Soul of Searing Steel

Chapter 1041: All the Lives Which I Tenderly Love

The pillar of blaze which stood profoundly upon the Void was burning fiercely. Even Demi Saint Evil Gods were bound within, unable to escape for some time even as they struggled.

Against the exceedingly bright light, most of the people in the cosmos could only stay still in shock since it was an inferno with brightness that enfolded ten thousand worlds. With it being alight in front of them, not even the overflowing dissatisfaction and accusation against Joshua could be put to words.

Still, even as the distant fire burned, an urgent voice rang within the still silence.

“Ding-ring—ding-ring-ring—ding-ring-ding-ring-ring-ding!”

Light’s voice was echoing over the network connecting the various shelters. Because it was acting under such haste in the Bloodmoon Shelter, it had forgotten to use language understandable for humans, but Zero Three’s expression changed at once. She had been managing the core of the Mycroft civilization shelter, and she now looked upon the Void where the burning star was shooting away out of the Multiverse. “Wait, no—Joshua’s power is not enough!”

“He cannot unite the entire cosmos and the power from millions of Steel Pythons. He is about to be consumed instead!”

“What is that bastard trying to do?”

Every human and deity who had been attacked by Joshua in the trail of flame were now left befuddled and frustrated, but all of them were still doing all they could to return—what Light had observed was clear as day for the champions who were Ultimate Legends after all. They could imagine that Joshua himself knew that he could lose control and had as such pushed them away so they would not be hurt…be that as it may, they would still return to his side and try to keep him safe.

That being said, trying to reach Joshua while moving against the flow of his power was very much like trying to climb a waterfall: they simply could not withstand the power of a champion which surpassed Demi Saints to reach Joshua. After all, how would they fare when his power could maim even Demi Saint Evil Gods with only a single blow? Even if adjusted to be weaker to avoid hurting them, that power is not something anyone below Demi Saint could withstand.

“No, I can’t get there!” Zerming was yelling.

Being one of the Seven Gods, the God of Wisdom and Choice had also been pushing his limits, almost approaching divine death, but even that moved him no further. Hence, he could only grit his teeth and roar at Joshua on the other side of the Void, “Joshua, no matter what you are about to do, the most important thing is to stay alive!”

“You are the only hope of our cosmos! Even if all of us should die and vanish, you must live! Just think about it—if you die now without becoming a Wise One, when would the next Wise One appear upon the Multiverse?! Would it be the next era or would there be no other? How long would the Sage and the Wise One of Shadow wait for reinforcements then, and wouldn’t the plans of the Mastermind soon come to be?!”

“Joshua! If you die, how many dark epochs would the Multiverse have to weather in future before a new hope would come? Hurry back—you should stabilize your power, and we can still fight!”

The voice of the divine being permeated the Void. It could be heard so clearly even at the end of the trail of flame, where the Giant God was alight.

But the man was not stirred at all.

“Stabilize? No, there won’t be enough time.”

Joshua’s expression remained an eternally unchanging reef even as he listened to the earnest advice and beseeching of the deity. He quietly raised his hand to see the fire burning in his hand, which was consuming his very own essence, charring chunks of armor composed from Steel Pythons and peeling it away. Still, Joshua remained unmoved.

“Moreover, all of you are wrong about something from start to finish—and that is, I’ve known since the very beginning that I simply have no way to control this power…or I should say that mere Steel Strength would never allow the endless power of Steel Pythons to be fully unleashed.”

***

Steel Pythons were children of Flame and Steel, worlds incarnate and Soul Cycles given form. They are one of the primeval deities, World Gods which were born with the rise of living cycles.

Therefore, there was still one final step.

“I’m very grateful that all of you have made the sacrifice for me, for this cosmos and the entire Multiverse…”

Hence, Joshua looked up while muttering to himself—in the anguish of self-immolation, the man who had always been alone and the arrogant warrior who had always been fighting for all living beings was feeling the great torment of the sacrifice by others. The warrior had opened his senses to feel the shockwaves of divine power left by the parting of other gods, feeling the final ripples left by the God of Love and Death in his own body along with the overflowing power which the God of Conservation and Reformation left in the Void. More than that, he could perceive the courage and determination of the innumerable divine beings from other civilizations to protect all life under their watch.

Therefore, in the light where countless divine beings had perished, he took a deep breath.

