Soul Of Searing Steel Chapter 1048 - Right and Right

Chapter 1048: Right and Right

The Southern Cross Constellation, core sector of the Radiant Domain, the Three Worlds and Nine Skies.

Within a cross-shaped constellation sector suitable for inhabitation and made out of twelve hundred stars, a single ma.s.sive artificial object was darting through the silver Steel Continent.

It was a mobile city that resembled a saucer and was rotating ceaselessly, stirring a ma.s.sive tempest around itself. A certain distance was kept between the bottom of the city and the continent, with blue fluorescent circuits circling while invisible bounded fields kept pus.h.i.+ng it ahead—in reality, it would be more appropriate to describe it as flying through low alt.i.tudes then walking around.

Meanwhile above the saucer, golden arcs of energy overlapped to form a vast semi-circular net. It was precisely what pa.s.sed off as the skies of the mobile city which spanned 76,500 kilometers. One could also observe that it had thirty-five layers of light curtain formations within, each serving different functions and maintaining the stability of the ecosystem within the small world.

The moving city was the Realm of Bright Splendor—Mobile City Ansino.

It was an ancient city which had roamed the Continent of Steel for over eighty thousand years during the primary base of shrines for the numerous divine beings since the Age of the G.o.ds, and eventually falling under the control of the Order of the Ashes. The entire region had been blessed and buffed by generation after generation of more than ten thousand deities, with every inch of soil and every speck of dust once touched with divine force and hence gaining the attribute of perpetuity. More than that, the thirty-five layers of divine light curtains had actually directly withstood many unexpected incidents of pouring Starfall, with the city never once twitching as it withstood the continuous bombardments by hundreds of stars.

Now, over the harbor on the outer circle of the city where countless airs.h.i.+ps were anch.o.r.ed, the buildings were flying the banners of the Order of the Ashes. The inner layers within the world, however, contained various zones for different industries that stretched as far the eye could see: agricultural, industrial, religious, along with a vast ocean of divine nanomaterials at the edge of the world—it had been a masterpiece by the former G.o.d of Machines, a G.o.dly creation which allows recycling and rebirthing, which was also colloquially referred to as divine items.

It had been fifty thousand years since the pa.s.sing of the G.o.d of Machines, but his creation was still functioning normally. It was tasked with maintaining the entire moving world, and one of the reasons why the ancient city which had weathered eighty thousand years could appear brand-new as if it had just been built recently, and was also one of the raw materials used in the manufacturing production of the city’s industrial smelters.

Billions of Lightchasers lived or worked in that world, walking around on the various major districts, occasionally taking airs.h.i.+ps to other moving cities for exchanges, visits, trade, or simply recreation—there was a fiery stride in every person’s gait, not to mention that they all had solid objectives. None of the people in the city were ever at a loss, and even those who were resting were simply recuperating their strength to quicken their recovery of spirit, allowing work to be more convenient. If belief was luminous, this city would be brighter than a star, even alight, as the world itself was driven in the direction they wanted.

It was in the center of such a world that a lofty tower, its peak breaking through the thirty-five layers of divine formation and standing beyond the World Barrier, positioned out in the real world out there—the entire tower was built out of white solid stone, and was so flawless that no half a gap or disjoint could be seen. There were not actually many Lightchasers living nearby, with only a few, whom one could tell were leaders from the Order of the Ashes, slowly approaching the tower and entering it.

The tower had many names in the distant past, including the Eternal White Tower, the Skypiercing Tower, the Sun Tower, and so forth—but now, after the Order of the Ashes had gathered the remains of every deity and a.s.sumed control of the Bright Splendor City, its name had become the Tower of the Torch. Still, the function it served was what it always had been: the core hub of the Order and the entire world.

“First Steward, High Judge Grong has gone missing in the middle of a mission. Contact is also lost with all seventy-five elite shrine guards, no exceptions.”

In an office which was not quite eye-catching, a woman wearing a three-layered crown and dressed dignified and with graze was staring ahead of herself with a serene gaze. Meanwhile, two Judges with rather plain faces and who were wearing the red-black robes lowered their heads at her as they reported, “According to the a.n.a.lysis of the vault, the mission to convert Alpha Falster must have failed. Mycroft and Karlis, both Children of the Stars, must be the reason Grong has failed.”

