Chapter 980 Joshuapedia (1/2)
In the beginning, it was born unto desolated lands
Warm undersea springs, searing subterranean trenches, lands of snow elements, and plains of concentrated magic crystals… the earliest origins were in places where eyes never lingered.
Later, it began to spread from the sea to the continent, and from beneath ground to the surface—and then the entire world
It could have been on continents, planets, the infinite seas of stars, or even the Void that was larger than the cosmos, not to mention worlds beyond the Void—it bred, replicating itself and infecting, thereby becoming a swarm
Common yet extraordinary, it was known as…
***
There were innumerable worlds in the Void. Each glimmered in starlight, and their inexhaustible light would in turn gather into galaxies, which in turn gathered into different pluralistic galaxies—the most solid and profound structure in the present Multiverse.
Among all that, minute worlds were remarkably special existences. Most only had a few hills and a grassland, spanning no more than a few hundred squared kilometers and were smaller than a city.
However, it was in such worlds that tremendous supernatural energies gathered as its primary stabilized World Barrier, and it would not have been unusual to have special condensations of those energies within as well. That was why minute worlds were hidden treasures in the Void, but they were so few that even finding one in the galaxy was difficult.
Moreover, they were unlike demiplanes and planes. Generally speaking, demiplanes were realms without any natural internal circulations, while planes were worlds attached to other worlds and mostly man-made. Natural planes were very rare as well, having variety in size and categorized by the world they were attached to.
The most commonly seen worlds were small worlds in the usual sense. The smallest of them recorded had a surface of 150 million squared kilometers—just slightly larger than a major Mycroft nation. On the other hand, the largest small worlds were 60 billion squared kilometers that could accommodate dozens of Mycrofts.
Such class of worlds contained complete natural cycles and lasted a long time, surviving for billions of natural years in the event of nothing unexpected happening. In addition, the fact that supernatural energies greatly accelerated that process allowed life to be born in just a few million years, or indeed be filled with intelligent life in just around a hundred years should luck be on their side.
Small worlds were most numerous in the Multiverse. Most of their supernatural energies and total surface could reach a density equilibrium to quickly grow life, and the intelligent life inside would have been able to discover the Void as fast as possible, hence beginning their exploration towards the unknown or beyond the world.
Further up were mid-sized worlds, which were second to small worlds in number. They were remarkably vast and generally hundreds of times the size of Mycroft—and that being the smallest of them, since most mid-sized worlds had one or even several stars and multiple planetary systems combined with many planetary worlds, which made up the so-called planetary realms. Life had less chance of growing here, since supernatural energies were of a lower density and there were less planets for any exceptions to exist. Indeed, a major number of mid-sized worlds in the Multiverse were still in the process of developing life, and it would have only been perhaps billions of years later that recently born organics and unicellular lifeforms would come to be, and then slowly evolve intelligence.
The lower boundary of mid-sized worlds were supercontinents of stellar scale or super planets, while the upper boundary were small galaxies which had over a thousand systems. The stars quietly orbited in such realms, biding as their time as the life they grew would be peacefully born within the young Multiverse.
And generally speaking, as well, a world larger than mid-sized worlds were the large worlds that had one or multiple galaxies within. Billions of stars twinkled in such worlds, and that was just on the surface—large worlds that were slightly standard were of multiple galaxies and contained trillions of stars.
At that point, the barrier of such worlds would have been so sturdy that non-Legends could not enter or leave, while Supremes could move through mid-sized or small worlds via special techniques. Even so, Supremes would never have been able to approach such galactic realms, or could only simply brought inside but were unable to escape. It was so enclosed that most lives would have aged within its vastness, unable to unravel the truth of the Void beyond.
In turn, the greatest large worlds were basically multiple galaxies with quadrillion observable stars. Even Legends would have needed specific skills to enter as they were not connected to ordinary galaxies and were basically without information and energy connection in the Void, save for the Great Mana Tide.
However, only worlds of such scales could have relied on chance to grown intelligent life, just as only such worlds could have repelled weaker Evil Gods.
