Chapter 1039 - Oath (1/2)

Across the Void of the Multiverse, the endless worlds were glimmering in different radiance sprinkled over the skies just like cl.u.s.ters of stars.

Although the color of a large number of worlds appeared to be the silver hue of Steel Strength from the other side of dimensions, if one would examine it closer, there was a myriad of colors of radiance just above the base hue of silver, which was certainly distinct for each world.

Naturally, it was only the accomplished stargazers who could discern such subtle differences. Generally speaking, for most captains of Void vessels, they simply only needed to observe several special signs to distinguish around 90% of a world's present situation.

White meant a recent birth: such worlds had just detached from the Vortex of Creation, with neither Flame nor Steel Strength yet to fully convert into the world itself. The interior of such realms would be very dangerous, although there would also be a small chance for extremely precious resources to form within.

Pure silver meant stability, Order and life. The more radiant the pure silver hue was, the greater the number of intelligent life within, and in turn, the stronger the Soul Cycle—in other words, the Steel Python of the world. Worlds of such hue were very rarely encountered, if ever, but basically meant that it was a hospitable world, with a civilization almost certainly existing in there.

On the other hand, black meant a deathly stillness. Life may have once existed in such a world, but all of them were now wiped out for various reasons and the world itself was slowly falling into the Abyss as time passed. There may still be demons or races yet to metamorphize into demons barely surviving in such worlds, but only the rarest of lifeforms would be able to adapt themselves to such deadly environments.

Apart from that, there were also worlds of red, golden, or purple hues, each of them respectively indicating 'a world with tremendous internal shifts that caused dangers to the surrounding Void', 'living worlds without civilizations', as well as 'a world with a unique system of Extraordinary power within'. Those were also the more common world radiance in the Multiverse.

There was also an azure radiance that was very rare but certainly existed, with hardly anyone amongst the most accomplished of stargazers able to observe it from all the complex symptoms.

It would usually appear along with the black colored worlds and was virtually undetectable. Such a world would indicate revival and rebirth, that the Flame of the world had yet to burn out, but that the day that it reignited would come…in other words, it was a dead but transformable world, a barren realm where rebirth was possible.

Azure meant that there was still hope that had yet to come to be.

And now, endless azure flames were spreading over the entire galaxy.

”Is that…a revival of Order?!”

”Pure Steel Strength, pure vigor…but how is that possible?”

”Who? Who could be the one spreading those flames? Which world could be so extravagant and so wasteful, whimsically spreading its own lifeforce!?”

In the many dead worlds in the Lost Galaxy, many Steel Python were awakening from their extended slumber, looking around and gaping, stunned and bewildered by the azure flame which enveloped their bodies.

Those were Steel Pythons who had fallen into a long period of dormancy after the last major extinction wrought by the last Evil God invasion. They should have slowly crumbled throughout the ages or simply broken down into Abyssal wills, but now, the azure flame was spreading like a surging torrent, spreading at a speed and density which they could scarcely imagine.

In that split second, dozens of thousand Steel Pythons were roused from their long slumber, but only with a minor few of them actually having intelligence. While merely a few out of those minorities retained normal capacity for thought and logic, those Steel Pythons which still were in their right minds were World Wills that had fallen thousands of years ago in the resistance during the Glorious Era! All of them were very experienced, having witnessed the Final Battle, albeit regrettably defeated before weathering the war until the final victory.

And now, they were all revived, blessed with power from another. Be that as it may, those Steel Pythons were instinctively worried for the person who was granting them those powers, because the pure Steel Strength that had revived them was so precious—it was basically a fundamental power for the consciousness of an entire world. Though they could certainly be revived by indiscriminately spreading such power, reviving failures such as themselves was far from ideal than to have that power harnessed by one in the battle against Evil Gods.

On top of that, their own spirits were still lingering in the terrible battle which had been waged over thousands of years ago. Still, such a state of mind would certainly not be mistaken, since what awaited all of them now was an even more horrific war of finality.

But soon, those Steel Pythons realized that the being which had awakened every dormant Steel Python wanted to accomplish even more.

An ancient Steel Python poked its head out of its own world. It had been the World Will of a formerly advanced Void civilization that had fallen to the legion of Evil Gods led by the Evil God of Fertility during its invasion. The Steel Python had believed that it would slowly fade and die as the Soul Cycle within its world collapsed, and never thought that it would actually have a chance for revival. Looking around at the Void around itself and finding the one releasing the Flame and spreading wide nets of dazzling azure sparks, it offered its sincere thanks, but also beseeched that he ceased his whimsical acts in saving failures such as themselves, wasting his own precious resources when he could do better by gathering all his power in the resistance against the Evil Gods of the Chaos.