The Order of Ashes was an organization first formed after the Age of the G.o.ds, after many other religious groups, despite losing their patron deities, had gathered to retrieve the corpses of those divine beings and to repel the Chaos. Their core policy makers, the Elder Stewards, had been former pontiffs or patriarchs, and the First Stewards were nominally the leaders of the Elders, a t.i.tle held by various leaders of different patriarchs alternatively.

Naturally, after fifty thousand years had pa.s.sed, the First Steward eventually became a meritocracy—only the most powerful characters could hold office now. The present First Steward, Mara Monica, was a Legendary champion who had held the position for one hundred and fifty-two years, and was a former leader in the doctrine of G.o.d of Stars and Exploration as well.

“So, it was a failure,” the First Steward said silently, although her head was still lowered as she continued studying a screen to keep reading the many doc.u.ments before her. Due to their policy in regards to conservation, the various other sanctuaries were no longer used as working areas for the Order since thirty-four thousand years ago, but were open to the public—not even the First Steward was an exception, with Mara herself running administrative affairs in an office on the thirty-six hundredth floor and preaching.

Meanwhile, she did not appear angry over the failed mission. “It is normal. In the first place, both Karlis and Mycroft are important scholars in the Academy City who command Supreme-tier abilities. Moreover, they have awakened the power of the Children of the Stars, meaning that not even most Legends could defeat them. If they have played a role, it would be only normal that Grong would fail.”

“Even so, it means that they have exposed their own whereabouts—didn’t Grong leave a marker when he was tracking his quarry?”

“Yes.”

The middle-aged judge standing up front answered with vigor. “Steward, should we dispatch several Legendary champions to dissuade them? We might still make it if we pursue them now.”

Mara, however, did not answer at once. It was only after she had focused and read a few more doc.u.ments that she said, “It’s fine. I can sense that Grong’s flame has not gone out. Neither he nor the shrine guards are dead—they have probably been captured instead.”

“And since the lives of our brethren is not threatened, we do not have to a.s.sume such a major risk either, not to mention that mounting an attempt to capture those Children of the Stars ironically lurking amongst the stars would weaken our defensive capacity in other zones—leaving aside the fact that they possess Legend-tier ability in the first place and that there has not been progress for a long time recently, there has been an increase in anomalies within the Nightfall Zone. Chaos Aberrations are also increasing significantly and we do not have the strength to spare.”

After that, the Steward sighed. She looked up again at the two grave-faced Judges, “Well, at least we now have evidence that Alpha is a.s.suredly more important than we would imagine. Those two Children are quite concerned about him, not to mention that his own daughter is a Sacred Child as well…he could be drawn by a certain instinct that affords him with ability on par with the Children—it would be the best case scenario if he joins us, but there is no urgency if he does not.”

“As for Grong, I will send someone out later to negotiate. In turn, we will withdraw our pursuit and allow them to release our brethren. After all, the conflict between us has not deteriorated—even if they are reluctant to lend us their strength as Children of the Stars, we could allow them to live freely in the Nightfall Zone as long as they do not interfere with our Pa.s.sing of the Flame.”

What Mara had left unsaid was that it was impossible for Mycroft or Karlis to be allowed inside the Radiant Domain. Any Child of the Stars would increase in ability if they stayed in places where there were more stars, and though they could refrain from pursuing the pair, they could not abide with having them living freely in the domain of their own influence and enjoying the endless radiance of the Radiant Domain which the Order had put everything on the line to maintain.

Neither Mara nor the Judges were actually aware of the truth of what was happening, nor did they received word from Grong that they had found the obelisk. They simply believed that the High Judge had been captured when he was discovered in the midst of his stalking.

Soon, the two Judges left. They had come personally to give their report since the mission itself was personally a.s.signed by the Steward herself, or they could have just contacted her through a video call otherwise. Meanwhile, the First Steward was still seated on her plain chair, cultivating her own strength while tending to administrative affairs.

