Soul of Searing Steel

The center of the Dark Galaxy was shrinking—in a physical sense.

Space itself was folded, twisted, destroyed, nullified, or removed in the battle between champions. At this very moment, the heart of the Dark Galaxy was an immeasurably profound abyss, pulling countless surrounding stars and nebulae towards it, entering the ‘vortex’ which was engaged in a deadly struggle.

Meanwhile, in the second spiral arm of the Dark Galaxy, from of the point of view of the Stellar Guard Alliance troops, which were aiming for retaliation against Evil God spawns and would purge all Chaos threatening their world, there was none of the rumored endless legions of minions. Instead, they were surprised to discover through psionic detection field that the center of the galaxy had seemingly ruptured, with a boundless dark spiral cascading out from within.

It was whirling, consuming and dominating everything around it, bent on claiming the entire galaxy for its bowels, a bottomless depth seemingly capable of consuming the rivers of the cosmos.

And then there was terror.

In Stellaris, be it the remaining Evil God spawns, the elated Stellar Guard who were prepared to reclaim their homeland, or even ordinary indigenous races or normal intelligent beings who had yet to join the Stellar Guard or comprehend everything unraveling upon the profound world, every creature that possessed minds and emotions looked up towards the same spot simultaneously.

For the heart of the Dark Galaxy was exuding a tremor that wreaked terror upon the heart, as if behemoths that could destroy everything were fighting with their lives on the line and with every power they had, revealing their might as the dimensions were shattered, decimating the world which had been molded by the Creators from the very roots of its origins.

In the face of such unbelievable forces of the apocalypse, there was sheer dread and instinctive fear in every heart. It was their living instincts, as well as the world they resided in, which kept warning and telling them that everything was no illusion but instead the actual moment of finality.

The faces of great individuals such as Perpetuators or Endless Light changed dramatically, for the presence delivering the instinctive warning to them embodied such terrifying power that it was beyond their imagination.

How could one describe it… a cosmic body 1.4 times the mass of a standard sun could become a celestial black hole, but something with the mass of a few hundred suns could qualify for that too. There was certainly no need to mention the supermassive black holes—whether they were a few million or a billion times the size of a natural sun, all of them were black holes.

Were they actually comparable, since all of them were black holes?

Were they actually comparable, since all of them were Legends and Perpetuators who existed beneath the Wise Ones?

Under the erosion of the Demi Saint, the dimensions were disintegrating and the World Barrier collapsing. The true form of the Sublimator Virus was approaching the world in a speed unlike before.

In the face of such power, the love, hate, joy, anger, glory, resolve, humility, selfishness, solidarity of wills, and despair that mortals embodied were all insignificant. Every emotion and thought simply could not match that power.

“Heavens—what is that?”

An exclamation suddenly echoed in the second spiral arm of the Dark Galaxy, where the temporary base of the Stellar Guard was located. Still, before the comms personnel, who was so frightened that his tentacles were flailing, could extend the information to the big screen, everyone in the base saw the sight that gave the comms personnel such a surprise from the windows.

It was a rupture.

The very fabric of Stellaris was breaking apart, with the second spiral arm affected significantly even if it was dozens of thousands of light-years away. Even so, a rupture could be seen being torn into the dimensions, but it was nothing at all surprising since breaking dimensions was not unachievable for the technology of starfaring civilizations such as theirs. In fact, what actually left them in shock was fundamental runes which revealed itself inside the world behind the collapsing space, endless and glimmering in silver-blue psionic radiance.

It was the truth of Stellaris, a massive realm which was essentially artificially made and artificially expanded. The ancient Creators had altered their very homeland, intending to mold their own cradle so it could grow and expand without limits like they did—it was the rune that was casted upon the fabric of this world, the initial form of the supermassive singular realm that the Sage had created all those worlds before.

The abnormal dimensional rupture did not actually mean much to Stellaris, but if the damage was to be compiled, one would known that their very appearance had caused hundreds of thousands of planetary systems to tremble, spreading to thousands of planets with sentient creatures and civilizations.

In one split second, trillions or even more lives were killed.

Because of the shockwave, civilizations were ruined and ecosystems massacred. Only warp-capable ships with the capacity to move faster than light speed could warp away at once from the destructive reach of the abnormal dimensions. Even so, before those fortunate enough to survive through the panic could reflect on their luck of surviving the disaster as they hovered in space, they would see their homeland being shattered by the trembling dimensional ruptures.

Before that force of ruin, even stars would burst apart into sparks that vanished in a flash.

[Civilizations are like rain that pour quietly over the oceans, creating drops and ripples but remaining ever silent.]

[The fishes know nothing of it, much less the leviathans lurking deep below. The rain could fall without end, but it would never affect the great dark sea one bit.]

That was why a wind was needed.

A wind that would set one ablaze, and one that would viciously engulf everything.

