《Stellar Cultivation Civilization》


 Chapter 1 Reed and Lily(1)

    SCC Chapter 1 Reed and Lily(1)


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 7, 11:35PM


    The passage of time is an immutable fact. There are some small voices within the scientific community that claim that time might not be a dimension, but an illusion. Though, He, Mumaso Reed was a believer that time passes. If it was an illusion, then that meant that the universe itself too, was nonexistent.


    Ten whole years... A decade. It had passed while he had been in closed door cultivation related research. Though not much had changed outside the transparent shielding, doubling as the window to his small sanctuary, his office, there were some changes that had happened, like the massive construct above the city. The night was its ally, making its hull increasingly hard to make out, but it''s most prominent feature that gave it away were the three massive engines releasing a large volume of photons within the white spectrum that were almost making it feel like it was day time.


    Time had surely gone by, yet his modest office had stayed the same, with dark surfaces interspersed with scribbles of white that painted an enchanting picture, yet also serving as energy conduits for the hidden machines.


    Mumaso Reed floated away from the window, with his feet, just a few inches from the ground. A thought-no, a desire had just popped into his mind, one which always pertained to a particular drink that he loved.


    With just a mental communication, a hidden compartment was revealed just behind the black wall, filled with five sealed glass bottles of an emerald liquid with flecks of gold floating within.


    A smile lit up his visage as he took out one of the bottles, opening it fast enough that his hand blurred, then took a long drink, with over half the contents going down his throat. The sound of lips smacking echoed within the room before he plopped down onto a chair behind his desk and swiveled around to enjoy the golden sparks that appeared within his vision, akin to stars in the sky.


    A few minutes later, the high passed, and he gazed at the remaining liquid within the bottle, desiring to take it all, but ultimately gave up with a click of the tongue, returning it to the hidden compartment, before once again appearing behind his desk.


    (Paul!)


    Upon his mental order, a beam of light fell down onto the floor just beyond the table, through which, particles of matter started appearing, then multiplied until they transformed into a silver body with blue pupils.


    "Mr. Mumaso Reed, welcome back from your seclusion."


    "Thanks, Paul. So, what has been up in the world since my seclusion?"


    Mumaso Reed asked. Even though this hadn''t been a cultivation retreat, where he would have had to cut off most of his senses to the outside world, he had still made sure to ignore anything short of urgent from reaching his ears.


    "567 events have happened. I am going to send the relevant data."


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    And with that, Mumaso Reed was brought up to speed on the state of affairs.


    "When is Mr. Taylor expected to leave seclusion?" Mumaso Reed hadn''t found anything particularly noteworthy within the packet of data. There had been some interesting things, but they hadn''t been enough to require his attention.


    "Unknown."


    Mumaso Reed narrowed his eyes at the synthetic being upon that answer. The main brain most definitely knew that definite time. But pushing won''t give him anything, so he let it go.


    "My wealth, how much has it grown by in these ten years?" He asked in anticipation, having pushed the other matter to the back of his mind. He really wanted to meet with the man in order to discuss his latest theory... Plus, Taylor was the only potential test subject he had ties with.


    "The share value has grown by almost 40%, branches have been opened in every state of the Federation, and over 90% are using the product."


    Joy blossomed within his heart at those figures, but not enough to elicit a cry of surprise as he had also expected atleast that much. After all, he was the only one with the knowledge on how to make the product, not to mention the fact that it was needed by every single cultivator if they didn''t want to run out of lifespan.


    "Now that I am out of seclusion earlier than expected, is there a task that needs my attention?" Mumaso asked, only for a minute vibration from a particle in an inconspicuous location within his office to attract his attention.


    "Before you say anything, you can go back for now." Paul, the synthetic body for a cloned awareness of the Federation AI acknowledged before his body turned back into individual particles and rising to the ceiling.


    A few minutes were expended by Reed as he waited and scanned to make sure that the awareness of that AI had gone away. He was certain that it knew why it was being sent away, but that was the pact it had made with the Federal Government. All Nascent Soul beings were outside of its jurisdiction, especially in relation to monitorings.


    Reed had sent a transmission about the end of his seclusion to the particular bunch on the other end of that quantum signal just after exiting his seclusion, even before he had appeared within this room. And considering the fact that they had contacted him just minutes later, then there must have been a situation, one that should definitely need his attention.


    After schooling his features into a stoic mask, he accepted the query, upon which part of his mind sunk into an illusory realm. When his attention was finally steadied, there was the urge to roll his eyes, which was stifled instantly.


    Since meeting this person, he had had many such moments. In this woman''s dictionary, simple, boring and normal, were the three words that apparently didn''t exist.


    "Boss! How could you not have told me that you were about to enter seclusion?! Do you know how hard it was to leash those imbeciles?!"


    Reed had known that this was going to happen. So he wasn''t surprised at the outburst.


    "I just knew you were the right person for the job."


    "Mr. Boss! I need a raise! In the past decade, your ranking has finally managed to break into the top three!"


    "Hoh!"


    "I am not going to divulge anything before you promise-no, an oath!"


    "Latniss, I don''t have time for this. Many other trivial matters await my attention." Reed tried to convince the woman, who had edited her avatar to become pink, just like the general theme of the illusory realm, from the flowers to the star in the sky, thereby having made that color the only spectrum of visible light apart from the shadows, which were portrayed in an orange color.


    "Reed, how long have we known each other? I can read you like the back of my hand. Your little maneuvers won''t work on me."


    "Okay. Okay. How much do you want!?"


    "1 billion."


    "Hey! Hey! That''s clearly a scam! Latniss! Be reasonable! A fuckin'' billion!?"


    "Reed! Reed! Reed! Hear me out here. You have to compensate for my emotional damage too! It takes a toll on the mind! Have you met Declan?! Of course you have. Then you must understand the effort it takes to handle him!"


    A grimace appeared on Reed''s face. How could he not understand the problem child that was Declan. He was always in rage mode. Anything could set him off, not to mention the fact that he wasn''t one to abide by orders.


    "But a billion is still too much. You clearly want to fleece me. 100 million. Don''t even try to bargain for more."


    "Okay! Thank you, boss."


    Reed cursed inwardly. He had been played! Ten million should have been more than enough to keep her happy. He massaged his forehead. It was always a war when trying to handle her, not to mention the rest of the gang.


    "So, what was important enough for you to reach out this early?"


    "There have been some movements from you-know-who."


    "..." He raised an eyebrow, with his expression taking on a serious tint.


    "Whats his target? And, can he be stopped, or whatever he wants, be intercepted?" Reed''s voice came out deeper than ever, with his eyes taking on a sharp glint.


    "Its a person. I have no idea how, or why she appeared on his radar, but apparently, he has been initiating contact multiple times."


    "Who''s the person?"


    "Someone going by the names of Lily Toba, a matriarch of a clan in Indonesia." The answer caused Reed''s face to warp.


    "No. I didn''t hack into her private messages... What we picked up were rumors from the people high up."

 Chapter 2 Reed and Lily(2)

    SCC Chapter 2 Reed and Lily(2)


    "How could such a matter have spread if it involves such a high personage?" Reed became puzzled.


    "Apparently,she has been going around asking for help." A heavy sigh escaped the lips of Latniss.


    "Let me guess... They all refused, with some even intentionally spreading their decision on the matter so as not to earn that man''s ire."


    "The Federation has progressed all the way to this stage, and yet, there are still those that fear, or want to suck up to the sects."


    "It''s only because the President hasn''t acted in a long time that they think the sects have all the power. Though, it will be better to keep an eye on those powers and individuals that are problematic."


    "I have already done that. Anyway, I have heard that even a certain Nascent Soul personage said that he would only help if she became his concubine."


    "Not the wife?"


    "He must have only wanted to humiliate her."


    "Who was that person?" Reed asked. He felt righteous indignation on behalf of the woman. Of course he wouldn''t act based on his emotional state, but would keep the name in mind.


    "So, what are we going to do about this?" She asked after sending me his name via divine sense. It wasn''t safe to utter the names of Nascent Souls, as there could be unknown consequences, with one famous incident being the fact that the powerhouse had, through some esoteric means, been able to track down the person in just 30 minutes.


    Even Reed still didn''t understand the stage. There was a time when he went to a certain federal state, only to discover one of his spiritual energy particles within a grass field, without any prior journeys to the place!


    "Is she willing to get into contact with anyone? I need to know the specifics of her conversation with that man."


    "She is. But we will need an excuse to summon her, one which won''t prove to be suspicious. Mmmm... Maybe you should try to delay the news of your appearance. It should be maintained that you are still in seclusion. That way, lesser eyes will be drawn our way."


    "I will only make a public appearance after meeting her. That also means that I will have to take a trip to Indonesia."


    "Have the others also learned of this?" His question was met with a nod of the head.


    "Make sure they don''t interfere. It will be problematic if they appear."


    "I will make sure to wrangle them in line, boss." she said with a vigorous smile that birthed an ugly expression upon Reed''s face. She had most definitely fleeced him! He was now certain!


    Communications ended with Reed left to sit alone within his office. He had perused the publicly available data on the woman and her clan, yet there was nothing about them that the man would want. What was his goal? Was there something deeper to this? Or would it turn out to be a red herring?


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    Only after meeting the woman would he be able to tell. That meant that he had to make preparations to travel incognito. But that would have to wait for the next day. For now, he was simply going to stay seated and enjoy the quiet solitude, while also regaining his energy that had been sapped during his straining conversation with Latniss.


    -----


    Cultivators are living things. Living things need a variety of resources in order to function in the world, sometimes even the things that they truly don''t need. But there is one immutable resource that every single cultivator, young or old, in the first realm of cultivation or in the higher stages of cultivation, need. And that''s, food.


    Someone had tried to create the pill, the fasting pill that could allow cultivators to survive for days before craving their next meal, yet it hadn''t succeeded as they had expected because of the fact that every single cultivator owed their origin from mortal existence.


    With the existence of ingredients, pulsing with plenty of nutrition due to the existence of spiritual energy, farmers had thrived.


    Lily Toba, a young woman at the time, had taken up the mantle of matriarch after her mother''s demise, becoming the youngest clan leader in the state of Indonesia''s history. Fast forward to 200 years later, and the clan had become a behemoth with multiple Core Formation cultivators at the helm, controlling a food production industry centered upon spiritual rice. Their farms grew seeds that could support Spirit Gathering to Core Formation cultivators.


    Lily Toba, an ambitious young woman had thought that she had reached the peak, being capable of meeting the State Governor any time she wished to, owing to her immense contribution to the economy of the state.


    Yet, after a man had declared his desire for her, everything had changed. The State Governor, upon learning of her predicament had only suggested that she accept her fate, while the others she had reached out to for help, even outside the state itself, had refused, or proposed ridiculous conditions.


    But she hadn''t succumbed to despair. Even as her finger, coated in steely grey, tapped the glassy surface of her table, leaving behind marks that vanished before the finger could drop once again, her mind was churning, trying to come up with a solution to the predicament.


    She could run to the Federal Government, directly bypassing the State Governor, but she couldn''t predict the results of that action. Apparently, the President had been in seclusion for the past 50 years, with the artificial intelligence running the world in his place. The other ideas were also unacceptable to her.


    The man wanted her, not the clan, and not the business empire she had spawned. And her instincts vaguely told her that it wasn''t for her gifts in intelligence and administration.


    "I must say, sister. You have a very powerful mind. I would have been bawling my eyes out by now, begging people on my knees, and probably accepting some the offered conditions." spoke another in the office. It was Mawar, with pink colored strands of hair cascading down her back, while her hand was in a snack packet, continuously rummaging through it before delivering its gifts to her mouth.


    "How could I break down when I have a few thousand clansmen to look after? Besides, the situation hasn''t become bleak yet." Lily paused her tapping long enough to answer, with her steely grey gaze holding intense disapproval for Mawar''s words.


    "Don''t sell yourself short, Mawar. Considering that you aren''t panicking right now, your mind is sufficiently strong."


    "Thats only because you haven''t broken down!" Mawar refuted with a shake of her head.


    Within a case containing multiple particles of matter, each of a different element, one, a copper atom, started vibrating at a peculiar frequency, subtly influencing the others to also start vibrating, attracting the eyes of both Lily and Mawar.


    Someone with an unfamiliar divine sense brand was trying to contact Lily. The question that each had in their minds at this point in time was, who?


    Lily didn''t even take a second to ponder before her divine sense spread to the particles, after which, she found herself in a gaudy illusory realm.


    Pink was the prevalent color, with orange acting as the black of shadows. She asked herself about what kind of person it was, that could lack an ounce of design acumen.


    "Beautiful, ain''t it?"


    A woman, having popped out from the back of a tree asked. For a moment, words failed Lily upon catching sight of her attire. It''s repulsive nature had even surpassed the realm itself.


    "I don''t believe we are familiar." spoke Lily. She had taken the most wisest course of action she could think of, ignoring everything else to jump into the subject matter. There was no reason to offend or suck to this person, whose aura suggested the peak of Core Formation, just like her, yet, Lily could feel that she was dangerous.


    "Well... That is true. I am Latniss, an executive of Muti Array Engineering."


    That had been one hell of an introduction. Lily''s eyes had widened within the span of a microsecond before settling back to their previous position, though, with an even more sharper edge concealed within.


    It seemed that man''s interest in her had drawn in a big fish. Though, it was one she really wanted to reel in. Her clan, specifically the rice industry, needed the expertise of this big company if they wanted to take a leap out of the small pond that was the state.


    "I am somewhat surprised that even you people have been drawn out. So, what are your demands?"


    "Demands? Why would we need to list them? Sweety! We don''t fear Zeus!"


    Those words elicited a chill from within her deepest recesses. The woman, a mere Core Formation cultivator had dared to utter the name of someone who could smite her with a casual flex of his power!


    "Someone, a high level personage from our company will be arriving in the state, tomorrow. He wants to have a short chat with you. I am only here to notify you about the venue and the time."


    "Your offer sounds suspicious."


    "Honey, only we can rescue you from your current predicament."


    "Miss Latniss, it seems that you underestimate me-no, you overestimate my need for your mediation." Lily spat out icily.

 Chapter 3 Indonesia(1)

    SCC Chapter 3 Indonesia(1)


    A green leaf floated above a palm, its motion akin to gently being pushed upwards by a small wind draft. It was emerald in color, while it''s veins were an even darker green. A pair of eyes curiously followed the leaf''s gentle movements as if mesmerized, not even registering the commotion around him.


    The little one had been crying. His mother had isolated the noise from affecting those nearby, but he couldn''t calm down, leaving the poor woman in distress. Seeing her predicament, Reed had opted to create a distraction. And apparently, it had worked.


    After a moment of staring, tiny hands started to reach out, wanting to touch the leaf. Making sure to seal any traces of radiation that might affect the child, Reed presented it to the child, who started playing with it.


    "Thank you very much, sir." The woman spoke. She was tall, thin, and beautiful. There were plenty of women like her since problems that ailed mortals could be solved with cultivation. Yet, what stood out to Reed was her motherly smile as she gazed at her son, still playing with the leaf.


    (Attention all passengers, the ship has reached the station.)


    "That leaf. She can keep it. It will be beneficial for her in the long run." Reed said before floating out of the vessel.


    The port, a construct of metal, one of the many on the tall cylindrical tower, was massive! The volume of people was surprising, considering the fact that in the grand scheme of things, the Indonesian state wasn''t even among the top 10 most prosperous!


    It was a relief that he had disguised himself, altering his aura and spiritual footprint. This crowd would have eaten him alive!


    After taking in the view, his gaze fell upon an elevator in the distance.


    When Reed arrived at the ground floor, he boarded an autonomous vehicle, one which was maneuvered by a simple AI. The destination was set, plus an additional directive of taking the scenic route. He had heard about the beauty of the Indonesian rice farms. They were a terraced marvel that was somewhat famous around the world.


    A few minutes before reaching his destination, he ruminated upon the fact that he was about to meet someone. It would have been better if this task had been thrown to Latniss, but that would have been his laziness taking over.


    His mind worked furiously, trying to come up with a way to start, and also keep the conversation going. Multiple scenarios were conjured up within his mind, but he knew... That there were infinite situations that could derail every single train on the track.


    He pulled up the publicly available information about the woman. She was a competent and driven career woman. She had become skilled in both administrative and business fields.


    Reed had been continously amazed by her profile. But he had also gleaned that she was a woman with a strong personality, someone who couldn''t be easily bullied.


    That meant that going into this meeting, the woman wouldn''t be a vulnerable mess, but someone who wouldn''t allow herself to become a cog in another''s machine. Many cultivators were like that at the start, but the reality of life ultimately worn away that hardness. But she was different. She was a woman who had experienced power, yet not become beholden to it.


    Bunga was the designated meeting place, a luxurious hotel that bordered on the 9 star. Even though he wanted to be low key, there was no need to degrade the matriarch of a clan. He hadn''t thought of that. Instead, Latniss had been the one to suggest that. Reed didn''t have the brain power to consider such small social niceties.


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    The room was a golden brown, with the tables polished to a shiny finish. The wood was of a high enough age, coupled with the tree having been a spiritual plant, it alone contributed to the great aroma pervading the room.


    Reed shifted within his seat to take on a more comfortable posture. The woman had arrived at the same time as him, down to the second. That alone had already checked off a lot of green ticks within his mind.


    Her steely grey hair was short, only reaching the tips of her ears, which he found to be a pity, as long hair would have looked great on her. Her fingers were interlocked with each other as her hands rested upon the table. Her gaze was the one giving him trouble. It was digging into him, trying to invade into his deepest dark secrets. And she was even doing it blatantly!


    "So... How are you these days, miss Toba?" Feeling that the silence had gone on long enough, Reed tried to start the conversation.


    "You are under a disguise. Who are you, exactly? We won''t speak unless you reveal your true self." She threw out that ultimatum, then leaned back, and crossed her arms just below her modest chest.


    With a sigh, Reed deactivated his ability revealing his original face to her. Shock flickered through those beautiful pupils of hers for multiple seconds before her gaze became steely, while her chest heaved as she took in a deep breath.


    "Mr. Mumaso Reed..." His name left her lips in a long breath. It seems that his reveal had done a number in her.


    "Why-why would you be here? No. The true question is what do you want from me." She asked after having regained her composure.


    "I am here to see what kind of person you are... Before any subsequent dealings are discussed."


    "You are here to judge me?" A frown crossed her features at that.


    "Judge is a strong word. I am only here to see whether you are someone worth saving." That was a lie, but it was better to start with that.


    "Mr. Mumaso, you appear to be insulting my intelligence. I am far more important than what you are letting on. Which means, I don''t have to do anything to prove myself to you."


    "You are right about that, considering that I personally came here. Then... Tell me, Ms. Toba. Are you prepared to fight Zeus? Though you can''t win, but there must be something that can be done..."


    Reed released his energy, a tsunami of emerald wood attribute spiritual energy that pushed every single particle in existence between them, away from the both of them, only leaving behind his energy, plus her, a foreign entity. This was a trick that couldn''t be performed on someone below Core Formation as they would drown.


    "Zeus is an enemy of mine."


    "So. Do you want me to infiltrate the state of Greece under the guise of accepting his offer? That is the one thing that''s off the table."


    "What?! No no no! I would never ask you to do that. But, there is still going to be some risk involved. And the magnitude of said risk is predicated upon why he needs you."


    "Could it be that you have an idea, Mr. Mumaso?"


    "Reed will be fine."


    "We shouldn''t get familiar on the first meeting. We should keep things professional."


    Reed became helpless at that statement, but ultimately let it go.


    "I won''t ask about your past with the man, but what kind of risk are we talking about here?"


    After that question, Reed signaled for the woman to become silent before withdrawing his emerald domain. Not even a second later, the door to the room slid to the side and an automated trolley entered inside, loaded with a variety of local dishes, whose tantalizing aroma enticed him.


    "I thought we weren''t going to take a lot of time." After bot had left, Lily spoke, interrupting Reed, whose fork was about to reach his mouth. She had most definitely done that intentionally. He surmised.


    "I just arrived at your state. How could I not try some of the local cuisine?"


    "Mr. Mumaso, I thought that we had been discussing important matters!"


    "Yes... They are important, but so is life. Ms. Toba, do you enjoy life?"


    "I... Do."


    "Oh! What activities do you partake in to release all that stress?"


    "That isn''t what we came here for!"


    With a sigh, Reed once again manifested the domain.


    "The risk is as great as your very life. For now, we haven''t yet managed to determine his interest in you, but he must need you for something."


    "I had the same thoughts." spoke Lily even as Reed stuffed himself.


    She wrinkled her face.


    "What? Why aren''t you eating? I must say, this food is good. From the chef to the ingredients, everything is... Mwah!"


    "I thank you on behalf of all my brethren. Now, let''s get to the main point of the conversation. What do you need from me? Plus, what can you provide me with in exchange?"


    "I am going to have you take up a post as my secretary." Her jaw literally hit the floor with those words.


    "You should be joking, right?"


    "No... That''s the truth."


    "Me, a secretary. Are you out of your mind? Mr. Mumaso, it seems like you take yourself to be high and mighty, right?"


    "High and mighty! Nah. It will be a temporary gig. I want to enrage that man such that he makes a decision that gives me enough reason to act against him."


    "A mere secretary..."


    "If I am to be honest with you Ms. Toba, your profile is impressive. Maybe if you follow me around, you could come to see some of the heights your ambition might take you in advance."


    "I don''t merely plan on stopping at your level, Mr. Mumaso. I am an insatiable beast." She said that with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. And that, elicited a chuckle out of him.


    "I like you."


    "I am not striving to be liked. It''s the mere truth."


    "Don''t worry, you won''t be doing any of the grueling work. Your task will mostly be akin to an aide. You will observe... Maybe even take on a few small tasks."


    "You want to uproot me from my clan, even if temporarily, to follow you?"


    "Don''t worry. There will be compensation. Like giving you some seeds of rice at the fourth stage. Also, we will enter a partnership, allowing your stock to be available worldwide."


