divine kingdom, driving away the darkness for a fleeting moment.

    __________________

    In his divine kingdom, Aucuses and Amanises appeared inside his white castle. They were standing in front of a white door that was bound by numerous silver chains, each coursing with the power of the sun and knowledge.

    ''Such a powerful restraint..'' Amanises walked forward and examined the chains.

    The chains had numerous authorities within them; Knowledge, Order, Sun, Disorder and mainly Restraint.

    It was allbined,plimenting and suppressing each other, with the goal of supporting the authority of "Restrain". The authority of "Restrain" should be from the chained pathway.

    The silver chains are also too intricate, she can pry into the basic structure, but she still had no idea how Aucuses managed to aplish somethingplex as this.

    She is even sure that the silver chains are powerful enough to bind a god and supress their authority. It was such a killer weapon right here in the hands of Aucuses.

    ''It''s a pity..'' Amanises finally thought, feeling pity over these chains. The chains were already on the verge of breaking apart, as the power of "Desire" kept assaulting the chains. It will soon be scarp, and the authorities within it will dissipate.

    Aucuses walked towards the door and pressed his hand against it.

    Boom!

    With his actions, the silver chains shimmered, before separating from the door and falling onto the floor, shaking the entire castle. Then, the door opened, revealing a long and narrow corridor.

    "Let''s go." He said, his face stoic. "My angel is inside, bound by the golden chains."

    Amanises nodded. She followed him into the corridor, while surveying everything. She can see numerousw symbols and objects embedded in the walls on both sides. The very fabric of reality in this specific ce was woven with numerous rules upon each other, strengthening reality to an unimaginable level. The rules were suppressing "Mystery" and enhancing "Reality" in a bit to stop the power of desire.

    ''How much time did he spend on this?'' She marvelled, ''All just for an angel''

    Amanises feltplex as that thought passed through her mind.

    "We are here." Aucuses said, interrupting her thoughts and making her look forward.

    There was a wide area in front of her, with two pitch-white pirs in the centre. There was a man bound in the middle of the pirs by golden, shimmering chains.

    Amanises felt actual danger from those golden chains. Those chains are much stronger.

    Suppressing her feelings, she asked frowningly. "Is it still not enough?"

    "No." Aucuses said, shaking his head. "It is still not enough."

    "It was only dying the inevitable."

    Amanises'' frown deepened at that. She was truly feeling the might of an outer god. Even such powerful and divine chains cannot contend with the great old ones.

    She knew the perilous situation of this angel under Aucuses. It wasn''t a secret. A lot of gods came to know of the situation naturally after Aucuses invasion of the southern continent. In light of this, she even suspects that Aucuses deliberately released this information, as for his purpose, even she couldn''t guess.

    "I can help.." She deliberated. "However, I am not sure my authority will be enough to save him.."

    "Just do it" Aucuses smiled, though it wasn''t one of happiness. "It''s still better than nothing"

    Amanises nodded. The chains rustled as the man who was bound by them lifted his lowered head, revealing his condition to her.

    The man, Edward, Angel of Redemption, had lost much of his youthful semnce, reducing him to a state of near death. His skin was wrinkled, resembling the bark of a tree. There were also numerous tree branches growing out of his very skin all over his body. His eyes were closed, as blood seeped through his cheek, burning it.

    "My lord" He groaned, his voice hoarse and painful. "Is that you?.."

    "Yes, Edward." Aucuses responded in a low voice, "It''s me"

    "My lord.." Edward said, while grabbing the chain that bound him, "Kill me! Kill me!..."

    He screamed, rattling the chains and shaking the pirs.

    "Please" He whimpered, his voice bing low, almost a whisper. "Kill me"

    Aucuses looked away from him and nodded at Amanises.

    Amanises walked towards Edward. She immediately felt a malicious gaze from the starry sky.

    Ignoring it, she pointed her finger at Edward''s forehead.

    "Sleep." She murmured deeply, causing the surroundings to dim and darkness to descend.

    A burst of darkness erupted around Edward,bining and assimting with him and the chains that bound him.

    She used her authority over sleep to try and suppress the malevolent will in Edward. Her authority alsobined with the authorities in the golden chain, strengthening the restraint.

    The golden colour of the chains turned dark golden as they tightened their restraints over Edward.

    Rumble!

    Suddenly, the entire divine kingdom of Aucuses started rumbling. Edward floated from the ground, his body stretching and folding in inhumane ways. He then opened his mouth wide and let out a silent scream that shattered reality.

    Aucuses and Amanises no longer restrained their authorities, as they felt the anger and rage emanating from the starry sky.

    Boom!

    The entire room was illuminated in a mixture of light and darkness.

    In the outside world, the sky changed. The sun and moon appeared next to each other. The night and day interchanged. Chaos ensued.

    After a few minutes, they were able to finally suppress the will after pouring all of their power into the dark-golden chains that bound Edward.

    Edward floated down to the floor. His painful expression loosened, turning peaceful, He fell into Eternal Sleep.

    Amanises looked worn out and supported herself by leaning on the pir. She took a breath and nodded finally to Aucuses, before leaving his kingdom for Tenebrous Heaven.

    Aucuses steadied himself, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He studied Edward onest time, mainly his eternal sleep.

    After confirming that he could wake Edward up from eternal sleep at anytime with his sun authority, he sighed, a sigh filled with emotions.

    "I am sorry, Edward.." He whispered. "For this and for the thing I am going to do next"

    Aucuses left, his words still lingering in the air.

    His ns are already set in motion. The wheel of history is about to turn. In the new era, Death, Order, Disorder, and War will reign supreme.

    ________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

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 Chapter 108: Time

    Chapter 108: Time

    Time is deceptive. It gives off an impression that it was with one but passes away without one''s knowledge.

    100 years. A century has passed. Trunsoest looked back at the past while getting himself ready for a meeting.

    Though the world around him was ever-changing, he still remained the same. A man who desires order above all else.

    Theybelled him foolish andughed behind his back for having such a hopeless dream.

    The words of his fellow consul still stung his heart.

    "You are nothing but a tool for the gods, Trunsoest. Do you think they care for your precious order? You should have already seen through the truth, yet you are unwilling to confront it."

    "You are still pathetic and weak."

    "Nothing seemed to have changed at all, Trunsoest. You are still a coward as you were back then"

    Trunsoest looked at himself in the mirror, his mind still reverberating with the words of his fellow consul. He was still as a statue, his brass eyes fixed on his reflection.

    "Let me help." A voice sounded behind him. His brass eyes softened as the voices faded away from his mind.

    He turned back, assuming a bright smile. A hand was ced on his cor, helping him tie the bowtie.

    Trunsoest looked at his love, Auernia, who was so focused on his tie. His bright smile broadened a tad, as he let her help him.

    "Are you okay?" Auernia asked, finishing with the tie.

    "I am fine." Trunsoest replied, trying his best to hide his emotions from her.

    "Is that so?" Auernia said, "Your eyes say otherwise."

    Trunoest looked away, cursing himself under his breath.

    Auernia smiled and continued. "It''s going to be fine. The Gods will give a solution."

    Trunsoest looked at her in silence. His heart red with anger at her words about gods.

    He suppressed his emotions while walking away from her, towards the door. He also avoided making eye contact with her.

    "They do always have a solution to all problems, don''t they?" He said it with a smile, picking up his suit from the sofa and wearing it. "It''s like they already knew all that was about to happen. I even feel"

    He stopped himself from saying something very sphemous.

    "Trunsoest." Auernia frowned, walking towards him. "It''s useless to be angry at the actions and intentions of Gods. After all, they are Gods, those who are above everything, including Order" She said this with concern and warning evident in her tone. She also seemed to understand his source of anger with the gods.

    "I know" Trunsoest murmured lowly. "I know, Auernia"

    "But" He drawled, his eyes filled with pain, as he gazed at his city and empire through the strained ss window.

    Auernia held his hand, as if noticing his pain. She grabbed his hand tightly with her warm hand.

    Trunsoest continued, looking at her. "The Empire is about to fall."

    Auernia said, cing her other hand on his cheek and gazing deeply into his golden eyes. "My love, you have always known that. The moment that the gods made that decision, you were aware that this day woulde." She moved her hand to his heart. "deep in your heart. It''s just that you didn''t want to face it. You were hoping that you were wrong. You were aiming to make all of this work, despite knowing it was futile from the beginning"

    Her words directly stung his heart. Trunsoest looked up, covering his face. He walked away from her, not wanting her to see him in his vulnerable state.

    "Its okay.." Auernia hugged him from behind, whispering in his ear. "It''s okay.."

    Trunsoest looked down, his face was covered in shadows, making Auernia hard to grasp his emotions. She waited, though, not letting him get out of her embrace.

    He finally whimpered. "Am I a coward, Auernia?"

    "Yes" Auernia replied, walking in front of him, her voice solemn. "Yes, you are a coward, love. It took you almost a century to gather enough courage to propose to me.." She chuckled, showing off the diamond ring on her finger. "I almost lost my patience. I wanted to propose myself, rather than wait any longer"

    Her words made Trunsoest feel a rollercoaster of emotions in seconds, leaving him still as a statue, his gaze fixed on Auernia.

    "So, yes. You can be a coward in some ways.." She continued with a smile. "Yet, you are also the most bravest person I have ever seen."

    "Trunsoest, even when you knew it was futile, you tried to keep the empire stable and better. Even if you know that the ''whole world'' will stand against you for trying to pursue your dream in the future, you will still walk on the same path regardless."

    "You are far stronger than"

    Her words were cut off as Trunsoest pulled her close to him, kissing her on the lips under the light of the sun. His glowing eyes told of his intense happiness.

    The intense kiss went on until Auernia thumped his chest with her hand, causing him to groan and let go of her, their lips separating.

    "You are going to bete" She smiled, dusting away non-existent dust from his suit. "The Gods always expect punctuality."

    Trunsoest gathered himself, his eyes bing clear and firm. He exhaled a sigh, as if expelling all his negative and depressing thoughts.

    "You are apanying me.." He said, taking hold of her hand.

    "But.." Auernia hesitated. "The Gods.."

    "At least until before the meeting" Trunsoest immediately said.

    Auernia nodded, causing him to smile.

    "Let''s go." He finally said, walking towards the door with her.

    They walked through the long corridor and reached the foyer. Trunsoest opened the door, greeted by the enthusiastic cheers of citizens and shes of light from the cameras. They greeted the people while boarding their steam-lined carriage.

    With them in, the carriage moved on its own, emitting a chug of white smoke from the pipes.

    The carriage travelled through the emptyne going towards the royal pce. The streets have always been evacuated before they usually travel.

    While his thoughts wandered to the most recent important event, Trunsoest stared in silence at the ever-changing capital.

    The Bnce between the Six Gods had been broken. The only thing that keeps the gods from going at each other''s necks should be the contract between them.

    It was all due to the action of the Eternal zing Sun. He gave away the uniqueness of the hermitst week to his Angel, Diana. His action caused much joy for his enemies.

    Eternal zing Sun should be greatly weakened for a long time after giving away the hermit uniqueness, either due to burden or loss of authorities. It was inevitable in the end.

    Trunsoest knew the enemies of the sun god wouldn''t want to miss such a precious opportunity. But the contract should be holding all of them back.

    However, the contract between the gods should also copse with the empire, causing the war of gods to erupt immediately afterwards.

    Trunsoest always felt the entire situation was far from simple. The sequence of events was too coincidental, as if deliberately arranged by someone.

    Eternal zing SunTrunsoest guessed with a heavy heart. Honestly, he hated the sun god more than any other gods. After all, the sun god held the authority of Order, yet his actions only resulted in disorder and chaos.

    It wasn''t just hate. He also felt fear and dread whenever thinking about the sun god. Now was no different, though. The dread deepened at this moment with his guess. He didn''t dare think about this anymore.

    Supressing his sphemous and dangerous thoughts, Trunsoest looked ahead at the castle and statue of the gods silently.

    Auernia was also looking at towering statues of gods. Her eyes shed with pain and hesitation, while gazing at the statue of the Earth Mother.

    In their own thoughts, they finally arrived at the Pce of Eternity, the royal pce of the empire.

    They got out of the carriage, holding their hands together. Then, they entered the castle under the salute of beyonders around the castle.

    After a few minutes, Trunsoest and Auernia arrived in front of the massive ck door.

    Rumble!

    The door opened, sensing their arrival. Auernia nodded, her encouraging eyes gazing at him. She then let go of his hand.

    Trunsoest walked into the doorway while taking ast look at his love. He finally turned to the front and took a breather to calm his restless emotions. He checked himself, as well as, the time on his pocket watch.

    Boom!

    The door closed after he entered. Trunsoest walked to the statues of the seven gods at the end of therge room.

    God of Steam and Machinery was recognised as an orthodox god by all the six gods. Thus, his status was elevated to the same level as that of the six gods after his ascension.

    When he finally stood before them, numerous divine wills descended on this room.

    The eyes of statues lit up.

    ________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 109: Disappearance

    Chapter 109: Disappearance

    Trunsoest looked at the seven gods. The Gods who were above all, including order. He fared far better under their divine aura than thest time he met them.

    Under the divine pressure, he stabilized himself while letting his "Order" share the pressure with him.

    He had already be Hand of Order during the first five years of the empire. He brought order to humanity for the advancement ritual with his own hand. He segregated the sses, sectors, provinces and many more.

    Now, he also used his authority to restrain his thoughts and emotions. He didn''t want the gods to see through his hate for them. Though, he had a distributing inkling that the gods already knew and they couldn''t care less..

    He took a deep breath and bowed to the seven gods.

    "Your excellencies."

    The statues of gods disappeared, reced by the projections of the seven gods. They towered above him, unleashing their divine might without restraint on him.

    "Get up." Earth Mother said softly, breaking the silence between the gods. "Tell us, Trunsoest. Why you requested a audience with us?"

    Trunoest stopped bowing and gazed at the seven gods. He immediately noticed a difference. It was palpable enough, even for him to notice.

    The divine aura of the Eternal zing Sun was weaker than that of other gods. His golden eyes were dim, quite simr to setting sun.

    Eternal zing Sun turned and looked down on him, as if noticing his scrutinising thoughts.

    The Sun God averted his gaze after just sparing him a nce. His eyes were indifferent and divine.

    Trunsoest breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, restraining his sphemous thoughts.

    He finally said, under the gaze of Gods. "Bethel Abraham, Mr. Door, had vanished from the empire"

    He didn''t immediately bring up the main topic, but instead told the gods about the problem with Mr. Door.

    Bethel Abraham disappeared from the face of the earth. Nobody knows where he went. He didn''t inform anyone, like he usually does, before leaving for faraway ces or even the cosmos.

    He just disappeared one day, silently. Trunsoest investigated on this. He asked Alitsa, Amon, Antigonus, and Silvia. And, there was no clue to where he actually went. Though, Amon was making an obvious guess about the situation of Bethel; Cosmos. He was in Cosmos.

    However, Silvia told him of a secret when he mentioned whether her grandfather had travelled to cosmos. She said that the gods would know. Her grandfather always informs the gods before he leaves for the cosmos.

    So, Trunsoest is now asking the gods of Bethel. The disappearance of Bethel Abraham was not made public yet. Only the consuls know. Bethel Abraham is too important for the empire, even more so now. His presence is absolutely required to keep it all together. Yet, he is nowhere to be found.

    "Bethel Abraham." God of Knowledge and Wisdom said, his starry eyes twinkling. His tone, though, was heavy. "You don''t need to worry about him. We will take care of the situation."

    The other gods were silent at that, as if they had already discussed this matter and had managed toe to an agreement.

    Trunoest still wanted to ask more, but was interrupted by Evernight Goddess.

    She said ethereally, "Bethel''s situation has be tricky. I can see your worries, Trunsoest. But, his disappearance was a betterment for all."

    Trunsoest frowned; his confusion was pretty evident. However, the gods didn''t seem want to borate on the situation of Bethel anymore, as they remained silent.

    ''Does the goddess mean that Bethel''s presence would have brought disaster?'' Trunsoest analysed, ''Why?...''

    He couldn''t understand, as he wasn''t aware of the secrets of the cosmos.

    "Go on." Lord of Storms said impatiently, noticing his thoughtful expression. "We don''t have all the time in the world."

    Suppressing his doubts, Trunsoest brought up another major issue.

    "The Bayam Empire had cut off all trade with us, your excellencies. They are also attacking all our ships without any provocation from our side, resulting in tensions between the empires. I predict a war. The Bayam empire will soon dere war on us."

    The God of Death had already awakened. He had regained control of the Bayam Empire. He had been implementing radical decisions in the Bayam Empire. Death was also said to have dered total war on the Devil faction. The entire southern continent is in chaos even more than it already was. The only faction that is not affected by the chaos is the chained faction, as they have received the blessing and protection from Eternal zing Sun.

    Trunsoest even suspects that Eternal zing Sun is slowly expanding his influence into the southern continent through the chained faction. The entire chained faction has already started to believe in the angel of redemption under Eternal zing Sun. It was said that Tolzana named Edward as his sessor. Everyone believed it without a shadow of a doubt or question, because there was a detailed and ancient record that Edward was rted to Tolzana, but got separated from him during the chaos of third epoch. As for Tolzana, he was said to have gone into in-definite seclusion.

    Trunsoest can only sigh at the might of the Eternal zing Sun, who is altering history and reality to his whim. Even he wouldn''t have sensed this change, if not for being an archangel.

    "Salinger" Lord of Storms snorted, his figure flickering with sparks of lightning. "He will be the least of our worries in theing chaos."

    "I don''t know if you are pretending or truly ignorant, Leodero" God of Combat retorted , his orange eye behind the helmet gleaming in twilight. "Salinger''s situation is strange. We all know it. He managed to suppress Farubati and even sever the connection with the abyss. Even after all of this, do you still think that he is no threat? There should be a limit to one''s arrogance.."

    "Watch your mouth, Badhiel." Lord of Storms red at God of Combat, his voice shaking the entire royal pce.

    Trunsoest can even hear the rattling of thunder and rumbling of thend, while having hard time resisting the tyrannical aura of Lord of Storms.

    "This is no time for us to fight" Earth Mother said in a soothing voice, trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere. "Over such small things"

    However, she failed. Trunsoest only felt the tyrannical aura increase by the moment. It was like a tsunami crashing down on him, ripping him apart.

    A waning light also filled his vision. He found it difficult to even think further.

    He was desperately using his authority to resist the might of the gods, despite knowing it was futile. His blurry vision saw two towering figures standing up from their thrones, while other towering figures remained unmoved, as if they didn''t care at all.

    "Enough." A calm yet powerful voice sounded, bringing peace and tranquillity with it.

    Trunsoest felt the aura of tranquillity cover him. His injuries healed in an instant, bringing him back to his peak state without any seque.

    He deeply felt the power of the gods at this moment.

    He stood up from the kneeling position, stabilizing himself. Even though he anticipated the cracks between the gods, seeing it himself made him realise how much worse the situation really is.

    His hands were clenched tightly, as he remembered the sense of powerlessness he felt facing the might of gods.

    However, his attention was soon drawn to the ethereal voice of the goddess.

    "There is no point in arguing like this.." Evernight Goddess said, "Even though we have our differences, if pushes to shove, we should unite to deal with theing cmity."

    Lord of Storms snorted and retracted his aura, taking his seat. God of Combat also returned to his seat. The tension between the gods dissipated with just the words of Goddess of Night.

    The other gods remained silent, as if agreeing with the Evernight Goddess. Eternal zing Sun and God of Steam and Machinery didn''t speak or express their opinions from the beginning of the meeting. Their expressions were indifferent.

    "Okay, now" Evernight Goddess looked down, focusing on him. "Let''s get to the main topic, shall we, Trunsoest?"

    Trunsoest nodded, taking a deep breath. He finally said.

    "The ck Emperor is about to resurrect"

 Chapter 110: Decision

    Chapter 110: Decision

    "Your excellencies, The ck Emperor is about to resurrect." Trunsoest said, his voice solemn, "If there is no problem, he will resurrect by the end of the year."

    "It would most likely cause a convergence. The Uniqueness and Characteristics will return to him at the moment of his resurrection."

    His majesty, ck Emperor. The one he betrayed. Trunsoest feltplex looking back at the past.

    So much has changed. Deep inside, he still questioned himself whether the choice he had made was correct or wrong.

    The doubts only deepened when he realised the very gods he worked under were disruptors of the order. They never wanted order or stability, nor did they care about the lives of the citizens.

    Despite his sphemous thoughts, Trunsoest knew, as his love said, there was no point in getting angry at gods. At that moment, a deep sense of powerlessness filled his heart, making him feel empty.

    Suppressing his feelings, Trunsoest continued.

    "Alitsa felt the spiritual imprint of ck emperor in him awaken recently. Amon and Antigonus both tried to suppress it. However, they ultimately failed. After this, Amon concluded that the ck emperor is about to resurrect."

    Trunsoest didn''t expect the revival of his majesty. The news came out of nowhere. He felt prettyplex over the entire situation, as he didn''t know how to face his former lord, whom he had betrayed.

    Just thinking about him made him feel troubled. His majesty''s resurrection also exacerbated his scepticism on gods.

    He knew the ck Emperor could revive through the mausoleums or if the order they established was still present.

    However, Eternal zing Sun had already erased the twisted order of the ck Emperor. The only way his majesty could be resurrected now is through the mausoleums, which the gods should have destroyed knowing that.

    Yet

    "We know." A deep voice thundered. It struck his mind and heart like a sledgehammer, again and again.

    Trunsoest looked up at the Eternal zing Sun, who was the one who spoke, confirming all of his doubts and spections.

    It would be an understatement to say he was angry at this moment. His heart was burning with rage.

    ''Why???'' He really wanted to yell at them. He didn''t understand. He didn''t understand their intentions at all

    His raging emotions nearly broke through his restraint, which would have most likely caused him to do something very stupid, stupid enough to anger the gods.

    It took all of his willpower to suppress his raging emotions while taking a breather on the outside.

    "Oh?" Eternal zing Sun raised his brows, his tone amused. "You seemed to be holding a lot back in your heart, Trunsoest. It will not do any good to you in the long run if you keep holding back and suppressing it. I am all ears, if you want to share it."

    "No, I am fine, your excellency." Trunsoest said, his voice trembling. However, his thoughtspletely told a different story.

    ''They didn''t care at all. Alitsa was right. I am nothing more than a puppet to them.''

    He didn''t even care to restrain his thoughts anymore.

    Earth Mother said softly, "Aucuses, don''t tease him like this. He is already going through a lot. You are going to break him" Her tone was one of concern, as if she really cared about Trunsoest.

    Trunsoest felt the gaze of the Eternal zing Sun. It wasn''t indifferent, but was one of anger. Those divine golden eyes red at him, as if wanting to st him to smithereens. He somehow knew that the anger of the sun god was due to the concerning words of Earth Mother. Once again, he couldn''t understand the gods at all.

    Before anything radical could happen, Evernight Goddess spoke up, after looking daggers at Earth Mother, who just chuckled back.

    "We know, Trunsoest. We also knew the consequences that mighte with the resurrection of ck emperor. It will affect the entire empire."

    "So, in this situation, why didn''t Alitsa Tudore to this meeting along with you?"

    "He" Trunsoest wanted to say something in defence of Alitsa to the Gods, but he found himselfpletely lost for words.

    "Well" Eternal zing Sun said, leaning back in his seat, cing his palm on his chin. "Can we just get to the point, Amanises? There is no need to beat around the bush like this. Just look at Trunsoest. His loss for your question says it all."

    "Alitsa Tudor betrayed us."

    Evernight Goddess turned her re at Eternal zing Sun. She asked with raised brows, which were visible through her gauze.

    "So, Aucuses, what is your opinion on how to deal with Alitsa Tudor?"

    "Let him die." Eternal zing Sun said, his tonenguid. "His fate is already sealed one way or another. The resurrection of Solomon will cause convergence, convergence enough to tear apart his characteristics and with them, his soul and body will follow the same fate as well."

    He suddenly chuckled. "And, our indifference to his actions may be the best punishment for someone arrogant like Alitsa Tudor."

    Evernight Goddess was silent, as if agreeing to the suggestion of the sun god. Lord of Storms nodded in agreement, though his displeasure was palpable for all to see.

    The other gods also agreed with the sun god.

    At this point, Trunsoest was actually calm, despite hearing the gods who had casually decided the fate of Alitsa. His heart was already numb.

    "But, what about the angel families under Alitsa Tudor?" God of Combat asked, tapping the armrest, which told of his concern. "And, the consuls of Tudor will be tricky to deal with."

    "Let us decide that after the resurrection of Solomon." God of Knowledge and Wisdom expressed his opinion after remaining silent for most of the meeting. "We already have a lot on our tes, Badhiel."

    God of Combat nodded and didn''t say anything more.

    Sensing the ensuing silence after that, Earth Mother finally brought up the most important situation that needed to be decided by the gods.

    "So, what do we do about Trunsoest?"

    Trunsoest''s heart thumped heavily at that question.

    The gods began discussing his fate right before him, though this time, they didn''t allow him to listen in.

    He didn''t know whether to consider this kindness or cruelty on their part. But, his attention was already drawn to their figures, his heart nervous.

    He observed; Eternal zing Sun seemed to suggest something, but Lord of Storms and God of knowledge immediately retorted back with angry and frowning expressions. However, Eternal zing Sun just responded with a sneer, much to the anger of Lord of Storms. The God of Sky rose from his throne in anger, cracking it. Eternal zing Sun also didn''t hold back anymore.

    Light and thunder filled his vision for a moment, before being swept away by the aura of life. Earth Mother stood in between them, calming the sun god down. Lord of Storms also retracted his power, after Evernight Goddess gave him a look. They returned to their thrones.

    The Goddesses are really powerful...

    Then, the Gods continued their discussion. The God of Steam and Machinery finally participated as well.

    After about five minutes, the gods finally stopped their quarrelling. They seemed to have decided on his fate.

    Trunsoest clenched his fist, blood pouring out of his sped fingers. His eyes and expression were still calm, despite his surging heart.

    "Trunsoest." Eternal zing Sun spoke, his voice majestic and solemn. Trunsoest looked at the sun god, waiting for the judgement of fate.

    "Do you want to be a god?" The Sun God asked.

    It would be an understatement to say that Trunsoest was stunned. But, he immediately collected himself and answered the sun god.

    "Yes." He immediately replied, his eyes clear and firm like never before.

    Trunsoest knew that his answer was hasty. He didn''t even think twice about it. However, deep down, he knew this was what he wanted. This was what he desired the most.

    "That decided it" Eternal zing Sun smiled, looking at the other gods. He finally stood up from his seat, with other gods as well.

    "Come to my kingdom when you are finally ready, Trunsoest."

    His words lingered in the air, as the projection of Eternal zing Sun copsed into light particles. The other gods also left after sparing him a scrutinising nce, ending the meeting of gods.

    Trunsoest was left all alone in a daze. His mind was still thundering with thest words of Eternal zing Sun..

    ________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 111: Love and Family

    Chapter 111: Love and Family

    Backlund.

    A gentle breeze blew through the deserted entrance to a golden cathedral. It had a striking steeple and an engraved sacred life emblem on the outer wall.

    The emblem featured a baby surrounded by wheat, flowers, and spring water.

    The cathedral stood out from the surrounding structures, exuding a sacred aura of life.

    The interior of the cathedral was made up of halls with strained windows. In the hall, there was a neatly arranged room of pews.

    There was a statue of a plump and beautifuldy at the top, right in front, with ears of wheat growing from her feet and surrounded by spring water. Her dress appears to flutter, and embedded in it are various herbs and flowers, as well as depictions of various animals. She appears to be tall and holy. In her arms is an adorable infant in swaddling clothes.

    The statue depicted Earth Mother, the Goddess of Life and Harvest.

    A woman dressed in crimson knelt in front of the god''s statue. Her hair was long and curly, and her eyes were crimson.

    Auernia, the Queen of Blood Moon, was the woman in question.

    Auernia sped her hands together and leaned down towards them.

    "I repent." She muttered. Her voice was filled with agony and pain.

    There was no candle in the cathedral, allowing the crimson moonlight to filter through the windows and illuminate the statue of Earth Mother.

    Earth Mother has always been a mysterious god. Her origins were hazy and strange. It sparked numerous debates about the true identity of the earth mother among the circles of high sequence beyonders.

    The knowledge of gods is widespread in this era. Except for the Earth Mother, most angels knew the origins of gods.

    And, despite the fact that the majority of the clues pointed to her identity, Ombe, Giant Queen. But still, many people were sceptical.

    Auernia knew the truth. She knew who the Earth Mother really was; Lilith, the Sanguine Ancestor.

    She had always known. Despite the passing of time, Auernia never lost faith in her Ancestor. Regardless of the difficulties and disasters on her perilous path, her devotion remained unwavering.

    The times had changed. The mystical races were wiped out by the tides of time. Yet, their blood race survives and thrives. It was all due to her Ancestor''s blessing.

    It wasn''t she who led the race and shielded it from humanity''s hatred.

    Without her Ancestor, the blood race would have perished along with the mythical races.

    Her Ancestor had always been there for her and protected her through everything. She owes it all...

    Yet she....

    "I repent" She muttered, her eyes closed and her voice trembling. Her head was bowed, not daring to look at the statue.

    The return of the ck Emperor. Alitsa Tudor''s betrayal of the seven gods. The future ascension of Hermit. The awakening of Death. The restless Abyss at the edge of the world.

    Theing era will be one of unprecedented chaos and war. Even gods may perish in theing perilous times, not to mention the fate of those below.

    The blood race needed her more than ever. Her Ancestor cannot always be there for them. She needed to lead her race through theing perilous era and survive in the end.

    But, for the first time in her life, she hesitated, feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.

    Trunsoest

    Her future husband. The rtionship between them was arranged by her ancestor.

    It should have been a political marriage. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Yet, things developed beyond her expectations. She fell in love with Trunsoest. And love made a fool of her. Shepletely ignored her ancestor''s orders and instructions.

    Everything is now crashing down on her. The gods'' alliance will soon be broken; chaos will reign supreme, submerging order. She knew Trunsoest too well to know what he''d do after witnessing the chaos of gods.

    At the time, as his wife and queen, she should stand with him, turning her back on her ancestor and her own race

    Her heart contracted in pain at that thought.

    Love

    Her lips raised in a bitter smile, as she kept praying to her ancestor for forgiveness.

    "I repent.." She repeated as crimson blood flowed from her hands and knees. This was a self-inflicted punishment for her sphemous actions.

    The crimson blood stained the ground, reflecting the statue of Earth Mother, which gleamed brightly in the moonlight, as if it were about toe to life.

    "My child..." A soft voice was heard as the figure of Lilith appeared in ce of the statue.

    However, Auernia just trembled, still not daring to look at the goddess who descended after hearing her prayers.

    The goddess made her way over to Auernia. She, too, knelt in front of Auernia, her hands resting on Auernia''s sped hands. A burst of green light erupted, illuminating Auernia, healing her injuries.

    Lilith then pressed down on Auernia''s hands while cing her hand over her chin and forcing Auernia to look at her.

    "Tell me. Pour it all out," She said gently, caressing Auernia''s head.

    "I''m sorry, mydy." Auernia whimpered. "I''m sorry, mydy. I betrayed you. I"

    She went on to confess her fellings for Trunsoest and even mention the possibilities of the future. She didn''t hide anything at all.

    Lilith nodded and stroked her hair as she listened. Her expression remained gentle.

    "Love.." She finally sighed. Her divine eyes shed withplexity, which Auernia missed as she was bowing and waiting for her judgement.

    "Auernia.." Lilith said as she stood up. "Follow your heart''s desire and pursue your love."

    Auernia jerked her head up, her eyes wide at her ancestor.

    "However, Auernia, you can''t have it all." Lilith continued softly, lifting her up from her knees and holding her hands.

    "So, pick..."

    "Love or Family?" She asked softly, looking into Auernia''s eyes.

    Auernia''s heart was pierced by those gentle yet cruel words, forcing her to make a decision. Her hands were clenched, blood dripping from them.

    The minutes ticked by. Lilith waited patiently, her gaze fixed on Auernia. Their figures were illuminated by the crimson moonlight.

    Auernia finally let go of Lilith''s hand and walked away from her.

    The crimson moonlight deepened and shone brightly on Lilith''s figure. Ethereally, she said.

    "You have my blessing." She smiled. "Cherish your love,"

    "Now go; you have a new life ahead of you."

    "Thank you, mydy." Auernia bowed her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    She wiped her tears away as she turned away from her ancestor. She walked out, not looking back at her ancestor.

    Lilith stood motionless, her smile fading. With Auernia''s departure, the church doors were closed.

    Suddenly, she was hugged from behind, the hands of her lover locking around her hip.

    "Are you all right?" Aucuses inquired, resting his chin on her shoulders.

    "I''m fine..." Lilith replied with a shake of her head. She ced her hand on his chest and leaned in.

    "Really?" Aucuses inquired, his voice concerned.

    "I''m fine," Lilith pouted. "I was just thinking about the future and fate."

    "What is their fate?" She continued, looking at the closed door.

    "Trunsoest and Auernia?" Aucuses inquired, his brow furrowed, while his gaze was drawn to the door.

    "Yes.." Lilith tightened her grip on his hands and looked up at him.

    "Their fate.." Aucuses murmured, his voice almost whisper-like. "It''s a tragic one."

    Lilith sighed. Her eyes showed no surprise, as if she expected this.

    She finally asked. "Ours"

    However, Aucuses interrupted with a smile. "Now, we don''t have to be so pessimistic over this. Their situation is different and ours is different."

    "So, we may end up different than them?" Lilith asked, her voice trembling, her eyes looking for assurance in the man behind her.

    "You already know the answer." Aucuses said, tightening his hug. "We will make sure of that."

    Lilith smiled, the heaviness in her heart dissipating slightly.

    "Let''s return.." Aucuses said, "My painting is only halfway done. You descended here before then.."

    Lilith''s ears tinged in crimson, as she remembered the kind of painting that Aucuses was drawing with her.

    "Why do you have to draw me like that?" She asked, ring.

    "It''s art," Aucuses answered, before kissing her lips.

    Their figures vanished from the cathedral in a sh of light....

    ________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 112: Red Preist

    Chapter 112: Red Preist

    The Pce of Eternity.

    The Royal Pce towered above the city of Backlund, surrounded by the statues of the six gods. It emitted a divine aura, as if it were conjured from the dream of a god.

    In this imaginary pce, Alitsa Tudor walked back and forth in his room. His blue eyes gleamed in anger and madness.

    The room around him was a mess. Every piece of furniture was broken and twisted into pieces. The broken sses littered the floor, gleaming brightly in sunlight.

    Alitsa walked, ignoring the wracked state of his study, which was actually caused by his bout of anger.

    His hands were clenched, and his mind was racing toe up with a solution, or even a glimmer of hope for his perilous situation.

    ''Why?...'' He thought, ''Why did it end up like this? Why? Why?''

    Alitsa didn''t know where it all went wrong. Just thinking about the possibilities behind that almost drove his mind to abyss of madness.

    Eternal zing Sun!

    He still remembers the smile of the Eternal zing Sun when he handed over the characteristics of Prince of Abolition to him.

    Did the sun god always know the era would develop like this? Or did he himself cause all of this to happen?

    It doesn''t actually matter at the end of the day to Alitsa, as things have already developed far beyond salvation for him.

    He now knew that the gods never bothered to give him a thought or consideration. In their eyes, he should always been a dead man walking.

    Just that thought caused his heart to burn with a fire, a ring ck fire mixed with hatred and madness.

    Boom!

    The walls of the study room copsed, unable to bear the surging chaotic aura emanating from his figure.

    Alitsa expected something from the gods when they learned of his betrayal. However, there was only silence and indifference to his actions, as if they didn''t bother to care at all.

    He looked at the towering statues of the gods through the window, his heart filled with raging emotions.

    In the end, he suppressed his hatred and madness, taking a deep breath.

    He needs to survive the convergence caused by the resurrection of his majesty. No, he will survive and prove it to the gods.

    Just then, an image of the brass-haired man shed through his mind.

    "Trunsoest.." Alitsa smiled bitterly as he thought about how things turned so different for the two of them.

    Trunsoest is the most beloved of the six gods, serving as the gods'' representative on Earth.

    Alitsa jeered at him in the past, calling him a puppet of the gods.

    Now, looking back, Trunsoest was the one who got thestugh over him, ironically. So, what if Trunsoest was a puppet of the gods? He doesn''t have to worry about the ck Emperor. He has the protection of the gods.

    Alitsa also discovered that Eternal zing Sun chose Trunsoest over him by bestowing the hand of order trait to Trunsoest.

    At that time, he didn''t think much about it. However, he can now see clearly through the action of the sun god.

    Alitsa really had the urge to pray to the sun god and ask him.

    ''Why? Why did you choose Trunsoest over me?''

    He really wanted to know the answer, as the question was tormenting his heart.

    He was better than the coward in every way!

    However, the sun god

    "He doesn''t care" A gentle voice sounded from behind him, causing him to turn around abruptly. He almost attacked the intruder, but stopped himself after seeing who it was.

    His emotions also strangely calmed down at the sight of the intruder. The ravings of his majesty that tormented his mind went silent as well.

    He finally felt peace in his heart and mind after a long period of suffering.

    Despite this, he didn''t let down his guard at all, his vignce only increasing after noticing his sudden change.

    He looked at the intruder with wariness and fear.

    Before him stood a priest d in a simple white cloak and a silver cross. He had a gentle smile as he looked at Alitsa.

    Adam, Angel of Imagination!

    Alitsa looked at the son of the creator in fear.

    Adam, king of angels of the visionary pathway, was an enigma to all, even gods.

    Alitsa knew Adam mostly stayed within the empire. The Gods should have known it too, yet they did nothing. This alone was enough to show the might of the being in front of him.

    If he isn''t wrong, Adam should also be above the "Golden Order", considering his unrestrained actions throughout the century. His existence alone challenged the "Golden Order".

    The "Golden Order" is the order established by Eternal zing Sun when the empire was founded. It is a terrifying "Order" with rules andws that bind every being in the empire.

    Nobody can escape it. Even him and Trunsoest, as well as the kings of angels, all followed the "Golden Order".

    Only Gods were above the "Order". They also had some influence over the "Golden Order", though not as much as Eternal zing Sun.

    Yet, Adam should be above it as well, despite not being a god.

    Alitsa suddenly felt a tinge of jealousy, which he immediately suppressed as the clear eyes of Adam locked on him.

    "Your excellency, Adam.." Alitsa finally spoke, giving enough respect to the being in front of him.

    He clearly knew the appearance of Adam at this precise moment was far from simple. It ignited hope in his dark heart.

    He was also surprised. After all, this was Backlund, the capital of the empire. The influence of the Eternal zing Sun is highest here, yet Adam

    "He doesn''t care.." Adam said again, as if seeing through his doubts and questions, though his words now contained deep meaning.

    Alitsa was perplexed, obviously not understanding the meaning.

    "Alitsa Tudor" Adam continued in a gentle tone, not bothering to exin himself. "The one who had been abandoned by the Gods."

    "Aucuses already arranged your fate from the beginning; you are supposed to die when Solomon resurrects" He said, walking towards Alitsa.

    Alitsa was silent, his head down and hands clenched.

    "Do you know they also decided the fate of your fellow consul not long ago?" Adam asked, looking at the statues of gods through the windows.

    Alitsa looked up, his attentionpletely drawn to Adam, and asked. "What did they decide for him, your excellency?"

    Adam smiled, "Under the suggestion of Aucuses, the seven gods decided to help him to be Justiciar."

    The words of Adam thundered into Alitsa''s mind, shaking him to his core.

    "What?" He asked, astounded.

    "Justiciar.." Adam patiently borated. "The preparations for the apotheosis ritual have already begun. With the help of Gods, the ritual which should have taken at least decades toplete will now only take a year at most."

    "Why?" Alitsa yelled, "Why are they even helping him? They should know about the true nature of the Trunsoest; even though he is a coward, he is someone who values order above all"

    Adam was silent, making it obvious that the angel of imagination was not going to answer this question.

    Alitsa clenched his fist, blood pouring out. His lips had a bitter smile. His eyes were shing with memories of the past.

    It felt ironic that the first one to be a god among them was Trunsoest, who didn''t have any such dream or wish of bing a god, unlike him.

    He finally looked at Adam and asked, his eyes shimmering with hope and despair.

    "Your excellency, you shouldn''t havee here just to inform me that"

    Adam still had a gentle smile, listening to him. He nodded and took out a ck te with an ancient aura and handed it to him while pointing at the writing at the top.

    Alitsa knew it was the sphemy te. He took it and looked at it without asking any further questions.

    "Sequence 0  Red Priest.."

    "Ritual  Stirring up a war that sweeps the continent and gain victory"

    "Alitsa Tudor, the only way you can survive theing chaotic time is by bing a god." Adam said, his golden eyes gleaming. "Red Priest is the only pathway where you have a chance of bing a god. You alreadypleted the apotheosis ritual by stirring up the Seven Nation War and destroying the Solomon Empire."

    "But.." Alitsa asked, his hand holding the sphemy te trembling. "Switching to a non-adjacent pathway"

    "This is the only way." Adam said, in his gentle voice, that sounded so cruel to Alitsa.

    Alitsa looked at the sphemy te. He knew Adam was right. There was no other way. All that awaited him on other paths was nothing but death or even fates worse than that.

    He remembered the promise that he had made to himself a few moments ago.

    Now, he made a new promise based on the previous one.

    He will survive and will bring down the gods themselves!

    Alitsa tightened his grip on the sphemy te, his eyes gleaming.

    He finally asked, looking at the Angel of Imagination.

    "Why are you helping me?..."

    He wanted to know the motives of Adam. He wasn''t a fool to think that the help of the son of the creator was free. There must be a price, a terrible price at that.

    The sunlight in the room deepened, illuminating the figure of Adam, who was silent for a moment before answering with a soft smile.

    "It''s the trend of the times"

    "War. Disorder. Death. Order."

    "ck Emperor. Eternal Sleeper..." Alitsa muttered subconsciously.

    "Trunsoest- Lord Of Order." Adam finished for him.

    "War" Alitsa looked at the title of Red Priest in the sphemy te. His voice quivering. "Is it fate?"

    "In a way, yes." Adam nodded. "Though, this fate is not yours as you have guessed."

    "The war angel of the creator shall ascend to the throne of God and blow the horns of war. He will be the sword of revenge for the fallen creator. He will be the one to y the traitors; the fallen angels of the creator"

    "That is written fate" Adam said, his voice soft yet indifferent. "So, what is your choice?"

    "To remain chained by fate or to break it and usurp the throne of the Red Priest from Medici."

    "Choose, Alitsa Tudor."

    The sunlight in the room became bright, brighter than ever.

    "Yes." Alitsa said, his voice firm and his eyes gleaming in madness and craziness.

    He turned and looked at the sun in the sky, which was getting bigger and bigger by the moment.

    "I will be the Red Priest." He dered boldly, looking at the Eternal zing Sun.

    Adam nodded gently at the gargantuan sun. Then, he and Alitsa disappeared from the royal pce..

    ________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 113: Golden Tree

    Chapter 113: Golden Tree

    Antal Mountains, Trier.

    An illusory golden gate stood on the highest peak of the Antal Mountains, radiating endless pure light.

    The gate had a mythical aura, making all yearn for the eternal paradise thaty within.

    It was Avalon - the Divine kingdom of the Eternal zing Sun, separated from reality by the illusory golden gate.

    A brass-haired young man was trekking towards the top of the mountain while gazing at the golden gate.

    He was none other than Trunsoest, who was on his way to meet with the Eternal zing Sun.

    Trunsoest stared at the golden door, his mind wandering to his meeting with the gods.

    Before, he immediately epted the offer from the gods without thinking it over properly.

    However, he did not regret his choice. Though he was still nervous whenever thinking about the offer, it was due to the fact that nothing was free in this world.

    He also understands why the gods helped him be the Justiciar. The empire needs a true emperor to maintain stability and order in the chaos and war toe.

    The Emperor can only be a god, given the existence of the ck Emperor and the Emperor of the Underworld, both of whom are also gods.

    So the gods choose him as their candidate, because they are not willing to step on stage themselves. After all, they have been used to being the chess masters in control of all.

    Trunsoest realized that even if he became a god, the seven gods would not consider him their equal. They will still see him as just a chess piece that can be manipted to their liking.

    And he can understand their confidence. After all, he was only one against seven of them. They can suppress him quite easily.

    When Trunsoest realised all of this, he was not at all furious; on the contrary, he was very d. While they continue to underestimate him, he will bid for the appropriate time.

    He will ultimately turn the tables on them. He''ll destroy their chessboard, forcing the gods toe on stage.

    He knew it would be very difficult to aplish his lofty goals.

    The Eternal zing Sun is the first and greatest obstacle in his path.

    His heart stiffened when he thought about the Sun God.

    Trunsoest nced towards the Golden Gate while suppressing his feelings and thoughts. He took a stance of prayer with his hands sped.

    He prayed.

    "Eternal zing Sun,"

    "Inextinguishable Light,"

    "Embodiment of Order,"

    "God of Contracts,"

    "Guardian of Business,"

    "I pray for you to open the doors of Avalon."

    Trunsoest omitted a honorific title of the Eternal zing Sun that had been used for the previous century, "Embodiment of Knowledge."

    The honorific name, however, ought to have been changed at this point given that the Eternal zing Sun lost the hermit uniqueness.

    As he prayed, the air grew oppressive and mysterious, and then a blinding beam of light fell on his praying figure.

    The ring light drove Trunsoest to close his eyes. Then, the light went out as fast as it came.

    He opened his eyes, making sure of it. He found himself in a lengthy hallway lined with statues and paintings. And, in front of him, was a huge white door.

    Trunsoest was well aware that this was Avalon, dwelling of the Eternal zing Sun. He had previously visited this ce a century earlier, at the conclusion of the War of the Seven Nations, in which the Six Gods had won.

    He inhaled deeply as he made his way to the door. He used his power to restrain his thoughts and feelings, just in case.

    On its own, the door opened. He entered through it.

    A chamber filled with light, massive pirs, and a silver table with two chairs met him.

    Eternal zing Sun was present at the silver table, staring at Trunsoest with indifferent eyes.

    "Your ex.." Trunsoest greeted and bowed.

    "Sit down." His greetings were cut off by Eternal zing Sun, who motioned for him to take a seat.

    Trunsoestplied, taking the seat. He faced the Eternal zing Sun who sat right in front of him. His heart was nervous.

    Eternal zing Sun, the Embodiment of Order.

    He was extremely anxious in front of the Sun God because of the Golden Order.

    The Eternal zing Sun created the Golden Order when the Empire was first established.

    He was present when Eternal zing Sun established it. At that moment, he became aware of the sun god''s might.

    However, until his elevation to the status of archangel, this feeling was only momentary.

    With his ascension to archangel, his understanding of reality deepened, and he was finally able to observe the order in reality that bound everything in existence together.

    That is when he realised the truth. His heart was brimming with terror as he finally understood the golden order for what it was.

    Eternal zing Sun created the Golden Order, which is a system of concepts andws made manifest by the sun god.

    The Golden Order resembles a golden luminous tree, with roots and branches that entwine with the fabric of the reality.

    (A/N : I took inspiration from Elden Ring for the Order of Aucuses. It''s a phenomenal game.)

    Observing its golden branches expand, entwining with reality, and gradually altering everything in ordance with its principles rattled him to the core.

    The Golden Order was gradually progressing toward bing a prototype of "Eternal Order."

    Trunsoest was alluding to the true "Order" of reality that holds the entire cosmos together when he used the phrase "Eternal Order." He was confident in his conclusions because he found that the golden order was developing in a way that would eventually lead to the formation of the "Way of the World."

    Equally scary is the power that the Golden Order wields. It has control over reality and can alter itsws and conceptions through Order. The Golden Order has the capacity to enve the entire empire to its will. Only the king of angels may have a chance to defy the golden order.

    Eternal zing Sun and other gods were in charge of the Golden Order. However, the Eternal zing Sun should have more authority than other deities.

    Trunsoest once more failed toprehend the motivations and purposes of gods.

    Why did they create something so terrifying? Aren''t they afraid of the possibility that Eternal zing Sun usurps full control over Golden Order and has power over them all? Do they want to rule the entire reality? How did they...

    His head was filled with questions and doubts, which unknowingly made his spine shiver.

