Chapter 289: The Miracle of Mortals, Grand Finale
Beyond the former Wall of Two Worlds, at the Godslayer Fortress.
The labyrinthine defense system, updated through countless iterations, stood like an iron lock across the river, repelling the divine legions and protecting the prosperous world built by mortals over a century.
Guarded by four Archons, the Godslayer Fortress was so formidable that even the God of Knowledge, if he were to personally enter the fray, would be outmatched.
In terms of sheer individual strength, Archons, standing at the pinnacle of mortal cultivation, were no match for deities who commanded immense energy. Deities remained the ultimate individual combatants in this Universe. Faith Power and the Plane’s original elements intertwined. Even with the advent of the negative Magic Element, they could still look down upon any mortal, relying on their accumulated might. Yet, on a larger battlefield, the Archons’ amplification effects far surpassed those of the deities. At the defense line of the Godslayer Fortress, the Archons acted as catalysts. With their powerful cognitive abilities, they could adjust the array’s effectiveness in real-time, synchronizing the overall strength and enabling soldiers to achieve a synergy far greater than the sum of their individual efforts, a feat impossible for deities. Deities were the apex of their respective factions, their strength serving primarily for frontal assaults, bolstering the single-point attack power of their armies but unable to elevate the entire force’s upper limit. This wasn’t a matter of superiority or inferiority, but an inherent characteristic of each system from its inception.
During his clashes with the Empress of Eternal Night, the God of Knowledge had honed his tactical prowess to perfection. However, every Archon opposite him possessed an equally honed skill. Furthermore, they were constantly analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of allied and enemy combat units and equipment. In conjunction with six Archons in the rear conducting research, they continuously adjusted their team compositions, making the battle a grueling ordeal for the deities.
At this juncture, the strategic value of the Empress of Eternal Night’s erection of the Wall of Two Worlds, buying time for the mortals, had been fully realized. They had evolved to a level incomprehensible even to deities. Though the rules had been rewritten by the God King, mortals had found ways to utilize them more purely and exquisitely.
“But victory is not what we seek.” The God of Knowledge gazed at the dazzling battlefield ahead, resolve hardening in his eyes.
The Sea God, God of Hope, and Dragon God, who were currently besieging the Godslayer Fortress, suddenly found their connection to their rearward sources of faith severed. Shortly thereafter, they discovered that not only was their supply line disrupted, but the very foundation of faith that constituted their bodies was losing control, acting autonomously in an irreversible manner.
“Is this some new tactic? Controlling divine power?” The God of Hope felt a primal fear. After Tiberia fell, they had devised numerous countermeasures, and the Law of Natural Selection front should not have released any virus to counter them.
The Sea God offered a wry smile. “This is a contingency from my brother. It seems we are merely pawns to be sacrificed for strategic objectives.” The method by which the three deities absorbed and converted Faith Power originated from the God King. Their reason for not betraying him was this very connection. They believed that as long as they demonstrated sufficient utility, they could continue to drift along, enjoying the benefits of this powerful faction. They never expected that when the God of Knowledge sought to achieve a grander goal, they would be utterly powerless to resist.
Three lights, akin to stars, plummeted towards the Godslayer Fortress. Facing such an extreme energy reaction, the Godslayer Fortress found itself caught off guard, lacking adequate countermeasures.
“It’s a divine self-destruction.”
“If we can withstand this wave, it’s victory. How many more deities can they self-destruct?”
“We’re locked on. There’s no escape.”
“It’s alright. The Law of Natural Selection front will not fall.”
The four Archons communicated incessantly. Their strength was insufficient to leave the battlefield at this moment, and the Godslayer Labyrinth system could not operate under such energy reactions. All they could do was forcibly activate the teleportation channels for civilian evacuation, preserving as much living force as possible for the rear and awaiting the next engagement. The three deities under the God of Knowledge were his last allies. After this wave, what other opportunities would arise? Therefore, even facing their own demise here, these most outstanding talents of the Law of Natural Selection front harbored no fear. They had endured multiple rounds of decisive battles to earn their place at the Godslayer Fortress. They had long known the risks, yet none were willing to cede the opportunity to confront the gods to others. Consequently, when faced with death, no one retreated. After all, this Universe had never offered them a choice. It wasn’t until the Azurevine Empire brought light and thought into their World, imparting enlightenment and sharing technology, that they finally understood what it truly meant to be alive. Now, to ensure that more people like themselves could retain their dignity, they were willing to fight alongside the fortress until the very last moment.
“Engage defensive enhancement mode. Maximize the consumption of the enemy’s self-detonation energy to prevent it from reaching the rear.”
“Record and analyze the enemy’s energy reaction sequences. Perhaps next time they can find a way to reproduce.”
“Pass it down. Disseminate what we’ve seen. Perhaps victory will be possible next time.”
Even under the threat of death, there was no trace of dejection in the Archons’ exchanges within the fortress. Those who had passed the test of willpower to achieve their current strength were all individuals of great perseverance, their aspirations long transcending the limits of life and death.