But a long time later, the woman, who was more than two hundred years old though looked as young as she used to in her youth and had served the Order for most of her life, raised her hand tiredly, rubbing her forehead and sighing quietly.

“Sigh…when would the Lightchasers finally unite in heart and develop diligently, contributing strength to the future of our world and our civilization?”

The Legendary champion’s words were almost a moaning prayer. Her eyes were closed as she murmured in utter helplessness. “Was it actually right to keep the secret that the world is about to fall and the Flame about to go out even from the Alliance?”

Although such a world would hence never be stirred and could continue enjoying its peace, the Order had also therefore lost even more a.s.sistance and could only work alone…a case in point would be those two Child of the Stars—would they have run away if they truly knew what was happening to this world?

Still, it was good that they had gotten away since they did not have to sacrifice themselves, just as it was fine for every being to not know reality since they could at least still have peace.

After all, who other than us could sacrifice ourselves to save the world?

As she contemplated that question, Mara could only smile bitterly and linger in profound helplessness.

If the nations and races of the Three Worlds and Nine Skies were told about the dying world and the fall to darkness, what scale of unrest would ensue across the world, with it being as vast as it was now? Would they unite as one and struggle to weather the tribulation, or fall into utter despair and revel in one last euphoria as their lives ended? To tell the truth, none would ever be able to be optimistic about such matters—the Lightchasers were not some race with strong resolve, as most of their population had been living their whole lives inside mobile cities, keeping their vision so narrow that they were like insects that cowered in their own sh.e.l.ls. In turn, as compared to changing the world, they had grown to prefer staying in their comfortable steel sh.e.l.ls.

Indeed, one should note that not all individuals were willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, because most life with intelligent minds would only ever be concerned about their own survival—even if they really could not survive, they would rather squander their last moments in delights so that they could leave with no regrets.

To put it selfish and also quite normally, most intelligent life would believe that if saving their world would require the cost of their own existence, it would be better to just die without saving it and perish with the world itself.

That being said, such thoughts were not mistaken. After all, what was most important to intelligent beings was Self, and given that both the destruction and the salvation of the world required the death of Self, why should others be allowed to build happiness upon personal sacrifice? Why not just have everyone die together?

If I can’t be happy, then I would have the others be unhappy as well. Sacrifice, n.o.bleness, and whatnot are nothing other than have everyone’s happiness built upon the death of a t.i.the.

Why can’t it be someone else but only me? If that is because of the so-called ill fortune, then I would say no! And that is for no reason other than that I am upset and reluctant to do it.

The world did not give me anything. I came to this place alone and would die alone—there is no way I am going to pay any price for that.

Everyone would die together and return to the nether realm of death. That is happiness too.

There was no doubt that such thoughts were ‘right’, and a.s.suredly complied to the instincts of existence. It was vicious instinct that resisted and struggled against the unfriendly, tormenting world, society and fate that simply wanted them dead. No one could force others to sacrifice themselves, not even the G.o.ds!

However, such thoughts and such mindsets were actually cowardice.

“Why must there be sacrifice just to save the world? Isn’t that too weird? Could we not just alter the world so that everyone would not have to sacrifice themselves and live in peace?”

“If I am not happy, why would I have others be unhappy as well instead of working hard to make myself happy? Out of ten thousand people, 9,999 people would certainly be unwilling to stand out, remaining in their own comfort zone instead. There would always be that one person who would fight against destiny under their own will and not because they were forced!”

“Indeed. The world we live in is so miserable. There would always be some vile beast standing guard in dangerous places, with one of the tribesmen always selected as tribute—only then could the entire tribe gain safe pa.s.sage. But why sacrifice one? Can’t everyone take up their weapons and kill the beast?”

“I would go forth to the depths of darkness, to become light and burn myself to ashes, s.h.i.+ning light upon every shadow.”

Remembering the words of various past Stewards of the Order, their speeches and oaths, Mara closed her eyes.

While the choice to fight the beast would definitely lead to the deaths of many or even deal major casualties to the tribe, even wiping them out…but in terms of death and the Three Worlds and Nine Skies, the difference between the deaths of everyone fated to die was in their way of thinking.

