Chapter 713 Slumbering Cocoon (1/2)
Starfall Year 837, the first of October.
The outer reaches of the world of Mycroft, the Holy Mountain Warship—Fort Glory, observation control hub 'Eye of the Saint'.
As always, dozens of elite clergies had been solemnly at work in the three-hundred and sixty-degrees, all-transparent observation deck. The colossal Void warship which original form had been the Holy Mountain of the Distant Sea, there were more than twenty-five hundred various observation formation and lens controlled by the observation hub of the Holy Mountain Fortress. Most of them operated through autonomous circuits, while several hundreds of the high-quality lenses that could carry out Void observation were operated manually by specialists between three different shifts day and night.
In the main control room, streams of information feedback and reports were sent and received. The clergies worked primly, even without anomaly occurring in the Void around Mycroft.
Until that very moment.
”Widespread dimensional shift in Sector 171!'
Shrill, red alarms were suddenly ringing on a certain monitor in the observation deck. The clergy who observed the observation point panickily stared at shade that was rapidly enlarging in the virtual monitor—without hesitating, he activated the early-warning signal for large-scale 'Void Calamity', while forwarding the shade before his eyes to the central observation deck.
At once, every observer saw a colossal dimensional vortex rapidly forming in the Void nearby Mycroft. It crumpled dimensional turbulences like a funnel, its frightening gravity dragging everything around it, forcing otherworld matter wafting in the Void to gather towards it.
In a brief dozens of seconds, the gravitational force of its core reached nine hundred billion times that of standard gravity values. However, when the unimaginable number kept rising wildly, every clergy present suspected that their vision developed issues and led them to see a few more zeroes, but that number never changed no matter how many times they stared at it.
”Void constitution had been distorted… It isn't clear.”
The leader of Observation Control—a Supreme-tier High Priest frowned. He was the former High Priest of the God of Wisdom and Choice and stationed at the Eastern Plains, but gave up his peaceful and steady life there following the rise of the Holy Mountain Fortress, taking up a post in the Void. Now, he was controlling dozens of Void observation points to study the distant gravitational vortex, but could not really see the sights at that location in real-time.
Excessive and terrible gravity that could violently twist light itself certainly left them with no options as they were equipped with observation formations that relied on mana and various radioactive oscillation. In response, the High Priest could only give a helpless order.
”It might be some ancient Void Behemoth. Send the message to notify other observation centers and Aida—we need further instructions.”
”Do we have to change our course?”
”That's not our business.”
***
The Void was no safe place. In the seven hundred and more years since the people of Mycroft had entered the Void, they observed countless dimensional turbulences and storms of various scales that might either be natural Void phenomenon or shockwaves from the movements of certain Void behemoths. In the brief operational history of the 'Eye of the Saint', the Seven Gods Church could even observe two distant worlds colliding after a Void storm, subsequently fusing into one.
Compared to that chaotic storm that was so boundless there were tidal waves cascading through that dimensional region, the dimensional vortex that abruptly appeared was not too unusual. However, the vortex was too close to Mycroft compared to some distant Void storm—therefore, for the safety of the world, the Holy Mountain Fortress that had been tasked with patrolling the Void around Mycroft must make an immediate decision.
Should they observe safely but vaguely from a distance, or take the risk and observe the dimensional vortex from a shorter range?
The choice was made soon enough. With the flicker of a vein of sacred but faint light, a white-haired elderly man hence appeared at the center of the observation deck. He frowned slightly before nodding at the vortex that was no longer expanding, although it was still stirring the surrounding Void dangerously.
”Well done,” he said. ”Maintain observation—let's take a closer look.”
With the arrival of the true leader, the entire Holy Mountain Fortress changed course and made for the dimensional vortex. The many clergies present were no longer uneasy as well, for Pope Igor had arrived in the flesh.
Soon, the Fortress that drove forward at full speed arrived at the edge of the dimensional region just beyond the vortex's gravitational boundary.
The so-called dimensional region was a concept suggested by a court mage of the West Mountains two hundred and seventy years ago. He believed that to better observe the many stars and many worlds in the Void, there should be a standard boundary and measurement. Therefore, he measured the frontiers where certain observable dimensional ripples emanating from Mycroft could reach, confirming the concept of 'dimensional region'.
Each dimensional region would hence be partitioned with certain distinct planetary worlds at its center, and from that measurement, that dimensional vortex was right at the edge of Mycroft's dimensional region. The Holy Mountain Fortress decelerated when they arrived at that location so that they would not enter the area of the vortex's gravitational influence, instead releasing multiple prismatic magical observation apparatus to study the vortex in real time.
They hence quickly noticed the 'Giant Silver Cocoon' at the heart of the vortex.
”Is that an egg?” Someone asked, even though the contrast in terms did not matter. One way or the other, everyone could not help feeling stirred when they saw that perfect sphere which had been almost fifty meters tall, but was gradually crumbling and shrinking. It embodied the beauty of order and sheer power, its existence alone shifting the dimensions around it.