    "You seem to have a lot of questions." Eternal zing Sun said with his trademark smile. "You can ask away. I am all ears. Don''t hold back. This is a necessary process."

    Trunsoest faced the sun god. He was ovee with a plethora of feelings, including hate, dread, fury, and so forth. His mind was racing with images of the golden tree and the chaos that the Eternal zing Sun had wrought.

    Finally, in a raspy voice, he inquired. "Why?"

    Eternal zing Sun ought to be able to understand everything with only that query, so he didn''t borate.

    "Well" Eternal zing Sun replied with a sigh while reclining in his chair. "Let''s start with Chaos,"

    "What is Chaos?..." He asked, cing his m on his chin...

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 Chapter 114: Golden Order

    Chapter 114: Golden Order

    "What is Chaos?" questioned Eternal zing Sun.

    Eternal zing Sun rose from his seat and continued without waiting for his response.

    "Chaos is the most dangerous thing in existence"

    The surroundings changed as Eternal zing Sun''s ominous voice was heard, unveiling an endless cosmos.

    Trunsoest''s eyes were drawn to the magnificent cosmos. He was bemused in his heart. Even though he had previously heard Bethel sing praises about the grandeur of the cosmos, witnessing it for himself gobsmacked him.

    "Is this the cosmos?" His voice quavered a little in excitement.

    Eternal zing Sun ignored his query and went on, gesturing for him to rise up as well.

    "Chaos is all around us. All the time. It is vtile and powerful"

    With those words, the scene in front of Trunsoest altered to reveal a ravenous darkness devouring the very stars of the cosmos. He could also feel the fundamental foundations of reality crumbling. The Eternal Order was disintegrating.

    The surging darkness was chaos!

    "Order is organising Chaos. It is what brings bnce and stability to cosmos. It is what dys the inevitable end."

    His immediate surroundings suddenly changed. Out of the fabric of reality sprouted a golden luminous tree. Its branches and roots entwined with the reality of the cosmos. It re-established the order of the cosmos.

    The order restrained the chaos. The cosmos''s brilliance and vibrancy were restored as the lights of the stars re-emerged.

    The voice of Eternal zing Sun had Trunsoest''s undivided attention now.

    He understood the significance of Eternal zing Sun''s remarks. It might even provide a final answer to all of his uncertainties and inquiries.

    Finally, pointing at the constrained chaos, he asked.

    "The ck Emperor"

    Eternal zing Sun snorted. "I can see why you''re confused. Back then, Solomon sought to twist the truth more than once."

    "The main authority of ck Emperor is disorder. Nothing more and nothing less."

    Trunsoest noticed something strange and questioned the sun god, who was smiling and looking at him as if he already knew what he was going to ask.

    "So there isn''t even a single pathway that represents chaos among the 22?" His voice was hesitant in doubt.

    Eternal zing Sun nodded, saying, "Yes, there isn''t a pathway that symbolises chaos. Everything in the universe is separate from and subjugated to chaos. It is not something that a god can directly rule over."

    His words caused the environment around them to alter, revealing a stunning blue.

    Trunsoest had a gut feeling that this was his home. But the sun god continued before he could pause and marvel at this.

    "Do you know what urs when the equilibrium between Chaos and Order is shattered?"

    Trunsoest was about to respond, but he restrained himself after observing Eternal zing Sun''s sombre expression.

    "The Original Creator will awaken. The end of the cosmos will be heralded by "He," who wields the power of Chaos."

    "Look." Eternal zing Sun pointed at the Earth.

    Trunsoest turned to face the earth in front of him. The corner of his eye also caught the disappearance of Eternal zing Sun. But his attention was pulled to the, as he got a dreadful feeling of impending doom from it.

    Crack!

    His home, Earth, started to split open as a sea of infinite colours emerged from beneath it. The reality started to crumble.

    Trunsoest felt something awakening from within the earth. It was something beyond, something detached, something primordial.

    Boom!

    An illusionary, colourless light burst forth from the. It instantly lit up everything in existence, shattering and returning everything back to chaos.

    Under the brightness of the light, Trunsoest felt his mind literally disintegrate.

    He saw it alle to an end. He watched as his empire copsed. He watched as his love was ripped apart under the might of the illusionary light. He watched as the sky, the moon, and the sun were shattered.

    He witnessed the twilight of the gods. The gods, who tower above all, fell from their heavenly thorns. In the illusionary light, their bodies and souls were shredding one after another. Indescribable beings fled in a desperate attempt to avoid the impending doom, only to perish in the process.

    As he witnessed it all, his hopes, goals, and dreams were torn asunder.

    Eventually, even his order crumbled. He was powerless to interfere; all he could do was watch as everything he cherished was destroyed in front of his eyes.

    He was having trouble thinking since his mind was literally disintegrating, yet these visions remained vivid as always, driving him farther and deeper into despair.

    Trunsoest was tumbling into the chaos as it engulfed the entire creation.

    His mind was suddenly twisted by a plethora of information and knowledge. It felt as though a sharp object had pierced right through to his brain before twisting. The searing pain melted his brain even further.

    Barrier, Son of Chaos, 9 Sefirots, Nation of Disorder, Above the Sequence, Pirs, Great Old Ones.

    No, no

    How can things be this way?

    He began to spiral into an abyss of his own despair and hopelessness, on the verge of losing himself forever.

    "Wake up.."

    A thunderous voice shattered everything around him as it sted through his mind and soul, waking him up.

    Trunsoest then found himself back in his chair, facing the Eternal zing Sun. They appeared to have never actually gotten up from the chairs, as if everything that followed was simply a horrible nightmare.

    ''Yes, it ought to be a nightmare.'' While falling out of his chair and gasping for air, Trunsoest made a conscious attempt to persuade himself. ''It should just be a nightmare.''

    With tears welling in his eyes, he knelt on the ground. His scarred heart was struggling desperately to deny the truth.

    "The more you deny, the more you lose control." He struggled to look up as an indifferent voice rang out. He caught a glimpse of the Eternal zing Sun indifferently observing him.

    He was already on the point of losing control, as he observed that his body was slowly disintegrating into brass lights.

    In spite of this, he asked the sun god in a scratchy voice that was audibly racked with pain and anguish.

    "Why did you show me all of this?"

    He really wanted to know. That didn''t give him any answers to his questions. It only made him have aplete extensional crisis, from which he still hadn''t recovered yet.

    Eternal zing Sun sighed in exasperation as he shook his head. He spoke with indifference while his golden eyes shimmered.

    "To help you realize, Trunsoest, to alter your perspective such that it is divine. Despite being an archangel, you continue to view the world through human eyes. The principles and ideals of human civilisation continue to bind you."

    "You hate me, right? For upsetting your precious order by being the true disruptor."

    "How absolutely ridiculous?" The Sun God waved his hand at him while mockinglyughing.

    Trunsoest was healed as a beam of ''light'' fell on him, saving him from the embrace of death.

    Trunsoest wasn''t in the mood to rejoice, as feelings of rage, despair and helplessness overflowed his heart as he listened to theughter of the Eternal zing Sun.

    He rose from his kneeling position while having the sun god in his sight.

    Eternal zing Sun continued, in between his fits of mockingughter.

    "I''ll tell you the truth, cold and clear. As our authority is aponent of reality itself, the gods you so despise are a part of the eternal order. We are the ones who keep the chaos at bay."

    That caused Trunsoest''s eyes to widen.

    While gazing at him, the Sun God said. "You finally understand right."

    The sun god grinned menacingly as a dreadful, boundless divine aura emanated from him. His aura morphed into a glowing golden tree. It was the golden order.

    "My will is the true order."

    "I was never the disrupter of order. I am the embodiment of order. I define what order is."

    The sun god''s words boomed into Trunsoest''s head, tearing apart his perspective before rebuilding it and enabling him to see things from a new perspective.

    His eyes started to shine with a divine light.

    The golden tree behind the sun god caught his attention immediately. Now, he understood the tree''s real purpose.

    The Golden Order assisted and assimted with the Eternal Order while also strengthening reality.

    Its true purpose was to keep the bnce between Order and Chaos in the world.

    The sun god continued, implying the golden tree. "This is my order. The Golden Order is the name I gave it. It is a set of concepts and rules that I and other gods have made manifest."

    "I built this order using the principal of regression. It means, ''Regression is the pull of meaning; that all things yearn eternally to converge''."

    Thew of beyonder characteristic convergenceTrunsoest made a valid guess right away, but he had the feeling that the principle of the Golden Order should symbolise something deeper and moreplex.

    "Trunsoest, this is my order. It''s now time for you to think of one on your own. Instead of a humane order, it should be a divine one."

    He quickly nodded in ord after hearing the stern words of Eternal zing Sun.

    "Now go." The Sun God immediately waved his hand, illuminating everything in his field of vision with light. "You may only return once you have aplished your divine order."

    "Wait" Trunsoest said quickly, while closing his eyes from the re. He still has a ton of questions for the sun god.

    "You can ess my golden order." The Sun God said, "It will resolve all of your doubts and questions."

    "I had enough of telling people the truth. The next time, I should let Amanises handle it.."

    Before everything in his field of vision turned white and rendered him unconscious, he even heard the grumble of the sun god

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 Chapter 115: Sword of Creator

    Chapter 115: Sword of Creator

    To say Medici was angry would be an understatement. The war angel felt like his world was slowly but surely falling apart. The cause of all this was none other than Aucuses.

    Medici had heard of what people call Aucuses, the great and merciful sun god. Ironically, Aucuses was anything but kind and merciful. The white angel was a monster just like him.

    Aucuses was the source of wars and destruction in the third epoch, although Medici was very reluctant to admit it himself.

    It was the truth.

    He may be almost the embodiment of war, but in the end, he was the sword of the creator. He only unsheathed himself for war at the will of his lord.

    However, Aucuses was different. He was unrestrained. He waged the war just because he could. He caused disaster on a whim. He was a walking cmity.

    What really pissed Medici off was how easily that bastard got away with it? It was as if people purposely ignored the monster he was, focusing only on the perfect "persona" that he showed to the audience.

    To top it all off, even the lord was partial to Aucuses. The very thought that literally caused Medici to erupt in a rage.

    The throne on which he sat melted into liquid as the heat of the mes enveloped the room, igniting it all.

    It was unfair. It was really unfair. He sheded blood, sweat, and tears for the Lord, acting as his sword, but Aucuses was the one who got all the praise when all he got was a mere nod, just a fucking nod.

    He was not angry with the Creator. He was just mad at himself, mad at his own ipetence, mad at Aucuses.

    Could it be because Aucuses was the first to follow the lord?

    Is it due to the fact that Aucuses was the angel of the lord''s pathway?

    Questions filled his head, trying to find a reason why Aucuses was more favoured by the lord.

    He was better than that bastard in every way ...

    Yet..

    Regardless, he still pushed himself to the limit, just to get an actual acknowledgement from his lord.

    He somehow managed to push himself to face a god, not just any god, but the god of the abyss, Farubati.

    The terrifying ancient god who made even the new gods tremble in fear. He stood before the god of filth, struggling against the embodiment of the abyss itself.

    It happened during the Abyss War, which the Aucuses started on a whim. He felt it absolutely absurd now that one of the biggest events of the third epoch urred solely as a result of a sudden whim of Aucuses.

    Due to the oppression of the creator, Farubati was already restless. He was bidding for the right time. The provocation of Aucuses managed to give him just that.

    War raged in thends in between, dyeing it in blood and fire.

    Farubati just wanted to check the attitude of creator with the war, but things escted and got out of his control.

    Ombe and Badhiel joined the war because the invasion started affecting anchors. They can no longer sit on the side-lines.

    The entry of the gods into the war took the situation to a whole new level. Farubati couldn''t hold back even if he wanted to. So he went all out, regardless of the consequences. Farubati was a mad god, after all.

    The abyss has descended on the continent. It was what broke the camel''s back. All the gods and the king of angels were forced to enter the battlefield.

    His lord forcefully grafted the battlefield into the astral world to prevent the destruction of the world.

    Here is where Medici faced the Lord of the Abyss. He still remembers his heart beating with excitement and tion at the prospect of facing a true God. He wanted to push his limits. He was also very cognizant of his own madness and desperation at that time.

    Medici, however, did not care. The result of the battle was as one would expect. He was literally trashed by the lord of the abyss and got himself corrupted by the filth.

    He still got up for battle, again and again, with only his sheer will supporting thest of him. He held Lord of Abyss, giving enough time for Amanises to arrive on the battlefield. The night descended, bringing peace and tranquillity to chaos.

    The war had ended. He was cured.

    However, reality soon pped him in the face, shattering his dreams and hopes.

    The Creator was still same to him. He got a nod, as a form of acknowledgement. A simple nod at that.

    And Aucuses was off the hook for causing such a disaster on a whim, once again.

    It was then that Medici really realized that he was just a sword of the creator, nothing more, nothing less.

    He tried to be content with his status, despite his feelings.

    He was just the sword of the creator...

    Regardless of his feelings, time passed on. Rose Redemption was formed under Sasrir''s leadership. The final war had begun.

    Everything went ording to the lord''s n. Until the bastard suddenly told that he would go and check on the situation of the creator.

    He immediately knew something was wrong with Aucuses. Not only him, but many should also have felt it. He wanted to stop that bastard from getting anywhere close to the lord.

    However, his actions and his voice were silenced by the indifferent gods.

    They let Aucuses step into the twilight sun.

    Then it happened. The betrayal. The feast of betrayal.

    Aucuses betrayed the one who cared most about him, the one who raised him, the one who gave him everything.

    The Creator was betrayed by the one he trusted the most.

    Irony at its best. He knew his thoughts were sphemous, but it was a cold, hard truth that he had no way of denying.

    Medici lost his lord and his home as well as everything on that dreadful day. He literally became a "vagrant" with Ouroboros and could only suppress his burning rage and escape from the eyes of traitors and gods.

    However, things improved when they found the true creator and took refuge with the hanged man after finding a shadow of their lord in him.

    Time went on. Aucuses became a god with other traitors.

    Then, Aucuses did something that angered him to the very core of his being.

    Aucuses tampered with history. He made the world forget all about their lord while he soaked in the glory of saving mankind from a disaster that was caused by him in the first ce. A hypocrite at his finest.

    Medici also struggled toprehend how Aucuses constantly seemed to win. Whatever the circumstances, he managed toe out on top.

    On the night of the red moon, Aucuses had to face a real cosmic pir. In the final battle of the War of the Seven Nations, Aucuses triumphedpletely. The incident on Venus forced Aucuses to deal with an outer god once more. The list is never-ending.

    Despite the difficulties and the danger in his path, Aucuses always won in the end.

    It was as if, what do they call it these days, ah!

    It was as if he was the "Protagonist".

    Now, the United Empire is about to copse. Aucuses will immediately be besieged by gods on all sides.

    Yet, Medici had a gut feeling that Aucuses woulde out victorious, like he always does.

    He will take a step closer to bing God Almighty and will gain a significant advantage over the Lord.

    Although it was only a far-fetched guess, Medici believed in it wholeheartedly.

    Medici had always been holding himself back until now. And, despite the warning and persuasion from the lord, he finally decided.

    He can''t allow the era to develop this. He needs to change it.

    His lord always considered him as his sword.

    Then, he shall be his sword, his sword of revenge.

    He will y Aucuses with his own hand...

    Until then, he will not rest. One may wonder where his confidence came from. He has a way, a dangerous way to achieve his goal.

    He would have worried about the consequences before, but not anymore.

    He will be the sword of vengeance for his lord..

    Medici suddenly noticed his prey slowly entering into his trap,pletely oblivious.

    He rose from his melted throne grabbing his red sword, and making his way outside of the ruins.

    Everything is going ording to his n. He will have his revenge soon. He will bathe in the golden blood of Aucuses and tear his body apart with bare hands.

    Medici smiled. His smile told volumes of his madness and anger. His eyes gleamed with craziness, which was deepening by the moment.

    Suddenly, the space behind Medici shimmered, revealing a twisted city emanating a cataclysmic aura.

    The war angel didn''t seem to notice the presence of the twisted city, obliviously walking in his path of revenge.

    In the shadows, Adam stood watching Medici. His eyes seemed to shimmer with actual pity. However, this emotion faded away, giving, way to indifference.

    He finally looked into the shadows and nodded.

    Caw!

    A crow flew out, following the war angel....

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 Chapter 116: Island of Peril

    Chapter 116: Ind of Peril

    At the junction between the northern continent and the southern continent, an ind covered in ruins was present, surrounded by a vast ocean.

    The ind goes by the name "ind of peril". It would also go by another infamous title in the future, Bansy Harbour.

    It was given that name by angels due to the many legends surrounding it.

    Some say that the ck Emperor and True Creator established their alliance on this ind. While others say it was where the elf King Soniathryum fell, his body crumbling around the ind of peril.

    The legends weren''t without some ground. The entire ind and the ocean around it were corrupted by the remnant power of the gods.

    The perilous ind was shrouded in shadows. There was a ruined ck mausoleum perched on the top of the mountains. From time to time, a sh of pure light erupted from within the ruins, driving away the shadows temporarily before going out.

    The ocean around the ind surged with waves taller than skyscrapers as the stormy sky lit up with streaks of lightning.

    An ominous chill had set in, providing the seemingly appropriate backdrop for the cataclysmic events toe.

    A red light flickered on the ind shrouded in shadows, driving away a portion of thick shadows and revealing a man with red hair bound by crimson chains.

    The red chains tightened, tearing at his flesh and shattering his bones as the man cried out in agony. His screams made the shadows around him flicker, as if they were reacting to him. They manifested as ghostly devils that swirled all around him, intensifying the ominous and sinister atmosphere.

    Spark!

    A sh of red fire shot out of the darkness andnded directly before the screaming man.

    Suddenly, a crimson fire erupted from the curtain of shadows.

    It started to engulf the inds shrouded in shadowy ocean.

    It all began to burn in the scarlet mes. The demons screamed in agony before vanishing with the rest of the shadowy ocean.

    Heat seeped into the air as the scarlet mes whirled around the screaming man. The man''s flesh began to scorch, making his pain even worse.

    A figure dressed in ck armour suddenly emerged out of the red mes. At the sight of the screaming man, his lips formed a sinister smirk.

    The War Angel, Medici!

    "Sauron.." Medici spoke in a mocking tone. "Look how easily you fell into my calctions. Are you sure that you are a hunter?"

    In order to set up a trap for Sauron and Einhorn, Medici leveraged his position of authority deriving from his uniqueness.

    Red Priest has authority that can alter reality to some extent. It is an evolution andbination of the powers of conspirator and conqueror. It essentially makes the im that we can "Conquer everything," including reality.

    Medici set up his seamless trap on the ind of peril, using thew of the convergence of beyonder characteristics as his foundation.

    He picked this ind because of its distinctiveness. It was tainted by the remaining power of four gods.

    There were powers that belonged to Aucuses, Solomon, Soniathryum, and ultimately his Lord.

    The ind was shrouded in the remants like a dense fog, hidden from the gaze of gods and other kings of angels. This is the reason Medici picked this location. However, he was aware that this cover-up wouldn''tst long if the gods detected any abnormality or disturbance.

    However, Medici is certain that he will be able to aplish his objective in silence, keeping the gods ignorant of his actions.

    The thought of sess crossed the god of war''s mind, and heughed madly inside.

    Even though he had used his own hands to destroy thest of his lord''s divine power, the war angel didn''t seem noticeably out of the ordinary in his actions and behaviour.

    The crimson fire zed, as Medici made his way towards the bound Sauron. He then caught his scarred chin and lifted it up, making Sauron look right into his zing crimson eyes.

    "You are pathetic, Sauron." Medici sneered, tightening his hold on the jaw.

    Sauron whimpered in pain, but his eyes filled with hatred always stayed on Medici. He rattled the chains heavily in pain and rage.

    "Futile resistance" Medici scorned. His crimson eyes suddenly gleamed in light of madness.

    p!

    The war angel pped the chin of Sauron, causing him to let out a blood-curdling scream, as his jaw separated from his mouth and flew into ocean of crimson mes.

    The stream of blood from his broken mouth dyed his robes and chains scarlet. Despite all of this, the hateful eyes of Sauron still remained on Medici, not moving away an inch.

    Medici narrowed his eyes at Sauron. "re all you want, it is not going to change your pathetic fate. You are nothing but a broken shell of a man, Sauron. Tell me, how did you feel when you were like a dog wagging a tail just to gain the favour of that bastard, only for him topletely ignore you."

    "Let me guess, it was not humiliation or rage, was it?" He continued, examining the reaction on the broken face of Sauron, who finally flinched at his question and looked down.

    "As expected." The War Angel cocked his brow. "You felt disappointment. Now, it is not at all insulting to call you a dog, as you are already one"

    Sauron kept his head down, his face covered in his own shadows.

    "Now, don''t be so down-hearted." Medici chuckled, "That bitch Einhorn is also on his way"

    The War Angel made sure of his efficiency in his trap. He even went further to tamper with reality to increase the convergence between them.

    Of course, he knew this would also most likely attract the attention of Cheek, the Primordial Demoness. She had be obsessed with him in recent years, looking for the uniqueness in him.

    Still, he made preparations even for that situation. He got the blessing of the lord.

    However, Ouroboros was strangely silent. Well, he was always silent. But this time was clearly different. He could feel it. Thest time he had been like this was during Aucuses'' betrayal.

    Aucuses and Ouroboros were there for each other through thick and thin. The snake was the only one who had been able to put up with the menace named Aucuses. They also had a lot inmon. They could truly be considered friends.

    From all of this, one can easily understand that Ouroboros was affected the most by the betrayal of Aucuses. He changed a lot after that. He''d also been avoiding anything rted to Aucuses.

    Coming back now, the silence of Ouroboros reminded him of that dreadful day. Nevertheless, Medici pushed the doubts and warnings in his heart aside and still went along with his n. He really didn''t want to hold back anything any longer.

    He wanted to make Aucuses to pay for everything..

    At that thought, Medici''s lips rose to form a grim smile.

    Suddenly, aughter filled with mockery and pity reverberated around him.

    Medici turned and looked back, his eyes widening in rage.

    Amon stood before him, adjusting his monocle whileughing at him. Sauron had disappeared from the crimson chains.

    "Lil ''Raven." He snarled at the Angel of Time...

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 Chapter 117: City of Calamity

    Chapter 117: City of Cmity

    "Oh, Medici." Amon sighed, hisughter dying away. "Fate always seemed to turn her back on you."

    He straightened his monocle, his eyes shing with pity.

    "Pity?" Mediciughed, hisughter causing the crimson mes to ze and swirl around them.

    It became an inferno, making the surrounding space around the ind as hot as magma.

    The inferno rose high, connecting with the dark sky above the ind, colouring it crimson.

    The sea around the ind also surged violently, trying to smother the rising crimson mes. The Elven King''s remaining power began to act on instinct, trying to quell the crimson mes.

    As the battle between water and fire continued, the situation inside the zing pir of fire at the edge of the ind literally heated up by the moment.

    Sparks of crimson fire swept over the figure of Amon, who kept glitching in his ce. The fire that burned the very fabric of reality didn''t seem to harm the angel of time in the least.

    It was as if Amon had be an "Error" in reality,pletely disregarding the damage brought by the crimson mes.

    In this ocean of mes, the God of War and the God of Deceit confronted each other after almost a millennia.

    "Lil'' raven" Medici smiled, his menacing smile illuminated by the crimson mes. "It seems you have forgotten the time when I burned all your feathers. And, you just ran offining to the lord"

    He raised his red sword and pointed it at the Angel of Time.

    "Shall we see if you''ve improved from the past?" He sneered, his form transforming into countless afterimages that encircled the angel of time in all directions.

    An invisible tremor erupted from his afterimages, engulfing reality in crimson mes. It was his will that "invaded" reality and "conquered" it as his own.

    His will covered the glitching figure of the angel of time, erasing the "Error" in reality and forcing the angel of time to return to normal.

    All of his afterimages manifested at the same time. They all thrusted their swords at the angel of time, sealing the fate of Amon.

    While carrying out his ns, Medici was somewhat expecting a disruption or problem to arise. But, still, he didn''t think it would be in the form of the raven in the end.

    He didn''t hold back, knowing that the presence of the raven would only create chaos. And, by the looks of it, the raven wasn''t here for a happy reunion either.

    Amon was met with a storm of sword thrusts, each capable of decimating inds. They attacked him from all sides, preventing him from escaping.

    He tucked his hands behind his back and smiled calmly.

    The monocle over his right eye reflected the entire ocean of mes.

    Then, for a brief moment, the entire reality and phantoms of Medici glitched together before returning to normal.

    Medici quickly lost control of reality, which fell into the Amon''s hands.

    The angel of time created a loophole in his control over reality. Then, he stole his control over reality by using that as a backdoor.

    Amon waspletely unharmed by the fury of sword thrusts as he was in control of reality. He destroyed all of the Medici''s afterimages with a wave of his hand, leaving only the main body.

    "Medici" He sighed and shook his head. "It''s best if you put down your sword and stop jumping to conclusions. I''m not here to battle you. I''m only here to make you see the truth..."

    When he saw his sincere yet pitying expression, Medici only felt rage bubbling within him, almost like a volcano about to erupt.

    "Amon!" He snarled, his aura cataclysmic.

    Boom!

    A streak of crimson lightning appeared and headed for Amon, disintegrating reality in its path.

    Seeing his attempt at persuasion fail, Amon shrugged, turning to look back into the mes, nodding.

    With his nod, the lightning and mes froze before being extinguished by a mighty force that engulfed the entire ind.

    Medici felt an aura, a powerful aura that reminded him of the aura of his lord. Though it wasn''t as gentle as that one, it was oppressive and suffocating. It knocked him to his knees in an instant.

    At the same time, numerous crimson chains appeared around him, binding him and sealing his authority. Any thoughts of resistance were also ''stolen'' by Amon.

    It was ironic how the tables had turned against him.

    The hunter became the prey, falling obliviously into a trap.

    Medici looked up at the angel of imagination, his eyes gleaming with rage and hatred.

    "Why?" He roared. "Why are you stopping me?"

    "Look at yourself, Medici," Adam said. "You will have your answer."

    The gentle voice of Adam echoed into Medici''s mind, carrying enormous power. It shattered all the influences in his mind that were tampering with his perception.

    Medici peered inside himself, rmed by the sudden change.

    Then his face turned pale at the sight of his soul. His soul was covered in countless spots, dyed in a mixture of iron and blood.

    "No.."

    He''d been corrupted by the thing he''d been betting on to use against Aucuses.

    No! He might have always been corrupted by that thing. It could have been influencing all of his decisions, manipting him....

    Wait, what exactly is that thing?

    Medici was stunned. However, before he could even process everything, a mutation urred.

    That ''thing'' seemed to have taken notice, as the crimson spots in his soul began to emit a blinding crimson light.

    "Ahhh!" Medici screamed in agony as the crimson light tore apart his soul before shooting out of his body.

    Amon appeared in front of Medici. His monocle reflected the trembling figure of Medici while shing in deep darkness with an aura of tranquillity.

    Medici''s screams died away as he fell asleep under the influence of darkness.

    Amon then looked up at the sky, his face solemn.

    The crimson light reached the sky, transforming into a phantom of a twisted city, emitting a cataclysmic light.

    It was none other than the City of Cmity!

    With a loud metaphysical BOOM! The ind of peril seemed to tremble to its very foundations, under the influence of city of cmity.

    But it wasn''t just the ind; a wave spread out and even deep underground, shaking the entire northern and southern continents, passing through the abyss, forsakennd of gods, and even through the barrier of ethereal grey fog at the end of the world.

    The entire world, including the Western continent, was shaking to its very core.

    Amon, sensing all of this, looked calmly at the city of disaster. He seemed to have anticipated this.

    He turned to face Adam, who nodded gently.

    Amon let out an exasperated sigh before doing somethingpletely unexpected.

    "Aucuses!" He yelled at the sky.

    The air became scorching hot as Aucuses'' divine gaze was cast here before any other gods.

    Aucuses'' divine gaze instantly narrowed at the phantom of the city of cmity.

    Then..

    Snap!

    With that snap, a phantom of golden tree appeared right next to the city of disaster. It was the golden order.

    Amon turned to face the golden tree, his monocle gleaming in the illusory light.

    He intended to use his power to create a loophole in the golden order that would allow Aucuses to gainplete control of the golden order, overriding the powers of the other six gods. However, it will be only temporary.

    Even though he and his brother are powerful, a remnant power of serfirot is beyond them. This may give gods headaches, not to mention them.

    So, they called upon Aucuses, who was only one with an actual way to deal with this. It was the golden order.

    However, the order was far too powerful andplex. The loophole created by Amon will be promptly deleted by the power of the other gods in the golden order.

    If Amon became the Error, he might have been able to aplish this feat, but not now.

    Adam closed his eyes and prophesied, noticing the problem.

    "Aucuses temporarily took control of the Golden Order."

    The golden tree shimmered as a symbol of the zing sun appeared above it.

    Immediately, the gods felt their hold on the golden order fade away.

    Aucuses tookplete control of the Golden Order with the assistance of the sons of creator.

    Aucuses'' golden order immediately acted,pletely concealing this location from the prying eyes of other gods.

    During this time, the city of cmity was not idle. It was attempting to break through the seal and send its power into the outside world.

    Sensing the threat from the golden tree, The city of cmity wanted to act. However, the golden order shrouded the city, suppressing it.

    "I shall have order."

    A deep voice thundered across the sky and earth as the luminescent tree emitted a shimmer of golden light, illuminating the city of cmity. The light annihted the concept of "Cmity" brought by sefirot.

    Crack! Boom!

    The phantom of a city crumbled away into the void, while some of its remanent power fell and shourded the ind of peril, corrupting it.

    The rumbling of the world finally stopped after 8 seconds, with no harm visible, only the world shaking on itself.

    ______________________

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 Chapter 118: World Shake

    Chapter 118: World Shake

    The sun shone through the parting clouds the next morning, illuminating the world, which was still reeling from the prior night''s events.

    The world always experiences various changes due to war and the ascension of gods. But, mortals'' feeble minds cannot bear the knowledge of events, so all those changes always tend to go unnoticed.

    This could be clearly seen during Artisan''s ascension. When he became a god, the light of civilization erupted, illuminating almost every aspect of human civilization; it also nearly merged the spirit and material worlds. However, these changes went unseen by all below angels.

    Thest night, however, was different. It was all over the front pages of newspapers.

    The ''World Shake,'' as they called it, had urred all over the world, and for 8 seconds, the very foundations of the world rumbled. From frail mortals to all-powerful gods, everyone felt the ''rumbling.''

    As one might expect, the world went into a frenzy, causing chaos all around. Civilization''s brilliant minds attempted but failed to discover its cause. When material power fails, people always turn to mysteries.

    And, turn they did, they attempted to divine the cause of the world shake, only to suffer a fate worse than death, regardless of their sequence. So they finally turned to the gods, but their prayers went unanswered.

    In the end, the ''World Shake'' event became a ''mystery'' among men, with numerous fabricated legends surrounding it.

    However, it was not a "mystery" to everyone. The Gods could guess what actually urred. And they weren''t pleased at all...

    _______________________

    Feynapotter. The city of life. The city was decked out in evergreen, right down to its glittering gold crown.

    The church bells rang as the sun shone through the clouds, illuminating Lilith, who was checking her dress in the mirror.

    Lilith was always nervous nowadays, nervous about the change of times and the impending war.

    This feeling has been heightened by recent events. She didn''t have to think long to figure out thatst night''s events were most likely rted to Aucuses.

    After all, Aucuses took temporary control of the Golden Order, bypassing their authorities.

    It also urred shortly after the ''World Shake'' began. So the others had no trouble connecting the dots, which all pointed to her lover, Aucuses.

    And, they were enraged, particrly Herabergan, Leodero, and Artisan. They demanded an exnation from Aucuses right away. Others weren''t much better; Amanises backed Herabergan and Leodero''s demand, while her ''Son'' remained silent. It was only her who stood with Aucuses.

    Given the "Golden Order," it was to be expected. The Order was a structure imbued with all of their power. The gods supported the establishment of the "Golden Order" for the sake of world stability, particrly in light of the impending events. They don''t want chaos to spread from their fights and inadvertently destroy the world.

    Lilith also knew Aucuses had his own agenda for the "Golden Order," as he always does.

    Returning now, the "Golden Order" wielded terrifying power, and if it fell into the hands of one person, they could temporarily rule over the gods themselves.

    This was what made them all nervous. It didn''t matter if it was only temporary, because the prospect of Aucuses achieving that was enough for all of them to turn their backs on him.

    As a result, they demanded an exnation from Aucuses right away.

    Aucuses dismissed their demands without batting an eye, his action didn''t surprise her at all.

    The others couldn''t do much else because the contract was restricting them all.

    So they left, suppressing their rage in their hearts, and bid for the right time.

    This incident urred at the worst possible time. The war for pir was just around the corner.

    Despite her trepidation, she had faith in Aucuses. He always makes ns for everything.

    He should have a reason for doing this.

    He should have...

    Lilith finally sighed, suppressing her nervousness and focusing on the present.

    She was double-checking her dress for the uing wedding she was attending with Aucuses.

    It''s not just any wedding; it''s Trunsoest and Auernia''s wedding. She was surprised when Aucuses suggested that they attend the ''wedding''. After all, they were ''Gods.''

    However, Aucuses didn''t seem to care. He kept asking if she wanted to join him to the wedding.

    In the end, she agreed to his request, despite knowing it would expose their rtionship to public scrutiny and cause problems.

    However, she didn''t care anymore. She simply wants to spend all of her time with him. She just can''t get enough of him.

    Aucuses

    Lilith smiled. There was a lot that happened in the previous century. Despite never telling each other, they already knew a lot about each other.

    Her true identity, in particr. Aucuses is well aware. In the middle of the century, she confirmed it.

    She didn''t confront him, though, because doing so would vite her ''Concealment.''

    In terms of the ''Concealment,'' she told Amanises about her rtionship with Aucuses, hoping she would be considerate given the gravity of the situation. She also had no idea how Aucuses had discovered her identity on his own.

    After hearing her words, Amanises fell silent for a moment. She then waved her hands, indicating that she needed time to think about it.

    And, Lilith didn''t tell Amanises that Aucuses already found out.

    In the end, she let it be. Despite how unnerving the situation was, there was nothing else that could be done.

    Though, deep down, she had a feeling that this was all going to end soon, one way or another....

    Knock!

    A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, prompting her to peer through the door and then smile.

    Speak of the devil. It was Aucuses.

    Before heading out the door, she double-checked herself in the mirror to ensure she was absolutely perfect.

    She opened the door to find Aucuses leaning on the doorframe, checking his watch.

    He smiled as he looked up at her.

    "You''re stunning..." He said this while lightly kissing her lips. "As always"

    "Well" Lilith punched him on the chest lightly. "Enough with the sweet words; what the hell were you thinking of pulling a stunt like that?"

    "I just did what I always do." Aucuses shrugged with aid-back smile.

    That was unsurprising, Lilith expected him to answer exactly like that.

    She still pressed, her brows furrowed. "What happenedst night?"

    "In conclusion..." Aucuses contemted, before answering. "Red Priest is about to be born today."

    "And everything ising to an end."

    "What?" Lilith wished she had misheard, as the meaning behind his words was both outrageous and terrifying.

    "Come on, let''s not bete for the wedding." Looking at his watch, Aucuses said abruptly. He then grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the house, still dumbstruck.

    He continued with a mysterious smile. "As for the overall situation, you''ll find out by the end of the day." He then drew her closer to him, their faces inches apart. "It wouldn''t be fun if it was known ahead of time, would it?"

    Lilith pushed him away. "Whatever you''re nning with this, Aucuses. I already don''t like it at all..."

    "Let''s go." Aucuses sighed, extending his hand to her, without showing any intention of borating himself futher.

    Lilith red at him before taking his hand in hers.

    Then they vanished from the Feynapotter.

    ______________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

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 Chapter 119: Rule the World

    Chapter 119: Rule the World

    4th epoch, July 29, 1110.

    Backlund was brimming with jubtion. People seemed to have forgotten all about ''World Shake'' as they gathered across the city to celebrate the next big event.

    It was the wedding of Trunsoest, Lord of Order, and Auernia, Queen of Blood Moon. The world''s most famous couple.

    The wedding will be held in the afternoon, close to dusk, in ordance with ancient custom.

    Backlund''s weather was brighter than it had ever been. It was as if the Eternal zing Sun "himself" was watching over the King and Queen''s wedding.

    Under the light of the sun, a golden chariot pulled by four white horses drove out of the nobles'' square.

    Trunsoest was present in the chariot alone, greeting the throngs of excited citizens on the roadside sidewalks.

    Almost a month had passed since his meeting with Eternal zing Sun, and he had to say that the meeting was the most significant turning point in his life.

    He realised his own insignificance on the grand stage of Cosmos. He realised the purpose of the Gods. He also became aware of the perilous future that awaits them all.

    All of these revtions changed his perspective on the world, transforming it into a "divine perceptive," as the sun god described it.

    His hatred for the sun god almost vanished, after this. His previous emotions andints appeared almost childish to him.

    Even though, he experienced significant change. But, in the end, whether divine or human, he was still a person who sought order above all else.

    It was only his perception that had changed, allowing him to trulyprehend his role in the grand scheme of things.

    Thus, he hadn''t abandoned his goals, as the change had only served to strengthen his conviction in that regard.

    Moving on, he hadpleted the task assigned to him by Eternal zing Sun. With the assistance of the Golden Order, he had derived his own divine order.

    He had gained ess to the Golden Order, which had answered all of his doubts and questions. It made his entire process of constructing a new order more efficient, and without its assistance, it would have taken at least decades to get to this point.

    He based his order on a principal he devised, drawing inspiration from the Principal of Regression by Eternal zing Sun.

    His principle is known as the ''Principle of Causality,'' and it states, ''Causality is the pull between meanings; it is connection that forms the rtionship of all things.''

    He could guess that building your own divine order was the most important part of the apotheosis ritual of the Justiciar. As for the rest, he still didn''t know.

    Despite his persistent prayers to the sun god, the sun god refused to reveal anything more until hepleted his Order.

    He finally decided to meet the sun god, after his marriage with Auernia.

    Oh, his wedding...

    Trunsoest nervously shifted in his chariot, but his demeanour remained unchanged as he continued to greet the citizens.

    He was actually on his way to pick up Auernia from her Ancestral Home. This was an ancient custom in which the groom would pick up the bride from her home for their wedding.

    They were following this ancient tradition at the request of his love, who had insisted on it being done this way.

    To his relief, the carriage eventually entered an evacuatedne with no people in sight. It was already too tiring.

    Trunsoest also caught a glimpse of the ancestral home of the blood race at the end of thene, which made his heart thump with excitement and nervousness.

    ''I hope everything goes well...'' He finally thought...

    _______________

    Meanwhile, Alitsa Tudor walked down a long ck corridor beneath the city of hope.

    His hasty footsteps echoed loudly as he made his way into the structure''s core.

    Amon and Adam apprehended Medici and Sauronst night. Meanwhile, he and Antigonus captured Einhorn.

    Adam, the only one who can block the prying eyes of gods, brought them all to Backlund. Adam also suggested that he ascend in Backlund.

    He would have hesitated if it had been before, but he didn''t care any longer. He wanted to send a clear message to the gods about the consequences of their own actions.

    Suddenly, the sound of horse neighing mixed with cheers rang out from the ceiling, causing him to pause and clench his hand before continuing with a frenzied look.

    Trunsoest

    Today was also Trunsoest''s wedding. Alitsaughed as he remembered Trunsoest''s invitation and letter.

    Trunsoest clearly wanted him to be there for his wedding, despite everything that had happened.

    ''Oh, Trunsoest. You''re still nave to hope for this,'' he thought. ''The fates always intended for us to be enemies, not friends...''

    Trunsoest was a true winner in life, and Alitsa couldn''t deny it no matter how hard he tried.

    Love. Kingship. Godhood. Trunsoest had gotten it all quite easily.

    Those were also his dreams, but unlike Trunsoest, his path was filled with thrones and hurdles that could easily end his life with just a moment''s mistake.

    It was unfair.

    Alitsa''s eyes glowed with madness as that thought shed through his mind.

    Trunsoestpletely defeated him in all aspects of life, including love.

    Silvia Abraham, Bethel Abraham''s granddaughter. He proposed the political marriage to gain the support of Bethel Abraham and his family.

    To be honest, their personalities and characters shed horribly. So, much to his chagrin, there was no such stage as ''blossoming'' of love on his side.

    He kept up the pretence with Silvia, however, for the sake of Bethel Abraham. During this time, as one would expect, the foolish woman fell in love with him, believing that he also loved her.

    Silvia even tried to stop him from doing this ''Madness,'' as she put it. He may have cared enough to listen in the past, but times have changed.

    Bethel Abraham vanished into thin air, and the Abraham family is facing total persecution by Churches of the Eternal zing Sun and Earth Mother.

    So he couldn''t care less about the spoiled princess. He pped her away in rage before locking her in the tower with his authority.

    His thoughts were interrupted as he reached the end of the corridor and entered a hall.

    The hall, which featured a tform and statues of the six gods, was illuminated by candles hung upside down. The tform featured a long silver table with seven chairs on the sides and double thrones in front.

    This was a temporary location where the parliament first convened before the pce of Eternity was built.

    It felt ironic to him that it was alling to an end in the ce where it all actually began.

    Alitsa walked forward, ignoring the tform, suppressing his restless emotions.

    Following that, a new passage with a stone door at the end appeared in front of him. With a tense expression, he took a deep look into the passage, and his eyes spoke volumes about his inner conflict.

    He finally strode forward into the gloomy passage, his eyes bing firmer than ever.

    The kings walked their own paths, both above and below. The shackles of fate were slowly crumbling as they steered closer to the divine throne, above all, with a very strikingly simr goal in their hearts.

    After all, ''Who doesn''t want to rule the world?''

    ___________________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 120: Wedding

    Chapter 120: Wedding

    The golden chariot came to a halt in front of the dark mansion, horses neighing in the foreground.

    Auernia stood in the sunlight, dressed in a crimson gown, with other members of the blood race apanying her.

    Creak!

    Trunsoest stepped out of the chariot and extended his hand to her, his eyes hopeful and nervous.

    Everything seemed to stop at this point, as the gazes of all fell on the Queen of Blood Moon, who was as still as a statue.

    Finally, she took Trunsoest''s hand, making him smile, and climbed into the chariot with him.

    She abruptly turned to face members of her race, who were all staring at her. Their eyes spoke volumes about their pain and grief.

    Auernia gave ast bow, a sad smile on her lips. Then she turned resolutely and followed her love, taking a seat in the chariot alongside him.

    Trunsoest gripped Auernia''s hands tightly, wiping away tears from her cheeks.

    The horses neighed as they entered, before dragging the chariot out of the ancestral home of the blood race.

    With citizens'' cheers echoing across Backlund, the chariot drove to the pce of eternity.

    The chariot came to a halt at the gate of the ce of eternity as the royal couple stepped down, moonflowers falling from the tenebrous heaven itself, bringing the blessing of night with it.

    Trunsoest and Auernia came to a halt in their path, drawing the crimson moon symbol on their chests before proceeding into the pce of Eternity''s opened doors.

    Boom!

    With their entrance into the royal pce, the doors of the pce finally closed

    _______________

    As the wedding nears, angels and archangels from the empire entered the pce of eternity through various other doors.

    The wedding was taking ce in therge chapel of the seven gods within the pce of eternity.

    Aucuses and Lilith arrived in the midst of the jubtion, holding a cup of vani ice cream in their hands and wolfing it down with relish.

    They didn''t let their presence be known just yet. It was not the right time. They made their way outside the decorated chapel to some vacant chairs.

    "Is Auernia your daughter?" While scooping up the ice cream, Aucuses asked.

    "In some ways, yes..." Lilith nodded, her eyes reminiscent. "She was created from my blood. Not only her, but also the majority of my race. So it is not incorrect to say they are my children."

    Aucuses'' face darkened, and she burst outughing.

    "They were created from my own blood. I used my authority to create them all," Lilith rified as herughter subsided. "At the time, I had the authority of both mother and moon. So I didn''t give birth to them. I just made them."

    "Now you can put down your worries," she smirked.

    Aucuses snorted, but he didn''t press the issue any further, instead asking in a low voice.

    "Did Amanises meet with you again after that?"

    "No." Lilith shook her head. "She had been distancing herself from metely, after I told her about us,"

    "I am sorry." She abruptly said, looking down. "I didn''t discuss it with you before making that decision."

    "It''s fine." Aucuses shook his head and smiled.

    "No, it''s not fine." Lilith said, grabbing his hand. "We are in a rtionship, Aucuses. If we are to make this work, there should be some level of transparency between us. I also understand that we are gods. There are many things and secrets that we cannot directly reveal to one another. But, at the very least, there..."

    "I understand..." Aucuses interrupted, his gaze firm. "I promise not to keep you in the dark any longer."

    Lilith smirked as she crossed her legs. "Let''s see if the great sun god keeps his promise at the end of the day."

    "I will" Aucuses smiled as he promised. ssical music rang out from within the chapel, drawing his attention away from her. He looked ahead.

    The corridor was deserted, as the royal couple and their guests had already entered the chapel.

    "Let''s get going." Seeing this, he said. "I think it is going to begin."

    Lilith nodded as they rose from their seats and walked to the chapel''s door.

    They ended uping to a halt right at the entrance.

    "We are doing this." Lilith murmured, her eyes looking for reassurance in the man holding her hand.

    "We are." Aucuses dered, his eyes as bright as the sun. "Remember now, we are just Eternal zing Sun and Earth Mother, not Aucuses and..." He mouthed, ''Lilith''.

    Lilith said, riling up. "So, what are we waiting for? Let us go in, mighty sun god."

    Aucusesughed merrily as they entered the chapel.

    The ssical music drifted into their ears as they entered the chapel, which abruptly came to a halt with their echoing footsteps.

    Lilith immediately felt all eyes turn towards them. Angels, Archangels, and Gods. It felt as if the entire world was centred on them.

    The angels and archangels stared at them, their figures still as a statue. It appears that they are still processing the scene in front of them, but only to fail miserably.

    The gazes came not only from angels and archangels, but also from gods who were focusing from their divine kingdoms on the pce.

    Almost all of their gazes were locked on them; she could sense a variety of emotions from the divine gazes since they didn''t even try to hide any of it.

    Shock, bewilderment, confusion...

    Trunsoest stepped down from the altar with Auernia, a nervous expression on his face.

    "Your excellencies..."

    Meanwhile, Auernia''s eyes welled up with tears and guilt as she looked at Lilith. She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

    "We are here for your wedding, though uninvited," Aucuses said, smiling. "But, you don''t mind, do you?"

    "No, not at all.." Trunsoest waved his hand, his tense shoulders finally rxing. "You are most wee."

    He gestured to the front seats right away. "Your excellencies are free to sit in the seats of honour."

    Aucuses nodded, walking towards the seat of honour with Lilith, who finally calmed Auernia down.

    As they took their seats, the chapel still remained silent.

    "Well.." Aucuses spoke up, his voicemanding. "We shall now focus on the wedding, shall we?"

    The angels and archangels immediately obeyed and turned to face the royal couple. They werepletely focused on the event, despite their previous curiosity.

    The divine gazes lingered for a brief moment before leaving the royal pce.

    The music resumed, as the wedding continued without a hitch.

    The clergywoman arrived, and she was an angel under Amanises, the only angel under six gods present at the wedding.

    She approached the altar, holding the bible, and stood between the royal couple.

    As the music faded, the clergywoman smiled at the congregation. "Honoured guests, I''d like to thank each of you foring out this afternoon," she said.

    The clergywoman bowed to Aucuses and Lilith while holding the Bible in front of her.

    "Let us begin by thanking the gods for this wonderful day."

    They all bowed their heads and prayed, facing the seven gods'' emblems on the chapel''s wall. However, some even turned and bowed toward Aucuses and Lilith.

    After the prayer, the clergywoman led the royal couple through their vows. It was now time for the exchange of rings.

    An adorable little boy dressed in a blue tuxedo approached Trunsoest and presented him with a ring. He slipped it on Auernia''s finger.

    The clergywoman smiled and turned to face Auernia. She asked the question again and received the same answer.

    Auernia took her ring from a small girl dressed in pink and ced it on Trunsoest''s finger. Their emotional gazes were always locked on each other.

    The clergywoman finally dered. "By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

    The crowd erupted as she brought up her hands.