“I have already driven my own power to the possible limits, but even that has not allowed me to reach the threshold of the Wise Ones…what is needed to close the gap between Demi Saint and Wise One is not an accumulation of power, because the power of a Wise One would never be controlled perfectly even when the power of an entire cosmos is gained. It is like a cosmic class Stele Python—barely controlling it would only lead to self-ruin.”

Clenching his weapons and fists, the warrior could see that the Demi Saint Evil Gods around him had all leapt out from that exceedingly exuberant flame. All of them appeared one after another and surrounded him, glaring like a tiger would at prey, their leering actually almost expectant.

“I am at the edge of losing control and destruction…I simply have no way to become stronger as a ‘lifeform’.”

There was only one choice left.

Bathing in the light of the flame as if the Silver Giant God was covering himself with a sheet of golden-red cape over his armor, Joshua lifted his gaze to watch the empty Silent Void of the Multiverse and smiled serenely. “Ying, Ling…it appears that I can no longer continue upon the path I desire.”

Two different voices echoed from the depths of Joshua’s spirit.

“Whatever path it would be, I would always be beside you, Master.”

“Whatever choice it would be, I would always support your ideas, Master.”

“Is that so…”

Even as he spoke, Joshua’s voice was becoming quieter until it was finally inaudible. With dozens of Demi Saint Evil Gods and counting approaching, Joshua brandished his silver great sword—the blade thus emitted flames mixed with silver radiance to repel all of them by force, even critically injuring one of them and driving it into the pillar of flame, unable to restore itself and perishing immediately. Still, after that full-power strike, the warrior lowered his head and closed his eyes, before muttering to himself with the same faint voice, “Well, let’s do that.”

—Ooom.

Hence, the single brightest silver star, which had been standing in the center of unending flames as well as an encirclement of Demi Saint Evil Gods, dimmed abruptly.

The silver radiance receded.

The fiery patterns diminished.

Every Demi Saint Evil God prepared to launch forward in attack had likewise suddenly stopped entirely, puzzled but also very agitated—the brightest and most magnificent Eternity which eclipsed even the entire cosmos had, in a split second, completely vanished from their sight.

Even if the conspicuous body of the Giant God was still so vividly clenching his weapons and right in front of them, it was as if they could not see him, with all of them uncomfortably shuffling and nudging each other.

[—!!!]

[…!!!!]

With a silent but Chaotic scream of rage, endless information began to spread over every direction. The Demi Saint Evil Gods which had lost their target were no different from children who had lost their favorite toy or a beast that had lost its prey—all of them began to wildly release their power everywhere, simply not concerned about the other Demi Saint Evil Gods beside themselves. They were so mad they did not even retaliate when attacked, and simply stirred the Void, venting at the nothingness in a craze.

If the profound shockwaves of Chaos had appeared upon a normal cosmos, every world would have been instantly shaken and scattered, just as it would not be impossible for it to be completely wiped out. After all, it was the full power blow from dozens of Demi Saint Evil Gods—not even Joshua would be able to withstand it at his peak, and must be evaded or weakened through various techniques or moves.

But now, the four-armed Giant God seemed to have lost its divine form, and simply hovered over the torrents of Chaos.

The surface of his body had almost darkened entirely, and there was essentially no silver radiance apart from the core in his chest. At the moment, he was akin to rusting steel, his entire body completely soaked within the darkness and falling apart, bit by bit.

Although the Giant God form could still withstand the Demi Saint Evil God attacks despite having no control, it was still very dangerous—while it would have been alright with one, even the Giant God would be harmed considerably if struck by four to five Evil Gods at once.

And more importantly, if the structure of the world inside the Giant God’s body was fully destroyed, it would also mean that the entire form would crumble.

Still, there remained some darkened crimson divine patterns on the body of the Giant God, slowly spreading even as he was sinking into the gloom.

And at that very moment, a single blink of radiance leapt out from the core of the Giant God’s chest.

It was Saint Igor, a good friend of Joshua’s and the former Pope of the Seven Gods Church.

Having turned into light and hidden himself in Joshua’s own radiance, the elderly former pontiff was therefore not pushed away from trail of flame like the champions of other civilizations. However, his expression was still at once troubled as he studied the giant god’s face, whose eyes were tightly shut and without emotion, even immeasurably composed.

He sighed.

“My friend.”