As for the superworlds vaster than large worlds, or the rumored worlds which contained boundless stars and galaxies, their sizes were not measured in the number of stars but by 'billion lightyears radiuses' instead to determine their observable range.
Such worlds did grow in the Multiverse, but were isolated from the Multiverse and impossible for Evil Gods to evade—perhaps it was open in the days when the Initial Flame was still ablaze, but as time passed and the Multiverse fundamentally shifted, it was severed from the Multiverse, with some superworlds even retaining the original state of the Multiverse where supernatural energies were absent.
***
On the screen, pages of an electronic book was flipped as an agile insect feeler touched the simulated screen. Having read through the entire book, the elderly Tanyan appeared thoughtful.
”So, our world is a superworld…if there was a realm larger than ours, it would be those near-infinite singular universes that are considered boundless.”
Having read every world, Fleet Commander Kedar turned off the e-book in the Psyweb app, which had a row of very distinct Mycroft Basic written on its cover.
Title: Joshuapedia, Volume Five
Index: A Thousand Things You Don't Know About Void and Worlds
Summary: Learn about the fundamental state of the Multiverse in an hour! Disclaimer: This book is only intended for disseminating basic knowledge regarding the Void and should only be used for learning and exchange, not for commercial use. —Joshua van Radcliffe.
***
After Joshua was summoned to Stellaris by the Midgardians and jointly popularized Emotional power alongside the Triple Curtain, he had begun to spread knowledge regarding the Void, Evil Gods, and Multiverse to the civilizations of Stellaris.
It was actually one of Joshua's intention for returning to Stellaris too—if he succeeded in culling the Chaos problem in Stellaris, he could secure major knowledge about the Chaos spawns, or even have the veterans who were well-versed in fighting the Chaos become reinforcements. Most importantly, he had disclosed to Stellaris locals about the other worlds and Evil Gods beyond, which were the cause of Chaotic invasion in their own world.
Joshua had no intent of hiding that intention, something Kedar could be sure off after reading that encyclopedia. In fact, the old commander could tell that the power of the Four Divine Rings which he now wielded was actually a test he conducted with Extraordinary powers. Essentially, they were being used for an experiment as he discerned a possible path for his future.
Reaching out with his feeler to touch the red ring on this joint, Kedar smiled.
”So what?”
As a senior who had lived and fought the Chaos for a long time, Kedar certainly was aware that noble could not begin to describe the gesture in which a profound existence such as Radcliffe the Infernal, God of Midgard had carried out in crossing the distance of endless worlds to aid Stellaris in fighting the Chaos, not to mention the spreading of Emotion power without hesitation. In fact, such a behavior had reached the level of selflessness.
In any case, there was no hassle needed for such a class of existence to enlist reinforcements from Stellaris. Even from the strictest of perspectives, it was selfless help and a fair deal at its bare minimum—certainly not deceive.
As for experimentation… it was only because Stellaris civilizations were worthy of being test subjects!
One should remember that the power of Emotion was not some random ability, but a system developed with deep consideration from a champion, even compatible with Psi! The higher one's position was in civilization, the clearer the value of that system: it was a power that could get an entire tribal race to transcend overnight. After all, who would waste such an opportunity on Stellaris if they were powerless, and have them work as test subjects?
Moreover…
”If not for you, could I have gained the courage to step away from my predicament, and hence vent my anger at Chaos?”
Looking up, Kedar the Tanyan, former commander of the Blaze Fleet and present five-star commander, stared beyond the bridge at a planet which an entire fleet was suppressed with bombardment. He watched as the planet was eaten away by the epidemic and reduced to a world of death, crimson radiance burning in his eyes.
Ever since Emotional power had spread throughout Stellaris, the Stellar Guard had refitted the former Blaze Fleet into the Gallant Fleet, which centered around Kedar, Ringbearer of Courage. All the crew members were individuals who had awakened the Emotional power of bravery, or powerful psionics whose abilities at least leaned towards it.