    "You may now kiss your bride."

    Trunsoest did so. Their lips met.

    And then the world changed.

    "It''s finally beginning.." Aucuses smiled.

    Lilith suddenly jolted from her seat and stared in astonishment at the other end of Backlund....

    It began. The sky started to glow crimson. A dreary and disastrous streak of red fire spread along the horizon, widened and grew brighter, blocking the Eternal Sun...

    ___________________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 121: Blood Throne

    Chapter 121: Blood Throne

    Underground, Backlund.

    Alitsa Tudor stood in front of a stone door, his right hand pressing against a symbol engraved on it.

    It triggered a mechanism. The gears rustled and cracked as the door opened, a steamer of light erupting from within and illuminating the dark passage.

    Alitsa entered, his face solemn. Arge, spacious hall with colossal pirs stood before him. There was a tform in the centre with three thrones, as well as another high throne at the far end of the hall.

    "At longst, you''ve arrived." Antigonus eximed, relief washing over him. "We can''t wait any longer."

    He approached Alitsa, "What made you agree to his suggestion? You should know better than anyone that Backlund is the domain of the Eternal zing Sun and Evernight Goddess."

    Alitsa scowled, his brow furrowed. "I know what I''m doing, Antigonus. Don''t ever question my decisions again."

    Antigonus rubbed the back of his head as he pursued his lips. "Then let us go, Your Majesty."

    He purposefully emphasised ''Your Majesty.''

    Alitsa snorted, but he was in no mood to argue with the wolf. He motioned to Antigonus, and they started walking towards the tform in the middle of the hall from the entrance.

    Their heavy footsteps echoed, drawing the attention of Amon, who was suppressing the Medici, Sauron, and Einhorn on their thrones.

    "Do you know something interesting, Alitsa?" Amon asked, turning back to them after strengthening his suppression on the three Conquerors.

    He continued, adjusting his monocle. "Trier is also known as the City of the Sun." He approached Alitsa, pressing his hand on his shoulders and looking at him in the eyes. "Even the Divine Kingdom of the Eternal Sun is close by."

    "I know." Alitsa said indifferently, removing the hand from his shoulders. "But there''s nothing we can do about it. The influence of the sun god is so deep-rooted in the continent that even other gods cannotpletely shake it."

    "However, I still require a city to serve as the foundation for my new empire. Trier is the ideal location. I already controlled the Sauron family, who ruled over that province. It''ll make the transition much easier."

    Amon smiled as he sped his hands behind his back.

    "That''s great and all. But have you forgotten about something, such as Eternal Sun''s approv..."

    Alitsa cut in, his eyes narrowing in rage. "Enough, Amon. You should be the most forthright about it."

    Amon said, "I was just making sure you were fully aware of your actions so you wouldn''te to regret themter."

    Alitsa gave Amon a cold stare. Antigonus, who had been quietly listening in, finally spoke up and interrupted them at the right time.

    "Adam has stopped praying."

    They all turned to face Adam, who had finally opened his eyes and stood up from his prayer position.

    His bright eyes looked at Alitsa. "Let us get started. We don''t have much time left. The Gods have all turned their attention to Backlund."

    Alitsa nodded solemnly as he walked towards the tform that connected the conquerors with others.

    Adam said as he gazed at the sleeping conquerors.

    "You must kill them with your own hands, Alitsa. Allow their blood to bathe your hands, and then im their crowns as your own."

    Alitsa took a deep breath as he listened. He could guess the significance of steps mentioned by Adam.

    He needed to conquer their crimson crowns.

    "Wake them up." Adam said softly, looking at Amon.

    Amon nodded before adjusting his monocle. A burst of darkness erupted from the figure of conquerors before retracting back to his monocle.

    The Conquerors awoke, and their bright eyes filled with rage, looked down at their captors. They tried to break free, but the chains that bound them only tightened with their struggle.

    Sauron yelled, peering down at Alitsa. "Alitsa, I was right about you from the start. You''re a lunatic who doesn''t know when to stop."

    Einhorn spat angrily. "Do you believe you have won? No, it''s only the beginning. Even if you kill all of us, our spiritual imprint will follow you for the rest of your miserable life, torturing and tormenting you into the abyss of madness."

    Medici remained unusually quiet. He didn''t even bother looking at Alitsa. His emotional gaze was fixed on Adam, however.

    "Here." Adam pulled out a blood-red sword and handed it to Alitsa. "Alitsa Tudor, kill them. Take what was theirs and make it yours. Their possessions, families, and thrones. Conquer it all. It is the only path where you can ascend the Blood Throne."

    Amon watched the Alitsa Tudor with interest, while Antigonus stood silently beside him.

    Alitsa stepped onto the tform, sword in hand. He came to a halt in front of their thrones.

    He looked into their angry and mad eyes.

    "This is my victory."

    His solemn voice echoed across the hall, bringing silence with it. Einhorn and Sauron looked at him with wide eyes, while Medici finally paid attention to Alitsa.

    The silence was broken immediately, as Einhorn and Sauron yelled madly at Alitsa, rattling the chains and tform.

    Alitsa ignored the curses and walked towards Einhorn.

    "You will pay, Alitsa Tudor." Einhorn stated that despite slowing falling into the embrace of death, his eyes showed no fear. "You will pay for everything..."

    Alitsa stabbed Einhorn in the chest, interrupting him. The scorching blood stained the sword, hand, and throne.

    "This is my victory." He said this while twisting the handle of the sword.

    A crimson me erupted from the stabbed heart, consuming Einhorn and burning him to ashes in an instant, leaving only a crimson crown behind.

    Alitsa ignored the seething pain and proceeded to the next conqueror.

    "You are the devil consumed by greed." Sauron spat, grinning madly. "It''ll be the end of you."

    "This is my victory."

    Alitsa ignored him. He then repeated the action with Sauron, who also burned away into ashes.

    The scorching red blood filled the tform, as the air grew thick and eerie by moment. The thrones themselves melted down.

    Alitsa finally approached the war angel, his blood-dyed hand trembling ever so slightly.

    Medici looked at him indifferently. "Do you believe you can break the shackles of fate by doing this?"

    "You are truly an ignorant one," he chuckled.

    "This is my victory."

    Alitsa closed his eyes and stabbed the war angel in the chest, disregarding his words.

    Medici was consumed by crimson mes. "I''m waiting for you in the underworld, Alitsa Tudor."

    He turned to face Adam, who nodded gently.

    Then he closed his eyes without a struggle, his body burning away into ashes, leaving behind a crown and a sword.

    Adam entered the tform and waved his hand at the scorched thrones.

    Three crimson crowns and a blood sword floated down from the thrones and gathered around Adam.

    They began to merge under his authority, eventually transforming into a scarlet potion.

    "Drink it while ascending to the throne." Adam said softly as he handed Alitsa the potion. "The throne of blood."

    Alitsa silently examined the potion in his hand before beginning to walk to the high throne at the far end of the hall.

    He arrived at the throne''s steps. His grip on the potion tightened.

    He finally looked up at the throne, his eyes shing with madness and determination.

    Alitsa then drank the entire scarlet potion and began ascending to the throne.

    Boom!

    A crimson ze erupted, devouring and burning him.

    The steps, throne, and hall underwent a violent change, as blood began to pour out of them, dyeing them crimson.

    The hall was filled with blood, scorching blood. Screams of the fallen echoed from the boiling red river, emitting a terrifying and disastrous aura.

    The entire underground pce rattled to its foundations as the colossal pirs melted and cracked.

    The crimson mes swirled around Alitsa with a mighty roar, his heavy footsteps still reverberating across the hall.

    Alitsa''s figure was slowly crumbling into fragments, some of which fell onto bloody stairs or the rising red river.

    He didn''t seem to stop. He steadily ascended to the high throne, losing parts of himself along the way.

    He appeared to be aware of it as well, but he didn''t stop or couldn''t stop because this was the only path, the only path of hope.

    No matter the price or cost, he will ascend to the blood throne.

    He will

    He will

    Alitsa took the final step and stood before the blood throne, his figure nearlypletely scorched and devoid of any of his previous noble or youthful semnce.

    (Image here)

    The crimson mes raged around him, still attempting to consume him.

    He, on the other hand, raised his hand and snapped. His will spread from his body and infiltrated the mes.

    The crimson mes froze before swirling and covering his body, then forming a crimson crown above his head.

    He conquered it.

    The swirling mes reformed him, pulling him out of death''s embrace. It was the epitome of nirvana.

    Alitsa turned to face the hall and stood directly in front of the throne. His eyes remained closed.

    His head was adorned with a crimson crown. He sat on the blood throne, his aura cataclysmic.

    Then he opened his eyes, his deep ck eyes filled with insanity and madness, hailing the birth of "Red Priest."

    (Image here)

    Alitsa looked up, muttering with a twisted smile.

    "Aucuses. Amanises. Leodero. Herabergan. Ombe. Badhiel."

    His voice rumbled across the bloody hall, roaring loudly.

    With his deration, the sky began to glow crimson. A dreary and disastrous streak of red fire spread across the horizon, widened and brightened, and obstructed the Eternal Sun.

    Backlund was once again exposed to the divine gazes of the gods. However, the gods did not hide their gazes this time, causing the entire Backlund to shake under the divine aura of gods.

    But, before anything drastic could ur, something rushed out. It simply snuffed out the cataclysmic fire brought by the ascension of red priest.

    The change began as the crimson mes faded from the sky, pierced by a burst of golden light erupting from backlund. It widened and brightened, emitting a majestic divine aura.

    Crack!

    A crack was heard all over the world. It rang directly into the ears of everyone, from all-powerful gods to frail mortals.

    Hum!!

    The golden light that illuminated the sky converged above the ce of Eternity, morphing into a golden contract with the signatures of six gods.

    It is the alliance contract formed by the six gods under the authority of the Eternal zing Sun.

    The entire united empire began to tremble under the mighty aura of contract before copsing like a fragile sand castle hit by a powerful wave.

    Crack, crack!

    The cracking thundered across the world as the golden contract began to crumble into void with ascension of Alitsa and the copse of the United Empire.

    Boom!

    The cracked contract finally exploded in a burst of golden light that illuminated the world before concentrating on the figures of six gods.

    The shackles of restraint that had bound the gods for a century crumbled, heralding the era of chaos.

    ___________________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 122: Immemorial Concept

    Chapter 122: Immemorial Concept

    Backlund, Northern Continent

    The golden contract crumbled into the void, liberating the gods.

    Then everything fell silent, unusually silent. It was as if the very concept of ''sound'' had been stripped from reality, silencing it all.

    A sense of peace filled the air, enveloping the angels. However, this did not bring them tranquillity, but rather a sense of dread. It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed their hearts, making their breathing heavy by the second.

    They could feel it. They could clearly sense what was about to be unleashed on their world.

    It was chaos. The chains were cracking. They can hear it ever so clearly. The crawling beast of chaos was waking up, free of the golden chains that had bound it for a century. It has returned, only to soak thends in between with blood and fire.

    Roar!

    A mighty roar thundering from the horizon shattered the silence, sending a shockwave that shattered all sses and ruptured the eardrums of citizens across Backlund.

    Dark and vengeful cloud formations began to imprint their mark on the clear-blue sky, dyeing it ck from beyond the horizon.

    As the blue sky was engulfed by a dark and dense path of clouds, strong gusts of wind were unleashed upon the city of hope. The air became thick and heavy, as if attempting to suffocate the entire city.

    Boom!

    A sh of white lightning shattered the dark and ominous sky, symbolising the wrath of the Lord of Storms.

    The lightning bolt whizzed towards the betrayer on the blood throne, carrying with it the mighty power to destroy the entire world.

    Rumble!

    The city of hope began to shake violently as cracks emerged andnd began to bulge in the centre of Backlund.

    Boom!

    A pir of crimson mes erupted from the ground, sending a wave that shattered the faces of most buildings in Backlund, where so many people didn''t know what hit them before the debris from the structures around them eviscerated their flesh and bones.

    The crimson fire and silver lightning headed for each other, emanating a terrifying aura that began to shake the entire continent.

    "Enough, Leodero!"

    A mighty voice rang out as a dazzling beam of light pierced through the dark clouds, driving a fraction of the stormy heavens away.

    The Eternal Sun surfaced from the darkness of the horizon. It lit up the dark sky and sttered a palette of gold on the surging, stormy clouds.

    The rays of light cast a colossal column of light throughout the silver lightning and crimson fire, melting and purifying them in a golden ocean of light.

    Boom! Boom!

    The illuminated clouds deepened and surged, unrelenting to his words. Gargantuan lightning blots filled the sky, streaming towards the eternal sun in the high heavens, breaking the beam of light in its path.

    But, just then, an illusory and massive green tree rose up from the ce of eternity and extended into the stormy sky, as though it had epassed the ''storm'' within itself.

    "Wither.."

    A soft voice echoed, causing the world tree to wither and fall, dragging the ''storm'' down with it.

    Roar!

    A tyrannical aura erupted from an ind near the northern continent, signifying the rage of god of the sky.

    "This isn''t the time, Leodero."

    A serene voice suddenly rang out, bringing the peace of the night with it. It dispelled the tyrannical aura while concreting on a stormy ind near the northern continent.

    The raging ind went quiet and serene as deep and thick darkness descended and shrouded it.

    The peace finally returned. The Eternal Sun shone a beam of light down into the ruins of Backlund, illuminating the figure seated on the blood throne.

    "I, Eternal zing Sun, invoke the authority of God to revoke your status as King of the United Empire, Alitsa Tudor, on the charge of betrayal and sphemy of the Six Gods."

    The divine voice of the Eternal zing Sun thundered across the world, echoing deep into the souls of all, regardless of their differences.

    Alitsa Tudor rose from the Blood Thorne, his mad eyes fixed on the eternal sun. He sneered.

    "We''ll meet soon, Aucuses."

    The eternal sun remained unchanged after hearing his promation. Alitsa stopped bothering the sun as he noticed an illusory white tower and a twilight kingdom forming near the sun. Their divine auras united and pressed down on his shoulders.

    Alitsa snorted, then nodded solemnly to Adam. Then, the divine gazes of gods all converged on the Angel of Imagination.

    Adam bowed slightly in all directions after calmly looking up from the ruined hall.

    The figures of Adam, Alitsa, Amon, and Antigonus faded away from the ruined hall, bringing the bloody event to a close.

    _______________________

    Aucuses and Lilith stood on a balcony in the pce of eternity, looking down at the city of hope.

    Backlund was in shambles. Almost two-thirds of the city had been razed to the ground. Cries of anguish filled the capital, as blood and fire smeared the ruins.

    "Is this all part of your grand n, Aucuses?" Lilith demanded angrily. "You allowed Alitsa Tudor to be a god just to break the contract."

    "It wasn''t entirely me." Aucuses corrected her. "Adam yed the major part. I simply concealed it."

    Lilith approached him, her anger growing stronger as she heard his casual words.

    "How can you still be so carefree? Most gods already turned their backs on you. The war of the pirs is about to begin. And you''ve just added another hostile god to the mix. What on earth are you thinking? ..."

    "I will triumph." Aucuses hugged her and whispered in her ears. "I will win, as I always do."

    His voice soothed her heart. Lilith walked out of his embrace, her eyes wide with emotion.

    "Don''t die on me, Aucuses." She finally breathed out.

    Aucuses sighed, flicking her brow. "I won''t, silly. And how can death get her hands on me when you, the embodiment of life, have my back?"

    Lilith chuckled, lightly caressing her brow, her racing heart calmed.

    "I am saying it again." She said. "You really have a way with words."

    Aucusesughed, grabbing her hips and pulling her close to him.

    The warm and ambiguous atmosphere was suddenly broken by a cough as Trunsoest entered. His face appeared haggard, and his eyes had be dim.

    "Your excellencies." He bowed, ignoring the ambiguity in the air. "I have the report."

    Aucuses and Lilith separated from each other''s embrace. They walked over to Trunsoest and took the report on the Backlund disaster, peering at it together.

    "How many people died?" Aucuses inquired, looking up at Trunsoest.

    "12,225,672." Trunsoest responded, his head still bowed.

    Lilith frowned. "This is Backlund, the empire''s capital. At the very least, give it some thought before making such a decision."

    "Well" Aucuses nodded, pulling a pitch-ck crown from his divine kingdom. "I was going to reverse it anyway. I didn''t expect others to recover their power from the golden order so quickly."

    "It appears that they were really afraid of that prospect, huh?" He chuckled.

    The six-god contract became null and void. The four gods took away their authority from golden order with it, causing it to lose two-thirds of its power. The influence of the Golden Order also loosened across the empire, while some parts even became devoid of order.

    Backlund was the end result of everything. If the golden order was still intact, it would have acted to prevent the destruction from affecting the Backlund. s

    "Are you really doing it?" Lilith asked, leaning on him.

    "Yes. I''m doing it," Aucuses nodded. "This was never supposed to happen. I can somewhat control uniqueness of ck Emperor, due to my authority of order. After all, pr opposites attract one another."

    Trunsoest jerked up, his eyes wide at the ck crown.

    Aucuses wore the ck crown, and his bright golden iris darkened. He eventually raised his hand and pointed to the destroyed city.

    With his action, a ripple erupted from the crown, scattering across the ephemeral river of time and gradually shrouding it.

    "Rewind." Aucuses dered, twisting his hand.

    The ethereal river of time froze as the authority of ''disorder'' shrouded it, ''distorting'' the direction of flow backwards.

    A miracle dawned. The city of hope rose from the ruins once again. The pollution and remnant power of gods faded away from the reality.

    The dead rose as their souls were drawn back from the divine kingdoms of gods, returning to life with no recollection of their previous experiences.

    The eternal sun in the sky cast a piercing beam of light over Backlund, illuminating every nook and cranny of the city.

    The air became vibrant and pristine. It all went backwards, back to before the cmity. It was a true miracle.

    Aucuses'' hand dropped as the flow of time returned to normal. The city of hope regained its magnificence and splendour.

    "That hurt..." He murmured, wiping away the trail of golden blood from the corner of his mouth.

    ''Time should be the most immemorial concept in the universe.''

    "Are you okay?" Lilith inquired, holding his shoulders and supporting him.

    "I''m fine." Aucuses nodded weakly, looking over her shoulder at Trunsoest, who was frozen in shock. "Come to my divine kingdom. Your apotheosis ritual should begin as soon as possible."

    Trunsoest nodded quickly, still reeling from the miracle.

    "Let''s go." Aucuses said, looking at Lilith. "I''m going to be very busy in theing days. Alitsa intends to make Trier his capital.."

    Their figures were bathed in light as they started teleporting away from the city of hope.

    "And you are allowing him?" Lilith inquired, her eyebrows raised, but Aucuses merely chuckled.

    They vanished from the pce of eternity in a sh of light.

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

    ____________________

    A/N : I just finished reading all of the Sandmanics after watching the Netflix adaptation. It is one of the best stories I have read. It was damn good.

 Chapter 123: Trier

    Chapter 123: Trier

    On July 29, 1110, the United Empire fell apart with the betrayal of Alitsa Tudor, one of the dual kings.

    On July 30, 1110, the beast of chaos was unleashed on thends in between, causing social order toe crashing down. Except for major metropolitan cities, the territories of empire have decentralised into anarchy.

    On July 31, 1110, the Angels Families of Amon, Abraham, Antigonus, Jacob, and Tamara betrayed the Seven Gods and swore allegiance to Alitsa Tudor, who now goes by the honorific name of Blood Emperor.

    On August 1, 1110, Chaos became thedder for the ambitious and treacherous angels. Seven new nations emerged almost overnight, dering sovereignty over parts of the northern continent.

    With their deration, the red gates of hell opened on the continent, and war and death engulfed thends in between.

    On August 2, 1110, Trunsoest, the Lord of Order, dispatched his royal legion of ten angels to quell the chaos and subjugate the insurgent nations.

    At 2 p.m., however, a historic deration was made in Backlund Square, which swept the continent like wildfire, causing many to shiver to their bones, terrified of theing dark era.

    The Churches of the Lord of Storms, God of Knowledge, and God of Steam announced their unprecedented alliance to the world, shattering the churches'' long silence in a terrifying way.

    They then dered all-out war on the Church of the Eternal zing Sun.

    The entire power of the churches was mobilised and marched towards Trier, located in the westernmost part of the northern continent.

    An unprecedented army of over 80000 beyonders marched across the continent, trembling it and striking fear into the even hearts of the bravest.

    In response, the Churches of the Eternal zing Sun and the Earth Mother also dered war, mobilising all of their troops and entering the war.

    In about a week, the armies of both alliances are expected to sh in callide valley between the Hornacis Mountains, sting off a symphony of cmity...

    ________________

    The light of stars adorned the dark heavens, illuminating the world with a silvery glow.

    The divine mountains, the Andal Mountains, graced the residence of Eternal zing Sun. The golden mountains stood tall, visible from the farthest cities on the continent.

    A luminescent door floated above the highest peak, emitting a divine and sacred aura.

    Suddenly, a star in the sky shone brightly before descending from the dark heavens, leaving a trail of silvery light.

    Itnded and exploded into starry blue light on the highest peak of the divine mountains, right in front of the golden door.

    The starry blue light converged and morphed into an illusory starlight door with images of swirling gxies on it.

    Creak!

    The door swung open, a bloodthirsty aura erupting from within and engulfing the entire Andal Mountain. It almost materialised, coging the very fabric of reality with a thick mass of blood.

    Alitsa Tudor emerged from the twisting starlight door, dressed in red royal robes. His long red hair swayed in the hot breezes, and his iron-ck eyes were filled with insanity as he stopped and looked at the floating luminescent door.

    He walked forward, each step trembling the mountain to its foundation.

    As he approached the colossal door of light, his crimson crown gleamed with an illusory light.

    "I demand an audience with you, Aucuses." Alitsa spoke, his deep and dark voice reverberating through reality, twisting it to his will.

    The illusory golden door emitted a bright beam of light that illuminated the Andal Mountains, making them appear as bright as day. It cleansed the bloody aura before cascading down to Alitsa Tudor.

    Aucuses emerged from within the beam of light, dressed in his usual ck and white attire, his indifferent eyes staring at the intruder.

    "You didn''t just break through the door?" Aucuses smiled as he approached the blood emperor. "I can''t say I''m not disappointed."

    "I am no fool to fall for your pretences." Alitsa sneered, his eyes narrowing at the sun god.

    "Well" Aucuses chuckled, his brows raised. "It appears that the betrayer hasn''tpletely gone insane..."

    "Madness is subjective." Alitsa smiled, his ck eyes shining with madness. "Especially when ites to divine. You should know more about this than I do, Aucuses."

    "Indeed." Aucuses nodded, his indifferent eyes glinting. However, he continued with a shrug. "So, I''m here; speak, Alitsa."

    "I seek sovereignty over the province of Trier." Alitsa states his demand unequivocally.

    "What made you think I''d agree to that?" Aucuses spoke in a low and dangerous tone.

    "You are being surrounded."

    "From all sides," Alitsa replied patiently. "You''re going to lose the war. It didn''t matter if Ombe sent her entire church as aid."

    "The alliance of three churches, with secret assistance from Amanises, will demolish your troops and pierce right into Trier, city of the sun."

    "This will undoubtedly shake your anchors. They will see to it that it happens. Then, in your weakened and battered state, the war of gods will begin, and you may face two or even three gods at once. I don''t think I need to borate on the end result of that."

    He continued with a twisted smile after noticing the silence of the sun god.

    "But it doesn''t have to be that way. In exchange for Trier''s sovereignty, I will allow the angel families under mymand to fight alongside your church. In this way, not even other gods can point this out because I am only sending troops to defend mynd. And your faith in my new empire will not diminish. It''s not like I can shake it anyway."

    Heughed, his eyes dangerously glinting.

    "So, what do you think, Aucuses?" Alitsa finally asked, his handle reaching for the hand of his red sword.

    "Fine." Aucuses nodded simply, his eyes indifferent.

    "What?" Alitsa inquired again, his eyes widening slightly. It was as if he didn''t expect the sun god to agree so easily.

    "It''s fine." Aucuses borated patiently. "Your terms are eptable. You can rule over all of Trier."

    He smiled. "As for my church, like you said, you can''t shake it anyway."

    Alitsa stepped forward, volcanic rage coursing through his veins. "Don''t look at me like that, Aucuses!"

    "Like what?" Aucuses chuckled, cocking his head obliviously.

    They faced each other, their divine auras shing and thundering.

    "Like you always do. Your utter contempt for me is so palpable." Alitsa seethed. "I am no longer an angel crawling under your feet."

    He yelled. "I am a God, just like you!"

    His voice echoed through the air, burning the reality as hot as the surface of a star.

    The world around him and Aucuses altered into an expanse of red fire and brilliant light.

    The madness in his iron ck eyes deepened as his heart thumbed heavily against his chest, like a beast rattling the chains in an attempt to break them,.

    "Chain your madness, Alitsa Tudor." Aucuses spoke in a low, deep tone. The ocean of light pierced through the crimson mes, illuminating the entire illusory world.

    The world faded away, revealing the unaffected Antal Mountains.

    Alitsa heaved through his nose, like a wild beast freed from shackles. However, the madness in his surging eyes receded eventually.

    "Why? Why do you choose Trunsoest over me?" he finally asked.

    Aucuses unexpectedly answered. "You reminded me of my past self."

    Alitsa was taken aback. Aucuses continued, shaking his head and looking at him indifferently.

    "But even I knew when to stop. And you didn''t."

    Alitsa silently looked at the sun god before turning back and leaving the antal mountain.

    However, he abruptly turned back, his hands clenched.

    "This doesn''t mean I''ll be on your side in theing war of gods, Aucuses."

    "Okay." Aucuses stated, with a nk expression.

    Alitsa Tudor immediately left. He didn''t dare to stay here any longer, as he was about to lose it again when he heard Aucuses'' utter disregard in his voice.

    It was not the time to confront Aucuses. But it won''t be long before the right opportunity presents itself.

    At that time, he will extinguish the eternal sun in the high heavens and bring that sun bastard down from his fucking high horse!

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 124: Tudor Empire

    Chapter 124: Tudor Empire

    On August 3, 1110, Alitsa Tudor dered his sovereignty over the province of Trier. The Tudor Empire was established, ruling over 1/4 Northern Continent.

    Alitsa Tudor ascended the royal throne that was rightfully his, forged by blood, victory, and madness.

    Under his scarlet crown, there were no cheers or jubtion. Only fear and surrender were worthy of honouring him.

    He was hailed as the "Blood Emperor."

    With his ascension, the four insurgent nations werepletely subjugated by the Angel of Time''s thunderous actions, who presented thosends as an offering to the blood crown. It resulted in the empire''s territory expanding to nearly a third of the Northern Continent in less than an hour.

    In his first act, Blood Emperor dered the Lord of Storms, God of Knowledge, and God of Steam to be heretic gods in his kingdom.

    Steam and machinery were banned, libraries were burned, and thunder became a bad omen.

    The madness pervaded the air, infecting the hearts of men and releasing the primal beast within them.

    It all ultimately resulted in sun devotees storming a small steam cathedral in Trier. And, in an unprecedented act of sphemy, the divine statue of Artisan was dragged down from the high altar, rupturing into pieces as itnded on the ground.

    A picture was taken that perfectly captured the act. It spread the act of sphemy like wildfire across the continent. Surprisingly, the Church of the Eternal zing Sun did not intervene or try to prevent it from spreading.

    This event literally poured oil on top of an already raging fire, causing it to rage like a super volcano on the verge of erupting and consuming the world in ashes.

    The gears of time were turning, opening the curtains for a new era, an era filled with chaos and anarchy

    _________________

    The Pce of Eternity stood, illuminated by the dim silver glow of stars in the dark ocean of cosmos.

    Tension and fear pervaded the air throughout the royal pce and even the capital, which had lost much of its usual vibrancy during the night.

    Silence, silence filled the city as people huddled in their beds, homes, and bunkers, crying out to whatever god they believed in for a peaceful night. They kept praying and sacrificing to the gods just so they could wake up in the morning and see the eternal sun.

    Saints wandering through the shadows, unseen and unheard, witnessed such scenes all over the city.

    Their nerves tensed whenever they noticed an anomaly in their perception, and they immediately reported it to the royal pce before going to check and neutralise it by force.

    There can be no room for error. Nothing can destabilise the remaining order.

    In the royal pce, Trunsoest stood in front of the silver table with Augustus and Castiya, looking at the holographic projection of the northern continent that was projected from the devices attached to the silver table.

    They haven''t left the royal pce since Alitsa Tudor''s ascension, as they are dealing with the anarchy that has engulfed the copsed empire. And the churches did nothing to help them, stayingpletely silent until the terrifying deration of alliance.

    Trunsoest was sending instructions to his royal legion, Augustus was responding to reports from angels, saints, and demigods from around the copsed empire, and Castiya was organising all the information from the projection of the continent, preparing a daily report on the situation of the entire northern continent.

    There was also an empty chair around the table adorned with white flowers and a photo of Trunsoest, Augustus, Castiya, and Sauron standing together in the same central room, smiling, as their eyes were overflowing with joy and happiness.

    "Rest in peace, Sauron," was written in red ink above Sauron.

    The atmosphere in the central room of the pce was heavy and depressing as they went about their duties, desperately trying to keep what little was left.

    Whoosh!

    A gust of wind blew into the central room through the balcony, drawing their attention. They looked up to see a hooded old man carrying a white book enter the central room through the balcony.

    God of Wisdom and Knowledge!

    "Leave us alone." The God of Knowledge spoke as he looked at Augustus and Castiya.

    Augustus and Castiyaplied. They only exchanged a nce with Trunsoest before bowing once to the god and exiting the central room.

    "Your excel..." Trunsoest greeted, but paused as God of Knowledge motioned for silence.

    God of Knowledge pulled sacred emblems of other gods from his robe. He walked to the balcony, holding it all in his right hand.

    He finally spoke in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on the sacred emblems.

    "Attend everyone. I stand on the balcony of the Pce of Eternity and I hold your emblems."

    "Solomon is about to resurrect tonight."

    Trunsoest looked up at the night sky, unsurprised by the news.

    With a shimmer, six divine figures appeared in the dark sky, descending on the balcony of the royal pce.

    After hearing the message from the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, the gods descended with their true bodies.

    The tension in the air was palpable as the God of Steam red at Eternal zing Sun, who merely smiled back while waving his hands at the Lord of Machinery.

    Lord of Storms went to lean on a pir, his scrutinising eyes staying on the figure of Eternal zing Sun.

    Earth Mother and the Eternal zing Sun stood together, holding hands. God of Combat was nearby, his dazed and blurry gaze fixed on their holding hands.

    Meanwhile, Evernight Goddess walked over to Lord of Storms and stood silently beside him.

    "Now is not the time for us to be at odds." God of Knowledge asserted, staring at the gods. "We should put aside our differences and focus on Solomon''s resurrection."

    "Won''t it just result in a convergence? So, what''s with all this solemnity, Herabergan?" questioned Lord of Storms.

    "No," God of Knowledge replied, "if only things were as simple as you wish, Leodero, I wouldn''t have summoned all of you here. The situation we may be in is potentially disastrous."

    "Is it disorder?" God of Steam asked.

    "Disorder, it is," God of Knowledge nodded. "It is not necessary to be concerned about the convergence and resurrection. But, what follows after will be truly disastrous if we don''t manage to stop it."

    "Get to the point, Herabergan." Lord of Storms said impatiently, his narrowed eyes, though, still fixed on Eternal zing Sun, who was wishpering something into Earth Mother''s ears.

    "The resurrection of Solomon should take four steps. First, the uniqueness and characteristics converge on the pce where Solomon is resurrecting." God of Knowledge patiently exined.

    "Because the Eternal Order is involved, even true gods cannot stop or interfere with this step."

    "Second, the uniqueness and characteristicsbine with resurrecting Solomon, causing him to immediately return to his former status as God."

    "Third, the former subjects of ck Emperor hear the majestic voice of their fallen emperor proim his return."

    "Fourth, the step that will bring disaster to the northern continent or, more importantly, to us. His twisted order will return with the resurrection of Solomon."

    There was only silence among the gods as they listened to God of Knowledge.

    "Anarchy reigns over most of the northern continent," God of Knowledge continued. "The addition of disorder will undoubtedly bring cmity to the world."

    "This wouldn''t have been a problem if the Golden Order hadn''t been weakened," he sighed as he looked at the Eternal zing Sun.

    "When the twisted order returns, it will shroud most of the reality of the Northern Continent. We can''t let that happen because it will affect all of our anchors. The order of Solomon will see to it that it happens."

    God of Knowledge finished, closing his ominiscent book. The gods remained silent for a brief moment before being broken by Eternal zing Sun.

    The Sun God smiled. "There is a simple solution to this entire problem." He approached Trunsoest, grabbing his shoulders and dragging him to the centre.

    "The birth of Justiciar will suffice to deal with the twisted order brought about by Solomon''s resurrection."

    He suddenly guffawed. "This would be an excellent way to wee Solomon back into the world."

    Ignoring his sarcastic remakes, God of Steam asked, "So, you want Trunsoest to be Justiciar right now?"

    "Yes." Eternal zing Sun nodded and looked over Trunsoest''s shoulder at God of Knowledge. "Wasn''t this also your n, Herabergan?"

    "It is." God of Knowledge said, peering deeply at him. "Trunsoest has already devised his divine order. It would be no problem to begin the apotheosis ritual right away."

    "However, he is still not an emperor." God of Combat frowned.

    "She can take care of this issue." Eternal zing Sun pointed at Earth Mother. "She is, after all, earth mother, with partial authority over the earth itself. It also includes thend on which we currently stand. So, her recognition of Trunsoest as Emperor should suffice. This is also preferable than repeating the whole coronation ceremony again."

    Under the gaze of the gods, Earth Mother nodded in acknowledgement. The gods then fell silent in agreement.

    "Well" Eternal zing Sun smiled as he looked at Trunsoest, who was in a daze. "Let''s get started."

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

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 Chapter 125: Night Emperor

    Chapter 125: Night Emperor

    Pce of Eternity, Backlund.

    The most powerful beings on the had gathered in the throne room with the Lord of Order, Trunsoest.

    The crimson moonlight filtered through the stained window behind the royal throne, illuminating Eternal zing Sun and Trunsoest, who were walking towards the throne together, followed by other gods.

    There were seven other thrones adjacent, three on the right and four on the left of the royal throne.

    "Are you ready?" Eternal zing Sun inquired, his gaze fixed on Trunsoest.

    "Yes." Trunsoest nodded and exhaled deeply. "Even though this came out of nowhere. But, I am already prepared for the apotheosis ritual due to your previous instructions."

    "I should be able to handle it. No, I can handle it."

    Eternal zing Sun smiled. "That''s the spirit. Now, tell me about your divine order."

    Trunsoest responded, his emotional eyes peered at the bronze throne.

    "My divine order is based on a principle that I devised."

    "It is the principle of Causality, ''Causality is the pull between meanings; it is connection that forms the rtionship of all things.''"

    Eternal zing Sun raised his brows in surprise, but before he could speak, God of Knowledge interrupted, walking forward with them.

    "Causality, you say?" His starry eyes twinkled as he spoke. "That''s a unique concept for a divine order."

    "Yes." Trunsoest nodded. "It is not only rare, but also extremely difficult to manifest."

    With a smile, Eternal zing Sun crossed his hands and listened in.

    "So, Trunsoest, what inspired you to create this principle?" God of Knowledge inquired, rubbing the Ominiscent eye on his book.

    "It was the golden order." Trunsoest answered, looking at the Eternal zing Sun. "The sun god gave me ess to it, and it was what truly inspired my principle."

    "Herabergan." Eternal zing Sun intervened before God of Knowledge could ask Trunsoest any further questions. "Enough with the questions. He is already under a lot of pressure, and you aren''t helping."

    Then he looked at the Trunsoest. "Now ascend to the throne. The ceremony will begin soon."

    Trunsoest nodded and walked towards the royal throne, while Eternal zing Sun and God of Knowledge stood back and observed him.

    "You are still so insidious, Aucuses.." God of Knowledge chuckled, rubbing his beard with his hand. "You''re manipting him so subtly to get what you want."

    "And, as usual, you continue to exaggerate the facts. It''s a bad habit, Herabergan, and it mighte back to bite you one day." Eternal zing Sun smirked, "About Trunsoest, I just pointed him out in the path and he was the one who made the journey himself."

    As tension filled the air, the God of Knowledge and the Eternal zing Sun exchanged res, invisible sparks erupting from their confrontation of divine auras.

    The Evernight Goddess stepped between them, her hands crossed. "This isn''t the time. Trunsoest''s apotheosis is about to begin. So, please take your seats."

    In silence, the God of Knowledge turned around and walked towards one of the thrones near the royal throne. At the sight of this, the Eternal zing Sun chuckled and took his ce on the throne as well.

    "Let''s begin." Evernight Goddess dered, before nodding to the Earth Mother.

    Earth Mother arose from her throne, drawing everyone''s attention. She approached Trunsoest, who had already ascended to his royal throne.

    "I am ready." Trunsoest spoke up, his golden eyes twinkling like stars. "I am ready."

    "There is no pressure, Trunsoest." Earth Mother spoke in a soothing voice. "You will ascend with the help of all of us."

    Trunsoest smiled as he nodded. Earth Mother went on, reassuringly cing her hand on his shoulder.

    "Aucuses is also here to help you, even if you have a problem with the order."

    "Thank you." Trunsoest bowed his head. "Thank you for.."

    Earth Mother smiled. "Now, save all of this forter. There will be plenty of time."

    "All right, let''s get started." Trunsoest finally said, taking a deep breath.

    Earth Mother raised her hands, and her palm began to glow with golden light, sttering on Trunsoest.

    The light then began to congregate above her palm, transforming it into a golden crown encrusted with diamonds.

    She took the floating crown in her hands and looked at him.

    "What shall your honorific title be, Trunsoest?"

    Trunsoest answered, his firm eyes fixed on the crown. "The Night Emperor."

    Eternal zing Sun snapped his fingers as he gazed up at the night sky.

    "It is time for the world to wake up and witness the ascension of the Night Emperor."

    At 3 a.m., the warm amber sun awoke and emerged from the distant horizon, heralding the arrival of the day.

    The hue of a giant fluorescent orb ignited the dim sky and sshed the glittering, silver clouds in a multitude shades of gold as it hung low from the high heavens like a golden medallion.

    The sun''s iridescent rays cast huge columns of light across the world, brilliantly illuminating every nook and cranny.

    The world awoke, as solemn and high music resounded from the pce of eternity, creating a grand symphony of melodies and signalling the new era,

    In the Pce of Eternity, Lilith stood under the light of the sun, holding the crown. She turned and faced the world ahead of her.

    "I, Earth Mother, invoking divine authority, recognise Trunsoest, Lord of Order, as Emperor of the Trunsoest Empire. He will be the judge, restoring order to the fallen Northern Continent."

    "And, he shall forevermore be known as the "Night Emperor"."

    The solemn voice of the Goddess of Life rang across the earth, striking into the hearts and souls of all people, regardless of origin or differences.

    The golden crown was then ced on Trunsoest''s head by Earth Mother, crowning him as Emperor.

    The sun''s rays glistened across the sky, revealing to the world the image of Trunsoest, the Night Emperor.

    "God save the King."

    "God save the King."

    That image drew the awakened citizens to a frenzied chant in recognition of their sovereign.

    Then, it faded away, as the rays of sun shimmered again.

    Eternal zing Sun stood up from his throne and walked towards the Trunsoest.

    He said, standing with Earth Mother. "Now, Trunsoest, manifest your divine order and weave it into the fabric of reality." He raised his hand, causing the sun light to converge in his hand, which continued to morph into the shape of a tree, ring, book, pendent, and so on.

    "You can select a form for your order based on your preferences. I chose a tree for my golden order."

    Trunsoest stared intently at the ever-changing shapes in the hands of Eternal zing Sun.

    Then he nodded, as if he had finally made a decision.

    "Then begin." Eternal zing Sun smiled, encouraging him. "You are now the Emperor of a empire. A emprie that is currently gued by chaos. You will be the judge, establishing order and binding the beast of chaos, and ascending to be the Justicair."

    Trunsoest began by closing his eyes and raising his hands, opening them wide and above. Eternal zing Sun and Earth Mother stood before him, while the gazes of the other gods were also on him.

    A golden light radiated from both of his palms, coursing from his very core. They began to ascend and converge directly above his head, slowly forming four golden circles intersecting with each other, while another golden light fell in the middle of the circles, connecting them all together.

    (Image)

    A vast divine aura filled the hall as the entire reality around the Trunsoest began to glitch and shimmer at an astonishing rate.

    Suddenly, the God of Knowledge rose from his throne, gazing at the astral world.

    "Solomon''s resurrection has also begun."

    _____________

    The Astral World.

    Crack!

    In the infinite space between Venus and Earth, an invisible tremor erupted as a massive ck mausoleum descended on the very fabric of reality, cracking it.

    Boom!

    The ck mausoleum shook heavily before copsing on itself, bringing the surrounding reality with it, reducing it all into a ck vortex of chaos.

    The vortex red up like a ck, ravenous tsunami, decimated the very reality in its path.

    It expanded and raged towards the centre of the sr system.

    Its target is none other than the Eternal Sun!

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 126: Might of the Sun

    Chapter 126: Might of the Sun

    Astral World.

    A dreadful aura filled the astral world within the barrier, stopping Venus and Mercury from continuing their orbit around the sun.

    Roar!

    A roar erupted from the swirling abyss of chaos, unleashing a shockwave that caused most of reality between Venus and Mercury to crack like a piece of fragile and brittle ss.

    It was as if a mad beast had finally broken the chains of order that had bound it for millennia, roaring and announcing its return mboyantly for all to see.

    It was also in rage, which erupted from within its very core like a super volcano.

    It red its gargantuan tentacles of pure chaos,rger than manys, towards the eternal sun in an attempt topletely destroy its captor.

    (Image here)

    The perpetual light dimmed in Avalon, the Divine Kingdom of the Eternal zing Sun, as a ck crown and two characteristics of the prince of abolition ascended to the astral world under a mighty cosmic force.

    In Trier, Alitsa Tudor stood silently on the balcony of a pce, looking at the prince of abolition. It flew out of his hand as a cosmic force shrouded it, ascending to the Astral World.

    He looked up at the divided sky, half of it shrouded in chaotic darkness, the other half filled with pure beams of light emanating from the eternal sun in the high heavens.

    "Ready the chariot." Without looking back, he said to Jacob, "Just in case."

    Jacob nodded and walked away from the balcony. Alitsa Tudor then gazed towards Backlund.

    "Trunsoest" He muttered under his breath.

    In the Astral World, the uniqueness and characteristics appeared right above the swirling chaos. They fell into the abyss and vanished.

    Then, everything fell silent, eerie silence, and even the massive tentacles of chaos zing towards the Eternal Sun froze in their tracks.

    Then, with a thunderous roar, a towering ck throne erupted from within the swirl of chaos, shattering the silence. The throne was seated by a shadowy figure who faced the eternal sun. His eyes were filled with rage, madness, and even a little fear as he red at the sun. However, the fear soon faded as rage and insanitypletely upied his dark eyes.

    He shook his hand and mmed into the armrest with all his might, shattering it.

    "Obliterate the sun." He finally spat.

    The colossal tentacles swept back towards the sun, their size and power increasing as they zed towards the eternal sun, destroying reality in the process.

    The Eternal Sun, the giver of light and life, emitted a scorching light that illuminated the entire space between Mercury, Venus, and Earth in an instant.

    A golden chariot with four white horses appeared out of the scorching sun.

    Eternal zing Sun rode in the sun chariot, the reins in his hands. His indifferent gaze was drawn to the colossal tentacles, then to the shadowy figure atop the abyss of chaos.

    He sneered and raised his hand in the space. The light that illuminated the astral world immediately converged above his palm, forming a light spear coursing with surging energyparable to that of a real star.

    Eternal zing Sun hurled the light spear into the abyss of chaos.

    The light spear pulsated with infinite power before transforming into a streak of light and coursing towards the abyss of chaos.

    It finally collided with the tentacles of chaos and exploded, ejecting the energy of an entire star without restraint into the abyss of chaos and astral world within the barrier.

    Boom!

    A massive explosion of light appeared in the endless space between Venus and Mercury, sending out surging energy waves that could easily decimates in turn.

    The light sttered throughout the sr system, illuminating the corrupteds beyond the barrier. It appeared as though another sun had risen in the sr system, dwarfing even the Eternal Sun.

    It was a battle for dominance, and with each sh, reality was shattered. While abyss of chaos tried to destroy it, the ocean of light purified it.

    Meanwhile, the powerful energy waves ejected by the explosion began to impact Venus, Mercury, and Earth. It was like veilsrge enough to make Earth look like a tiny ball and also throbbing with enough energy to tears down to their atoms.

    But, just then, the God of Steam and Machinery appeared in the earth''s atmosphere. He sighed exasperatedly before pulling a bronze scroll from his robes.

    He then threw it into the infinite space above. The bronze scroll was bathed in illusory light before transforming into an ethereal and colourless curtain adorned with esoteric symbols.

    The illusory curtain grew at an incredible rate, reaching three times the size of the Earth before being split into three separate curtains. One fell downward and nketed Earth, while the other two teleported to Venus and Mercury andpletely shrouded them.

    The curtains shielded thes from the terrifying destructive wave; they trembled frequently, but they eventually made it through the turbulence and protected thes.

    The explosion subsided. The light faded, revealing a half-devastated abyss of chaos surrounded by numerous cracks in reality. The shadowy figure sat on the throne, seemingly unaffected by the previous sh. The eyes of shadowy figure were still filled with rage as he gazed at the sun god in his chariot.

    "Oh?" Eternal zing Sun raised his eyebrows in surprise. He sighed and shook his head. "It appears that one isn''t enough..."

    He suddenly grinned. "How about ten?"

    Ten spears of light appeared around the golden chariot, each surging with the power of a real star.

    The sight of the ten light spears seemed to startle the shadowy figure.

    "It seems it is still not enough.." Looking at the shadowy figure, Eternal zing Sun continued. "So, let''s make it 20!"

    The light spear multiplied to 20. They emitted a brilliant light that illuminated the entire sr system. The reality around the spears was melting away, like a candle in a fire.

    Finally, the shadowy figure trembled in his throne, his rage fading, reced by fear, primal fear.

    "Well" Eternal zing Sun chuckled. "That appears to be enough. Are you ready?"

    "Here ites."

    He raised his hand as the light spears turned and aimed at the shadowy figure in unison.

    "Aucuses!" A mighty voice thundered across the astral world. A phantom of a hanged man rose right before the swirling chaos.

    Sasrir, the True Creator!

    "Do you want war?" True Creator asked in a deep voice that echoed across the space, shaking it. His red eye was fixed on Eternal zing Sun in the sun chariot.

    Eternal zing Sun narrowed his gaze silently at the hanged man. He ultimately snorted and waved his hands at the light spears.

    The light spears dissipated into light particles as Eternal zing Sun left the battlefield, his chariot returning to Eternal Sun, effectively ending the conflict.

    "Continue, Solomon." True Creator spoke, his gaze still fixed on the vanishing golden chariot. "And never, ever try these foolish acts again."

    Solomon''s resurrection process continued under the protection of the True Creator.

    ___________________

    Pce of Eternity, Backlund.

    Eternal zing Sun and Earth Mother still stood before Trunsoest, who was forging the ring.

    "The twisted order is about to descend on the world." He finally said, retracting his gaze from the Astral World.

    The gods also turned their gaze away from the astral realm. Their expressions were heavy after peering at the phantom of the hanged man.

    A voice boomed from the sky, echoing across the material world.

    "My subjects, your ck Emperor has returned."

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 127: Justiciar

    Chapter 127: Justiciar

    Pce of Eternity, Backlund.

    "Your ck Emperor, my subjects, has returned." A voice from the sky rattled the royal pce.

    As he heard the ck Emperor''s voice, Trunsoest frowned on the royal throne.

    It made him reflect on his past.

    He was born into a noble family that swore allegiance to the ck Emperor. His ancestors followed the ck Emperor and were the first toy the groundwork for the empire.

    And, he came to stand for order after witnessing the chaos in the waning era. It was a difficult time. Life had no worth. People fall like flies all over the world.

    The sight of all the chaos and madness of that fading era shook him to his core. He was nothing more than a child at the time. And children should never experience something horrifying like that.

