Soul of Searing Steel

The massive dimensional anomaly concealed itself behind the dark distorted space like a tortoise creature wrapped around behind its thick shell opposite Fairyland. If anyone were to glimpse its true face behind it, those layers of impenetrable dimensional barriers had to be passed.

To most extraordinary individuals it was an impassable, but every Legendary champion present had made sufficient preparations.

In the camp of the Skypiercing White Tower, the bald mage drew the magical scepter from his hip and pointed towards the distant Void.

It was often curiosity that drove a mage forward, and Barbarossa was very curious right now. A giant demiplane, independent of the protection of a core world and yet discreetly whirling amidst the Void over a millennium and would not have been discovered if not for the Great Mana Tide—how did it maintain its existence? What truths lay behind it? And what were the secrets in those truths?

He was not a man who liked waiting. Having made the proper preparations to explore it early on, the Element Maven stared at the void, the green veins behind his eyes bulging. He brandished his scepter, conjuring runes in the air and began to probe the giant dimensional anomaly before him.

In his camp, a dazzling rainbow arc suddenly shone. Radiance of the Seven Great Elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Positive, Negative, and Ether flashed before assembling into a single cluster of obscure light. It had neither warmth nor energy reaction, and if it was not a visible radiation of light perhaps none could ascertain its existence. In the very moment it appeared, it streaked towards the dimensional anomaly at the speed of light, penetrating layers of distorted space in the very next instant. A narrow passageway that directed deep into the depths of the anomaly hence appeared, with an energy destroying the demiplane’s self-regenerating ability and forcibly keeping the passageway open.

“Go.”

Having pierced through layers of distorted space, Barbarossa withdrew his scepter, closing his eyes with an unchanging expression. Clasping his hands as he issued his order, the twelve elite mages responded as one, their bodies beginning to glint with coatings of magical light. Within one single breath, those mages cast over ten buffs such as Void Travel, Dimensional Barrier, Flight Freedom, Multiple Elemental Resistance on themselves—it appeared that they were long used to that procedure as their movements were smooth and skilled. Soon, they took to the air and left the edge of Fairyland towards the location where Barbarossa pierced the distorted space, each of them now having several runic circles around their bodies—magical barriers that resembled turtle shells.

“So, Barbarossa has touched the world’s essence, the threshold related to existence.”

Nostradamus’ brow furrowed slightly as he looked on from the Empire camp. “I never thought that he would reach that level after not seeing him for a few years. Now that he could revert the power of elements to its form during Creation, his next step would probably be to create a demiplane that belongs to himself like those four Fairy Queens… No wonder he was so interested in the anomaly, even contacting Vahina on his own initiative.”

At the mention of the name, he turned together with Joshua to another corner.

There was considerable energy surge in the Eastern Sea sage’s encampment. A thin, serene and almost nonexistent power that appeared to be a World Will in itself extended away from that plain camp, carrying a breath that belonged to Fairyland as it touched the giant distorted space. Instantly and shockingly, thousands of concentric circular waves started to gush as the will that carried the breath of Fairyland rapidly vanished—or more specifically, assimilate with that distorted space.

In legends, sages were beings who could predict the future and communicate with all things. They could talk to flowing waters, joke around with flames and foretell all war and calamity that was about to come. As if the world cherished them, they were blessed with diverse and unfathomable ability that commands mountains, streams, beasts and magical creatures.

And now, a true sage was displaying what was a tip of her powers. In the camp, her apostles too put their palms together, a hazy psionic light soon appearing over them as they flew towards where that monumental will touched the anomaly. Along the way, the distorted space would avoid them deliberately as if allow, allowing them to freely enter the dimensional anomaly.

“One with the world—a true amalgamation of human and universe that could therefore communicate with all things and foretell calamity.”

Joshua slightly nodded, finally understanding what kind of an existence a sage was—a formidable legacy that specialized in the spiritual aspect but was unlike the psionic class. To them, true power existed as a pure spiritual force that could rapidly fuse with any environment, while psionic ability was a mere by-product as they sublimated their own will.

Vahina, Sage of the Eastern Sea had cultivated herself in the Eastern Plains for decades; she was at her most powerful in the place. Even so, despite arriving at Fairyland away from her home ground, the sage could not unleash her full power and yet was still so powerful.

Compared to the exuberant Babarossa and Vahina, the murloc encampment that was the furthest away almost appeared to not be present at all. Godard was merely summoning a perfectly unremarkable pillar of water, sending its subordinate elite priests and Tidebreakers up to the edge of the anomaly. Then, unexpectedly, as if the space around the water pillar was welling, all sorts of profoundly hidden shattered constructs and wormholes were revealed—those invisible traps were originally the most dangerous elements inside the dimensional anomaly, but they were now all harmless by being visible alone. Now, even those murloc priests had the ability to evade danger and dive deep within.

Unlike the magical and spiritual prowess before, the murlocs that had scales of soft skin membranes over their body started to grow sheets of chitinous shells once they arrived in the Void. Bony and crystalline constructs appear over their fragile gills and eyes as well, and within seconds, the aquatic murlocs of varying form collectively turned into lifeforms that could survive in the Void—just like enchanted beasts that lived within it.

“The murlocs are rumored to have uncovered the power of life essence. Through mana, they could swiftly adjust their living form to adapt into any environment.”

Having seen all three other factions made their move, Joshua turned toward Joshua, his gaze glinting in curiosity and a raring to try intent.

“Who’s going to do it? You or me?”

“Me.”

Without hesitation, Joshua took one step out and stood at the fore. Silver glimmer encircled his body and condensed into a tremendous halo behind his body. It whirled incessantly even as it was separated into two parts by a single straight line, creating a gravity wave that swept across every person and object in the encampment.

In the next second, the warrior clenched his right fist sturdily, the specter of a colossal four-armed metallic giant rising behind him. The entire camp caved in several meters below due to the enormous pressure, even as the giant silhouette imitated Joshua’s action and threw a heavy fist towards the distant Void where the distorted space was!

Boom!

The invisible force of the fist kicked up waves by the frontier of Fairyland. It warped gravity and space, heavily striking the barrier over the distorted space, and though there was no medium to convey sound in the Void, everyone who watched the spectacle could seemingly hear the sound of something being shattered. After that single punch, the spectral giant behind Joshua started to dissipate, while a fist-shaped hole appeared in the faraway distorted space. Large energy shards that resembled dust floated around it, and a grey ragged land could almost be seen behind that cavity.

It was broken by brute strength.