    Her gaze flickered. Reed had just offered her a tantalizing deal.

 Chapter 4 Indonesia(2)

    SCC Chapter 4 Indonesia(2)


    Reed ate in silence, leaving her to contemplate. The flavors were simply exploding upon his palete, increasingly stoking his appetite. Of course he had chosen to increase the intensity of signals from his tongue, thereby continously over stimulating his mind with the flavors. It was an intentional play on his part, such that he could keep his mind from thinking up dumb lines. Silence before another party was something that could cause butterflies in his stomach.


    "Okay, if I accept. How soon can I leave with you?"


    "Even now, we could leave. Don''t worry about your clan. He won''t go after them."


    -----


    Upon exiting the hotel, Lily looked back. The meeting had been surreal. She had actually managed to meet the Mumaso Reed! The inner fangirl was cheering. All the Nascent Souls she had met during the past couple of days had had this atmosphere around them that had made her feel unwanted. Yet that man had been too casual.


    The subsequent conversation with him had had her inwardly shouting to keep herself in line. That had been Mumaso Reed!


    She took a deep breath to calm herself. She had been too high-strung during the conversation. The man had simply been too easygoing. Though, there was a part of her that had a suspicion that he might have shown her what she had wanted to see.


    Someone with an enmity with Zeus had reached out. It had been a surprising turn of events. It looks like she had to settle AL tge things back in the clan.


    Though she had boldly claimed that she would surpass that man, she knew that the chances of that happening were slim, unless of course, warp drive research bore fruit. But she was also excited at the prospect of temporarily getting a glimpse into what those at the top of the world truly saw.


    -----


    "Mr. Reed was there!!! Oh heavens above! Why?! Why did you let this block of ice be the one to meet him? I should have had that chance!" shouted Mawar, frantically pacing within the room, her snacks littered across the floor with reckless abandon. Her breathing had even elevated a few notches, with the temperature around her rising.


    "What did you call me?" asked an angry Lily.


    "A block of ice! Have you ever smiled at a man before, dear sister?"


    "Of course I have."


    "I don''t mean those creepy, or fake token smiles, but a true genuine one, from the heart."


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    "... Mawar!"


    "I am right. And you know it too. That aside. Why didn''t you atleast send me a message? Okay... Let''s calm down. He''s still in the state... And staying at Bunga."


    "Mawar! He''s incognito."


    "... Why? Why? Why did you have to fall upon that chance?" Lily was lifted up into the air using the collar by Mawar, who shook her with bloodshot eyes.


    "There is nothing to be worked up about." commented Lily, who firmly escaped from her sister''s grasp.


    A few minutes later, when the chaos had subsided, Lily sat facing Mawar. Her face was masked with seriousness.


    "Mawar. You are going to have to step up."


    "..." A sigh escaped Mawar''s lips. Lily knew the meaning behind it. Mawar had never liked positions of power. Even now, she simply tended to the spiritual rice like a common farmer. If it hadn''t been because of the fact that the rice had reached a stage where it no longer needed her attention, she would have been down in the paddies.


    "I will take over."


    -----


    Reed was lounging within the sofa, having closed his eyes to try and clear his mind of everything that could serve as a distraction when the mobile cube artifact he carried within him, possessing multiple communication particles, vibrated. Right away, he knew that it was Paul.


    "What is it?"


    "Sir, there has been an accident on khaatam."


    That statement made him sit up abruptly. Before he could ask any further clarification, video footage was sent to him.


    With his powerful calculation abilities, he found the problem. His maize plants, a plot of them had taken on a blue color as opposed to the vibrant emerald.


    "What caused this?" He asked in curiosity. There was no anger as they were just an experiment in session.


    "A pipe supposed to supply rich water attuned spiritual energy is leaking underground."


    "How long?"


    "Just now."


    "Section off that plot. Tomorrow I will come to inspect the damage." And with that, communications were closed.


    Reed''s eyes flickered even as a suspicion bloomed within his mind. It seemed that there was someone out there scheming something. And it most definitely wasn''t Zeus.


    Was it a competitor?


    ''No, Reed! You must calm your mind. Everything can be pondered about tomorrow.''


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 9, 8:12AM


    The next morning, Reed gazed at Lily, longingly gazing out the window of the shuttle below, and decided to keep quiet. He could empathize with her. It had been the same when he had lived with his mom. Though, for him, it had been different. She had been his whole world. The only person he could candidly converse with, yet...


    He sighed, banishing the spiral where those thoughts would have sunk into.


    (Mr. Mumaso, where are we heading? I need to atleast get a picture of a schedule.) She transmitted.


    (We are going to be making a stop at the next station, which is in orbit around Mars, before taking a private flight to another location.)


    (Where?)


    (Khaatam)


    She took a deep steadying breath at my reveal. Reed could understand her reaction, as he too, would have been excited. That place was the holy ground for latest technology, the place where almost every business empire within the top 500 had a stake, not to mention the fact that powerhouses lived, worked and cultivated there.


    (Khaatam... Is there anything important I should know about what we are going to do there!)


    Upon her question, Reed scanned through his mind trying to find something to fit that question only for an idea to bud and flower.


    (There has been a certain mishap, related to a certain sect-backed company. When we arrive, after an inspection, you will be in charge of querying them.)


    (This mishap... I am sure that it isn''t as small as you are portraying it. Is this going to be some sort of test, Mr. Mumaso.)


    (Of course. I want to get a feel of those abilities touted by the public.)


    (Isn''t this childish?)


    (How can that be? This is a legitimate thing.)


    After that, conversation was dropped with each deciding to focus on whatever they wanted. Lily, looked out into the void of space, lost in her own thoughts, while Reed tried to enter a state of inner peace, where thoughts were transient, not actively grasped. Yet it still eluded him.


    Upon reaching the transit point, Reed led the way to a private port, where upon his disguise was discarded upon boarding the sleek star ship berthed within. The engines automatically came online, and with absolute silence, they departed. Their destination, the star acting as the fulcrum of the entire solar system, the Sun.


    It acted like an energy core, spewing so much energy that no one could truly estimate the amount. Solar spiritual energy was the attunement in particular. It was highly volatile and capable of reacting with biological matter in unexpected ways. Planet Earth was the only body in the solar system that could de-aspect it into unattuned spiritual energy. Jupiter transformed it into some type of cataclysmic attunement that hadn''t been deciphered so far.


    And, just within that star''s closest orbiting distance, even closer than Mercury, was Khaatam, the super project of the entire Federation.

 Chapter 5 Khaatam(1)

    SCC Chapter 5 Khaatam(1)


    A star ship sailed through the void that was a particle ocean, with its shielding alight with the glow of subatomic particles colliding with it, plus the solar energies from the star that were even more dangerous compared to the particles outside.


    Lily could feel the minute vibrations, preventing her from truly entering a meditative state, coupled with the fact that her heart wasn''t settling down at all! Khaatam! That was a place every single person yearned to go to, even if for just a simple tour. Multiple products that could never be manufactured on the planets or moons, were produced there, with some powerful cooperations, clans, and Federal affiliated sects having poured immense resources into getting their own modules constructed such that they could get a piece of the resource known as Solar-attuned spiritual energy.


    Every star within the known universe produced spiritual energy, even the planets themselves. But what the planets created was a thick blend that was always trapped below the tectonic plates, with some crystallizing into the various ores and natural treasures that occasionally surfaced, like the spirit stones. Only about 1% of the unattuned spiritual energy in the Earth''s atmosphere was produced by the planet itself, with the rest being produced through the planet''s natural shielding that stripped away the solar attribute from that which was emitted by the sun.


    As she was deep in her thoughts, she felt the waning of the vibrations, which caused her eyes to open, with the steely grey pupils gazing out through the window and into the void, where a massive object loomed in the distance, shielding the craft from solar bombardment.


    It was massive, with grids of light denoting the many modular pieces that had been merged to  create it. Her breath was taken away at its immensity. And it was still being added upon, with an autonomous metallic monster constructing another cube off in the distance, also shielded by the massive construct before her. When completed, it was going to circle the sun, becoming a ring shaped celestial object.


    The ship, rose and crested over the construct, exposing itself to the solar rays once again, but Lily''s breath was once again stolen away when she gazed at what was on the other side.


    A glass-like surface spanned the other side exposing the surface below to be a bizarre world of square shapes, with each square possessing it''s own unique world. There were those with skyscrapers, ice fields, greenery, industries, and many more bizarre things, like in one, she could see a giant demon, one which she was sure to be a sect guardian beast.


    Within mere moments, the star ship traversed everything to appear above a particular cube filled with green. And most of that green came from trees. It then descended downwards, where a panel slid to the side, allowing their ship to descend.


    "Come. We are going to alight." called out Reed from behind her upon which a panel slid open on the hull below their feet, upon which she experienced a familiar force acting upon her, gravity.


    Once they had dropped down onto the land below, Lily took in the sights. The biome hadn''t seemed this massive when she had been looking at it from above, but here, just the height and girth of the trees was telling.


    Wood energy was so dense that she could feel it prickling her skin. Dead leaves and peeled bark littered the ground next to the trees, making her feel uncomfortable. But everyone had their preferences.


    Her gaze moved to Reed, dazing her for a moment. There was a silly genuine smile upon his face while he pulled the wood energy through his nostrils like a whale.


    (The young fellow is back)


    (It has been too short a time.)


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    (Why can''t these humans experience time the same as us? Maybe then, 1000 years might pass with us in peace)


    Voices echoed within her mind, ones which sounded aged and grating, shocking her into a vigilant stance.


    Then the stems of the trees before her twisted until green humanoid creatures walked out, having a cord still connecting them to the tree from whence they had been animated.


    "Tree sprites..." The name of this species sprung from her mind the moment the green humanoids appeared. This many were shocking as back on the planet, they had almost been hunted to extinction! But here, four had come out of the nearby trees, with the sneaking suspicion that even those ones further around, housed many more. And the aura they gave off was in the Core Formation! Was that man here to hunt them? Was he raising them like chickens on a farm?


    "Come on old friends, there is no need to panic. I am only here because a problem popped up."


    (Our brethren told us. Could you go then, instead of disturbing our peace?)


    "How long before the fruit is ripe?" He asked.


    (In a few hundred years. Maybe if we had more resources...)


    Lily caught that thick anticipation wafting off the transmissions. What were these creatures excited about? She wondered.


    -----


    "Is it safe to keep such dangerous beings here?" Lily couldn''t stop herself from asking after having walked quite the distance away from the trees, having entered a meadow.


    "Danger depends on perspective. Besides, we are in a mutually beneficial relationship. I am running an experiment, while they themselves want an avenue that would allow them to evolve beyond their current state."


    "Evolve beyond this?"


    "Ms. Toba, every single race strives to evolve beyond their base form. Even us humans are the same. In the search for a longer lifespan, we are evolving to a higher state. Or do you believe that the you who was at the Spirit Gathering stage is the same biologically, as the you now?"


    "They too, want to get rid of their tethers. After experiencing the brutality of the mobile races, they too want to become like us."


    Lily developed a trace of respect for the creatures after that conversation. The silence that followed wasn''t uncomfortable for the both of them.


    On reaching the end of the meadow, a particular plant entered her view, one she, as a person who dealt in the food industry understood, maize. But she was also take aback by these bizarre stalks that reached into the skies, almost rivalling the trees from before. And they hadn''t even reached the flowering stage, meaning that they still had a ways to go.


    "These plants... Will they be producing maize at the fourth stage?" she asked in shock. This entire farm should be able to support all the Nascent Soul Venerables in the Federation if harvested, for a month. An entire month!


    Food at the level of having the capability to support cultivators in the Fourth realm of cultivation were rare. According to what she had heard, before the Federation, when such resources were harvested, they would be treasured, consumed only when gathered with other figures of importance in order to portray a sense of awe. Even now, if a Nascent Soul told you that they could eat a full course meal prepared from fourth level ingredients once a month, you wouldn''t believe it.


    Technology had appeared, making farming such resources easy. But, to raise an ingredient from the Third level to the Fourth level required a terrifying costly amount of resources, not to mention, time.


    "Solar essence makes a things trivial."


    "Solar essence...? You mean the solar attributed spiritual energy from the sun?"


    "Yap. Everyone who has managed to occupy a platform here is essentially growing Fourth level ingredients. They just keep them for themselves, not trading anything, thereby making everything feel scarce."


    A sliver of anger was birthed within Lily''s heart before being ruthlessly crushed. This was the world. Even she would act the same as these people.


    "What about you? Are you the same as them?"


    "Nah! I have only gotten my hands on this modular piece for a short time. These plants have spent 30 years here and haven''t flowered yet. When I produce the fruit, it will hit the markets. Just that it''s better this is kept secret as it will lead to an upheaval and a target on my back. You see... The many people or groups, in ownership of these resources don''t want the status quo to be broken. Any way, let''s go to the place I want to inspect."


    And with that, they plunged into the garden, where the soil tried to cling to their feet, but with a layer of spiritual energy underneath, that problem was solved.


    They reached the place where he had wanted to go, and looking at the situation, even Lily was somewhat taken aback. Behind her, there was a sea of green, yet infront of her, there was a patch of vibrant blue. The maize plants taking on this particular color had to be related to the liquid she could see down on the ground, separated from infecting the other plants by an energy shield.


    "I would have never thought this possible... No, I hadn''t even considered it! Other attributes might be able to produce different mutations. Could this be replicated?"


    "I need to recreate the exact conditions..."


    Lily tuned out the nerdist mumbling and instead decided to inspect the plot before her. The problem that she was going to be tested on was probably related to this plot of land. From what she had gathered in her cursory glance, an underground pipe should have developed a crack somewhere. If what she speculated was true, then that meant that this was going to involve whatever entity had created this pipe. And someone whose products could even become worthy enough to reach Khaatam, was most definitely not an antlike existence.


    "Ms. Toba. As you can see, this is the accident that led to this. It was a happy accident as it has allowed me to see other paths that could be taken to create more exotic plant species, but as you can see, I am now going to have to spend quite a bit of funds to inspect every single pipe underneath this place. If this had happened within the sprites'' land, I would have overturned that sect. Anyway, I want you to suck the blood out of those imbeciles. They will need to give me a hefty compensation if they don''t want me to go to court. I am going to set you up with an office, plus their contact information. Wow me."

 Chapter 6 Khaatam(2)

    SCC Chapter 6 Khaatam(2)


    And with those words, Lily found herself in a small room that was as bland as bland as the grey tailored suit on her back. This room was located underneath the farm above, with even a window, through which she could see the expanse below, where many people were going about their tasks. It seemed that even in an era where autonomous technology had become prevalent, humans were still needed.


    All the material needed to present the complaint had been gathered, and Mr. Mumaso had even given her the permission to throw his name into the mix. After all, everything had to be provided.


    After a bit of mental preparation, Lily transmitted her divine sense into the device on the table, attempting to initiate contact.


    "Hello there fellow Daoist, how can I help you today?"


    The moment the illusory meeting space spawned, Lily was somewhat taken aback by the figure before her, yet didn''t let any of that show up on her face. Calling the man chubby would have been a severe understatement, but there were plenty of bizarre things in the world, like that cultivation technique that made people stockpile spiritual energy within their cells.


    All the data pertaining to the complaint was transmitted to the man.


    -----


    "You most definitely wowed me." spoke Reed.


    Even now, he was still shocked at the fact that the woman had not only managed to win a refund, she had also acquired the funds related to the inspection of every pipe from that sect on his module! She was better than talented.


    "That was the bare minimum. Though, I must have offended the Pipe sect."


    "It doesn''t matter. Besides, they might not exist in the near future."


    "What do you mean?" asked a curious Lily.


    "This accident wasn''t an isolated event..." Those words made her understand.


    Reed felt good. They were taking a walk within the meadow, enjoying the rare peace. He knew that this wasn''t going to last long. News of Lily''s affiliation would surely reach Zeus'' ears through the Pipe sect, not to mention the fact that tomorrow, his exit from seclusion was going to be announced.


    It was going to get hectic, with many people wanting to meet him in order to discuss things, offer deals, or simply his expertise in wood attuned spiritual energy. Reed was the only cultivator who had risen all the way to the Nascent Soul with that particular attunement. Most cultivators chased after the most destructive of attunement in order to not be disadvantaged in a conflict. Though, the current generation, those born within the last 100 years were breaking this trend, embracing the diversity of the other attunements.


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    "Mr. Mumaso, if Zeus were to decide to attack you in order to get to me, how confident are you in stopping him?"


    That question caught him off guard. For a moment he considered spewing out a lie, but gazing into those steely eyes ultimately made that decision waver.


    "I don''t think that I can stop the man. His attunement is one focused on speed and destruction. I would be too slow to react. Though, that''s only because he is at the peak of the stage while I am still on the early step. There are also people I am in contact with, who wouldn''t hesitate to aid me in fighting him."


    "Really?"


    "All sects established before the Federation have inadvertently accrued grieviences among many people."


    "I heard that they voluntarily chose to not fight the Federation upon its formation. Why did the President not simply annihilate them?"


    "The first generation Zeus-"


    "First generation?" interrupted Lily.


    "Yes. There have been three generations of the Pantheon sect master. All the others are essentially clones of the first generation." Disbelief appeared in her eyes.


    "We still don''t know the exact specifics, but apparently the formation used to speed up their cultivation is related to biological DNA."


    "... Back to the topic at hand. The first generation Zeus was a prodigy. Everyone in this world who has had the privilege of knowing the man or experiencing his inventions believes so. Even the President himself. Almost every piece of technology we use in today''s society is derived from his creations."


    "I have heard a bit about that but I hadn''t taken it seriously."


    "Its true. That''s why the President didn''t try to annihilate the sects. He would have to start with Pantheon, yet even now, we still have no idea of their depths. Their state has the highest population of mortals, owing to their laws, yet they do all they can to keep both cultivation and technology from them, thereby making it hard to even investigate them."


    "So that''s why the world is in this status quo, where the sects and those powerful clans have become self supporting, only occasionally trading with the Federation."


    "But... Each of us believe that there must be a great plot behind the sects'' continued peace."


    "The world really is a chaotic place." sighed Lily.


    Reed plopped down into the meadow after finding a suitable spot where the grass wasn''t too long. He even subtly provided some spiritual energy to it, feeling a small feedback. Maybe if it could last for a few hundred years, there might be some small soul fragments that could develop, transforming it into a semi spiritual state.


    "Though, I have a sneaking suspicion that whatever Zeus needs you for, must not be simple."


    "The Federation has grown into this kind of behemoth. Since they left it to grow to this level. Whatever they are preparing must be powerful enough to destroy this status quo."


    "Thats why it''s frustrating that we haven''t managed to get a lead on what they are doing, except for the fact that many resources are being channeled towards it. And they aren''t originating from just Pantheon."


    As Lily sat down, a communication request came through to him, one that elicited a modicum of surprise out of him.


    (Why simply audio?)


    (It is inconvenient. How did you know that I was out?) Reed asked the woman on the other side. His face bearing a trace of seriousness.


    (That stunt with the Pipe sect.)


    (It seems like you have your tendrils almost everywhere, Livia.)


    (Come on. We are old friends. You know my methods. There is nothing I can''t have if I put my mind to it.)


    (I heard. You finally became the sect master of Radiant.)


    (Why aren''t I getting a congratory vibe from you?)


    (What do you want?)


    (I have some information that could be of use to you.)


    (...)


    (...)


    (...what kind of information?) He had wanted her to reveal it herself, but it seems the woman wanted to play around.


    (Zeus.)


    That one name captured his attention. It finally clicked. She knew something that all the sects in partnership with Pantheon had been keeping secret. She wasn''t trustworthy, but atleast, he knew that her personality made it certain that she could never get along that man, Zeus.


    (What do you want in exchange?)


    (We have been friends for a long time. How can I ask something of you.)


    (Livia... We both know that you don''t give something without an equivalent in return. So, what do you want?)


    (You should take some time out of your clearly about-to-be-packed schedule, to pay me a visit. Everything else will come naturally if we meet face to face. And don''t get the silly idea that I am bluffing. I really do have some juicy piece of information.)

 Chapter 7 State of Greece(1)

    SCC Chapter 7 State of Greece(1)


    The colosseum in the state of Greece was a great marvel of construction that had reached the level of epic. It could seat a million spectators, coupled with an area for refreshments, bathrooms and the rooms where the gladiators prepared for their battles. Many more facilities were also nestled within its gigantic form.


    It had been constructed from brown stone, each block large and cleanly cut, seamlessly integrating with the next one. No mortar or concrete had been poured into the construction, only arrays had been used to strengthen its materials, and also protect it from the ravages of battle.


    And at this time, the atmosphere was charged with the sounds of the spectators. The colosseum itself was minutely vibrating from the roars of the million mortals that were currently seated. The sweltering heat had even failed to dampen the atmosphere.


    Because today, there was going to be an important duel, one which would see two lesser gods battling it out. How long had it been since the last match between the gods had been fought. A decade! In the lifespan of a mortal, that was a very long time indeed.


    On one side of the colosseum, most of the tiered audience seats were empty. And this particular area was considered far more luxurious and comfortable, with each tiered seat having a long cushion where the person could even take a nap. Refreshments were also being served, made with ingredients that could change a mortal''s life with just a sip.


    This area was reserved for those that resided within Olympus, the gods. And at the highest tier of the seats, were three thrones, each with a distinct appearance. Two were empty, with only the obsidian one occupied by a figure cloaked in darkness. No one had ever managed to get a glimpse of his true face, even the gods themselves, making him the most mysterious of them all.


    Shrouded within the darkness that didn''t let in even the slightest light, sound or smell, the figure was tapping his finger at the arm rest. The reason for that was simply because of boredom. Hades disliked things that wasted time, or were entirely pointless. Even this battle, was simply two children slinging mud at each other in his eyes, utterly useless. Yet Zeus had stipulated that atleast one of them had to be here. Why? Because these little kids playing at being gods could go off the rails and slaughter every commoner here. Killing a few didn''t matter in the grand scheme of things, but above a certain number, things could become complicated.


