Chapter 1014 For the Beings of Tomorrow (1/2)

It was neither a mistaken perception or an illusion.

Joshua's senses definitely would not be wrong.

As a being who had battled against the Ultimate Sublimator Collective and defeated it, Joshua had gained significantly from that violent battle. Be it his deft application of various Extraordinary powers or probability projection towards the future, everything had been honed to complete perfection in the terrible conflict.

At present, the warrior now possessed every form of supernatural power including Psi, magic, lifeforce, elements, ether, Holy Light, and Shadow regardless of type—it would certainly be true that he frequently used Steel Strength, a variant of lifeforce, but that did not mean that he could only use that one ability. As he was now, Joshua was a master of all trades, and could confidently apply magic or indeed the Holy Light.

It was the same for divine power or Shadow. The warrior's perception and sensitivity in regards to those abilities would certainly rank in the top ten of the present Multiverse.

As the individual who had benefited the most in the battle against Demi Saint, Joshua had the chance to control the power of the Steel Python Star, the definitive data support of the Triple Curtain, the aid of all life and civilizations in the cosmos along with the Ultimate Sublimator Collective's information, given to him as its life ended…if the thing called experience indeed existed in the world, the battle on Stellaris was undoubtedly the greatest bag of experiences in the Multiverse, which was perhaps only next to the Evil God of Fertility.

It was impossible for anyone to not develop after having obtained such major training and support, with the shape of the Ultimate Sublimator Collective vaguely showing even in the case of tiny bacteria. Joshua certainly was no exception—he felt that he had strode a major step forward in the trail of Legends compared to the time prior to his arrival at Stellaris, and while he had yet to reach the threshold of the Demi Saint, he had at least reduced a significant portion of mystery.

Especially after he had spread the system of Emotion power which he had founded on Stellaris, the previously obscure path to ascension had become much clearer by collecting information similar to how the Wise Ones had established brand new Extraordinary powers, and he could even feel the gates to the Saints.

”I could ascend as a Demi Saint too.”

Such was reality. What Joshua lacked at the moment was simply accumulation and time, since he could be 100% sure that, in the near future, he would be able to catch up to the level of the Ultimate Sublimator Collective and become the new Demi Saint.

”As for living beings such as the Silver Fairies and Zero One, they would be existences equivalent to the relationship between the Ultimate Sublimator Collective and the Ultimate Entities. However, Steel Strength would be the supernatural power that links them, while the Ultimate Sublimator Collective itself exclusively possessed that power that could imitate the Initial Flame, creating an absolute realm of its own…”

In truth, the Ultimate Sublimator Collective had essentially helped Joshua as much as the threat it had posed against him. Others aside, merely the brand-new path towards the Wise Ones was a profound gain in itself. Moreover, being a living world that was remarkably similar to the other, Joshua could naturally continue on the path of the Ultimate Sublimator Collective—provided that he could do something like materializing something similar to the Initial Flame in his own body, he would definitely be able to develop as a Demi Saint.

And yet, the memes and concepts created from such a path would be completely different from the path of Wise Ones, who spread a brand-new supernatural power and universal constants over the Multiverse…from that perspective alone, those were two completely different sets of systems from the Wise Ones.

Meanwhile, Joshua had remained dormant over a recent period time precisely to infer the related information, as well as to soak in knowledge and details that were useful for himself.

But now, even such thoughts had to be set aside for a moment.

Because that boundless power of Shadow from afar was surging upstream against the flow of the Great Mana Tide with an unimaginably profound momentum.

With a single split second of thought and even before he could hesitate, analyze, infer, or even consider, it had already arrived.

The Shadow had come.

***

Stellaris, along with the infinite Void around it, was covered in the darkest shadow within a single split second. With nary a sound, all of Stellaris was detached from the Void, sinking into another aberrative dimensional realm. All at once, Joshua realized that everything around him had disappeared without a trace, with only black shades that moved as his own radiance did left.

It was as if he had fallen to the deep sea, and was covered in a completely different layer of the Void.

”Weird. You are a not a part of that world…why would you stand before it, seemingly to protect it?”

The purest of Messages exuded from amidst the inexhaustive shadows, manifesting in the minds of others as voice, scent, presence, and everything else perceptible to humans. That sensation was akin to an interaction from every single possible angle: touch could see, vision could converse, with each supernatural power having different measures to be precepted and comprehended.

At the same time, the Message was also embodying a rather unusual tone, which could not at once be differentiated as either curiosity or indifference.

”You are showing no fear even against the boundless shadows that is gushing forth…even showing up here on your own volition.”

Joshua looked around at the shadow encircling himself but did not answer, because it was not a question of 'why'. In Stellaris, the Triple Curtain had been severely disabled, the Steel Python Star would be slumbering for millennia, while the Grand Patriarch was with the Four Divine Rings where he would continue examining his self.

Meanwhile, every other living creature was not at all aware of the shadow's arrival.