And the objective of that fleet, which was brimming with courage and wrath, was to purge all uncertain elements in their frontlines before Retaliation…
…such as planet which was being bombarded before him—a planet fully infected by the Ultimate Virus.
”So, it could be the work of the Evil God of Pestilence…”
Kedar towards the edge of the bridge and watched the planet as it was bathed in starship cannons, his gaze somber while still remaining on his guard despite the absolute advantage.
The Ultimate Virus—through the power of the Triple Curtain and the Four Divine Rings, Joshua had informed the Stellar Guard about that supervirus that could survive in vacuum and in heat of over 6000 degrees.
It was highly infectious, concealed, and lethal, causing the deaths of billions and decimating over a hundred planets within less than a week with some Alliance races going extinct. The casualty count was that of a major war, although this time, the Stellar Guard were not able to even see the face of their enemy, much less prepare against them.
Still, if that was all to it, the Alliance did not have to swing their keen edge in the Gallant Fleet.
”Rawr!!! Aaargh!!!”
A bellow that transcended space to directly resound in spirit echoed. Kedar felt it and lowered his gaze, staring coolly at a certain spot at the bombarded planet.
In the gloom where oceans were vaporized and billowed by the artillery of the starships, pale-purple bolts of lightning sparked as a massive creature that could clearly be seen even in orbit strode across the thunderclouds. It withstood salvo after salvo of psionic lances, occasionally exposing parts of its body due to the terrible explosions as the atmosphere of the entire planet was stirred by it, rippling.
Kedar could see and distinctly estimate its size—based on the parts that were exposed, it was probably more than 1,500 kilometers in length.
Its body was a part of the ocean.
”Grooooowl!!”
With the raging cry and perhaps succumbing to the bombardment, the massive monster shook its head to clear the fog around his head, revealing its true form to all: its head had distinct black and white patterns like a killer whale, but the rest of its body had a ceramic glaze that effectively deflected the brunt of the psionic beams. Metallic bony spikes protruded high over its back, craggy and flickering with a dangerous crystal glint, seemingly capable of retaliating with a psionic beam of its own.
The fog stirred. The structure of the entire planet was affected, and the atmosphere that once shrouded the outer reaches of the planet was now under the monster's control, molded into a clump that could repel the beams. In turn, it kept flailing within the mist, using the planet's own power to stop the bombardment of the fleet.
”Ultimate Entity…” Kedar said quietly to himself, his expression calm again. ”Even when metamorphizing, its ability is beyond ordinary Perpetuators—if I were to be without Emotional power or have not become a Ringbearer and ascended by my own power alone, I would really not be able to fight it.”
Perpetuator psionics could achieve immortality in body and spirit through Psi, surviving and resurrecting through spirit even after being slain. However, since their combat ability did not include brute strength, ordinary Perpetuators were at a disadvantage against the Ultimate Entity.
After all, it was a monster that devoured most of the life in the oceans—with time, it would have eaten the planet as well.
”Report, Commander: the refugees of Minglida have been brought on board—all confirmed clear from the Ultimate Virus!”
Just as the Ultimate Killer Whale that controlled the planet's atmosphere fought to repel the starships' bombardment, a rather tired but excited voice appeared in Kedar's head—it was his former vice commander Faya the Midgardian, and the current vanguard leader of the Gallant Fleet. ”Confirmation: no normal beings in Minglida; the atmosphere is filled with mutating Ultimate Virus while the rain and mist are infectants!”
”Understood. You've done well.” Nodding slightly, Kedar commended the other before turning to look at the Ultimate Killer Whale again. The Ultimate Entity was indeed powerful that even ordinary Perpetuators should not have recklessly fought it or they would have their intelligence consumed instead.
Even so, would it have been able to stand against a planetary armada crewed entirely by wielders of Emotion?
No chance!
The mere shockwave bombardment that did not directly destroy their target would have completely destroyed everything that existed upon the planet. But now, with the rescue teams having completed their task in the planet, it was also time that they exerted their full power to completely crush their objective.
”Disinfect.”