    His superior senses had already alerted him to the suspicious ones, the mortals who had become drunk on the promises from the outsiders, the Federation. A little yearning wasn''t wrong though.


    Eyes would occasionally slide towards this area, the cheers were more fake than genuine, the heartbeats were too calm, there were glints in the eyes. All these were a sign of people who had been regaled by tales of better, the ones who had woken up to reality. And that reality was simple. If you were not chosen, you would have to stay a mortal for the rest of your life.


    Hades was currently the second generation, a little bit older than the current Zeus, but he had never loved this place. If it wasn''t for the stringent oaths binding him to this place, he would have left long ago. Pantheon was a paper tiger. The mortals were simply being restrained by fear. But if the fuse of revolution were to be lit one day, then they, the gods, wouldn''t even be capable of stopping them.


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    To him, all that was simply the way of the world. He would even love for something like that to happen as most of the oaths binding him would be null. But he couldn''t actively sow the seeds, only gaze at them as they propagated.


    And these lesser gods were only adding fuel to the flames, like the imbecile below who was raping a young mortal girl in broad daylight. What was his name again? Eros?


    His thoughts traveled from him to the Federation, a behemoth that didn''t lose out to any of the sects individually. It was something he wanted to join. They were collectively working towards a higher goal, continously advancing. Yet the sects had become stagnant, with Zeus syphoning a massive amount of resources that vanished into thin air. Even his Underworld palace, highly skilled in espionage and intelligence gathering hadn''t managed to find even a whiff of them, as if they had all vanished into thin air.


    That was suspicious. And it went as far back as as the first generation Zeus'' time. What was that thing that was taking up all the resources that would have been used to advance the sect? It had even been the crucial key that had prevented a war with the then budding Federation.


    The two cultivators with their overly inflated egos finally entered the pit to the cheers of the masses. This was one of those times he wished that Posey was the one here. He had the patience of taking these things seriously. Though he would rather take this task over fending off the sea beasts along the coastline. That was a meat grinder that always ocurred when the power hierarchy within the oceans shifted.


    With much fanfare, the duel began. The two started off with ostentious movements that wasted alot of chances, wanting to show off. Apparently the conflict had reached this stage because of a certain goddess. What the two brats didn''t even realise was the fact that she was only playing the both of them for her own amusement.


    With a shake of his head, Hades returned to the task at hand, communicating with his associates that were everywhere around the world. Infiltrating the lower strata of the Federation was easy, but the true core secrets were harder to get to. That AI wasn''t simple. And he even suspected that it had developed a soul.


    A piece of information attracted his attention, causing his eyes to briefly light up even within the enshrouding darkness.


    -----


    Within the crowds of the colosseum stood Ektaktos. He was doing his best to hold back the simmering rage beneath his calm veneer. These imbeciles had the power to create an array that suppressed those cultivators'' abilities within the realms of mortals, allowing for he, and the crowds the ability to enjoy the duels, yet, failed to aid every single mortal to reach their heights. There were ways through which a mortal could become a cultivator, but the brutal trials required a powerful will and some luck, not to mentiom the fact that apparently, you would remain stuck as a demigod, translating into the peak of Spirit Gathering.


    He had bought the ticket to this fight such that he could get a close look at the so-called gods, who were blatantly engaged in debauchery. The young woman beneath that orange haired man was surely begging for help, yet none cared. The reason, weakness.


    The memory of his younger days brought upon the grinding of teeth. He had been in awe of their powers, until someone had appeared in their village one fateful night, like a shooting star that had fell down from the skies. He had spoken of cultivation, of how it could enrich their lives. But he hadn''t taught them.


    Why? Because they would have been slaughtered. At the time, he hadn''t understood, just like the others but upon growing up, the whispers had reached his ears. Those of people who had gained magical abilities only to be hunted down by the gods and slaughtered. The brutality had terrified him, curbing any thoughts of resistance.


    But almost over a decade ago, another cultivator from the outside had reached his village, hiding himself like a commoner. He had had a device that allowed for the transmission of images straight to the mind.


    Ektaktos'' mind had been blown upon seeing the tall buildings of metal and glass, the self driving carriages, the large monstrous ships that ferried those people into the skies. But what lit a fire within him was the image he was certain he would never get out of his mind. It had been a moving picture, one the man had termed a video, of two children playing a game. The physical abilities that had been put on display had made him blush with shame.


    Every single person in that civilization could wield magical powers! Yet here, the so-called gods, the cultivators made certain that only they, could enjoy that privilege. What even stoked his rage the most was simply the fact that these people had all that power, yet chose to do nothing with it.

 Chapter 8 State of Greece(2)

    SCC Chapter 8 State of Greece(2)


    "Ektaktos, cultivators have sharp senses. You should curb your rage. Think of the bigger picture." a comrade subtly advised from beside him. Ektaktos took a deep breath before turning his attention back to the arena.


    "That man isn''t here. But the Dark lord is."


    "Yes!!!" shouted his comrade when Hermes down below gained an opportunity that allowed him to inflict a nasty gash upon Ares'' body. He wasn''t wholeheartedly invested in the battle, just going through the motions so as not to appear out of place.


    "Get it together man. The Dark lord is the most unfathomable of the three, and rarely appears publicly, but his agents are everywhere."


    "I know. But how long are we going to have to wait?"


    "An event is needed, one which will rile up the public to the point that they disregard their fear of the gods."


    The fear of the gods. That was the one obstacle in the way of the Federation. Even Ektaktos who had resolved to join the fight couldn''t help but shiver upon conjuring the memories of what happened to those that had earned the ire of the gods. Those cultivators were simply monsters in human skin.


    Sometimes he wished he could just leave this place. He was nearing his mid forties, having lived a relative long life, but hadn''t yet even entertained the thought of starting a family. There was a fear within him that everything might just crumble. He was certain that the moment he married a woman, his edge would be worn away. He had seen many within the organization that had lost their zeal. Some managed to return fully after a wake up call. Like the slaughtering of their loved ones by the gods. Those were the ones who carried the most hate.


    Ektaktos had been lucky that his parents had died a natural death. His eyes were once again drawn to the pit down below, his expression morphing into one of anger, though feigned at the sight of one of Hermes'' hands flying through the air.


    Even when they indulged in debauchery, battles between the so-called gods were as brutal as their slaughters. But what made them different was simply the fact that unless the head was destroyed, everything else could be reattached or regenerated after a period of time. Ektaktos'' limited knowledge about cultivation made him certain that there was some technology at work behind the scenes.


    That was also the reason why mortals like him didn''t dare take on the cultivators. Their chariots, weapons and clothes were all hiding many abilities that they had no idea about.


    In the back of his mind, he wondered whether that Federation would really step in if they caused enough chaos, or the gods slaughtered millions.


    The cheers had started to become lesser in energy as time wore on. Everyone could see the outcome of the battle. Hermes was going to lose. What was left to see, was how far Ares was going to take this. Ares was an arrogant brat, while Hermes was a spoilt one. He could see it in both their eyes, there was the flame of hate for the other. This wouldn''t end today as even off the pits, their conflict would continue, dragging in the innocent mortals. Ektaktos had the urge to sigh at that.


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    When the Elephants fight, the grass suffers. That was a phrase that aptly described this situation.


    -----


    Mumaso Reed. That was a brat Hades felt could be respected. He had the flair that was akin to a rising star. He had invented that living symbiotic array that allowed cultivation even when the person was idle. Now, certain brats were entering the Core Formation in their 50s! But he still hadn''t seen any panic in Zeus, or those of the other sects. Except for the lower echelon that were getting restless, the higher echelon didn''t seem to care. Of course, some were adopting the usage of said array, but when you took the population of the entire Federation into account, there was no chance of winning.


    So, what was it that Zeus and those people, were hiding. The retired gods, those who had managed to advance to the Nascent Soul stage most definitely knew something. He had tried to subtly ask, but none had divulged anything.


    He had tried to infiltrate the other sects, but even that had failed. These people were highly meticulous and trained. The ones that transported those resources that seemingly vanished didn''t even exist within the sects. Hades had been puzzled by that, but ultimately understood that there was no way they could be left in plain sight.


    But a wrinkle had appeared. Radiance... No, the new sect master of Radiance appeared to disprove of that. He had only managed to find that out through the actions of the sect. The disciples that had been stationed near the other sects to act as liaisons had been recalled. Even the Radiance embassy outside had been vacated.


    Hades was abruptly drawn from his musings by the significant drop in temperature and the rapidly increasing level of moisture in the air. At a certain point in time, clouds thick enough to herald a storm had covered the skies.


    Then lightning started swimming within them, with thunder following not too far behind. A giant bolt, that caused even Hades'' skin to prickle, finally struck down, connecting the skies to the Earth, specifically, Zeus'' throne, which was half a step above his and Poseidon''s. It had been constructed from a grey stone with streaks of blue running through, and was capable of attracting electricity. It wasn''t natural, but a meta material tailored specifically to Zeus'' needs.


    When the blast of light dissipated, a man appeared appeared on the throne amidst the booming thunder, his entire body wreathed in lightning. He had blue eyes, dark hair supporting a wreath woven from plants on his head, and was clad in a single strap white robe dress that ended upon his knees. His shoes were in the style of gladiators and his gaze upon the masses and the lesser gods below contained both arrogance and authority.


    Hades'' eyes didn''t linger on the man himself, instead moving to the artifact in his hands with two pointed ends, shaped in the form of a lightning bolt. That was a weapon that had elicited a reaction out of his helm.


    "Zeus."


    "Hades."


    "I had thought your attendance wouldn''t be needed." spoke Hades as he picked up a subtle change in the atmosphere. Even Eros who had been in the midst of his carnal desires, killed the woman, then roasted her into ashes in half a minute, which scattered into the strong winds caused by the moving clouds.


    The spectators on the other hand became even more subdued. That was expected. Zeus was a man who was unpredictable on most days. Even those gods below could be killed if they earned his ire.


    "I heard that you are after a certain young woman by the names of Lily Toba. Would you like me to take action?"


    "What makes you think that I need your help?" he spoke while his gaze was pointed below towards the pit, where Ares had chopped off one of Hermes'' legs.


    "Mumaso Reed."


    "A mere young curr won''t be able to take my possessions away."


    "Really?" Hades wondered whether this man was okay in the head. Mumaso Reed alone could be dealt with. But the Federation behind him could not.


    That meant that Zeus and his people weren''t afraid of earning the ire of the Federation. That was valuable Intel.


    There could be ways to muddy the waters to drag the Federation into the fray. Maybe that could expose the secrets of the sects. Besides, he was certain that that man leading the Federation wanted to eliminate the sects. He was simply waiting for a chance.


    Hades wondered whether he should watch a little longer, or meddle in the shadows. But what could he tamper with. He knew that even people had been abducted never to be seen again. If he wasn''t mistaken, then that meant that woman was going to face the same fate. But this time he had the chance to meddle with her. Maybe a tracking device of some sort, a divine sense brand...


    "I am leaving." Hades stood up even as he went through numerous possibilities.


    "Stay." Zeus turned his gaze towards him.


    "Are you sure you want to stop me?" Hades'' voice took on a hard edge."


    Two vastly powerful pressures collided with their thrones as the middle, causing the very air to explode, with tiny slivers of lightning and darkness entwining in a dangerous dance.


    "You can go."


    Zeus withdrew his pressure, and Hades teleported. This was the first time he had exposed his true cultivation, meaning that Zeus was now becoming suspicious of him. All the other times he had spoken about leaving, he had been allowed. Yet now, the man had attempted to pressure him into submission. What had tipped him off?


    The helm?


    That was the only suspicious thing he could think of. A sigh escaped his lips. This cage was one that was hard to escape from. But he was going to try. And the key had just appeared right before him, in the form of Lily Toba.

 Chapter 9 The World Reacts(1)

    SCC Chapter 9 The World Reacts(1)


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 8


    Heels clicked against the sparkling floor, attracting the attention of everyone gathered within the room. They were reporters, each from a different station. They had gathered here today because of an invitation. It was one where refusal would leave you with plenty of regrets. And among all business chains, this one was the most prominent in the world because of a certain invention that allowed even babies to start cultivating passively, without any effort on their part.


    Park was one of those sent to this place upon invitation. He had worked hard for twenty years, and had recently been allowed to go out into the field, and by chance, the others had been busy elsewhere, giving him the chance at this. He had noticed that even though the people here appeared to be harmonious, there was an undercurrent of tension and competitiveness.


    But what had surprised him the most was the lack of clamor. He had seen reporters making noise at even micro-second delays, yet here, even with five minutes past, no one was complaining.


    "You look new to the place... Mmm... Oh! The Daily Cult! Mamadou was actually sidelined?"


    "He was busy, senior."


    "Ah! The rioting of those asteroid miners. He should cover that. The sects are getting too arrogant in their actions, I wonder why the Federal government hasn''t moved..."


    Park kept quiet as the man rumbled on. Politics were a delicate matter. Even some state governors deferred to the sects. If he aired out his opinion here, he might not even know how he died. People like this man had significant background. He didn''t.


    "...I must have bored you lad." Keep working hard. With a pat on Park''s back, he walked away. That must have been bait for him.


    The one in heels, a woman beautiful enough to cause the downfall of nations, had been perusing a holographic screen with blurred information, blatantly preparing for her announcement right here. Others had to have everything already done before appearing, yet she was flaunting her power here.


    "Has everyone made ample preparations?" asked the woman.


    "Do you take us to be amateurs?" mumbled a person beside Park, and the woman''s gaze drifted towards her like shark having smelt blood.


    "Miss... Something. Hasn''t anyone told you how important these kinds of events are? Stock prices can dip or rise because of these announcements. They alone can influence many people, not to mention the fact that our Muti biotechnology is a big name around the world. Any small mistake can plunge those you work for down into the pits of hell. Imagine this. A small spiritual energy wave can interfere with your device, making you miss everything, while your colleagues capture the moment."


    After chastising her, the supermodel woman, who went by the name of Latina gathered herself and looked to the reporters below. Park and the others couldn''t become mesmerized by her beauty. That was a low level mistake no one could make. Everyone here could become like her after all.


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    "Today, our Muti biotechnology group will be making an important announcement. Mr. Mumaso Reed our CEO, who has been in secluded research these past ten years, has come out."


    -----


    "He''s out! I have to hurry and buy those shares. They are going to become valuable!" shouted Avan as he mentally made certain to purchase his shares. He had been connected to the network waiting for this exact moment. This morning, there had been a notification that Muti Biotechnology had been about to make an important announcement, and now that it had been made, Avan, a NEET who loved to stay within his room was now eagerly purchasing shares.


    Stock trading had made him what he was today. All the resources that had allowed him to advance to the Core Formation stage in his 50s had all been purchased through this.


    ''That man is coming out of seclusion, so many more stocks are going to rise. I shouldn''t focus on those that will fall. That will be a blunder... Shit! It dived? How can the stocks of this company fall? Let me see... Ah! A competitor! Too many useless companies on the index. What the hell are those reviewers doing?''


    All these thoughts ran a marathon within his mind even as he furiously traded, expending his mental power. The charts had to be monitored down to the tenths of a second. Predicting highs and lows was a stressful endeavor.


    After a few minutes, Avan came out of his high calculation state. Those few minutes had exhausted him by a lot. A drink was dredged from a nearby cabinet, and without even taking a look at the logo, he chugged it down. A few moments later, a warmth traveled from his stomach to his head, alleviating the tiredness he felt.


    ''I only managed to earn 850,456 credits before the market stabilized. The losses were about 541,635 credits. That means that I only earned about 300,000. That''s good. It means I was lucky.''


    Though, he could earn more in the next few hours. There were still going to be some fluctuations. Not to mention the fact that the man might have something new on the shelf. The Auto-cul had already made him step into the Core Formation stage at such a young age.


    Core Formation... Even with 500 years of lifespan, there were still those that failed to make it to the Nascent Soul stage. And resources had started to become scarce. The efforts to nurture new ones artificially were working, but the demand far out weighed the supply! The President had been a visionary in allowing the construction of Khaatam.


    "I should probably get some rest." mumbled Avan, setting alerts that would awaken him in case some major even happened. Then, he rested his head upon the back of his seat, and closed his eyes, entering a familiar dreamscape.


    And he wasn''t the only one affected by the announcement. Many more, around the world were hatching plots, planning the future, or even finding ways to attempt communication with the man.


    -----


    Rivulets of golden particles, surpassing the trillions, flowed within the walls of the room, their glow bathing the room with their color. The extravagance of even a single wall within this room would make a multimillionaire tycoon bankrupt if they attempted to copy the decor.


    And what made these golden flakes special was one simple fact, it was spiritual energy attuned to the gold. Yes, gold. The rivulets were lines of an array that was supposed to enhance the designated occupant''s power to a level that went beyond the peak of the Nascent Soul. It was a marvel of array technology hard to be replicated.


    Within this expensive room was a pillow, one whose purpose was to be seated upon. And on this pillow was a man that would make you feel like you were before a lion.


    His light golden locks of hair were akin to a lions'' mane, and you could feel the power rippling through his muscles, whose veins were visible even though he wasn''t really tensing his muscles. His shirtless chest exposed a golden skin tone that was far different from a normal human.


    His eyes were closed and his brows were furrowed as deep long breaths were taken before a long exhale.


    An hour later, his eyes opened and a majestic presence erupted from him like a tsunami. The iris were golden. If a mortal from 1000 years ago saw him, there was a chance he would be worshipped like a God.


    The tsunami of spiritual pressure was reflected by the walls and reabsorbed back into his body, after which he stood up and walked towards one of the walls, which slid open and he exited.


    "Oh! Gerard! I didn''t expect to see you here." spoke the man upon encountering his assistant, a buff man clad in a suit clearly too small a fit for him.


    "That brat Reed, is out of seclusion."


    "Hoh!" A gleam appeared within the man''s golden pupils.


    "His assistance will be needed if we want your body to evolve further."


    "Is that why you asked me to keep up to date with anything about him?" Gerard asked the man known to the world by his moniker, The Golden Merchant.


    "Yes. Your path of body refining is unique. But it requires an astronomical amount of resources. Now that you are equal to the Nascent Soul in cultivation, artificial resources are going to be needed. Almost every single resource in this world has an attribute. That means, that they won''t work for you. He''s the most accomplished biologist in the field. If he can''t do anything, then we will have to resort to pumping more money into warp drive research."


    "Then... Are we going to meet him, or should we send an invitation!"


    "The two of us will make the trip... And it will be something public. Those sect bastards have started becoming even more bold. Maybe that will give them food for thought."

 Chapter 10 The World Reacts(2)

    SCC Chapter 10 The World Reacts(2)


    The oil in the pan sizzled as both chopped onions and tomatoes were added, releasing a vapor filled with aroma, though it remained trapped within the pan, by a thin layer of spiritual energy above, that continously condensed into small droplets, akin to mist, and merged into the frying ingredients.


    A slender hand occasionally shook the mixture, making sure that every piece got just the right amount of heat.


    A few moments later, another ingredient, this time potatoes, having been chopped into thin slices of chips, were also added, bring an even more powerful sizzle, with the spirit energy within viciously fighting to escape, threatening to destroy the ingredients.


    Beads of sweat appeared upon the woman''s brow, but she didn''t even have the time to wipe them off, as her concentration would waver. These spiritual ingredients were way too expensive to be wasted. Besides this had been her profession for many years, making her an old hand at this.


    Minutes later, the whole soupy mixture settled down, with the spiritual energy within achieving harmony, mostly attributed to the addition of her own.


    Now all that was needed, was to leave the dish out to simmer. After adjusting the cooking flame to a low heat, she took a look around her kitchen station, where the items she had used were gathered, waiting for her to clean up.


    A sigh escaped her lips, before she dug into the work, taking over 40 minutes to get everything in order.


    As she was waiting for the timer to beep, a figure popped in through the doorway and hugged her from behind.


    "What is it, honey?" Cecilia asked her husband.


    "Can''t I just hug my beautiful wife?"


    "Come on. We aren''t young anymore." she said with a chuckle.


    "Having a wife who is also a three star spirit chef is so damn good that I could hug you every single day?"


    "Aha! So it''s your stomach doing the talking?"


    "I also love you. You know that. Anyway, I just heard a piece of exciting news."


    "What?" she asked as she gazed at the timer intently, her hand poised to eliminate the heat at the exact time she had stipulated for this recipe.


    "That brat Reed is out of seclusion."


    Cecilia froze for a moment before joy bloomed within her heart.


    "For real?!"


    "Yes. I will ask him to drop by."


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    "There is no need to ask him that. Only ask for the date when. There is no way that child won''t come to visit us." Cecilia said.


    "It looks like I am going to have to search for ingredients. I should challenge myself this time."


    "Dont push yourself too much. You wouldn''t want the brat to see you exhausted on that day, right?"


    "I know. That won''t happen. Though, it has been decade since we last saw him. That''s why I am excited."


    -----


    The air before a tree distorted as a figure, akin to a chameleon, silently walked past, entering some shrubs, underneath which, there was a hole, one primitive enough to appear as a habitat for some demon beast.


    "Why did you gather us here?" a hoarse voice asked among the people clad in dark hoods. His name was Python, a nickname given to him by the organization. He was an espionage expert, one of the many in the world.


    "The boss has ordered a strike."


    The sentence caused a ripple within the crowd, him included. His face beneath the hood broke into a smile for a few seconds before settling down. This sentence was a coded message that meant that ''he'' was out of seclusion. That was joyous news.


    "What place does he want us to strike?" asked someone, causing every single gaze to shift to the two individuals, one hadn''t released any fluctuation when that sentence had been uttered, while another had directly spoken out. The previous coded sentence had been one which elicited a release of a frequency only known to that of the organization, serving as bait for those spies who had managed to infiltrate.


    Within mere moments, a circle formed around the two, with Python''s face having turned dark. No matter the outcome of this fight, this place would be exposed. Meaning that the number of available shelters would be reduced.