The ‘sacrifice’ mentioned formerly was a compelled action. Their anger and dissatisfaction, grudges and suffering, that feeling which desired someone to cus.h.i.+on them and have all life die with themselves was a natural correctness for life. It did not accommodate retort by anyone with ethics or greater good!

Still, the sacrifice which the latter mentioned was not at all sacrifice or death. The tribespeople were simply choosing to put themselves on the line, pointing their blades at everything in the world and fighting against all suffering and torment, and then finally falling valiantly.

Meanwhile, every member of the Order of the Ashes—or, at least, members who were living in the Bright Splendor City—were beings who had the courage to level their swords at all things and the fates of the world. Naturally, being a major organization, they would have aspects that were dark, sinister, filled with bloodl.u.s.t, and ugliness.

Be that as it may, Mara at least believed that it was all unavoidable. The Order was weak and hence had to make sacrifices, as well as helpless but necessary choices.

“Outside the bottom sector of the Nightfall Zone, every star that could be pulled easily and not easily discovered has already been drawn to the Shadow Orbit and s.h.i.+fted to the Radiant Domain through subs.p.a.ce transition. Now, we have to move stars that can be conveniently moved but easily discovered by other factions by increasing power and heading for higher places, drawing them to the sector of the First Sky Stairs.”

The Order of the Ashes had kept the world’s Flame alight for over fifty thousand years without being noticed because of their strict internal secrecy, maintaining various limitations, along with the fact that the stars they chose to take were often inconspicuous and not easily noticed to be missing—but now, with all optimal stars having been taken and the Nightfall Zone full of empty sectors , if they would keep the world alive, the Order had to either exert a greater effort or be less discreet.

It was not a good choice. Even with their resolve, the Order’s strength should not be squandered so meaninglessly—but if anyone would discover that they were moving the stars and allow the public to realize the truth that the world was dying, the unrest would soon follow.

Shaking her head and opening her eyes, Mara Monica the First Steward gave up on her consideration for the problem. She kept her head lowered as she continued seeing to her administrative duties. The things waiting to be done by both herself and the Order were aplenty—Karlis, Mycroft, and Alpha were nothing other than a brief interlude, and since they could neither be captured nor persuaded, their only option was to ignore them.

Those who wanted freedom should be allowed to live free, after all.

Nonetheless, neither the First Steward all the entire Order of the Ashes imagined that the brief interlude was a variable dozens of thousand times far worse than they could imagine.

***

Fifteen days later, a major piece of news spread throughout the nations in the Radiant Domain.

[The industrial realm and Military Complex City Faramin, which is under the control of the Order of the Ashes, has been ambushed by unknown a.s.sailants. The sense of time of all 11,790,000,000people, along with the world itself, was stalled, and after time had reverted to normalcy, the entire governing center of the Order had been destroyed. Fortunately, there were no casualties, although substantial cla.s.sified information has been lost.]

The word which spread throughout the cities made it seem as if some faction or champion bearing enmity against the Order was deliberately humiliating them while trying to search for information they could use as blackmail material. After all, as the Order of the Ashes held copious property and had as many followers as those whom they had wronged, it was nothing surprising since there had been similar incidents occurring through the course of history.

However, for the Order, the destruction of the governing hub in Faramin was no small matter—and more importantly, a secret base deep within the mountains close to the navigation routes of their military complex were completely destroyed. The installation, a mysterious ancient obelisk designated as ‘Eleven’, and the slumbering champion within, a.s.signed codename ‘Elemental Flower’, had been awakened and left!

“No one has died. The working crew in the Star Nest Base, including the Legendary champion guarding it, Danor the Starstriker, were rendered asleep within a luminous bubble, which burst open just as the reinforcements arrive but without casualties…even so, Obelisk Eleven has lost all functions: the departure of the prehistoric champion means that we do not have the energy to maintain the Shadow Orbit at the northwestern sector of the Radiant Domain.”

“No brethren being lost is a good thing. It also proves that our adversaries are not vile elements who would murder innocents, nor are they enemies of Order…still, how did they learn about Star Nest Base? It is the secrets of secrets.”