“Did you seek my permission to retire so easily?” A light laugh echoed within the Godslayer Fortress.
They watched as the seemingly eternal, brilliant light, though directed at the Godslayer Fortress, seemed to pass through an impenetrable spatial barrier. Then, they saw a World inhabited by countless divine-worshiping insects appear precisely where the Godslayer Fortress should have been, absorbing the self-destruction of the three deities.
This was an obliteration no single World could withstand. The accumulation of tens of thousands of years by the three deities, the Faith Power composing their bodies, was spurred to an extreme, transforming into destructive energy without constraint. Each was equivalent to a supernova explosion. Light and heat swept across hundreds of Planes, continuing to spread outwards. This damage should have fallen upon the mortal Planes behind the Godslayer Fortress, but at the critical moment, the entire Universe rotated, spatial rules shifted, and the attack of the three deities landed within their own territories. This was their safe rear area, which had minimal defenses to begin with, let alone an involuntary, super-charged self-destruction by deities. The frail divine-worshiping insects instantly vaporized, followed by the entire Plane collapsing in the explosion. Throughout this collapse, the Universe continued to rotate like a Rubik’s Cube, using other regions to disperse the wildly erupting energy.
“Alas, even the final tactic has been neutralized… So this is how the current Source Sea is used!” The God of Knowledge watched the unfolding scene, already calculating future possibilities, and knew his ambition to destroy this Universe and glimpse the World beyond the box had been utterly thwarted. His original intent was not to defeat mortals, but to destroy a sufficient number of Planes, shatter the supporting structure of the entire cosmic Rubik’s Cube, and trigger the Universe’s collapse. Therefore, he needn’t worry about the attack method, bombarding the Law of Natural Selection front with extreme energy. In the final moments, even he himself was prepared to detonate. This was a helplessly pragmatic approach. Given their control over more Planes, a battle of attrition would ultimately favor the mortal side. Ideally, he would expend one-third of his Faith Power to detonate enough Planes to trigger the Universe’s collapse. Even if he misfired or struck empty space, at most half would trigger a butterfly effect, leading to structural collapse.
However, at the critical moment, the Empress of Eternal Night and Roger had joined forces to control the Source Sea, altering the spatial structure of this Universe. Following the negative Magic Element outbreak, the Source Sea’s control over the Universe’s fundamental rules had entered a cooldown state. Coupled with the God of Knowledge being unable to divide his attention and other deities being preoccupied with pursuing Shana, he had lost sufficient defensive power over the Source Sea. He had believed that even if the Law of Natural Selection front seized this advantage, they couldn’t achieve anything earth-shattering. After all, at this moment, the Source Sea had lost even its property of destroying divine bodies; what ripples could it create?
As it turned out, mortals were indeed formidable. They seized the Source Sea and, utilizing their profound understanding of the Universe, didn’t merely develop and master its functions but attempted to expand upon them. This was a fundamental difference in approach. Deities were familiar with rules and mastered them, but their core thinking was to progress along a predefined path – “mastering the ultimate artifact, the Source Sea.” However, after the Empress of Eternal Night and Roger gained control of the Source Sea, their thinking shifted: “Having understood how the Source Sea works, can we achieve more? Can we use this small thing called the Source Sea to expand outwards?” This operation essentially treated the Source Sea as raw material to forge a new artifact, one with functions even the God of Knowledge hadn’t foreseen, directly causing his final gambit to miscalculate.
The Source Sea, whose functions were originally limited to the minimum, under the Empress of Eternal Night and Roger’s manipulation, gained the ability to move the entire Universe like a Rubik’s Cube. This was a spatial alteration that could be forcefully imposed from the Universe’s very foundation, albeit with limitations, such as requiring movement in specific areas and consuming a significant portion of the Source Sea’s reserves. But at that critical juncture, when the God of Knowledge unleashed his unrepeatable final skill, the target was shifted. This was a significant blow. Furthermore, the mortals’ maneuver not only shifted the Godslayer Fortress but also caused the deities’ territories to bear the damage, completely reversing the direction of the destructive energy. The ultimate outcome was that the God of Knowledge, with his last chip, had destroyed his own home. It was like adding injury to an already existing deficit. What plunged him into further despair was the Empress of Eternal Night’s subsequent operation: rotating the Universe like a Rubik’s Cube. His attack was intended to nullify the target Plane. Even if he attacked his own territory, if the nullification was extensive enough, there was still a glimmer of hope for the Universe’s collapse. After all, as the Rubik’s Cube rotated, the load-bearing structures also shifted. But the Empress of Eternal Night had diverted the energy, scattering his destructive impact. The so-called nullification became a pipedream, the damage dispersed. Those Planes were merely reduced to dust; they were not further nullified.
“I have lost.” The God of Knowledge conveyed his regret to the Empress of Eternal Night, looking at the woman standing side-by-side with Roger.
“We will not accept your surrender,” the Empress of Eternal Night replied coldly.