    Everyone''s spiritual energy churned, and as if by tact understanding, attacked. No words were exchanged at all. The ensuing battle ended up being short, ending with the cave  blasted open and all of the others scattering in multiple directions, Python included.


    Through the untamed jungle, he traveled having made sure to activate the camouflage suit, an expensive piece of equipment that could even elude divine sense. The caveat was that your divine sense also had to be restrained. Due to a periodic culling of the population by the so-called gods, this state was filled with many untamed lands. Though, plenty of demons subservient to those gods made this land home, with many even used in the culling.


    Finding one of his temporary hideouts allowed Python a measure of relief for the moment. And it also allowed him some time to think and ruminate upon the reveal.


    News from the outside world was sparse, but now that he had managed to ascertain that his savior Reed was out of seclusion. He was happy. Even if there was no action taken against this vile sect within this period before his next seclusion, he would be content with the thought that he was there, monitoring their efforts.


    After an unknown amount of time elapsed, he discarded the hood, revealing himself to be a middle aged man in local clothing, which too, was a disguise.


    It was time to go back into the village. He trekked through the land until he appeared by a wagon covered in leaves, and removed them. He was masquerading as a traveling merchant, a rare and dangerous profession in these lands due to the demon beasts, which many people here both feared and revered, treating them as mythical existences. It was headache inducing when he thought about the amount of time it was going to take to induct these people into the Federation after the defeat of Pantheon.


    -----


    "why did you keep it to yourself?" shouted a brown haired man with streaks of red through his hair. His crimson eyes held a flame of rage as he leaned into the desk, boring holes into her.


    Latniss really wanted to hand this fireball off to someone else, but she was the only one here. Besides, there was going to be a reward for her work welldone.


    "And what would that knowledge have helped you with? And, haven''t I told you multiple times not to bang on my desk?" asked Latniss as her voice became colder.


    "That doesn''t matter right now. What I want to know, is when are we going to storm Greece?"


    "Can you get off my case? I have work to do. Another base of our comrades has just been discovered. I have to try and find out if any have been killed."


    "Thats why I have been telling you to send me!" shouted Declan before moving away from the desk, plopping herself down onto the sofa.


    Latniss scoffed inwardly. Why would she send someone so conspicuous. The day he was sent, would be the day he dies. Dying quietly wouldn''t matter. But with his big mouth, it would spark a conflict that might leave everyone''s hands tied, with that brat Reed being the only one to bear the brunt of Zeus'' counterattack. That was an unacceptable scenario. They had come this far. How could they lose everything?


    Latniss gnashed her teeth as a memory was conjured from the depths of her mind. Pantheon was a sect that had offended far too many people, and some had been gathered through painstaking efforts. They were a found family together. And right now, her efforts were being spent on investigating whether every single one of the people were still alive.


    The one she could contact was still alive, and was in the middle of searching for the others, or establishing means through which they might gather again. Hades was the problem. Latniss was sure of that. The other gods were either too arrogant to resort to such tactics, or were too caught up in their debasement.


    But what puzzled her and everyone, was the lack of action. Some of the guy''s agents even managed to spend an entire year masquerading as members without bringing any harm. So, what was the man up to, really?


    Latniss massaged her brows before leaning back into the chair. Declan had become quiet. That was a plus. But when the others apleared, there was going to be a massive migraine. Maybe she should have asked for ten billion. Then, she would have had a huge smile on her face even as she worked to handle the clashing egos of these people.

 Chapter 11 Party of Plots(1)

    SCC Chapter 11 Party of Plots(1)


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 10


    Reed looked out from his perch within the craft, the one he personally owned. Lily had stayed behind as the person he was about to meet was one not entirely trustworthy. Everything about her was a scheme, a facade that she put on for everyone around her. Useless chess pieces were ruthlessly discarded by her in favor of the valuable ones.


    Personally, he didn''t want to meet the woman. But the info in her hands was just that much valuable. The Radiance sect had been maintaining an alliance with Pantheon for as long as he had existed. But with her at the helm, that status quo was probably being challenged. He had already noticed some moves to alienate the other sects. But to what end? He had no idea. But what he could be sure of, was his belief that this was a convoluted plot.


    A mountain range appeared within his gaze after a few minutes within the air. The Earth, nourished extensively by spirit energy, was growing, expanding at a rate that baffled many in the scientific community, him included. Any attempts at scanning its core had failed due to the concentration of spiritual energy down below.


    This mountain range, now partially exposed by the dissipation of the morning mist, was a marvel to gaze upon. It was covered in green for as far as the eyes could see, interspersed with some streams and lakes with clear waters.


    It''s previous name had long since been lost in the annals of history, with its current name having been decided upon by the sect that nestled within it. It was thus called, Sacred Radiance mountain range.


    There were probably many species of undiscovered flora down below. If it were any other time, he would have dived down to perform an exploration. It couldn''t be done now because he wasn''t in the mood, not to mention the fact that this was sect territory. He wouldn''t be allowed here. There were probably many secrets below, with some even world shaking. Yet, unless the sect was eradicated, they would remain firmly within sect hands.


    Reed shook away those thoughts as the ship finally passed through two peaks, exposing the main sect peak to his eyes.


    The first thing that attracted his attention was the powerful beam of light that was being projected into the skies. There had been plenty of speculations as to the purpose of this beam of light. Yet no one had managed to pinpoint its purpose. And the Radiance sect was tight lipped about its purpose. Reed''s eyes narrowed as his mind conjured up a piece of intelligence he had heard about the light beam years ago.


    Apparently, there were rumors that the first generation Zeus had been passively involved in its creation. Or had he been actively involved?


    Directly beneath that light beam was a palace, a light construct. Photons, their numbers in the quintillions and beyond had been captured and solidified with an array, creating a fully solid building. It had been dimmed a bit, as the light it would have released would have been too overwhelming even for a Nascent Soul cultivator. Reed even had the hypothesis that should all those photons escape, no one in the current world would be capable of surviving when close. For the palace, everyone was certain that it had been the first generation Zeus who had engineered it.


    The craft dipped down, and landed upon a large platform a few kilometers below the light palace. On stepping out, Reed paused for half a second before continuing down the ramp.


    Down the ramp, a pasty smile appeared on his face as he beheld the congregation gathered before him. The urge to grind his teeth was stifled before it could take hold. Livia, the woman most definitely knew how he felt about crowds, yet she had just went and done this.


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    He moved forward his gaze fixed upon the white haired woman leading the group. Her expression was one of a smile, while deep within her eyes, there was some amusement.


    "It''s nice to meet you, sect master." he greeted with a shake of hands. How could he not have noticed the reporters at the side? At this very moment, he knew right away that he had been plotted against by this woman. He had thought that it was going to be a private meeting, yet here he was, being welcomed by quite the crowd.


    She was dressed in a white robe with golden trimmings, while the elders behind her had silver trimmings. Then those even further behind, he took to be core disciples, had bronze trimmings.


    "It is an honor to finally meet you in an official setting, Mr. Mumaso. Our Radiance sect is honored to have a man of your caliber paying us a visit." This time, the urge to narrow the eyes was the one stifled.


    "It will be better if we don''t dally then, sect master. We have much to discuss." Reed said, while also conveying his intention to get on with it.


    The Radiance sect was the oldest sect in the world. Many had risen and fallen in the long river of time, yet ever since its establishment, it had never fallen. The reason for that mostly lay in its policy of seclusion. They essentially barricaded themselves in their mountain range, only making the occasional trip down in search of disciples.


    (Livia... What is this?)


    The question through divine sense was ignored by the other party, who maintained a smile throughout. A sigh was also stifled by him as they ascended the mountain.


    At a certain distance, everyone else dispersed, leaving only the two of them, to make their way to the mountain palace above.


    "You have known me for a long time, Reed. You should have anticipated the unanticipated."


    "Yes... It was my fault for having let down my guard."


    "I noticed that some of the elders weren''t in your contingent. What happened to them?"


    "Well... They are in seclusion."


    "Forced seclusion. Since there was no conflict, then it appears that there is democracy within your sect."


    "I wouldn''t have become the sect master if it had been otherwise. Those old coots in the late stage of the Nascent Soul wouldn''t have let me off."


    "Why did you want our relationship to be made public?"


    She didn''t answer that question, instead opting to swiftly create distance between herself and Reed until they reached the palace.


    Even if you took away the fact that it had been constructed from captured photons, it''s grandness was enough to awe anyone.


    Inside its walls was even more captivating than the outside, and continously dazzled Reed with its interplay of colors. He had never had the privilege of being invited within its walls before. Now, he took up Livia''s offer to explore the place. She was far more excited about leading him than any attempt at conversation, making him wonder about what kind of plot she could be concocting.


    Finally, the spirit of exploration dispossessed her and she finally invited him to her office, a minimalistic room with white scale patterned walls and silver lines adorning it''s walls and floor. The desk, behind of which, her chair was located, had its surface filled with small rectangles of light that no doubt were some sort of port for divine sense connection. Compared to the Federation''s primitive interfaces, this was more advanced.


    Without any fanfare, the both of them sat down on a different seat, directly facing each other. The seats were right before the desk, but arranged to be opposite to each other.


    "I want to know the exact reason I was called here, Livia." started Reed. If he still hadn''t discovered the fact that Livia had purposefully manipulated him, then he would be better off dead in some ditch.


    "What makes you say that, Reed. I would never."


    "Cut it out with your stale sarcasm. Why was I really invited? Was it really only for the information?" Reed asked, his face having a stormy expression. There was something about being used that ate away at his mind, making him feel that maybe, just maybe, he would be justified if he attacked the woman.


    "Heavens! These robes are so constricting! Maybe my next revolutionary idea should be to change the sect robes into modern wear. Keeping with tradition is a pain." complained Livia as her robes shifted right before his eyes, becoming a white long fluffy dress that reached her ankles. Then one leg was placed against the other, and her bust was prominently displayed, with the valley deep within the two mountains attracting his gaze enough for him to swallow his saliva.


    A knowing smile played upon her lips, with Reed hurriedly looking away, out the window, pretending that the lush greenery below the mountain was far more interesting. Among women, there is the proverbial golden ratio that harmonizes the face, the bust and the hips, thereby making the woman, a goddess in the eyes of many men. And Livia was precisely such a kind of woman. Reed was certain that he would have fallen for her if it wasn''t for her nasty schemes.


    "Let''s talk about Lily..." she leaned forward, with her eyes boring through him. They were brimming with an emotion that bordered on jealousy. But how much of it was a play? That was something he wondered about.


    "Why did you choose to save her? She would have worked better as a clueless pawn."


    "That there, is the fundamental difference between you and I."


    "Did you develop romantic feelings?"


    "Why is that important?"


    A deep breath was taken by her, after which she leaned back into her seat. That left Reed somewhat puzzled.

 Chapter 12 Party of Plots(2)

    SCC Chapter 12 Party of Plots(2)


    "Since over 400 years ago, resources have been syphoned from the sect, with their destination unknown. Only the sect masters have been privy to this. And stringent oaths must be made before you are brought into the loop."


    "Is that all, you have?" asked Reed. Though inwardly shocked at the length of time, he maintained a calm demeanor.


    "Surely, there must be more. If this is all you have, then you wouldn''t be Livia."


    "If I am to give you more, there is going to be a condition." Livia spoke before standing off and moving towards a corner, where a bottle was released from a compartment with a sliding door.


    "I am not in the mood for alcohol."


    "Who said this was for you? It''s going to be mine." Within seconds, perfectly square cubes of ice were condensed within her palm and dumped into the glass, upon which, the cap was removed from the bottle and the liquid cascaded into the glass. Even chilled, it''s bouquet permeated the room, tickling his olfactory senses.


    "The Mandy." uttered Reed. He wasn''t a fun of alcohol, but even he, had heard of that exquisite wine.


    After storing back the rest, Livia once again took her seat.


    "I am going to throw a banquet... A party of sorts. And I need you to be... The reason."


    Reed''s eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why would you need me?"


    "All you just have to know, is the fact that this will allow you to make headway with your revenge plot. No, it might even take off in one fell swoop, cascading events into ending once and for all." Livia lifted the glass to her face and looked through the glass, towards Reed, who had somewhat frozen. Then she took a sip, and a blissful expression crossed her features.


    "Are you lying to me?" Reed asked in a grave voice. This was far too important to him. The image of a gentle woman briefly flashed within his mind.


    "What are the chances of succeeding?"


    "I''d wager a 50/50."


    "This banquet... What reason would you provide to the public? And how are you certain that there will be many people?"


    "The reason will be a celebration of your exit from seclusion, coupled with a partnership between the Radiance sect and Muti Biotech."


    "A partnership. You do know that that will be a hard thing to pull off with the public sentiment against the sects."


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    "That''s where you come in." She pointed at him after taking another sip from her glass. "You are the darling of the public. Besides, Radiance hasn''t done anything to really damage the lives of the others. After all, we have always kept to our mountains. What do you say?"


    "Will this partnership be legit? Or is it going to be a red herring?"


    "Of course it will be legit! I can see the trend here. The Federation has already grown so much in just a short 400 years. If I wait any longer, won''t Radiance be left behind?"


    "I am not well versed in politics, but unless this sect becomes entirely akin to a business conglomerate, there is no way the Federation would let it stay as it is. There are many examples already."


    Reed stood up from his seat. The conversation had come to an end. And he had very many things to do before the party. The date had already been set.


    -----


    A cloud of dust swirled upon the platform as the engines of his craft came online. Reed was now nestled inside, being sent off by only Livia. His gaze traveled to the lush vegetation, wondering whether he would be allowed to explore upon the completion of the partnership. Details of said partnership were going to be discussed during the party, scheduled to last a whole seven days.


    Within mere seconds upon take off, the craft was outside the set''s territory, with him already looking forward to his next appointment, one he was already excited about.


    -----


    Mars...the planet dubbed as the second colony of humanity. During the year 124 of the Federal Calender, the President had passed a bill that would finance the terraforming of the planet to make it habitable for humans.


    Above the planet, there were interlocking sections of a space station that interlocked, like a grid, spreading in every direction, directly above the transparent panels that kept in the atmospheric gasses from escaping due to the weak gravity.


    Reed''s craft, which had left the Earth, and reached the red planet, was now in the middle of docking with a particular node on the station, one privately owned by his company. There was going to plenty of time in the public eyes, so he wanted to atleast enjoy these few hours, or days, in peace and quiet.


    "Why was I brought here?" asked the grey haired woman welcoming him after the opening of the hatch.


    "Ms. Toba. Since you became involved in a certain plot of mine. It is my duty to keep you safe. And that means staying close." explained Reed as he passed by her. Though, he heard her muffled steps behind him afterwards.


    "Then... What are we going to be doing on this planet? Mr. Reed, I am a person who hates wasting time. Can''t you find me something to do?"


    "This is going to be temporary. In a few days, there will be plenty for you to do." he answered.


    They walked quite a distance in silence after that. Through corridors, elevators, crowds and even other docks, to arrive at the planetary elevator, a contraption acting as a means for reaching the surface of the planet below.


    The private dock had also had an elevator capable of the same, but that was the same as him announcing his arrival if he took it. That was why, he and Lily were now being squeezed together within the elevator.


    He could feel her modest chest touching his right hand, which made it hard for him to concentrate on anything else. Then there was the reeking taint of spiritual energy in the elevator. Cultivators released spiritual energy and impurities from their pores every single second of the day if they didn''t actively control their bodies. And the amalgam of different attributes in small amounts, yet high in volume around places of gatherings, was known as energy pollution. It wasn''t dangerous to cultivators themselves as a simple ward could keep such particles away, but if it were a mortal, they would instantly become poisoned.


    After the elevator reached the ground, a sigh of relief escaped Reed''s mouth. Sexual urges were a problem to control. Maybe him being a virgin played a part.


    The elevator had delivered them to a sprawling metropolis, which radiated outwards in all directions with the space elevator as the centre. This was Red Dust city. Even though Lily tried to hide it well, Reed caught the uneasiness in her eyes. The situation was the same for him, but he had learnt to cope with it.


    A hovering vehicle, a taxi, one whose hull was sparkling, as if newly minted, welcomed them upon their exit from the large crowd in the station. It had been specifically waiting for them, courtesy of reservations by Lily. She was starting to get the hang of her role. Once inside, their spiritual energy wards were dissolved, as the vehicle had a spiritual energy filter pre-installed.


    "Why hasn''t anyone dealt with this situation?"


    "Mars is a different territory from Earth. Even though the Federal arms of governance reach this place, ultimately, the focus lies with Earth, as it''s a life planet. You can take each city to be self governing at the moment, only occasionally following the Federation''s directives."


    "It holds a little over a quarter of humanity. Leaving it to its own devices might not be the best solution in the long term. Imagine a future where they grow strong enough to fight for independence."


    The vehicle set off, joining the traffic lane leading outside Red Dust city.


    "That is a problem for those that will be the President at the time. What? Politicking isn''t my strong suit. Though, maybe you could run for President some time in the future."


    "Has there ever been another leader of the Federation ever since its founding? I know myself best. Unless I achieve an Invincible status like our President, competing for that seat will be akin to signing my death certificate."


    "Now you get it!" Reed commented cheekily, only to earn a glare directed my way.

 Chapter 13 Party of Plots(3)

    SCC Chapter 13 Party of plots(3)


    Red Dust city had a fundamental difference from those metropolises back on Earth. And that difference wasn''t limited to just it, but every single city on the red planet. The difference was the lack of greenery, in other words, plant life. Plant life did exist, but in enclosures that served to protect it from the harsh climate of the planet. Instead, this and the other cities, were fully filled with unnatural things, that gave one the impression of being fully metallic urban monsters.


    As the vehicle threaded through the dense network of traffic, Reed could see that the city was a hub for business, with every single street lined with stores. Food was the most prominent business idea, with the next, being beverages.


    Almost 30 minutes later, the autonomous vehicle arrived before the behemothic walls that kept the even harsher elements of Mars away from the city proper. A long line of vehicles, personal, chartered and cargo, were situated along that route, causing a traffic jam for kilometers.


    "It looks like it will be a while before we can go out." he commented.


    "Is it always this troublesome on the planet?" Lily asked.


    "Mars, with its inhospitable nature, isn''t really conducive for human settlement. So, why do you think there are many settlers?" asked Reed to see whether she could come up with an answer.


    "There are a wide range of legitimate reasons and the rumors. What is the real truth?" she asked.


    "Alien ruins."


    "I had thought that those were rumors!" her eyes widened for a moment.


    "It is the truth. Though, most of the findings have decayed extensively, thereby making their excavation a pointless endeavor. Only some small rare materials are found occasionally, selling for astronomical prices at auctions."


    "You said ''most.'' Are there some intact ruins?" she asked.


    "That''s what the Federation believes. After all, the sects were the first to step into space. Though arrogant, there were still some with a sense of adventure among them." commented Reed. There was a yearning within him too. He wanted to get a warp capable ship, hop on it, and see what kind of miraculous things exist in the universe. But, he couldn''t. Not before getting revenge for himself and the person who had been closest to him.


    A group of thugs had done it, but the agents that had saved him from said thugs had told the truth.


    "I am sure there must be technology advanced enough to tame the wild Mars, like your biotechnology. I don''t believe you lack a species that can grow in this environment." Lily gazed at him skeptically.


    "All you just have to know, is that many companies ride on the importation of food onto this planet. After I deal with the matter of that man, I will have no burden. That means that I won''t passively watch as my wealth accumulates. Do you know that most of my money is being kept as cash somewhere?"


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    "You could solve many problems. Your Auto-cul has been made available to every citizen, through the Federation, but it alone can''t solve everything."


    "Ms. Toba. I don''t want to head onto the political track. There will be many checks and balances, thereby restricting what I can do."


    After that explanation, their breaths could be heard within the vehicle, a sign of the fact that their small talk had been about to enter a hot stage.


    Before their conversation could continue though, their transport drove through the walls and onto the other side, where the light from the sun finally made it into the car. There had been many obstructions within the city, from skyscrapers, to vehicles, to even levitating buildings.


    An uncomfortable silence enveloped them like a blanket. Reed felt like squirming in his seat. And there was nothing that came to mind that could alleviate the atmosphere.


    "I am sorry for trying to impose my views upon you, Mr. Mumaso." she said after almost a kilometer was traveled, with the dust cloud left by the vehicles upfront almost obscuring the view outside.


    "It''s okay. I too, have the same views. But for now, I don''t want to get involved in too many things before my current problem is resolved." Reed breathed out a sigh of relief as finally, the uncertain atmosphere had been broken.


    After that short conversation, Reed directed his gaze out the window, where red monolithic rocks and cliffs could be seen. The rest of the ground below was a dust laden soil that would only settle when the scheduled rains came. And sometimes, dust storms would be set off. Though, since the planetary core was weak, and the atmosphere, artificial, the climate was essentially bearable by cultivators of every realm as the planet was sparse of spiritual energy.


    That was one of the reasons why the cities had energy domes. They kept the spirit energy within, preventing it from dispersing, thereby allowing cultivators to exist.


    The vehicle stopped after a day of traveling, with the night particularly colder than those on Earth. After alighting, Lily looked around in puzzlement, even spreading her divine sense to try and puzzle out where they were. They had been left at a relatively open space only occupied by crimson monoliths.


    -----


    "I had thought our destination was another city."


    "We have arrived."


    Walking a few meters in, the world changed. It had been akin to stepping through a bubble, completely changing the reality of the place. That was how she realized that she had stepped through an illusory formation.


    Infront of them stood a lone cottage, constructed from wood that seemed to have witnessed the passage of time.


    "They should have revamped the formation." mumbled Reed beside her, but her attention was mostly taken up by the vibrant green surrounding the cottage. The green wasn''t composed of some recreational plant species, but instead was a farm of plants, mostly vegetables, all with a spiritual nature. She could sense those that gave off a dense presence, meaning that they had reached the third grade.