“What are they trying to do, reviving those prehistoric champions?”

In the Tower of the Torch, Mara and the other Stewards were conducting a simple and rapid discussion. However, they could not think of any reasons no matter how they thought about it, and in response, the Order could only feebly repair the governing hub in Faramin, simultaneously strengthening defenses in several other Star Nest Bases and a.s.signing more Legendary champions on guard duty while also accelerating the transportation of stars, avoiding insufficient quota of stars due to the loss of the Northwestern Shadow Orbit.

After all, they did not even know who their enemy was. Apart from pa.s.sively standing guard, how could they make a next move?

We can only hope that they would take a break—that was what the leaders of the Order were really thinking.

But soon, continuous and grievous news reached them.

First and foremost, colonies near the edge of the Nightfall Zone had seen the largest wave of Chaos aberration a.s.sault in the last five thousand years, which was also moving very rapidly. In less than half a month, hundreds of mobile city colonies had been surrounded, with contact lost with seventeen of them, each suspected to have fallen, as well as trillions of Lightchasers dead. The waves of Chaos were also continuing towards the depths of Nightfall and were about to a.s.sault the West Gate Star Chain, where there were even more mobile colonies and the core of Order in the southwestern reaches of the Nightfall Zone.

But more than that, it was also very close to the frontier perimeter of the Radiant Domain.

Later, because the Order had been ambushed a while ago but did not offer a strong response, instead behaving as if they were cowering, everyone took it as a sign that the Order was weakening, with many nations and factions in the Alliance beginning to look at the Order differently. From the very start, they believed that it was unusual for a such a ma.s.sive religious group to have survived until now since the Age of the G.o.ds, for what purpose would they serve since there was not a single G.o.d now? Not to mention that there were so many divine items under their control—it should have been a blessing upon all Lightchasers, how could the Order be allowed exclusive control!

Be that as it may, that was still not the most harrowing news: some mobile cities at the borders of the Radiant Domain were starting to built strong defensive spells for their own world and were ready to keep them separate from the outside for centuries. They had no intention to fight the oncoming waves of Chaos or aid their brethren, but would hide in their own sh.e.l.ls instead, allowing the Chaos to rampage away before leaving. One way or another, there would not be too many Chaos aberrations that could break through the specially reinforced barriers, and with each city being self-sufficient, they did not need contact with the outside world anyway.

After all, what did Nightfall Zone’s misery had to do with them? They would be fine if they just waited things out since the Chaos sp.a.w.ns would never last long in the Radiant Domain.

In the shortest time, the invasion of Chaos, the apathy of their brethren, the change in att.i.tude of their allies, and the vague feeling of being spied upon were threatening the Lightchaser civilization and the Order of the Ashes all at once—soon, the cause for the rapid advance of the Chaos swarm was also discovered: because the Order had kept moving the stars away from the Nightfall Zone, the continuous reduction of illuminated areas over the last fifty thousand years meant that there was nothing providing a buffer for the Radiant Domain, and the aberrations’ a.s.sault was only reasonable.

The times were left turbulent in the unrest. All that had once existed in stability were beginning to unravel as time slowly moved forward.

Even if major news such as the Chaos invasion were being covered up, there would be more incidents occurring, one after another—rumors had it that explorers were beginning to find a majestic crystal obelisk hidden within mountains which they believed to have dated back to the Age of the G.o.ds. With steady major star tremors and radiance that illuminated everything, their bulk were revealed to stand aloft upon the world.

At the same time, the Order, which had been withdrawing and consolidating defenses, were left in panic. Fifteen of their Star Nest Bases which they had fully armed were taken down, one after another—with Obelisk Eleven included, a total of eight champions had now been rescued, denying the Shadow Orbit any energy. It was also half of what they had, and even if the other half were still reining stars in, there was no way the Flame of the Radiant Domain could be kept alight.

It was not only the Order panicking either. Even the colossal organization of the Alliance was slowly noticing that the borders of the Radiant Domain was shrinking ever so insignificantly. At the same time, a faction of unknown origins had definitely a move within their own territories as well.