    However, reality was not always fair. This experience altered his life forever. It made him long for light, for a utopia free of chaos and suffering, and, finally, for order.

    His ambitions and goals propelled him through life. It enabled him to outperform his kinsman and eventually drew the attention of the ck Emperor himself.

    His Majesty appeared to have noticed his ''extraordinaires'' from others. The emperor summoned him and, to his surprise, told him of his grand vision for a better future.

    He aspires to build an empire that unites the entire continent, thereby eradicating the chaos brought about by the cataclysm and restoring Order to the world.

    Trunsoest believed him without a doubt, as his heart was already overjoyed at finally finding someone who shared his dream. He didn''t even bother to think about it.

    Oh, how naive he was back then....

    Then he swore allegiance to ck Emperor in order for his dream toe true, at least in this way, and for him to be a part of it.

    In the end, his dream came true in its own way. Under the banner of the ck Emperor, thend was engulfed in peace and order.

    But it waspletely different from what he had expected. This was not an orderly utopia. The Empire was nothing more than a new incarnation of chaos.

    His realisation came toote. There was nothing he could do about it at the time.

    And his majesty was already a god of the ck Emperor pathway. He was also an angel on his majesty''s path.

    So, any resistance in his heart was immediately extinguished by him. The difference between a god and an angel was so vast that an angel was nothing more than an ant to a god.

    He didn''t give up hope, though. It was the only thing that kept him going during his darkest times. He clung desperately to hope, which was all he had left.

    He repeatedly tried to find a solution to the madness and chaos.

    Finally, the fates seemed to have taken mercy on him. His prayers and efforts were answered in the form of a silver-winged angel under the Eternal zing Sun. The angel, known as the angel of miracles, showed a new path, a path filled with genuine hope for his dream.

    At the time, he made a choice. He took the angel''s hands, and the rest was history.

    The memories shed through his mind as he finally condensed his order into a golden ring.

    The ring gleamed in the sunlight, revealing an engraving of his principle of causality on it.

    "Here." A solemn voice drew his gaze away from the ring and to the side. The Eternal zing Sun held out a potion filled with sizzling brass liquid. "Wear the ring and drink it. So, Trunsoest, your Order shall shroud thends in between."

    Trunsoest took a deep breath and raised his hand, catching the golden ring floating above his head. He then wore it on his ring finger.

    Finally, he took the potion and drank it in one gulp without hesitation.

    A vast divine aura erupted from him, sending a wave that swept the northern continent in a fraction of a second. His perceptions spread across the continent. In his eyes, there were no more mysteries or secrets. It was allid bare for him to see.

    Anarchy, War, Sun, Disorder...

    ''There is no order in this wretched world....'' He thought, raising his ring finger with a golden ring and pointing to the northern continent.

    The reality is his te, his finger is the pen, his blood is the ink, and his ring is the source.

    ''Then I shall bring it into being...'' He began.

    With his movements of hand, the invisible rules were written into the fabric of reality. Everyone felt it, from all-powerful gods to helpless mortals. Every word, every letter, every sentence, and everyw seemed to reverberate in their minds and souls.

    Just then, the disorder of Solomon descended on the world. It was like the serpent of chaos, Apophis, descended on the world in an attempt to return it to its primal state; chaos before creation.

    Trunsoest sensed the arrival of chaos as well. He didn''t even look up, just moving his hands in the direction of the chaos.

    The invisible rules acted, transforming into golden chains of order and binding the serpent of chaos on the northern continent''s shores, preventing it from spreading its cmity across the continent.

    Boom!

    The serpent of chaos thrashed in the chains, attempting to break them. It did seed in breaking some chains, but for every chain it broke, ten more chains appeared in its ce, holding it in ce.

    Meanwhile, he kept etching thews into the fabric of reality. His fingers were frayed, as he continued to use his blood as ink.

    As he wrote, thews were taking effort, judging the sources of chaos and anarchy in a thunderous manner. Trunsoest''s hands were slowly but steadily bringing the order into being.

    Hisws, however, were unable to extend their influence into the Tudor Empire as Alitsa was obstructing him by temporarily controlling reality around the Tudor Empire.

    Trunsoest was unconcerned about Alitsa and continued with his order. He also noticed the Golden Order in reality, but it was very weak and didn''t stop his order from influencing reality.

    Hisws were written directly into the deepestyer of reality. Even the Eternal zing Sun couldn''t tamper with his order.

    His empire was shrouded in order. There is no malice or favouritism. In his empire, the churches of the seven gods and angel families are equally bound by thew; if anyone vites it, they will be directly confronted with an attack from him, a god''s attack.

    His frayed finger made the final stoke a reality. The blood seeped into it, and the golden ring eventually faded.

    An invisible tremor erupted from his hand, shaking reality and sweeping his empire in an instant.

    His "Order" was established.

    A bnce scale and a piece of white cloth appeared in front of him. He took the white cloth and wrapped it around his eyes. Then he caught the bnce scale in his hand and held it high.

    The bnce scale emitted a terrifying shimmer of light that illuminated the entire world, as everything and everyone below gods and kings of angels came to a halt for a brief moment. The very order of reality itself also became visible before dissipating.

    The birth of the Justiciar!

    ____________________

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 Chapter 128: War

    Chapter 128: War

    On August 4, 1110, The Night Emperor ascended to the throne, establishing the Trunsoest empire. The ck Emperor was resurrected from the dead and re-established his fallen empire on the Northern Continent''s borders.

    The Trunoest and Tudor Empires controlled 5/6 of the northern continent, while the Solomon Empire controlled 1/6 of the continent.

    Another historic event urred that afternoon; the Underworld Emperor dered war on the Trunsoest and Tudor Empires, as well as the Churches of the Evernight Goddess, God of Combat, and Eternal zing Sun.

    Immediately following that, the ck Emperor dered war on the Tudor and Trunsoest empires.

    The ck Emperor allied with the True Creator, who brought his followers to the Solomon Empire to support what little was left after the churches of the seven gods nearly destroyed his servants.

    The once proud and arrogant emperor was forced to bow before the True Creator and plead for assistance. The Fallen Creator agreed, resuming their alliance.

    On August 5, 1110, the Blood Emperor ordered his angel families to join the war between the Church of the Eternal zing Sun and the other three churches, dering that he was defending his country from invasions by Heretic Churches. He also sent his person legions as support.

    The Jacob, Tamara and Amon families joined the war, sending trained beyonders to aid the troops of the Eternal zing Sun.

    Meanwhile, the Night Emperor remained silent about the Orthodox Churches'' disputes, while secretly preparing his legion for the uing battle with the Solomon Empire and Bayam Empire.

    The Underworld Emperor, on the other hand, had mobilised his entire undead army in preparation for a full invasion of the Northern Continent.

    The Churches of Evernight Goddess and God of Combat finally broke their long silence by dering war on the Bayam Empire together. Due to the threat posed by Death, they even managed to put aside their differences and band together under one banner.

    On August 6, 1110, the Churches of Lord of Storms, God of Knowledge, God of Steam, Eternal zing Sun, and Earth Mother were still concentrating all of their troops for the uing legendary war.

    By 1 p.m., the aid from the Tudor Empire had arrived and joined the march with the churches of the Eternal zing Sun and Earth Mother. The total number of beyonders surpassed 90,000, dwarfing the three-church alliance.

    The three-church alliance, on the other hand, received ''secret'' assistance from the church of Evernight Goddess, which helped to bnce the numbers on both sides.

    The armies of both alliances are expected to sh the following morning in the Callide Valley between Hornacis Mountains, beginning the war of four emperors.

    ___________________

    The light of dawn illuminated thend, signalling the end of the dreamy night. The smell of iron and blood, as well as the scorching heat of the zing fire, awoke the world.

    The final march of two armies of orthodox churches shook the entire continent.

    (Image here)

    Every man and woman in both armies could feel the impending doom.

    When they were young, they were told that Evil would be vanquished and that Good would prevail. In innocence, they believed that Good was enough.

    But no one ever told them this would hurt, that it would cost them thier lives. That there''d be no going back.

    No one ever told them about the War. The beautiful cmity. The tragic victory.

    It''s tectonic tes and midnight brawls. Laughter and lies  and somersaults.

    It''s a walk in the gardens of paradise, a lonely hikes down haunted highways.

    It''s a chuckle through a sneer and bravery through tears.

    This is the war. This great epic, unceasing drama slowly unfolding before their eyes.

    The trumpets were finally blown. The armies arrived in the vast Callide Valley, bringing their seven-day march to an end.

    The armies upied the valley like a ocean, troop by troop,pany bypany, huddled together with little fear noticeable in all of their eyes.

    (Image here)

    Then there was a deafening silence as the mighty armies of Orthodox Churches confronted each other. The air was thick with tension, and the re of sun was intensifying over the valley of death.

    The silence was suddenly broken. There was a long rolling of drums like thunder in the sky, followed by a braying of horns that shook the very hornacis mountains and stunned men''s ears. And then, with a resounding rumble in the ground, the armies of three churches split in the middle, and out of it came the angel of cmity, Izrial.

    He confidently rode alone on a ck horse to the armies of Churches of the Eternal zing Sun and Earth Mother.

    "I speak for the Lord of Storms." His voice rang out across the valley, his ck horse neighing in front of the armies of sun and earth.

    "Does anyone here have authority to speak with me?" He asked with scorn, his mocking gaze sweeping the sun and earth angels. "Or, indeed, with wit to understand me."

    "Mind thy tongue, barbarian." A beautiful woman with long green hair red at the Angel of Cmity.

    Helena, Angel of Life, serving under the Earth Mother.

    Helena rode out on her silver horse, the bow drawn at Izrial''s heart.

    They strived at each other, but soon, though Helena didn''t release her bowstring; Izrial quailed away and rode back as if menaced by the angel of life.

    All eyes turned to the Angel of Life in the valley, wide and curious. Then they realised. Helena''s arrow radiated the divine aura of the Earth Mother.

    Helena''s grip on the bowstring gradually loosened, causing the entire ground to tremble to its very foundations.

    "I am the herald of the Lord of Storms, and may not be assailed." Izrial cried out, noticing Helena.

    "Where such ancientws hold." Lucas Reyes- Angel of Light- spoke up, looking into the eyes of Izrial. "It''s also custom for the herald to be less insolent. But no one has threatened you. You don''t have to fear us until your errand is done. But, if you still insist on your foolish behaviour."

    He exchanges nces with Helena. The threat was clear for all to see.

    He continued, "So, state the terms, Angel of Cmity."

    Izrial red at them, enraged. Then he returned his attention to his armies. From his side, a woman in silver robes nodded at him. Her right eye shed with an illusory divine light.

    Evelyn, Angel of Arcane, serving under the God of Steam and Machinery.

    Izrial suddenly gained a lot of confidence. He smiled as he returned his attention to them. "These are the terms."

    He eyed the angels one by one. "The mob of the sun and its deluded allies shall withdraw at once beyond Trier, first unconditionally surrendering to the might of the storm; second, Trier shall be the storm''s forever more; third, the westnds of Trier to the Andal Mountains shall be tributary to the Steam."

    The terms were spoken loud and clear, for all to hear.

    A loudughter suddenly sounded, piercing the heavy atmosphere in the valley.

    ise Larson  Angel of Miracles  spoke up, his eyes gazing up at the ring sun. His voice thunders across the valley.

    "Izrial, the Sun, has never bowed to anyone, even if that one was the almighty creator himself."

    He looked at Izrial and spat mockingly. "Unlike the storm, who bends to the whims of the night ever so often."

    "So, take your terms and begone!"

    The herald of Strom smiled no more. His face twisted with amazement and his eyes widened in rage.

    "sphemer!" Izrial roared, drawing his lightning sword and charging at ise.

    His sudden attack was thest straw that broke the camel''s back. The delicate bnce was shattered.

    "Charge."

    The roars erupted across the Callide Valley. Blood sttered and fire red up. The mighty armies shed, blowing their war horns.

    The lightning cracked; the sun rose; illusory beams whizzed; sweat stung their eyes like tiny vipers, dripping down from their twisted faces.

    All around was a whirlwind of disorder and violence, a blur of colour and vicious motion.

    The parched, panting tongues collected the dust-choked air which intermixed with the bitterness of iron. Blood pounded in their ears, drumming to a ferocious beat inside the helmet.

    The sound was barely loud enough to drown out the cries of men and women, the shattered white tower, and the thunder that struck the world tree.

    Above the lower scent of sweat was the smell of all pervasive fear, carried aloft from shing bodies that howled amidst a sea of scarlet liquid which drained from friend and foe alike, to soak a once vibrant field of white flowers

    (Image here)

    This was a glorious tragedy. A beautiful cmity.

    This was war.

    ___________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

    ____________________

    A/N: This chapter is one of my favourites among many chapters that I written until now.....

 Chapter 129: Light and Darkness

    Chapter 129: Light and Darkness

    September 7th, 1110. Northern Continent, Unknown location.

    Twilight shone through the stained windows of a massive silver tower, illuminating arge room filled with rows and rows of bookshelves.

    The walls were stered with drawings of advanced technologies and structures far beyond the present era. A massive telescope was erected on a tform to the side of the room, and it extended out of the silver tower through an opened doom.

    At the centre of it all was a holographic projection of Earth made of pure information, uncovering the world''s tales and stories for a woman to record and witness.

    The woman was dressed in a long blue gown with a purple crown on her head. She looked up at the projection of Earth, holding a purple book in her hand.

    She was none other than the Angel of Wisdom, Diana Knight.

    Her face creased at the sight of the vtile fluctuations erupting from the Callide Valley, Northern continent. It dwarfed any other fluctuations erupting from other parts of the world, capable of destroying a continent. It would have if not for the authority of the Night Emperor shrouding the battlefield, preventing the chaos of war from spreading.

    It''s been a month since the war began. It is still going full throttle and shows no signs of slowing down. The fire and blood turned the valley into a war-torn hellscape.

    Diana raised her hand, pointing to the valley in world projection. Then she zoomed in; the projection expanded, the edges fading into obscurity, finally revealing a ruined valley.

    On the projection, she saw the war unfold in real time. The authority of order does, indeed, shroud the valley, but it does not prevent prying. So, she can gather information from the battlefield through her receiver and be instantly aware of the events of the war.

    Her purple eyes twinkled as she scanned the battlefield for Lucas.

    Her gaze was drawn to the sky, where a beam of consecrated light striking the weathered white tower, copsing it. A sun bird soared out of the ensuing explosion of light, letting out a triumphant cry.

    Diana sighed, her tense shoulders sagging, as the victory cry rang in her ears.

    ''Thank the sun, he won...'' she thought, a wave of relief washing over her. Her gaze then narrowed as she tightened her grip on the purple book, concentrating on the armies of the three churches.

    ''Calm down. It won''t help anyone.'' She told herself, her rage smothered.

    She can''t leave her tower unless the situation bes so dire that her presence in the war is required to turn the tides. ''Solitude'' is an important part of her uing apotheosis ritual.

    Still, the winds of war were not blowing in their favour. The church of the steam was introducing steam weapons into the war,pletely destabilising the conflict between low and mid-sequence beyonders. The hot weapons brought their troops to their knees, sting them to smithereens. It was a total disaster for their side.

    However, not all was lost; for the majority of the month, the war between high-sequence beyonders was at a standstill.

    And to break the stalemate, the three church alliance nned a collective siege, going all out against the sun and earth alliance.

    The angel of steam and knowledge used the artifacts bestowed upon them by the gods to repel most angels from the Tudor Empire and Church of Earth Mother.

    Meanwhile, all the remaining angels of storm and knowledge besieged the angel of the sun with all their might in a frontal assault. It was a battle to the death.

    Diana waspletely focused on the battle that beganst night. She even temporarily paused her analysis and deduction involving worldws in order to focus on the battlefield situation. After all, they are her family.

    To say the war situation is dire would be an understatement. They werepletely at a disadvantage from the start of the siege. Four angels of the sun vs seven angels of the Storm and Knowledge. The odds were already stacked against them.

    By the end of the battle, Madilyn Wright, Angel of Destiny, and Laius Wilson, Angel of Sun, were on theirst breaths from the assault from Thunder and White Tower, and others was also not far better.

    Diana had made the decision to descend, regardless of the consequences. But she stopped herself when she saw ise perform a miracle using all of the wishes he had collected over three centuries.

    He performed a true miracle by wishing for their enemies'' Godhood to fade away.

    The miracle immediately changed the tides of the battlefield. Madilyn and Laius were rescued by Earth Mother and Tudor Empire angels who escaped the hold and came to their aid.

    While this was going on, ise and Lucas yed the angels who were besieging them and won the battle.

    Diana took a deep breath and waved her hand at the projection after checking on Lucas and finding no problems. It turned back into Earth.

    The battle may have ended in victory, but the war is far from over. It could go on for years, until the gods themselves arrive on the battlefield for the final battle of gods. The current battle in the Callide Valley is merely a prelude for the main event.

    She finally concentrated on the purple book in her hand, pushing aside thoughts of the war of the gods.

    It was the hermit uniqueness. Her lord had already granted it to her after she had digested all of her knowledge emperor potions.

    And she had begun her preparations for the apotheosis ritual, which is to create a new w'' and sessfully integrate it with the ''world.''

    Given the essence of her world, it was one of the most difficult apotheosis rituals.

    To it put into perceptive, the world in her eyes is like a huge machine. The gods'' authorities are the parts that keep it all together and prevent it from copsing on itself.

    The power source for the machine is the "Sun". The hyperlink that connects the parts of machines represented by "Door". The information is represented by "Hermit". The heart of machine is "Paragon" The incarnation of problems or mistakes is "Error". The list goes on and on.

    As a knowledge Emperor, this is how she truly sees the world. So, if she wants to be the hermit, she must let the machine ept her ''Law.'' This is the most challenging part.

    The ''Machine'' is far tooplex and intricate in and of itself. As a result, it will immediately reject anyws that are even remotely ipatible with itself. So, it is nearly impossible to derive a ''Law'' that ispatible with the ''Machine.''

    This, however, was not enough to deter her. The expectations and sacrifices on her path are too great for her to turn back now. This is also her lifelong dream.

    Diana finally sighed, feeling the weight on her shoulders. She walked towards the table at the far end of the room. She was returning to her work, analysing and deriving global ''Laws.''

    She came to a halt and looked to her side. The fabric of reality began to shimmer as a flood of information rushed towards her.

    Diana raised her hand and epted it with a sombre expression. The fact that the information appeared in front of her, bypassing the restrictions and defences of her tower, indicated that it involved the Gods themselves.

    Her pupils dted. "Edward"

    "It can''t be.." Diana dashed towards the window, her heart torn by searing pain.

    She gazed out the window at the sky.

    The setting sun in the twilight sky turned white, emitting a scorching re that illuminated half of the entire sky.

    A crimson moon rose from the horizon like a scene from the apocalypse. The thick darkness erupted with the crimson moon, heading towards the pure light, heralding the arrival of night.

    The light and darkness shimmered in the sky, revealing the Eternal zing Sun and the Evernight Goddess, who charged at each other with their fabled sun spear and night scythe.

    "No.." Diana muttered incoherently, tears welling up in her eyes.

    However, before she could process it all, the light and darkness collided.

    Boom!

    A ze of illusory light erupted, flooding her vision and forcing her to close her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks.....

    ____________________

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 Chapter 130: Death

    Chapter 130: Death

    10 minutes Earlier, Amantha Mountains, Northern Continent.

    Evernight Goddess, they call her. Her origins are unknown, as are her intentions. Her true name was lost in the fables of history, only to be remembered by the godly beings who stand with her above all.

    However, no one can deny her power. Her arrival had caused the heavens themselves to tremble. Her action, though rare, shook the illusory river of fate, sending impacting waves that alerted fates in untold numbers everytime.

    She rules the night. She is mankind''s first darkness. She is also moonrise and midnight. She is a primal being, more eternal than eternity itself.

    The darkness, on the other hand, was never without its own untold secrets. A terrifying legend, fabled from the truth, told of a woman who was strikingly simr to the night, walking out of the mountains of corpses holding a dark styx drenched in the blood of her own kinsman, her lips adorning a gentle smile throughout the act. It was as though she was carrying out an act of kindness rather than vengeance.

    The woman went on to be known as the Bane of Demonic Wolves, the True Empress of Horror who conquered the Darkness as her own Crown.

    The night goes by many titles and names, but at the end of times, she will always remain as a survivor from the forgotten times.

    For, she was Amanises, the Ruler of Tenebrous Heaven; the obscure realm of Eternal Darkness.

    Her realm was always shrouded in darkness, hidden from all eyes, mortal or divine. It was the final resting ce for all who believed in her, where they found eternal peace in her arms.

    It had always been perpetually dark since its creation, as the sun had never graced the darknds of Tenebrous Heaven.

    But, the eternal night hase to an end, as the ''Concealment'' of kingdom was torn by the mighty hands of a god.

    A white sun invaded and emerged from the dark horizon, signifying the wrath of the Eternal zing Sun.

    The white sun emitted blinding beams of light that smote down on the darkness, shattering it in the most viscous way. The divine kingdom was filled with brilliant light, copsing and purging it all in an ocean of light.

    The entire tenebrous heaven began to crumble into void under the assault of the sun.

    The dark mountains, pces, and even the crimson moon began copsing in order with the crumbling divine kingdom. It was alling to an end under the wrath of the Eternal sun.

    But just then, Amanises emerged from the ruins of the dark caste, unaffected by the beams of light. She looked indifferently at the rising Eternal Sun and the chaos it had wrought in her kingdom in a fraction of a second.

    She then waved her hand. A flood of darkness erupted from her. It was akin to a dark beast of judgement, reaching the bright sky and swallowing the Eternal Sun, extinguishing every ounce of light within the crumbling divine kingdom.

    Amanises then swept her gaze over the ruins, causing it all to fade into eternal darkness, leaving only her floating in the eternal void.

    She raised her hand and reached into the dark ocean above her to retrieve her night scythe.

    Her form transformed with a shimmer. Her torso and waist grew a pair of massive arms covered in dark hair.

    A crimson moon and an invisible fog also descended into her massive arms from the void.

    She held it all together, gazing ahead into the darkness, piercing into the outside world, to the Eternal Sun in the sky.

    "Aucuses.." She spoke, her voice low, almost a whisper. The darkness grew thicker around her, surging and thrashing against itself in a frantic manner.

    ________________________

    Present.

    The sun and moon rose from the horizons, heading for each other with all their might, sounding the symphony of cmity across the sky and earth.

    The gods, who had been focusing their gazes on the battle in Callide Valley, were taken aback by the sudden celestial phenomenon.

    The war came to a halt as the beyonders gazed at the sun and moon in the sky, their eyes gradually filling with hopelessness and despair.

    It was a cataclysmic sight. The sun''s scorching rays and the crimson moon''s ethereal light were unleashed on the world with no restraint. It was charging towards them with the intent of wreaking total carnage.

    Regardless of their sequences, they felt so insignificant in the face of theing cataclysmic force. Many dropped their weapons and knelt on the ground,ughing and crying as they spread their arms at the sun and moon veils.

    Lucas, ise, Laius, and Madilyn stood together in the ruined ground, their armour tattered and their swords rusted.

    "What just happened...?" Laius wondered aloud, his face illuminated by the sun.

    "Something terrible for sure..." Lucas replied, his voice low and his gaze fixed on the crimson moon.

    "The sun..." Madilyn asked, her voice quivering. Laius turned to face the white sun with her. The scorching rays of the sun were like veils covering the sky and descending on them. They were too small, almost a speck of dust inparison to the size of veil.

    "The sun never harms his own..." ise reassured them. They looked at the sky, as the sun and moon were closing in on each other ever so close.

    In the sky, Eternal zing Sun and Evernight Goddess charged at each other with their fabled sun spear and night scythe.

    The sun and moon. The light and the darkness. The day and night. These primordial forces were at odds, bending to the will of their rulers.

    Boom!

    They finally collided in the sky, causing an illusory light to erupt, illuminating the majority of the world.

    The light vanished as quickly as it appeared, with no visible damage anywhere in the world. The sun and moon were still adorning the sky, only inches apart.

    It looked as though a mighty force intervened and stopped the collision of the celestial bodies.

    In the silver tower, Diana opened her teary eyes, gazing at the situation in the sky.

    "Stop this madness!" Earth Mother yelled, standing between Evernight Goddess and Eternal zing Sun. Her glowing hands rose up at them, holding them down with the might of the entire earth.

    Evernight Goddess finally put her scythe away and floated high in the sky, gazing at the Eternal zing Sun.

    Eternal zing Sun, on the other hand, waved his spear, breaking the earthly authority that had bound him. He then lunged at the Goddess of the Night, his spear aimed at her heart.

    Evernight Goddess stood there with her hand folded against her chest, indifferent.

    "Stop, Aucuses." Earth Mother embraced the sun god from behind, halting his attack.

    Eternal zing Sun appeared to have finally calmed down. Even so, he continued to point his spear at the Evernight Goddess.

    "I assumed you, for one, would understand the significance of rtionships and promises. Yet, how terribly wrong I was," He seethed. "You''re just a cold-hearted bitch who cares about nothing but your own pathetic excuse of self!"

    Evernight Goddess continued to stare at him indifferently, seemingly unphased by his insults. Earth Mother, on the other hand, looked at her love with wide, sluggish eyes.

    "Mark my words, bitch." Eternal zing Sun spat. "I''ll make sure you feel every ounce of the pain he felt in his final moments. Then I will throw you to Antigonus. I will see to it that he feasts on you to thest of your bits."

    He took Earth Mother''s hands in his, their figures glinting in the light and fading away from the sky.

    Eternal zing Sun finally looked Evernight Goddess in the eyes.

    "I should never have trusted you." His low voice lingered in the air as he and Earth Mother vanished in a light sh.

    For a few moments, Evernight Goddess floated in the air, her indifferent gaze fixed on the fading light. Then she, too, vanished from the sky in a sh of moonlight.

    Diana finally averted her gaze from the sky, wiping away her tears.

    Edward had died. The blessing he received from the Evernight Goddess was abruptly withdrawn by her, causing his situation to deteriorate beyond any hope of recovery. Her lord was ultimately forced to y Edward himself, as all hope had been lost.

    She moved towards the table at the far end of the room, which held a blue sword.

    Diana wielded the handle with great force. Her outfit changed on its own, revealing a ck fit armour stained with blood sshes.

    Then she dashed towards the tower''s exit, her face emotionless, her eyes dull.

    Her figure broke into a flurry of information, surging towards Hornacis Mountain like a tsunami, leaving death and destruction in her wake... .

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

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 Chapter 131: Defeat

    Chapter 131: Defeat

    7 September, 1110. A day that will live on in the annals of time. The sun and moon shed, almost destroying the world.

    The battle between the Eternal zing Sun and the Evernight Goddess nearly erupted in the sky above the world, only to be stopped in the final moments by Earth Mother, saving the world from the wrath of the sun and moon.

    The sudden war of gods was unknown to the men. They were aware, however, that the entire tense situation on the northern continent had just escted a whole new level.

    The gods, on the other hand, learned about the cause of the war immediately afterwards, through their authorities. The enemies of the sun god rejoiced at the news, as they now have the Goddess of Night on their side.

    Evernight Goddess remained silent about her position at the start of the war, despite the fact that she was already leaning towards the Lord of Storms, God of Knowledge, and God of Steam. She even secretly sent assistance to their armies.

    The Evernight Goddess had finally chosen her side in the uing war by withdrawing her blessing from Edward. It was a deration of war.

    8 September, 1110. The Church of Evernight Goddess officially entered the war, immediately sending half of their troops to the battlefield in Callide Valley, under the divine miracle of night.

    Immediately following that, the Church of God of Combat dered war on the Church of Evernight Goddess, breaking their short-term alliance. They sided with the Church of Eternal zing Sun.

    These abrupt changes have swept the globe, putting an end to other conflicts and drawing the attention of all the gods to the war between the Seven Orthodox Churches.

    The True Creator also sided with the alliance of four churches in the war. Everyone seemed to have managed to put aside their differences in order to deal with Eternal zing Sun. They were like hawks, searching for the Eternal Sun''s Achilles heel in order to bring him down once and for all.

    ______________________

    Callide Valley, Hornacis Mountain.

    The scorching rays of the sun glinted indifferently across the hellscape, illuminating the red valley dotted with mountains of corpses.

    The horns of war continued to blow, sounding a symphony of cmity for all ears.

    The tropes collided, staining thend in blood and fire. Through their tears, the men and women faced each other with valour. They fought day and night until that was all that remained in their minds.

    Some fought for their life, others for their dream, for hope, for faith, for love, for honour...

    At the end of the day, it didn''t really matter what they fought for, just like their own lives. It was a cruel and harsh truth.

    And now, everything ising to an end at the hands of a descending angel. They raised their heads in unison, gazing at the sky, which had been ripped apart by a mighty roar. A crimson light erupted from the cracks and descended on them.

    It ripped their bodies apart, causing them to disintegrate into falling ashes in a fraction of a second. There were no screams or shouts. They just faded into thin air. Forgotten and buried, swept away by the tides of time, never ever to be remembered again....

    ___________________

    Destruction had descended on the callide valley in the form of Diana, Angel of Wisdom. She brought utter annihtion to the troops of Night and Storms by just descending on the battlefield.

    Dust and smoke filled the air, covering nearly the entire battlefield. Diana emerged from it, dressed in ck amour and wielding a crimson spear in her right hand.

    The spear was emitting light steaks that were shattering reality. It radiated a destructive aura, as if it could harm a true deity.

    The Spear of Longinus!

    The mere appearance of Diana put enormous pressure on everyone, as cries of pain and terror erupted across the battlefield.

    Diana took a step forward, her face emotionless, her eyes indifferent.

    She dashed towards the sea of troops, sonic waves spreading around her, clearing the smoke and dust from the battlefield.

    The angels of four churches descended on her path and brazed themselves for flight, duty and faith triumphing over despair.

    They attacked her with all they had; colossal thunder cracked; a white tower rose; a tsunami of darkness surged; an illusory beam whizzed.

    It was in vain, however, as a swung of her crimson spear destroyed their attacks and killed two of them in a fraction of a second.

    Diana rushed towards them, her spear raised high into the sky, her eyes dull and indifferent.

    The angels refused to give up hope. They bravely raised their weapons and dashed towards the angel of destruction.

    At the tip of the spear, a ze of crimson light gathered, emitting a cataclysmic aura. Diana aimed her spear at them as the light intensified, almost illuminating the entire callide valley.

    "Stop" Through the disorder and chaos came an indifferent voice. Silver light beams shone down from the dark sky, forming an illusory stacked feathers in front of Diana.

    A figure with long silver hair appeared beneath the enveloping feathers, holding an inverted dark cross.

    Ouroboros, Angel of Fate!

    Ouroboros'' gaze was fixed on Diana as he waved his hand at the angels of gods, directing them away from here.

    "By entering the battlefield, you have vited numerous unspokenws." Indifferently, he stated. "Leave immediately. Or face the wrath of the gods."

    Diana''s dull eyes finally seemed to shine with a dim light, her lips forming a tragic smile.

    "Ouroboros" She said this while pointing her spear at him. "I honestly couldn''t care less."

    Diana charged with all her might at the angel of fate, aiming for his heart.

    "Aucuses won''t be here to save you this time." Ouroboros said, pointing the inverted cross at Diana, who was charging. "It was I who prophesied your rise, Diana Knight. Then, I shall also be the one who breaks that fate."

    The Angel of Wisdom and the Angel of Fate shed. A crimson light and a shadowy ocean of filth erupted, drowning each other within.

    ______________________

    The war between the kings of angels continued without affecting the rest of the Callide valley, as the authority of the night emperor shrouded that battlefield.

    Meanwhile, the situation on the main battlefield had deteriorated. A pincer movement was formed by the armies of Steam, Night, Knowledge and Storm. They pierced the Sun, Earth, Twilight, and the Blood Emperor''s troops in the middle like an arrow.

    Then, they charged with all their might towards the other end of the valley in one final charge.

    The angels who managed to escape from the graph of the Angel of Wisdom led the charge, their face brimming with anticipation for the victory.

    Obviously, there was some impediment. The sun, earth, and twilight angels stood in their way. Bruised and battered. Their gaze, on the other hand, remained unwavering.

    It was supposed to be a brutal battle. A fight for life and death. However, as the saying goes, things don''t always go as nned.

    Ariana, Angel of Concealment, raised her hand, which held a bright star emblem.

    Then she muttered silently.

    "I pray for the silence."

    The emblem emitted a terrifying divine aura that swept across the battlefield, silencing the godhood of all high-sequence beyonders, enemies and allies alike.

    They shed in the absence of their godhood. Many people attempted to break the silence, but their efforts were ultimately futile.

    The angels of four churches finally dashed through the valley''s end, breaking the siege of the other three churches'' angels by overwhelming them with sheer numbers.

    They clinched the final victory, securing their armies'' passage to Trier.

    "We willy siege to Trier tomorrow," Ariana dered, pointing her bone sword at the sky.

    "The city of sun shall fall under ourbined might."

    ____________________

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 Chapter 132: Siege

    Chapter 132: Siege

    September 9, 1110. The troops of the four churches breached the Callie Valley, securing their path to Trier, the City of the Sun.

    Under the divine miracle of the sun, the forces of the sun and its allies were forced to retreat from the valley to the city of Trier.

    The church of steam began carpet bombing using steam nes that blitzed through the skies of the Tudor Empire, unhindered due to the God of the Sky''s protection.

    The sudden untied assault nearly razed major cities and towns around the city of sun to the ground, while armies of four churches began to march towards Trier, bringing destruction and death.

    Meanwhile, the battle between Diana and Ouroboros ended in a tie, with neither side having the upper hand. They were alsopelled to retreat to their sides. They did not, however, leave the battlefield, but instead joined the war.

    Diana Knight tookmand of her side after gaining the approval of the sun, earth, and twilight. While Ouroboros remained at war solely to restrain Diana.

    September 10, 1110. Under Diana''s leadership, drastic actions and measures were implemented in the armies.

    The defences were constructed from the Sun City to the Andal Mountains, a massive wall built from pure information. It was quite long, nearly 100 kilometres in length. And, it was erected in one go by Diana Knight using the hermit uniqueness.

    Diana then performed a literal miracle by visualising a Nobel Phantasm of Gilgamesh - King''s signal cannon, from a tale she heard from her lord. She fortified the walls with the golden cannons, connecting them to the Sun City. All of this, however, eventually drained her and forced her to temporary slumber.

    September 11th, 1110. The armies of four churches finally arrived at Trier''s massive walls, and the long siege began...

    ____________________

    31 November, 1100. Trier, Tudor Empire.

    ise Larson stood atop the weathered and cracked bell tower, looking down at the hellscape, which was drenched in blood and fire. The air smelled strongly of anxiety and fear.

    The golden cannons on his sides continued to fire golden beams of energy, heading for their enemies. However, it was obstructed by illusory curtains woven with esoteric symbols that shrouded their adversaries.

    The sky was filled with dark and white clouds, with asional lightning and light shes. From the other side, there were also continuous attacks on the colossal walls. Some collided with the wall, while others were obstructed by dimming protectiveyer.

    ise looked at it all with dull eyes while manipting his marites to gain information from the other side. However, his efforts were not always fruitful. The angels of knowledge have far too keen eyes for any slight anomaly.

    But he didn''t give up, creating new and strange marites to get around their perception.

    A few seconds passed, then ise suddenly found his threads were cut off by a dark force. His connection with all of his marites disappeared.

    ''Again...'' ise sighed, dropping his hand. Then, he turned to look at the deste city of sun, his eyes shing with past memories. His expression was sombre.

    Edward died. It was a huge blow for all of them. The news came out of nowhere, unexpected and disturbing. It changed not only them, but the entire world.

    ise didn''t notice that until the war situation had devolved beyond hope. The realisation made him surreal.

    A choice of a god. It alone shifted the tide of history.

    The Evernight Goddess joined forces with their enemies. She made a choice, and it was resounding. It brought down their friend, hope, and dream.

    It was also the straw that broke the camel''s back. The seven orthodox churches were at full war. This began to affect the entire world, as most of other conflicts have seized. All of the gods are now concentrating solely on the situation and preparing for war with the sun god.

    The Eternal zing Sun. ise has not seen his lord since Edward''s death. Nheless, his lord still answers his prayers, asionally giving instructions. Their lord should also be preparing for the war of the gods.

    Though, he can clearly feel it. His lord must have been deeply affected by Edward''s death. It was actually quite clear to all those with keen eyes. For the past two months, the eternal sun has been dimmer than ever.

    ise can somewhat guess the intention behind the action of the Evernight Goddess.

    Edward, like the rest of them, was more than just an angel under the Eternal zing Sun; he was also an important anchor for their lord. And now he''s died, in by their lord.

    This alone would be enough to shake the Lord''s anchors. By withdrawing her blessing, the Evernight Goddess truly struck their lord''s archie''s hell at a critical moment.

    ise sighed, his eyes still dull. There was nothing he could do about their lord''s situation except pray and hope for a miracle.

    ''Oh, the irony...'' thought the miracle invoker, his gaze darting to the sky. An explosion of light and darkness rattled the walls. Two blurry figures collided in the divided sky, sweeping the clouds away.

    It was Lucas who was fighting Ariana for 32nd time in thest two months. Lucas was hell-bent on destroying the Church of Evernight. His insanity, rage, and despair were obvious to all.

    ise can understand Lucas''s anger and madness so clearly, as he also feels it in his heart, more than even Lucas.

    However, he restrained himself. He cannot let himself fall. He needed to stay sensible, as he was always the rational one. He needs to be there for them when everythinges crashing down.

    ''Like as if it is not already..'' ise shook his head, shaking off the negative thoughts. His gaze finally drawing towards the war.

    Diana and Ouroboros. They were still restraining each other in the war while also overseeing it.

    Though, in terms of actual war, they were still holding fast to Diana''s defence. The winds of war were not in anyone''s favour. However, the church of steam was deploying many of their new inventions at them in an attempt to break a deadlock.

    ise even saw a massive metal puppet. The angels of steam, on the other hand, dubbed it Gundam. To put it mildly, it was terrifying. They only won by fully activating the king''s signal cannon. Nheless, their losses were astronomical.

    To be honest, the war between the churches didn''t really matter anymore.

    ise could now actually feel it in the air. The faint sense of calm and serenity in the background of disorder and chaos. The type that existed prior to the arrival of the cataclysmic storm.

    He witnessed their people''s dwindling hope. Their hearts were gradually consumed by the darkness of despair. Their bright eyes are gradually losing their radiance in the face of the unchanging war. The armies led by the storm and night conquered theirnds.

    Everything was gradually falling apart. The world was turning grey, with not a speck of light in sight.

    ''They did it...'' ise suddenly realised, his perception bing clearer than ever. ''They actually did it...''

    There was a rumbling in the substratum of reality. It was faint and distorted, but he could hear it clearly. The resounding rumble caused his heart to quiver and his bones to rattle.

    "No." He muttered in agony.

    The anchors of their lord were shaking!

    Rumble!

    The rumbling became increasingly loud, forcing him to his knees in an instant. The ground beneath his feet was also trembling, as if the rumble had begun to affect reality itself.

    Ignoring the searing pain, ise looked up at the sky. His blurry gaze witnessed the rise of a colossal tree, only to be immediately followed by a gigantic white tower.

    The war of the gods has begun!

    ____________________

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 Chapter 133: The Beginning of the End

    Chapter 133: The Beginning of the End

    Leodero, the Lord of Storms, mounted his horse and rode towards Trier, heralding the tempest in the brightest sky. The continents were cracking and the oceans were surging in his path.

    The eternal sun in the sky was dim. Its light is weaker than ever. The god of the sky could feel it, and the anchors of his sworn brother were quivering. It was all slowly but surely copsing on itself, sounding the symphony of Aucuses'' demise. It was heavenly to his ears. His oceanic blue eyes glinted with excitement.

    Humanity. It was the catalyst for the demise of the Aucuses. Despite wielding such great power and authority, he spent the majority of it on his insignificant and puny angels.

    Why did he do that? Leodero reflected. Compassion? Kindness?

    It was ridiculous. Gods should not have such feelings for their angels. They are, above all, divine beings. Angels are nothing more than ants that should crawl under their feet, expressing only the utmost obedience and loyalty.

    However, Aucuses appeared to think otherwise. He looks after his angels as if they were members of his ''Family.''

    That thought disgusted Leodero. A bolt of lightning struck the sky, illuminating his path and striking down on the ocean. It set off a wave that reached the stormy sky, rolling towards the southern continent.

    Time really changes everything. Aucuses, the white angel, changed to ''this''. It truly astounded him to see the once indifferent and proud white angel transform into this frail being.

    And, indeed, at the start of the united empire, his power dwarfed even that of Sasrir, True Creator. To put it mildly, his rise was meteoric.

    But, in the end, what difference does it make? Here Aucuses was, weak and frail. His anchors were trembling. His strength was fading. And ironically, it was his own actions that brought about his fall.

    He had the Hermit Uniqueness. And it could have easily swayed Artisan''s position to join his side in this war.

    Despite knowing this, Aucuses granted it to a puny woman under him. And all he got out of it was Artisan''s hatred. Nothing more and nothing less.

    Then, he invaded the Southern Continent so brazenly for another one of his angels. Yet again, he gained nothing from it, other than the offending mad Salinger. As for the uniqueness of Chained, it was actually more of a threat than an asset.

    Aucuses'' actions were utterly ludicrous. For his angels, he consciously made the worst possible choices. The consequences were nowing back to bite him in the back.

    The worst of the consequences was Amanises'' choice. In the beginning, she wasn''t explicitly leaning on either side. However, in the end, she made a logical decision, siding with them aftering to the realisation of the situation of Aucuses.

    It was truly satisfying to see his angry yet helpless expression after Amanises struck his archie''s hell.

    It was his humanity. It was truly his undoing....

    Leodero rode the ck horse and marched towards Trier. Avalon, the divine kingdom of Aucuses, to be specific.

    The war has already begun. The gods of both sides are about to face each other.

    Leodero is aware that there are still some unknown factors in the war.

    Sasrir. Cheek. Trunsoest.

    Their participation in the war is still in question. He is, however, fairly certain that Sasrir will not participate in the war of gods. It was just a gut feeling.

    Even if they do take part, it will have no effect on the main battlefield. He, Artisan, and Herabergan had made adequate preparations to prevent any interference in their main battlefield.

    This was a golden opportunity. Aucuses was in his most vulnerable state. Nobody wanted to blow this opportunity. They even put aside their differences just for this purpose.

    Today truly marks the end of the Eternal Sun.

    Now, Leodero wasn''t going to besiege Aucuses alone. After all, a wounded tiger is the most dangerous beast.

    And, the one who is joining him wasn''t actually Herabergan.

    It didn''t surprise him that much when the dragon said he didn''t want to fight on the main battlefield unless absolutely necessary.

    It was known fact that the dragon of betrayal was never one to take chances. He was far too cautious for his own good.

    This didn''t really matter to Leodero because he didn''t give a damn about their agreement. He had no intention of waiting for a "fair" fight with Herabergan. The sun''s uniqueness was his and his alone.

    However, Leodero could still understand Herabergan''s trepidation. Aucuses was a menacing opponent, whether weakened or not.

    However, he was not overly concerned. He will be triumphant in the end. It didn''t matter even if Aucuses had anyst cards up his sleeve.

    His absolute confidence was due to the one who is joining to besiege Aucuses.

    It was none other than...

    The stormy heavens were suddenly swept away in the middle, revealing a beautiful woman dressed in ayered ck gown with countless sparkling specks of radiance like the stars.

    Amanises, Evernight Goddess!

    "Aucuses is moving his divine kingdom to astral world above Trier." Amanises said ethereally.

    "I noticed.." Leodero said solemnly. "Let''s set off and y Aucuses. I have been waiting for this day for a long time, almost a life time, maybe."

    Amanises nodded silently. The darkness thickening around her and the crimson moon gleamed brightly behind her head.

    Then, they took off to the astral world, heralding the arrival of the night and storm across the material world.

    The Eternal Sun shall fall into the abyss of storm and darkness and be forever extinguished.

    __________________________

    In the bone cathedral, Amon looked at the divided sky, adjusting his monocle.

    "Who do you think will triumph, my zealot brother?" He asked, turning to face Adam, who was praying in front of a massive cross.

    Adam stood up from his genuflecting position and opened his eyes. He turned to face Amon.

    "Who do you believe?" He returned the question.

    For a split second, Amon looked up at the stormy sky through the window of the bone cathedral.

    "Aucuses." He eventually responded.

    Adam gently smiled, his gleaming eyes looking up at the astral world, witnessing all that was about to unfold....

    __________________

    In a realm filled with infinite light. Aucuses rested his head on Lilith''sp, eyes closed and arms crossed.

    "It is beginning." Lilith leaned in and whispered in his ear.

    Aucuses opened his dimmed eyes and said, caressing her cheek. "It is, indeed. The beginning of the end."

    "I''ll hold Herabergan off." Lilith said. Aucuses smiled and rose to his feet with Lilith.

    He nodded and continued asking, holding her hands. "Do you not wish to say or ask anything? We made a promise to each other. And I am willing to answer any question."

    "No" Lilith smiled, pressing her finger against his lips. "I already understand..."

    She tightened her hold on his hands, lighting kissing him on his lips. "I will be there in the ramen shop after the war. Now go, Aucuses. The time is neigh"

    Aucuses beamingly smiled. A golden me erupted and shrouded his figure, burning his casual clothing to ashes and revealing white armour with golden, glinting streaks beneath. His iris became vertical, gleaming brightly in the golden light.

    "Wait for me.." Aucuses kissed her lips passionately before turning back and walking into the infinite expanse of light.

    Lilith stood there in silence, her firm gaze fixed on the disappearing figure of Aucuses, watching him leave for the war....

    ____________________

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 Chapter 134: Earth, Twilight and Demonsess

    Chapter 134: Earth, Twilight and Demonsess

    Earth.

    Masin. City of Knowledge. It was a holy city for those seeking knowledge and the truth. It was filled with towers that burned like diamonds in the darkness of night.

    The city was shrouded in a fabled legend. It was said that the god of knowledge and wisdom frequently strolls through the streets, holding his mysterious book of knowledge, and those who can find him in the bustling city will be given the opportunity to ask God himself a question.

    This alone drew people from all over the world to Masin, filling the streets with hope and dreams. The city was a beacon of wisdom, shining its light on the world.

    However, the beacon began to dim as the light was extinguished by a powerful force of earth.

    The trees and nts began to sprout throughout thends of masin, cracking the ground and quickly growing to the height of a person.

    The towers, pces, and buildings began to copse one after the other as the whole city began to shake to its very foundations.

    Some of the trees were wildly absorbing nutrients from unknown sources in other ces. They rose one by one, eventually reaching heights of tens of metres. The leaves were like umbres, and the branches were thick.

    The trees, which were a symbol of life, ironically reaped the lives of countless lives with their advent.

    These massive trees were linked together and covered the entire sky of Masin.

    The city of knowledge had turned into a primeval forest in an instant, razing the holynd to the ground within a few moments.

    Out of it rose a gigantic luminescent tree, dwarfing everything. Its branches reached the horizon, and its roots prated the core. It was as though the tree was trying to epass the entire earth in its embrace.

    Immediately following that, an illusory white tower appeared. Every level was made up of thick books. Each book had a brass eye on it. The higher one went, the darker it got. It was filled with the aura of insanity, destruction, inauspiciousness, and disaster.

    It extended into the sky, as though it epassed the entire world within itself, including the colossal tree.

    On the Earth, the Earth Mother fought against the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

    _______________________

    The boundless oceans.

    The surging and restless waves of the blue oceans suddenly calmed as a haunting silence shrouded the boundless ocean. It was as though they had been silenced by a mighty force.

    Then it appeared, rising from the depths of the blue ocean and dyeing it ck. It was a bronze gate that pierced right into the end of the material world.

    The gate swung open, breaking the silence with a surge of still darkness, like a beast liberated from its rusted chain.

    With it, a structure appeared in the material world, dimming the eternal sun in the astral world just by its presence.

    The structure was an inverted pyramid with infiniteyers stacked on top of each other, swirling into the thick and still darkness.

    The twisted and broken figures of countless beings morphed across the structure. Their mouths were open, tearing apart their cheeks, and they shrieked a bloodcurdling screamced with pure terror and fear.

    It was known by many names along the long river of time: Avenues, Tartarus, Hades, Genneha...