“I do not require surrender.” Sensing the last of the Planes still under his control, the God of Knowledge linked their energy and, like a supernova, detonated, wreaking destruction across half of this Universe. Of course, due to the existence of the Celestial Army, he did not control all Planes, but he still caused Roger to look at the cosmic Rubik’s Cube in his hand riddled with holes. Like an ocean, light continuously surged and erupted in every corner of this Universe.
“At the last moment, he pushed his consciousness to a higher dimensional plane, still attempting to glimpse outwards.” Roger discovered the intention behind the God of Knowledge’s energy outburst. It wasn’t a desperate act of revenge but a directed move towards a destination. The God of Knowledge had advised the God King to remain in this Universe and enjoy eternity, stating that there were sufficiently rich vistas. Yet, at his final moments, having journeyed so far, he still harbored a one-in-ten-thousand hope to verify the path the God King had failed to traverse in the past. The light persisted for a long time, long enough for the God of Knowledge’s consciousness to dissipate like clouds, unable to withstand such an explosion, yet it did not end.
“He failed,” the Empress of Eternal Night stated coldly, though a hint of undisguised regret tinged her voice. At that moment, even though the God of Knowledge was an enemy, she had hoped he would succeed, to glimpse the outside World he yearned for, even if just once. Alas, fate afforded him no opportunity. Even in a World shaped by creators, miracles did not simply occur.
“No, he was simply unworthy of a miracle. He chose an absolutely selfish path from the beginning… Therefore, miracles are only on our side, like our victory.” She turned back, looking at the mature man who was no longer a youth, and chided him playfully, “Shameless. You only laid the groundwork; it was our efforts that forged infinite possibilities.”
“What is the point of countless zeros without me, the one?”
“Boring prejudice.” She snorted, but then turned her gaze back, a faint smile appearing on her lips: “The Empire has finally achieved ultimate victory…” From this moment on, there were no longer deities born inherently superior to mortals above their heads. The entire Universe awaited their exploration. Even though the battlefield was in ruins, given sufficient time, they could repair it and even make it more prosperous. In the utilization of matter and energy, they continuously advanced, transcending their own limitations; every day, they created more miracles.
“Let’s hope we are not the new dragons.” Roger looked at the revitalized mortal kingdoms, a playful smile on his lips. What if the history of the Universe was simply a cycle of repetition?
…
…
Eternal Night World, Azurevine Empire, City of Mysteries.
In the Starlight Palace’s Assembly Hall, the cabinet meeting concerning the Empire’s five-year plan had just concluded successfully under the leadership of the Empress of Eternal Night and the Regent. The people of the Empire now had new directions for progress. In terms of material enjoyment, a commoner in the Empire today possessed more than a Duke of the past, and their knowledge and world-altering capabilities were legendary tier. Microcosmic, internalized Archon equipment appeared continuously within ordinary individuals, like implants. The legend of “everyone becoming a dragon” was no longer fantasy but a tangible possibility. Therefore, the future direction was to explore the vaster Universe and to systematically control the power unleashed by the God of Knowledge’s final self-destruction. The deities’ final gift had revealed to them a higher level of destructive power, prompting their attempt to harness it and transform it into creative force.
“Why do I always feel like this is unleashing new destruction?” The Empress of Eternal Night sighed lightly, recalling the plan just approved.
Roger shook his head. “You must believe in our rationality. Or rather, you’ve already done enough. There’s no need to worry excessively about the fate of the Universe.”
The Empress of Eternal Night stubbornly replied, “What if I insist on worrying?”
“Then… if you promote me from Regent to Prince, I’ll do as you please.”
“Dream on! Not only will I not promote you, but I’ll strip you of your Regent title too. After all, I’m back; what are you regent for… Insolent! You attacked me again!”
“If I were truly insolent, why are you smiling so happily?”
(The End of the Book)
New Book: “Ten Years of Slaying Demons in Dreams, I Am Invincible?” Has Been Released.
One-Sentence Synopsis:
After I fall asleep, I’ll chop you all to pieces!
Normal Synopsis:
Ronan transmigrated to the Middle Ages and became a wealthy young baron, with both parents alive, a sister, and a home. The only regret in his mundane life was that every night he dreamt of countless indescribable monsters chasing him relentlessly. Unable to bear it any longer, he finally resolved to face the monsters head-on! “In my dreams, you still think you can bully me?”
… The Demon Control Bureau, the Holy See, the Blood Cult, the Gray Robes… Powerful figures from hidden organizations watched the Abyssal Wall. The restless stirrings of demons validated the prophecy of impending doom. Luxipher, a Six-winged Angel, arrived at the wall, stood in silence for a long time, and whispered softly, “Why do I feel like they are fleeing something in terror and desperately want to come to our side?”
… “To the whimpers and roars in the dark from the humblest of dreams.”
“My sword is only to reclaim a life of ordinary peace.”
“The path back is broken, my homeland is burned; then I shall forge a new ideal nation with my own hands!”
The youth recasts his broken sword in his dreams, returns to the human world, and battles until he is mad. He suddenly discovers that he is… invincible?