    Watermelons, tomatoes, onions, peppers... And many other plants, made up the farm. Her gaze moved away from the greenery when the door of the cottage was opened from the inside and a man with white sideburns with a black centre, stepped out of the cottage. He wasn''t muscular, but his body appeared to be well toned. The beach shorts and shirt though, were inelegant to her. The attire appeared too out of place with the rest of the scenery.


    "Brat Reed. Are you disappointed that I am the welcome party? Your expression most definitely changed for a mere moment. I could remind you if you forgot." The man walked towards them through the path, composed of rough stones, each having its own unique shape, yet seamlessly fitting together as if part of a shattered whole.


    "Old geezer! Haven''t I warned you about the barrier. You are lucky Ms. Toba was a friend!"


    "Come on! Do you really think I would be that careless when my precious Cecilia is here? I could never make such an amateur mistake. We had already noticed the two of you the moment you alighted, courtesy of my new surveillance system." beamed the man, who didn''t look much older than his 30s.


    Lily''s eyes widened momentarily when her memory finally managed to pin the man. He was a distinguished gentleman in the circles of analysts and theorists. Nikolai kadershev.


    He had proposed a civilisation scale, one that had caused an uproar at the time. Even she could remember that turmoil perfectly. Many figures still refused to believe his theory, taking it to be the hubris of an insane man who had wanted attention.


    "You must be Ms. Toba. Welcome to our humble abode. How do you rate the place?"


    "Is that really a question that should be asked, old man?"


    "Of course! If you can''t accept criticism for your work, how can you improve?"


    "I have dabbled in farming a little bit, Mr. Kardashev. I must say, it''s impressive to keep a farm of this scale properly maintained on this planet, even with a barrier array. Though, I must admit... I don''t think you have the patience for all this."


    Reed chuckled while the man acted as if he had taken a hit.


    "Of that, you are absolutely right. My great wife is the one who cares for the garden. Come. Let''s go meet her."


    And with that invitation, all of them headed towards the cottage. Now, that Lily was getting closer, she took the chance to observe it, this time noticing the patio, where a wooden chair, one long enough to seat three people, could be seen.

 Chapter 14 Party of Plots(4)

    SCC Chapter 14 Party of Plots(4)


    And right now, there was a figure seated upon it. A woman with long hair that cascaded down both sides of her shoulders. Her eyes were bright, though her expression darkened a few shades when they locked eyes. Lily inwardly sighed. She had understood right away the meaning of that gaze.


    "Amelia! How long has it been?" asked a surprised Reed.


    "15 years, give or take."


    "What about your idol business? I hope you really managed to lose those stalker fans of yours." Reed looked around as if searching for said fans.


    "l have already checked, brat. This time, no one followed her." Nikolai''s sentence calmed him. Lily didn''t really get what they were talking about, so it was best that she had decided to keep silent.


    "Brother Reed, is this woman, your girlfriend?"


    When the question came out of the woman''s mouth, the atmosphere froze.


    Within a few bounds, Reed was upon her in moments and roughly ruffled her hair. "Where the hell did you get that idea, young girl?"


    "Come on! It was just a question! Hey! Hey! Have you forgotten your strength? My hair is about to be pulled out? Mom? Come help! Your daughter is about to lose all her shiny hair!"


    Nikolai appeared by Amelia''s side as if he had teleported, clamping a hand on her mouth.


    "What are you doing? Don''t you know what happens when your mom''s cooking is interrupted?" sternly asked Nikolai, eliciting a collective shiver from the trio.


    Lily felt left out. Since meeting with Nikolai, she had felt like these people, were all under some sort of connection, making her envy it all. Mawar was the only person she could click with.


    "I am sorry if you feel left out, Ms. Toba. We have just been together longer, that''s why there''s the connection."


    Nikolai''s apology upon his appearance by her side, caused a flicker in Reed''s expression that passed so fast that she would have thought it an illusion if she hadn''t seen it for herself.


    She was in disagreement with that expression of his though, as he hadn''t abandoned her. He had simply been swept up in that woman, Amelia''s plot.


    After the commotion, she was invited into the cottage, instantly falling in love with the decor, which made the guest feel as if they were welcomed. From the fireplace, where an orange flame was leaping from an aromatic wood, to the comfortable looking chairs, to the vanished wooden brown walls. Even the fur carpet, which appeared to have been harvested from a dead demon.


    "This place is cozy." she praised sincerely.


    "Take a seat. You are our first guest in a long time." spoke Nikolai.


    "Dad! What about my friends from last year?" Amelia protested.


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    "Ah! I misspoke. You are our first normal guest since we moved here." That earned the man a glare from his daughter, also coaxing out a smile from Lily.


    "Is aunt Cecilia holed up in the kitchen?" asked Reed. Lily was amazed to find out that Reed had such an intimate group of people as his found family.


    "You know her. She even locked the door, warning the two of us about disturbing her."


    "Then we had better heed her warning." Reed spoke seriously, taking a seat just beside Lily, who became somewhat flummoxed. She had thought that the man was going to sit by Amelia, after all, the other woman also occupied quite the spacious seat.


    (I am the one who brought you here. I can''t abandon you in front of people only I, am familiar with.) he transmitted.


    The time after, was taken up by pleasant conversation, though, Lily found that the daughter, Amelia, always tried to cause friction with herself. And that made her all the more certain that the woman had feelings for Reed. Yet the man was oblivious to that, taking her as a sister.


    Just before an hour elapsed since their arrival, a wooden door creaked open, bringing with it an aroma that tantalized her taste buds, eliciting an elevated production in saliva. Lily swallowed subconsciously, while her mind went to the imagery of the dish that gave off such a tantalizing aroma. This family actually had a spirit chef, and one of such a high caliber!


    A woman walked out of the open door. Her hair was mostly black, ending in silver highlights, while cascading down her shoulders. Her face bore a strong resemblance to Amelia, leading to the immediate connection that they were related. And Lily was certain that she was the mother even though, she didn''t look a day older than her daughter.


    "I didn''t know you were bringing a young lady." The woman spoke, before coming right towards Lily, where she proceeded to give her a hug, puzzling her immensely.


    "Aunt Cecilia, that isn''t my girlfriend. I am just acting as her protector." explained Reed.


    "Ah! Sorry young lady. It''s the first time that the boy has brought a woman home, so I thought you were his... Sorry about that."


    There had been a warmth she hadn''t felt in a long time. The hug had reminded her of her mother.


    "It''s okay, Madam."


    "You can just call me Cecilia."


    "Okay, now that I am done, I want you to start preparing everything. Let''s have a meal. Not you dear. You can stay here with me." spoke the woman, as she took the seat Reed had vacated.


    "I have a vague feeling that you must be a farmer." spoke Cecilia.


    "My clan are farmers, we grow rice."


    "Do you have any tier three rice? As you must have deduced, I am a spirit chef, specifically a tier three chef."


    Lily was inwardly elated at the reveal. Getting into the good graces of a tier three chef would go a long way to elevating the products of her clan on the market.


    "We have it. If you want some, it can be traded. And it''s all good quality. I am not tooting my own horn, when I say that."


    Cecilia chuckled at that.


    "Reed, that boy has filled me in with your predicament. It''s a good thing you turned to him. He will absolutely do everything in his power to keep you from that man."


    "Really?" Was the woman under a blind faith spell? Wondered Lily.


    "That gaze means that you don''t believe me. But don''t ever underestimate him. He has made many preparations for his eventual altercation with Zeus..."


    (He might be powerful now, but the sacrifices he has made to reach this level of power are huge. You can trust him. If he ever slights you in any way, you can come to me, I will straighten him out.)


    "We aren''t going to have any deep connection."


    "Trust me on this, all relationships have different ways of starting. And you two, will eventually..." Cecilia didn''t finish that trail of conversation, but Lily understood the rest.


    Though the man was admirable, plus handsome, with that pair of emerald orbs, she was certain that they were people of two different worlds. Only someone who wouldn''t get ruffled upon experiencing his wealth, would be capable of standing by him. Lily wasn''t that woman. She was ambitious. And that ambition didn''t lie with relying on a man.


    Though it was ironic that she was now relying on him. This was a transaction.


    The woman, Cecilia, stood up and held out her hand, which Lily took, and together, they headed towards the dining room, which was also only reached from another brown wooden door. It seemed that the living room was the fulcrum of the entire house.


    The moment they reached the dining room, every other thought was banished from her mind as she beheld the spread on the large table. Every single kind of food on the table was enough to bring about a watering in her mouth. It was simply that tantalizing! And that was even before the aroma entered her nostrils!


    A burst of envy for those that got to enjoy this kind of meal every single day, was born within her mind, which she swiftly banished.


    "It has been such a long time since someone has had such an intense reaction for my food." commented Cecilia, with Lily feeling a burning in her cheeks as she swiftly regathered herself.


    "That''s only because you didn''t cook for my friends." grumbled Amelia.


    "Those aren''t friends. The moment your fame, or your family background is lost, they will run for the hills, leaving you behind." Cecilia switched to a stern expression.


    "Come on, Let''s eat. The brat will ultimately learn of the true face of the world by herself." Nikolai interjected, before taking a seat at the head of the table. On his right, sat Cecilia, with the seat down occupied by Reed. Amelia tried to take the seat directly opposite Reed only for her mother''s glare to dissuade her, upon which she took the left hand seat from her father, with Lily, taking the seat directly opposite Reed.


    Everyone started digging in the moment she sat down, as if by prior agreement. There were no words flying, instead it was the cutlery making noise in the otherwise quiet room.


    Lily''s taste buds exploded with sensation from the moment she took the first bite to the moment she took her last bite. She had visited restaurants with spirit chefs. Though that luxury had only afforded her a single plate. She had never had the privilege of eating an entire full-course.

 Chapter 15 Party of Plots(5)

    SCC Chapter 15 Party of Plots(5)


    (Spirit energy origins)


    (Does Life Truly Need Spirit Energy to Survive?)


    (Kardashev Civilization Scale)


    (Theories on the Diffent Paths of Cultivation.)


    Lily read through the spines of books that lined the wooden shelf. They were many, with the shelf having been given an entire wall all to itself. But what amazed her the most was the fact that all these books were physical copies. Very very few people had the time and fondness for physical books, preferring to hold digital copies instead.


    After the pleasant meal, whose aftertaste she was still savoring, Reed had asked for some private time with Nikolai, leading into now, where they were within a study, with her taking the time to browse the extensive collection.


    "I have always loved solid books since the moment I had first laid eyes on one. And now, when I find a title that''s particularly interesting, I can''t stop myself from wanting to add it to my collection." commented Nikolai, who was now seated behind his desk, with Reed occupying a chair just infront of it.


    "Mr. Kadarshev, the civilisation scale that you proposed... I have never had the time to truly understand why the community shuns it. What really, is the problem with it?" she asked. It wasn''t because she wanted to drag out the conversation. Lily was truly curious.


    "They shun it because of a sense of arrogance and pride. Very few people are willing to acknowledge the fact that in the grand scheme of the universe, we humans, are merely still ants. We are just starting out. We haven''t even managed to construct a warp capable ship."


    "Will that change anything?" she asked while taking out the book about his theory.


    "We need someone to Breakthrough and achieve the next realm of cultivation. Just as Spirit Gathering and Foundation Establishment are one threshold, with the next two realms considered another. I believe that the realm after that is another threshold. And in the history of our race, no one has ever managed to achieve it. Before I kick the bucket, I want someone to achieve it. I want to see it with my very own eyes."


    There was a passion within his gaze that was somewhat blinding even to her.


    "Old man, I am certain that your dream might be possible in this era. But let''s first get down to the reason that I wanted a private talk."


    "You have already transmitted Ms. Toba''s predicament to us. Is there something more?"


    "Yes. I took a trip to Radiance before my journey here. And Livia, the new sect master, divulged some crucial information. Apparently, since before the Federation, the large sects have been providing resources to Pantheon. And it began just after the time of the First generation Zeus."


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    Lily was somewhat shocked by that. The sects had been building something even before the Federation came to power?!


    "That is a chilling piece of information. Over 500 years of consuming resources... Did she divulge a location?" Nikolai asked.


    "No. But there are two places that come to mind of where whatever they are building could be..."


    "Underneath Greece, or outer space." finished Lily.


    A silence enveloped the room. One where each was mulling over the information.


    "So, the man is after Ms. Toba. When do you suppose he will launch a strike?"


    "In a few days, Radiance is going to hold a party on neutral grounds, where they plan to announce a partnership between themselves and I."


    "Hoh! I have never loved the woman, but this scheme of hers is welcome indeed. Dangling what he wants in a place he can get it, while also trying to see whether she can coax out a sense of urgency from him... Nice."


    "She said that events might cascade from there, leading to the eventual defeat of not just the man, but Pantheon itself." continued Reed.


    "If I am not mistaken, then that party is going to attract every single pair of eyes in the Federation. Don''t be surprised if some big players show up. They wouldn''t want you to be the only one who gets a piece of the pie. That woman is far too clever. She won''t be entering a partnership with just you. That would be offending all the other sides. Isn''t that right, Ms. Toba?"


    "It''s basic knowledge if you want to have stable integration."


    "I was planning to formally invite the both of you to attend. I, alone won''t be capable of handling so many people."


    "You have that team of yours, Reed. But... It will be better if you have someone who can publicly appear by your side. Cecilia...on the other hand... What if, hypothetically speaking, Zeus himself appears? You know Cecilia''s past with the man."


    A sigh escaped Reed''s lips. Did Cecilia also possess a grudge against the man? Wondered Lily.


    "How do you plan on protecting me?" She asked after waiting a few seconds and seeing the conversation going knowhere.


    "I believe there are going to be many guests that would have a grudge against the man, meaning, that subtle means will be used. Ms. Toba, would you put your life in our hands?" asked Nikolai abruptly, startling her.


    -----


    "Its a shame you couldn''t stay for a few weeks, boy. I would have loved to have a lengthy chat with you." spoke Cecilia while hugging Reed. The time had come to part ways, of only briefly.


    There were many matters that needed dealing with. And most importantly, people to meet. The time frame before the party itself was short for all that needed to be done.


    His ship, the one that had been left docked up on the space port, was now hovering just a few meters behind him. Having been allowed to enter the planet''s atmosphere at his request. Which meant that now, every Tom Dick and Harry on Mars knew of his presence. But that didn''t matter. Atleast he had been the one who had chosen when to reveal himself instead of an accidental incident.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 13


    "I never want to experience that, ever again! Yet I will have to... What to do?" Lamented Reed while massaging his forehead. From reporters, to other business moguls. He had been in meetings, interviews, talk shows, tours... Essentially, his schedule had been so tightly packed that even a break had been nonexistent. If he hadn''t been a cultivator, then he would have surely died from overwork.


    "Is this how everything goes, on a normal day?" asked Lily, who was clearly far more rejuvenated. Some of the minor figures that couldn''t be squeezed into his tightly packed schedule had been dumped onto her. And from what he knew, her workload had been significantly greater than his. So why was she looking animated?


    "These things are draining. Why are you okay? Could it be that you are wired differently?"


    "That is a rude question." pouted Lily. During the previous days, they had gotten familiar enough to even lightly banter.


    "So, what''s next on the itinerary?" she asked, clearly still rearing to go.


    "Nothing. There are some people I would want you to meet. And I have already invited them. They are important since they are part of the upcoming plans with that man." Reed explained.


    "Who are they? Are they trustworthy?"


    "They wouldn''t have been allowed to meet with you otherwise." answered Reed with a voice tinged with irritation.


    "Sorry... It''s just that it has become harder to trust new people."


    "Trust is a two-way street. If you can''t trust them, then have faith in me, who chose to reveal them to you."


    "Ya-ho! Boss! How is it going? Did you die from all that attention?" a voice entered the room the same time as the door was pushed open.


    "Latniss... There is a reason the door is always closed. Didn''t anyone teach you to knock?" Reed''s voice came out more tired than he would have wanted.


    "Oh! Is this tiredness I feel from my powerful boss who''s in the Nascent Soul realm? Then how are you going to handle those boisterous brats?" Latniss asked with a chuckle.

 Chapter 16 Party of Plots(6)

    SCC Chapter 16 Party of Plots(6)


    This time, her appearance had once again adopted a different vibrant shade of color. Bright yellow strands of short hair, yellow pupils, and a yellow mini-dress that stopped in the middle of her thighs.


    "Ms. Latniss, it is not a pleasure to make your acquaintance." spoke an annoyed Lily.


    "It''s good that you are honest with your words. Though, I am not the most insufferable among the bunch. Wait until you meet our resident fireball, Declan."


    "Where are the others? I had thought that you were all going to appear at the same time." As if having finally remembered this, Reed''s eyes narrowed.


    "Come on boss! Do you really expect them to simply sit there, waiting for you to call upon them? They also have things they want to do, they must do, and the things they shouldn''t do, but do anyway."


    "And what have the bunch been up to? I have given them every single resource they have wanted. How powerful are they? They might have to take action earlier than anticipated."


    "Hoh! An opportunity has finally presented itself? Does that have anything to do with that party being advertised by the Radiance sect?" Latniss'' gaze sharpened.


    "Yes. And the man himself might make an appearance. Though I want you there, there is also a part of me that wishes you don''t appear. Many of you wouldn''t be able to control your tempers. And that''s a problem."


    "This is a great opportunity. They will control themselves if they don''t want it to slip from their grasp. Me included. As much as I hate the man, I wouldn''t jeopardize the mission."


    "You will need to explain that a 100 times to Declan in order for him to get it." Reed said.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 15


    Declan reclined against the balcony, his back turned to the wondrous view outside to focus on the intermingling of the various people within the building. A few minutes had passed since his arrival. He had kept time, arriving at the very start of the party, after all, it wouldn''t do to miss the hateful Zeus.


    The others couldn''t understand his rage. It was a fire that would never go away. They hadn''t grown up in that state. All humans there, were the playthings of Zeus and his cronies, the so-called gods.


    His entire village had been slaughtered. Why? Because Hera had been angry at the fact that Zeus had cheated on her with a woman from the village. She had explained it all to him as he had sat there, in a pool of blood. She had been squatting just a few inches from him, explaining the reasons for his parents'' death to the young him, as if she was having a casual conversation about the weather!


    After that massacre, she had left, leaving him frozen, with his mind in turmoil. Countless hours had passed before someone had found him, a cultivator from outside the state. He had helped him leave the state, sending him to an orphanage.


    That day had left a mark on him. He knew that his rage caused problems most times. But it was a problem with his mental state. And he wanted it resolved. Zeus was hateful, yes, but most of his rage was directed towards Hera.


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    The fake smiles grated on his nerves, so he turned around and gazed upwards, into the sun, wondering what he would do when Zeus himself arrived. Latniss had continously exhorted him about the importance of keeping himself in check, but how was he supposed to do that when even he himself, lacked an understanding on how he flew off the handle so fast?


    ''Hera! Hera! Hera! One day, I will step onto that soil once again. And I will make sure to slaughter that bitch!''


    A flame was lit within his chest, before he suppressed it with a breath. He shouldn''t get worked up now. It would only alienate him from the other guests. He had to act in the play called social interactions. So, with a deep breath, he turned round, straightened up his tux, and reentered the social gathering with a faint smile playing upon his lips.


    -----


    Underneath the ground, over a kilometer below the hill, a tiny 5m squared room had been hollowed out, only capable of accommodating as many as five people, but only three were within it.


    "The layout of the mansion is simple enough. There are no hidden rooms. All tunnels have been sealed with packed earth. And the security is of the highest level. There are spiritual energy detectors linked to an artificial intelligence that serves to register all the guests and guards around the mansion, meaning, sneaking in from the shadows has been countered."


    "So, the front is the only option." another figure chimed in.


    The three beings were clad in dark cloth, with even their eyes blurry due to an illusion formation. Nothing was imprinted anywhere that revealed any of their identities.


    "We shouldn''t all appear at the same time. We must also make sure that each of us adopts a unique identity only the three of us could recognize. We also can''t be too low level, as we wouldn''t even get the qualifications to meet the target."


    "This is a mission that needs to be accomplished without fail!" One of them exhorted the others, after which, the wisp of soft light that had been floating between them was extinguished and the room vacated. But the means they used all forewent destruction of the room''s walls.


    -----


    (This mission, it''s going to be hard. Even if we accomplish it, we will have to discard our current identities.)


    A blonde haired man with blue eyes and an easygoing smile transmitted to the others that were within the restaurant, down the hill from where the party was taking place.


    Two others were with him. Many people were patronizing upon the place in the hope that they could get a glimpse of the powerful people going up the hill. Among the other two he was chatting with, there was a woman, green haired and the same color of eyes, occupying a table by her lonesome, while the other, a bookish woman with glasses was seated before him. They were pretending to be enjoying their meals, oblivious to their surroundings, yet in secret, messages were being transmitted.


    (According to the Lord, there are going to be a bunch of people after the same target as us. Though, I am certain he already knows their origins. Him not telling us anything means that the person taking action is on familiar terms.) transmitted the bookish girl, whose fork was in the middle of depositing a piece of steak into her mouth.


    (Then there is also the fact that the target already knows that they are in danger. Plus we will also have to stay alert for any busy bodies that might want to get involved...)


    (... And some of them might even be Nascent Soul venerables, the kind of people we would never want to cross.) completed the green haired woman.


    (There is a silver lining though. We were only ordered to take action when chaos ensues. And we are at our best when such things happen. We will have to blend in, never arousing suspicion before the strike. That means, we will have to stay true to our identities the whole time.) The blonde haired man transmitted within the group chat.


    -----


    Nikolai leaned against the wall, closely scrutinizing the guests. He was actually the odd man out in this party, with many of the guests not taking any chance at speaking to him. Of course that was mostly attributed to the fact that many peers in his circle hadn''t yet arrived. Those that were here were mostly those that disagreed with his theorem, though hadn''t researched it deeply. And why they disagreed... That was a no-brainer. Most of those that had chosen to arrive earlier were related to the sects, and as you could imagine, their arrogance reached the heavens themselves.