Watching Joshua, who had now become completely still with no one able to tell what he was doing or thinking, Igor reached out to touch the Steel Python Armor, which had darkened just like Joshua’s own body. “Even if I simply do not know what choice it was that you have made or what plan you have devised,” he murmured emotionally, “even if I do not know if I should trust or support you…”

“You are still my friend, and the same Joshua van Radcliffe who has saved the world countless times.”

“And that is why, just as you would believe that your choice is the right one, I too would believe that your choice is right.”

With a deep but infinitely determined voice, Igor swore his oath. Countless myriad-colored bubbles of light hence appeared himself, mutually fusing or expanding and shrinking as the endless mysterious Holy Light charged. “This is the final spurt, and I shall accompany you to the end.”

“Allow me to keep you safe one last time.”

As he spoke, a warm and bright white Holy Light shone within the golden-red fiery radiance. It was ever so abrupt yet harmonious, and it was in that sacred luster that Igor’s form dissolved, as natural as water pouring into water and light melting into light.

Soon, a domain filled with light had entered Joshua’s body, forming an invisible but sturdy barrier that enfolded the outer reaches of the world inside Joshua’s body. It repelled the torrents of Chaos like a filtering net, blocking and deflecting any potentially lethal threat for the warrior’s genuine body.

One could see the body of the Giant God hovering in the torrents of Chaos, his body slowly eaten away by the Demi Saint Evil Gods’ blind and random attacks. However, because of that single faint layer of light, Joshua’s core world was still safe and immeasurably so—far more secure than what he had predicted.

Unknown to all—not even Joshua himself—another friend had burnt himself entirely and disappeared into the silence.

***

The torrents of Chaos churned.

Meanwhile, at the tip of the pillar of raging flames in the Void, everything was still remaining silent.

“No…it can’t be?”

“Joshua…has fallen?”

“It is for real; his presence can no longer be felt…”

In the long silence, despair was creeping out little by little. Every champion across the cosmos and every being in the shelters could not believe it at all—even if they could not see what was unfolding over on the other side, there was no question that Joshua’s light and presence, which had been as powerful as the afternoon sun, was all but gone now.

“Not yet.”

It was only Zero Three who was still completely convinced of that. She could feel the link exuding from a very concealed spot, along with power which was so serene it almost had no presence at all.

“He definitely isn’t dead!” the artificial intelligence declared with absolute certainty.

Still, some had faith while others were doubtful, just as there were those who saw it as a lifesaving straw…but whatever the case may be or however the others would put it, it was precisely because Joshua’s presence had disappeared that every single individual in the Multiverse had focused their attention upon the person called ‘Joshua’.

It was as if an insignificant spark had ignited some profound tide.

Thus, as everyone thought about Joshua and paid attention to the intelligent mind from a particular sector of the Void, all of them heard the sound of a heart beating—a slow, deep, but very distinct sound of pulsation.

In the distance, the dark swarms were rippling as tremendously as an entire ocean, with the aimless Evil Gods darting away at random. Unable to find their next target for the moment, they were unsure if they should continue on towards the already darkened cosmos, or move away towards the direction of another bright cosmos.

Be that as it may, as the bleak call of a horn echoed and a rousing sacred hymn resounded throughout the stars, two crimson blinks of radiance shone in the depths of darkness.

In the utter Chaos where the silhouettes or shadows of his form could not actually be seen, four colossal and powerful arms that seemed capable of lifting an entire galaxy reached out. Still, the most distinct part was the eyes: scarlet divine light, bright and bloody, was shining, as dazzling and eye-catching as the sun.

Starting from those two radiant blinks, profound mysterious veins of patterns began to extend. All of them were gone in a flash like streaking belts of light that instantly spread throughout the body of the four-armed Giant God, outlining his entire form. However, it was clear that the body of the Giant God was not complete—the shockwaves of Chaos had maimed him, with chunks of his body missing.

But now, as the scarlet divine patterns spread, all those wounds healed, all gaping holes filled with no flaws left.

What is going on? Why am I not injured?

The first thought that came to the mind of the revived Giant God was a puzzled question aimed at himself—although he had been very confident that the defense around his core world was capable of holding up against the attacks from Demi Saint Evil Gods until he was finally prepared, he should have still been hurt considerably, since it was still an encirclement of Demi Saint Evil Gods. Even if they had lost the target that was his Eternity, the shockwaves from their attack should have blown away most of his body. That being said, having his body remained unhurt would making his next moves much more convenient, saving considerable time.