    It was an inferno of pain and me and ice, where every nightmare had long sincee true.

    In this era of gods, they call it the Underworld.

    The gates of the underworld had swung open, releasing darkness, a thick and still darkness that soared toward the Eternal Sun in the high heavens, as if it wanted to devour it.

    But something obstructed its path; a kingdom that arose from the end of time. It was adorned with countless pces, towers, and fortified walls.

    Throughout the kingdom, there were numerous eye-catching murals depicting giants and dragons battling demonic wolves, mutants, devils, and phoenixes. The drawing was rough yet vivid.

    The kingdom was perpetually enveloped in twilight. It was grand, magnificent, otherworldly, and something that would only appear in the fables and legends of history.

    It was the Twilight Kingdom.

    The Underworld and the Twilight Kingdom shed in the boundless oceans. Still Darkness and Waning Twilight submerging both of the divine kingdoms.

    In the boundless oceans, the God of Combat fought against Death, the Eternal Sleeper.

    ____________________

    Infinite Sky.

    St. Millon. It was a magnificent city built on the riverbank. It was a city with narrow avenues and long bridges. The sky towers stood in the centre, surrounded by thousands of houses. The towers were graced with a twilight-bathed sword emblem at the top.

    Even during wartime, it was filled with the vibrancy of life and the resolution of twilight. It was a city that was both beautiful and contradictory.

    The Andes mountain range, which ran from St. Millon all the way through the entire Trunsoest empire, suddenly quaked to its core. Something was awakening, and it was transforming the essence of the mountain into a...

    Boom!

    The peaks of mountains exploded, spewingva and charcoal into the sky. The rumbling echoed all over the world. It was so loud that the sky appeared to fall down and kiss the war-torn earth.

    The gargantuan explosion ensued, resulting in a eruption of rocks and magma erupting from the mountain into the atmosphere.

    The continents rumbled, as a massive shockwave ripped through the beautiful city of twilight, obliterating buildings in a matter of seconds and submerging thousands of people who were still oblivious, thus instantly ending their lives without any pain or suffering.

    A dreary and disastrous streak of crimson fire erupted from the volcanos, streaming towards the dimming Eternal Sun in the high heavens.

    Suddenly, the entire Ander volcanic-mountain range copsed, unleashing a volcandslide filled with scorching magma, rocks, dust, and smoke onto the Trunsoest Empire. It reached from the ground to the sky, consuming everything in its pits of infernal hell.

    It looked as though the apocalypse had dawned early on the world.

    At the same time, ck python-like tentacles extended out from somewhere in the material world.

    There was an eye at the end of each tentacle, either open or closed. Any object seen by them would instantly turned into a greyish-white rock. And, anything that touched the tentacle distorted as limbs and heads stretched out, turning into a good-looking woman of all sizes.

    The tentacles surged towards the disastrous steak of crimson fire as the greyish-white spread quickly, destroying all matter with them.

    They collided with a cataclysmic aura, splintering the sky into broken shards and delivering the symphony of the end.

    In the infinite sky, the Primordial Demoness fought against the Blood Emperor.

    ____________________

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 Chapter 135: Steam and Order

    Chapter 135: Steam and Order

    In the Astral World, which was ever more abstract than the spirit world, epassing all of the authorities and symbols of the cosmos, there was a floating continent.

    The continent was enormous. It was covered in evergreen green all the way up to its oceanic blue crown. It was vibrant, teeming with life.

    There was a city in the middle. Even by the standards of the new era, it was a strange city. There were skyscrapers, cathedrals, and steel and gear structures that creaked in unison with the rest of the continent, resounding across the kingdom. As they went about their daily lives in the city, the residents showed no surprise. It was as if the rhythm was just like the gong of a clock to them.

    A massive bronze tower floated in the sky, surrounded by numerous smaller silver towers. It was, however, more towering and majestic than any other, befitting its owner, the Lord of Machinery.

    The God of Steam and Machinery peered out the window of his bronze tower, his hands sped behind his back. His piercing gaze was fixed on the setting sun at the centre of the sr system.

    "Begin." he said. His divine kingdom rumbled as massive metal doors opened in front of the floating continent, revealing a massiveser lens woven with innumerable esoteric symbols.

    In the machine control, the cardinals hurriedly gave it all a final check. The engine condition, protectiveyer, the defence mechanism, the radar, and finally theser, which is powered by the estoric authorities of the God of Steam.

    After the confirmation, they all looked at the silver button in the centre of the machine control with bated breath.

    Evelyn, the Angel of Arcane, eventually emerged from the crowd. She took a step closer to the button. She took a deep breath and mmed it with her palm, using all of her might.

    Hum!

    Countless beams of illusory and colourless light erupted from the floating continent before converging on the centre of theser lens. It morphed into a fluorescent orb, surging with immense power.

    "Fire." The God of Steam and Machinery ordered coldly.

    Boom!

    The orb ejected a blinding beam of illusory light aimed at the Eternal Sun at the centre of the sr system, disintegrating reality in its path.

    The beam of light hurled towards the golden sun, carrying the mighty power to destroy an entire star system.

    At the same time, in the Pce of Eternity, the Night Emperor stood on the balcony, gazing at the bright sky, where an illusory beam was heading towards the sun.

    His finger rubbed his golden ring, the engraved letters gleaming in ethereal light.

    His authority shrouded the earth, sky, and ocean, preventing the chaos of the war from affecting the rest of the world. Despite this, there was still a lot of unfortunate destruction all over the world.

    He did nothing about it. This was war. Death and disaster were unavoidable.

    His eyes finally narrowed at the blinding light, and he removed the golden ring from his finger.

    Then he threw the golden ring into the astral world, aiming for the Eternal Sun.

    The golden ring grew in size as it ascended to the astral world. It had almost dwarfed the entire Earth by the time it left the and shot towards the Eternal Sun, even faster than the illusory beam, and it showed no signs of slowing down.

    By the time it reached the Eternal Sun, it had grown to the same size as the gargantuan star. The golden ring fractured in front of the eternal sun, fragmenting into five circles of light that intersected with each other, radiating a terrifying aura of order.

    The authority of order erupted from the circles of light, sewing rules upon rules in reality and forming a protectiveyer around the sun.

    Just then, a blinding beam of light collided with theyer, illuminating a portion of the astral world.

    In the starry space, the Night Emperor fought against the God of Steam and Machinery.

    ___________________

    On the battlefield near the capital, Trier.

    Laius, the Sun Angel, charged forward to a woman in a dark gown with a hood, his golden sword aimed at her heart.

    Thend was scorched by blood and fire. Mountains copsed in the midst of thunder and twilight. A white tower crumbled with the rise of a ancient clock with the handles made up of worms of time.

    The shing bodies and nging swords. The odour of blood and life. The brave cries of men and women.

    It was more than just chaos. It was a beautiful cmity and a glorious tragedy.

    Through this whirlwind of disorder and violence, Laius thrusted his sword with all his might, his mind focused only on victory and honour.

    The hooded woman held a bone sword, her bare feet stepping on the scorched ground, rushing towards the golden sword, streaks of darkness sshing around, her lips pursuing.

    As the golden sword nicked her chest, her figure shimmered and faded into the darkness.

    Laius'' eyes narrowed, immediately using his authority.

    His figure emitted an endless stream of pure light, transforming the battlefield into an ocean of light. There were no more secrets or mysteries under the illumination of pure light.

    The hooded woman appeared right in front of him, forced out of concealment by pure light. Her sword thrust didn''t pause or stop, instead increasing in force and aiming for his right eye.

    At that moment, Laius raised his golden sword to his face at a speedparable to that of light. Their swords collided, unleashing a storm of light and darkness and sending them flying away from one another.

    They immediately stood up on the battlefield shrouded in light and darkness, their figures flickering across the light and darkness, teleporting through it.

    ng! ng!

    Their swords continued to sh, golden and ck blood staining and thickening the expanse of light and darkness. Regardless, their attacks remained unabated, exemplifying their unwavering determination.

    Suddenly, the chaos and disorder on the battlefield vanished, as if they had never existed.

    Laius and the hooded-woman stopped fighting at the same time, finding themselves abnormally weak. Their unwavering will crumbled as they were knocked to their knees.

    Through his bloody vision, Laius saw a stream of stormy clouds and a surge of darkness rush out from behind the battlefield, instantly covering half of the sky.

    A blinding ray of pure light appeared on the other side of the sky and collided with the stormy darkness.

    All the soldiers on the battlefield fell to the ground, falling into a deep sleep as moonflowers and night vani graced thend.

    ________________

    In the astral world, in an infinite pure light filled with white flowers and florets.

    Suddenly, a ck ocean cascaded into the kingdom, causing a portion of the area to return to the storm. One by one, the flowers disintegrated under the tendrils of lightning.

    In the stormy ocean, Leodero walked out. He was d in spikey ck armour shrouded in lightning. In the strong gusts of wind, his long blue hair waved. His figure radiated a cataclysmic aura. He wielded a massive blue trident encrusted with countless blots of silver lightning.

    Step by step, Leodero walked forward, dragging the stormy oceans with him and cracking the kingdom.

    Deep within the infinite light, Aucuses pulled out a golden spear. He was d in white armour with golden, glinting streaks.

    A pair of massive wings emerged from his back shoulder,posed of golden features and burning with scorching mes.

    Leodero''s eyes narrowed in anticipation. His stride quickened, approaching the speed of a charge.

    "It''s time to end our fight, Aucuses."

    Suddenly, thick darkness descended on the kingdom, causing another portion of the area to return to night.

    In the silent night, Amanises appeared, holding a sytx and a crimson moon in her hands.

    She descended onto the dark ground, following Leodero and fitting towards Aucuses, who was dragging a colossal spear.

    Aucuses looked at Leodero and Amanises, his dimmed eyes gradually brightening.

    "Indeed, Leodero. Once and for all."

    ____________________

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 Chapter 136: Nova

    Chapter 136: Nova

    The astral world was in chaos. The shes of the mighty beings were tearing reality apart, sending violent and potent waves deeper into the cosmos.

    Authorities throughout the astral world were affected and stirred, weakening the very fabric of reality in many parts of the universe.

    The tributaries of the river of destiny began to merge into one, innumerable fates joining together to form a long river, infinite and boundless, illuminated by the Golden Sun and Silver Lightning.

    The fates converged, as indescribable beings struck to the barrier, silently watching the defining developments inside.

    In the void, three mighty gods battled it out, their authorities unleashed upon the astral world.

    The storm raged. The moon screamed. The sun bellowed.

    Lightning struck the starless void; Moonlight corrupted the heavens; Light raged, disintegrating it all.

    Eternal zing Sun, drenched in his golden blood, held his spear high above his head, emitting an infinite amount of pure light. He appeared battered and frail, as if he were nearing his end.

    A blue trident encrusted in endless lightning and a ck scythe shrouded in eternal darkness descended and struck his spear, producing resplendent sparks brighter than any star in the cosmos.

    Lord of Storms and Evernight Goddess floated above, holding the trident and scythe. Their armour and dress were shattered and torn, stained with dark and blue blood.

    Though their eyes were brighter, still carrying mighty power, unlike the Eternal zing Sun, whose golden eyes were dimming like a star entering twilight.

    The Eternal zing Sun loosened his grip on the spear, allowing them to exert even more force in a bit to shatter his defence. Sparksrger thans ring up in their shes.

    The Sun God moved his hand away from his spear at a speed surpassing all the materialws of the cosmos, aiming at them.

    "Absolute light." With a ferocious grin, he spat, golden blood dripping from the cuts across his face.

    Boom!

    A bright light erupted from his palm. Its power was unimaginable, driving away the night and storm, submerging and hurling them across the starless void.

    However, the storm and night were not extinguished; they red up once more and surged with all their might towards the sun god.

    Eternal zing Sun stared down at them, his ferocious grin fading and his cracked spear rising, fully prepared for another round of battle.

    In the Astral World, the war between night, storm, and sun raged on, sounding a symphony of the end across the cosmos.

    _______________________

    Trier, somewhere on the battlefield.

    Lucas Reyes genuflected on the scorched ground, stabbing a white sword in front of him to support himself under the suppression of the gods.

    As he resisted the divine aura, his body was covered in charred cracks that went straight through his core.

    The most beloved of the sun god, the Angel of Light, felt his consciousness blurring as he struggled to shift his gaze away from the sky.

    The eternal sun emitted blinding rays, sttering palettes of gold across the stormy darkness which encircled the sun from the ground to the sky, filling the entire world and invading the pure light of the sun.

    (Image here)

    The stormy darkness had already invaded most of the pure light.

    ''No..'' Lucas thought, trying his best to pull up his sword and stand up to fight. He wanted to be the angel of light to the very end. If the lord falls, he will also fall with him in the glorious battle, fighting for the honour of his lord to thest of his breaths.

    But, his arms trembled violently as his breathing weakened, his vision fading away.

    "Idiot." A voiceced with concern sounded, as his love hugged him from behind. The authority of knowledge erupted from behind, shrouding him.

    The divine pressure dissipated as Lucas fell out of her embrace, trembling and whizzing, his throat turning red.

    "What on earth were you thinking?" Diana yelled, tears welling up in her eyes, as she and others rushed towards him.

    Laius knelt in front of Lucas, his trembling hand on his scarred chest, asserting his authority. A sh of light erupted, bathing Lucas and gradually healing his injuries.

    Diana smashed her fists on the ground to vent her emotions before grabbing her purple book and performing a mythical re-enactment of the myth of the Earth Mother.

    "Diana" ise interrupted her by pressing his hands on her shoulders. "Look..."

    Diana looked down at her lover, whose body was suddenly bathed in the pure light of the eternal sun, whichpletely healed him in a moment.

    "Diana.." Lucas awoke, dazed at the dimming sun, as Laius stood up and walked to ise.

    "Bastard.." Diana hugged him tightly, tears streaming down his tattered armour. Lucas embraced her as well.

    "Lord" Lucas inquired, his head jerking to the horizon. The stormy darkness had nearlypletely engulfed the pure light. Twilight had fallen on the Eternal Sun.

    "What happening on the battlefield? What the hell is happening???" He yelled immediately, clutching Diana''s gown and looking at her and others.

    Heaviness and sorrow filled the air.

    Diana smiled, a tragic smile that spoke volumes about her sorrow and misery. But she seemed to pull herself together and spoke to Lucas.

    "Lucas" She said. "Calm down. How can the future God Almighty fall for a small hurdle?"

    For Lucas, it appeared as if his love was convincing herself more than him. ise walked over with Madilyn and Laius, the faith in his eyes remained unwavering.

    But, just then, a familiar voice sounded. "Hey, guys. It''s been a long time, hasn''t it?"

    They looked back immediately. ise, Diana, and Lucas'' eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of their ''dead'' friend, Edward, Angel of Redemption.

    "Edward.." eximed Lucas. "You are still alive?"

    "Oh my god..." Diana stood up immediately, her pupils dting at the Eternal Sun.

    __________________

    In the starless void, a blue trident struck the golden spear, as Leodero and Aucuses faced each other, their twisted faces illuminated by light and lightning.

    "Die, Aucuses." Leodero roared at Aucuses, whose bright figure was waning in the darkness.

    Suddenly, the crimson moon rose above them, its moonlight merging with the eternal darkness, saturating it even more so.

    Then, the crimson-darkness cascaded down, submerging Aucuses and Leodero, freezing them.

    In the void that had been destroyed by the intense battle of gods, time seemed to havee to a halt. Whether it was Leodero in battered armour covered in endless lightning or Aucuses with broken wings bathing in waning light, they seemed to have be a part of oil painting. Everything stood on the spot, maintaining their previous posture.

    However, a dark scythe had stabbed through the back of Leodero, piercing through his heart as it frantically drained the life of the Lord of Storms in an act of returning to the silent darkness.

    The dark scythe was held in the hands of Amanises, the Evernight Goddess. It created a scene of eternal night with silence, tranquillity, and repose.

    Leodero slowly turned his head, looked at Amanises, who was shrouded in eternal night. He asked in pain. "Wh-y?..."

    Amanises just let out a chuckle.

    At this moment, Aucuses smirked. His golden spear thrusted into Leodero, urately piercing his heart.

    "Farewell, Leodero." He said, his reminiscent eyes shing with past memories.

    "I am the Nova." Aucuses dered, looking up at the cosmos. "All-exploding. Reality-cremating."

    His waning figure emitted a scorching and invulnerable light, disintegrating the body of Leodero.

    The incandescent light erupted, illuminating the starless void, the astral world, material world, and spirit world.

    In the midst of it all, the Eternal Sun rose high, as if standing above the entire cosmos, brighter and more magnificent than ever.

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 137: Light

    Chapter 137: Light

    The war between the Seven Churches ended when pure light engulfed the stormy darkness and the Eternal Sun rose high in the sky, proiming the victory of the Eternal zing Sun for the entire cosmos.

    Sunlight sshed across the infinite starry space, into the earth and into the hearts, igniting everything in an eternal golden glow.

    The colossal white tower on the earth crumbled into the void, revealing the glowing tree, also fading into shimmering particles of light.

    The dark underworld in the boundless oceans rumbled and sank into the depths of the spirit world, and the twilight realm shimmered in the evening light and returned to the obscurity of time.

    The python-like tentacles in the infinite sky slowly retreated to an unknown location, while the crimson fire in the volcanoes was extinguished almost instantly with the re of the sun.

    The golden ring descended from the astral world and fell on the pce of eternity, while the floating continent in the corner of the astral world darkened and turned into obscurity under the pure sunlight.

    In the material world, the bells of the Churches of the Eternal zing Sun began to ring in tandem, echoing through thends in between.

    People from all over the world emerged from their homes, hiding ces, or hiding spots one by one. They began by staring nkly at the bright sky with a ring sun.

    They didn''t cheer, shout, or vent their emotions. Their expressions were numb and their eyes vacant. They didn''t know how or why disaster had suddenly ended.

    However, the infinite light poured into the heart of all. It brought with it hope, igniting their minds to dream of a better times, a better future.

    Piety consumed the hearts of many, as warm sunlight bathed their figures. They raised their hands in yearning, drew the symbol of the zing sun on their chests with their fingers, and chanted fervently.

    "Praise the Sun!"

    Their chant was like a spark that ignited a prairie fire, drawing everyone together to chant in unison. Their blended voices thundered across the world, across the starry sky, their eyes filled with ignited hope.

    With light, hope burned brighter than ever.

    After all, Light was the meaning to everything.

    ______________________

    Where there is light, there is also darkness. Where there is hope, there is also despair. It was like the two sides of a coin, inseparable and inextricable.

    The divine kingdom of the Lord of Storms on the ind of Pasu copsed on itself, bringing the ind down with it. Its remains polluted the entire Sonia sea, causing a perpetual storm to erupt across it. Then, the divine statues of the Lord of Storms copsed one after the other, dragging down all the cathedrals of storms with them.

    Angels, Saints, Demigods and the beyonders of the Storm path on the battlefield suffered a severe mental blow, dropping their weapons and running almost immediately with despair covering their faces.

    Likewise, the Churches of the God of Knowledge, the God of Steam, and the Goddess of Night tropes sessively retreated from the battlefield.

    On the side of Trier, however, the Beyonders of the Churches of Eternal zing Sun, Mother Earth, and God of Combat made no attempt to pursue them, as cheers of joy already rang out over the troops. Many men and women knelt on the ground with their arms outstretched to the bright sky. Their cheeks were red with tears of joy and sorrow.

    In the end, they won. The ethereal light of the sun shone on them as well, healing the scars on their bodies and bringing them much-needed relief.

    In an army tent, Lucas and others gathered, storming around Edward, bombarding him with questions about his health.

    "Guys..." Edward chuckled, his voice still frail. "I see your curiosity, no matter how hard you try to hide it."

    "Yes, our lord and Evernight Goddess nned this from the very beginning. But, I don''t know much about the specifics of how they came to an agreement."

    "The Evernight Goddess and our Lordbined their powers to keep my existence concealed. Our Lord might have even altered reality and history. Then, they simply locked me in a room at the Avalon. Not that I have anyints; the room had almost everything one could want. I stayed there until the doors opened automatically, leading right to this battlefield, to you, to the exact moment of our lord''s victory."

    "It''s quite surprising, isn''t it?" Edward tried tough it off. Nobody joined him, and the air smelled faintly of horror.

    "So it was all nned out from the beginning..." Diana mumbled, her heart filled with horror at the might of her lord. "How far could Lord actually see? And always be right and ahead of everyone..."

    "How about your blessing, Edward?" ise extricated himself from the shock and inquired. "Wasn''t it suppressing that will..?"

    "She indeed took it back from me, waking me up to the endless whispers from the starry sky," Edward replied. "But, using their authorities, they immediately suppressed the will." He purposely did not delve into this situation.

    ise seemed to want to ask more questions, but Lucas barged in between them, holding a cup of water and passing it to Edward.

    "Stop with the questions, ise." Lucas said. "Look at him already!"

    "I am fine.." Edward said, shaking his head.

    "Says someone who looks like a twig." Lucas snorted. "You are not fine at all. So, don''t try to put up a tough front and drink this obediently."

    "What is this?" Edward sighed, taking it.

    "It''s just water" Lucas drawled. But, feeling the re, he continued. "Blessed by the Earth Mother."

    Edward drank the water of life in one gulp. Endless vitality poured into his body, slowly healing him.

    "You seem upbeat." Diana said, her arms crossed.

    "Who wouldn''t be in this situation?" Lucas smiled. Diana just let out a chuckle.

    Meanwhile, ise dragged Laius and Madilyn, who had been silently listening in until now, to Edward.

    "This is Laius, Angel of the Sun, and Madilyn, Angel of Destiny. Don''t look at them being quite. They can be quite talkative. They just didn''t want to disrupt our reunion."

    "Hello." Edward nodded at them.

    Laius and Madilyn greeted him with a smile. The atmosphere in the tent was warm and mellow.

    However, it was cut short when a blinding beam of light erupted in the tent, morphing into the projection of the Eternal zing Sun.

    Eternal zing Sun motioned for silence before focusing his attention on Lucas.

    "Do you remember what I said to you in that restaurant that day?" He inquired.

    "Milord, you said, I will get my chance in the future," Lucas uttered subconsciously.

    Eternal zing Sun smiled, pulling something from the light and tossing it to Lucas, who caught it, his eyes wide with amazement.

    "These are sequence 1 characteristics of the Tyrant Pathway  Thunder God and a card of sphemy  Hierophant."

    "Be the King of Angles, Lucas."

    After leaving that message, the projection of Eternal zing Sun shattered into light particles.

    "Oh my God..." Diana was shell-shocked. Her heart was once again filled with horror at the might of her lord...

    ___________________

    In a realm filled with infinite light, Aucuses took a blot of lightning from the white ground while holding the remaining characteristic of the thunder god.

    The blot of lightning was the uniqueness of the Tyrant Pathway.

    And he was aplete mess. His body was drenched in blood, and his wings were broken, while he feltpletely drained.

    Just then, Amanises descended before him. She wasn''t much better, either. Her ck dress was ripped in many ces, revealing her body with dark blood oozing out of the deep gashes and one of her hands was even broken.

    But she didn''t seem to mind her appearance.

    "Congrattions, Aucuses, on one step closer to bing the Almighty," she said with a smile.

    Aucuses exhaled a sigh. "It''s only the beginning of the end."

    "Indeed." Amanises nodded, "But, you don''t have worry. ''He'' is unlikely to return in this epoch. You have plenty of time to prepare."

    For a brief moment, Aucuses remained silent, his gaze fixed on the bolt.

    "I will win." He said to himself, gripping the blot. "I will win."

    "I hope so." Amanises said ethereally.

    Then, she continued. "I''ve already altered Lilith''s concealment. It''s no problem for her to be herself in front of you. This is the best I could do."

    "That is more than enough." Aucuses stated as he looked her in the eyes. "And, Amanises, thank you for everything."

    "This is just a deal," Amanises rified. "There''s no need..."

    "We both know that it isn''t." Aucuses retorted.

    Amanises'' lips pursed, aplex light shing in her eyes.

    "Go," she sighed in the end. "Lilith is already in Trier. Clean yourself first. But, don''t keep her waiting."

    "Then, I will take my leave, Amanises." Aucuses nodded, his silhouette fading. With his departure, the infinite light in the realm was extinguished, heralding the Eternal Night.

    Amanises floated, shrouded in eternal night. Her silent gaze remained fixed on fading figure of Aucuses....

    ___________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 138: Night is Still Young

    Chapter 138: Night is Still Young

    A/N : Okay guys, I have started uploading on Scribble hub. However, uploading all of the chapters from the webnovel will take some time. But, I will try to finish it by the weekend.

    ____________________

    The eternal sun in the sky, illuminating a divine kingdom in an golden glow, assenting to otherworldly ethereality.

    This was a ce where a few ragged sounds could suggest a symphony. A ce where chaos presents patterns, idle fantasy turns into fornication, and memories feign meaning.

    This was a paradise. This was a utopia.

    This was Avalon.

    (Image here)

    A castle perched on a lush mountain with a backdrop of white clouds sttered with gold pallets.

    Inside the dreamy castle, Aucuses rose from the streaming bathtub, taking the towels and wrapping one around his naked and chiselled body while using another to dry himself off.

    He walked out of his bathroom, his golden eyes shining brightly and brimming with energy, stroking his wet head with the towel.

    He walked into his bedroom, making his way to a white table near the bed, where a cup of steaming coffee was already nearby the bolt of lightning.

    He took the coffee in his right hand, finally putting an end to his head-wrestling, and threw the towel on the bed.

    Aucuses finally took a sip of coffee, taking in all the light breath and hot steam from the coffee.

    His shoulders sagged, his eyes filled with relief, and he sighed contentedly.

    He seeded.

    Despite his nervousness and doubts, his ns all worked out for the best in the end.

    He can finally unwind and enjoy the brief respite.

    His thoughts wandered to the past as he sipped his coffee with relish.

    Amanises was the cornerstone of his n. He confronted her soon after Edward was given the blessing and proposed a deal.

    He told her about the situation at the River of Eternal Darkness and Lilith''s concealment, though he suspected she already knew. Nheless, he put forward the information, purposefully emphasising Salinger''s goal, which was to takeplete control of the tributary of the ethereal river, and he was most likely on his way to aplishing that.

    Then he prospered an alliance between them. He''d help her deal with Salinger, and she''d help him deal with Leodero. He also asked her for a way to get around Lilith''s concealment.

    It was a win-win arrangement.

    He wasn''t sure whether Amanises would agree to any of this in the end. After all, whatever he could give her, Leodero and Herabergan could match.

    Nevertheless, she epted it after staring at his figure for a few seconds. That was unexpectedly quick. It almost made him wonder if she had any ulterior motives. But now, remembering theplex look she gave him before he left, he justughed at previous thoughts.

    Then he told her about the majority of his n, the most important part being Edward''s concealment. His n was far from simple, considering he had to deceive all the other gods, including Herabergan, the omniscient one.

    The Authority of Concealment held by Amanises won''t be just enough to achieve this.

    He, on the other hand, had a scheme. If you want to fool the gods, you should first fool reality. He needed to change reality in order for the world and history to believe Edward died. This was not easy to aplish without the knowledge of other gods, and the authority required was far too great.

    He had thought about this problem for a long time. The Golden Order was his solution.

    When Adam and Amon assisted him in seizing full control of the golden order, he used it not only to deal with the city of cmity, but he also altered reality to fabricate the authenticity of Edward''s death. And, even if Amon and Adam did not assist him with the Golden Order, he had already devised another method of gaining temporary control.

    Returning now, his golden order has altered reality. Then he and Amanises waited for the right moment to stage that y for all of the gods to see.

    ''Herabergan.'' While sipping his coffee, Aucuses reflected. ''He still wasn''tpletely deceived. As expected of him.''

    His n worked. Whether allies or enemies, the gods believed in his woven tales. Herabergan was still cautious to the end, not taking such a valuable risk.

    He kind of expected it. Omniscience is deeply concerning. But, his choice didn''t matter much because his main goal in the war had always been Leodero.

    The gods'' war broke out. Despite his faith in Amanises, he devised some contingency ns in case he needed to flee the battlefield right away.

    He ultimately triumphed....

    Aucuses ced the empty cup on the table and took the lightning blot  uniqueness of the Tyrant Pathway.

    He must be a dual-pathway god before the war of four emperors resumes, with four emperors now on stage and seven gods exiting the curtains, to deal with Salinger and Herabergan.

    Aucuses finally put his uniqueness aside and rose from his bed, walking towards his wardrobe with enthusiastic eyes.

    He can''t keep Lilith waiting any longer..

    _____________________

    Trier.

    Aucuses appeared in the deserted city square, littered with debris and rumble. His figure was illuminated by the gentle silvery glow of the endless stars in the ck heavens.

    He cast a nce over at the city of the sun, which had been heavily damaged by the war. The air was thick with sorrow and sadness.

    Ignoring all of this, he made his way to the centre of the square, where a small ramen stall stood,pletely out of ce in this ruined city.

    Lilith stood inside the stall, dressed in a tight ck gown. She was gently blowing on the broth while finishing the ramen.

    She smiled brightly as she noticed him. Then she took the finished bowl of ramen and ced it in front of the counter, saying softy.

    "Congrattions, my love"

    Aucuses took his seat, and without saying anything, he began devouring his love''s ramen. Lilith just sat there with him, arms crossed on the counter, smiling.

    He ate it quickly, as if he was too eager to be done with it.

    "Calm down..." Lilith chuckled. "I am not going to run away..."

    "No" In-between bites, Aucuses said. "I''d waited long enough. It''s nearly a century..."

    He was done in a sh, putting the bowl away and looking at her.

    "Let''s go to my kingdom..." He spoke silently.

    "Aucuses" Lilith''s figure began to change. Her blonde hair turned white, and her skin became abnormally pale, all while a white crown adorned her head and a phantom of a crimson moon formed above her.

    She was no longer Earth Mother, but Sanguine Ancestor Lilith, the ancient god described as the most beautiful of all, with another equally disgusting and ferocious side.

    Finally, she fully revealed herself in front of her love.

    Lilith looked at him, her crimson eyes shining and her voice quivering.

    "Do you still love me like this?"

    Aucuses smiled as he grabbed her hips and pulled her close to him. "I will always love you, Lilith, no matter what."

    Lilith smiled, a smile that spoke volumes about her happiness and relief.

    "I love you too, Aucuses."

    Under the nket of stars, Aucuses kissed her on the lips vehemently.

    He looked at her as if she were the only star in his eternal night. He kissed her as if she were the air in her lungs.

    "Let''s go..." Lilith said as she moved away from him. "You know, it''s not just you who have been waiting."

    Aucuses immediately wrapped her in a princess hug and grinned.

    "I''m going to make you scream tonight."

    Lilith rested her head on his chest, listening to his racing heart.

    "I expect nothing less." She said passionately.

    Their embracing figures faded into glittering light particles.

    The night is still young.

 Chapter 139: Honorific Name

    Chapter 139: Honorific Name

    The following day.

    The Eternal Utopia, Avalon. After a long and steamy night, Aucuses sat on the balcony, his eyes closed, answering the prayers in the gleaming light of the sun.

    The war of the gods broke the world even more than it already was. The battle between the Primordial Demoness and the Blood Emperor affected the entire northern continent, whereas other god battles were limited to specific battlefields but still had global consequences.

    Nearly a million died. Disease, fire, and rot had taken the most victims with their bloody and twisted ws. The shores of the northern and southern continent bepletely lifeless after being bathed by twilight and still darkness.

    The world was wailing. He senses it. The scars of anguish and sorrow had already prated too deeply into the heart, and they could not be erased even with the most fervent hope. Only the times of peace can let it heal.

    However, the tide of history was shifting in a direction that could lead to anything but peace and order. As the six gods leave the stage, the true protagonists of this era will enter and submerge the world in even more pain and suffering.

    Aucuses sat straight in his chair as he heard ise pray for a meeting.

    Then, he waved his hand, a sh of light erupted in front of him, and ise emerged, holding a stack of documents in his right hand.

    The Angel of Miracles bowed. "I deeply apologize interrupting your reprieve, milord. However, this situation requires your immediate attention."

    Aucuses nodded and motioned for the document. ise handed it over to him.

    He opened it and flipped through the first few pages. It described the general situation with the church of the Lord of Storms. Then he stowed it, crossed his legs, and asked ise.

    "Briefly exin the situation, ise."

    ise appeared to have anticipated this, as he cleared his throat and began briefing solemnly.

    "With the fall of their god, the Church of Lord of Storms copsed."

    "Our Lightbringers in the Trunsoest empire have already started rounding up all beyonders associated with the storms. Many low and mid sequence beyonders are eager to pledge their allegiance to us."

    "There are, however, some extremely pious, faithful storm beyonders among them. In the name of martyrdom, they even orchestrated an attack on our church and Evernight church. Some even attempted to spread woven tales that med us and Evernight Church for all the suffering."

    "The Storm angels and saints, Milord." ise took a brief pause before continuing.

    "With the assistance of Churches of Evernight, Mother, and Combat, we have captured the majority of them alive. They have, however, shown no signs of surrendering to us."

    He continued. "The entire Trunsoest Empire was also in chaos for a while due to the copse. Even an angel of storm broke thew of the Night Emperor, but he was killed by the Night Emperor himself. This radical action calmed the situation. But the night emperor still wants you to deal with the storm situation as soon as possible."

    "That''s all with the storm church situation, Milord."

    Aucuses was thoughtful, tapping his fingers for a few moments, contemting, while ise waited patiently.

    He finally made his decision. "ise, cull all the storm''s angels and saints, as well as the most devoted followers. They''d been under Leodero''s control for far too long. The suppression between sequences in the tyrant pathway is second only to the death pathway. So, whether alive or dead, their wills arepletely subservient to Leodero. They are beyond hope."

    ise didn''t seem surprised, merely nodding and epting his orders. But then he asked, a little hesitantly. "Milord, may I turn one of the angels into my marite?"

    "Izrial?" Aucuses chuckled. "Yes, you can make him into a marite,"

    He noticed a sh of satisfaction in his angel''s eyes after receiving his approval.

    Ignoring that, he continued. "As for the low and mid-sequence beyonders willing to pledge loyalty, ept them into the church. And, for the remaining angel characteristics from the Storm, give it to the saints who contributed the most to the war and aid them in their ascension to angel."

    "Should we go through you, Milord, for every ascension?" ise inquired immediately.

    Aucuses nodded. "Yes. Send me the detailed report on the chosen ones, and I will finalise it before you proceed. I anticipate at least four more angels by the end of this decade."

    ise took the orders before asking a serious question about another important matter. "What about the faith, Milord? What should we tell the general public? The Storm is still believed in by one-fifth of the Trunsoest Empire."

    Aucuses remained silent for a moment before responding bybining his fingers.

    "Make an announcement. Let the world know that Leodero has fallen and that I have seized his authority."

    ise gave a solemn nod. Then he inquired. "But, the Night Emperor?"

    Aucuses said, while tapping his fingers on the armrest. "I''ll speak with him personally. You carry out my order regardless of the chaos that ensues. This is essential in the long run."

    ise inclined his head in agreement. Aucuses then continued. "Make an effort not to incite conflict between the Church of Steam and the Church of Knowledge. The Gods are exiting the stage of the war. Both sides have already suffered significant losses as a result of this war. While the empires fought their battles across the continent, there is a need for a brief period of peace and stability between the six churches. But, if Church of Evernight or Church of Combat ask our the support to deal with the invasion of Bayam, then send our troops. Faced with the growing threat of Death, Night and Combat should re-join their banner."

    Hearing that, ise asked, hesitantly. "Milord, in the uing war of four empires, who should we ultimately support?"

    "This is indeed an awkward situation..." Aucusesughed. "Remain neutral until I tell you otherwise."

    ise gave a nod. Aucuses continued after a brief pause in thought. "Begin suppressing both the Abraham and Antigonus Angel families."

    "Blood Emperor?" said ise, surprised.

    Aucuses shook his head. "He is thest thing you should be concerned about."

    Despite his confusion and doubts, ise epted the orders.

    Aucuses inquired, handing back the documents. "Does that cover it, ise?"

    "Certainly, Milord." ise bowed and took the documents. "I''ll take my leave and leave you to your rest."

    "Wait" Aucuses stopped ise as he recalled something important and ordered him. "Remove the ''God of Contracts'' and ''Guardian of Business'' from my honorific name and rece them with ''Ruler of the Sky'' and ''Progenitor of Day.''"

    ise sombrely nodded. His figure began to fade away into light particles, and he vanished from the Avalon.

    Aucuses sighed and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and basked in the sunlight for few minutes until Lilith emerged on the balcony, holding two cups of coffee.

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 Chapter 140: Reprieve

    Chapter 140: Reprieve

    Avalon.

    "Here." Lilith handed him a cup of coffee while intending to take a seat near him.

    Aucuses took it from her grasp, but before she could sit, he gently drew her towards him, causing her to fall into hisp.

    "Hey." Lilith grumbled. "I''m holding a cup of coffee."

    "Oh." Aucuses smirked. "It doesn''t matter if itpletely spills on me. You often seemed to forgot that we are gods, not some mortal couple."

    Lilith snorted, but she eventually sat obediently in hisp, increasing his smile just a tad.

    "How is it?" She inquired as they sipped their coffee.

    "As divine as you." Aucuses said cheekily.

    Lilith''s ears turned crimson as memories of the previous night shed through her mind as a result of his words.

    She pushed the steamy images to the back of her mind and changed the subject, knowing exactly how this conversation would end: with him and her in bed.

    "How did you persuade Amanises?"

    Before responding, Aucuses let out a sigh of disappointment. "I simply stated the facts about Salinger and stated that I would assist her in dealing with him."

    "Salinger?" Lilith inquired, her brow furrowed. "Did you figure out what was wrong with him?"

    "Did she not tell you?" Aucuses was surprised.

    Lilith shook her head.

    "I assumed you two were friends or something like..." Aucuses said.

    "No." Lilith cut in with an odd expression. "What prompted you to think that way? From the beginning, it was just a deal between us. Though, now that you mention it, I am somewhat closer to her than others. However, it waspletely due to our circumstances. And that is anything but friendship..."

    "You know..." Aucuses grinned. "You both really looked that way in my imagination..."

    Lilith scowled. "Aucuses, how typical of you. .."

    "Okay" Aucuses pressed his fingers against her lips, causing her to fall silent.

    He then continued after kissing her lips. "Where did I leave off? Ah, Salinger. He was able to connect to the river of Eternal Darkness."

    "A sefirot?" Lilith was stunned. "How did he.."

    Aucuses interrupted, borating. "He built his own underworld on the ruins of Ancient underworld of the Ancient Goddess of Death, Gregace. She was the first to actually connect to the Eternal River."

    "So, that ck bird really had something like this up her sleeve." Lilith reminisced. "It''s no surprise, she was so haughty at the time..."

    "Well" Aucuses nodded. "She didn''t matter in the end, did she? Though she lived longer than many ancient gods, she was still defeated by the creator, who ruled over the entire chaos sea. Her single tributary was grossly inadequate."

    "Just a tributary?" Lilith asked, her troubled heart somewhat at ease.

    "Indeed. Salinger should have inherited it from Gregace when he finished constructing his underworld," Aucuses said, nodding. "He should have immediately faced the river and might have fought against it all this time."

    He continued, solemnly looking into her eyes. "You know, a tributary is still dangerous. If Salinger is able to fully control it, he will be unstoppable unless we all band together. And after what had just happened, I don''t see that happening."

    In the end, he rolled his eyes.

    "No.." Lilith shook her hand, setting their empty coffee cups on a nearby table and leaning even more on him. "It won''t be like that. He cannot master it even if it''s just a tributary. Salinger is not an idiot. He should knew when to stop."

    "That''s the issue, my love," Aucuses chuckled. "Madmen often don''t know when to stop."

    Lilith''s expression became solemn as she nervously shifted in hisp. Then, she looked at them in the eyes. "So you made a deal with Amanises just using this."

    "Yeah." Aucuses nodded. "And, guess what? she agreed immediately to my offer,"

    Lilith frowned. "That''s unlike her."

    "I know, right." Aucuses smiled brightly. "That is why I think she has feelings for me."

    Lilithughed, clutching her stomach. "I also think that you are just being narcissistic, Aucuses. Amanises having feelings for you? Please!"

    Aucuses scowled. "Says the one who has fallen hopelessly in love with the same man."

    Lilith''sughter died away as she kissed him on the lips. "No, I don''t mean you. It''s Amanises. Inparison to us, her humanity is very low. However, there is also a chance she has feelings for you. But, it sure isn''t love."

    She continued in a low tone, her eyes narrowing at him. "In the end, does it really matter?"

    "No, my love." Aucuses affirmed, sensing the jealousy in the air. "It doesn''t matter."

    Lilith snorted at his smirk and turned away, though her eyes softened.

    Then she went on. "So, in the end, Amanises backstabbed Leodero, huh?"

    "Yes." Aucuses said. "Just like you''re going to backstab your ''son'' in the future."

    Lilith let out a chuckle.

    Heughed as he continued. "I believe we should form a club, you know, the betrayers. And I shall be the leader."

    Lilith gave him a strange look. "That''s great idea and all. But enough with the jokes."

    Hisughter died away as she went on. "There are still a lot of important things that need our immediate attention, you know. Like Bethel Abraham?"

    "No.." Aucuses drawled, his tone indicating his annoyance. "Don''t bring him up right now. There is still time. He hasn''t retuned from the cosmos."

    "If he does. Don''t go barging in on him without me," Lilith asserted.

    "It''s far too risky, Lilith. He is most likely already corrupted by ''Her,''" Aucuses said, his eyes welling up with concern. "I don''t want you anywhere near him."

    Lilith still had a stubborn expression. "Can you handle the corrupted him on your own?"

    "Regardless of what you say, I''m still not allowing you to participate in that battle."

    "And I can handle him just fine," Aucuses said, shaking his head. "I will soon ascend to the status of dual pathway god."

    Lilith finally sighed. "At the very least, bring Amanises or Badhiel with you to that battle. Just in case."

    "Okay. I will." Aucuses promised.

    "So, when are you going to ascend?" Lilith inquired, her attention drawn to his final words.

    "Perhaps this month." After some thought, Aucuses stated. "Or the end of the year."

    "Do not promote without my presence." Lilith insisted.

    "I won''t." Aucuses smiled.

    Lilith wanted to continue, but Aucuses interrupted, hugging her and cing his head on her neck, making his hands wander into her dress.

    He said silently, "Enough with the serious subjects, my love. Remember that this is our reprieve."

    Lilith red at him, sensing his hands moving into her. But she didn''t stop him at all.

    "Wasn''tst night the greatest?" He inquired, his voice deep andmanding. "Answer me, Lilith."

    "Yes" Lilith murmured, biting her lip and suppressing a moan as his hands reached that spot.

    "Then let''s do it all over again, shall we?" Aucuses asked in a way that left no room for denial.

    Lilith suddenly smirked as she pushed him back onto chair, climbed on top of him, and positioned herself between his legs.

    "Of course, my love." She stated vehemently

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 Chapter 141: Faith and Hope

    Chapter 141: Faith and Hope

    On December 2, 1110, ise, Angel of Miracles, made a historic deration in Backlund Square in front of the entire empire.

    The Lord of Storms had died, in by the Eternal zing Sun, who had also seized his authority. The news was like a bomb that detonated in the feeble minds of mortals.

    Gods had always been Omnipotent and All-Powerful in their eyes. Above all, there were those who stood with the eternity. As a result, the prospect of a god''s death stunned them to their core, little by little extinguishing the burning hope in their hearts.

    Faith was an important pir of support in everyone''s heart. This is especially true in these dark and desperate times.

    But a god had died. It demonstrated to the world that even the gods can sumb to the tide of time.

    So how about them? Can they even make it through theing chaos? Many unsettling questions raced through their heads.

    Despair and hopelessness pervaded the world as the still darkness took their hearts, extinguishing the burning hope.

    Nevertheless, the historians did their job. Their quivering hands recorded history for future generations.

    The Holy War was a conflict between seven churches. The gods themselves were said to have fought on earth, pitting the primal forces of the cosmos against each other. A poetic historian even stated that the holy war felt more like the entire world was at war with itself.

    The ending of the versions, however, was the same.

    The Lord of Storms was in by the Eternal zing Sun as the world-ending storm was engulfed by infinite pure light.

    The Sun God then conquered the Sky and Ocean as his own crown....

    On December 10, 1110. The deration''s repercussions were still felt across the Trunsoest empire, as nearly one-fifth of the empire''s poption lost their pir of faith.

    Chaos erupted in the orderly utopia, leaving its imprint on the empire and threatening to tear it apart with its twisted ws.

    Surprisingly, the Night Emperor did not use his authority to forcefully suppress the chaos, but instead allowed it to happen, inadvertently eroding the empire''s ''Order.''

    Meanwhile, the horns of war sounded once more as the undead army of Bayam Empire, which had been stationed in the cannel between the Northern and Southern Continents, resumed their march into the Northern Continent, marching towards Trunsoest Empire.

    The Tudor Empire and the Solomon Empire both began mobilising and marching against each other.

    The haze of war began to engulf the entire world yet again...

    _________________________

    11th December, 1110. Pce of Eternity, Backlund.

    Silvery snow bled down from cloudy sky. It fell straight and steadily without a wind, in a soft universal diffusion more confusing than the gusts and eddies of the morning.

    It engulfed Backlund''s capital, creating an ethereal scene. There was no one in the streets, bridges, or balconies to witness this spectacle though, other than the sun god walking towards a towering door.

    As usual, the sun god, Aucuses, was dressed in ck and white. The falling snow melted away around his figure.

    While a faint horn echoed in the background, he looked behind the deste city. That sound was drowned out by the countless prayers ringing in his ears.

    He set aside his prayers for his kingdom and focused on the Pce of Eternity.

    Thest ten days with Lilith had been nothing but debauchery. They mostly ignored the outside world, only indulging in each other''s bodies all day and night.

    They did, however, put an end to their revelry yesterday, as the deteriorating situation in the outside world demanded their immediate attention, no matter how reluctant they were to separate.

    Lilith left to the Twilight Kingdom in the morning to meet with her ''son'' to discuss the situation of Death and matters concerning the ruined St. Million. He did, however, remember to pull her for another round right then and there before she left.

    Aucuses smirked and shook his head as he remembered her re at the time, but her swift actions and reactions told apletely different story.

    While deep in thought, he arrived in front of the colossal door of the royal pce, which was guarded by hawk-eyed demigods walking back and forth.

    Aucuses did not enter through the door, instead peering up at the pce''s highest balcony. With a tap of his shoe on the cold ground, he floated up and flew towards it.

    After a few moments of being assailed by the cold wind, he gentlynded on the balcony, looking ahead.

    Trunsoest, the Night Emperor, walked out of the study room and onto the balcony, holding two cups of coffee.

    "Congrattions, your Excellency." He smiled and offered him a cup of coffee. "Just the way you like it."

    Aucuses epted the coffee with a smile on his lips. They stood next to each other on the balcony, overlooking the city of hope.

    "You know," he said in between sips. "You don''t have to call me ''Excellence'' anymore. You may address me by name."

    "No.." Trunsoest shook his head. "I prefer it this way. It felt strange calling you by name in my mind."

    "Whatever you want in the end." Aucuses said, looking at him. "But I don''t mind if that''s your concern."

    Trunsoest nodded lightly before turning his gaze to the city of hope for a few moments, sipping his coffee.

    His golden eyes dimmed as he finally spoke. "The hope you gave them is waning..."

    "You are mistaken..." Aucuses stated as he looked at the deste city of hope. "I didn''t give them hope. Even if one is God, one cannot grant hope."

    Trunsoest looked at him, surprised.

    He went on, indicating his heart. "All I did was ignite the hope. It always exists in hearts of all. One needs enough faith to discover it themselves. And, I just gave them that."

    "Faith and hope." Trunsoest murmured. "It does makes a lot of sense. As we speak, Your Excellency; mothers are taking theirst breaths with their children huddled in a cold bunker; the veryst goodbyes are being said to their loved ones as they leave for the war; men and women slowly marching out of the empire holding the g in silence, their dimming eyes losing thest glimmer of hope; a pair of lovers jumping off the mountain, kissing each other onest time..."

    Aucuses listened calmly, his eyes as indifferent as ever. He put away his empty cup on the railing on the balcony.

    He finally looked at him and spoke verily. "Chaos. Trunsoest, sometimes chaos is necessary."