    "Nikolai Kadarshev... The man unwanted by everyone! What are you doing here, hmmm? Hoping to convince us humans that we are merely ants, when we are the apex predators, the ones gifted with intelligence?!"


    A loud voice drew attention towards him. The speaker had clearly wanted everyone to know of what they were about to do. It was a man, he was wearing a brown suit, not buttoned, while the shirt was exposing a massive part of his hairy chest. Nikolai noted that he had allowed himself to become intoxicated with the alcohol, with even a glass of the beverage was being balanced upon the tip of his index finger by its base.


    "Makarov, why would people need convincing? That theory was just my conjecture. I don''t care whether you believe me or not. As long as I believe myself to be right." Nikolai spat back with a lazy drawl, even having shifted his gaze away from the man. He was simply a jumping clown who didn''t understand the world. Most of the sects viewed the world through rose colored glasses. Reality wasn''t something they could easily comprehend.


    With those words, he decided that he had stayed at the location for too long, so he walked away, leaving behind a man who didn''t dare to speak once again. Why? Because that would mean earning his ire. Nikolai wasn''t a weakling. Besides, there must have been someone in the shadows who had manipulated the man into a confrontation, seeking to unravel something. The sects and their schemes were always unwelcome.


    Nikolai had the shadow of a smile grace his features as he imagined what that woman, Livia, must be going through. After all, the entire reason why these sect bastards had arrived earlier was entirely visible to him.


    Zeus wouldn''t instigate them, so, they must have decided to try something on their own. Though, changing that woman''s mind on that one matter would need to be escalated into a battle in order to succeed.

 Chapter 17 Party of Plots(7)

    SCC Chapter 17 Party of Plots(7)


    The room had been darkened, with every single drape rolled down to cover any light that might have made it into the room. The reason, spying. There were many guests at the party, with many spiritual energy attributes available that would allow that sort of thing.


    Livia, on entering the room, was confronted with two distinctly different auras that weren''t just tussling with each other, but also seeking to apply pressure upon her. One of those auras was as cold as an ice berg, while the other, was as hot as a volcano. With a smile, she released her own aura, but just barely keeping it a few inches around her body.


    "So, people... I heard you wanted to have a private chat. What''s with the clashing auras?" She attempted to lighten the atmosphere while inwardly disapproving of these people''s childish tactics. It seems there were still many sects that hadn''t yet managed to awaken to the reality of this world. Well... It was not like she could blame them. The environment and peers had shaped them.


    There was a table in the middle of the room, one with a triangular design, making it so that all three participants were equal. It was a thoughtful gesture she had made to accommodate these two.


    One of them, a woman in a long white dress that gave off a vibe as if it had been crafted from solid ice itself, with her hair neatly tied up above her head, adorned with all sorts of ornaments that served to emphasize its white as snow color, sat on one side, which was Livia''s left.


    On the right side, sat a man wearing a vibrant red suit with crimson eyes that appeared to hold burning flames, with a head full of red hair that was shifting without any wind, like flames.


    If it wasn''t for their ill intentioned gazes towards each other, Livia found that they would make a great couple.


    Her steps echoed in the quiet room as she waded through the pressure to reach her seat, plopping down upon it while fixing her gaze towards the woman, with her fingers entwining as she beheld her.


    "So... How do you two plan to convince me when you can''t even see eye to eye?"


    "Young girl... Before your very existence, I was alive. This attitude of yours is inappropriate." The woman glared at Livia.


    "So? I am now just a minor realm beneath you. Have you broken through beyond the Nascent Soul?" mocked Livia, eliciting a raise of the woman''s eyebrow, which served to make the pressure realistically manifest in the form of ice spreading around her, encroaching towards Livia and the red haired man''s side only to be turned to water that evaporated.


    The particles that reached Livia were directly turned to gas the instant they met her light.


    "Let''s get the theatrics out of the way. Little girl, your ancestors have been dutifully following the oaths. What makes you think you can just come and upend their hard work when the project is on the cusp of completion?" the man''s voice rumbled when he spoke.


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    "Have you ever seen what Pantheon is actually building? Or are you so sure that those memory recordings are real? Besides, Pantheon is going to be the first to benefit. What makes you believe that after they do, they will give the both of you a chance? You two, bottom feeder sects that haven''t managed to usurp any of us, the big three, since your founding?"


    ""Little Girl!!""


    The pressure increased to the point that Livia felt as if she couldn''t hold on. Her face became pale, while beads of sweat formed upon her brow, but a smile graced her features as she stared at the two.


    "This place isn''t where you can wreck havoc. The Federation wants this. The moment you attack me, they will have a legitimate reason to go after your sects. Do you two think that you can match the behemoth that is the Federation?" asked Livia as she stood up.


    "With your volatile attitudes, there is no way a conclusion can be reached in this conversation. So, I will be going on my way." Livia said before photon attribute spiritual energy burst out of her like a tide, painting the entire room white for a moment, pushing away the pressures of the two. This didn''t mean that she was stronger than them, just that she had been accumulating and compressing her energy for this moment.


    After the room returned to normal, the two still had their eyes closed. They hadn''t expected the outburst, thereby having their vision temporarily damaged.


    "You should remember your places. Radiance is still a behemoth with multiple Nascent Soul stage cultivators. And personally, I don''t fear you two." and with those last words, she strode out of the room with her head held high.


    -----


    "The young sure are bold." The woman broke the silence a moment later, with both of them opening their eyes simultaneously as if in tacit understanding. They had managed to repair their vision at the same exact time, down to the micro second.


    "Zeus asked us for a favor. Our sect is going to fulfill it. This alliance... It needs to be dismantled. We can''t allow Radiance to ally with the Federation." a voice rumbled out of the man, with even his eyes and hair becoming flame for a moment.


    "And how do you plan to do that without disrupting Zeus'' goal?" The woman asked, her face painted with disdain for the man.


    "Zeus'' task is going to be the spark that starts a fire. We just have to find a way to spread it."


    "That won''t be easy. I expect plenty of powerful cultivators to arrive in the next few days..."


    "We don''t lack people. We will also ask that they allow our core disciples in. They won''t allow the elders. But surely they can''t oppose the excuse that the young generation will simply be here to broaden their horizons, right?"


    -----


    Reed was seated within a room, one of the many in the mansion, perusing the data that streamed into his mind remotely from the AI that monitored and partially ran his group of businesses. Even though cultivators had long lives, only those below the Core Formation stage could truly enjoy their lives without worry. They could even spend entire years simply having fun, a situation that had been entirely brought on by his invention.


    That also meant that most of those within those realms were young, unsuitable for taking on responsibility. Above Core Formation, there had to be some time off, taken, such that you could advance your cultivation. After all, time waits for no man. Everyone, no matter the reason they have, ultimately cultivated in order to have a longer life.


    Reed didn''t know if immortality really existed, but he wanted to atleast see what lied beyond the Nascent Soul stage. And that brought us back to why the AI was needed. It ran the company in tandem with others during those times when he was pre-occupied in seclusion.


    The door to the room was opened from the outside, and Latniss entered. This time, she had chosen a normal outfit. A black jacket, with a white blouse inside, plus a pencil skirt that reached just before her knees. Her hair was the only odd fashion choice about her, though it was still relatively normal compared to the bizarre ones from before. One part of her hair was white, while the left side was black.


    "It looks like there is something troubling you." spoke Reed upon reading her facial expression.


    "The sects are requesting that we allow their core disciples into the venue. Apparently, they want to broaden the young ones'' horizons." Latniss handed him the written document.


    "Who uses these nowadays?" mumbled Reed as he read through it.


    "Absolute Zero and Flame... Plus their affiliates are also petitioning for it. There is most definitely a plot behind. We don''t really have extensive data about their disciples, making it easy for unsavory elements to slip into the venue unnoticed." spoke Latniss.


    "If I am not mistaken, Zeus put them up to this. How did Livia''s meeting go?" Reed asked.


    "It was all just a farce, she said. If they had truly intended to pursuede her, then they wouldn''t have sent those two."


    "Those two are somewhat old fashioned and conflict driven... I am going to allow their petition."


    "I knew you''d say that. But with just us five, there will be many areas we can''t cover. Not to mention the fact that even the legitimate disciples might be instructed to cause trouble. These sects wouldn''t want the partnership to go through."

 Chapter 18 Party of Plots(8)

    SCC Chapter 18 Party of Plots(8)


    "Just as there are many that don''t want the partnership to go through, there are just as many that want it to succeed. And they are making their way here in haste. They would have dragged their feet if they hadn''t heard that the sects had beaten them to the punch."


    "Where is the woman of the hour?" Latniss asked.


    "She''s meditating. She will be shadowing me when we debut." answered Reed.


    "The two sects will be allowed three quotas of Core disciples each, while the rest will only be allowed one. If they refuse, then they are welcome to leave. Impart that as it is. I wouldn''t want them to think that my party is theirs."


    "Okay." and with that, Latniss turned on her heel, leaving Reed to stew in his thoughts. There was always this nagging feeling at the back of his mind that told him that there were going to be other players apart from Zeus. But he had made the promise to protect Lily. So, he was going to have to make sure that nothing happened to her.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 16, 2:48PM


    Flamio walked into the opulent ballroom with a sense of awe within him. This was the first time he was seeing many peers within the same room, not to mention the many sect masters. He was tall, had dark red hair, with dark crimson eyes to go along with it. The reason his hair wasn''t a lighter shade was because he had chosen to add the earth attribute with his flame such that a new attribute was synthesized, magma. His father had taken the path of pure flames.


    "Saint son, what are we supposed to do here?" a woman, clad in a lavish black gown, asked. She had green hair that reached her shoulders, with her eyes matching it. She gave Flamio the feeling of being a scholar. She was a core disciple, one whom everyone feared. Instead of treading the normal path of fire, equals destruction, she had decided to go an unconventional path.


    "You can scatter and do whatever you like. I am going to have a look around." Flamio said before heading towards a direction. Through all these people, there was a faint fluctuation of cold particles that only he could trace, that had been left behind intentionally.


    He waltzed through the crowd, making sure to exchange pleasantries with to those he couldn''t afford to ignore, thereby delaying him by several minutes.


    His eyes finally managed to fall upon her. She had chocolate colored skin, with glacial blue eyes and a tiara that glittered blue. It was an artifact capable of Enhancing her abilities by a wide margin. Her dress, woven from actual ice crystals, was backless, with two strands holding it upon her shoulders, with a deep chasm, owing to her two titanic chest mountains. Even chatting with her fellow disciples, there was this air of detachment about her, keeping everyone at arm''s length.


    After a deep breath to calm his nerves, Flamio approached, only to pass by within just a few inches away from her, as if he hadn''t seen her, heading deeper within the hall, exchanging pleasantries with plenty of people on the way. Inwardly though, He was now cursing these people for wasting his time with pointless chatter.


    -----


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    Minutes later, the door to an empty room opened silently and he slipped in. The people here had been generous, arranging a mansion capable of accommodating thousands of people. Though, it wasn''t a surprise since they had chosen the state of Brazil, where there was plenty of land and greenery.


    Flamio scanned every inch of the room with his spiritual sense, searching for anything that might expose what was about to happen in this room to the outside world, but found nothing, leaving him to wonder whether there were means he couldn''t detect.


    A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, after which, it opened and Nyogovu entered the room. Flamio didn''t wait for any cues, pouncing towards her so fast that an after-image was left in his previous place. Roughly, his lips fell upon hers and tongues entwined with each other in a dance that caused the exchange of saliva. Moans echoed within the room, not from just him, but her too.


    "Slow down."


    "Why should I? It has been- years since we met." He hefted her up and held her onto him, with the ice dress shortening enough to allow her legs to spread around him. The tongues didn''t pause for a moment even as he stepped towards the bed, and dumped her upon it.


    In a fiery blaze'' his clothes turned to ash, which he ultimately sucked into his spatial ring.


    "Why didn''t you simply teleport the entire outfit?" Nyogovu asked while her eyes were literally devouring his naked form.


    "I didn''t think of that." He said with a grin before pouncing down, but this time, Flamio held back his urges long enough to gaze into those beautiful eyes of hers.


    "Have I been the only one missing this?" He asked.


    "I have been craving you night and day, for all these years. Why are you wasting time? We need to get on with it!" Nyogovu said before asserting herself, taking the lead in circling her arms behind his head and pulling Flamio down into a continuation of the kiss.


    Meanwhile, Flamio''s left hand wasn''t idle. It cupped one of her breasts beneath the dress and pulled roughly on the niple with such force that she let out a moan. Then the hand continued down into her valley, and through the dress, he pushed a finger inside, elicing an even more wild and feral moan.


    Then he felt her dress dissolve into liquid, which abruptly vanished, stored within her interspatial ring. He pulled back, breaking the kiss to admire the chocolate skin before him, which was simply too tantalizing to pass up. So, he left the mouth, and trailed kisses along her neck, to her breasts, then stomach, down to her navel, all the while savoring the sweet moans and trembles from her body.


    Before he could go any further below though, Nyogovu stopped him with her hands, and upon looking into her eyes, he saw a savage hunger.


    "Foreplay be damned then!"


    And with that sentence, he positioned himself, ready to enter her...


    With one powerful thrust, both moaned loudly enough to even cause visible ripples within the air of the room, with flame and ice spiritual energy entwining, enclosing their forms within, obscuring them from outside gazes.


    -----


    "Wow!" exclaimed Nyogovu as they lay within the bed, her head resting upon his chest, feeling the powerful heartbeat and the the flaming energy within his veins.


    "That was heavenly! You were wild, my dear girl. If I hadn''t improved my cultivation, you would have exhausted me immensely." Flamio spoke.


    "I really wish we could meet openly. The Federation is a good place to start a life." There was a tinge of longing within Flamio''s voice as he spoke.


    "But we can''t. Unless we want to betray our elders and all those that we have supported us." sighed Nyogovu.


    "I feel that there is something deeper, an undercurrent within this banquet." After a few minutes of silence, Nyogovu spoke.


    "Yes. And the plot isn''t just related to our sects. The Radiance''s stance that appears as if they want to align with the Federation, the core disciples that have been invited. There are some that I hadn''t even known about!"


    "The minor sects... I was discussing that with my fellow disciples. Even they, who have had extensive visits to the other sects, have no idea where most of the others popped up from." Nyogovu added.


    "The world has been peaceful in recent years... Whatever plot is being hatched might lead to war. Though I hadn''t existed during the times before the Federation, even I, have heard of how brutal, combat between cultivators can be."


    "We are going to need to keep our ears peeled. And we must also meet frequently during these few days such that we can exchange information. In chaos, lies opportunity. We might get the chance to join the Federation within this banquet." Nyogovu''s gaze lit up.


    "Really?" asked Flamio.


    "But... Are you mentally prepared to leave your dad behind if an opportunity presents itself?" Nyogovu''s gaze hardened, as it bore through him.


    He had brought up the idea without any serious thought behind it, yet here she was, wanting to make it a reality.


    "..."


    "You should resolve yourself. I won''t leave you behind if you haven''t resolved yourself."


    "Nyogovu, don''t you have any ties you wouldn''t want go sever within the sect?" asked Flamio.


    "... You know how the atmosphere is, within the sect. There are no bonds, only scheming to the top. Even now, though I am the Saintess, there are others that are Infinitismally close to my power. In that woman''s eyes, competence is key. Though I have been invited here, my other two fellow disciples are also here to compete with me. If this entire party is a scheme, then that means that our performance will be recorded by her."


    A frown appeared on Flamio''s face at those words, darkening his features.

 Chapter 19 Party of Plots(9)

    SCC Chapter 19 Party of Plots(9)


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 16, 9:42PM


    Down the hill, throngs of people had gathered, overlooking the top of said hill, where a mansion rested, like giant white beast looking down upon the world. Why were they so interested in the mansion? Because many big names were there, chatting, or even making deals that could shape the world.


    "The sects are as ostentious as ever." commented one of the onlookers as another minor sect master arrived. He was merely in the early stage of the Core Formation, yet gazed at the crowd with the same disdain as a Nascent Soul cultivator.


    Within this gathered crowd, was Ansel. He was supposed to have been up there, on the hill, watching out for dangerous things with the others, but he had chosen to be here down below, searching for traces of unsavory elements. His reason for being down here was simple, to see whether among this gathered crowd, there those with ill intentions, or those who could develop an impulse to act upon their desires.


    After all, there were already those waving around solid constructs of spiritual energy, denouncing the fact that one of the sects was about to formally enter the Federation. And they were vehemently in denial, even though said sect had never harmed their interests at all!


    Like a phantom, he swarm through the crowd, probing with his subtle energy fluctuations, to see whether he could catch some bad fellows. The reason he didn''t use divine sense was the simple fact that it could be countered, not to mention the fact that those within the same stage as you could sense where the origins of the scan came from.


    Then abruptly, he stopped in place. Though many people wouldn''t be able to tell as they had never come into contact with it, he was one of those few that could tell. So, the moment a faint fluctuation brushed against his skin, with a peculiar frequency, he knew right away that someone from that institute, was here.


    He cursed at his fatal mistake the moment he had felt the signal. Good thing the other hadn''t been releasing their divine sense in tandem as that would have been a fatal mistake.


    The signal couldn''t have come from the crowd, so he turned his head towards the road, where a bunch of luxurious vehicles hovered just a few inches above the ground, courtesy of their wind attribute propulsion systems.


    ''The businessmen!'' His eyes widened for a moment at that realization before narrowing. There were many people, making it hard to pinpoint the epicenter of the signal.


    ''It looks like I need to enter the venue.'' He thought.


    -----


    A few moments later, when the last of the businessmen were entering, he too trailed behind them, with the AI having already memorized his spiritual energy signature as one of the guards. His eyes scanned all the backs he could see, yet failed to pick out any abnormal signs. Though, if he could pick such out, then that would be even more concerning.


    Upon making it into the venue, he noticed the cliches that had formed. The sects were keeping to themselves, just as the businessmen were doing the same. There were even glares exchanged, though mostly from those of the sects. Ansel didn''t dwell on such minor matters, instead opting to discreetly scan the guests, searching for such a person.


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    But, the person eluded him. These people were as highly skilled as him. That, he was certain of, because of the simple fact that he had once been a part of them.


    Through the crowd, he waltzed, making sure to give a cursory glance towards all the new arrivals, even asking for information about their data from the AI, but still, he failed to find any discrepancies, down to the most minute of details.


    "Miss Livia, we would like to have a word." as if on cue, Livia appeared from somewhere and made her way towards the most prominent of the arrivals, the representative of the Golden Merchant.


    ''If they have requested for Livia, then they will most definitely want to speak with the boss. I need to warn him.'' thought Ansel before taking off towards the location only he and a few others were privy about.


    -----


    Reed had been in the middle of mentally preparing himself for the unavoidable chat with the new arrivals when the door was pushed open and a man with dark eyes and hair, thin and tall, entered the room. He was clad in a dark tuxedo with a pair of dark gloves covering his hands.


    "Ansel... I heard you refused to take up a post within the mansion... Did you discover something during your lingering outside?" asked Reed. He knew the man as one who liked to do their own thing. Latniss was constantly frustrated by him, even though he produced results.


    "A person... Or, a group of people with origins related to mine, have infiltrated the mansion." The man revealed with a seriousness Reed had never seen before. Even his brows were furrowed, a rare occurrence.


    "I had thought Zeus would enlist Hades'' spies, but it seems he doesn''t trust him that much." commented Reed.


    "Boss... Whatever you do. Make sure that when Ms. Lily is revealed, she''s always beside you, no matter the commotion!"


    "That''s why I won''t be taking her with me to this meeting. I will go alone and try to see whether I can detect something odd."


    -----


    10:12PM


    Within the mansion, there were many rooms, from conference halls, all the way to kitchens and toilets. Every single room that could exist within a house had been added into its construction, and the number hadn''t been limited to just one.


    Reed pushed open the doors, only to almost pause for a moment due to the many people, coupled with the tense atmosphere within the room. Even casual conversation was dead, with only silence reigning supreme.


    But that didn''t deter him. Reed instantly released his divine sense, only keeping it out for a fraction of a second, scanning every single person in the room, though only the outer shielding that innately used their own spiritual particles. But ultimately, he failed to pick up anything, yet also attracting the attention of everyone within the room.


    He walked through the left side, where the businessmen were, and sat down upon the only empty seat, which was just beside Livia''s, at the head of the table.


    "Why are the sects here? I had thought that only the businessmen wanted to meet us." He asked, fully knowing the answer to that.


    "They may attempt to scheme in the shadows." answered the sect master of the Absolute Zero sect. Her opposite counterpart had apparently refrained from the meeting.


    "Mr. Mumaso... Is this partnership a wise course of action? At this very moment, some among the generate public aren''t happy with this devopment." spoke the one sent by the Golden Merchant. It was a man in a white suit, with dark short hair, and a smile, one clearly fake.


    "I thought the Golden Merchant himself would have been interested in our gathering, as he stands to gain a lot. Why didn''t he come himself?" Reed asked a question of his own, gathering the attention of everyone within the room to the man.


    The man''s reputation was that resounding. He was at the very peak of the Nascent Soul after all. And those at that level didn''t surpass 5 in the world. Even the so-called Great God, Zeus, was simply at the late Nascent Soul stage. What made him feared was the fact that the special artifact in his hands had the capability of allowing him to match the prowess of those at the peak.


    "An important matter came up, one he couldn''t avoid. But that''s beside the point, Mr. Mumaso. Are you avoiding my inquiry?"


    "The President himself supports this. Can we leave it at that." Reed''s words brought a murmur within the room, with even Livia side eyeing him for a moment.


    "Now... Let''s get on with what you really want from this meeting. There is no way you could let me have this entire pie all to myself, and even Ms. Livia wouldn''t allow that. That''s what really brought you here." continued Reed.


    -----


    Reed released a breath he had been holding upon coming back to his room, finding Ansel still within, lounging upon the sofa.


    "I bet they didn''t reveal anything, right?" he asked.


    "Yes... It looks like we won''t be getting anywhere without them revealing themselves. I want the man himself to be dragged into the fray." sighed Reed.


