Soul of Searing Steel

Along the trail of both the Initial Flame and the Great Mana Tide, Joshua came across the corpses of champions, by the thousands.

Each of them had been the greatest individuals with powers to hold together an entire civilization, and yet, what Joshua was seeing was merely a small portion of the innumerable corpses… perhaps none would have truly learnt how many had passed the trail and how many had died there.

“Their purpose must have been the same as the Sage’s and the Wise Ones’ as well: to pursue the light of the Initial Flame. They would certainly have noticed that there must be a greater secret behind the unusual movements of the Evil Gods.”

Joshua did not stop for the dead body of those champions—at most, he would pause to study any body structure he found to be unusual or when he believed it to be of help to himself. Now, as he stroked the large fungal cap of a species that resembled a larger Starherder, he pondered somberly, “Of course, they may have simply wanted to explore the source of the Great Mana Tide as well. At the very least, Barnil, Barbarossa, and their lot had mentioned it at least once.”

“Still, it’s strange…why are there no traces at all? That radiant cocoon must have come this way as well.”

He checked three times, but there was still nothing out of the ordinary. Joshua was well sure that white surge of the Great Mana Tide was perhaps the only trail to explore the Initial Flame and the fountainhead of the Great Mana Tide, and that he and the radiant cocoon must have assumed the same path—and yet, he had not seen anything resembling the Ultimate Virus on those corpses.

Being one with morals, Joshua would not have simply destroyed the corpses of those alien individuals. He imagined that, being a part of those who pursued the truth of the Multiverse as well, those people deserved his respect—even in death, what remained of them must be left in peace.

That idea, however, was a rare one. Anyone a little more pragmatic would have attempted to use those corpses for reference and inspiration even without destroying it, recovering the lifeless bodies which would have revealed substantial Extraordinary legacies even if only a tiny bit was analyzed…and when it came to the radiant cocoon, an entity of malice and corruption that had attempted to invade Stellaris as well as spread the Ultimate Virus from the Mana Tide’s upstream, Joshua could not think of any reason it had not used and retrieved those corpses.

“Maybe it’s just unnecessary.”

Joshua ceased that trail of thought upon reaching an answer that did not really appear to be one. “After all, that cocoon would have only collected anything as powerful as an Evil God. While the champions had been powerful, they are dead, with whatever value and skill they once held partially lost.”

Then what was its purpose?

That particular question, however, was easy to understand.

Joshua considered the matter by putting himself in the perspective of another. If he had been one who had journeyed so long along the trail of the Mana Tide to finally reach a spot where no one had been before, and if he saw a massive world just when he would have continued advancing towards both Initial Flame and Mana Tide…

Then, for whatever cause, which included replenishment or curiosity, anyone would have naturally attempted to enter that world to see what was inside, would they not? There may have been clues about the Initial Flame, or not to mention, some other precious object.

Perhaps.

Occasionally, thoughts need not be complicated, and the answers to the questions could have been something as simple as curiosity.

“But that’s not the reason it had controlled the spawns of Chaos with hostility and destroyed all those civilizations.”

Taking a deep breath, Joshua’s clone remained where it was, like a sturdy reef that split apart the surging light of the Mana Tide, while thinking about his next plan. “If that radiant cocoon would still linger around Stellaris for a long time and keep attempting to invade it…”

“Well, it seems like that’s the only option for me.”

***

March 24, Starfall year 848—within the world of Mycroft, the Multiverse Sacrificial Grounds, Stargate base.

In a quiet room with simple decorations inside the Holy Mountain Warship of the Seven Gods Church, Roland, godson of the Pope and newly ascended Legend, turned on his Spirit Terminal to receive the emergency report transmitted from the Mycroft colonies in the Multiverse.

“A direct message from the bishop of the frontline colonies?”

Still dressed in his pale white full-body armor that glimmered in green and having put his helm on a table beside him, the blonde knight’s blue eyes noticed the signature on the report and raised his brow.

Having ascended to Legend, Roland’s facial features was no different than when he was younger, although his eyes seemed deeper and his expressions more mature compared to his pure zeal and slightly naivety back then. In fact, there was a hint of his godfather’s Igor’s previous dispassionate charm, his body even exuding a might that caused those with malice to tremble.

Nonetheless, after carefully reading through the report, the serene Holy Knight’s demeanor turned solemn.