***

Meanwhile, the deadly battle was still ongoing around the silver core black hole—the silver Python that was much larger than a nebula had been pierced by the cocoon’s attack when a colossal tentacle stabbed into the World Will’s body, establishing its dominance by force and altering a portion of the energy circulation systems, causing irrepressible disturbance inside the body of Star the Steel Python.

However, neither the Steel Python nor the Triple Curtain showed inclination to parry the blow. In the instant it was about to be struck, the World Will simply gaped its maw and directly chewed off a part of the bloating cocoon-shaped space, consuming it and converting it into its own strength to keep augmenting the Stellaris World Barrier.

Those were the simplest and most violent combat maneuvers that raged across the dimensions, a test of mind and body as both sides did all they could to deny the other’s spatial dominance as they struggled for control.

At the moment, both sides appeared to be evenly matched, but it was clear who was recovering between the two: The Ultimate Sublimator with its support, or Star the Steel Python which had only recently awakened.

Even with their advantage in familiar grounds, the synergy between the World Will and the Triple Curtain remained the same. It was the first time that the Steel Python of Stellaris fought in a space battle of such intensity—it was about to cave, as both its mind and energy core were rising to critical points.

“I once fought the Evil Gods, in an age when all of you had yet been born.”

The flat voice of the Ultimate Sublimator echoed then. “I failed, for that Evil God was matchlessly powerful that my victory would not be assured, even with how I am as of now. The faintest of its strikes had almost destroyed myself and the world I lived in, and so, when compared to that Evil God, the other Evil Gods were as insignificant as dust. That ancient Evil God was an entity far older than history itself, the remains of a Multiverse civilization of bygone times.”

“Even so, such a profound civilization ended up becoming Evil God…and more than just one. It failed, just as I might not be victorious—therefore, all of you will not be able to stand against the Evil Gods and those who had created them even if you survive. Your resistance is simply futile, and it is only through my success that there would be the faintest of chances to pacify that threat.”

Be that as it may, the Ultimate Sublimator did not consider the importance of the fate of other life in the Multiverse and whether it would become a greater threat itself after the fact.

It had only ever thought about itself.

“Give up, and make way. Give this world to me, for all of you have no moves to turn the tide. There is no meaning in buying time for that World Will, for its defeat is certain, and there is no stopping me.”

In spite of the Ultimate Sublimator’s words, the Steel Python, the Triple Curtain, and Joshua were not moved at all, with the warrior’s gaze showing no interest to humor it at all.

“You are mistaken—me, buying time for the Steel Python? Only the converse almost holds true.”

However, the Ultimate Sublimator appeared unsurprised by Joshua answer, and continued resoundingly, “Perhaps. If you are allowed to do whatever you would to the silver core black hole, it would be very troublesome even for myself, just as it would be possible that I could perhaps be forced to give up on exploring this world or to retreat… that being said, your true form is here, restrained by me.”

“You have no moves left.”

In return, Joshua smiled, even though he was clearly being held where he was and was only using the divine power streaming from the Four Divine Rings, using its unfamiliarity against the Ultimate Sublimator.

“A bizarre prerequisite,” he said, shaking his head.

On what grounds could you be sure that the me being bound here is actually ‘me’?

What if the one which is here is not the true form? What would you do?

Without a word, without even needing Joshua to tell it that, the Ultimate Sublimator had already considered that possibility. Its very thoughts froze for a moment before it anxiously looked around, scanning the edges of the silver core black hole, afraid that Joshua’s clone would prance out of nowhere in the very next instant, dragging along two black holes to detonate the silver core black hole…that being said, it was too flamboyant a move and a task that was impossible.

But what if that one in a million chance happened? For the Multiverse, that which was ‘impossible’ did not exist.

Still, it was reality that it did not happen, nor were there any signs of it…the Ultimate Sublimator recovered after ascertaining that fact.

“This is your strongest form, made for combat,” it said. “I can tell that a host of your mental organs are inside this world, and I have seen many Extraordinary lifeforms such as you—even I myself am one of the Extraordinary lifeforms similar to yourself. There is no mistaking it.”

“But no one has ever claimed that the strongest combat form would definitely be the main body.”

Joshua’s voice at the moment was serene. “Never was there such a rule that a body would naturally be the main one just because it possesses great combat capacity, perfect constitution, and majority of its power imbued within. In the end, a main body or a clone is simply a relative concept arising through ‘self’, so why should I care about such a thing?”

“It’s almost time.”

As he spoke, Joshua simply closed his eyes, and the luster over the silver world began to diminish into a deep darkness. It was like a cavern directed towards an endlessly distant place, a profound abyss.

“Thanks for focusing on me, or the Triple Curtain and the Steel Python over there would never have delayed you for long enough…of course, I would have blown the silver core up had you not taken notice of me.”