But soon, he saw that gentle light which was still enfolding around his core world.

“Ah…”

The Giant God was taken aback for a moment.

“Ah—Aaaaaargh!!!”

A scream of anguish that was identical as the one he breathed previously echoed once again.

This time, it was not pain due to his body being hurt or that he had given up on something important to him, but the sacrifice of another for him—it was a torment that was unacceptable for an arrogant champion, and would cut into the marrow no matter how many times he would suffer it, a scar that reached deep into the soul.

Hence, along with that resounding roar, unbelievable profound divine power began to spread rapidly!

***

At that very moment, scarlet divine light had directly swept away every blind attack unleashed by the nearby Demi Saint Evil Gods like mist blown away by a typhoon. The sheer monumental force was simply unreasonable, and beneath the might of that terrible light, the Demi Saint Evil Gods were actually grouping together by instincts like ants assembled into clusters to fight a fire—or else, with their individual power alone, a mere brush of that radiance would have left them grievously wounded instantly!

Divine power!

Regardless of whatever being it may be, every individual would become stronger when they ascend as a deity thanks to the depth of their own divinity. As long as the conditions were met, even mortals could become a god that controlled the fate of a world after their ascension.

Even so, the stronger a being was, the more reluctant they would be to ascend as a deity. That was because they would already have had the authority to govern a world, and becoming a god would do nothing more than increase their own power while also being constrained—with that being the case, from the perspective of Self, it was an extreme low in terms of cost effectiveness, with becoming a god simply unnecessary.

But it was not to say that champions who chose to become gods would not get stronger.

It was the complete opposite.

Embodying countless expectations, with himself holding infinitely firm belief and the power he commanded even immeasurably profound—the champion who held the capacity for divinity limits far beyond deities ascended from mortals.

Just like this particular case at hand.

Blinding flashes of the blade streaked past like scars of the moon with a swing of the Giant God’s hand, but the intense surge of divine radiance had yet to pause. Each no different from infinitely keen blades, all of them were cutting into the swarm of darkness—while Demi Saint Evil Gods could almost ensure that they stayed unscathed, every other ordinary Evil God and spawn were like confetti in the wind, scattering and blown away at once, hence gone without a trace.

There was also a perfectly circular crimson light spreading over the Void. All darkness that had been touched by the light was instantly obliterated—the many tips of the dark tentacles reaching forward were all wiped out, leaving only dozens of dark blinks, which were stronger entities, that were not blown away.

A radiant force that enfolded the entire galaxy along with the cosmos itself was connecting to the Root. In an instant, the man drawing divine power had unleashed light of divine ascension to directly illuminate the unending darkness, and had only stopped after the Demi Saint Evil Gods were compelled to work together.

On top of that, every god across the cosmos felt an absolute subjugation in the second that the light blossomed—because the god that was above all and beyond the combined might of every other god in this cosmos was being born in the distance!

[The gods…are wishes.]

[The people invoke wishes and pray for the future, desiring changes for the better but are stalling to their own lack of power—on the other hand, gods are beings that have power, answering wishes and forging futures, turning change into reality!]

And now, all life in the cosmos were expectant of and believing in Joshua’s power!

“Phew…”

Scarlet divine fire was overflowing through his jaws, even if it was clenched tightly, as the Giant God stepped out from the vastness of divine radiance. One could see a massive rift appearing to be opening itself in the depths of the Void behind him: it was a great slit, endless and entirely capable of splitting a galaxy apart, widening bit by bit and pouring away infinite divine power as if the skies was spilling out.

At that very moment, all the gods felt as if the divine powers they were drawing from the Root weakened for a single fleeting moment. Though it was brief and almost illusory, it was most genuine: it was as if a vortex had opened over their own oceanic surges of divine power, affecting their smaller vortices.

Even so, that exceedingly horrific divine force was actually an impact—being unable to shoulder it would mean that the being would collapse in the instant they obtain it, entering a state of Divine Death and hence assimilated into the Root!

Still, unlike what the now very nervous champions and gods imagined, the protection of the Steel Python Armor over the body of the Giant God composed of every Steel Python of a single galaxy had also become a barrier against the erosion and pulling from the Root. The consciousness of the countless Steel Pythons had bonded as one, becoming a peerlessly firm will like no other. It was now a fixed coefficient that kept Joshua nailed powerfully where he was, completely unaffected by the rush of divine power!