“Epidemic…sudden infection…that’s really going to be tough.”

After going through the document, Roland frowned and paced around his room.

The contents of the report were actually simple: an evangelist of the Seven Gods Church had observed suspected symptoms of the supernatural epidemic in the Mycroftian colony closest to the Galaxy of Bloodbath—the details of which matched what had been seen before.

“Joshua’s last communication clearly said that the plague is spreading in Stellaris too. Now, it’s clear that it’s a widespread infection across multiple cosmos—damn it, what does that culprit want?”

Moving to his table, picking up his helm, and putting it on, Roland strode out for the central zone of the Holy Mountain Fortress, puzzled even as he moved along. “Would such an infection be slightly good, even if it is an Evil God?”

***

With a special Restoration Beam placed in Moldavia, Joshua was able to briefly communicate with the Mycroft continent, and it was the method through which Joshua had easily spread the tide of Emotional power to each Restoration Beam.

The last time Joshua had called on Mycroft was regarding the Ultimate Virus—both ends had foreseen the horrors of the supernatural epidemic and attempted various measures to prevent any chance of its appearance. Joshua had also confirmed that its source, the radiant cocoon, had released some sort of ripple to trigger the virus, even using his own ripple to interfere and stop the Ultimate Virus from suddenly pouring out around Mycroft.

However, that could not stop the manifested portion of the viruses across the Void from spreading.

Things were as how the report had put it: the Ultimate Virus had now reached the vicinity of Mycroftian colonies. If nothing out of the ordinary interfered, those colonies would soon be left isolated on foreign stars, having to implement major disinfecting operations or even fight against Ultimate Entities.

Even so, there was major likelihood that giving up would have been the best option. Though helpless, it was the only way without a developed vaccine.

“Your Holiness.”

There were not many people inside the central control room of the Holy Mountain Fortress. Most church elites were out across the galaxies, spreading religion and culture, and establishing shrines in other worlds for the convenience of the Seven Gods’ advent. Those who stayed back on Mycroft were mostly older individuals with able hands and experience, albeit lacking in vigor, as well as Extraordinary individuals with great power who were able to ensure the safety of Mycroft.

Pope Igor of the Seven Gods Church was a perfect example.

“I know. I’ve read the report.”

The incarnation of light which had stood guard on the Holy Mountain Fortress all along opened his eyes at the voice of his godson, revealing two fiery platinum pupils that brightened the dim room. Glancing sideways at Roland as the knight lowered his head in a salute, Igor flatly said, “Archbishop Anmill has discovered signs of the plague spreading within the borders of the Cherrie Void Union. We warned them but were still not heeded—compared to the plague, they are more afraid of us making camp in their domain and affecting their sovereignty, which is why they kept hesitating and never did come to a decision.”

“…Such are rulers of the secular. They never see the greater threats.”

Roland growled, looking up. “Your Holiness, how do we handle this? Mycroft’s own lands may be protected by the Seven Gods’ and Radcliffe’s power to prevent a sudden rise of the plague, but if it moves along the portal networks and the Stargate, even divine powers would have a hard time keeping track, given its concealed nature!”

There was also something that the Holy Knight left unsaid, but he trusted his godfather to understand his intent.

There certainly had been another purpose in spreading that mysterious virus than simply killing, which could have well been a mere side-effect. If the existence that had created the unnatural epidemic was not an Evil God as Joshua had described, then its true purpose would not have been simple destruction.

“Be at ease. We are already prepared for it.”

The pontiff’s platinum pupils whirled slightly as if connecting to his faraway true form, while the luminous humanoid calmly said, “A steady but passive plan, as well as another dangerous plan that actually uproots it, are ready.”

“So, which shall we choose?”

Roland had no idea what Igor was referring to with ‘plans’, but instinctively continued, “The steady plan?”

“Naturally, whether it comes to be, ordinary civilizations would get to choose.”

The old pontiff shrugged and smiled, spreading his hands good naturedly and told his godson, “But if it is up to us, we would choose everything.”

With that witty remark, Igor’s expression returned to serenity as he gazed upon his godson and knight who had lowered his head again, awaiting his orders. “Go to Moldavia, Roland,” he said with a deep voice. “The Imperial External Exploration Department has set up temporary headquarters there—I am sending you and the Knights to aid Radcliffe’s apprentices in carrying out that steady plan called the Full Evacuation Drill.”