However, what it saw was a sight far exceeding everything that any Steel Python could imagine.

In the millions of worlds spread as far as the eye could see over the Lost Galaxy, black worlds without life were the vast majority—after all, the future of too many worlds in this galaxy had been cut off by the Chaos.

Now, however, the azure fiery radiance danced away and resuscitated one dead Steel Python after another…and did not stop there either.

All of them could see the azure flame darting into a dormant world where no life or civilization had ever come to be, simply wafting alone through the Void like an inconspicuous stone. Even so, when the azure flame had gushed within the world, it did not take long for a newly-born, cloudy-eyed Steel Python, which was simply unaware of what was going on, to be born within the stillness of dormancy.

And then there were dozens, hundreds, thousands, and dozens of thousands—until that same sight came to be in every single world.

As the self-aware Steel Pythons watched while all of the other cultivated Steel Pythons arose from the dead realms, all of them felt an earnest mystery. They had yet to realize what was really happening and were under the impression that some world they were unacquainted with had gone out of luck and did not retain its own intelligence. Soon, however, as the cultivated Steel Pythons deliberately darted away from their own worlds and brought along the power at an entire world's disposal, following the distant azure flame by instinct, all of them felt a chill to the bone.

Then, when the cultivated Steel Pythons all left their worlds, the outer radiance of those realms also began to fade into what was almost silence, leaving just a little glimmering azure light which maintained a faint chance of revival for them.

Still, it could very well fade anytime as well.

”No, that isn't right!”

One of the intelligent Steel Pythons shrank into its own world, all of its body scales hence squeezing together and revealing its genuine nervousness. ”That is almost the same as using a cheap trick to drain the power we have, along with our world's!”

***

”By growing those Steel Pythons and harnessing the scattered energy within a single world into one body, and then claiming the power of such a Steel Python…”

Meanwhile, another Steel Python had managed to analyze even more, but it was being pensive and not as nervous as the other Steel Python. ”If the being which had awakened us and grown those newborn Steel Pythons had to sacrifice power rated at ten, the gains from the Steel Python of a small world would at least be over a hundred…and it is certainly needless to speak for the Steel Pythons of larger realms.”

”In addition, even such a theft would be different from an Abyss, and the outcome would be nothing other than those worlds losing all Extraordinary essence and hence reverting to dormancy. And in his defense, he had left the seeds for revival and did not claim everything, only harvesting the fruits while leaving the roots untouched.”

Could it be that another champion is waging war against the Chaos that was without end? So, things have now come to this, that even with what strength remains within corpses of the defeated such as us or the trace amounts of Extraordinary within those dormant worlds are not spared.

To pick up the residual ashes of that which had been burnt…there was no telling whether the source of that power was impressive or miserable.

The Steel Python looked around the Void, and saw thousands of grown Steel Pythons heading for the center of the galaxy within its own sector alone. It looked on, falling into profound thought.

Then, it deliberately left its own world, moving alongside the swarm of cultivated Steel Pythons, which were without self-awareness.

Either way, it had nothing left.

Both its children and its world were already devastated, its heart falling to sheer despondency and staying that way even after it had been roused. It could feel the distant presence of Chaos that lingered afar, and that the being who had granted the Flame upon worlds at least served Order—he was willing to revive the numerous World Wills, and even though it was solely to claim the power they possessed, the Steel Python felt gratitude that the dead and defeated such as themselves were allowed a return to the world.

Even if it was only for the briefest of moments.

That was why it would go forth, to see the reason that moved the hand of that existence of Order to do such a thing…

If they truly served Order and their actions was to repel the infinite Chaos in a single decisive war, then it shall allow them to claim whatever strength was left in its broken body.

Hence, Steel Python from across worlds gathered into a raging torrent that surged towards the heart of the galaxy, heading towards the Giant God of Steel who had now become the axis of the galaxy.

***

To accomplish all that, Joshua had already made preparations even before he entered the Vortex of Creation.