    A god''s fall cannot bepletely concealed, especially in this era. It will be revealed one way or another, though the consequences will be less severe than they are now.

    Aucuses decided to go ahead with it regardless of the consequences, in order to avoid any future problems with the faith.

    "I know" Trunsoest gave a forlorn smile. "There must be Chaos before order. Neither can exist without the other."

    "Indeed." Aucuses nodded, still surprised by his change. "It''s like two sides of the same coin. However, this does not preclude you from carrying out your order."

    "Never forget, Bnce is key. Chaos and Ordere second."

    "I would do well to remember that." Trunsoest muttered, his dimmed eyes brightening, "But order alone will not end this period of despair and hopelessness; in fact, it may worsen the situation."

    "Give it some time." Looking around the deste city, Aucuses suggested. "The scars will fade with time. People will eventually move on."

    Trunsoest nodded quietly, his golden eyes still shing with excruciating visions and images.

    "Who do you think you''ll face first, Trunsoest?" Aucuses suddenly asked, noticing his depressed heart.

    "First" Trunsoest was silent in thought before answering. "Salinger. It will be him."

    "Inform me before you go into battle." Aucuses said solemnly. "I''ll fight alongside you."

    Trunsoest didn''t seem surprised and also didn''t ask any questions. He simply nodded in agreement.

    Then he said quietly, looking into Aucuses'' eyes.

    "Thank you."

    Aucuses patted his shoulders. "It''s always you, Trunsoest. Remember that. I just showed you the path."

    "Even so, thank you for everything." Trunsoest bowed slightly.

    Aucuses smiled. "Walk your path, Trunsoest. Thest piece of advice I can give you is to quit bowing, not even to me."

    When Trunsoest heard this, he immediately looked up, only to see golden particles of light fade into obscurity.

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 Chapter 142: The Dance of the Living and Dead

    Chapter 142: The Dance of the Living and Dead

    20th of December, 1110. Nubara valley, outside the Trunsoest Empire, near the cannel connecting the northern and southern continents.

    The sky was bright with the dimming sun adorning the heavens, letting out weak rays, providing the only source of warmth to troops of soldiers marching troop by troop,pany bypany huddled together bravely and assiduously towards their damnation.

    Its receding light reflected their drawn swords, turning them from white to pale orange. The golden tips of the g carried by the leading angels appeared to be on fire. The gs, bearing the Trunsoest empire''s emblem, were waving brilliantly against the dark background.

    The metal armour of those winged beings wereced together with cords of brilliant hues. The horses mped nervously at the bits of their bridles, the tension and fear palpable.

    The angels on silver horses came to a halt in the middle of the Nubara valley after a 10-day march. Thousands of men and women stamped on the snowy ground onest time, their sabaton-worn feet sinking lightly into the snow.

    There was no one in sight, just a vast expanse of blemish-free white. It appeared ethereal, and yet this beautiful sight did not calm the men and women''s hearts.

    The ferocious masks covered their faces, hiding the rivulets of sweat trickling down, despite the cold, at the unknown that awaited them.

    They were as motionless as the statue, their eyes fixed on the expanse of white. Outwardly, many looked tough and brave, but their true feelings were another matter. Hatred, tension, and fear were almost palpable in everyone''s eyes. Their bodies were trembling like cobwebs in a strong wind.

    As the unknown approached, the darkness of despair corrupted their hearts. They could hear a slight rumble of the ground; something terrible, something that every living being fears, was awakening deep within.

    It was Death...

    Rumble!

    The earth shook and then roared. Cracks appeared throughout white valley. A dark and thick stream of water rushed out, emitting a gloomy aura. Skeleton hands grabbed the air as the dead crawled their way into the world of the living. They were thousands upon thousands of them, rising from a surging dark river, and as they emerged, the empire''s army became jittery and began to pull back, as the nging of dropped weapons could be heard from the ground.

    "HOLD YOUR GROUND!" A angel in silver armour with the emblem of the bnce scale engraved upon it, demanded. "The dead are no match for us."

    With his order, the disorder in his ranks vanished, as the soldiers stood their ground, seemingly with a new found resolve, oveing their fear and dread.

    The sky had darkened. The shadows grew thicker. A harsh war horn rang, rattling the hearts of the living. And, as the dead formed their ranks with their swords, axes, and spears, an enamours chariot rode out of the dark river, withering everything in its path. The chariot was iid with obsidian and gold and was adorned with scenes of agonising death.

    Azik Eggers, the former Emperor of Bayam, was at the helm.

    Azik Eggers wore a deep ck robe embroidered with golden lines. On top of his head was a bird-shaped crown that radiated pure terror. It shimmered in pale mes, reached into living minds, and ignited their worst nightmares, their deepest fears, rattling them to their souls in abject terror. Only the authority and power of the silver armoured angel kept them from fleeing in dread.

    The Death Consul''s eyes were indifferent, without a hint of emotion. As shadowy horses neighed, the chariot came to a halt in front of the army of the dead.

    With a deep pale fire igniting within his obsidian dark iris, he swept a nce at the army of living, making everyone grab their weapon with sweat trickling down their backs.

    Azik Eggers tightened his grip on the reins and rode slowly towards the living, as if he intended to follow the ancientws and state his demands. The living angels'' grip on their weapons loosened.

    He then dered coldly, without any warning.

    "Charge." A flood of pale fire erupted from his charging figure, transforming into a massive feathered serpent with colossal wings that seemed to cover the entire sky.

    A burst of twilight erupted from the ranks of the living, forming a massive board-sword. It rose to the sky as if held in ce by an invisible hand, tearing the space in its region and precisely piercing into a descending feathered serpent.

    A painful cry erupted as a storm of orange twilight and pale fire erupted from the sh, capable of incinerating everything in its path. The chaos, however, had no effect on the living as order shrouded them, negating it.

    Under the twilight and death, the armies of the living and dead shed. As the scorching sea of scarlet liquid stained the white snowy valley, Nubara valley exploded in absolute chaos.

    Above the whirlwind of chaos and disorder, in the sky, a phantom of a twisted structure slowly emerged from the spirit world, dimming the eternal sun in the sky by just its presence.

    The structure was in the shape of an inverted pyramid, with infiniteyers stacked on top of each other, swirling into the thick and still darkness.

    As if sensing the emergence, an enormous hand extended out of the eternal night, covered in dark hair and thousands of meters long, holding a dark scythe shrouded in silent darkness.

    Then it swung the scythe at the phantom, obscuring the sky and earth in night.

    With an earth-shattering roar, the phantom of the inverted pyramid was split in half. It was rolled back into the spirit world, crumbling.

    The armies of the living and dead still fought with all their might as the night receded away into obscurity,pletely oblivious to all that transpired, just like the rest of the world....

    _____________

    Few minutes earlier. Twilight Kingdom.

    Inside a majestic pce bathed in dusk, three divine beings were present at a long twilight table.

    "Are you two serious about this?" Looking at the Aucuses and Lilith, a sunset giant asked, his chin supported by his long hand.

    "Yes, Badhiel." Lilith nodded firmly, gripping Aucuses'' hands snugly.

    "Well.." Badhiel drawled, then fell silent, as if at a loss for words.

    "Whether you like it or not, we''re going to marry." Lilith said, her head held high.

    "Marriage?" Aucuses was taken aback.

    "Sometime in the future." Lilith stated. She then red at him, noticing his still stunned expression. "Right?"

    "Yes." Aucuses briskly nodded, his gaze shifting between Lilith and Badhiel. "Obviously."

    "So, Badhiel, do you have anything to say?" Lilith had a satisfied expression before turning to face her ''son'' and asking again.

    Badhiel chuckled. "I was just taken aback, you know. I thought you were both just messing around. But now, mother, I am relieved that you have found someone you truly love. All I can give you both is my blessings for a happy future."

    Lilith brightly smiled, as she nodded in joy. "That''s more than enough, son."

    "We will send you the first invitation." Aucuses immediately added with her, earning himself yet another re.

    Badhiel shook his head with a slight smile, seeing this.

    However, something interrupted them. The waning dusk in the twilight kingdom dimmed even further, attracting all of their attention.

    "It''s Salinger." Lilith frowned, her eyes closed. "He is trying to descend."

    "Right away?" Badhiel''s expression darkened, his long hand reaching for the hilt of his sword.

    "It seems so." Aucuses chuckled. "He truly lives up to his rumoured madness."

    He continued, looking at Badhiel, who was getting up for battle.

    "Sit down, Badhiel. Amanises is on her way here. She will take care of him."

    As if to confirm his words, the waning twilight returned to its previous state with an aura of tranquillity filling the twilight kingdom.

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 Chapter 143: The Alliance of the Four Gods

    Chapter 143: The Alliance of the Four Gods

    As an aura of tranquillity filled the air, the waning light dimmed even more than before. A ray of darkness erupted from the darkest point, heralding the arrival of the night over half of the twilight kingdom.

    The ray soared towards High Castle, up to the highest balcony, and into a room with a twilight table. It then exploded and out of it came an ethereal woman with a crimson moon phantom behind her head.

    "Amanises." Lilith rose from her seat and smiled warmly at the ethereal woman.

    Badhiel grumbled at the appearance of the woman, putting away his sword of dusk and sitting down on his chair, leaning back.

    "Ombe." Amanises smiled as she greeted her.

    "Aucuses." She also greeted them. "Badhiel."

    Aucuses nodded lightly to her. Badhiel ced his hand on his chin, indifferent.

    "Sit with me." Lilith drew her to a seat near her. Amanises followed and sat.

    "Badhiel." Aucuses said deeply, looking at the sun-set giant, who remained indifferent.

    Badhiel finally snorted and waved his hand.

    A cup of wine floated out of the twilight andnded in front of Amanises, who epted it with a nod.

    The hall was filled with silence and serenity.

    Aucuses exchanged nces with Lilith before beginning on the issue.

    "We have gathered here to face the threat." Aucuses said, with a solemn expression on his face. "If not nipped in the bud, it may very well be the end of all of us."

    "So, it''s time to put our differences aside." He went on, his gaze passing over all of them. "And band together to deal with the threat."

    "If we are to form any sort of alliance, some level of transparency is required." Looking at Amanises, Badhiel said loudly.

    Aucuses and Lilith also turned their attention to Amanises.

    Amanises remained silent for a moment before speaking up, her voice ethereal.

    "Salinger has found a connection with the River of Eternal Darkness."

    "Is that enough, Badhiel?" she asked, an eerie aura filling the hall.

    Badhiel didn''t seem surprised; only a glint of realisation shed across his orange eye.

    "It really is..." He exhaled a sigh.

    "When did you doubt?" Lilith asked with raised brows.

    "I was always sceptical." Badhiel stated calmly. "After all, Death is closer to the Eternal River than Darkness and Twilight. It could be regarded as a foundation for the path." He looked at Amanises, who was deafeningly quiet.

    He continued, shaking his head. "The seal on the end of the world is deteriorating. And the sefirots are extending their tentacles out into the world. It''s pretty clear already after the blood moon night. So it wasn''t difficult to connect the dots with Salinger''s situation."

    "Amanises." His eye narrowed as he finally said. "It''s more than enough."

    Amanises remained silent, her fingers crossed. Then, she turned to look at Aucuses. The meaning was obvious.

    "That decides it." Aucuses smiled, leaning forward in his head.

    "The alliance of the Four Gods"

    "No contract." Amanises added immediately.

    "Yes." Badhiel echoed with her, surprisingly. "There is no need for any contract."

    "I wasn''t nning on having one anyway." Aucusesughed. "You know, I get bound just like everyone else."

    In relief, Badhiel and Amanises leaned back in their seats, their shoulders lightly sagging together.

    "You have a terrible sense of naming." Lilith cocked her brow while smirking. "You know that?"

    "I know." Aucuses shot back. "So, could you bequeath a befitting title? I''ll rece it right away."

    Lilith went silent at that, asughter echoed across the hall.

    "Let''s concentrate on the problem," Badhiel said, a slight headache forming as he considered the future.

    Aucusesughter died away, "Right." He sipped his wine before speaking solemnly.

    "Salinger tried to openly descend on the northern continent, ignoring our presence and the consequences. Amanises, however, foiled his attempt. But, this should be more than enough to demonstrate his madness."

    He continued, his gaze divided between Amanises and Badhiel. "Salinger is fighting the erosion of the river of eternal darkness, even attempting to control it."

    "There are also consequences for biting more than you can chew. His sanity is slipping. And when it finally reaches boiling point, our world may be unable to withstand the resulting explosion."

    Aucuses finished, reclining back in his chair and sipping his wine.

    Salinger was still in his underworld. He hasn''t left since the beginning of the century. It was what caused their awkward situation.

    They very much wanted to eliminate Salinger. However, the underworld is in their way. They can only sit and wait until Salinger decided to leave the underworld and confront him.

    The Tributary of River of Eternal Darkness is in the underworld. Unless they all have a death wish, they don''t dare invade the underworld.

    And, in this war, they were already on the passive side, whether they liked it or not, as they could do nothing about the situation in the underworld.

    The air was thick with heaviness. Badhiel looked Amanises and inquired. "Did you notice anything unusual during his attempt?"

    "No." Amanises tilted her head. "There was nothing there. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been so simple to destroy."

    "So.." Badhiel sighed and tapped his finger on the armrest. "It''s possible that his river situation is stillplicated. He might even give up."

    "Well.." Lilith said, shaking her head. "He could also be putting up a front to lower our guard before striking and drowning us in the river."

    "It''s definitely a possibility." Aucuses concurred.

    "Whatever happens." Amanises said, looking around. "We should n for the worst-case scenario."

    "That is?" Badhiel asked.

    "Salinger wentpletely mad in the process and also managed to gain a portion of the control over the tributary."

    Aucuses spoke up, his eyes solemn. "We shall besiege Salinger at the first chance and kill him before things spiral to exactly that."

    "It''s going to hard to be kill him, Aucuses." Lilith mused, "After all, he is death."

    "There''s also Sasrir." Badhiel said, his face solemn. "Recent changes on the continent only point in that direction."

    "I think..." Amanises said, ethereally, looking at Aucuses. "Sasrir could very well join hands with Salinger just to deal with you."

    Aucuses remained silent for a moment while listening to everyone before saying. "It will undoubtedly be difficult to kill Salinger. Hell, the chances of us seeding on the first try are extremely slim. But we are still going to attack with everything we have."

    "As for Sasrir, Trunsoest will most likely join us as well. He will restrain them if they interfere, and one of us may assist Trunsoest if the situation bes dire on his side."

    He went on, his tone low. "If, just if, Salinger could already draw power from the river of Eternal Darkness."

    "Except for myself and Amanises, everyone should immediately withdraw from the main battlefield." His solemn gaze was drawn to Lilith.

    Badhiel and Amanises nodded to his words. Lilith chuckled, trying to dispel the heaviness. "We still have plenty of time, you know, the war may not happen for decades, and even then, Salinger may not have achieved that control."

    "Still" Aucuses said, pressing his temples "Given what has just happened, we will prepare for the worst and be ready at a moment''s notice."

    After seeing their silence, he concluded. "That concludes the meeting. We shall adjourned here once a year until the war."

    _____________________

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 Chapter 144: New Year

    Chapter 144: New Year

    11.55 PM. 31st, December, 1110.

    Trier, Tudor Empire.

    The starlight gleamed brightly in the dark night, illuminating the city of the sun in all its silver prowess.

    The sun city had regained some of its lost radiance, as the light of hope burned brightly in people''s hearts despite the world''s wars and chaos.

    The city was filled with glittering golden lights as people gathered in empty streets, balconies, bridges, and squares, each holding antern. Every street corner was bustling with men and women, with ring music and chiming clocks in the background.

    In the city square of Trier, people danced through the armour and fumes of food and cigar. They forgot about their worries and fears, simply letting go and letting the music guide them to the beat with only happiness and joy. It was teeming with people walking back and forth holdingnterns, their gaze fixed on the city''srgest clock tower on the other side.

    Lilith and Aucuses walked through the bustling crowds, caught up in a whirlwind of jollity and gaiety.

    "The situation on the frontlines is deteriorating..." Lilith said, holding his hands.

    "Well" Aucuses nodded, "Solomon and Alitsa may enter the battlefield soon. So it doesn''t really matter that much.."

    "Don''t be so lethargic about war, Aucuses."

    "Remember, it was you who said, ''It''s only the beginning of the end,''" Lilith chastised.

    "I know"

    "I was just having some time, you know, with you?" Aucuses drawled, his brow furrowed.

    Lilith said. "I get it, my love. But the time hase. Herabergan is still alive and well. He could be plotting something against you while you''re still on reprieve with me."

    "You don''t have to be concerned about Herabergan." Aucuses spoke lethargically. "I have a way to deal with him."

    "That is?" Lilith pressed.

    "War." Aucuses stated inly. "Just war. Schemes will not work with the Ominiscent one. The only option is to fight to the death. Though, given the changing winds of time, I doubt I''ll be able to deal with him in this epoch. But I still have an edge over him."

    "Edge?" Lilith snorted, her concern visible in her eyes. "You have yet to be promoted."

    "I will." Aucuses drew her in closer. "After 12 a.m. My love, you can finally put your worries to rest."

    Lilith''s smile broadened, her worries dissipating. Then she dragged him to the centre of the square as the clock''s handle approached midnight, as if she couldn''t wait any longer.

    "You changed the date of thentern festival?" Lilith inquired, pushing her way through the crowds.

    "Yeah. War and chaos continue to ravage the world," Aucuses said, nodding. "I wanted to give the rest of the world a reprieve, just as we had. So I pushed it to the new year."

    "It actually goes very well with the new year." Lilith observed the bustling city.

    They finally reached the centre of the square, standing in the same spot where they had both stood with each year ever since thest century.

    "It does, doesn''t it?"

    Aucuses said, his gaze sweeping around the cheerful crowd. "Then I''ll make it permeant."

    "Oh.." Lilith beamingly smiled. "You didn''t have to do that for me"

    "Who said it was just for you?" Aucuses smirked with raised brows. He even went into detail. "Thentern festival theme was originally intended for the new year."

    Lilith''s smile froze, as heughed and took out thentern with the sun and moon emblem from fabric of space.

    "You know, it''s time..." He went on, raising thentern to her face to calm her nerves.

    Lilith finally pouted and turned away. "Lit it up."

    Aucuses'' smile widened as he lit it with sun''s golden fire and extended it to her. Then, just like every year, they held it together.

    An ethereal gong rang out across the city, signalling the arrival of midnight. The lights in the city went out, and silence descended on the city.

    "Let''s do it." Lilith said, her eyes fixed on thentern.

    Aucuses nodded. They lifted the sun and moonnterns into the sky, keeping their gaze fixed on each other, as they did every year.

    Eventually, they let go of thentern and let it fly into the cosmos.

    The people around them soon followed suit, as the atmosphere became serene and still.

    Thenterns slowly rose to the sky, like stars illuminating the dark sky of the cosmos. They were like a serenade with the emotions and stories of many.

    Aucuses drew Lilith to him in the light of thenterns, cing his hands on her hips.

    "Happy New Year, my love." He spoke softly.

    Lilith smiled and responded with action, kissing him on the lips.

    Boom!

    The sky was illuminated by firecrackers, which exploded into thousands of specks of light. A cacophony of music filled the city of sun as the divine couple danced in the midst of the bustling crowd, unconcerned about the world.

    __________________

    6.00 Am. 1, January, 1111.

    The Boundless Oceans.

    Aucuses and Lilith appeared with a sh of light after celebrating through the first hours of the new year.

    Theynded gently on the ocean, waiting for the herald of dawn.

    A orange and yellow bright orb emerge gradually. It began to rise higher and higher, and the colours became more vibrant.

    The sky and the ocean became one, and light shone across the water. The sky began to cast all of its colours into the water. The light began to shine brighter and brighter to eliminate the darkness. The sunrise glistened on the water, and the birds began to fly peacefully above it. The sound of birds chirping and the gentle breezeing off the water bring a sense of calm.

    Lilith shifted her gaze away from the sun. "Have your anchors been stabilised?"

    Aucuses said, "By Midnight."

    Lilith nodded without surprise and continued. "Are you ready, my love?"

    Aucuses raised his hand. A sh of lightning erupted, morphing into a blot, the Uniqueness of Tyrant.

    "I am." Taking a deep breath, he said.

    Lilith leaned in for a kiss. "Go ahead and ascend without worry. I will shield you from any intrusions."

    Aucuses nodded and walked ahead on the ocean of the floor, while Lilith stood there watching him.

    ''It''s finally time''

    He has arrived, ready to take his first step toward Omnipotence and Omniscience. His eyes shed with memories of the past, making him seem slightly reminiscent.

    Despite all the hurdles and obstacles in his path, he seeded in the end.

    This was only the beginning. He still has a long way to go...

    His grip on the lightning blot became tighter. The amodation would almost certainly not be pleasant.

    He wasn''t just postponing his promotion for a reprieve. It was primarily to give his anchors time to stabilise after being severely impacted by the war.

    He even dyed thentern festival to expedite the process of stabilisation.

    And, just as he had anticipated, his anchors had stabilised by midnight.

    Aucuses raised his blot and looked at it silently for a moment before infusing it with his authority.

    The blot instantly transformed into a bolt of lightning, striking his chest. A vast and boundless aura erupted from him, enveloping the infinite sky and boundless ocean.

    The amodation finally began.

    _____________________

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 Chapter 145: The Symbol of Power!

    Chapter 145: The Symbol of ''Power''!

    Aucuses raised the blot and looked at it silently for a moment before instilling his authority in it.

    The blot transformed into a bolt of lightning and struck his chest. From him erupted a vast and unbounded aura, enveloping the infinite sky and limitless ocean.

    An ancient will that had been weakening suddenly red up its mighty tentacles in his soul, as if wanting to tear his persona asunder.

    Pain!

    An inconceivable amount of pain erupted from within his soul, coursing through every part of his body. To say it was excruciating and agonising would be an understatement; he felt as though his entire body was being slowly stretched apart while being pierced by thousands of cold des.

    His face twisted in agony as sweat fell from his brow onto the ocean, evaporating everything in its path. He knelt on the ocean''s surface as the twisted mummers intruded into his mind.

    Boom! Boom!

    The figure of Aucuses suddenly emitted infinite blots of lightning, aimed at the sky. It spread across the entire infinite sky like throne branches, forming a silver "forest".

    The boundless oceans began to surge with massive waves that rolled towards the southern and northern continents, reaching stormy clouds.

    The continents began to shake to their very foundations, causing massive structures all over the world to copse one after the other.

    A swath of dark clouds began to imprint their mark in the infinite sky, forming an abyss of stormy clouds that seemed to engulf the eternal sun.

    The entire world was enveloped in a cataclysmic aura. In a daze, Mortal and Extraordinary looked at the cataclysmic sight that dawned within a second, while Gods turned their gazes to the boundless oceans, to the location where Aucuses was ascending.

    A dark hand reached out from the eternal night and waved at the approaching tsunami, causing the restless waves to immediately smooth out and fall apart in serenity.

    A massive broadsword bathed in twilight emerged from the waning twilight, sending a beam of orange light streaking into the abyss of storms, instantly dividing it in two. The storm clouds faded away in the twilight.

    Atop the crumbling pce of eternity, a massive inverse scale appeared, emitting a bronze light constituted of aw, sweeping the continents and stopping the rumbling from spreading further.

    Meanwhile, in the centre of the silver "forest," a massive luminescent tree rose up, dwarfing everything. Its roots reached the core and its branches reached the horizon, emitting a gentle aura. It exerted Earth''s authority, temporarily halting any disaster across the globe. The silver "forest" faded away before it could tear the sky asunder with its tendrils of lightning.

    It also encircled the central region, embracing Aucuses and blocking any malicious power from interfering with his ascension.

    In a colossal white tower near the ruins of the masin, an old man with long beard looked out of the window from the tallest floor onto the central region with his starry eyes twinkling. His hold on a white book tightened.

    His grip on the book suddenly loosened and his starry eyes dimmed as his gaze swept towards the dark hand and gigantic broadsword extending from eternal night and waning twilight.

    The old man sighed deeply, turning away from the window and walking to the table in between the bookshelves, where he sat on the chair in front, cing the book on the wooden table and opening it.

    The pages turned on their own as the old man looked around his tower, seemingly waiting for the pages to settle.

    Amanises'' betrayal came as aplete surprise. He deduced Aucuses was putting on a front to set up a trap for him or Leodero, while also having ast card up his sleeve to deal with them.

    In the end, he did not take the risk, whereas Leodero did.

    Amanises was the one who eventually apanied him. Whatever card he has, at least both of them should be able to bear it.

    But she betrayed him. It was all a ruse from the beginning. The ruse that managed to fool both reality and him, ''Ominiscent one''.

    The old man shook his head, a wry smile on his face. It was pointless to wallow in the past. Aucuses is already on his way to bing a dual-pathway god.

    With the Sun and Tyrant authoritiesbined, he will soon be the symbol of ''Power.'' He can''t stop it, even if he really wants to. He has far too many allies watching his back.

    By this point, he realised he had mostly lost the path of the Almighty to Aucuses.

    But he wasn''t going down without a fight, even if it meant his death in the end.

    He wasn''t going to back down in fear or caution for his life, as he had done for most of his life.

    Not Anymore.

    The old man turned to face his book. The pages finally stopped turning, settling on the final page.

    There was a drawn picture of a massive silver moon high in the sky, reflected in the boundless ck ocean.

    The image was serene yet eerie, beautiful yet repugnant, purifying yet tainting, orderly yet contorted....

    __________________

    Aucuses knelt on the surface of the boundless oceans, a pair of fiery wings erupting from behind his back, sending a ze of golden fire at the luminescent tree, rattling it.

    His mind was being assaulted by twisted murmurs that were tearing his psyche apart. It was a mash-up of every sphemous sound in existence, thundering and reverberating through his mind over and over.

    Aucuses remained conscious despite the excruciating pain coursing through his entire body, soul, and mind, though his firm will was shaky under the assault of the ancient will.

    As golden blood spurted from his lips, he gritted his teeth. The murmurs increased as if noticing his deteriorating condition.

    "Enough!" He roared.

    The luminescent tree cracked in the middle, splintering its branches apart. Even so, the tree''s embrace did not loosen, but rather tightened.

    "Aucuses..." a voice broke through the murmurs.

    Aucuses gradually felt love, endless love of his beloved. He could sense his angels'' concern. He sensed his beleivers'' sincere and pious prayers.

    His dimming eyes gradually regained their radiance. Thousands of suns bloomed in brilliance in his soul, resisting the will. The murmurers in his mind fractured as he used his authority to literally shatter it.

    Aucuses rose from the raging surface of the ocean, his figure bathed in light and lightning. His two long wings changed, with the feathers on the right wing encased in pure light and the other in white lightning.

    He finally suppressed the ancient will in his body with his sheer will and anchors, which actually weakened even further with his victory.

    Once he raised his hand, a sh of lightning erupted, transforming into a blue sceptre. A blinding ray of light morphed into a white crown above his head.

    Lilith appeared above him, floating. With a relieved smile, she took the crown in her hand and ced it on his head.

    Aucuses finally raised his spectre at the sky, his lips rising to form a psyched smile.

    A bolt of white lightning red up, ascending to the astral world and imploding into light.

    The light roared in an instant, illuminating the corrupteds outside the barrier, nearby star systems, and even a portion of the Milky Way. It was as though a bright star rose from within swirling gxy, dwarfing everything.

    It heralded the birth of the symbol of ''Power''!

    _____________________

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 Chapter 146: Amelia Jacob

    Chapter 146: Amelia Jacob

    1 January 1111. The Eternal zing Sun amodated the Tyrant Uniqueness, bing the symbol of ''Power''. He gained the authority of the sky, ocean, lightning and cmity.

    The Church of the Eternal zing Sun changed religious cannon, as the honorific titles of the sun god; ''Guardian of Business'' and ''God of Contracts'' was removed, reced by ''Ruler of the Sky'' and ''Progenitor of Day''. The title ''Symbol of Power'' was added to the honorific title.

    The scared emblem of the Eternal zing Sun was also altered, as now there was a clear blue sky visible with the zing Sun.

    These sudden changes, with the abated cmity, made it clear to the world that the Eternal zing Sun had usurped the throne of the Lord of Storms, conquering the sky and ocean as his own crown.

    The historians recorded all that transpired in vivid detail. As for whether future generations take the facts as fables or factual history, no one could guess.

    7 January, 1111. The War between the Empires was on full throttle. The army of the deadid waste to all life as the ruthless stamped across the grounds of the northern continent.

    The Solomon Empire had allied with the Bayam Empire at the beginning of the war. The two empires joined their entire might to go on a frontal assault on the Trunsoest Empire and Tudor Empire.

    The small skirmishes between the Trunsoest and Tudor Empires ceased, as they were forced to deal with theing assault of the allied empires.

    Tudor and Trunsoest didn''t ally with each other, though. But there was tacit understanding between the two of them, bringing temporary peace between them until the threat of Death and the ck Emperor was dealt with.

    20 January, 1111. War. War raged across thends in between like never before, even dwarfing the holy war. The bards sang the tales of the mighty angels and valiant heroes in the cities far from the frontlines. They didn''tbel it as a war in their songs, rather a dance, a Dance of the Living and Dead.

    Thus, the moniker of the most famous war of the epoch came to be through the songs of the bard and the whispers of the taleteller, reaching into the sharp ears of the historians.

    They recorded it: The Dance of the Living and Dead.

    3 April, 1111. The Orthodox Churches finally broke their long silence and entered the war after the army of the dead breached the frontlines. The Church of the Eternal zing Sun, Earth Mother, God of Combat, and Evernight Goddess dered their alliance on the same day, entering the war under the leadership of the Archangel, Thunder God, Lucas Reyes.

    Meanwhile, the Church of the God of Steam and God of Knowledge also entered the war, siding with the Night Emperor. It had developed into a war that no one could skirt.

    23 June, 1111. As the war raged on the frontlines, which had been saved by the troops of orthodox churches joining the war, a new religion sprung up in the Tudor Empire, worshipping the Goddess of Wisdom.

    The Church of the Eternal zing Sun acknowledged the religion of the Goddess of Wisdom as Orthodox while the crown remained silent regarding the religion.

    The Faith and Crown. A crack was already visible for those with keen eyes to see within the empire.

    The religion of the Goddess of Wisdom tantly preached that their Goddess was the true embodiment of knowledge, while the God of Knowledge and Wisdom was nothing but a chatan.

    5 March 1112. Tensions between Faith and the Empires were at an all-time high, but amon enemy forced them all to band together, whether they wanted to or not.

    The Dance of the Living and Dead continued, as the allied troops finally pushed past the cannel with thebined might of 30 angels. Thus, the counter invasion begins...

    _________________

    10 yearster, on March 6, 1122.

    In an army tent near the frontlines, the canals.

    A woman with xen-coloured hair knelt down on the floor, her hands tightly clutching a sacred emblem of the Eternal zing Sun.

    She muttered, her voice quivering in despair and misery. Before her were three candles lit up in golden mes and a white knife inserted into the cup of clear water, surrounded by white flowers.

    "Eternal zing Sun,"

    "Inextinguishable Light,"

    "Progenitor of Day,"

    "Embodiment of Order,"

    "Ruler of the Sky,"

    "The Symbol of Power,"

    "I pray for God''s grace,"

    "I pray for salvation,"

    "Please save my family."

    She whimpered out, her figure trembling as tears trickled down her cheeks, falling onto the ground.

    "Please"

    The golden mes burning in the candle still burned the same without the slightest change.

    ''Believe in the Might of the Gods, not in their Benevolence.''

    The gentle yet strenuous voice of her ancestor resounded in her mind, as her heart sank further into pits of despair, looking at the unchanging candles.

    "NoNoNo" She sobbed, clutching the emblem of the eternal zing sun tightly.

    However, she refused to give up hope. She took a deep breath, pressing all her wallowing emotions. Then, she prayed, her scarred heart steeling for the terrible words that she was about to utter.

    "I pray for your salvation in exchange for the eternal servitude of my family..."

    Amelia Jacob was who she was, a saint of the noble and illustrious family of Jacob. They were fierce and loyal supporters of the Blood Emperor, himself.

    They were one of the angel families of the realm, with an Archangel as an ancestor. It was more than enough to exemplify their status and origin. They were supposed to be praised, honoured, and showered in glory and fame.

    Yet, everything was falling apart. It was already far too gone by the moment she realised the problem.

    Her ancestor suddenly changed. Everything changed: his behaviour, actions, bearing. It was almost like he was possessed by someone else. Then, without warning, hepletely disappeared from the face of the earth.

    Things just didn''t stop there. The "change" was spreading like a tumour, infecting everything. The angels of her family began to show drastic changes just like her ancestor, one after another.

    She wasn''t a fool, nor were the other high-sequence beyonders in her family. She inferred that somebody or something was parasitizing the members of her family, even her ancestor. And it had seeded without a hitch, without causing even the slightest hup.

    That revtion sent a chill down her spine, making her heart freeze in terror. And she immediately knew who was targeting her family.

    Only Amon, God of Deceit and Son of the Creator, had the power to aplish this.

    Her true nightmare began with her realisation. Her loved ones were immediately reced the very next hour. They tried to act the same way, though the ring differences were all clearly visible to her. Then, without even giving her time to process shock, they took out a monocle and wore it over their right eyes and greeted her in unison with their distinctive voices, their lips suffused with a smile, a smile that she will never be able to forget for the rest of her life.

    Her mother, her brother, and her sister...

    She ran; ran to seek help; ran to escape; ran to warn others. She just ran without daring to turn back, as an amused chuckle kept reverberating in her mind.

    She ran to the capital, frontlines, and army camps, wherever she could sense the rest of her family. Yet, what she found broke her heart ever more. "He" was everywhere, waiting for her, greeting her the same way through the mouths of her family.

    Everyone and everything was gone.... Thest bits of her darkening world would have copsed if not for the bleak hope, which was also threatening to extinguish with a still echoing amused chuckle.

    She didn''t dare stop on her journey, her heart quivering in fear at what might await her, if she stopped.

    She ran, ran now to find help, to find a way to save her family. But who is capable of rescuing them from the clutches of the sphemer, who dared to defy the Gods themselves?

    However, there was still hope. She desperately clung to it and prayed for salvation, not caring for the prize or consequences. It didn''t matter anymore.

    So, she prayed to "Him" with thest of her extinguished hope.

    Suddenly, the golden mes on the candle flickered, as a fierce gale swept into the tent. A looming shadow was cast over her praying figure.

    She jerked her head immediately, only to directly look into the golden eyes that gleamed with resplendent light just like the eternal sun in the sky. She felt too small under the gaze, almost like a particle of dust...

    "Never forget your words," A divine voice thundered in her mind, as she felt something bound into her soul, forcing herpletely unconscious. "Amelia Jacob. You and your family shall forever serve me from this moment forth."

    _____________________

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 Chapter 147: Pawn

    Chapter 147: Pawn

    Aucuses looked at the unconscious Amelia Jacob, looking into all of her memories to get a better understanding of the situation with the Jacob family.

    After a few seconds of sniffing through twisted memoirs of her, he waved at her figure, sending her to the headquarters of his church with a message for ise.

    The situation of the Jacob familyWell, it was just Amon being Amon again. His senses swept the entire Tudor Empire in an instant. The sky and sun are his domains. Under them, nothing can escape his gaze, not even the reticent darkness.

    There Amon was, sitting on a throne in a mansion in Trier, City of the Sun. The Angel of Time looked up, smiling, as though he had noticed his gaze. Aucuses didn''t bother to hide it, anyway.

    Aucuses walked. The scenery around him, the order of space, alerted with each step, modifying the concept of "distance" to his will.

    Ten years passed. Experiencing time, at his level, was very different from the perspective of humans. A passage of ten years is nothing to him. Though he remained the same as before, spending most, if not all, of his time with Lilith and the rest of his time nning and preparing for the approaching fight with Death, much had changed around him.

    The War. The Dance of the Living and Death, as it is now famously known, was an utter disaster despite all their involvement in it. The dead know no fear, no caution, no emotion, and unlike the living, they rise and rise again at each of their falls, while the living fall into their cold and still embrace, only to rise again as one of the ranks among the dead.

    The Death himself used his authority for it, unleashing a disaster on the frontlines at the start of the war. Though not all was lost, despite how it may appear, he and other gods also intervened, using their authorities to help their angels. They captured an absolute advantage.

    Then, it was shattered by Sasrir, who sent the entire red army that was once led by Medici, but now by Ouroboros, Angel of Destiny, into the battlefield.

    In response to this, Alitsa Tudor ordered Amon, Angel of Time, to enter the war, as he was the only avable king of angels on their side. Diana was already deep into her research and preparation for the apotheosis ritual.

    It was utter chaos. He, like all the gods, sat at the edge of his chair, watching the developments of the ready to enter the battlefield at a moment''s notice. And it almost erupted one time when Amon nearly managed to kill Azik Eggers, only to be stopped by Ouroboros.

    The battle of the living and the dead continues on the frontlines; the canals connecting the Northern and Southern Continents, which were nearly destroyed and tainted.

    While the war is going on the frontlines, the situation in the Tudor Empire is taking a bad turn since Alitsa didn''t recognise Diana''s religion as Orthodox and kept silent about it.

    Crown and Faith. Two distinct concepts, which were the foundation of the empire, were slowly cracking and starting to oppose each other.

    A bloody civil war is not far off if nothing is to be done about the situation. Even though his faith may triumph in the end, it will be bloody nheless.

    And he''s going to put an end to it before it even starts.

    With a ripple of space in his footsteps, subsiding, Aucuses descended before the Angel of Time, who was standing up from his throne and walking towards him slowly, a smile permeating his lips.

    "Congrattions, Aucuses." He toasted, passing a ss of wine to him while holding another high at him.

    "Save it." Aucuses said, not partaking in his toast and leaving him hanging.

    Seemly unaffected by rudeness, Amon merely chuckled, before gulping both sses of wine down right before him.

    "So?" He drawled, raising his brows. "Why has the sun god graced his presence before me?"

    "Stop with these pretences, Amon." Aucuses said, furrowing his brows. "It''s getting annoying. Trust me, thest thing you want to do is to annoy me more."

    Amon walked near him, looked at him in the eyes, before answering. "Okay. I will leave them alone."

    Aucuses said, narrowing his eyes. "You will not only do that. If you are to stay within my empire, you are to follow my rules and order like everyone else. You are not above it, so tuck your tails."

    "If not?" Amon asked defiantly, his head raised high, his monocle gleaming.

    Aucuses'' indifferent countenance copsed to form a slight smirk, "You are gravely mistaken about something, Amon." His smirk faded, as his golden eyes darkened with a haze, like a brewing cataclysmic storm. "I will kill you. And your brother and your father won''t be able to save you this time unless ''They'' wish to pay a heavy price."

    He cocked his head. "A price in the end, ''They'' will not pay for you. Do you think you are really that important?"

    Amon''s smile faded at his words, while he continued, his wordsced with indifference.

    "From the beginning to the end, you are nothing more than a by-product, a thing which the Creator didn''t intend in the first ce. You were naught but anything in ''His'' eyes. And the funny thing is, you always knew the truth deep in your heart, yet never tried to face it."

    "Huh! So much for the most courageous and defiant sphemer."

    Amon''s lips thinned into a line, but his gaze at him never flinched from his eyes.

    He finally spoke in a neutral voice. "I will follow your order with all my heart, your excellency."

    It was a ruse. Aucuses knew it. Even if his half-truth remarks managed to get through the Angel of Time, it wouldn''t change who he was in essence. Now it was just Amon putting up an act in front of him to save himself.

    Amon, the Angel of Time, will not fall by his hand. And the problems with the pathways of mysteries alsopletely sealed any fate of Amon bing a god in this epoch. So, honestly, he didn''t really care much about Amon, as there was already a lot on his te that needed to be dealt with.

    His previous remarks were indeed half-truths. The Creator didn''t really care for the existence of Amon in the beginning. Hell, ''He'' didn''t even trust him with the secrets of Rose Redemption. But it changed or it would change, as Aucuses knew that in the original timeline, the Creator actually stood on the side of Amon against Klein for the final battle for the Lord of Mysteries.

    Aucuses snorted dismissively. "Enough with that. You shall return all the characteristics that you stole from the Jacob family to them."

    He raised his hand. A ripple spread out, sweeping the entire Tudor Empire. He purified all the still alive members of the Jacob family from the parasites of Amon.

    Amon just nodded at his order, his head hung low, his face covered in his own shadow.

    Aucuses finally ordered, ripples erupting from the soles of his feet. "You are not to participate in the uing war between Alitsa and Solomon."

    "Yes, your excellency." Amon said equivocally.

    The figure of Aucuses faded away into particles of light, as the ripples in reality subsided.

    However, the voice of Aucuses still lingered in the air, carrying sharp words.

    "Don''t think I don''t know the ns already brewing in your head! If any of that seeds in the end, it is only because I allowed it. You are still a pawn in my hand. You never escaped. And you would do well to remember that, Amon."

    Hearing that, Amon looked up, a grin forming on his lips, his eyes darkening as he adjusted his monocle.

    "We will see about that."

    Then, he too was gone, leaving the room in an eerie silence.

    ____________________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 148: Purge

    Chapter 148: Purge

    The Headquarters of the Church of the Eternal zing Sun, Trier, The City of the Sun.

    ise Larson pinched his brows in a headache, looking at the trembling woman who sat in front of him.

    "Amelia..." he said, trying to make his voice appear as soothing as possible. "If you want time, I would give you. You don''t have to force yourself."

    "No." Amelia shook her head, tucking her quivering arms in her long coat that covered her figure, "I am fine. Your excellency, Angel of Miracles, I can deta-ail it."

    ise sighed, cing the pen and document on the table in front of him and abruptly rising from his chair, causing the other to flinch in fear.

    He walked towards her as she trembled, trying to get up from the chair, seemingly wanting to make a run for it.

    The Angel of Miracles, however, appeared in front of her path and made her flinch again, taking a step back.

    "You are not fine, Amelia." He said sternly. "Your mind was almost in shambles not long ago. So don''te knocking on my door and wasting my time again until you feel great. I mean really great. Now go back to the infirmary for your own good."

    Amelia nodded quickly and got around him, quite swiftly leaving the room. Her trembling legs didn''t seem to bother her in the least this time.

    ise sighed, walking back to his chair and sitting down. His dim eyes were looking at the mountains of paperwork on the table that needed his review and immediate attention.

    God, how much he hated paperwork and Lucas, who pushed everything on his head and went to battlefield. It was meant to be Lucas''s duties, while he acted as the thundering sword of their lord.

    But now, their roles have almost been reversed for a decade. As Lucas and other angles took to the frontlines while he stayed in the headquarters, the presence of an angel was required here all the time.

    He really wanted to perform a miracle to let it all bepleted on its own, but he suppressed that desire, no matter how tempting it was.

    The documents before him are of the utmost importance, many involving information from the situation on the frontlines, empires, and other churches. It requires his unequivocal attention.

    ise took a sip of coffee as he took the most recent file from the table, which had a detailed report of the previous situation of the Jacob family.

    The Jacob Family. Thep dogs of the Blood Emperor.

    He obviously knew the sudden and strange situation of this angel family. He had ordered his Lightbringers to keep tabs on almost all of the angel families except the Amon family. If anything is remotely determined to be unusual, it will be immediately reported back to the headquarters and an investigation will immediately begin.

    The investigations into the strange situation of the Jacob families quickly bore results, as the truth was actually quite easy to infer.

    It was Amon, the infamous sphemer. He single-handedly brought down an entire angel family without making a disturbance in the slightest.

    When he heard the news of this, ise could do nothing, as his hands were tied on this.

    The rtionship between their church and the crown was already deteriorating, so they could not dabble in the affairs of the chaotic retinue of the crown.

    The strain in rtionship had actually begun with his Lord''s Order, the Order to suppress both the Antigonus and Abraham families.

    Faith is a powerful power that can be easily used to manipte public masses to one''s will, and in some ways, faith is even above the crown in the hearts of the citizens, especially their lord''s faith. So, they manipted the public and began to iste the two families, even preventing news of their achievements in the war of living and death from spreading in the empire.

    The Abraham Family was still in shambles with the disappearance of their ancestor and his granddaughter, both of whom were important pirs of the family. They just disappeared from the face of the earth with not even the slightest news for about a decade.

    Thest angel of the Abraham family gathered enough resolve and courage to ask the Blood Emperor himself about this. After all, Silvia Abraham was engaged to him, and Bethel Abraham was a consul for him. If anybody had any clue about their situation, it should have been none other than their excellency.

    ise had no idea whether the Blood Emperor had responded; perhaps only his Lord did. But, judging the improvement of the situation within the Abraham family after that Angel''s visit to the royal pce, the Blood Emperor should have at least provided some satisfactory answer.

    Then there was the Antigonus family, who hated their lord. Yeah, ise knew how ridiculous that sounded, but that was the truth. The family, which consisted only of a brother and sister, actually hated their lord. It all stemmed from an event nearly two centuries ago during the War of the seven kingdoms.

    Diana and Medici fought their legendary battle across the northern continent, which nearly caused the destruction of the night kingdom ruled by the Antigonus family.

    Though the brother and sister duo weren''t that tant in their hate, it still couldn''t escape his sharp eyes.

    When the two families found out about the action of the church, they did the obvious; theyined to the Blood Emperor. This was what first caused a crack in the rtionship between the faith and the crown, which further deepened when the Blood Emperor didn''t recognise Diana''s religion as Orthodox.

    He even heard from his lord that Antigonus somehow managed to get the support of Amon and the Angel of Imagination to sway the lingering hesitation of the blood Emperor over the situation of the religion of Diana.

    So yeah, the situation between the crown and faith is at a boiling point. All that''s needed is a fuse to blow the whole thing up into the air. A war of the gods will also surely erupt with this.

    The chances of theming out victorious in the civil war are almost a certainty, but it will not be without a heavy loss, a loss which the empire cannot bear with the Dance of the Living and Death going on in the frontlines.

    And he is doing everything he can to dy that as long as possible while waiting for the defining orders from the Lord.

    ise finally looked at the document of the Jacob family in his hand, turned to the empty pages and began recording the developments of the Jacob family. They became vassals of their lord.

    After that, he truly didn''t know any other information. He can''t even divine on this issue, as it involves the Gods and the King of Angles.

    The information about the entire current situation of the Jacob family is absolutely necessary to dy the news of them bing his lord''s vassal from reaching the ears of the Blood Emperor, as this could very well be the fuse.

    He asked Amelia Jacob after she woke up, but the woman hadn''t recovered from shock after everything that happened. However, after hearing his request, she tried to gather herself to answer many times, only to fail with stuttering and waste his time on her.

    ise also considered his other options: praying to his lord and procuring information from Diana.

    His lord didn''t answer his prayers, and the saint he sent to her still hadn''t returned yet.

    So, all he could do was wait, while alreadying up with contiguous ns to deal with the fallout, as he had felt it was already toote.

    ise jerked his head up from the document, looking forward. A light erupted in the room, morphing into the projection of his Lord.

    The Eternal zing Sun ordered him immediately, without giving him any chance to speak. "It''s time, ise. Begin the purge. If you encounter any resistance that you are unable to ovee, simply pray to me, and I will personally send down divine punishment. The Church of Evernight Goddess will also join with us."

    "Yes, milord." ise stood up and nodded solemnly.

    "War of gods is about to begin. Announce a state of emergency immediately." The Eternal zing Sun gave his final order. Then, his projection faded away into particles of light, leaving ise, who resolutely took out the sacred emblem and pressed on its surface in a peculiar pattern, causing it to light up and produce ripples in the space that began to spread out.

    Instantly, sirens boomed across Trier, The City of the Sun...

    ______________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 149: God-Slaying Legion

    Chapter 149: God-ying Legion

    Astral World, Sr System.

    The unparalleled sun floated in the centre, providing light and vitality. The brilliant sun sted scorching sr res onto Astral World, melting everything in its path.

    A golden chariot pulled by majestic white horses emerged from the surging sun, their hooves splitting the very fabric of space with a neigh and bray.

    The silver reins were in the hands of Eternal zing Sun, who stood at the helm. He rode the Sun Chariot, the uniqueness of the Sun Pathway, at the speed of light towards the blue near the barrier.

    His golden gaze swept towards the barrier, narrowing in thought.

    But then two divine figures appeared in front of him, blocking his path andpelling him to pull his reins and stop the sun chariot.