“As for the other Legendary champions and myself…we will be carrying out the dangerous plan.”

With those words, the luminous humanoid closed his eyes, a sign that the full power of his true form was being drawn upon and that he was only observing his surroundings with simple senses. Noticing that, Roland lifted his head and silently watched the old pontiff who said nothing else for a moment, before answering solemnly.

“Yes, Your Holiness!”

***

The First Fringe Agricultural Realm, the Cherrie Void Union—a common small continental world in which a plane of light and fire orbited on its outer reaches. It eventually became the sun of supercontinent that spent 1.7 billion squared kilometers, blessing the world with a gentle climate and rich crops, creating a fertile land where diverse species flourished.

The Cherrie Void Union was an assembly of nations of seven different races, and through seven hundred years of union rule and correlated genetic adjustments, there were basically no racial policies or isolation in procreation. Hence, all seven races combined, becoming a new people as Cherrians.

Meanwhile, the First Fringe Agricultural Realm was a world that the Union had discovered three hundred years ago. Given that its climate was especially suitable for widespread agricultural activities, everyone was shocked to find no exceedingly powerful intelligent species or native magical creatures—hence, the Cherrians had colonized that world with virtually no major effort, even adapting it to be a farming world which could sufficiently provide for 34% of the entire Union’s food consumption.

Here, over 370 million farmers were growing industrialized crops, with 49 million workers in charge of processing the raw food source. Though the world was vast and the population sparse, the working pace was kept leisurely with the help of magic. Moreover, the fields and farmsteads that stretched on as far as the eye could see left one revitalized, with the edible fishes that were reared delicately in the oceans also fitting into the corresponding ecosystem, making it a land of delicacies.

That was also precisely why the First Fringe Agricultural Realm had especially developed a coastline marketed as a high-end luxurious resort—holidaying there eventually became the greatest aim in life for the Cherrians.

But the world which should have been paradise and allowed people a sense of peace was now very silent.

“At first, a dozen farmers had mysteriously disappeared on the southern edge of the continent.”

“Then, the grass dragons in the farms vanished by the dozens. It was as if they were vanishing into thin air, with neither corpses nor bones left behind.”

“Soon after, the workers in the farms were issuing distress signals, but the rescue teams found nothing when they arrived—the farms were empty with no signs of struggles, or even a drop of blood.”

“In no time at all, even the rescuers were gone—the Cherrie Authorities, finally finding things unusual, dispatched specialized Extraordinary individuals to have a look.”

“But even before they had reached, contact with every citizen of the southern continent was lost. 50 million individuals were completely lost.”

“The farmers of the other zones began to panic and wanted to escape, but were stopped by the Extraordinary individuals who had reached the world and imposed martial law—they put the world on lockdown once they realized that the case has something to do with the Ultimate Virus.”

“However, a Supreme-tier mage went missing three hours after heading out to survey ground zero. There was no response at all.”

“The Cherrie Union has since sealed the world, completely ignoring the riots of 300 million local farmers…in the end, most of them were natives and as long as they kept a lid on communications, the other colonies would know nothing and not cause any widespread hysteria…but the Union had not imagined that those 300 million would also vanish as if they had never existed in just a week.”

“Our friendly aid was refused previously because ‘the disappearances do not resemble an epidemic but rather that of a civil dispute by some rebellion force’, yet upon observing the concentrated amounts of Ultimate Viruses definitely contained in the atmosphere of the First Fringe Agricultural Realm, the Cherrian ambassador kneeled before us, begging for interference… Sigh. The people of an entire world wouldn’t have had to die if they understood that early on… that’s almost 400 million people.”

In one of the southern agricultural bases of the First Fringe Agricultural Realm, the Nature Magister Aydril Galanoud and the Murloc High Priest was walking through the farm lands, both hidden by the towering straws. As the elf and murloc looked around at the green otherworldly crops, both appeared disappointed.

“Igor? Can you hear me? This should be the source of the Ultimate Virus spreading across the borders of the Cherrie Void Union. Has the rest cleared up the other zones?”

“Clear.”

The mild voice of the old pope piped up from a tiny piece of equipment beside Galanoud’s ear. “Still, the infected area is too wide and vulnerable like the Great Mana Tide itself. It’s not just here in the Cherrie Union either—several indigenous civilizations that have not reached the Void are also showing symptoms of infection, and would all be decimated if we had not hurried here to purge it.”