In the first place, the warrior did not have much extra intentions. All he wanted to do was to revive worlds and breathe new life into the many still worlds, which was why he had sent Ying and Ling, tailoring armors for them so that they could spread azurites over every corner of the galaxy—that was even before the expedition to the cosmos. Nonetheless, having been entrusted with such an important task, the divine armament siblings had covered even the most remote corners of the Lost Galaxy within a brief twenty years, burying the seeds of hope.

In fact, Joshua himself had done a similar thing when he remained in the Vortex of Creation following the defeat of the Evil God of Death. At the time, he had poured substantial Restoration Beams—which were his own essence—into the reborn Vortex of Creation, allowing the silver metal pillars to flow along the motions of the Vortex and naturally spread out over the entire galaxy. It was the warrior's preparation against any excessively powerful champion that might appear, and reality eventually proved that such an enemy did exist in the form of a Demi Saint: The Ultimate Sublimator Collective.

Later, when he entered the Vortex of Creation for a second time and unraveled the mystery of the Eternity of Evil God, he repeated the same thing too: the many worlds that the warrior created acted as center points, and along with the use his own power, he placed his mark upon every world born in the Vortex Creation within a certain period of time.

By using those marks, essences, as well as the azurites that the divine armament siblings had spread, Joshua's azure flame had ignited upon the entire Lost Galaxy.

Standing aloft in the central axis of the galaxy and allowing the worlds to orbit around himself, the four-armed Giant God of Steel looked around at the skies without a word.

He could see that the surging streams of Steel Pythons were arriving like a downpour of raindrops or a hail of snowflakes blowing at his face, pouring onto his body and covering him in a layer armor which was compact and sturdy like no other.

Each Steel Python, which carried almost all Extraordinary powers inside a world, were merely a scale upon the armor—the transition of mass was simply exceedingly complex that there was no time for Joshua to consume all of those worlds with the approaching waves of Evil Gods. It was therefore much better to bless the energy circulations of worlds with self-awareness, allowing those energies to converge upon his body.

”This power…”

The warrior murmured in awe and spread all four of his arms, his body surging with endless twisted halos—those were the formations of the many Steel Pythons connecting and fusing with each other, azure and silver light gathering, floating, and dancing around like fires around the Giant God. Where Joshua's eyes were, scarlet and blinding divine radiance permeated the Void, causing even the worlds on the other side to tremble.

Hence, a dense, serpentine belt of light began to appear over Joshua's arm. It wrapped around the warrior's four arms and shoulders, shifting like a rising corona. Hence, as if the entire galaxy was left in fear of Joshua's transformation, even the speed of its rotation became quicker. Endless worlds hence began to quake a tinge just because he existed.

”It is done.”

At that very moment, the awakening of innumerable Steel Pythons was akin to having self-awareness born unto the entire galaxy, a galactic class of Steel Python hence being born—and that Steel Python had coiled itself over Joshua's body, increasing his strength without limit while also acting as his protection.

It was an intricate plundering, a convergence that occured naturally and was no different from having massive clouds of nebulae drawing in other nebulae to eventually form a star. Likewise with the profound assemblage of Steel Strength that assembled all Steel Strength adrift on its own into a greater existence, while that could cause the Flame of the galaxy to darkness, it was always better than allowing it to shine and dazzle before ending up being consumed by the Evil Gods.

A long time thus passed—most Steel Pythons that had been grown were now the armor than shrouded Joshua's form amidst bright fiery flame. The armor itself was plain and unadorned, with not much excessive decorations save for the densely-arranged scales over it. Runes in the shape of φ hovered above it, with silver and red radiance converging and hovering over its surface like a raging flame and emitting unending sparks.

The sparks danced and illuminated the Void, with every overflowing spark burning with the illusory image of a world, everything inside set ablaze and hence reduced to ashes.

A seemingly-imaginary crown materialized and hovered over the head of the four-armed Giant God. The crown itself was basically a form of rune and an acknowledgement, pouring energy into worlds by using sources such as souls or even Chaos. In turn, worlds would pour energy into it, in a mutually beneficial relationship known as the Soul Searing, and the greatest individual who held such an authority would be the King of Searing Soul.

And now, Joshua was injecting energy into the entire galaxy, just as the entire galaxy injected its energy into him.

[King of Searing Souls—Galactic Form]

That was power far greater than the previous time when Joshua had combined forms with the Steel Python of Stellaris, with Joshua being even stronger than he was then as the controller. Now, in the split second when the Galactic Form of the King of Searing Soul had come to be, the warrior could feel that almost every world across the galaxy had become a part of himself—virtually every single cultivated Steel Python had all fused within, becoming Joshua's hands, feet, body, and heart.