    The divine figures were none other than the Evernight Goddess and Earth Mother.

    "The concealment remains," Evernight Goddess observed, her hands sped across her chest. "But you have to quit being shy if you want it to hold on."

    "You''re being unreasonable, Amanises," Earth Mother said with a smile, her gaze fixed on Eternal zing Sun. "It''s a part of him; he simply can not stop it."

    Eternal zing Sun snorted. "Enough. It is no time to partake in jests and jeers. The war is about to start."

    Evernight Goddess swept her gaze away to a distant azure, her voice still heavy. "Salinger shows no signs of ever departing the underworld."

    "Give it a little time." Earth Mother spoke as she rested her hand on Evernight Goddess'' shoulder. "He''ll have to leave someday, one way or another."

    "The longer it takes, the more worrying it bes." Eternal zing Sun murmured as he let go of the reins. "But, once again, we must concentrate on the issue, which is as troubling as Salinger."

    Evernight Goddess finally remarked, solemnly looking into the eyes of the Eternal zing Sun. "Are you positive about this?"

    "Yes." Eternal zing Sun gave a nod. "With the assistance of Amon and Adam, Antigonus has already amodated the uniqueness of the fool. They manipted him and did a number on him. Now, the Lord of Mysteries'' will is waking in him. If nothing is done to stop this, then we can soon expect the resurrected pir on our heads."

    The tension in the atmosphere was palpable.

    Earth Mother inquired sharply, shattering the brief silence. "Then why didn''t you just stop them before they started?"

    "Lilith, the situation isn''t as straightforward as you think it is." Eternal zing Sun responded, his gaze riveted on his love.

    Ethereally, Evernight Goddess stepped between them. "What has been done has already been done."

    Eternal zing Sun grunted, his gaze shifting away from the Earth Mother and toward the Evernight Goddess. "Antigonus is also a member of Alitsa Tudor''s legion. After I and Lilith have besieged Alitsa, you can besiege him. We will also join with you after dealing with Alitsa."

    The Evernight Goddess solemnly nodded. The Eternal zing Sun continued. "If Solomon and Sasrir decide to intervene, Badhiel and Herabergan will handle them. I''ve already spoken with Badhiel, and even if Herabergan did not intervene in the battle out of spite, Trunsoest remains."

    "I will take care of Antigonus." Evernight Goddess nodded, her figure receding into the darkness. "The war has begun."

    "Don''t kill him." The Eternal zing Sun stated.

    "Be careful, Amanises." From behind, Earth Mother yelled.

    "I won''t." The mystical voice of the Evernight Goddess remained in the ckness as she faded away. "I will."

    Eternal zing Sun looked at the darkness for a time before turning to face his love, who stared at him with her arms folded. They had a little ring contest in the infinity of space.

    "Come on." He finally said, sighing in defeat.

    Earth Mother pouted as she floated down to his helm and stood beside him, arms crossed.

    As the white horses neighed and pulled the sr chariot, Eternal zing Sun tightened his reins.

    "You''re scared." Earth Mother murmured suddenly, ncing at her love. "You are afraid of the Lord of the Mysteries."

    "Indeed." Eternal zing Sun admitted candidly. "I am scared of ''Him.''"

    Earth Mother peered at her love, before leaning on him in silence...

    __________________

    The Andes Mountain Range. The holy mountains had turned scarlet all the way up to its ck haunting crown.

    Under thest peak of the rangey a huge lond. There was a massive army of 100,000 soldiers covering it like a crimson ocean. Soldier by soldier, troop by troop,pany bypany, they crowded together, their palms wet and their eyes aze.

    Amon and Antigonus stood close to each other at the summit, looking down at the massive troops indifferently.

    A thunderous footstep shook the entire holy mountain, driving fear into the hearts of the bravest men and women. Their hearts thumped viscously against their own chest.

    Stormy clouds stamped their cruel markings on the sky, dazzling everything as scarlet lightning began tearing through the swarthy gloomy clouds.

    The footsteps eventually came to a halt. There he was, d in red royal robes with a scabbard attached to it. His red hair was crowned with a gleaming ck crown.

    The world turned crimson with his presence.

    The Blood Emperor!

    The Blood Emperor eyed his legion standing in the middle of Amon and Antigonus. He spoke, his voice majestic and loud, resounding over the.

    "Heed my soldiers, long, dark nights of trials and tribtions lie ahead of us. Not only great dangers, but also many misfortunes, shorings, mistakes, and disappointments will undoubtedly be our lot. Death and sorrow will be ourpanions; hardship our garment; constancy and valour our only shield. We must be united, undaunted, and inflexible. Our qualities and deeds must burn and glow through the dark embers of death and chaos."

    "All hail, Blood Emperor!" Antigonus stated immediately, his palm across his chest, bowing before the Red Priest.

    "All hail the Blood Emperor."

    "All hail the Blood Emperor."

    "All hail the Blood Emperor."

    The troops began chanting fiercely. Their eyes were inmed with madness and bloodlust. Their chanting was jumbled at first, but the Blood Emperor brought it into order with a swirl of his finger.

    The shouts rumbled across the Tudor Empire like waves upon waves of a tsunami, trembling the empire.

    Every word in the chant appeared to contain an unseen yet terrifying force. The tremendous words ripped through the air, rushing towards the Blood Emperor, who was engulfed by red chaos.

    Under the authority of the Blood Emperor. It all merged into one, linking to the Emperor himself. As his crimson eyes surged intourel ck, the chaos subsided.

    The Blood Emperor had be one with his legion. His legion has now surpassed Medici''s Red War legion to be the strongest in human history.

    His legion was known as the God-ying Legion.

    Its purpose is already self-evidenrty from its name: to y a god with the might of all.

    The Blood Emperor opened his arms wide. Thick crimson tendrils of lightning shrouded the sky.

    "Charge! Charge forth for the dreams! Charge forth for the hope! Charge forth for the honour! Charge forth for the faith! Our path shall be one that is forged with blood, victory, and madness. In our path, there is no need for cheers or jubtion. Only fear and surrender are worthy of honouring us."

    "Charge Forth My Might Soldiers and Realize Our Greatness and Dreams! Let The World Quiver Under Our Daunting March!"

    The Blood Emperor bellowed. The angels speared their holy wings and raised their weapons to the crimson sky, joining the rest of the army in a roar. And the world quivered.

    Amon looked at the roaring legion. It is truly a pity to end this journey in this way.

    He sighed and nced up at the sky. It was there, sweeping through the crimson clouds in a burst of brilliant light.

    A white blot of lightning erupted from it, plummeting onto the god-ying legion.

    "No!!!" The Blood Emperor roared.

    It was, however, toote. The white streak of lightning fell on the unsuspecting and bellowing war legion.

    Then the world became white.

    ____________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 150: War and Disorder

    Chapter 150: War and Disorder

    Divine punishment descended. And for a little moment, the world shed white before receding, revealing a perfectly unscathed God-ying legion.

    The legion''s surroundings were engulfed in crimson-darkness. In the embers of chaos and blood, the whole fabric of existence was warping. It was the authority of War and Disorder.

    "Haha!" The Blood Emperor bellowed fearlessly, his crazy eyes locked on the brilliant sky. "Do you think I''m a moron?"

    He then cast a sidelong nce towards Amon.

    Amon looked down at the horrified troops. The tranquil darkness gleamed in his monocle. The warriors slumped on the ground, falling into a deep sleep.

    However, the link with the Blood Emperor remains. Through this link, Alitsa summoned all of their power into him, bing stronger exponentially.

    A deep, chaotic darkness descended near the Blood Emperor. A middle-aged man dressed in ck regal attire emerged from it. His head was adorned with a ck crown.

    ck Emperor!

    The two emperors stood at the mountain''s summit, looking at the sky with fierce eyes filled with a striking identical hatred.

    In the skies, Earth Mother used her earthy authority to aim her hand at the two emperors and raise her hand high towards the astral world.

    The two emperors did not fight back. Their figures teleported from Earth to the Astral World, apanied by the Eternal zing Sun and Earth Mother.

    At least temporarily, peace reigned in the Andes Mountains. Antigonus breathed a sigh of relief as the unsettling muttering in his ears faded with the decreasing heavenly pressure of the Eternal zing Sun.

    He turned to face Amon and opened his mouth to discuss their strategy.

    Suddenly, he saw a blurry figure.

    This person was dressed in a long, tiered ck gown. Her beautiful and gentle face was covered in thin ck gauze. Her eyes stood out the most, as if they werepressing the entire starry night sky. It made one feel both peace and uncontroble fear.

    Evernight Goddess!

    Antigonus'' eyes were filled with terror at the sight of the woman, and his mind shed back to the horrible recollections of the past. His heart plummeted into the pits of sorrow, leaving him vulnerable to an enemy strike for a brief moment.

    And for the Evernight Goddess, this was more than enough. Antigonus was instantly erased with an eraser, as if he were merely a sketch.

    The Evernight Goddess then looked down at the sleeping legion, softly waiving her hand. The god-ying legion was engulfed in darkness as it erupted. She also kept this area concealed.

    After a few moments, the darkness broke through the war and disorder authorities and enveloped the legion, causing them to disappear forever in the darkness, serving their connection with Blood Emperor.

    The Evernight Goddess eventually turned to face the Angel of Time, who bowed lightly with his distinctive smile on his lips.

    "Evernight."

    She just spared him a nce before looking ahead for a moment and fading away into darkness.

    Amon sighed as he adjusted his monocle. He began heading toward the other end of the summit, where there was an oddly ced wooden bench.

    Adam sat on that wooden bench with a simple white cloak and a silver cross around his neck, just like any other average priest.

    He was holding an empty book and was writing on the first page.

    Amon sat with the priest, his legs crossed, his brows raised at the book.

    "What is the title?"

    "Intis Empire." Adam smiled gently.

    __________________

    Pce of Eternity, Backlund.

    Trunsoest and Auernia strolled out onto the balcony of the majestic pce, their hands tightly together. Their eyes were fixated on the sky.

    "The time hase." Trunsoest said, her clear eyes fixed on his love. "I must confront him and put an end to this once and for all. Only one thing will prevail by the sunset: disorder or order."

    "You will triumph." Auernia whispered softly while kissing his lips.

    "You are always so positive." Trunsoest chuckled and shook his head. "You know, there''s a chance I might di..."

    A finger was ced on his lips, preventing him from speaking. Auernia said again, her voice bing firmer with each iteration.

    "You shall triumph, my love." Her hand trailed to his, and she could feel his heart throbbing viscerally against his chest. "Believe in yourself. At the end of the day, order equals chaos. While, disorder is only a small part of chaos."

    "It''s a mere reflection."

    "In the end, order will always win."

    "How do you know what to say all the time? Do you practise your speeches?" Trunsoest asked, his eyes narrowing with joy.

    "Just for you." Auernia huffs a softugh, patting his chest after she felt his thumping heart calm.

    Trunsoest put his arms around her waist and drew her in closer, their faces inches apart, hot breath flooding their lungs.

    "I will win." Trunsoest dered firmly at the end.

    "Go, my love." Auernia beamingly smiled. "And y the ck Emperor."

    Trunsoest kissed her fervently and nodded, before his figure vanished into brass particles, leaving Auernia alone, her stare lingering on Trunsoest''s fading figure, before running towards the edge of the balcony, her eyes set on the sky, which had already been aze with fire and light.

    ____________________

    The Floating Continent, Astral World.

    The God of Steam and Machinery gazed out the window of the topmost silver tower into the limitless astral universe.

    "Milord." Evelyn finally broke the silence by asking. "The War of Gods."

    "No." The Steam God shook his head. "There''s no point in going up against him again."

    He turned to face his angel. "How is the project going?"

    "It''s almost done, Milord." Evelyn nodded, her gaze sombre as ever. "All that is required for it to be total is your authority."

    "I''lle after the gods'' war is over." After some thought, the God of Steam said. Evelyn nodded and walked out from the tower, leaving the deity alone in his thoughts.

    The God of Steam and Machinery shifted his gaze to the astral world, where the god battle had already begun. His authority engulfed the entire continent, shielding it from the powerful waves unleashed by the fight.

    The project was part of arger n he devised just for Diana Knight. He will strike her death kneel when she starts her ascension. Even Aucuses wouldn''t be able to save her at the moment....

    ______________

    Unknown location, Northern Continent.

    Diana Knight approached the bronze tower''s window, staring out into the astral realm.

    The gods'' war is about tomence. ording to her probing, the probabilities of the god falling in this fight are far too high.

    But she was unconcerned about her lord. Her lord''s power increased exponentially after ascending to be the symbol of power. In terms of raw power, her lord should be unrivalled in the sequence-0 category.

    Diana finally turned aside and headed towards the globe projection.

    The deadline is approaching. Her preparations are nearly finished.

    She knew, though, that Artisan would not stand by and witness her ascension. He is bound to do something.

    She needs to speak with the Lord about this....

    Diana clutched her purple book firmly. Her figure crumbles into information, surging towards and blending with the envisioned world.

    Everything within went white instantly.

    The "Truth" has been revealed.

    ____________

    In the infinite space between Earth and Venus, Astral World.

    Alitsa and Solomon descended, solemnly facing forward, their hands holding their weapons.

    A golden chariot was dragged along the infinite starry sky by four majestic horses, emitting an infinite amount of pure light.

    Aucuses grasped the reins in one hand and the golden spear in the other.

    "Ombe is not there." Solomon grumbled, his eyes narrowing on the traitor. It was a disgrace. He loathed this alliance with his soul.

    But he bore the hatred only to deal with the bigger threat, Aucuses. And the white angel will fall today. They will make certain of it.

    "She is in concealment." Alitsa answered tly, his gaze fixated on the Aucuses in the chariot. "waiting for the right opportunity."

    The magnificent horses neighed. Aucuses let the reins fall and vaulted high from his chariot. The sun chariot instantly disintegrated into light particles.

    Aucuses descended before them, his stride shattering the fabric of reality. He spun his spear in his palm, a wide grin on his lips.

    From him erupted a vast divine aura, exuding infinite power and terror. The reality around him was torn asunder by the mighty aura, revealing the starless void. His steps reverberated in the astral world like the most destructive thunder in the cosmos.

    The mighty aura pressed down on Alitsa and Solomon''s shoulders, quivering their figures. Fear, which they thought they had conquered, returned, spreading its ws and piercing their hearts, flooding them with doubts and questions, freezing them.

    ____________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 151: Singularity

    Chapter 151: Singrity

    Fear engulfed the hearts of Alitsa and Solomon, as their eyes filled with haze and their minds shed with the memories of past humiliation.

    "Pathetic!" A mad voice roared in their minds, filled with an aura of degeneration. It shattered the fear, freeing their minds from the aura of Aucuses. "It is just the tyrannical aura of Aucuses! Yet you both nearly sumbed to it. Why don''t you already go and kneel in front of him?"

    Solomon''s face twisted in anger and shame, while Alitsa kept his indifference. However, his tightening grip on his sword, which almost made his knuckles white, told apletely different story.

    They didn''t dare direct the volcanic anger at that voice, turning towards Aucuses, who was smiling, his eyebrows fluttering amusedly.

    "Well. Well." Aucuses jested, his spear pointed at the ck Emperor. "Look at the sight. The virtuous emperor has sided with his traitor, who backstabbed him for the world to see. It seems, Solomon, from the beginning, you were all talk."

    The ck Emperor''s eyes filled with rage, raising a twisted inverse scale in his hand that gleamed in his ck chaotic darkness. "I shall not have my honour questioned by anyone, especially you, the fallen angel of the creator!"

    Aucusesughed, his hand covering his face and shaking his head with sheer amusement.

    "I am not questioning your honour, Solomon."

    "I am denying its existence."

    His voice thundered throughout the astral world within the barrier, bringing silence with it. Alitsa Tudor''s indifferent countenance finally copsed, while Solomon''s figure quivered, emanating infinite streaks of chaotic darkness.

    Crack! Crack!

    The reality around Solomon began to crack with a thunder. It spread from the battlefield, instantly spanning most of the space between Earth and Venus, like a broken mirror.

    Aucuses raised his hand. A blot of white lightning zapped into existence, pulsating with sheer power to destroy an entire star system.

    Alitsa unsheathed his zing sword, assuming hisbat stance, his eyes darting across the cracked battlefield for Earth Mother.

    "Aucuses!" Solomon roared, his scale raised high in the cracking reality. The authority of disorder was unleashed upon reality without resistance. "Face my judgement!"

    Surprisingly, the cracked reality didn''t copse into chaos. But, something emerged from deep within, a dreadful aura erupting. It was first a ck dot. Even in the darkness of space, it was clearly visible, standing out. The ck dot began to ''twist'' on itself, the very cracked fabric of reality also distorted with it, as if resonating with it.

    Aucuses'' face went solemn, the blot of the white lightning emitting a blinding light, as he began to pour more of his power into the blot. The blinding light illuminated the entire sr system, even beyond, in an instant.

    Meanwhile, time and space began to twist in the ck dot. Matter was crushed into infinite density, and the pull of gravity became infinitely strong, tearing apart all the materialws in reality. Finally, it began to expand, like a dark beast of judgement, engulfing and tearing everything in its path.

    "You can''t stop it!" The ck Emperor bellowed. "The Creator called it a singrity. Space. Reality. They, too, are powerless against its fangs. Compared to that, what is Light? Sun? Lightning? Nothing."

    "This is the graveyard of the universe. It is now also your graveyard. Fall into eternal chaos, Aucuses!"

    He waved his hand down. The ck hole moved, surging towards Aucuses. Everything was torn apart in its path. The sr system has already plunged into absolute chaos; reality within the barrier has been torn asunder, unveiling the starless void. Pandemonium consumed it all. Only the authority of Artisan and Herabergan protected thes from getting affected by the war.

    Despite facing the singrity, Aucuses spread his hands back, his eyes calm. The blot on the hand cracked into vtile power. The ck hole was heading closer and closer, yet he still didn''t attack. His figure became blurry.

    Aucuses suddenly gave a nod. In that instant, Lilith emerged from the concealment, descending on the side of him, her palms pointing at the heralding ck hole.

    At the same moment, Alitsa, who had been waiting, appeared right behind Lilith, his zing crimson sword stabbing, aiming at her undefended back.

    But, something appeared in his path with a burst of twilight: a colossal giant in silver armour, holding a gargantuan orange sword.

    The sunset giant dragged his sword with his long hand and shed with his crimson sword. A burst of waning light and dreary fire erupted as they were hurdled away from the main battlefield, leaving Lilith and Aucuses alone.

    At this moment, Lilith pointed her palms at the ck hole heading for her love. Her palm glowed green, as her authority over life was exerted.

    Suddenly, the ck hole stopped in the path,pletely breaking free from the control of the ck Emperor, making him grunt in pain.

    With a roar, numerous ck tentacles extended out of the singrity, as the infinite pull of gravity was exerted on reality unrestrainedly.

    Lilith, Earth Mother, granted life to the ck hole, allowing it to escape the control of the ck Emperor. However, it alsopletely unleashed the singrity upon the astral world. If not stopped, it will begin to infinitely expand, consuming everything.

    Seeing this, Aucuses hurdled the blot of golden lightning high up. It branched and forked above him, unveiling a golden, luminescent tree.

    It was the Golden Order!

    But a weakened golden order cannot deal with the ck hole at all, unless

    A bronze beam of light cascaded before the Golden Order. Out of it came Trunsoest, the night emperor, dressed in his majestic royal robes, holding an inverse scale in his hand.

    The Night Emperor raised his scales high. His authority of order erupted,bining with the golden order.

    Suddenly, a huge inverted cross rose near Aucuses and Trunsoest, dwarfing everything. There was a hanged man nailed to it. His closed eye opened, revealing a deep ck pupil.

    Immediately, a boundless ck ocean erupted from him, filled with filth and mire, emitting a terrifying aura of degeneration. The ocean surged with massive waves, rolling towards Aucuses and Trunsoest.

    A cluster of wheat sprouted up around the boundary between Aucuses and Turnoest. Flowers, mushrooms, and trees were also among them. They intertwined with each other,yer byyer, forming a natural barrier to protect them.

    Immediately following that, an illusory white tower appeared. Every level was made up of thick books. Each book had a brass eye on it. The higher one went, the darker it got. It was filled with the aura of insanity, destruction, inauspiciousness, and disaster.

    It extended into the starless void, epassing the hanged man and the ck ocean, temporarily sealing them within it.

    Inside the natural barrier, Trunsoest and Aucuses exchanged nces and beganbining their authorities. Their hands pointed at the ever-expanding ck Hole.

    The luminescent tree shimmered as golden circles of light formed before it, which intersected with each other, forming a symbol of a gigantic ring that epassed the entire golden tree within it.

    Click!

    A sound was heard. It was something that fell right into ce,bining something with another. It was the Orders of Aucuses and Trunsoest. The principles andposition of both orders were perfectlypatible with each other. There was no rejection at all. For a moment, it looked as if they were originally meant to be one rather than two, and now they havebined to attain their true form.

    Meanwhile, Solomon was in absolute panic, feeling the vtile power of the order. Chaos sprung from him, trashing against the natural barrier in an attempt topletely destroy it. He even twisted the concept of life to make the barrier wither away.

    But it was useless; the nts and trees kept sprouting and growing infinitely, recing all the fallen ones under the assault of chaos. The natural barrier still stood mightily, protecting Aucuses.

    He looked to the sides: Alitsa and Badhiel were still battling each other, while Herabergan sealed Sasrir temporarily, and the singrity was still expanding.

    "Salinger!" Solomon roared, his eyes desperately looking for thest hope. However, only the cold darkness of the Astral World greeted him; there was no hope.

    Boom!

    Suddenly, the natural barrier copsed with a burst of golden light, illuminating the sr system and nearby star systems in a fraction of a second.

    Out of it came Trunsoest, pointing at the expanding ck hole, snapping his fingers. The terrifying authority of order erupted, shrouding the ethereal river of time. Under the will of Trunsoest, the order of flow was altered to flow backwards.

    The ever-expanding ck hole froze as the might of time and order shrouded it. The singrity waspletely suppressed under theirbined power.

    The river of time began to flow backwards. The singrity shrank back to a dot in a second.

    Then it was gone, lost in the ethereal flow of time.

    ____________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 152: The Dance of the Sun and Moon

    Chapter 152: The Dance of the Sun and Moon

    The singrity fell into the obscurity of time. The broken reality was restored, the crakes vanishing and disappearing. The Astral World returned to serenity, as if the war of the gods never happened. And everything was mere illusion.

    But the illusion was shattered by the rise of a colossal golden luminescence tree, dwarfing everything and everyone. Its roots spread to the deepest parts of the fabric of reality, and its branches extend toward the barrier. A golden ring surrounded it, epassing the entire luminescence tree within it.

    It was the ultimate form of the Combined Order of Aucuses and Trunsoest, the Elden Tree.

    The Night Emperor, Trunsoest, floated in front of the Elden Tree. His demeanour and countenance hadpletely changed, bing indifferent and unequivocal. He exuded authority and strictness.

    His eyes were blindfolded by the auric cloth, shimmering with esoteric rules andws, while he held an inverse golden scale in his hand and a silver sword in another. A divine golden halo sparkled behind his head.

    Trunsoest walked towards Solomon, each step causing a ripple in reality, which spread out, shimmering the fabric of reality like ake.

    Solomon calmed down. His heart was steeled for the final battle. He realised this was it.

    Trunsoest and him. Order and Disorder. In the end, only one will prevail. His heart suddenly settled down in absolute calmness.

    He narrowed his eyes at his divine figure of Trunsoest.

    "Trunsoest. You really havee so far. From a scrawny kid to an all-powerful god. The epics of heroes pale inparison to you."

    "You overpraise me." Trunsoest smiled, his walk turning into a stride. "I am still the same scrawny kid in many ways."

    "Oh." Solomon sneered. "That does exins a lot. You are still a pawn, Trunsoest. Before to me, now to Aucuses. The strings are still there. You know it too, don''t you."

    He pointed to the Elder Tree behind Trunsoest. For this, Trunsoest just chuckled and shook his head, speaking indifferently.

    "I am nobody''s pawn. It was always my choice and decision. It was my path no matter what. I forged through it with blood, sweat, and tears. I''ve regretted some in the past. But now, standing before you, I don''t anymore." Trunoest raised the inverse scale as he finally stopped before Solomon. "The end is nigh. Only one of us shall prevail."

    Solomon raised his ck spectre, proiming loudly. "Come on, Trunsoest. It''s indeed time to end it once and for all."

    Boom!

    The golden scale and ck spectre erupted with the authority of order and disorder. With a loud metaphysical BOOM! Everything around ck Emperor and Night Emperor was thrown into oblivion, leaving them in what appeared to be endless darkness.

    Trunsoest and Solomon faced each other. Their mighty figures loomed in the endless darkness. With a resounding cling, the reality around them altered, revealing a distorted empire and an orderly utopia.

    It was their divine kingdom. It was their dream. It was their manifestation of their authority. The ultimate embodiment of order and disorder, they pitted everything against each other. The authorities of Order and Disorder shed. The divine kingdoms collided. Pandemonium erupted, glitching reality at a phenomenal rate.

    With each glitch, reality altered, sometimes showing the twisted empire, sometimes an orderly utopia, sometimes somethingpletely different, horrifying and harrowing.

    The rules and concepts were twisted across reality before being erased and restored by order. Everyw or concept mattered and affected. They were woven and distorted, erased and annihted.

    The battle continued on and on. Again and again. The Order and Disorder confronted each other in a war beyond mortalprehension.

    In the midst of the ever-changing reality, Solomon and Trunsoest stood, their eyes fixed on each other. The war raged on in the realms beyond.

    ___________________

    Meanwhile, in the astral world, the colossal white tower that sealed a mighty being within it was shadedurel ck. Wriggling flesh began to infest the ck tower, leaking thick water out of them.

    A crack appeared finally appeared in the ck tower, instantly spreading like a cow-web across the tower.

    Boom!

    The colossal tower copsed on itself. The mighty hanged man rose with massive waves of ck waterrge enough to submerges rolled out with his ent; but something stood in its way; a hooded old man with a white book that was opened, pages flipped on their own. A myriad of pictures of wonders and miracles were recorded in it.

    "Traitor!" A mighty voice boomed out from within the ck ocean, as the shadow of the hanged man appeared in the centre of it all. "You dare to appear to appear in front of me! It seems the passage of time has finally given the pathetic you a little courage, the Dragon of Betrayal!"

    Herabergan seemed unfazed. He calmly walked towards theing gigantic waves. He was too small inparison to its size, almost like a speck of dust, but his divine aura dwarfed everything. For a moment, it looked as though the old man was carrying the entire world within his arms rather than just a book.

    "There is no need for these useless jests." The rolling pages in his book came to a halt, revealing a picture of the night sky dotted with innumerable sparkles. Something was different with the night. There was no crimson moon, but a silver disc of the moon burning brightly in tinum mes. "This is war, Sasrir."

    The silver moon in the picture gleamed brightly, turning corporeal. Then, it emerged from the ominiscent book, emitting an aura of purity. It was shrouded in the fog of history.

    After countless millennia, the silver moon graced reality again, sshing its long extinguished silver moonlight, which seemed to burn like tinum mes, upon the hanged man.

    Under the illumination of the moonlight, everything that was filth was purged in absolute purity. The ck ocean dissolved into nothingness, while the figure of a hanged man had silver crakes, breaking him in a sheen of argent mes of the moon.

    The hanged man''s ck eye gazed deeply at the rising silver moon, before he opened his mouth and dered, his voice still carrying might and power, booming across the astral world,

    "Sun!" A blinding sun emerged. It wasn''t gold or white, butpleteurel ck, emitting an aura of degeneration, corrupting everything illuminated by its ck light.

    The ck sun rose high with the silver moon, facing each other in a battle of dominance. The tinum-silver mes collided with ck shimmering veils. Purity and degeneration shed in the Astral World.

    It was the dance of the sun and moon.

    ______________

    On the other side of the battlefield, Badhiel swung his twilight sword, shattering reality and sending Alitsa flying across the astral world.

    Alitsa Tudor stood up, charging at the sunset giant for another round, his eyes unrelenting. Crimson streaks of fire exploded with each of his footstep.

    However, his unrelenting stride stopped, looking ahead, his mad eyes turning solemn and resolute.

    With a burst of light, Aucuses and Lilith descended near Badhiel, standing with the sunset giant. Their mighty aurasbined, sweeping towards him and falling on his shoulders, quivering him.

    Aucuses walked forward, his spear in hand. "It is time to end your ridiculous story, Alitsa Tudor."

    ___________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

    _______________

    A/N : I will continue posting on scribble hub soon.

 Chapter 153: Eternal Death

    Chapter 153: Eternal Death

    In the astral world, Aucuses walked forward, his golden spear in hand, streaking with cataclysmic thunder.

    "It is time to end your ridiculous story, Alitsa Tudor." His indifferent voice boomed across the battlefield, as lightning cracked in the space. A tyrannical aura erupted from him, sweeping towards the Blood Emperor, Alitsa Tudor.

    Alitsa Tudor grabbed his sword tightly, his eyes eroding in madness and resolution. He dered it without any fear or hesitation. "Even if I am going to die! I shall drag you all to the grave with me!"

    Crimson streaks of fire exploded from him, forming an infernorge enough to incinerates in turns. The fabric of reality burned away in the embers of crimson.

    Alitsa Tudor emerged from the inferno, his body drenched in crimson blood, his eyes aze in the red inferno of me. His aura cataclysmic, shattering reality.

    He pointed his zing sword at the Aucuses, Lilith, and Badhiel, his lips raising to smile, a smile that spoke volumes of madness. For a moment, his cataclysmic aura even managed to dwarf the three of them.

    He opened his mouth as if to dere more, but he suddenly froze, his infernal eyes widening.

    He looked down. A dark brown wooden staff had pierced through his heart, creating a scene of deep autumn filled with withering flowers, trees, and mushrooms.

    Alitsa slowly turned his head and looked at Earth Mother, who had a gentle expression. He asked in pain as the crimson fire in his eyes dimmed. "How?..."

    ________________________

    In the realms beyond, Trunsoest and Solomon faced each other, their spectre and scale held high in the midst of the ever-changing realities. Disorder and order are still pitted against each other, with neither side appearing to gain an advantage.

    Trunsoest, the Night Emperor, slightly waved his hands at reality. In between them, a gigantic luminescent tree emerged, dwarfing everything.

    The Elden Tree.

    At the sight of the tree, Solomon, the ck Emperor, grabbed his spectre so tight, his knuckles went white.

    The Elden Tree emitted a shimmer of golden light, sweeping the ever-changing reality. The shimmer was woven with innumerablews and rules of order, which annihted all of the disorder in reality in an instant. The disorder tried to fight back; however, the attempts werepletely futile after some resistance. Thebined authorities of order in the Elden tree erased it from the fabric of reality. It was total suppression.

    Absolute order was established. The ever-changing reality settled down.

    The golden zing sun gleamed brightly, brightly illuminating a magnificent and colossal city with structures that seemed to reach the sky and people that seemed ever content. It was a utopia, an orderly utopia.

    In the midst of it all, Solomon and Trunsoest still faced each other, though Solomon''s figure was quivering, bing illusory and ethereal by the moment.

    Under the light of the golden sun, Trunsoest walked towards the fading ck Emperor, his footsteps resounding across the orderly utopia.

    He finally stood before Solomon, whispering silently.

    "You lost."

    "I never had the chance to begin with, am I?" Solomonughed self-deprecatingly, peering down at his illusory figure.

    Trunsoest was silent, his clothed eyes facing Solomon with an air of indifference and superiority shrouding him.

    "This was all a delusion from the beginning" Solomon muttered in a hoarse voice, his voice bing lower with each word, almost a whisper.

    After some silence, he finally looked at the blindfolded Trunsoest.

    "I lost." He admitted it, his head raised high.

    Then, Solomon threw his spectre to the ground, causing it to shatter into countless resplendent fragments.

    He finally said, his resolute gaze fixed on Trunsoest. "Kill me, Trunsoest."

    "Farewell, my emperor." Trunsoest wishphered. The golden scale in his hand emitted a sheen of ethereal light, illuminating Solomon.

    Solomon looked up at the bright sky and heaved a long sigh. His ck eyes were dimming and his figure crumbled away in ck shimmering particles.

    He finally smiled and closed his eyes. Under the illumination of light, he faded away into the obscurity of time.

    In the end, the proud and valiant Emperor died with Honour.

    Trunsoest looked on in silence. The white blindfold fell from his head, revealing his heavy eyes. He walked ahead, crouching down and picking up the ck crown from the ground with the three sequence-1 characteristics.

    He stood up, his hand sped tightly against the crown, while he put away the three characteristics into his kingdom.

    Rumble!

    Suddenly, the entire orderly utopia rumbled, copsing and disintegrating. The elden tree dimmed visibly with branches and leaves withering away in eternal death.

    Trunsoest turned immediately and was immediately engulfed by a tsunami of still darkness, emitting an aura of repose and tranquillity before he could even react.

    Everything was sinking into darkness, eternal darkness.

    ___________________

    A minute earlier.

    "How?.." Alitsa grunted in pain, looking at the floating Earth Mother. Then, he saw that she was not only surrounded by the autumn but also waning darkness.

    Earth Mother had never left the concealment!

    He jerked his head towards them, only to witness the Earth Mother''s figure, which stood near Badhiel, fade in light particles. It was a projection made out of the authority of life, light, and order, allowing it to appear no different from the real body under thebined authorities. Thus sessful fooling the Mad Alitsa Tudor, Blood Emperor.

    Aucuses smirked, "As I just said, it is time to end your pathetic and ridiculous story, Alti"

    The Sun God''s smile suddenly froze, his eyes darting towards Lilith. Without any warning or hesitation, the Eternal zing Sun actually hurdled his spear at his love, stunning everyone on the battlefield.

    The sun spear transformed into a blot of white lightning, surging with infinite power. In a fraction of a second, the tyrannical blot hit the still dazed Lilith, erupting in brilliance.

    Divine blood spilled across the astral world blooming with life as wounded Lilith rolled towards Herabergan, far away from their battlefield.

    Badhiel looked on in astonishment. However, his eyes immediately narrowed in rm at the withering figure of Alitsa Tudor. In the ce where Lilith stood, an ethereal darkness was now present. A bone hand extended out, shrouded in pale mes, stabbing into Alitsa, killing him in eternal death.

    Badhiel felt a tinge in his eyes as he stared into the ethereal darkness. The suppressed primordial will within him surged immediately. A shiver ran down his spine as he began to resist the instinct of convergence with all his might.

    The worst possible situation became a reality. It was a river of eternal darkness. Salinger is able to draw power from the Sefirot.

    "Salinger!" The roar of Aucuses sounded, shattering the pressure on him. Aucuses who had always been calm and indifferent since he became a god, now radiated sheer and utter rage.

    "Don''t let Salinger get his hands on the uniqueness of the Red priest!" Aucuses bellowed, his voice booming across the astral and material world.

    Badhiel immediately remembered the connection between the eternal darkness and the cmity of destruction. Their pathways are actually interchangeable.

    Does Salinger want to?

    His orange eyes darkened in the waning twilight.

    __________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 154: Combining Forces

    Chapter 154: Combining Forces

    In the astral world, the bone hands of Salinger had pierced through the heart of Alitsa Tudor. The shrouded hands grabbed the beating heart of the Blood Emperor, crushing it in one swift motion, ending the life of the Blood Emperor, whose dazed eyes dimmed in eternal death.

    Alitsa''s figure withered as embers of pale mes erupted from the hand, burning through the corpse of the god.

    At that moment, Aucuses bellowed. "Don''t let Salinger get his hands on the uniqueness of the red priest!"

    The gazes of gods from the astral and material worlds shifted towards the withering figure of Tudor.

    Time seemed to slow down. Aucuses raised his hand and twisted it. The eternal sun in the centre of the sr system dyed white and disappeared.

    Then, it appeared right on top of the withering figure of the Blood Emperor, letting out an inconvincible and scorching light, pulsating with infinite power.

    Aucuses didn''t hesitate to detonate it. The eternal sun entered the state of supernova while he still raised his hands, gathering all of his remaining power into a white blot of lightning. He shot it at the bone hand. It surged with enough power to destroy multiple star-systems.

    At the same time, Herabergan turned, waving his hand. The silver moon that danced with the ck sun disappeared. It was teleported directly to the corpse of Alitsa Tudor, emitting an infinite amount of pure moonlight, which seemed to even purify death itself.

    Then, as Herabergan spread his hands high, the ominiscent book floated up with his hands. His eyes turned all-white, as a phantom of a white snake biting its own tail emerged behind him.

    There was an illusory river with infinite tributaries flowing ethereally under his phantom of the snake of mercury. It was the river of destiny!

    Using his authority of Omniscience, Herabergan began to manipte the probabilities of Salinger''s victory. A deep and boundless aura erupted from him.

    Surprisingly, Sasrir, the True Creator, didn''t intervene or stop Herabergan. He just watched on silently as the all-out attacks of the gods erupted.

    From the material world, a beautiful woman ascended, her long hair rising up one by one as it slithered, like a python. Her figure grew in size as she exited the atmosphere, dwarfing the entire Earth in an instant.

    Cheek, Primordial Demoness!

    Cheek pointed her soft finger at the bone hand and said solemnly. Her authority was unleashed without any resistant.

    "End."

    In an instant, a cataclysmic aura erupted and shrouded the bone hand. Whatever the aura touched and graced was disintegrated into oblivion.

    Reality. Space. Matter. Everything fell into the arms of annihtion, fading into obscurity of the end, chaos before creation.

    Meanwhile, in the corner of the astral world, from the floating continent, Artisan, God of Steam and Machinery, floated out. Then, he snapped his fingers.

    In the atmosphere of the earth, an illusory light shot out, revealing picture-like projections around the earth.

    Some of them recorded humans'' helplessness and misery when confronted by supernatural beings. Some of them used an epic-like brush to re-enact scenes of humans fusing with Beyonder ingredients to gain strength and save the race. Some described the distinct cultures and traditions brought about by the ck Emperor, while others carried various points of view, books, and inventions. Some of them resembled the dawn of the present world, starting from machinery that spewed steam, the buildings that rose higher and higher...

    The contents made the seemingly thin scroll exude a heaviness and majestic aura that quickly enveloped the entire earth, forming a barrier protecting the entire.

    All the while, Artisan began to exercise his authority across the astral world within the barrier, not to attack but to protect. The unrestrained attacks of gods can destroy a star system, even more so now, when gods are striking with their all-out attack. Somebody has to protect everything.

    Near the withering figure of Alitsa Tudor, Badhiel raised his hand high, and summoned.

    A kingdom arose at the end of time. It was adorned with countless pces, towers, and fortified walls.

    Throughout the kingdom, there were numerous eye-catching murals depicting giants and dragons battling demonic wolves, mutants, devils, and phoenixes. The drawing was rough yet vivid.

    The kingdom was perpetually enveloped in twilight. It was grand, magnificent, otherworldly, and something that would only appear in the fables and legends of history.

    It was the Twilight Kingdom.

    The Twilight Kingdom suddenly underwent a violent change with a wave of Badhiel''s hand. The entire kingdom morphed into a colossal sword,rger thans, bathed in the orange light of twilight.

    The twilight sword shot towards bone hand, urately aiming for the only w and weakness, shattering reality.

    At the same time, Trunsoest emerged from within the darkness of the Astral world, his figure shrouded in the wisps of the brass light of order.

    He wore a ck crown on his head and tied back the white cloth over his eyes. Then, he raised his scales high into the space.

    From him, innumerablew symbols erupted, shrouding the astral world within the barrier and strengthening reality. It joined with the authority of the God of Steam and Machinery, protecting the world.

    Then, Trunsoest pointed at the attacks of the gods and twisted his hand. The ck crown over his head gleamed in brilliance. He distorted the power of the attacks of the gods, strengthening them. Though his figure looked withered upon using the authority of disorder

    Simultaneously, a crimson moon rose from the earth like a scene from an apocalypse, revealing Amanises.

    Without any hesitation, the Evernight Goddess swung her scythe at the pale hand. A tsunami of darkness erupted. It was the dark beast of judgement surging towards the bone hand. In synchronous, she also used her authority over misfortune on Salinger.

    The all-out attacks of the Gods were unleashed within a second in immediate response to the call of Aucuses.

    Sun, Lightning, Darkness, Moon, Order, Twilight, Cmity, Fate, and the White Tower. The authorities dashed towards the bone hand with all their might.

    The slowing time finally returned normal. The authorities of gods descended upon the bone hand.

    Boom!

    A brilliance brighter than any star in the cosmos erupted from the withering figure of Alitsa Tudor. And everything went white, annihted as the light engulfed it, whether time or reality or space, nothing was spared.

    In the middle of the infinite brilliance, the corpse of Alitsa Tudor disappeared, disintegrated. In its ce, the uniqueness and characteristics of the red priest, which werepletely unaffected by the brilliance.

    Then, there was the bristling bone hand. The embers of pale mes were gone. The thick and ethereal darkness from which the hand extended out had be illusory. It looked as though it might extinguish at any moment.

    The bristling bone hand still tried to extend towards the red crown, ignoring the assault of brilliance, seemingly unrelenting.

    But someone obstructed its path; the figure of Aucuses bore through the brilliance, dyeing in scorching golden blood. He descended in the middle of the path and picked up the crimson crown in his hand.

    The Eternal zing Sun didn''t seem to care about his condition, which was deteriorating by the moment, as he bore the assault of brilliance that was formed by the attacks of all gods.

    Aucuses raised his hand, his finger pointing at the bone hand. The brilliance deepened further, disintegrating the bone hand of Salinger.

    "How..?" A furious voice boomed out from the illusory darkness. It wasn''t supposed to be like this! He even used the power of serfoit to conceal his attack! Others should not be able to feel iting at all! Yet, Aucuses

    "You are a coward, Salinger." Aucuses spat. The infinite brilliance finally consumed the darkness. Then, the eternal darkness was extinguished with a furious roar booming out.

    __________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 155: Crown

    Chapter 155: Crown

    The War of the Gods ended. The ck Emperor and the Blood Emperor fell. Across the world, the crimson darkness emitting the authority of war and disorder was engulfed in pure brilliance.

    The colossal statues of the ck Emperor and Blood Emperor copsed across the Solomon Empire and Tudor Empire, dering the demise of the Emperors for the world.

    In the astral world, the pure brilliance that engulfed everything receded into obscurity, making the entire sr system plunge into darkness.

    The sun disappeared with all of the fabric of reality within the astral world, leaving only the starless void. The threes were unaffected by the aftermath of the battle of gods due to the protection of the God of Steam and Machinery. Though with the disappearance of the sun, thes in their trajectory abruptly stopped.

    Suddenly, there was a golden spark, then a fire, and then an inferno, roaring in the centre of the sr system. It rose high and high, morphing into a fluorescent orb,rger andrger, dwarfing everything.

    With a thud, the eternal sun reappeared, shattering the darkness, sending out infinite light and warmth, illuminating it all in a golden ethereal glow. The copsed reality began to heal visibly

    The frozen nts in their trajectory resumed as the gravity of the sun shrouded them, making it all slowly return to normal.

    The Eternal zing Sun emerged from the infinite brilliance of the sun, holding the crimson crown, symbolising victory for all gods.

    Sasrir, the True Creator, looked at Aucuses silently before leaving the Astral World and returning to his kingdom in the forsakennd of the gods.

    Herabergan, The God of Knowledge and Wisdom, closed his ominiscent book. His figure faded away from the astral world without staying for another moment.

    Artisan, the God of Steam and Machinery, retrieved his scroll of civilization from Earth and returned to the floating continent.

    Badhiel, the God of Combat, was near Lilith, checking in on her before turning and lightly nodding to Aucuses, his figure disappearing in the twilight.

    The Night Emperor removed the ck crown from his head, also nodding to the Eternal zing Sun, and returned to the Pce of Eternity.

    Cheek, Primordial Demoness, looked on at the crimson crown held by the Eternal zing Sun with obvious reluctance, but she finally sighed, turning back and disappearing into the material world.

    Amanises, the Evernight Goddess, exchanged nces with the Eternal zing Sun, fading away into the obscurity of darkness.

    The astral world plunged into silence with the departure of the gods, leaving only the Eternal zing Sun and the Earth Mother.

    Under the illumination of the sun, Aucuses appeared before Lilith, immediately embracing her. His arms were lightly quivering.

    "I am sorry." He mumbled. "I am sorry."

    "Oh.." Lilith got out of his embrace, her hands on his cheeks, making him look into her vibrant eyes. "It''s okay. It''s not your fault; don''t me yourself."

    "Still.." Aucuses drawled, his arms around her tightening. "I almost lost you."

    Lilith sighed. She seemed not that affected by all that happened, but her heavily quivering arms told apletely different story.

    She held the arms of Aucuses. "I am fine now, silly. So put down your worries."

    Aucuses took a deep breath, calming down. Then, he spoke, his voice low, almost a whisper. "I will make Salinger pay."

    Lilith said, sighing. "Let''s leave him aside for now. You are a mess, Aucuses. Let go and I will help you."

    Aucuses looked on in love, silently. He waspletely drained and his whole figure was dyed in his own blood.

    At the same time, bearing the power of the brilliance formed by all the gods waspletely and totally life-threatening. This was why no other gods dared to enter the centre other than Aucuses, who was the only one able to at least bear the brilliance, as he was the symbol of power. Still, it waspletely excruciating for even Aucuses, leaving himpletely drained. The only reason he hadn''t copsed yet was only due to his sheer will and overwhelming concern for Lilith.

    Aucuses finally nodded, his eyes dimmed, and his figure withered, copsing on Lilith.

    Lilith immediately caught him and carried him back to earth, leaving the deste astral world.

    _________________

    Few hourster, Trier.

    The busting city of Sun waspletely deserted with no living soul in sight. The sky was marked with dark clouds with lightning shing down on earth from time to time, rumbling the entire city.

    Aucuses sat at a table outside the restaurant, reclining in his chair. He waspletely recovered with the Goddess of Life herself treating him.

    It was too close this time. If not for him obtaining Arrodes beforehand, everything would have been lost. His beloved.

    He clenched his hand, golden blood dripping down on the ground, melting everything.

    "Here." Lilith appeared before him, holding two cups of coffee, passing one. "Just the way you like it."

    Aucuses put on a smile, pressing down his emotions, taking the coffee. He discreetly waved his hands, cleansing the blood on the floor.

    Then, he took a sip of the coffee, letting his thoughts fly, to distract himself.

    The War of the Gods may have ended, but the war on thend is still going on. His church was confronting the Abraham family, purging them, while most of his angels marched towards the Hornacis Mountains with the Church of Evernight Goddess.

    "How is the situation?" Lilith asked in between sips, still not bringing up her situation.

    "Fine." Aucuses said, "Abraham family is almost purged. They put up quite a resistance though, even taking out the final card: the scroll of the god."

    "Wasn''t that created by the Creator?" Lilith asked, surprised.

    "Yes," Aucuses replied. "The creator visualised it into existence, infusing it with a shadow of the authority of god. ise prayed for me after they used that. And I sent down divine punishment and destroyed it with most of the Abraham Family."

    He paused, "Antigonus family, though, the situation turnedplex."

    "Amanises still didn''t y Antigonus." Lilith asked, urately inferring from his words.

    "No." Aucuses shook his head. "She almost seeded, but my call and the situation forced her to descend into the astral world."

    He suddenly closed his eyes, brows furrowing. Immediately, he stood up from the seat and gulped down the hot coffee in one go.

    "What happened?..." Lilith asked, standing up with him.

    "There is a situation in Hornacis Mountain. I need to go. Amanises is already on the way." He extended his hand, shaking it in front of her, after noticing her actions. "You are noting. It can be as dangerous as what happened a few hours ago."

    "All the more reasons I shoulde." Lilith said, adamantly.

    "Trust me on this, Lilith." Aucuses said deeply, holding her hand.

    Lilith finally sighed before taking out pure ck crystals from her gown and passing it to him.

    "Here. Take this. These are my tears. It contains my authority as well as uses it to summon me. " She said, solemnly "Don''t hesitate, Aucuses, if things get worse. I can take care of myself."

    Aucuses nodded, receiving her tears. Then, he leaned in for a light kiss, his figure breaking away into light particles.

    "Wait for me"

    His voice lingered in the air as the particles faded away, leaving Lilith alone in the deste city.

    _________________

    Hornacis Mountain.

    The crimson brilliance seeped through the white clouds, illuminating the main peak of Hornacis Mountain.