Even if they were few, their ability was formidable—champions not of this era were rus.h.i.+ng across the realm, treading upon trails where all life in the Three Worlds and Nine Skies never overlapped.

***

“So, Igor. Do you still think that life is well off in this world?”

Within the Nightfall Zone, a group of individuals that ranged from carbon-based humanoids to silicon-based steel spheres, all champions who looked very unusual, were streaking through a chain of mountains as if looking for something. Midway through the journey, a rather tanned woman with silver hair and red eyes started to force a conservation with a stony-faced blond youth beside her.

“Not really.”

Igor calmly replied Mycroft the reincarnated Steel Python, shaking his head as he recalled his recent journey across the Three Worlds and Nine Skies. “Most of them are living jadedly, and I really could never have imagined that the group of Order members that we met when I woke up is the most spirited and determined of them.”

“As for the others…how should I put this? They are zombies chasing after the sun.”

Everyone—not just Mycroft, but every member of the former cosmic alliance who had sacrificed themselves as they fought with Joshua against the legions of Evil G.o.ds and now revived—nodded slightly, indicating their agreement. Zombies chasing after the sun was a fitting description and the reality that they had seen in recent days.

“That’s right.” Mycroft sighed. Formerly a Steel Python and the Mother of All, she witnessed the ascension and expansion of a great civilization upon her own body, and was hence much more emotional than Igor. “A repressed world, dangerous stars, extended migration and pursuit, never ceasing avoidance and subservience…every intelligent being is reclusively staying in the steel sh.e.l.ls called mobile cities, along their flesh to deteriorate to the brink of death and allow their own spirit to decay.”

“Many moving cities have actually ceased contact with the outside. All of them are self-sufficient and therefore do not care about others, even completely refusing foreign trade. They close themselves in their circles of comfort, bent on ignoring the fluctuating stars over head and focus in enjoying their centuries long lifespan…every civilization in this world has long since rotted, the mobile cities essentially moving coffins, everything living within being corpses that only want to ‘stay alive’.”

A hundred thousand years had worn away all honor and ideals. In fact, both Karlis and Mycroft, along with Igor and every other champion who were revived later, had seen civilizations within mobile cities essentially retrogress to medieval times. Due to war, plague, or the invention of some dangerous technology, those cities which were named ‘barren worlds’ were thrown into primitive ages—as the descendant of leaders a.s.sumed control over the movement of those cities, they ascended as imposing, mysterious G.o.dly beings who enjoyed all riches and luxuries, enjoying the advanced technology exchanged with other mobile cities while subjugating low-cla.s.s citizens.

Worse, perhaps after having reached a limit and hence unable to progress towards the skies or the Void beyond their world, the civilization in this world had trouble developing their technology as well. In fact, they had a.s.sumed a mistaken path, causing Lightchaser technology to stall for dozens of thousands of years, and could not even restore that standard back to what it had been in the Age of the G.o.ds.

“Does such a civilization and world still have a future?” a Demon King wondered. He was a Legendary Bone Demon from the Abyss of the cosmos who had a brief and intimate exchange with Mycroft’s own Legend, Roland, and Persica, a Confounder Demon General. After that, he had led his race to join the Starfall Alliance, and fought alongside Joshua against the legions of Evil G.o.ds in their last stand.

No one offered any response to his question, because all of them were troubled—they all belonged to an age where the civilizations across the cosmos were in their most glorious and most pa.s.sionate state. Even if they were aware of their one hundred and twenty-thousand year sleep, they had still imagined that all things in the world would fight on like they did, only to find a withering, dying civilization.

The Lightchasers had been running after the light for so long that they had lost their way.

Even Alpha, a Lightchaser, was lowering his head in embarra.s.sment—he had been following Karlis in her explorations during his youth, before living in the best environment in the Academy City in his middle-aged days. He had basically not understood the circ.u.mstances surrounding the many mobile cities—the rot of decay did not leave him disgusted, just with profound bewilderment and sadness.

Still, there were some who disagreed.