Therefore, in this very moment, only he was able take action.

That was why he had come.

It was that simple.

The source of the Message did not continue pressing on its own question either. It appeared to be using a certain measure to study Joshua, before exclaiming in slight surprise. ”Wait a minute. Why is there so much information tangled onto your body?”

”And what is this I am seeing? The Creation of Psi (Triple Curtain), the Legacy of the Arcane (The Knowers), with yourself being an agent of lifeforce, a living world which has transcended beyond Ancient Dragons—though there is no element or ether, the Holy Light (Sage's Legacy) and the Shadow (Demon King) are actually there too! You have actually been acknowledged by an Abyssal realm, even signing a pact and coming into the contact with the demons of the Shadow too?”

The Message was conveyed in a manner most complex, but it appeared to have directly decoded all information and records that Joshua's body carried, with the same portion of information being able to reveal twofold meanings that were virtually identical. Even so, it had not really affected their surprised tone by much, ”You even have the scent of that Beast from a while ago—I see, so you and the guardian of this world were the ones who had destroyed it?”

The Source of the Message must have been passing by and moving along the trail that had been empty, only to slow down discreetly after encountering such a massive world and special lifeform beside the road. Its attention had truly been diverted this time, and it began to focus its gaze on Joshua.

”What kind of existence are you actually? To actually be able to involve such diverse information and causality… it is as if the Multiverse itself, along with all its Wise Ones, had their eyes upon you.”

Then, even as the Message itself was being transmitted, an appearance which could be observed began to manifest in the shadow.

”That scent—”

In that split second, Joshua frowned as he could smell that singular scent of the Abyss. It was something like no other even across the Multiverse, forming in long perished worlds…a scent that belonged to the ashes, and that which had died even before being born.

It was the scent of demons.

And just when Joshua realized what that scent actually had been, the shape in the shadow manifested…just like a silhouette.

How should he describe it? It was a very bizarre appearance, a curious play of shadow puppets if one had to put it to words: light, that had come from someplace unknown, shone upon a demon with curved long horns, a massive pair of wings, and a long thorny tail. That light was eternally unmoving, and yet the silhouette of the demon kept shifting, presenting itself in various forms.

Those abnormal forms were indiscernible transfigurations. The depth of the shadow itself was also ever shifting, as if the volatile shifting in itself embodied a certain mystery.

Two darker dots that appeared connected to a faraway place existed where the demon's eyes should have been. It was at once leveled at Joshua, just as it appeared to bypass him and leveled upon Stellaris as the Message transmitted. ”I see. So, this is the homeworld of the Wise One of the Psi, the original form of the Infinite World Will…ah, I now see the original state of the Psybugs as well, a design of such benevolence…”

The rippling Message may not have referred to the common definition of 'Wise One', but Joshua knew that it was precisely what the demon silhouette was conveying: the Extraordinary individuals who were beyond the Demi Saint and could influence all of the Multiverse.

”You are the Wise One of the Shadow.”

Joshua returned the gaze of the demon silhouette, muttering, ”A real Wise One…such power…”

Joshua had initially thought that if the day that he could really meet the Sage—a real Wise One—would come, he might lose composure to excitement, curiosity, or even the bold desire to challenge him. And yet, now that he had really met one, Joshua found himself calm unlike ever before, as if it was all as it should have been.

It was right here.

Such an existence without any limit.

Such will and power that appeared capable of engulfing all of the Multiverse. Not even time and space held significance, because everything else were created and with boundaries.

It would have crossed Stellaris in a split second if it wanted to. The reason it would stop was perhaps because the world had been the homeland of the Wise One of Psi.

As well as the location of my presence.

But even such a being—the generations of Wise One—had clashed against the darkness behind the darkness in a conflict that extended beyond time until this day.

Understanding it all, Joshua took one step forward instead. He exchanged gazes with the demon silhouette who emanated the scent of the Abyss while appearing proud of it, before speaking with the clearest words, ”Wise One, would you be heading over there as well?”

Elaboration was unnecessary. Anyone would know that 'there' referred to one place: the Fountainhead of the Great Mana Tide, the location of the Initial Flame.

”That is the birthplace of everything, just as it is the endpoint of everything.”

The Wise One of Shadow replied. ”Successor, the day would come that you would assume this path too.”

”But to what actual purpose? What has this befallen this Multiverse? I have questions in my head, Wise One, and I hope for an answer.”

Fearless, even if the warrior did not know if the Wise One was good or evil, or indeed what sort of an existence itself had been despite its demonic and Abyssal scent, the warrior still pressed it, seeking answers to the doubts in his mind.

On the other hand, the Shadow was still spreading towards the endless distance, even though the Silhouette itself remained where it was. The ancient demon stared at the human before itself—it had once encountered beings that were unafraid of demonic and Abyssal presence, just as it had encountered beings who desired to help the demons and Abysses. It had once been graced by a single streak of Light, time after time and generation after generation, even something of which all life and existence had been graced with.