    The armies of the church of Eternal zing Sun and Evernight Goddess upied the ins like an ocean, troop by troop,pany bypany, huddled together, marching towards the nation of night ruled by the Antigonus Family.

    However, they suddenly stopped. The crimson brilliance of the moon burned away the darkness, revealing a gigantic demonic wolf perched on the top of the peak.

    Its rage-filledurel ck eyes looked down on the armies.

    __________

    Upto 10 advance chapters on my patron,

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 Chapter 156: Antigonus

    Chapter 156: Antigonus

    Hornacis Mountain. The home of the illustrious family of Antigonus, the survivors of the dark era, was besieged by the Church of the Evernight Goddess and Eternal zing Sun, sounding the symphony of the end.

    The armies marched,pany bypany, troop by troop, soldier by soldier, their armours nging, their weapons shimmering, their boots stamping, under the crimson sheen of the moon.

    At the front, Ariana, the Angel of Concealment, and ise, the Angel of Miracle, rode, leading the army towards the nation of the night.

    The main peak of Hornacis mountain was shrouded in an ethereal grey fog, obscuring the main pce of Antigonus.

    ise Larson felt a tinge of dread spreading through his body at the sight of the grey fog. It made him recall every terrible and horrifying event that he had faced. The harrowing murmurs that haunted him throughout his life rang again in his eyes, louder and louder, almost pounding against his mind like a beast awakening.

    A hand was ced on his shoulders. Tranquillity filled his body, heart, and soul. The mummers died away into obscurity.

    ise didn''t dare stare straight at the grey fog anymore. Unlike others, it affected him deeply at just the sight. An unrestrainable instinct of convergence arose within it.

    A terrible guess formed in his mind after he went through all the secrets and esoteric knowledge in his mind: ''The Sefirot castle.''

    His thoughts were interrupted. Ariana handed him a badge with the symbol of stars and night, whispering.

    "Lady has bestowed her power on it. It will help you."

    ise nodded gratefully, taking it and inserting it into his armour. The aura of night shrouded his figure.

    Then, he turned and looked at Ariana. "The situation can turn dire at any time. Put all the soldiers to sleep at a moment''s notice."

    As if to confirm his words, the entire main peak of the Hornacis mountain trembled heavily. The gleam of crimson moon-light burned away the grey fog, revealing a gigantic eight-legged demonic wolf, which looked down on them with her rage-filledurel ck eyes.

    It was the Mother of the Sky, Sister of Antigonus, in mythical creature form. She howled, her head held high to the crimson moon. The air became eerie and dreadful.

    Arianaid down her ground, the darkness receding back into herself. The armies behind her had already been put to sleep, and thus were unaffected by the mythical form of Mother of the Sky.

    Then, Ariana and ise exchanged nces, praying to their gods while dismounting from their horses, their weapons in hand, gazing up into the raged eyes of the Mother of Sky.

    Mother of Sky took a step back, her back leaning back, as if about to leap from the mountain to the ground, and streaks of darkness exploded around her figure.

    ise and Ariana entered a state of absolute serenity, their eyes gleaming brightly in light.

    Just then, someone interrupted their fight before it could even begin. Two divine figures descended from the different sides of the sky, heralding night and day with just their presence.

    It was the Evernight Goddess and the Eternal zing Sun.

    The Mother of Sky howled in sheer rage at the sight of the Evernight Goddess, though the striking fear in her was evident to all. But it quickly turned resolute. She blocked the path of the two gods.

    She looked straight into the divine eyes of the gods, dering.

    "You shall not pass!"

    In the sky, the Evernight Goddess looked on the Mother of the Sky in silence and indifference.

    Immediately, the Mother of Sky was erased under absolute suppression. Her eyes filled with hatred stayed on the Evernight Goddess before vanishing in stillness.

    The Eternal zing Sun just watched the entire process without interfering, before turning and nodding to ise.

    Then, the gods descended on the main peak, their figures fading away in light and darkness into the towering castle of Antigonus.

    ise and Ariana turned and looked back at the sleeping army, walking them up under the divided sky of night and day, the sun and moon.

    ____________________

    Outside the main throne room, Aucuses and Amanises descended directly without wasting any more time. The will of the Lord of Mysteries should have already awakened further in Antigonus.

    They didn''t just barge into the throne room because something obstructed their path. It was the divine kingdom of the Fool, and the various concepts andws of reality within it tinkered and reassembled, forming an absurd path ahead of them.

    The divine kingdom of Fool is very hard to break through with brute force, as tampered rules may produce different effects that even gods may not seeing. Though it might not affect them that much, it definitely will dy them.

    Amanises and Aucuses exchanged nces, nodding at each other. They didn''t speak, as every second counts from now on.

    They stepped into the ludicrous path of the divine kingdom, their figures emanating an infinite amount of light and darkness, instantly shining across the entire divine kingdom.

    The darkness and light were different. The darkness was mixed with crimson moonlight, saturating it into crimson darkness, while light was filled with white lightning, dyeing it into purest light.

    The tampered concepts showed different effects in a farcical manner. Space. Time. Fate. Everything was trying to affect them, trying to obstruct them.

    However, thebined might of the purest light and the crimson darkness immediately annihted the entire reality within the divine kingdom, the tampered rules and concepts destroyed with it.

    Immediately following that, Amanises and Aucuses turned into streaks of light and darkness, disappearing into broken reality.

    _____________

    In the throne room of the castle, which was shrouded in ethereal grey fog, Aucuses and Amanises appeared, their figures still bathed in light and darkness, forming ayer around their figures, protecting them from the grey fog.

    However, the protectiveyer was already copsing upon contact with the grey fog, corrupting it.

    Antigonus sat in the centre of the room, his body engulfed in maggots and covered in dark hair.

    Above him, there was endless grey fog, thicker and condensed. Within it, a blue door was faintly visible.

    It was Sefriah Castle!

    Antigonus was in very bad condition. The will of the lord of mysteries had already started topletely awake within him. It won''t be long before the Lord of Mysteries revives, using Antigonus as a vessel. It also caused a projection of the Sefirot castle to appear in the material world. If not for them being gods, Aucuses and Amanises would simply lose control in the presence of the Sefriah Castle.

    However, the power of Sefriah Castle summoned into reality was very low than its true might, allowing Aucuses and Amanises to resist it. This happened due to the fact that Antigonus was actively resisting the awakening of the Lord of Mysteries, rather than giving in and submitting to it. But by the looks of the thickening grey fog, his resistance is obviously weakening.

    Amanises and Aucuses immediately acted without giving any time for the grey fog to react. Their authorities were fully unleashed. Their figure appeared near the Antigonus, shattering reality in their path.

    Infinite light and endless darkness descended on the copsing figure of Antigonus. The authority of darkness instantly made Antigonus enter eternal sleep while also suppressing the awakening will in tranquillity.

    Meanwhile, the authority of light and lightningbined, surging into Antigonus with absolute tyranny, also suppressing the awakening will. Aucuses has an edge when ites to suppression, as tyrant authority is known for suppression, only second to death.

    Antigonus, whose consciousness was already on the verge of fading away, noticed the help. With thest of his strength, he resisted the awakening will even more.

    With the excretion of their authorities, the grey fog began to surge restlessly towards them in an attempt to stifle their efforts.

    Time ticked on. Aucuses and Amanises looked withered, their figures drenched in sweat and their eyes dim. However, they didn''t relent in their efforts against the terrifying will that was trashing their authorities, though the weakening under theirbined suppression was already evident.

    Finally, Aucuses and Amanises raised their hands, and their authorities in the body of the Antigonus morphed into a colossal spear and a massive sytx, aimed at the weakening will.

    In a thunderous boom that reverberated across all of reality, the awakening will of the Lord of Mysteries went dormant as Antigonus entered eternal sleep.

    __________

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 Chapter 157: Seal

    Chapter 157: Seal

    The throne room, Hornacis Mountain.

    A resounding boom that seemed to reverberate across all of reality, the awakening will of the Lord of the Mysteries went dormant and Antigonus entered eternal sleep.

    The grey fog that shrouded the entire room faded away in obscurity. The blue door in the middle of it shone lightly before disappearing with the grey fog, leaving an eerie silence.

    Aucuses and Amanises descended to the ground, sitting near each other, their backs on the wall, facing the sleeping Antigonus. They looked haggard and drained.

    "That went well." Aucuses said breathlessly. "Really well."

    Amanines weaklyughed. "Yeah, it did. It went a lot better than I expected too."

    Even though they werepletely drained due to squeezing out all their power to suppress the awakening will of the Lord of the Mysteries, this situation was far better than many terrifying possibilities and oues, one of which could be that the Lord of the Mysteries, using his connection to Sefirah castle, managed to draw more power from the castle and trap them in a lock of space and time.

    However, many such possibilities were prevented from bing reality only due to the active resistance of Antigonus. It can even be said that without Antigonus, they would most likely have failed and the Lord of Mysteries would have been resurrected.

    "Let them live." Aucuses said abruptly.

    "You are generous." Amanises raised her brows.

    "Not generous. Just fair." Aucuses shook his head. "The situation of Antigonus may be beyond hope until someone chosen by us tries to ascend to the fool. After that, if he managed to possibly live through it by some miracle, Let him live with his sister. You can just tell Olivia, the mother of the sky, the truth about this."

    He finally sighed. "In the end, about their lives, it is your decision. This is just a suggestion."

    Amanises looked at the sleeping Antigonus in silence, without saying anything further.

    Meanwhile, Aucuses took out pure ck crystals from his pocket. They were the tears of Lilith, which contained her power. He crushed them, releasing the power of light on them, which bathed them in an ethereal green glow, healing and returning them to their optimal condition within a few moments.

    Finally, their dimmed eyes regained their brilliance. Then Aucuses took out two cups of coffee from his kingdom, passing one to Amanises.

    "You always keep them ready, don''t you?" Amanises chuckled, taking the coffee in her hand. The ethereal and ever-present ck gauze over her face faded away, revealing her otherworldly and beautiful face.

    Aucuses smiled, raising the cup towards her. "You will never know."

    They clinked them together lightly, drinking the coffee infortable silence. Aucuses was indeed somewhat surprised when Amanises removed her gauze that she had always worn since she became a god. Before that, even though she still wore it, it wasn''t ever-present like after she became a god.

    Maybe her humanity has increased. However, Aucuses didn''t bring this up.

    Amanises said, breaking the silence. "I will let them live."

    Her humanity had indeed increased.

    Aucuses immediately raised the cup towards her again. Amanises lightly smiled, clinging her ss with his. Then, they finished the remaining coffee, standing up and walking towards the throne, observing the situation of Antigonus.

    "It''s bad." Aucuses finalized. "Even though we managed to suppress the will of the Lord of Mysteries and forcing it go dormant. The damage is already done. The psyches of Antigonus and the will of the Lord of the Mysteries are almost stitched together. This means"

    "He has established a connection with Serfriah castle." Amanises finished for him, frowning.

    "Yes." Aucuses nodded, taking a breath. "There is a possibility of recovery of the Lord of Mysteries in the future through this." He turned and suggested. "We should seal him and always make sure of his state."

    "Let''s do it, then." Amanises raised her hand. A phantom of a crimson moon surrounded darkness and materialised in her hand.

    Aucuses also raised his hand, drawing an emblem of the sun with a clear sky in the fabric of reality using light as a medium. After finishing it, he waved his hands, making the emblem turn corporeal and emerge from reality like a real sun.

    Then, Aucuses and Amanines exchanged nces, before letting the sun and moon leave their hands and ascend.

    The golden sun and crimson moon passed through the ceiling of the castle, ascending higher and higher until they reached the sky above Hornacis Mountain. The sun and moon swirled around each other, emitting infinite brilliance and bathing the entire peak of the mountain.

    Then, they vanished, leaving only an empty peak. The main castle and town, which were perched on the top of the mountain, disappeared with the sun and moon.

    In the throne room, Aucuses and Amanines pressed their palms on the throne of Antigonus heavily, sealing everything.

    The Seal of the Sun and Moon!

    Amanises used her authority of concealment topletely separate the reality of the peak from the world, while the authority of the Order of Aucuses took control of reality, infusing it with theirws and rules. To put it simply, they created an entire new dimension, sealing it away from the earth. The seal had their authorities of Night and Tyrant, who were constantly suppressing Antigonus. And the authority of light, order, and the moon made Aucuses and Amanises aware of any small change within the new realm.

    Aucuses and Amanises finally took their palms off the throne. In that ce were the sacred emblems of the Eternal zing Sun and Everrnight Goddess. The seal was done.

    They finally looked at the sleeping figure of Antigonus.

    "That''s it." Aucuses remarked. "We sealed away the entire fate of the fool pathway."

    "In a way, yes." Amanises frowned. "But there are still many unknown variables when ites to pathways of mystery."

    "Regardless, one thing is certain: the Lord of Mysteries will be born from the path of fool or error." Aucuses said, looking into herurel ck eyes. "We should just make sure that the fool wins in the end."

    "There are no suitable candidates on the pathway of the fool, other than ise." Amanises was deep in thought.

    "No." Aucuses shook his head, sighing. "Even though I very much want ise to ascend further. You and I both knew that isn''t possible."

    Amanises jerked her head up, looking deeply at Aucuses.

    "The Lord of the Mysteries left behind many ns for ''His'' resurrection. For now, we only know that ''He'' sealed all the Sefirots within the western continent. But what is it to say there isn''t another n. ''He'' was a pir after all." Aucuses revealed solemnly.

    "Get to the point, Aucuses." Amanises said sharply.

    "Haven''t you already noticed that a sequence 1 characteristic of the fool pathway is missing?" Aucuses said patiently. "I think the Lord of the Mysteries left behind a n for the pathway of the fool. It will reveal itself in the future. Now that we have sealed the entire fate of the fool pathway, we will be the first to know if there are any abnormalities immediately."

    Amanises looked at Aucuses deeply, who just gazed back. Then, she said, "So what you suggest is that we leave the entire thing up to the whim of the Lord of the Mysteries and hope for the best?"

    "No." Aucuses chuckled. "We make the best of the ns of the Lord of Mysteries. The Lord of Mysteries is already dead, and his remnant is weakening. He cannot stop our tampering."

    Amanises was silent for a moment before nodding in agreement. "We will see through this."

    Aucuses smiled. Then, he gestured forward, "Let''s leave this ce already."

    Their figures were bathed in light and darkness, as they began to teleport towards Trier.

    "Again, there are still unresolved issues in the Mysteries pathway."

    "Bethel? I alreadyid out a n for him. He will be returning soon. We will deal with him then."

    "You mean the Abraham Family?"

    "Yes..."

    And then they were gone, leaving the throne room in eerie silence.

    __________

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 Chapter 158: Repercussions

    Chapter 158: Repercussions

    5 May 1122. It was a day that went down in the annals of history. The day that dynasties and empires changed and copsed.

    The Purge, they called it. The Church of the Eternal zing Sununched a cleansing of the crown. It was a day of blood, fire, and betrayal. Screams of sorrow, pain, and hatred filled the entire Tudor Empire, shrouding everything in despair and death.

    Scorching blood dyed thends in between in an act of purge. The crack between the crown and the church was already evident. Many expected a civil war, but nobody could guess the scourge of the crown itself.

    In their thunderous action, the crown was annihted. The factions and loyalists to the crown were captured and sentenced to death without mercy.

    The Angel families of Abraham and Antigonus were purged overnight. Their entire family history and legacy went into ruin. Meanwhile, the Tamara family betrayed the crown almost immediately, siding with the church, thus surviving the purge, while existence of the Amon family was ignored, purposefully.

    The war ensued all night and day. The Angels themselves were said to have fallen in the final battle against Abraham family.

    But in the end, the strongest angel family was still destroyed under the divine punishment of the Eternal zing Sun.

    The Eternal zing Sun. It was even said that the Blood Emperor was killed by the Sun God himself, sending down a blot as a world just to take down the Blood Emperor.

    The Blood Emperor died. With it, the crown copsed the very next hour. In a bloody fortnight, the Church of the Eternal zing Sun tookplete control of the Tudor Empire.

    The news and details of the purge were spread from ear to ear. Only the high-sequence beyonders even had a chance of knowing the actual facts, while the low-sequence only heard the filtered story. The facts and details kept changing with each passing story. However, at the end of the day, one thing was clear to all.

    The Tudor Empire had ended.

    6 May 1122. As chaos and blood filled the Tudor Empire, the rest of the world was not much better. It wasn''t only the Blood Emperor who had fallen but also the ck Emperor. The Solomon Empire nearly copsed, but True Creator held together what was left and managed to stabilise the situation.

    The True Creator also ordered his armies to withdraw from the frontlines, breaking off his alliance to the death.

    Despite the fact that two emperors had fallen overnight, the situation on the northern continent had not changed significantly. The three empires that ruled the continent still remained.

    Meanwhile, there was a surprising unity among the churches of the gods. Even though the churches fought shoulder to shoulder in the dance of the living and the dead. But something was different this time. It was as if the gods themselves had put aside their differences and decided to unite to deal with the threat of death.

    7 May 1122. The Six Orthodox Churches announced their unprecedented alliance officially to the world, joining hands together to deal with the threat of death.

    _____________________

    8 May 1122.

    The rising sun cast a glow across the empire, which was still rife with chaos and disorder, as the ramifications of what had happened a few days earlier were felt throughout the empire.

    In the City of the Sun, Aucuses sat inside a restaurant, drinking coffee with a newspaper in hand. The bright embers of the sun illuminated the papers that were all about the happenings of the purge. It was an amalgamation of opinion, news, questions, and debates. But none of the information was against his church; they just crucified and vilified the crown.

    The freedom of the press? It''s non-existent in the world. Everything is controlled by the churches of the gods and the crown. The false news was released to calm the chaos and disorder that had been wrought on the empire. The entire economy of the empire was blown away, which was just one of the repercussions.

    Aucuses looked out the window at the city. The city of the sun was shrouded in a heavy and depressing atmosphere. The people, regardless of their status and birth, huddled together in a long line to get relief food from the church. Their figures were withered and their eyes dim.

    The Sun God frowned, his gaze sweeping across the empire, spotting simr scenes all over the empire. The situation was not improving, despite their relief attempts. It is only deteriorating further. Many have already given up on everything after facing so many desperate times in their short lives. They are beyond salvation.

    As he swirled the coffee in his hand, his thoughts drifted. The orderly world was too fragile with the presence of the gods.

    The second epoch was a chaotic and dark era. Throughout this time, there was no civilization. Then, in the Third Epoch, the era of hope and peace, human civilization formed and development began. The gods during this era were suppressed by the Creator and had to follow his rules. Thus, peace always existed throughout the epoch despite the differences and hatred.

    Finally, the fourth epoch, the era of the gods, where gods ruled supreme over the orderly and civilised world. And they were affecting everything.

    Trunsoest wasn''t really wrong when he said gods were the source of chaos in the human world. They indeed were, from the perspective of humanity. The progress of human civilization waspletely halted due to the repeated wars between gods and angels.

    The world was wailing. Aucuses can clearly feel it. There was a limit to how much civilization could bear before it came crashing down in anarchy.

    However, Aucuses wasn''t worried that much. The era of the gods ising to an end. The gods will have to depart from the eyes of the gods sooner orter. The fall of Salinger will mark it.

    He had already sent a message for everyone to convene after the chaos of the deaths of the Blood Emperor and ck Emperor, to deal with Salinger. They can no longer remain passive in the war.

    Aucuses finished the coffee, focusing on the empire. The empire is still in chaos. His church was dealing with the repercussions and was already forming ns for the establishment of a new puppet government under the control of his church. Order and bnce are absolutely necessary to curb the chaos.

    ise had already sent him a slew of proposals for the government''s approval. He had yet to approve of any of that.

    Meanwhile, Lilith left to the Trunsoest empire to deal with the problems on her side. The war affected everyone.

    He finally put the cup down on the table, looking ahead. The door to the restaurant opened. ise walked in with a solemn expression.

    He said at the sight of him.

    "Milord, there is a situation."

    "Where?" Aucuses asked, noticing the solemnity of ise.

    "Royal Pce." ise said, his tone heavy. "It is Silvia Abraham, Milord."

    Hearing that, Aucuses immediately raised his hand and waved, without showing any surprise. He can already somewhat guess what happened with Silvia Abraham.

    Then, they disappeared in a sh of light.

    ________________

    Royal Pce.

    Aucuses and ise descended into an empty corridor with a silver door at the end. His eyes immediately narrowed at the door. He sensed an aura emanating from within the door.

    It was an aura that he was so familiar with, for it was the depraved aura of the mother goddess of depravity.

    __________

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    Link - /erenfraser.

 Chapter 159: Bane of Primordial

    Chapter 159: Bane of Primordial

    Trier, Royal Pce.

    Aucuses turned and looked at ise, after inspecting the door. Noticing this, ise immediately briefed, keeping it as short as possible.

    "We are cautious as you advised. As soon as I sensed the same aura that permeated across the world during the night of the blood moon, I told everybody to withdraw. We didn''t enter. Then, I immediately came to inform you."

    "Leave, ise." Aucuses said, turning. ise nodded and left without asking any further questions.

    Aucuses walked towards the door. He could still feel the trace of authority left by Alitsa on the door, which was dissipating.

    The Blood Emperor imprisoned Silvia Abraham, Bethel Abraham''s granddaughter, within the door for many decades after she disobeyed him. She went through a lot, a lot locked in here under the hands of Alitsa Tudor. The only reason that she hadn''t lost her sanity yet was that she was a mythical creature.

    With the death of Alitsa, Aucuses re-established his golden order across the empire, taking control of reality. Then, he erased all the authorities of Alitsa throughout the empire. His order and Trunsoest separated after the War of the Gods finished.

    With that erasure, the lock on the door was gone, Aucuces opened the door, his eyes getting solemn. Anything resembling a pir must be taken seriously; otherwise, one may not know how or when to fall or be corrupted in the end. It may be toote to regret it by then.

    Creak!

    The crimson moonlight seeped out of the opening door, illuminating his sombre expression. In the re of the moonlight, he saw a room; a room that was as normal as one coulde across; a room with no problems or abnormalities; a room with a woman who sat peacefully on the reclining chair, gazing out at the ethereal crimson moon through the stained window. Everything looked normal, even abnormally normal.

    The silver-haired woman turned, noticing his entrance, revealing her face. That immediately broke the normality predating the room. Her eyes were all red, with crimson blood steaming down her deformed cheek, which was filled with bloody gore just like the rest of her face.

    The crimson moon erged and expanded, upying the entire window. The moonlight seeped through the transparent ss, dyeing everything in crimson.

    ''She'' opened all of ''Her'' mouths, muttered.

    "You are here, the Special One, the Bane of the Primordial."

    ''Her'' voice was unbearable. It was like an amalgamation of all the sphemous sounds of the cosmos. This was a voice Aucuses could never forget.

    It was the voice of the Mother Goddess of Depravity!

    Aucuses immediately pointed his finger at the corrupted woman. Numerousw symbols emerged from his figure, spreading across the crimson reality of the room.

    He didn''t dare waste time or respond to the Mother Goddess of Depravity, who was speaking through Silvia Abraham.

    The Mother Goddess of Depravity didn''t seem to mind and continued. "Her" voice grew louder and twisted with each word.

    "The Changer is what you are, but it doesn''t matter much in the end. You will not be able to change the inevitable even with your future might. Rejoice with what little time you have left, before the true end arrives"

    Boom!

    The entire room was immediately bathed in golden light as thew symbols fused with reality, expelling the influence of the cosmos. The crimson was immediately shattered. The gigantic crimson waned in golden light, burning and zing, turning into a golden sun.

    ''She'' opened ''Her'' mouths and cackled loudly, ''Her''ughter shaking and dimming the sun itself. Then, everything went silent. The connection with the cosmos was severed.

    Silvia Abraham raised her head under the auric glow of the sun. Her body was copsing into flesh and blood. However, she didn''t seem to feel it, desperately standing up from the chair.

    She ran towards him, her figure slowing burning in golden embers of sunfire, while saying, her voiceced with desperation.

    "Please save my grandfather! He is near the moon! I know who you are, the great and merciful sun god. With your mighty power, you can save him, can''t you?" She cocked her copsing head, lunging at him. Aucuses avoided her, looking at her in silence.

    She fell on the floor, blood sshing. Then, she turned and looked at the silent Aucuses and roared, "Why? Why don''t you just help? My grandfather was right about you. Why do you always just watch as the world suffers and burn with all your power? Why?..."

    The sun burned Silvia and the entire room brightly with golden mes, purifying.

    "Why? Why? Why?" Silvia bellowed. Aucuses looked at the mad woman in silence and indifference before walking out of the room.

    He closed the door as the entire room was consumed in golden mes, incinerated into oblivion.

    Boom!

    Everything went silent. Aucuses sighed, walking forward through the corridor. ''Bethel should being sooner''

    Silvia Abraham was corrupted by the Mother Goddess of Depravity through her blood rtionship with Bethel Abraham. She was the only remaining direct descendent of him.

    Now, she is dead. Bethel will know it. He will return to Earth no matter what. Family was everything to Bethel. Now that everything has been destroyed by Aucuses.

    He wille back from the cosmos. Aucuses will be waiting at his door''s step. Bethel was too much off variable to left in cosmos, his authority can even hasten apocalypse.

    Aucuses had done this not to save the world, but to protect his love from the bloody clutches of the Mother Goddess of Depravity.

    And the words of the mother goddess of depravity, the bane of Primodeieal....

    He just sighed, walking out of the royal pce. The embers of the golden fire erupted from within the closed door and speared across the royal pce, burning down the entire pce into ashes.

    He walked out of the copsing castle, looking ahead at ise, who was waiting for him.

    Aucuses said, gesturing Basie to follow down the road. "I have taken care of the problem. The rest of the mess is up to you to solve."

    ise nodded, epting his order univocally. Then, he said with slight hesitation, "My lord, the empire"

    Aucuses interrupted, looking ahead. "Brief the general situation, ise."

    ise began, his eyes sombre. "Milord. In the purge, the Abraham family was annihted. Meanwhile, the nation of Antigonus was also destroyed. The two most fiercest and loyal supporters of the crown were removed, whichpletely shattered the already broken crown. The government copsed with that. The church had already taken matters into its own hands, handling everything temporarily. But it won''t be enough in the long run, Milord"

    Aucuses took out a document from the space. "Let it be a monarchy. Republic is out of question." He looked into ise''s eyes. "The power of the empire from then on should always rest on the rest. The times are changing, ise. I don''t want more chaos to grow in the empire. So, the crown shall fall on the head of someone who is loyal to me."

    He handed the document to ise. "I detailed everything that was needed for the new empire, including the ruler I chose. Implement it ordingly."

    ise took the file and nodded, while Aucuses continued. "From now on, slowly reduce the exposure of the extraordinary to mortals."

    "Milord, you mean to.." ise said, surprised.

    "Yes." Aucuses said, "I mean to separate the extraordinary and ordinary into different worlds. They may belong and live on earth, but it cannot be their fate in the end. I am just returning them to their rightful ce. This is the most important step, ise, if we want to stop the chaos from ever growing to this scale again."

    "I will implement your orders immediately, Milord." ise said, without raising questions or doubts.

    Finally, Aucuses said, as his figure slowly broke into golden particles. "Call Lucas from the frontline; it is about time he promoted to king of angels."

    "And, ise, the name of the empire shall be,"

    "The Intis Empire."

 Chapter 160: Fall of Stars

    Chapter 160: Fall of Stars

    The stars sparkled brilliantly in the night sky. Amidst them sat Amanises, her eyes shut, enveloped in an ember of serenity, her back against the dark expanse. It almost felt like an illusion, but there were traces of weariness etched on her divine face, slowly fading away.

    The seal of Antigonus had nearly drained her. The encounter with the Lord of Mysteries was desperate and perilous. He would have awakened despite the restraining efforts of herself and Aucuses, but it was Antigonus himself who held the Lord of Mysteries back. Their efforts were secondary; without Antigonus, the Lord of Mysteries would have risen and reimed the Sefirah Castle, and all would have been lost under the weight of a Pir, but Antigonus was there, allowing himself to be sealed by them.

    <em>''Let him live,''</em> Aucuses had insisted. <em>''He deserves it.''</em>

    The Eternal zing Sun wasn''t wrong, but for Amanises, this whole situation was much moreplex. She would rather not revisit those past, dark times, but Antigonus... <em>he truly deserved it.</em>

    Amanises blinked her eyes open, a monumental resolve taking hold. With that, the final traces of weariness vanished from her face, reced by a resolute calm that filled her entire being. Raising her hand, she sought to summon Olivia, the Mother of the Sky and the lone surviving sister of Antigonus. The Mother of the Sky was still in Concment, slumbering under her sway. Amanises chose to start rebuilding the bridges with Olivia, despite the seeming futility of it all. What was lost, was lost. What was decided, was decided. What was reaped, was reaped. What was destroyed, was destroyed.

    <em>Yet, there was no harm in trying.</em>

    As she extended her hand to beckon Olivia, a ripple of spirituality emerged within her, unseen but palpable. Her gaze shot up to the stars, gleaming in the velvety night. Among the billions, one moved with unusual speed, urgency, and anger, hurtling towards Earth. This star shone a brilliant blue, much like Earth, but what set it apart were streaks of crimson trailing from it, like the light of blood moon. They were minuscule, nearly vanishing when focused upon, almost like a mirage, but the Goddess knew they were anything but illusion. She immediately grasped the catastrophic gravity of the blue-red star''s descent upon Earth.

    "Oh, Bethel" Amanises muffled her mouth with her hand, releasing a quivering, haunting sigh. "So it truly is"

    The brightest star of this era had <strong>plummeted</strong>.

    Aucuses reaffirmed her and other Orthodox Gods about the worsening situation, all of them gathered within the dark confines of her divine kingdom.

    "Silvia Abraham," the Eternal zing Sun reported, his voice weighed down by grimness and foreboding. "The granddaughter of Bethel was discovered by my angel, her essence tainted and consumed by the Depravity of the Crimson Moon. I tried to cleanse her, but she was beyond redemption. Her very being now belongs to the Crimson Moon. And she''s not alone; many beyonders of the Door Pathway have shown signs of corruption in unison over the past month. Even now, as I speak, with Bethel drawing near, the corruption within the Door Pathway intensifies. It is faltering, its King of Angels slipping gradually into the grasp of the Mother Goddess of Depravity. If we do not act swiftly to thwart Her, the Door Pathway will be ensnared in Her dominion, and even the other pathways of Mysteries, the Fool, and Error will be vulnerable to Her malevolence."

    "We can''t kill Bethel," Lilith''s voice cut through the heavy air, determination in every word. Her words reverberated off the shadowed walls of Tenebrous heaven. "The corruption in him won''t let him fully fall. So, we bind him. A seal that''ll keep him chained, powerless and impotent. He''s the linchpin, the key to Mother Goddess of Depravity''s bid for control over the Mysteries."

    Her eyes swept the table, locking with the bright, divine gazes of her peers. They lingered on Amanises and Aucuses, unwavering as sheid down her terms. "Even if we can''t end him, we can''t let Her anchor find its ground."

    Amanises wasted no time. Time was their enemy now, and everyone here knew that. She epted the proposal of Lilith, bypassing the usual debates. "Seal Bethel. All in favour?"

    Votes were unanimous. The God of Steam and Machinery, the God of Combat, the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, the Earth Mother, and the Eternal zing Sun, each hand lifted in assent.

    The Evernight Goddess, too, joined the consensus. "6 to 0," she announced, a finality in her voice. Her eyes locked onto Aucuses, the mightiest Gods standing as one. "Bethel will face us, and we''ll seal him. But stay vignt. We might need you at any moment."

    <strong>Astral World.</strong>

    Before the vast barrier that separated Earth from the Cosmos, Aucuses and Amanises stood, their divine forms appearing minuscule against the backdrop of boundless space. With the cosmos came the piercing gazes of Outer Gods, their grotesque and otherworldly shapes swirling and materialising from the celestial bodies they''d tainted, patiently awaiting the day the barrier would crumble, granting them ess to the ultimate prize. All their eyes fixated on the two Gods at the cage''s edge.

    "What do you reckon is on their minds?" Amanises mused, her inquisitive tone slicing through the gathering heaviness. "As they observe us, pondering how we meet their gaze without flinching."

    "Oh, likely nothing," Aucuses wryly chuckled, hisughter momentarily dispelling the tension. "They might harbour anger and disdain, but in the grand scheme, we''re inconsequential to them. Just a fragile barrier keeping us apart. Once it crumbles, they''ll engulf us, either ying or subduing us if we haven''t ascended by then. They understand that, so they won''t give us much thought."

    "That''s.." Amanises breathed out, her heart wavering as the boundlessness of the cosmos pressed upon her.

    "Pessimistic?" Aucuses prompted, his smile unwavering.

    Amanises lightly smiled, returning her attention to Aucuses. "I was going for truth," her heart heavy, yet it didn''t sink. "But you are right, it is also pessimistic."

    At that moment, the Crimson Moon rose from behind the barrier, its blood-red light illuminating the entire sr system and beyond in an instant. Its surface writhed with eyes that blinked in grotesque unison, mouths contorted into unholy utterances, and tongues that slithered and coiled in abominable patterns. Every inch of its fleshy, watery exterior seemed to pulse with a sickening rhythm, as if it were a living, breathing nightmare that loomedrger andrger before Aucuses and Amanises. Its crimson presence seemed to expand and fill the cosmos, as every star in the universe flickered with a bloody light for a fleeting moment.

    From within the heart of this eldritch monstrosity, a voice emanateda voice that resonated with a perverse kind of wisdom, a knowledge beyond mortalprehension, even divine:

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>"Futile."</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>"So futile"</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>"All will fall in the true end"</em></strong>

    Amanises and Aucuses stood before the Mother Goddess of Depravity, their forms bathed in the eerie, bloody light of the Moon. The haunting silence that followed Her deration spoke volumes about the impending future.

    Yet, the Evernight Goddess pressed on, her smile reemerging beneath the gory sheen. "Indeed, it''s truly pessimistic," she murmured, locking eyes with the Eternal zing Sun, shining with determination. <em>"But we will y them."</em>

    "Yes," the Eternal zing dered with a grin, a gleam of anticipation in their eyes, dismissing the seething anger and fiery res around them. <em>"Everyst one of them."</em>

    From beyond the Crimson Moon, the blue star tinged with red streaks finally emerged, hurtling towards Earth, capturing the undivided attention of all. Twisted, maniacalughter reverberated around the Sr System, shaking the very fabric of reality as the star drew nearer to the barrier.

    Aucuses and Amanises turned in unison, their figures glowing with an intense brilliance as they transformed into their mythical creature form. From the Evernight Goddess''s ribs and waist, a pair of dark, fur-covered limbs sprang forth. Behind the shoulders of the Eternal zing Sun, massive bird wings unfurled, each feather aze with white, purifying mes. In the six arms of the Evernight Goddess, two cradled a crimson moon, two held an empty fog, and thest pair remained eerily still. In the dazzling arms of the Eternal zing Sun, a white electric spear crackled to life. Their pupils narrowed, adopting an almost animalistic intensity, yet when they spoke, their voices retained a hint of humanity.

    <strong><em>""We will triumph!""</em></strong>

    Their transformationpleted in the blink of an eye, they hurtled towards the very brink of the barrier, their authorities surging forth, ready to confront the impending blue-red star. As they neared, the star''s form solidified, revealing the visage of a middle-aged man. Initial impressions hinted at his age, his features exuding an air of old-world refinement. His hair, a dark void, speckled with a scattering of white strands. Yet, what trulymanded attention was the blood-red curtain that clung to him, defying the starry waves that sought to tear it asunder. He was none other than Bethel Abraham, Mr. Door and the Guide of Endless Cosmos.

    Bethel Abraham finally breached the barrier. His eyes flung open, wide with a tangible sense of foreboding. They were like cerulean waves,yered upon each other, reflecting the colossal figures of Aucuses and Amanises, dwarfing even Earth itself. Their weapons and authorities were fixated at him with an intensity that sent shivers coursing through him. Yet his eyes gleamed defiantly, raging with a crimson sheen, and his countenance hardened in haunting ze.

    In a response that spoke volumes, Mr. Door raised his arms, sying them wide. His index fingers zeroed in with unerring precision on two stars, gleaming defiantly against the cosmic abyss. It was as if he held them in his grasp, a disy of power that resonated deeply through the void. Then, with a graceful sweep, he directed them towards the Eternal zing Sun and the Evernight Goddess. The stars propelled through the abyss of space, closing the infinite distance in a breathtaking, instantaneous descent. <em>They crashed into their celestial targets, rendering the imposing figures of Gods infinitesimal inparison.</em>

    <em></em>

 Chapter 161: Chains

    Chapter 161: Chains

    Bethel actually hurled stars at them, literally summoning celestial bodies from the far corners of the cosmos and hurtling them directly into the barrier, within an instant at that, and those stars were almost as colossal as the Sun. It was genuinely astounding that Bethel was able to achieve such a feat, despite not being a God. The sheer finesse and power of his attack stood out the most, for he may be King of Angels with all the uniqueness and characteristics, but there were still heights he couldn''t scale, actions he couldn''t perform, replications he couldn''t achieve, all until he ascended to the Sequence 0 of the Door Pathway. And yet, here he was, performing one of those very feats right before their eyes.

    And this meant one thing, and one thing onlythe worst, the most devastating possible oue: Bethel was in the throes of ascension into Godhood. His authorities were nearly reaching the hallowed level of divine. In fact, this didn''t surprise Aucuses as much as he hoped. After all, the final, climactic step of the Apotheosis Ritual for bing the Door was to return to their home, <em>an ultimate anchor that would forever hold them fast in their ever-wandering existence.</em>

    In that moment of enlightenment, Aucuses was flooded with a profound understanding of the Mother Goddess of Depravity''s sinister intentions: should corrupted Bethel find his way back to Earth,pleting the final, fateful step of his Apotheosis Ritual and ascending to Godhood, not only would the Mother Goddess hold dominion over the Door Pathway, but She would also have Bethel as an unbreakable anchor to breach the weakened barrier and descend into Earth unabated. Even if Aucuses and Amanises managed to seal Bethel away, it was but a fleeting respite, a mere dy in the inevitable. In a future where the Lord of Mysteries would inevitablye into being, Bethel would have to be set free, providing countless opportunities for the Mother Goddess to manipte, to shape, and to descend. <em>It was a diabolically perfect scenario for Her, no matter the oue.</em>

    With a sudden surge of haunting realisation, as the dashing star unfurled its brilliance before him, he beheld the twisted, sphemous mouths of the Crimson Moon. They seemed to lift, ever so subtly, in a mocking dance, as if She could grasp his innermost musings, as if She derived amusement from their feeble, hopeless, <em>futile</em> resistance.

    Aucuses ignored Her. With his actions and thoughts moving at light speed, he turned away from Her to meet the dark and veiled eyes of Amanises, which held a touch of realization as well. He didn''t know how much of Her intentions Amanises managed to deduce, but what mattered most now was stopping Bethel from ever reaching Earth. They could worry about the future afterwards as everything was hanging on the axis, even more than they initially considered.

    A shared understanding surged between them in an instant; their bond ran deep enough that intentions were crystal clear, needing no words. A single nce and they leaped into action.

    In perfect sync, the Evernight Goddess and Eternal zing Sun raised their hands together. From her ebony-furred hands, the previously dormant fog burst forth, swiftly shrouding everything in sight, including Bethel and the twin stars he''d summoned. That fog embodied the very essence of the Darkness Pathway, coiling around everything it touched in theforting embrace of <strong>Concealment</strong>.

    In tandem, the Eternal zing Sun, his hands poised before the hurtling stars, radiated a fervent luminescence that mirrored the impending cataclysmmere meters from their celestial forms. He tapped into the <strong>Cmity</strong> Authority bestowed upon him by the Tyrant Pathway, letting it surge forth onto the plummeting stars. Instantly, the space itself seemed to throb with his power, and an intense heat emanated from his mythical form. The once-massive stars now shimmered with an unstable brilliance, teetering on the edge of a cataclysmic detonation that threatened to consume the Sr System and all the surrounding star systems, reducing everything within to basic atoms.

    But Aucuses couldn''t allow it. Right on the heels of invoking <strong>Cmity</strong> Authority, he wielded his <strong>Order</strong> Authority, deftly manipting the chaotic energy surges from the copsing stars. His will manipting them to converge and focus solely on Bethel.

    Meanwhile, the ominous dark fog of Evernight continued its relentless advance, swallowing their surroundings, devouring copsing stars. The sole entity untouched was Bethel, desperately striving to escape yet ruthlessly restrained by the Evernight Goddess. Each attempt to open a door for teleportation, to reach Earth or anywhere else, was cruelly thwarted by her authority of <strong>Misfortune</strong>, rendering his chances of sess tragically abyssal, or by her authority of <strong>Negativity</strong>, turning the space into a maelstrom almost beyond his control. The thick fog drew nearer, pulsating and resonating, akin to the voracious maw of a cosmic beast, poised to engulf him.

    It became painfully evident that Bethel''s prior attack had been a mere diversion, a fleeting moment to keep the Gods upied, allowing him a chance to slip past them and reach Earth in one swift move. It might have seeded if he weren''t facing the Evernight Goddess and the Eternal zing Sun, who operated with seamless coordination, amplifying their already formidable powers to corner Bethel entirely.

    Bethel abandoned attempts at teleportation, now focusing on confronting the encroaching dark, foreboding fog. His crimson eyes ignited into a brilliant silver ze, irises transforming into a silver <strong>Serpent</strong>devouring its own tail. He extended his hand, poised to tear the fabric between him and the looming fog. Meanwhile, a fraction of his attention remained fixed on Aucuses, apparent in the subtle tension when the stars he hurled froze and grew unstable. Another unrted authority blossomed around Bethel, signaling a countermeasure against Aucuses

    Yet Aucuses, swift as ever, outpaced both Bethel and Amanises. He channeled all the power and energy of supernovas toward Bethel, ensuring he alone bore the full brunt of it.

    <em>And then Bethel detonated.</em>

    A searing, blinding ocean of light erupted from his figure, engulfing the entire sr system and beyond. On Earth, warring armies froze in terror, and even the most apathetic civilians stared wide-eyed in sheer disbelief as the Night transformed into an overwhelming Day of scorching brilliance. The searing ze consumed them all in a cataclysmic surge of heat and blinding radiance before they could even muster a gasp. Desperation and panic swept through the ranks, futile attempts to shield themselves proving futile. Screams and cries of disbelief echoed in the chaos.

    Yet, inexplicably, none were affected in any way by the blinding brillianceall and everything except Bethel, just as the Eternal zing Sun had intended. And the ocean of light disappeared as swiftly as it appeared, for the exploding figure of Bethel was finally consumed by the ominous fog of Evernight Goddess.

    Immediately, Amanises fiercely pulled all the battlefield into Concealment, constructing a different space, a dimension in and of itself, to sharply separate Bethel from the World and Cosmos, to where she would be the one to rule the space, not Bethel.

    She was still being painstakingly meticulous because Bethel hadn''t fallen, despite bearing the full brunt of two supernovas. At thest moment, before his body exploded either due to the <strong>Fortunate</strong> replicated authority of Wheel of Fortune or just driven by the usual cautious and cowardly instinct of Beyonders of Mysteries pathways that acted on its own, Bethel miraculously managed to conceptualise himself, turning into an ethereal creature to avoid the terrifying onught of Aucuses.

    But the silver lining was, even Gods couldn''t face such an attack without taking damage, much less a King of Angels. It didn''t matter if he was so close to Godhood. His conceptualisation couldn''t provide much help at all.

    Ultimately, Bethel had almost entirely been suppressed by them.

    But there was still the corruption of Mother Goddess of Depravity that could introduce unforeseen developments, so Evernight resolved not to take any chances, unleashing all her authorities to im the space in the dimension under her controlpletely.

    <em>The reckoning, final moment was here.</em>

    Bethel stood on the precipice of losing all semnce of control, his mangled form a grotesque tableau of oozing shining blood and entrails. Some parts of him resembled nothing more than writhing, squirming vermin, slipping and quivering, melding and entwiningall driven by the singr, desperate purpose of reconstitution. To either elevate his torment or to exacerbate it, a curtain of deep crimson clung to his shattered figure, preventing him from copsing into utter ruin and assisting him in the gruesome task of reassembly at a horrifyingly rapid pace.

    He knelt in the heart of an abyss, surrounded by unending Darkness that appeared to stretch into eternity. His seared hands gripped his blood-soaked hair with agonising force, his disfigured face pressed into his knees. From his mouth spilled forth a macabre mixture of gleaming blood, wriggling worms, and his own viscera, each tainted in a vivid shade of crimson. They squirmed and writhed as if imbued with a grotesque semnce of life, each one a nightmarish entity unto itself.

    Darkness began to writhe and slither, almost with a sinister deliberation, encircling Bethel. His eyes snapped open, a fiery chasm of crimson, tears of blood streaming down his cheeks, carrying traces of sorrow, anger, and grieftoo many emotions for the Darkness to contain. <em>"BEGONE!"</em> He howled, his voice contorted and fractured, yet pulsating with an undying force.

    Immediately, Bethel''s form exploded in a dazzling disy of radiance, akin to turning himself into the very heart of the <strong>Sun</strong>, a force determined to obliterate the encroaching Darkness. Yet the brilliance emanating from him, while blinding,cked the purity and magnificence of the <strong>Sun</strong>. Instead, it was a ghastly, twisted glow, tainted with a malevolent, crimson hue.

    In response, the Darkness withdrewpletely, recoiling as if repulsed by the corrupting light. Just then, a thunderous voice boomed forth from the epassing Darkness, resonating from every conceivable direction, pulsating with fury and revulsion. <strong>"I am the Sun!"</strong> the voice thundered, a deration imbued with a terrifying intensity that sent Golden streaks shing through the Darkness. <strong>"Burn, pretender!"</strong>

    Bethel''s brilliance was instantly snuffed out, reced by a searing congration of white, a cleansing fire that consumed him from the inside out, setting his very soul aze. He let out a wail, a shriek of unadulterated torment, a sound that curdled the blood. Yet he refused to sumb, for the crimson curtain dulled the purifying ze of the Sun, his searing, liquefying eyes straining towards the streaks of molten gold, his scorched mouth contorting into a macabre grin as his lips moved. <strong>"Degeneration.."</strong>

    From behind Bethel, the crimson curtain unfurled, revealing an eerie upside-down cross manifesting on its surface.

    <strong>"Replication is forbidden here!"</strong> The thundering voice boomed once more, carrying the same unyielding force, amand imbued with <strong>Order and Law</strong>. The streaks of Gold within the epassing Darkness grew even more pronounced and dense.

    The nascent upside-down cross promptly disintegrated, the curtain enveloping Bethel once more. With Darkness suppressing his spatial dominion and Gold thwarting his replication abilities, he was now more constrained than ever. Still, the crimson shroud offered a glimmer of support.

    Yet, the resounding voice showed no inclination to afford him any further opportunities.<strong> "Space rejects your dominion!"</strong>

    <strong>"Reality itself repels your existence!"</strong>

    <strong>"Escape is but an illusion!"</strong>

    One by one, these decrees were imposed upon Bethel, encasing him in unseen yet unyielding chains, until he cowered and trembled weakly on the darkened ground. As if these agonisingws weren''t sufficient, obsidian, foreboding chains extended from the Darkness, hoisting and ensnaring him amidst the very heart of the abyss.

    Tobat the malevolent influence of the bloody curtain coursing through Bethel, a mirage of twinkling stars and a radiant golden sun materialised above him, twirling upon themselves and casting their luminous rays downward, bearing the essence of purification and serenity.

    In the end, Bethel floated still, his head hung low, and his hand syed wide, his legs pressed togetherall tightly bound in chains, both metaphysical and literal. His form was utterly broken and shattered, marred and scarred, corrupted and twisted.

    <em>Finally, Mr. Door had been decisively suppressed and sealed by the Eternal zing Sun and the Evernight Goddess.</em>

    --------

    A/N: I know there wasn''t really much of a fight. It was just Bethel being smashed and demolished by Aucuses and Amanises. But considering Aucuses is already a dual-pathway God here, Amanises holds the Moon Authority as well, to a considerable extent. They are the strongest Gods in the world now, right with the True Creator. So Bethel hadn''t really had much going for him from the very beginning, other than the Crimson Curtain. Hope you liked it, regardless!

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!