    "But in order for the man himself to be dragged into the fray, we need to impede them." spoke Ansel.


    "Do you have any ideas?"


    "Ms. Lily, let''s leave her hidden for the time being, and proceed as if she''s not here. That might elicit something out of them. A drastic incident perhaps?"

 Chapter 20 Party of Plots(10)

    SCC Chapter 20 Party of Plots(10)


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 18, 11:01AM


    (We have a problem) Person 1


    (The target hasn''t shown her face in all these days.) Person 2


    (That was expected. This entire thing is a trap. What we need to focus about is the completion of the mission.) Person 3


    (We need to create a diversion. She must be somewhere in the building.) Person 2


    (Then we need to create a commotio-) Person 3


    Before the message could be completed, an explosion rocked the mansion, with every single cultivator within the Core Formation and Nascent Soul stage instantly rushing towards the scene.


    -----


    Reed was angry. This had taken things too far! People had just been killed! And two at that! Livia had been the first to arrive, owing to her speed. The people who had planned this had made certain to prevent instant teleportation. He had had to physically run the distance.


    "They surely went the extra mile." spoke Livia.


    (Ansel, did you detect anything?)


    He asked through his divine sense.


    (No. And I can''t be certain whether the people who did this were those I sensed.)


    As the energy concentration within the epicenter lowered, the two bodies, burnt beyond recognition, were exposed. But the moment everyone sensed the energy signatures of the two, the crowd went wild!


    (This is bad!) Ansel transmitted.


    The two bodies belonged to Nyogovu and Flamio, disciples of the Absolute Zero and Flame sects, respectively. But what had they been doing together?


    "Liviaaaaa! I need an explanation for this!" roared the leader of the Flame sect, with the sound almost escaping the mansion''s limits, only to be bounced back by an energy shield. Reed caught the flickering of his eyes at that, concluding that the roar had been intentional.


    Reed didn''t linger to see everything through. The bodies would be dealt with. And, no one would come to disturb him for the time being since, technically, Livia was the host.


    -----


    "That was a very drastic course of action." spoke Latniss the moment she entered.


    "Those bastards are now jumping about as if their butts have been bitten." Declan commented, a smile on his face.


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    "A pity they had zero connection to Zeus." commented a tall woman, with a sword resting just beside her on the the seat. It had a white hilt and black sheath. She was even caressing the sheath gently. Her name was Kiso.


    "Yes." a stoic middle aged man agreed with her. He was simply seated there, doing nothing, yet there was a weight to him, and his gaze was terrifying.


    These two were combat maniacs. They had been called here just to sit in. They wouldn''t be able to provide any valuable insight.


    "It''s interesting how the two of them were together when everything went down. Boss, do you think there is some drama there?"


    "That isn''t important. What''s important is the fact that these people dared to blow up the place. This is something that doesn''t sit well with me. What if they had targeted any of you? Or even those that I care about?" That quieted down everyone.


    What Reed feared the most now, was another attack. He wasn''t fearful for himself, as he was certain that he could survive, even Nikolai. Those two had been at the peak of Core Formation, a testament to their incredible strength, yet they had been taken out.


    (Reed. They want to inspect everyone within the mansion. And it''s not like I want to stop them. Do you?) Livia''s transmission reached his ears.


    "It seems like they want to dig up Lily." He commented to the others in the room.


    -----


    Dresden Flax was enraged. He had never been so enraged in his entire life! That was why he was seriously checking every single person who appeared right before his eyes. If any of those agents so much as made a mistake, he wasn''t going to spare them.


    It hadn''t been his negligence. That he was very certain. The fact that he had had an affair with that disciple from that hateful sect also didn''t matter now that he was dead. Dresden had thought that his family members, or even his sect disciples, wouldn''t be dragged within the schemes of Zeus. Yet his very son had died!


    The woman beside him was surely great at acting. If he hadn''t known the true situation within her sect, he might have thought that she had been really saddened by the death of her disciple. But he was certain that inwardly, she was gloating about his misfortune while also happy that a traitor had been killed. For her, two birds had been hit with one stone.


    He wasn''t in the mood to do something like this, but he had to be here. The mission had to continue even though his heart was bleeding. Lily Toba, the target, had to be dragged out of the hole she had been hiding within. This turn of events had also woken him up. He had started to consider the possibility of being given up as a scape goat!!!


    Then he sensed a weighty presence entering the hall, a Nascent Soul with a familiar aura, and beside him, was the target. They were walking together while his aura was surrounding her like a cloak. Dresden narrowed his eyes for a moment, but ultimately resumed a normal expression.


    "Ms. Toba, how come I hadn''t seen you anywhere?" The icy woman started the questioning even as she subtly probed the other woman upon her guardian''s ascent.


    "Does that matter?"


    "I lost a core disciple today... So it does matter. Where have you been?"


    Now the woman was taking things a little too far. The mission had already succeeded. Why was she wasting her breath on this?


    "Sect mistress Alfhe, I do believe that should be the end of your questioning."


    For a moment the atmosphere became tense before Dresden was forced to intervene, dismissing the two to continue with the others, after which, he glared at the Alfhe.


    -----


    "Now that you have been exposed, they will be coming after you like ravenous dogs." spoke Reed the moment they made it back into the room.


    "Honestly, that was was scary. That woman looked like she would have torn out my throat there and then." Lily said with some lingering fear.


    "That simply means she''s a master actress."


    "What do you mean?" Lily asked, puzzled.


    "The Absolute Zero sect favors brains above all else. As long as someone manages to scheme their way onto the top, they can even become the new sect mistress. That means... That the woman didn''t really care about that dead disciple. On the contrary, she was happy that girl died. That boy being close to her in that sort of posture, where he was cradling her, hoping to protect her, only means that she had become a traitor to the sect, therefore, a liability." explained Reed, disgusted by the woman.


    "And considering that her adversary lost a child, she''s even more ecstatic." Lily added after seeing through everything.


    -----


    Zeus gazed at the artifact from where it was resting. Lightning wreathed its form as it pulsed with energy. He was in thought. All the developments that had gone on since the start of the party had been transmitted to him. The fact that someone else had caused chaos instead of his men, was grating to his ears. And even though the woman had managed to appear in plain sight, there was her protector, the man known as Mumaso Reed. The mission demanded stealth. They had to make her dissappear silently. Even if everyone was alerted after, that didn''t matter. The project only needed her as the final piece. Then the Federation wouldn''t be able to hold a candle to Pantheon.


    ''I need to make a move.'' he thought. The artifact would be needed. So, he called out to it, and it flew into his hands. This wasn''t mere overkill. There were no peak Nascent Souls, but even those weaker, might slow him down if they ganged up on him.


    From the artifact, lightning raced up his arm, running across his entire body, before slowly, he started levitating, with a smile gracing his lips at the power he felt within his body. It gave him the feeling of invincibility.


    Within a second, his figure vanished skyward, only leaving behind faint bolts of lightning.


    Within the atmosphere, he called upon the moisture within the air, and a stream of cloud coiled around him, moving at the same speed as him.


    He was preparing himself for a grand appearance. He was a God. A being above the normal riff raff. His arrival had to be epic!


    Another smile touched his lips at the faces those Federal bastards were going to make upon his appearance. That was surely going to be fun!

 Chapter 21 Party of Plots(11)

    SCC Chapter 21 Party of Plots(11)


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 19, 10:24AM


    Heels clicked against tiles, creating a rhythmic sound that echoed within the quiet corridor. This particular wing of the mansion was where the rooms for the guests were supposed to be, thereby making it silent. Though, Hina and the others had decided to meet during times when the others were mostly away from this particular wing of the building.


    Though her steps appeared light and leisurely, inwardly, there was a storm of thoughts rampaging within her mind. The reason; the days had gone by, yet the mission was still unfinished. The bomb had managed to drag out Lily from her hiding place, but they hadn''t gotten a chance to even get a glimpse after that, as if she was holing up somewhere.


    Then there were the other agents, the secretive bunch working directly for Zeus. They hadn''t shown hide nor hair, but she was certain they were there, looming within this mansion like a sword of damocles hanging over their heads.


    Even with the storm raging, Hina was doing her best to regulate the thoughts within her mind from manifesting as signs on her body. Though there was no one in sight, she was relatively sure that spies were everywhere. She even caught a few signs indicating the presence of the mansion''s guards on the premises.


    Eventually, she reached the room and entered, having made sure to take a look around with scrutiny before opening the door to the room. That was the normal action of most of the guests after the attack, meaning that it was normal. Though, she also spread a little bit of her energy traces down on the floor, such that she would be alerted if anyone unfamiliar sprung the trap.


    Her companions were already inside when she entered. The bespectacled petit woman and the golden haired man with ocean blue eyes.


    (You were late!) The bespectacled woman transmitted even as Hina conjured a smile upon her face in response to the subdued ones on theirs.


    (It took some time to dislodge myself from the others. Golden hair! Your movements have just made the mission harder.) After the explanation, Hina complained mentally, while in reality, she brought up a plan to enter a partnership with the Radiance sect. Livia had already released the areas through which cooperation was possible, and the resources everyone stood to gain.


    (It was a prime opportunity. Didn''t that action drag out our target? Now, all we need to do, is get a chance to get close.) transmitted the Golden haired man. Hina didn''t know the names, or even code names of the other two, just like they didn''t know hers. They might be partners in crime, but there was a chance of being stabbed in the back by the other. And Hina had noticed that these two were always together, meaning a deeper connection with each other.


    (What do you mean? You have a plan?) The bespectacled woman asked.


    (As a man, it will be harder to get close. Zeus is coming. That will be the chance! There is a device I have. Once it registers her aura, the mission will be completed.) confidence oozed from the man.


    Hina''s eyes narrowed at that. There was only a single type of device that could make the man brim with confidence. And she knew what it might be.


    -----


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    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 19, 12:08PM


    From afar, a gust of wind rushed towards the mansion, stirring up the dead leaves on the ground while also rustling the trees and grass on the extensive piece of land.


    Then dark clouds rushed over from the North Eastern direction, covering up the noon sun, turning the atmosphere gloomy and chilly. Every single person within the mansion was attracted by the commotion, letting themselves outside to see the fuss. Mere clouds wouldn''t have done that. These clouds were applying a heavy pressure upon all present because they were packed with spiritual energy of a certain attribute.


    Not before long, lighting flashed, and thunder boomed in the atmosphere. The wind reached levels where a mortal would have been pushed to the ground, and drops of rain started falling from the sky, wetting the ground.


    Reed was certain that Livia hadn''t detected any truly harmful elements within. That was why the shield above the mansion let in the rain.


    Then, a particularly strong light, containing photons blessed with some spiritual energy flashed, blinding almost everyone. When it dissipated, a golden chariot stood in the sky, almost a kilometer above. It was being pulled by four steeds, golden in color, and clearly, not living, but constructs of some sort. The entire chariot was wreathed in lightning, with the origin, being the man upon it.


    His face was spotting a self satisfied arrogant smirk as he beheld everyone below. Reed''s expression morphed into one of stoic seriousness upon spotting the man.


    Then the chariot circled above the mansion a couple of times before landing upon the ground, right before the crowd. The man alighted, as slowly as a mortal, clearly taking his time.


    "A bunch of weaklings have gathered to welcome me, a God! How fitting!"


    "Get off your high horse, Zeus! This isn''t your depraved territory." Livia spat back. Reed was certain that she was immensely unhappy with the man.


    "Little girl. Did you truly believe you could escape the clutches of Pantheon by aligning with the Federation? There is a reason we are the strongest! Now, break up this little charade and give me what I want." His gaze roamed the crowd before finally settling in Lily, with a pressure following not too far behind, one which caused the barrier that enclosed Lily to shatter.


    (I feel an invas-)


    Before that transmission could even be completed, a chill coursed down Reed''s spine, yet, faster than his reaction speed, he felt half of his vision vanish, while, through his remaining eye, he caught sight of lightning appearing around Zeus, with the man''s eyes first widening, before fury to started take over and the artifact within his hand was launched at lightning speed, heading towards his side, where he now couldn''t feel Lily.


    Then, consciousness left him.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 19, 6:12PM


    (Today, at 12:43PM, during a high profile meeting that was aimed at forging relations between the Radiance Sect and Muti business group, a terrorist incident occurred...)


    Embers floated out from Declan''s skin, into his surroundings...


    (A spatial device of some sort, with technology non-existent in the Federation at this stage, was used to kidnap a Federal citizen, Ms. Lily Toba, and severely injure the CEO of Muti business group, Mr. Mumaso Reed.)


    (His current state is unknown due to being rushed away by the Golden Merchant himself. The terrorists escaped, but their identities have been released to the media. If anyone gets a glimpse of these two individuals anywhere, you should report them to the nearest police station, and there is a reward; The fulfillment of a single request, by the Golden Merchant, as long as it is not something illegal or unreasonable.)


    (The identities of the two terrorists are, the holy son of the Lion sect, Mpologoma Paul and one of his servants, Galubindi Shey.)


    Joints popped as hands were clenched into fists, with the skin vibrating intensely...


    (The Federation dispatched a task force aimed at apprehending the two culprits, but during the search and seizure, they were knowhere to be seen. Instead, many misdeeds of the sect came to light, with the sect master, elders and disciples, all arrested. It was also discovered that the sect had connections to the Underworld Palace, a branch of the Pantheon sect headed by Hades, one of the elders of the sect, who call themselves Gods...)


    A long deep breath was taken, after which, the embers were all extinguished. Declan then turned his attention away from the hologram to focus on his other companions, all of whom, were seated in silence. Any other time, they might have jumped at the chance to try and calm him down. Yet now, everyone was quiet. Though, that silence didn''t mean that they weren''t subtly expressing their rage, worry and other emotions in various ways.


    Kiso was constantly tapping the sheath of her blade, producing crisp ringing sounds with a glint within her gaze. James, as always, had his gaze set to an intense stare into space, yet particles of dirt were abruptly materializing around him before dissipating back into Earth attribute spiritual energy.


    For Latniss, there were tear stains that hadn''t yet been wiped off. Ansel... He was brooding.


    (We interrupt our programming for an important message.)


    That had everyone''s eyes shift toward hologram of the news anchor, that had been floating right in the middle of the room, on top of a table encircled by their seats.


    (Greetings, citizens...) started the man, whose very presence caused shock to ripple through Declan, with the others mimicking his reaction.


    How long had it been since the man had last made a public appearance? There had been a 50/50 chance of this incident dragging him out of the woodwork. Yet seeing him appear, it still had a shock value.


    Author ''s note;


    This weekend is the last that I will release chapters. After all, we have entered the next month, meaning the schedule is changing to Mon - Fri.

 Chapter 22 Sparks(1)

    SCC Chapter 22 Sparks(1)


    The man had a broad chest, covered within a clean white shirt. His face was handsome, with a sharp jawline, crimson eyes and red hair, trimmed short. Currently, there was something brewing within those eyes of his as he spoke.


    (Today! A terrorist incident occurred within our borders. And a Federal citizen was kidnapped. While a talented man was almost taken from this world.)


    (Mr. Mumaso Reed has done so much for the Federation. Yet, a group of terrorists almost claimed his life!)


    (That''s something that the Federation can never tolerate! An affront like that can''t go on without being properly addressed!)


    Within his spine, Declan felt a tingle. The man had a way with words that managed to induce a chill.


    (In my capacity as the President of the Federation... I declare that this act of aggression will be answered with force! Before the start of the next day, Pantheon must return the captured citizen and provide compensation, while also, handing over the two culprits! Should any of those things fail to be accomplished within this time frame, the Federation is going to attack! Anyone who plans to aid Pantheon will be considered an enemy!)


    With those last words, the transmission was closed, leaving everyone in the room silently shocked. They hadn''t expected the President to actually think of starting a war!


    Latniss was the first to stand up from her seat. Her face was was alight with a maniacal smile as her eyes gazed into each and everyone else''s eyes, including Declan''s.


    "The time has finally arrived. We will be getting revenge! All of you should also prepare. War isn''t child''s play. Though the gods aren''t many, they are powerful, and we have no idea of the technology behind them." Leaving those words behind, she left the room, no doubt going to contact the comrades in the state of Greece.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 19, 8:42


    Ektaktos had been trying to get some sleep but to no avail. With the reason being his many runaway thoughts, and the fact that the day hadn''t been particularly filled with hectic activity to bring him tiredness. There was also the fact that entertainment was nonexistent in the village.


    There was a knock at the door, with his wooden bed creaking as he pushed himself off of it. He silently and stealthily picked up a knife from the wall and stood just behind the door. This caution was warranted as he knew that there was always the chance of a thief, or the enforcers of the gods.


    "Who is it?"


    "... Ektaktos! Good thing you''re awake! We are being gathered. You should hurry up so we can go together!" shouted a familiar voice, his neighbor, taking away some of the weight in his chest.


    The knife wasn''t left behind though. It was tucked within the side of his pants, somewhere he could reach it easily, before the wooden bar was lifted away from the door. Upon opening it, the bright light from the lantern brought a squint to his eyes.


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    "Get the damn thing away from my face."


    "Ah! My bad." the man said before starting to lead the way. That allowed Ektaktos to take in his surroundings, where others were also making their way in the same direction as themselves. Some polite greetings were exchanged before everything fell into silence except for the night sounds and the steps upon the ground.


    He reached within his secret pocket, thumbing the knife within to encourage himself. The dark was scary in these lands. Beasts roamed the night, requiring sacrifices and worship at the temples in order for them to be kept away. But now that he was outside the village, he was scared.


    "What happened to the temple priests?" Ektaktos asked.


    "They have vanished. No one knows where to. But it isn''t just our village."


    "When did that happen?!" he asked in bewilderment.


    "Around an hour ago. We spotted some flying thing, then they all boarded and disappeared."


    A familiar cave appeared before him, with all the others entering within. He too, and his neighbour, entered it. Many questions swirled within his mind, yet they couldn''t be brought to the tip of his tongue because he knew that the man holding the lantern didn''t know much.


    The cave was damp, with the mud especially being a pain to get through. It clung to his wooden sandals, invading his toes when his weight caused them to sink. Just thinking about the fact that he would have to bathe once again before heading to bed, made him feel anger to start building up. But Ektaktos suppressed it back down. Whatever they were being called for appeared to be important enough to wake them in the night. And connecting that with the disappearance of the temple priests alluded to the fact that some extraordinary circumstances had occurred.


    The long tunnel opened up into a cavern already filled with quite the crowd. Murmurs were abound, with most of them containing discontent. After all who would love being woken up in the night?


    Ektaktos seamlessly joined the crowd, with his eyes drawn towards the platform at the far end of the cavern, where ten hooded figures were situated, appearing to be discussing something. His intuition told him that they were worked up, apparently excited about something.


    Since he couldn''t listen to their conversation, his eyes traveled to the curious crates at one side of the platform. They were sealed tight, but that didn''t stop his curiosity, only fuelling it. He could catch the murmurs of speculation within the crowd. With many of them alluding to food. But he didn''t think so. There had to be something more to this.


    "Fellow brethren. For years you have been forced to hide within shadows, scared of being found out and slaughtered like pigs, just like the other ignorant villagers! But today, we come bearing news. That situation will be no more starting today!"


    One of the hooded men started speaking, with his words bringing about the pounding of Ektaktos'' heart. Something was about to change! He could feel it within his bones!


    "Our motherland, the Federation, has declared war on Olympus! Meaning, there will be no more oppression! No more grovelling beneath a mere person''s feet just because they hold a bit of power! You will be able to gain the same power as them, openly, without having to look over your shoulder!" a cascade of cheers resounded, ones that even caused the walls of the cavern to tremble minutely.


    "Materials capable of allowing you to start your very own cultivation journey have been brought. Line up and receive one each!" One of the hooded figures requested.


    Then one of the chests was opened, releasing a green light visible to everyone within the cavern. Such light, and the refreshing aura, reminded Ektaktos of the temple priests. The aura was uncannily similar to the one they used when they were healing injuries after giving them coin.


    A small rectangular paper, capable of fitting within one''s palm was drawn to the black hooded person''s hand. He presented it to everyone expounding upon its name, the Auto-Cul talisman, with the capability of granting the same abilities as the gods, to people.


    For Ektaktos, that was the selling point. And when he was finally presented with one, he scrutinized it. It had dark green veins, through which a green light pulsed, vibrating within his hand like a living organism, almost startling him into dropping it.


    He followed the instructions, pasting it across his stomach, upon which the emerald light intensified, with the green veins, growing across his entire skin, before the talisman sank within his body. After that, he was given an out of the body experience, where he detected multiple crystalline veins within his body, all eventually leading to a space within his navel. And he felt some sort of energy, which they had termed as spirit energy, entering his body through his pores, bringing about a refreshing feeling to him, as if he had turned twenty years younger.


    And what made him even more elated was the fact that the process of absorption continued passively, with him feeling his dantian, as they had termed it, filling with the energy absorbed from the surroundings. And it didn''t just end there but he felt a slight increase in his physical strength, giving him the illusion that he could probably beat up his neighbour if they ever got into a fight.


    "You have just started upon the path of cultivation. Meaning, that you will not be able to fight those so-called gods who have decades on you. That''s why, we have even brought weapons. They will allow you to atleast hold your own when fighting. But, we caution you. Only fight priests. Don''t fight the gods. There will be those from the Federation that will engage."


    Ektaktos took that advice seriously. He didn''t want to die now, when he had just discovered the wonders of cultivation. That would be too much of a pity.

 Chapter 23 Sparks(2)

    SCC Chapter 23 Sparks(2)


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 19, 9:41PM


    Tremors through the ground transmitted through her skin towards her nervous system, which elicited a response within her subconscious. And like a drop of ink to a glass of water, her consciousness returned in full force, allowing her to perform a scan on her self.


