GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

In the early stages of life within a realm, war was small in scale. War and fighting occurred between small tribes within a race, then large tribes against another, then one race against another race, but all this was limited to within the plane.

Things changed when a plane is able to access the ancient battlefield, interplane warfare was introduced. Planes fought one another for various reasons and interests across the ancient battlefield. There were occasions of entire planes being invaded and conquered.

Since those terrifying times war hasn't escalated, instead it has subsided. Now Origin gods fight in the upper realm, but even their battles seldom involve a race against another. Most of the fights in the upper realm occur because of personal interests or conflicts between organizations. Race war does happen in the upper realm but it is rare.

When a realm tree reaches a particular level of power, it seeks to annex the weak realm trees around it. This is known as the era of conquest. It usually starts when a realm is capable of at least protecting itself against the terrifying entities above the level of Origin god. This era which will usher in one realm against another realm in battles aimed at utter annihilation means a lot of things to different people.

To some, it means death, especially to the weak and the target of the invasion. To others, in particular the aggressors, it is an opportunity to rise, most especially origin gods, it is a chance for them to become world gods and the most powerful at that, but everyone gets something from it.

Dylganihl remembered that he was so shocked by the declaration of the realm lord, that his face had frozen over with his mouth hanging open. He was further impressed with the demeanor of the realm lord. To the realm lord, his achievement sounded like nothing much, just a matter of fact.

The realm lord continued, "I don't want this information to be shared with anyone, not of this realm."

The origin gods present nodded their heads meekly. He didn't need to ask them to keep the information from spreading outside the realm but it doesn't hurt to insist on it. Especially if there are ignorant new origin gods present that don't know the law that states that,

"The realm lord cannot be betrayed. Betrayal will lead to disintegration."

No one has tested this law because of their heartfelt loyalty to mother High Heaven and their deep-seated fear of her.

"I have indeed met the requirement, but I don't intend to break through just yet. I have given myself a period of 10 to 100 origin cycles to perfect my preparations. I'm not even 100 origin cycles old."

The realm lord chuckled after that. The people around him could only smile and shake their heads.

"This period is also for everyone who will partake in this endeavor. It is time to make decisions and preparations. It is an opportunity and a death sentence."

At this, the realm lord watched the various emotions from the facial expressions of those present. Origin gods are true immortals, but there are certain threats in the void universe that can make living worse than death.

In the era of conquest, there is either life or death for the invaded. Dylganihl knew that for those invaded it will be a calamity that will threaten their existence, they either push back the invaders of their realm or they fall.

Life in the entire realm will be wiped out, only Origin gods will survive. But the path to further breakthroughs will be severed for them without their home realm tree. No one can progress to become a world god without the acknowledgment of the will of his or her realm.

To this, the realm lord said. "Only the strong will survive"

This was a statement and a stance. For the era of conquest to start, the will of the realm must agree and the realm lord must agree too. The will of the realm will agree after its realm lord becomes a world god, it is an infallible rule.

The realm will become stronger and be able to produce more Origin gods. Even though the realm lord will certainly enjoy a direct increase in power and wealth, some realm lords might not be okay with the destruction of life in an entire realm for power.

Those kinds of realm lords don't exist, no one that naive gets to become a realm lord. But if they exist, then they won't be able to progress further and they will be weak because they can't bear to watch the death of numerous people during the trial of heaven.

The meeting continued but Dylganihl was mostly absent-minded. He couldn't make up his mind concerning the era of conquest. It is without a doubt that he is talented. And with this talent came ambitions. He had learned from his father that world gods were not equal.

There were grades of potential to their power, which will determine their maximum future strength. This grade is based on the world controlled and the best world for a world god is something like a realm tree with a fully developed law and life system.

As a talented person, he would want the best for himself but the only feasible way for him to get that is through conquest. Especially when his magnificent and all-powerful father did not make do with second best. If he is to follow in his father's footsteps then he also has to get the best. If not, space will not tremble in his presence as it does for his father.

But he still wasn't able to settle his mind so he went out to his favorite city in the realm to visit some old friends. They like him there and would always welcome him with open arms. He could eat and drink away his worries with their generosity.

The turmoil in his mind was because he isn't a killer at heart. He is okay with taking little trinkets from people, but mass murder isn't something he could stomach. He has never had to because he is a dragon and self-sufficient. But now he has to cause the death of races in an entire realm just so he can grow stronger.

"I must admit that I might be inferior to the realm lord," he said with a shake of his head.

He had heard how the realm lord had walked through blood and sweat before he became the realm lord. He had been hunted to the extent that he could only live within the demon abyss. The demon abyss wasn't safe but at least the demons will be unbiased, they will try to kill all non-demons that enter their plane. So the young realm lord and his pursuers were hunted equally until they gave up.

"Maybe my thoughts were shallow. I shouldn't have compared myself to the realm lord. It certainly takes more than gusto and charm to be the realm lord."

But when he heard what the realm lord said about, "Dreams can be achieved only if you have the courage to aim for it and the strength to pursue it. To get anywhere you must start from somewhere, the first step always counts."

He decided to take the first step, which was to inform his father, and the next was to gather and train his forces.