The voice had suddenly become profoundly distance, with the signs of mirth.

“—so, Ultimate Sublimator, although you are a Demi Saint, you are not powerful enough yet to face myself and the Steel Python at the same time, or to force yourself into making perfect choices.”

“You can dominate over all things, but you could never dominate ‘tomorrow’.”

***

In the other side of the distant Multiverse, within the world of Mycroft, Roland, Holy Knight, Legendary champion and godson of Igor, Pope of the Seven Gods had stayed behind to watch over their homeworld. He had perfectly accomplished all his work, sending almost all three billion Mycroftians to various fully-protected shelter realms.

“Careful. Although we have killed most Ultimate Entities, we cannot eliminate the possibility of some still lurking, waiting to blindside you.”

In Moldavia, the divine armament siblings were conversing with the Holy Knight, who appeared tired, in front of the portal connected to the Bloodmoon Abyss shelter, which was under Light’s protection. Ying was hovering in the air, watching as the last city guard entered the portal to the shelter realm, solemnly saying, “We are going to the shelter realm now as well. Mister Roland, you would be the last Legend—in fact, you would be the last remaining person in this world.”

“It is an honor, to hold such an ancient world now in my palm alone.”

Despite Ying’s worried cautioning, Roland smiled and made a hand gesture indicating that everything was under control. He then clapped the divine armament siblings on their shoulders, and showed them to the portal. “Go, don’t worry too much. Both Master Nostradamus and Brandon are patrolling outside the world, and will come to my aid, should I be threatened.”

Dismissing the pair’s worries, he sent them off to the Bloodmoon Abyss shelter. As the authority, Roland’s face was solemn as he disconnected the link between the shelter realm and the world of Mycroft.

Then, he took to the air, flying through the thick clouds to look out into the distance, and down at the empty world of Mycroft which had no life left at all…but only remains of many beasts.

“The Ultimate Plague… never thought that something so unexpected like this would appear before the Evil Gods’ invasion.”

He said quietly and gravely, “There is little wonder why the Seven Gods would always keep telling us: that as compared to Chaos, the greatest enemy we should be most cautious of are other kinds of Order.”

That was because Chaos was like a natural disaster: an earthquake, a typhoon, or indeed a sigh after the world had fallen. Though the sheer carnage they wrought would kill billions upon billions, if one was ready early on, fight-or-flight would not lead to complete decimation.

On the other hand, a hostile Order would be different. While human civilizations would never fall to something less than a super earthquake that caused the planet itself to crumble, the civil strife of humans—be it supreme tiers of arcane battle, fights between Legendary champions, or indeed their throwing nuclear weapons at each other, all of those would lead to irreversible ruin.

Time passed. Then, Roland, who had been staring at his own homeland, suddenly realized that an ‘elf’ had discreetly teleported magically to the ground below him, and then began to fly, rising little by little to arrive before him.

“Ultimate Entity Neuper, the first case of Ultimate Growth amongst Mycroft’s own.”

The Legendary Holy Knight grasped the Adamantite war hammer hanging by his hip, even as grey Holy Light cascaded over his body. “So, has the prodigal son returned to make amends and come to die? No, I don’t think the thoughts of Ultimate Entities are actually that simple.”

In return, the elf, whose features were stunningly elegant after it had been refined to the boundary of what was possible, laughed softly before looking down at Moldavia towards the spot where the portal to the Bloodmoon Abyss shelter had been.

“I sense the presence of my father and mother.”

It said softly, “Hand them over, for they are deserving as perfect lifeforms—and my other kin as well. I know that they live here, so give them up.”

“Your father and mother?”

Roland responded to the Entity’s words with a bemused expression. He studied it, pondering what it was actually referring to with ‘kinship’ before simply giving up. Thus, the Holy Knight who had been raised by the Pope, narrowed his eyes as the Holy Light from his body burned even more stronger.

“Such touching kinship,” he said calmly, “I do feel envious, but you simply do not possess such a thing. Monster, Neuper is dead.”

“While you should face judgement.”

In return, the Ultimate Elf assumed a perfect combat stance.

A split second later, profound light exuded from the skies high above Moldavia, as bolts of Holy Light stretched on across the clouds while a torrential downpour descended.

***

Meanwhile, beneath the central square at the heart of the town center that was washed over by cold rain water, a silver-hued Restoration Beam began to shine, though there was no one around.

It was neither metallic nor light. Circuits were appearing in the inside of the Beam, with a Φ symbol illuminating.

It was shining.

***

In the previous location where the Seven Gods had worked, the hidden ringworld, the Φ symbol shone in the titanic construction facilities used to form the planetary body, stirring dazzling ripples.

It was shining.