“They still have a future,” Igor spoke out. The former pontiff, who had recovered his youthful body, turned back towards the mobile city they had just pa.s.sed, showing a compa.s.sionate expression that does not quite suit his teenage face. There was a ‘faith’ that reached into the marrow in his quiet words, which could have been an answer to the Bone Demon King or a musing to himself. “Do not mock these fallen, my friends—in the Multiverse beyond this world, our own civilization would probably have fallen or be equally corrupted after so long. We do not know that, just as I am pessimistic enough to believe that after our descendants had lost leaders such as us, they might have decayed much faster than the Lightchasers.”

“But that is not to say that there is no hope for the future. Did we not bravely launch ourselves, even if it had been the endless swarms of Evil G.o.ds? It is just corruption—have faith in the hearts of beings! I strongly believe that whether it is for the Lightchasters or our own descendants, honor and glory could always be reclaimed. Even if they have fallen over the edge, the day would still come that home could be embraced once more…did we not fight until our last moments and were we not brought back from the dead just for that?”

Another silence ensued, but compared to the previous somberness, spirits were lifting despite their quietness.

“As expected of the Pope…”

Murmuring in awe quietly, Mycroft shook her head and looked up front once more.

Meanwhile, Karlis, who had not said anything from the start, but was only ever fixated on her target and advancing towards it, finally spoke.

“Yes. We still have to keep fighting, just as there are more old friends we have to awaken.”

Her voice sounded hoa.r.s.e and dismayed, but she regained determined in the end. “We shall keep going forward.

***

The Southern Cross Constellation, core sector of the Radiant Domain, the Three Worlds and Nine Skies.

Realm of Bright Splendor, the Church City of Ansino.

In the central square of the colossal moving world, there was a stone plaque engraved with many songlike proverbs, appearing automatically upon the plaque and differing depending on the person reading it…it was said that no two persons would see the same proverb, because the plaque seemed to reflect the reader’s heart and would provide a suitable suggestion in return.

Today, the First Steward Mara Monica was not seeing to administrative duties in her office. Dressed in casual clothing like any other normal person, she was walking around the square, taking a stroll to alleviate her mental pressure. Any member of the Order of the Ashes who saw her along the way did not bother her, because they all knew that their leader never often took breaks as she worked away from day to night, year by year.

As she strolled along, she emptied her mind and stopped thinking how she could save the world, how to maintain the Shadow Orbit, or what should be done with another Star Nest Base was taken—she briefly forgot about her own duties so that she could breathe easy.

Soon, whether it had been deliberate or by coincidence, Mara had arrived before the plaque of proverbs. As a Legendary champion, she could naturally see that it was a divine item left by a perished G.o.d, one which served no other purpose than to respond to the human heart, and as if to encourage oneself, it affirmed the reader’s resolve.

Despite the glaring lack of combat capacity, it was still one of the most cherished divine items of the entire Order of the Ashes. Indeed, it was placed at the very center of the world’s city square so that more people could see it.

And now, Mara herself looked up at the plaque to find words appearing over it.

[If beliefs are doubted, the skies and the ground would shake.]

[Every champion troubles themselves in order to explain the meaning of the future.]

[Stronger, stronger, even stronger than ever before.]

[The day you give up is the moment you die. Keep advancing firmly and never pause.]

[The path of champions is to shoulder all life, and bare your fangs against destiny.]

“Ah.”

Reading the words which others would probably not have understood even if they could read it—the proverbs which was intended only for herself—Mara’s impa.s.sive expression which she had kept finally broke as she breathed a long sigh and closed her eyes. “Have I begun to suspect my own ideals lately too?”

“Where does the future actually lie? Even after reaching Ultimate Legend and becoming capable of moving stars, could I really change the fate of destruction? Would I really be helpless even if I became even stronger?”

In the briefest of periods, the champions who were ambus.h.i.+ng and sabotaging Star Nest Bases everywhere, the unknown faction which was laying waste to the Shadow Orbit, had reduced the labors of the Order dating over dozen thousand years to nothing. With such ma.s.sive blows, even the leader of the Order who was Ultimate Legend and one of the greatest champions of the Three Worlds and Nine Skies, Mara Monica, was left dispirited. It was as if everything had been the work of cruel fate toying with her and everyone would sacrifice themselves in the name of the Order as if to tell them that all their effort was meaningless.