“Anyway, our task went smoothly, the locals proved cooperative and there are no anomalies here. Galanoud, Godard, continue the capture task but be careful—the Ultimate Entities are horrors, even transcending common sense on occasion.”

“Understood.

Assuredly no amateur on her first mission, Galanoud still felt a little emotional, being in her first mission in a foreign world after years since her last. Hence, after disconnecting from the communications with the old pontiff, she turned to Godard and complained. “I really don’t get it…normal virus and bacteria that have really evolved successfully would actually refrain from killing their hosts. In fact, the more potent they are, the easier they would go extinct entirely by themselves because they would fail to spread.

“Grooooo…the Ultimate Virus is no ordinary virus. In fact, it might not even be a virus—it’s just that our shallow biological knowledge simply classifies it as one.”

The Murloc High Priest replied rather vaguely, shaking his head and showing somberness in his expression. “Groo… And I’ll say it first: I’m leaving you behind if anything happens. I won’t put myself on the line to save you since you’re not murloc.”

“Never counted on it.” The Nature Magister’s brow twitched, but she spoke as if it was only natural. “But before that, you still have to help me.”

***

The murlocs and the humanoid races of the eastern plains shared generational grudges. If it was not for the Berserker Dragon Plague, the murloc tribes would have waged war against humans and elves, with Barbarossa and Vahina having confronted Godard himself. It was a slight enmity that lasted even after the era of Great Development, only diminishing a little when the murloc population was threatened.

Even so, Godard was still not amicable with his old rivals, a point evident in his attitude towards Galanoud. Still, the pair being classic Legendary champions who had witnessed the infinite sights of the Multiverse in recent years, they were now more liberal with the old vengefulness they shared when they had all been locked with one world, even able to carry out missions together.

“Cut the chatter. One world, over 300 million people and over billions of livestock vanished or dead. Godard, what do you think?”

Even as they spoke, the Nature Magister had arrived upon a vast farm where crops were growing without control, reaching over several meters in height. As she stood before the blossoming forage, the elven Legend’s pointed ears pricked up, and she looked up towards the sky.

The elemental sun was covered in dark rain clouds while a dark, humidly hot presence extended—a hot tropical downpour was coming.

“What else is there to think about?”

Watching the clouds which were about to pour, Godard smiled comfortably and quietly said, “An Ultimate Entity was born here in this world. To sustain itself with nutrients, it had eaten every creature in this planet.”

“Alright. Then where do you imagine that the Ultimate Entity is hiding?”

Slowly, an obscure shroud appeared at the edge of the farm. It appeared as a rather clean milky-white mist as if it was milk that hovered in the air, wafting out of the land, pasture, and every crack present. If someone were to look down from the skies, they would have realized in shock that the shroud had filled the entire farm world, and each corner of the continent was completely engulfed in white shroud.

And every bit of the shroud was concentrated Ultimate Virus, not to mention that whispers echoed in the shroud, as if something was walking through the grasslands covered in the shroud.

Even so, the faces of the elf and murloc duo did not change despite the otherworldliness, even appearing rather relaxed. Galanoud simply raised a hand, and a scepter resembling a branch appeared in her hand, glimmering in emerald light and dispelling the shroud.

“But why would the Ultimate Entity consume humans and livestock,” she asked quietly with a grin, “but not grass?”

“Do you have to ask?”

The Murloc High Priest took a deep breath, and his aged murloc form rapidly changed. His steel-green skin turned into a bright blackness as if it was forged from the smoothest of black metals—whenever the white shroud touched his skin, it was instead absorbed in return.

“Because it is grass itself—the very forage that the livestock feed upon!”

***

In the very moment those words were spoken, a raging downpour instantly washed over the land.

Then came lightning, which virtually illuminated all of the obscure shroud in the First Fringe Agricultural Realm.

Indeed, beneath all that was flora that whirled, moving as one with its bulk that was dozens of miles in length! Every single plant growing upon the farm world, from its forests to its weeds, croplands to wheat fields, seaweed to cacti—everything was tangled by a dense web of milk-white roots into a single bundle!