***

Inside the Infinite Horizon where the Unified Archives was placed, the Simboan named Lothram, who was once the Unnamed Technician, was working overnight with a dozen mages who had extensively studied the soul aspect. They were combining multiple worlds as well as data regarding soul research in other galaxies, and attempting to create prevention against spiritual corruption from a soul persepective—in other words, creating a vaccine against the erosion of the Ultimate Virus.

As if sensing something, Lothram looked up towards a silver beam where everyone was drawing test data from. He had himself once been resurrected from it, gaining the body that he was using at present thanks to it.

And that pillar of light was shining.

***

Within the borders of the many civilizations in the Multiverse which had joined Mycroft’s Assembly, in nations that had been obtained by or were already governed by Mycroft and were left scratching their heads due to the Ultimate Plague, most of their cities were now abandoned, leaving only metropolises that were strictly monitored to ensure that the epidemic did not infect them as well.

Aliens who were dejected and without spirit in their gazes were queueing, waiting for officials to distribute food. Since the connection between worlds had been severed, most major cities could not produce too much food, forcing the governments to activate the Redemption System whether they liked it or not to avoid famine, using the beams in exchange for resources and substantial food source.

However, it was at that moment that the alien who was conducting exchange suddenly took half a step black as a flash glimmered in his eyes, before looking forward in shock again.

The silver beam was radiating splendor.

***

In the Void beyond, Joshua’s clone who had put the large Psybug on his head and appeared thoughtful was shining in light as well.

In the Galaxy of Bloodbath, the thousands of Storm Eyes belonging to the clone of Imperator Amos turned towards Creed and Elma with a dark gaze. He could sense the bursting, mysterious, and familiar presence overflowing from the rare, formidable objects that the pair was wearing, which were now shining brightly.

In Stellaris, within the temple of the Infernal in the Midgardian system, the Midgardians who were meditating and praying were surprised by the sudden radiance. They opened their eyes to find the statue of the Four-armed Giant God moving, with one of his right hands reaching out, its palm spreading and holding up a pillar of light that was shining brightly.

There were many other places as well—those of which were familiar or unfamiliar or Joshua, just as some he had visited personally, and others that he had not.

Everything that existed, from the Dark Galaxy to the Multiverse, the Multiverse Sacrificial Grounds to the Amos Court, the world of Mycroft to Stellaris… every place where Joshua had once gone and had left a mark upon were now shining.

Silver radiance was overflowing from every direction. Like a machine turned on and linked to a power source, it triggered and connected.

Thoughts began to gather, sealed modules were powered on and linking between each other, stimulated like the nerve nodes of a creature with intelligence, causing reactions akin to thought.

The profound will begin to connect itself, spreading through thousands of worlds across every mental node in the Multiverse.

There has not been a single person who has previously claimed, or indeed defined, that the silver world must be the true form of a cosmic lifeform.

Just as there was no person who considered which was the true form, or which was the clone…

Or what an ‘egoistic’ self actually was.

In the Ultimate Space on Stellaris, the silver world restrained by the massive cocoon-shaped alternate space leveled its gaze at the Ultimate Sublimator, which was left astonished by the presence which had suddenly appeared and was elating.

“…I see…”

Then, the egoistic beast—the Demi Saint—seriously studied its foe, the silver world which was shining once again. It was as if it was seeing Joshua for the first time, and saw with clarity the truth of his existence.

“You are like me,” it said as if sighing. “You are a beast too.”

“It is just that you live amongst civilizations and walk amidst cities, living alongside ants while using their power to strengthen yourself, spreading yourself… a beast that hence achieved its own ends.”

“No, to be precise, you are crazier than I am… the cognition of my main and branching forms are distinct, while you simply don’t have any such thing. All of them are you, just as each of them are an incomplete version of you—you are many, but the many aren’t you… an abnormal world, an abnormal individual. What kind of a monster are you?”

“Of course I am human.”

The dominating space of the Ultimate Sublimator was beginning to diminish, with the restrained silver world turning the tables and claiming the domain which was rightfully his. Stretching his form and unleashing light once more, it became ever larger and ever imposing, even as Joshua thus said, “And I am myself.”

The great alternate space hand that reached up to 280 astronomical units hence squirmed. It was being lifted and torn apart as a vigorous and unbelievable might came to it, transcending dimensions as if a sprout nudging away a boulder, raising it bit by bit.

Ice cold silver radiance could be seen unfurling in space, with the Φ mark appearing upon its surface. Now, the Ultimate Space, which had been able to fight both the Steel Python and Joshua at once, was shrinking back every step of the way.

Even so, it firmly maintained its last defensive perimeter: the core of the paradox spiral at the center of the cocoon-shaped space that connected it to the Void beyond, along with the path towards silver core black hole.

“I know well that I am human. What does anything that others would think have to do with me?”

And at this very moment, Joshua’s calm voice could be heard.

“The universe must obey my will; its fundamental forces yield to my command.”

“Some mere manmade definition, which should have been described and determined by me.”