However, the day she gave up was the moment when hope would be lost!

Clenching her fists, Mara would open her eyes once again despite such despair!

Even if the path ahead was obscure and fate was being a cruel mistress, she would firmly proceed onwards as the leader of the Order. Because the path of champions was the destiny where she would fight!

“I would never agree to the world falling apart! It is because of the sacrifice of every member and brethren of our Order that we have lasted until this day, and it is certainly not to just give up here!”

The destroyed bases could be rebuilt, and she could take the place of the lost energy source that were ancient champions herself—though the Order was not so strong yet, it could still hold on briefly. When they would finally a.s.semble all champions over the Three Worlds and Nine Skies and tell them about the truth of their world, there would certainly be those willing to help even if most would give up!

Reaffirming her resolve, Mara turned around in determination. She would return to her work and keep training—for others, even if they were to go all-out, they would still have to rest, sleep, and eat. However, for Extraordinary individuals, going at it for every second, minute, and hour day after day, year after year, was very normal—they would certainly be a greater horror than any moral if they pushed themselves to their limit.

But halfway through, Mara suddenly turned with a grave expression to stare at an empty part of the mobile city where there was nothing but a defensive spell.

“Enemy attack!” she cried out with a sonorous voice that resounded over the world. “Full alert, execute combat protocols!”

In that single split second, every member of the Order of the Ashes amongst the moving crowds of people who were working, resting, or just strolling on the path a.s.sumed combat readiness. They were sprinting away, casting various spells or Extraordinary techniques and heading for their predetermined stations!

Meanwhile, beyond the world, a group of people who were standing above the entire mobile city looked down upon the world and realized in surprise that it had taken just a dozen seconds for the sleepy Realm of Bright Splendor to become alert, even a.s.suming the form of a colossal combat fortress! Countless spells and divine light arrays were overflowing from every corner of the city, with the sea of nanomaterials actually solidifying at once into a slowly moving superma.s.sive wave cannon aimed straight at their direction.

“Such spirit, completely different from other mobile cities,” one of the champions in the group murmured in awe. “These members of the Order are really full of resolve and determination, just like us when we had faced the legions of Evil G.o.ds.”

At the fore, Karlis looked down at the mortals and Extraordinary individuals below alike, all of whom were not panicking or shaken by the ambush. She could not help but be taken aback—their resolve and will were so solid that it was a stronghold of solidarity, one so stalwart to the point that they were not crumbling despite the pressure exerted by their own group of Legends.

It was a feeling that was only noticed a long time ago, when they stood beside that person. As expected of life born in his world—even at the edge of collapse, there were those who would not give up on hope.

Be that as it may, stirring emotions, nostalgia, appreciation, or even self-doubt were all but sparks lasting for split seconds, dying as soon as they ignited.

Hence, the former Steel Python affirmed her resolve once again—though the others had their own beliefs and would rather keep this world going, she had her own hopes as well, and that was to resurrect Joshua. Either way, the strive that erupted between all things in this world caused by the conflict between ‘right or wrong’ was actually rarer in the first place, because it was the struggles between ‘right and right’ that stirred discontent!

“However, there is no doubt that I am more right than any of you.”

The meaning of Joshua’s existence to the Multiverse—even the smallest fraction of it—is nothing any of you would ever compare to. I do not need forgiveness from any of you, just as I would do the same thing over and over again if I have to.

Such was what she said and what she thought. Then, the champion who had trained herself diligently and had obtained her own former strength as Steel Python raised her hand. A colossal serpentine spiral began to materialize from Karlis’s arm, enlarging until it became a drill-shaped continent with a snake coiling around it, and was lifted in a person’s hand.

The colossal drill hence descended, and was aimed straight at the mobile city below it—the gaze of the silver-haired lady was as cold as the Abyss.

“Hand over every Child of the Stars.”

Activating the t.i.tanic drill so that it began to whirl with a rumble that left the air quaking while raging cosmic storms encircled the nearby atmosphere, Karlis spoke in an icy voice, “Or I shall crush your world.”