Pope Igor could not help nodding too—he could not find any vulnerabilities or flaws from the silver sphere despite his ability. Soon, however, he sensed a familiarity from the silver luminous shroud revolving around the giant cocoon… he had definitely seen that tremendous gravitational ripple from a certain acquaintance.
”Could it be…”
A possibility appearing in mind, along with the lack of recent news from that person who was definitely traveling in the Void recently, Igor understood at once. He no longer looked upon the giant cocoon with vigilance, but with a sense of helplessness.
'Always making headlines', the elderly pontiff thought, shaking his head before turning toward the High Priest beside him, who in turn had all but confirmed that the giant cocoon was the egg of some Void Behemoth. ”We can pretty much cancel the high-alert. Whatever it is, that thing is no threat… prepare for recovery.”
”Yes, your Holiness. But… How would we recover that thing?”
The High Priest bowed in reverence and accepted the orders, although remaining puzzled about how to recover the cocoon. After all, everyone had seen the terrific mass of the thing itself, stirring gravity enough that it would crush the sturdiest asteroids that was the remnant of a destroyed world—it could well be the raw material for forging a Holy Sword. Approaching that thing a little would probably deal severe damage upon the Holy Mountain, not to mention recovering it.
”What is there to do?” Igor sighed in response, flexing his limbs and shaking his head. ”Of course I'll do it myself.”
At once, a rather inconspicuous brilliance darted away from the majestic Holy Mountain Fortress, making a beeline straight towards
Meanwhile, in the heart of the dimensional vortex, the Steel Python Karlis had also sense that radiant human figure that was swiftly approaching, as well as the Bright Scepter he held in hand.
”The Sage's presence.”
It appeared rather excited. ”Should be a communicative being.”
The existing form of Steel Pythons far eclipsed most living things, being the most profound beings formed of pure Steel and Flame. Regardless of how powerful most creatures were, as long as they did not embody Steel Strength or refined their souls to the pinnacle, they basically would not see a Steel Python, much less interact with them.
Karlis was certainly aware of that. However, Joshua did once mention to it that Mycroft had others who also inherited the Sage's Legacy and could communicate with Steel Pythons. That was why it waited there, or it would have long returned to its own world a long time ago.
As for Joshua's safety… Karlis thought that it was rather clear who was the one who actually requires attention. Typical intelligent beings, having their brains, would not easily attack the unknown silver object that could distort the Void around it. Instead of minding the warrior's safety, it was much better to warn the ignorant civilizations around them to avoid that dangerous zone, so that they would not throw away their lives wastefully.
And when Pope Igor broke through heavy gravitational seals and arrived nearby the giant silver cocoon, he realized in shock that a profound consciousness was wandering around the cocoon that should be Joshua.
A World Will!
A while ago, he had worked together with many Legends and gods to utterly seal Mycroft's World Will. He was hence not unfamiliar with the profound will, but before he could determine why a World Will would be accompanying Joshua, that vague presence that appeared to be a mere will spoke first.
”Ye who holds the Scepter of the Sage.”
It spoke thus, ”You are perhaps the champion, the friend Joshua once mentioned. As you could see, Joshua had transformed to that silver cocoon. A while ago, he and I had journeyed to the depths of the Void and completed a mission assigned by another World Will, but perhaps because his power had arrived at a certain threshold, he suddenly transformed to this state.”
Karlis could actually guess Joshua's thoughts then, too.
While the warrior was greatly exhausted after the battle against Fattrovi the Authority Usurper, he clearly reaped huge rewards. Joshua's presence had been rather unstable then, although he suppressed it and hence left Simboa without delay. However, in the instant when they left, they incidentally encountered the astonishing shift of the Void Vortex, and countless primitive Steel Strength of creation cascaded, forcefully injecting a massive amount of energy, filling the last bit of emptiness for him.
At that moment, Joshua knew that his metamorphosis was about to come, which was why he returned at once to Mycroft. It was hence a pity—he was greatly delayed by the anomalies of the Void Vortex to the point that the metamorphosis began irrepressibly, before he could reach a safe place.
As a result, he could only mutter 'timing isn't right'.
But it actually was not the worst scenario. If Joshua had really metamorphizing at the edge of Mycroft and unleashed his frightening gravity domain, he would very likely affect the entire world, the excessive gravity ripple perhaps bypassing the World Barrier and presenting various anomalies inside the world.
Meanwhile, Karlis did not care if the radiant human form understood before simply elaborating about all its thoughts and opinions. However, it did not bother to venture into detail about their encounters in Simboa, and so simply gave a general description, leaving the rest for Joshua after he awakens.
Karlis hence left briskly for its own world after leaving Pope Igor with a general idea of the present circumstances, leaving the pontiff alone with a head full of questions as he stared blankly at the giant silver cocoon.
”…What is going on?'
He could tell that the World Will appeared to recognize the Bright Scepter in his hand, and was probably a Steel Python that once communicated with the Sage, and hence probably why it treated him rather well. But before he could ask it about it, Karlis had left with neither care nor sentiment, appearing to be very confident in Joshua's safety.