The roots extended out towards the entire continent, digging in little by little and pervading the world. White tendrils could be seen reproducing by eroding ground and stone, having digested a small layer of the lithosphere. The deepest of the roots had even dug inside to the planet’s core and fed on heated magma, and there was no question that the colossal aberrative system of woods would have consumed the entire world and turn into a malicious beast that roamed the Void!

And now, that beast was baring its ferocious claws and teeth at the two strangers who had infiltrated its domain. With an earth-shattering reverberation, the ground shattered in the farm where both Galanoud and Godard were present as a level twelve earthquake abruptly started, throwing debris and shattered stone into the air. Meanwhile, alongside the tremor that shook heaven and earth, a dozen clawed roots that were a dozen miles long unleashed a heat close to the sun’s like a manifested high-frequency magic boundary, lashing down upon the murloc-elf duo like a falling mountain!

If they had been ordinary Extraordinary individuals, that strike that was akin to a corona whiplash striking at a million degrees that would have secured an advantage even if it did not kill them.

However, neither Galanoud nor Godard were ordinary Extraordinary individuals.

“Ultimate Forage. How much livestock would it cater for if it could be eaten?”

A murmur of awe spoke just as the overcast clouds and debris, along with the White Shroud completely composed of Ultimate Virus were all penetrated, for the silhouette of a great tree which pillared sky and earth, even almost punching through the world itself, had suddenly appeared upon the First Fringe Agricultural Realm.

Boom! The great tree descended, directly pressing down and flattening on the trembling grounds while its own roots extended, reaching into the earth which had been conquered by the white roots—when dark green Nature Power unleashed, a raw ‘survival of the fittest’ presence forcefully tore apart the white roots. The roots of the world tree began to reach down beneath the world as well, waging a direct struggle against the white roots for the land.

Nonetheless, it was all only in appearance. The clash of the profound world tree and the white roots was not simply to secure erosive rights and nutrients, since Galanoud was actually studying her opponents’ biological details—and soon enough, her voice echoed throughout the world.

“Its true form is down at the south continent, directly beneath Grass Dragon Farm No. 19!

“Got it.”

Having heard the instruction, a massive cavity suddenly appeared in the white shroud high above on the other side amidst a scattered rumble that could break even a tempest.

A dark shadow glimmered in the middle of all that—a pair of fearsome draconic wings had grown from the back of the Murloc High Priest, its tips equipped with a rocket momentum structure. By carrying out a powerful element decimation reaction, the searing elemental Jetstream accelerated him to a speed of 300,000 meters per second, which was indeed an apocalyptic speed for a world with an atmosphere. Gales built up behind the High Priest’s, and with a streak of magma trail extending, super hurricanes began to rage upon the land, tearing the rain clouds overhead apart and dicing the white roots into pieces.

Soon, the dark shadow had arrived at the appointed destination: Grass Dragon Farm No.19, a zone that had been entirely occupied by white roots and turned into its lair.

Boom!!!!

The black shadow flashed and streaked past—it was a rapid blast that could upturn the lithosphere and the planet’s mantle, and in that split second, a perfectly circular crevice was tunneled into the ground. At its edge near the core zone was a tangle of massive white roots that resembled a heart and was attempting to ensnare the planet’s core.

“Too bad, lucky little fellow who has managed to withstand the growth to Ultimate.”

In that very moment, Godard remembered the anguish of being oppressed by his old rivals over a dozen years, and the embarrassment of being so easily surpassed by those other little fellows who had merely trained just over a dozen years.

He also remembered the envy and jealous of the rich, vibrant skills and worlds that the other civilizations in the Void possessed, finding himself annoyed that he was a fighter but only researching something trifle such as edible worms. In fact, there was no need to mention his delight in being allowed to carry out missions on foreign grounds to make breakthroughs after staying secluded for so long… and the indescribable anger he felt over the same matter!

I am the Murloc High Priest, not some developer of agricultural products! I could do that for my race, but it does not mean that I have to keep farming until the end!

Facing the core of the Ultimate Forage, as well as the layers of hexagonal magical bounded fields which resembled beehives and were manifesting, Godard’s body shifted slightly. In an instant, he assumed a combat mage form with the capacity to easily break through arcane defenses—after having held back for a dozen years and finally given a chance to unleash his powers, the Murloc High Priest beamed, revealing his serrated teeth that resembled a shark’s.

“Weeding is our specialty!”