***

Just like the two clashing divinities certain gods possessed that blessed them with greater freedom and divine authority instead, the conflict between the strength belonging to uncountable Steel Pythons and the divine power that Joshua could not perfectly control had instead made wielding them easier for the warrior.

Drawing power from a single source would be no different from a tug-of-war: difficult and barely rewarding. However, drawing powers from two mutually contradicting strength that actually formed a certain cycle only needed a simple form of guiding.

Boom!

Hence, an unparalleled titanic rune of Φ appeared behind the Giant God and whirled around him, while at the precise center, Joshua acted as the divide between divine power and Steel Strength!

“What in the world?!”

Dropping off from the tail of flame and back to the cosmos proper, the God of Order and Destruction fixed his eyes upon the Void and exclaimed in bewilderment. “Divine power and Steel Strength—is there actually such a way to use both?!”

“Almost divine… and simply unbelievable! Such an overlapping use of Steel Strength and Divine Power is very much enough to ascend as a Demi Saint, even advance as a Wise One…could this be the path he has chosen? No, no! This is entirely different from the power he had demonstrated before, but a brand-new path reaching at once towards the Wise Ones! Has he actually paved so many paths by himself?!”

Soon, however, an even louder roar echoed.

“Wait, hold up! Why are you still drawing divine power?! If this keeps up, you are really going to become a god!”

Along the trail of flame, the God of Law and Freedom was yelling in rage. “At the moment, you are still able to maintain the delicate balance between divine power and Steel Strength, which at most, makes you a demigod or a quasi-deity. Even so, allowing this to continue and if you really become a god…”

“If you really ascend as a divine being, there would be no turning back!”

The others and the champions of other civilizations could hardly understand the loss of composure in both the God of Order and Destruction or the God of Law and Freedom. After all, was there anything unusual about becoming a god? In the face of an unstoppable and powerful enemy, was it not very normal to choose to become a god and obtain the power therein? Instead, it was actually incomprehensible to them as to why Joshua had not ascended as a god early on.

But as Merlin and Scottson’s words soon allowed them to realize what was happening with a start, it also left them with a feeling as if they had fallen into a frozen cavern.

“Why give up on the path towards the Wise Ones—Joshua!?!”

***

Regardless, just as how the Giant God had ignored their words before sending them flying back into the cosmos while also tethering them where they were, the Giant God was ignoring them now as well. Proceeding along as if it was his own business, he hence ascended as a divine being by using the infinite surging power from the Root.

Running?

Breaking through the encirclement?

For what? What purpose does it even serve!

It was a darkness with an end Joshua could not illuminate even after he shone over it at his full power! It was a swarm of Evil Gods, and their total mass outsized the total mass of their own cosmos over untold times!

Those were the ashen bones of all fallen civilizations across the Multiverse until this day, the summation of all despair and darkness!

There was no person stronger than Joshua, and as such, no one knew that more than Joshua. How would they be able to break through? How would they able to escape?

Merely from what he could see, the vanguard of the unending ranks of darkness hs already consisted of forty-five Demi Saint Evil Gods, and even when they had managed to delay them ever so slightly just now, more of those Demi Saint Evil Gods were already closing in on them… neither the gods nor the Ultimate Legendary champions could sense it, and it was only the warrior who had surpassed the level of ordinary Demi Saints could feel their presence.

And now, he detected what was over hundreds of Demi Saint Evil Gods pouring forth, leaving the rear of the infinite Chaos swarm.

With enemies such as this…

Carrying the shelter realms to break a siege? What a joke! It would probably be less than halfway through when he, the Demi Saint, would die as he wore himself out.

On the other hand, if he were to flee alone, he just might escape with his life despite the legions of Demi Saint Evil Gods. Should he bring even one person along, the success rate would plummet altogether.

That being said…

[The day may come that civilization and Order could change the world so that it is more comfortable to live upon, but today is not that day. Before all else, there must be one who would stand up and fact, and sacrifice himself.]

Those were the words of his cheap father in this existence.

And yet, it had come true, personally carried out by the countless champions and gods of this existence who saw it as the Truth.

Did so many gods, champions, and familiar faces all sacrifice themselves just to give him company and pave the path towards inevitable death? Just so that Joshua alone could escape so pitifully?