He seemed to have become a Steel Python of an entire galaxy, able to feel the Soul Cycles within every world. All of those cycles and circulations had actually converged upon the Vortex of Creation—the origins of the galaxy—and if the galaxy itself had an individual consciousness, it would definitely have been born within, just like how the moment when the Evil God of Death was about to be born had almost turned the entire Vortex of Creation into its personal Darkest Abyss.

Even so, Joshua would not do something like that. All he needed was power, and not to gulp down the entire galaxy.

Moreover, it was not to say that only the Steel Pythons which Joshua had cultivated were coming to him.

***

In the vast torrent of Steel like no other, there were also World Wills that were going to Joshua on their own will.

Over the long journey, they saw the withering galaxies and the infinite legions of Chaos in the distance, as well as the warrior's armor, which was composed of the multitude of World Wills, all of which were utilized without any form of waste.

At the same time, the divine being of Steel was staring towards the distance and was about to depart.

Bring us along!

Let us go forward together.

Do not leave me behind!

For the future or for revenge, or simply because they had once been left behind and as such, were reluctant to be left behind for a second time, they willingly joined the ranks of other Steel Pythons. They would accompany the great one who was unrivaled, and hence journey towards the faraway stars for an expedition that was like no other in history.

What was more, there was certainly no lack of beings that Joshua was familiar with in the profound torrent.

The Steel Python Karlis was there, hidden amongst the tides of worlds as if intent on concealing itself. Even so, Joshua had identified it at a single glace, recognizing the familiar presence it had.

”You actually don't have to come.”

The voice of the Giant God who stood at the center of the galaxy left the Void shaking, having the force to actually move worlds. He stared at the Steel Python, which he placed upon his own palm, and flatly said, ”I would not force even Steel Pythons that have personal will, and those that are here have come because of their disappointment or to fight for the sake of revenge. And you, Karlis…my friend, there is still life growing within your body, and you still have a future to speak of.”

”It was with great difficulty that the world of Karlis reignited its flame. You do not have to come, please make haste and return.”

”No.”

Having been discovered and hence reluctant to hide any further, Karlis answered determinedly and solemnly, its resolve as sturdy as Steel. ”I will fight with you.”

”Joshua, do you know that the survivors of Grandia that lived within my body have already founded a new civilization? I feel joy for their development but I am still at a loss, for I am ever aware that they would never be my children regardless. I would love them—and I had tried, but in the end, I must acknowledge that the hate I hold for Evil Gods is greater than any love I feel.

”All of my children have perished, falling to the Evil God. Though I have told you before that hatred, no matter how much it was ingrained to the bone, would merely be insignificant dust and ripples in the Multiverse, that clinging upon it would never really allow us to advance, I have already made my choice—my desire for revenge is my path forward.”

Even as it spoke, the Steel Python lowered its head to level its gaze with the Giant God of Steel. Its eyes were immeasurably determined, and it spoke with great determination, ”Joshua, do not hesitate. Allow me to become your power!”

”Whether it is life or death that lies in the future, let us go forward together!”

The Giant God could not refuse, and so breathed a sighed and clenched his fist.

Silver radiance dazzled as the power of Karlis converged upon Joshua. He could sense that the will of Karlis was with him, just like the other intelligent Steel Pythons that had willingly come to him and become his power.

Even the Steel Python of Simboa had come to him from the Void Vortex. It appeared to be cowering, seemingly embarrassed when it saw Joshua, even voicing an apology beforehand.

”I understand that I am ill-fitting as a Steel Python.”

It mumbled quietly with a hint of regret at the Giant God, as if also recalling its scarce few memories. ”I have disappointed too many lives and hence should atone for it…I know that the power of a world such as myself would not count for much to you, but I too could see the darkness that extends as far as the eye could see. I am aware that you might not if you don't succeed, Joshua, the entire galaxy and the cosmos would hence come to be destroyed, but I just wish to tell you that if you don't mind, I could help you—even if it is just for a little.”

”Well, at least you look the part now, Simboa.”

Joshua sighed and tried to dissuade it as well. ”The superhumans and the Soul Puppets need your guidance, not to mention that your world has ascended once—there is still plenty in your future, just as I am convinced that you could change yourself to become a competent World Will…you don't have to do this.”