That was also the exact reason why that it existed as it was now.

And the being before its eyes now was an individual whom the Light had left behind, and would one day advance towards the endless distance in the same way.

That was why it spoke, just as a being who had now perished did in its ancient past to enlighten it.

”To answer that question, one must begin by explaining the most ancient history of the Multiverse.”

The horned silhouette swayed as serene information streamed away. ”Successor, do you know about the purpose of Extraordinary powers?”

”I do,” Joshua answered with a firm voice, standing at the heart of inexhaustive shadows as his body emanated light that reflected the shadows surrounding himself. ”It is a legacy, a continuation, and an existence. It is only because of the diverse Extraordinary powers that the present Multiverse and all life exist.”

”Indeed, that is correct.”

The Silhouette of the Message seemingly sighed. ”The Wise Ones—that is what you called us. So, you would be aware that the existence of the Wise Ones would bring change to the Multiverse, because that is our legacy and continuation. That being said, are you aware that it is not only the Wise Ones' existence which is capable of bringing change, but also their deaths as well?”

”…”

Joshua's mouth was open as if he wanted to say something, but remained silent even if the words were at the tip of his tongue.

Because he was unsure of the fact, the warrior did not desire to convey his opinion for the very first time.

Be that as it may, the Shadow calmly answered him.

”Psionic energy is the earliest known Extraordinary ability in history. It is the power of the mind, and the change that its presence brought was the creation of Steel Pythons, the World Wills that existed within the millions of worlds across the Multiverse. Then, the Wise One of the Psi perished, in turn leading to the appearance of uncountable Psybugs—relics of the Wise Ones themselves. They would feed upon the vengeful wills and ill intent of all living things, especially the misery and despair of perished civilizations. Those massive Psybugs that you have seen along the way? They have grown to such a size after feeding on the vengefulness of the champions who had lost their lives on the Trail of Return.”

”Without psionic power, the power of the spirit would never manifest, with life itself having difficulty in growing because their worlds lacked a World Will. The presence of the Psybugs had indeed curbed the Evil Gods and prevented them from spreading far and wide, and where civilizations would have once definitely birthed an Evil God by 100%, it has become a remarkably uncommon phenomenon, even if millions of worlds in the present day would fall. It had even restrained the duality of mind and spirt, eliminating the side effects hidden in psionic powers.”

Even as the massive silhouette of the demon had conveyed information that would leave countless civilizations in astonishment, it continued, ”All things were blessed by them, you and I included.”

”Then, there is magic.”

”It is the strength to create and make the supernatural common, increasing the number of Extraordinary individuals and creatures across the Multiverse. Because mana itself had nourished the soul, beasts could gain intelligence and therefore develop as civilizations, while the greatest purpose of magic was its great acceleration of civilization progress. The passing of the Wise One of Arcane had also led to the appearance of the Great Mana Tide, engulfing the worlds to spread supernatural powers far wider than before, with the intent to nourish more civilizations and more champions. It had actually been a bridge, guiding all determined life towards their own birthplace.”

”Without magic, there would be 90% less intelligent life in the Multiverse, with any creature whose main body was the soul hence disappearing. The waves of the Great Mana Tide had even seen to the rise of innumerable outstanding individuals, with succeeding Wise Ones along with other Demi Saints or champions being endlessly graced. Successor, have you not reached your present level yourself because of the present period of Mana Tide?”

It was certainly so, Joshua nodded, having indeed obtained the growth through the current Mana Tide. With the entire Starfall Era of Mycroft itself being established as a result, one could imagine how many other civilizations and individuals had grown because of that.

Meanwhile, the Shadow continued, ”Then, there is lifeforce.”

”Its sheer presence has simplified the changes of the physical very significantly. As human consciousness became connected to the physical, Creation has become so simple to the point that life could even be instilled into inorganic objects without the need of a soul, with only the right construct necessary. The Wise One of Life—one whom I am unsure of, since he might have existed but his name has vanished from the present Multiverse—could have even been born before known history, but what is certain is that the change akin to the passing of the Wise One would be the appearance of the Ancient Dragons and Void Behemoths. They formed a natural cycle over the diverse cosmoses, supporting the continuation of life over the stars.”

”In the absence of life, there is a lower probability that intelligent life would be born, just as the cycles of the Multiverse would reach their end prematurely. There would be distinct difficulty in changing the physical realm, while every single environment would be ten thousand times worse than before.”

”They have already perished in the ancient past, but all of us remain blessed and graced, living in the lingering warmth.”

There was actually respect in the Message of the Wise One of Shadow. The demon's silhouette fluctuated as if in salutation, as it softly said, ”As for the Wise One of Elements and the Wise One of Ether, both of them appear to be still alive… at least, I have not observed any changes that could be linked to their deaths.”