Even if every being across the cosmos would rather that he left by himself to preserve that so-called ‘hope’, he would not fall so low to allow such a thing.

Instead, he would strangle and choke out his hope with his own hands…and hence fight, whether he would live or die.

The Giant God of Steel, with the divine wheel Φ rotating on his back, hence faced the many Demi Saint Evil Gods which had broke through his scarlet radiant circle of divine power and rushed towards him. Closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again, limitless divine power was unleashed from within, just like infinite burning blades.

Like a rain, a downpour of edges imbued with divine powers, the unending burning blades appeared to be moving on their own as they struck with utmost precision at the Evil Gods that were charging once more. Therefore, in that single instant, millions or more Evil Gods were destroyed, with only burnt ashes left of the billions of Chaos beings, having been ignited as a gigantic bundle of flame in the Void.

Even the Demi Saint Evil Gods could hardly stop the rapid rain of divine blades. Their bodies would be penetrated entirely when hit, with unstoppable flames burning at their wounds and leaving them utterly maimed—but with the immeasurably bright God of Eternity just in front of their eyes, they were not at all concerned with those injuries, instead simply leaving their burnt body portions to rapidly charge at Joshua.

Still, Joshua, in response, did not keep swinging his great sword or his giant axe, which were alight in divine fire. He turned to look at the gathering walls of Evil Gods that were trying to surround him and suffocate him in their endless formations, before tightening his fist and promptly striking out—instantly, a supermassive World Barrier similar to the one belonging to Stellaris directly crushed the Void, pulverizing the swarm of Evil Gods that were keen on stopping him into broken pieces!

A single path headed to the other side of the cosmos—a trail directed to the distant Void with an end none could see hence appeared before him. Without hesitation, Joshua hence darted away along the path, heading out over the infinite distance!

It was also in that very moment that even more dark blinks of gloom began darting out from the unending squirming tentacles of darkness which were approaching Joshua. The very presence of those blinks left the many gods and champions in the cosmos, whose eyes were still leveled upon the Void, altogether breathless. They could not imagine at all why there was such a day that hundreds of Demi Saint Evil Gods would all appear in the same place, especially considering that a single Demi Saint could hardly be born upon a cosmos even as eras passed.

And those hundreds of Demi Saint Evil Gods were all making a beeline for Joshua at the top of their speed.

***

Presently, amongst the people in the Mycroft civilization who were in the know, even the slowest of them were catching on to the very simple idea that the Mastermind had.

There is simply no person who would underestimate the Wise Ones.

Therefore, Demi Saints that were the original form of Wise Ones certainly were very important targets that must be wiped out.

If one was not enough, it would send ten.

If ten was not enough, it would send a hundred, along with unending legions of Evil Gods along with hordes of Chaos that could drown an entire cosmos. It would keep adding any more force as it could, a star-breaking cannon that would not hold back even if its opponent was an insect— it would go all-out and exhaust every option, mobilizing as many forces as it could.

Even if the surprise of surprises would come to pass, that the Demi Saint would be able to ascend as a Wise One amidst the endless siege of Chaotic Evil Gods, they would still be forced to the source of the Initial Flame, thereby bringing along those boundless warms of Evil Gods away from their home cosmos and coming towards the trap that it had laid.

So what if its victims would bide their time to cull those unending ranks of Evil Gods? It was even more agreeable since it would delay the pace of the Wise One—no matter how many Evil Gods were used up, it would be worth it.

Such was its deceit, a scheme which allows none to advance.

Still, though knowing that it was a trap, Joshua was forced to spring it. Even if what lay before him was a dark and hellish abyss, he would assuredly stride within it.

But it was not as if he did not have any measures to counter the trap.

“Courage is the will in beings to face everything that they do not want to confront.”

Scarlet divine patterns were still extending over the body of the Giant God. The infinite divine power was altering Joshua’s very body in cultivation and transformation—it had ought to be a process which could only be maintained in the midst of slumber, but it was still gradually accomplished under his profound control and in the process of a battle.

Meanwhile, Joshua said to himself calmly, “And the greatest courage is the sacrifice of self.”

[Flesh is fated to never triumph over calamity, just as hot-bloodedness could never douse an inferno. Courage, resolve, hope, and love that relies upon expectation, prayer, and heart is absolutely never going to defeat the Darkness. That is the fall called Eternity, the disaster called Infinity.]

*[Still unable to understand? In the face of the unending, inexhaustive, borderless, limitless, boundless, and infinite Eternity of emptiness within this Multiverse, the nonfinite Chaos and its determined future, the whatnots such as solidarity of wills, strength of resolve, or power through unity—all the diligence and struggles of intelligent beings, the so-called unyielding consciousness and belief, are shades of bubbles in the stream or tears in the rain. It is dust to be crushed under the will of time and ashes of no significance.] *

Even so…

Even so—

Even if that was reality, the Flame would keep on burning!

***

Streaking away over the infinite distance, Joshua clenched his sword and axe. The warrior was feeling the two likewise burning minds, and hence laughed heartily as he held them tightly.

The final flame was now ablaze! In the Silent Void, the crimson Giant God shone upon the darkness with the brightest fiery radiance, drawing a stroke most firm upon the dark skies, just like a falling star.

As he bounded towards the distance, Joshua was swinging both sword and axe in attack. Parallel rifts were immediately cut into the Void from which crimson divine radiance welled out, destroying millions of Chaos and Evil Gods. If it had been within the cosmos, that light would have been able to shine throughout the stars, allowing countless civilizations to bath under its sacred splendor.

Joshua would actually turn occasionally as well and swing out his axe at the top of his power. Unlike the great sword, which was emanating boundless radiance, it was ink black, like the embers after all life had ended. Still, it could split galaxies apart with its direct and simple chopping motions—even the Demi Saint Evil Gods would be directly cut apart and destroyed if they tried to stop it, and hence Chaos would become a torch, the endless probabilities diminishing and restored to the Multiverse.

Still, countless more would come at once after one was destroyed.

A Demi Saint Evil God ignited and torched would see the cascade of Chaos by the hundreds, killing the flame and advancing while embodying what strength it had left—it was a force that could compel the warrior to fall back, but he simply took no mind of it as he persisted in his provocation and continued fighting.

Raising the spirit to fight and bring salvation to dire affairs!

As he fought on and darted away, every Evil God and Chaos tentacles had assumed the form of a single long queue—a chain of boundless darkness that was pursuing Joshua from the rear!

[In spite of fated death and failure, even if there would be nothing to gained from doing their best, intelligent life have always been fated to battle on, to struggle and to resist with no hope at all!]

[Just like how foolish humans would foolishly engage their own kind in mutual slaughter, the foolish intelligent life would also foolishly fight without purpose—against their own, against the Multiverse, against the eternal and endless despair and darkness!]

Intelligent beings were destined for folly in the split second that they obtained their wisdom. Hoping that they could stay rational forever was greed, and whether it was stupid mutual slaughter or idiotically provoking a foe they could never defeat, it was all caused by that fated foolishness in life.

And that was because if they did not act out of foolishness, the inevitable would certain never be broken and all probability would not be shattered!

If beings were not foolish, they would certainly not do things that they knew would not work, and therefore be unable to change the fated future!

Such was the path of the fool, just as it was the warrior’s tenet!

Just as Joshua left the reaches of the cosmos to arrive upon the very limits of observation, while bringing along every horde of Evil God and darkness and departing towards the endless distance…

Even so, the warrior who would never turn back could not resist turning his head sideways, using the corner of his eye to watch the darkened cosmos.

Joshua had taken away the power of every Steel Python in the galaxy, the lusters of the cosmos and leaving countless worlds in stillness, no longer able to grow life or cultivate the Extraordinary…likewise, countless civilizations would not be able to return to their home world for a long time, and could only live in the shelters.

However, he still left the seeds of rebirth, and should the day come that a new King of Searing Soul would awaken, the stars would certainly regain brightness.

That would also be the exact factor which denied the Evil Gods their target of ‘Eternity’ should he fail, meaning that they would never come to the darkened cosmos, instead picking other cosmoses of bright splendor…that was perhaps the warrior’s last act of selfishness.

The darkness as Chaos chased after the light, while the crimson star darted away to the distance, leaving corpses of Evil Gods as far as the eyes could see. Endless worlds had hence fallen, countless lives hence perished, but what lay within the infinite destruction was infinite salvation.

“All the lives…”

Thus, in the instant that the cosmos would completely vanish from the corner of his eyes, the warrior turned around determinedly to gaze upon the empty Void before him, softly murmuring his last words in his life as a human being.

“which I—”

—tenderly love.