    Her nervous system was transmitting a feeling of pain, all originating from nano spheres within her body, which for some reason, could interact with her metaphysical spiritual transmission veins, causing every aota of spiritual energy within her to become sluggish. It wasn''t exactly them doing the work, but some sort of expelled misty concoction, which, through her senses, was an amalgam of different spiritual energy attunements in different concentrations, that caused her spiritual energy to become sluggish. Any normal contaminant would have already been reattuned by her core, but this special spiritual energy concoction was different. It was serving as a binding agent that caused her very own spiritual energy to become clumped.


    When she decided to direct her attention to her other senses, her ears picked up the faint rumbling, after which the tremors through the ground were transmitted to her skin. A question about where she was, sprung up from within her mind. Then distorted sounds, as if two people were engaged in a conversation, entered her ears, making her open her eyes and try to move her body only for pain to course through her entire body, eliciting a moan from out her lips.


    She decided not to move for the time being, instead deciding to focus on the scene before her. Her body was lying on its side in an uncomfortable position, while her eyes were looking at two people, outside the vertical bars of what acted as her prison. The bars weren''t metal, instead, they were a concentration of darkness attuned spiritual energy that gave her a dangerous feeling, which removed the idea getting any closer to them from her mind.


    The two figures beyond the prison were her captors, whose entire attention wasn''t on her. Their gazes were focused upwards, with worry thick within their eyes. Lily was certain that that was where the tremors were originating from.


    What was happening? Where was she? If she had been captured, shouldn''t she have been in the presence of Zeus?


    Before she could try to formulate answers to the questions within her mind, there was a rumble, preceded by blue lightning crashing down into the ground right before the cell, followed by darkness.


    The lightning dissipated, exposing the bodies of her two captors, charred into two blackened masses. There was a third lifeform, the one which was enclosed within dark attuned spiritual energy, lying on the ground right behind the new arrival, Zeus.


    Lightning was wreathing his body, though not to the point of entirely obscuring it. Through it, Lily saw that half of his hair was missing, with his entire left hand covered in something dark, like the abyss itself. It was furiously clashing with his electricity, yet both weren''t gaining the upper hand.


    The man appeared to be unconcerned, only bringing the lightning bolt shaped artifact in his other hand close to the darkness, dispelling it with ease. Yet what entered her sight would have caused her to puke if her body hadn''t been indisposed at this point in time.


    That hand appeared to have been splurged with a liquid flesh dissolver, even more powerful than acid. Lightning left his fingers, obliterating the dark bars of the prison, removing the last protective wall from him.


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    "My dear Lily, it seems that falling into my hands was your natural fate." commented Zeus with a chuckle before releasing gentle blue spiritual energy, that surrounded her and autonomously carried her out of the cell.


    Zeus looked around before his gaze fell upon the body cloaked in darkness. His gaze lingered for a few seconds before he started rising upwards, which finally brought Lily the realization that she had been way underground.


    The lightning surrounding Zeus intensified, blinding her for a moment. The first thing she felt was an intense heat upon her skin, which prompted her eyes to be opened in alarm, only to be taken aback by the changed scene before her.


    Gone were the various dark tunnels and gloomy atmosphere. Instead, waterfalls of magma were cascading down from the top to the ground. Her mind was filled with amazement at the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator even under her current circumstances.


    But right then, that amazement translated into worry as the memory of her capture was dredged to the fore. She could never forget that gory scene of Reed being disintegrated by the power of space so easily, like how a cultivator could end a mortal. How was he? Did he survive? She wondered even as they finally broke out of the multi-level pit to the dark sky of the night, after which, their speed accelerated, with her gaze being attracted to the tall mountain in the distance, whose top was obscured by a cloud.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 19, 10:08PM


    Green Light was prevalent within the room. It was just 10sqm, with every surface demarcated with something akin to tiles, with the light leaking out through the seams.


    This room had only a single large object nestled right at its center. It was a transparent cylindrical pod, supported by brown roots that dug through the floor and roof respectively. A transparent liquid was within, one which glowed an emerald green under the light.


    And within the cylindrical capsule containing the liquid, floated just a single naked figure of a man. His eyes were closed, while no breathing apparatus was in sight, yet the subtle rise and fall of his chest indicated that he was taking and expelling breaths. Occasionally, some brown particles were expelled from his body, sinking to the bottom of the liquid, where a thin layer had already been accumulated.


    His eyelids trembled for a moment before opening, exposing emerald iris, brighter than even the green light in the room.


    Just as his eyes opened, particles coalesced from the surrounding seams within the walls, floor and ceiling, instantly becoming a synthetic body, one whose eyes lit up with a blue light a moment later.


    Mumaso Reed, after getting the gist of what had happened felt some lingering fear. If the Golden Merchant hadn''t interved, barely holding the spatial anomaly from expanding further, he would have died.


    "Mr. Mumaso, your importance to the Federation can''t be understated. It would be better you took a back seat to the events from here on out."


    (Is that the President''s intent?) transmitted the man within the pod.


    "No, just my advice."


    (Can''t do that. A promise was made.)


    "Is that promise more important than the Federation?" asked Paul, his voice having changed for a moment.


    (...) only silence answered him. But the liquid within the transparent cylinder started draining away. When all of it was fully drained away, Reed tore through the transparent membrane acting as the walls of the cylinder, appearing right before Paul.


    "Paul, if one day you understand emotion..." Reed didn''t finish before passing by Paul, with the wall dissolving and him making it out of the room before it closed back up seamlessly, as if the entire room was just a single sealed construct.


    -----


    From the capital of the state of Uganda, a small craft took off, instantly entering orbit where a behemoth of a ship was berthed.


    It was a gigantic metallic construct in the form of a triangle, with three giant blue engines spewing out a harmless concoction of spiritual energy as the propulsion force. Reed, who was inside the tiny craft was somewhat taken aback by the fact that even this craft was being deployed. But after thinking about it, he still refused to come to the conclusion that it would be. It''s weapons were designed to annihilate entire planets, or powerful cultivators. Even though Zeus was powerful, unleashing its power upon him would be overkill.


    Within the ship, Reed made his way towards a room. He had been summoned by someone the moment his life signature was read by the ship. And it was an invitation he wouldn''t want to refuse.


    For a moment, there was some nervousness born within his mind when he finally arrived at the door. What if he wasn''t allowed to participate in this war? Would he really risk the man''s trust over a promise?


    The door slid to the side and he entered. The room lacked any eye catching decor of any sort. Not even personal items. This man, the President was an enigma. Only those that had lived during his time were the only ones who knew of his past.


    "Boy! I knew right away that you couldn''t be kept down." Reed smiled when he felt the genuine warmth within the voice. The man, Taylor, stood up from beheind the desk, which dissolved to allow his passage towards him. Reed lost himself in the embrace for a moment as it dredged up the memory of their first meeting. The warmth had been just like this. He could vividly remember it.


    "If I hadn''t been in seclusion, I wouldn''t have allowed that danger to befall you without retaliation." a glint surfaced within his eyes as he spoke, a few minutes after breaking the hug.

 Chapter 24 Sparks(3)

    SCC Chapter 24 Sparks(3)


    "That was something no one could have expected." Reed dismissed that easily.


    "Though, I must say, you should be very careful. Cecilia was very heartbroken. She even threatened to attack Olympus if you had died." sighed Taylor.


    Something heavy settled within Reed''s stomach when he heard those words. He should have gone to see her first.


    "She sees you as a son. If you ever have plans of dying, you should atleast let her know. Though, if you did, I, myself would make certain to annihilate the person who did it."


    Reed blushed at that. Yet at the same time, the warmth within his chest increased.


    "Sir... I want to participate in this war. I made a promise." Reed revealed his intention, with his heart in his throat.


    -----


    Reed left the Presidential cabin with light footsteps, yet when they reached Cecilia and Nikolai''s cabin, they faltered. There is something, whether be it a situation, a person, an imagined scenario, or thing... That every human dreads facing or experiencing. For Reed, it was the rage and worry of Cecilia. The woman had cared for him as if he were her son. He mostly feared what would happen to her if he ever died. She had lost family once. He didn''t want her to experience that once again.


    Seconds ticked away as his mind cycled between the options of facing this now, or putting it off for a couple of days, probably the end of the war, or until he saved Lily. A breath left his lips. If he did that, then that would mean that he was being inconsiderate towards the people who had treated him like family.


    While he was still ruminating upon his thoughts, the doors slid to the side, exposing him to the person who had been about to step outside. She was clearly worried, judging by her facial expression, yet that worry vanished like snow melted with the dawn of the sun the moment their eyes made contact, with a spark appearing within her eyes, and a radiant smile suffused her lips.


    "It''s good to see you healthy." she commented with the smile still on her lips. Tears, unbidden accumulated within the corners of his eyes only to be evaporated, before he threw himself into the woman''s warm embrace.


    "If you keep acting like a kid, you might never get married." she chastised even as she returned the hug. He had thought that she would be angry. That she would scold him upon their first meeting after his near death. This hadn''t been expected.


    "Brat! It''s good that you''re okay!" shouted Nikolai upon appearing, probably having been alerted due to the fact that his wife had paused within the doorway for several seconds.


    The embrace was broken a few minutes later, after which, Cecilia eagerly pulled Reed into the house.


    "I was worried. If it hadn''t been for your AI, Paul, continously reassuring me of your recovery, I would have stormed your headquarters in Kampala." spoke Cecilia, who appeared even more excited than him about his being alive.


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    Though AI lacked emotion, Reed still didn''t want to imagine himself being in its feet.


    Upon appearing within the living room of the cabin, Cecilia''s spatial ring glinted for a fraction of a second, with a spread of dishes instantly materializing upon the table. Reed was touched that every single meal was nourishing food, all at the peak of tier 3. He was certain that if Cecilia had been a tier 4 chef, she might have even sourced those rare tier 4 ingredients to make him an entire full course meal.


    "Don''t just stand there in a daze. Eat! In just a few minutes, the both of you might be called away. That would be a waste of good food." she chasitized gently.


    "Did Amelia and the others want to join?" asked Reed, after already having gone through a significant amount of the meal.


    "Amelia wanted to. But as you know, she isn''t a combatant. I told all of them that they had to atleast be at the peak of Core Formation to even think about joining." Nikolai said.


    "You almost died. What about them?" mumbled Cecilia.


    "I am okay. Something like that only happened because it was unexpected." Reed explained.


    "That''s the point, boy. Unexpected things happen. If the Golden Merchant hadn''t attended your event in a disguise, your life might have ended right then and there." Nikolai''s voice took on a rare note of seriousness.


    Before the conversation could continue further, Reed received a transmission, one which facilitated the gathering of all at, and above the peak of Core Formation.


    " It looks like the time is up."


    "Aunt Cecilia. I promise to never bring you worry ever again." Reed spoke while rising from his seat.


    "That''s a promise we both know you can''t keep. Even something you take to be normal, or harmless, might bring immense worry to me. Just promise me one thing. Always hang on to life. Never ever give in to death!"


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 20, 12:14AM


    Reed stood on the deck of a craft, leaning against the railing, gazing down from the sky, into the water below. The wind was cold against his skin, with the dark night holding no moonlight. The waters below were akin to churning ink, while also giving the feeling of hiding some great terrors beneath them.


    Reed lifted his eyes and gazed at the clear dark skies, where the dots of light, stars, littered the darkness. There were many questions and worries within his heart, mostly about Lily.


    Was she okay? Did she still trust his word? Was she being treated well? Had she been worried about his life?


    They had calculated most things, even plotting to have Zeus capture her with a tracking device that would alert them to her location. Yet as man proposes, the heavens dispose. Another player had entered the fray, one who hadn''t played by the rules. Even now, the tracking device couldn''t be linked with... As if Lily had dispersed into bubbles.


    This ship he was on, had been berthed within the mothership. And it had currently become the flagship leading the armada. The decision had been to enter the state of Greece from the sea as they had no idea how powerful the country was.


    From behind him, he heard the sound of crystal heels clinking against the metallic deck of the ship. She wanted herself heard as she clearly hadn''t made any attempt to muffle her footsteps.


    "You haven''t changed one bit." The silky voice entered his ears, dispersing most of his thoughts.


    "How?" he asked without turning his head.


    "Your nerves... They are still highstrung during meetings." Livia stood beside him on the railing, turning to look at him, yet his gaze was still towards the dark waters below. A faint glow from her entered his peripheral vision, a phenomenon from her white dress, that made her stand out in this night, but his eyes still didn''t become drawn towards her perfect female form.


    "You keep silent most of the time, unless spoken to; Pretend to be seriously paying attention to the discussion in order to minimize being drawn into conversation by the others; and most of all, you make little to no eye contact."


    "Stop!" Reed felt some embarrassment creeping upon his face. This woman had, instead of paying attention to the meeting, been scrutinizing him!


    "Are you that worried about her?" a few seconds later, Livia asked. There was something within her voice that he didn''t even try to analyze deeper. Why? Because he didn''t care.


    "Let''s say... Hypothetically... If I was ever caught in the same predicament. Would you be as worried? And even move to save me?"


    "Mmmmm... That will never happen to you considering that brain of yours that is always at the forefront of every scheme. You would have already found solutions to the predicament the same day it occurred." Reed commented.


    "You could have atleast humored me." pouted Livia.


    As she opened her mouth to say something else, the temperature rapidly dropped within the air, with even water droplets condensing outside their spiritual energy wards.


    The previously quiet atmospheric spiritual energy stirred, with all of it instantly converting to the water attribute. Then, an aura was felt, bringing goosebumps upon their skin. The flagship slowed, with the others following suit not a moment later.


    A whirlpool had appeared right in front of the ships, down, on the surface of the ocean. It''s spin was even affecting the atmosphere right before them, making it so, that anything that entered within the vicinity was swallowed.


    The aura of the domain was something Reed wouldn''t be able to mistake no matter how dense he was. Whatever was beneath the water had the power of a Nascent Soul. And demons were always a tier beyond humans in combat power, not to mention the reserves of spirit energy they carried within them, which were multiple times of that of a human.

 Chapter 25 Fall of Olympus(1)

    SCC Chapter 25 Fall of Olympus(1)


    Within Reed''s body, spirit energy furiously cycled as he prepared himself to deal with the threat. This was a beast that could cripple their invasion into Greece. The sea had always been off-limits to both the humans and the land demons, with the reason being the abundance of marine life, thereby making it easy for powerful marine demons to be born. And within their territory, which was the oceans, rivers, lakes and seas, they were almost unbeatable if technological weapons weren''t considered.


    Green spiritual energy materialized outside his body, with the same happening to Livia, except that the color was white.


    "Don''t interfere!" Like thunder, the voice rippled outwards, carried on visible ripples within the air, reaching every single ship within the fleet. From another side of the vessel they were currently on, a figure wreathed in an eerie crimson flame, floated out into the sky, heading towards the whirlpool.


    Reed could feel the eager excitement of the figure, as it had been a long time since they had last taken action. Even with the crimson flames burning upon his body, his gaze, especially those red eyes, were even brighter than the flames around him.


    Within the eye of the whirlpool, a tentacle rose slowly, mortifying and silencing every single person aboard the vessels, Reed and Livia included. It had been a very long time since he had last seen something like this personally.


    The dark grey mass of flesh was huge, rivalling the width of skyscrapers, with the height surpassing most of what humanity had built up to now!


    With an explosion of air, the tentacle shot towards the crimson figure with such speed that Reed could barely follow! It''s raw physical strength was probably terrifying!


    The clash induced a strong shockwave that pushed away every single ship in the armada, tossing them as if they were leaves in the wind.


    All that Reed could see of the clash was simply massive lacerations along the tentacle that dripped with blood as the crimson blur and the grey continously clashed.


    "Even I, can barely follow the President even though I have the light attribute!" exclaimed a shocked Livia.


    Beneath the waves, with the whirlpool having long collapsed, a roar of pain and fury was heard before seven explosions rippled out and 7 more of the tentacles broke through the surface to pursue the President, homing to him like heat seeking missiles. He weaved through the mass of whip-like flesh with ease, leaving massive gashes upon the beast.


    They were relentless though, always trying to corner him into being sealed within, only to fail with just a small burst of speed from him. Reed could clearly feel that the man was still holding back, toying with the beast, while also reawakening his battle instincts that had been laying dormant after centuries of not engaging in any physical altercation.


    The deadlock continued for a few seconds, but it was eventually meant to be broken. And that moment came when the crimson figure slashed past a tentacle, this time causing the entire tip to be severed. As it fell into the waters below, a guttural roar was released from the beast.


    Yet, before it could take any more action, another three were simultaneously severed.


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    Reed felt the water spiritual energy in the atmosphere start to awaken, and move as if it had received orders.


    Then, within the creature''s domain, tentacles, hundreds of them, all formed out of water, rose from the waters of the ocean, even trapping the armada within, since the ships had been within the range of the domain.


    The water tentacles were akin to trees in a forest. The crimson figure was forced to pause for a fraction of a second before he rose towards the vault of heaven. After gaining a suitable height, a blinding red light erupted from him, dyeing the tentacles, the armada, and the ocean a crimson color.


    Then, like a star, a fist, as fast as an asteroid, yet half as large as the water domain, was released towards the waters below.


    There was no explosion. The fist simply dug into the ocean, leaving behind a large hole down deep into the depths. The water attribute tentacles collapsed, while the real ones were left behind in pieces. It took seconds before the water collapsed back in to fill the abyssal hole, a testament to the might of that one fist!


    "That wasn''t an energy construct." breathlessly said Livia.


    "Yeah. I never would have expected that there existed an attribute capable of drastically affecting the physical body." added an awed Reed.


    "The bastard escaped." said the President upon landing back down, right near them. Though, his eyes held no lingering attachment.


    "How strong was that beast?" asked Reed.


    "Middle stage Nascent Soul. Though, you should never underestimate the oceans. Once I got a glimpse of a demon that had reached the peak of Nascent Soul. Trust me on this! Never provoke such existences unless you have reached my level. And even then, you should make preparations to stake your very life. Of course, that was during our time. Now, there is technology. Even those existences are forced to hide in the depths."


    The man walked away after those words. Though, not without giving a faint nod to Livia.


    "I have a feeling most of that was directed towards you."


    "That was your imagination. We must be about to reach the shore." Reed changed the topic after seeing that beyond where the whirlpool had been, many figures were churning the waters, seemingly in a frenzy.


    "It must have been directing these lesser demons. Now that it has fled, chaos is reigning."


    Onward, the fleet continued, occasionally taking care of any demon beasts that appeared to be as powerful as Core Formation cultivators. From what Reed and the others could glean, this entire horde of aquatic beasts had been in the middle of being herded towards the same destination they were heading towards.


    Upon reaching a certain distance, they were awed by gigantic pillars of water, about five of them, spinning close together at such speeds that even Reed felt a dangerous sensation creeping on his skin. This was his intuition warning him.


    "It looks like someone was prepared for us." Livia commented. Reed and she herself, still hadn''t found a reason to leave the railing of the deck behind. The outside was far more exciting after all. Others had also trickled over, with a sizable crowd having gathered.


    "Not for us." said Reed as he gazed at the heavenward pillars of water that were spinning closely together, forming an impenetrable wall towards the massive number of attacking aquatic demons.


    (All ships! Fire on the demons!)


    An order from a familiar voice was heard within his mind, with not a second later, beams of spiritual energy striking the ocean, churning, evaporating, and tainting the waters with various spiritual energy attributes.


    The fleet of ships split up into smaller groups, with only the flagship remaining in place.


    "The power of us cultivators is really amazing."


    "You speak like a greenhorn." Reed jested at Livia''s comment.


    "Nah. What is the use of power if you can''t even become amazed by the feats you are capable of giving birth to?"


    That was a point he couldn''t argue against.


    Minutes later, the carnage stopped, with flesh, frozen demons within ice blocks, burning flames upon the water''s surface and blood, tainting the ocean. This wasn''t going to be a conundrum as the sea always had a voracious appetite for everything fleshy. In a matter of hours, Reed was certain that all this would vanish.


    The heavenward pillars of water started slowing down their rotational speed even as they sunk back into the ocean slowly, such that there would be no drastic changes that could trigger a tsunami.


    The land behind was exposed, starting with the beach, the man upon it, the primitive shelters and the crowd behind, and into the depths, where a tall mountain, whose summit vanished up into the clouds, could faintly be glimpsed.


    But Reed''s attention was drawn to the man who stood on the beach. He was tall, bare chested, with blue eyes that had iris that rippled like the waves. Blue hair, glowing in the night because of the overstimulation of his spiritual energy, swayed in the wind, while his palm was enclosed around the pole of his weapon, a trident that shone with a mesmerizing silvery light. His other hand was massaging his beard, though, there was a light of exhaustion in his eyes.


    The flagship stopped just before the man, with the entire congregation stepping off of it, and onto the beach.


    "It''s an honor to finally meet you, Mr. Poseidon." greeted the President, his voice holding nothing less than utmost respect.


    Every single human who has ever heard of this man''s deeds, no matter whether they hate Pantheon or not, would hold the utmost respect for him.


    "I knew this day would eventually dawn upon these lands." Poseidon spoke even as he returned a handshake, with some curious observers behind him shifting ever so closer.

 Chapter 26 Fall of Olympus(2)

    SCC Chapter 26 Fall of Olympus(2)


    "The Underworld Palace... Can you give us its location?" The president''s question earned Reed''s full attention. He didn''t want to pressure the man considering all the good that he had done, but he really needed to know. With the president acting as the mouthpiece for his burning questions, he could hang back.


    "Its north of here. That location is something that hasn''t been bound by the oath since every mortal already knows the location."


    The President thanked the man while Reed released a sigh of relief. He could feel Livia''s burning gaze from the side, which was threatening to bore holes through him, but he ignored it for the time being.


    "I hope that when you are battling the others, you show mercy to the mortals. And I won''t be going anywhere. I will be staying here protecting the coast."


    "Lord Poseidon, who are these strangely dressed people? Are they Gods?" asked a boy whose curiosity had gotten the best of him.


    "No. They are just mortal men. The same as you and I..."


    "This child is innocent... The same as those people you will encounter. Some have taken up arms to fight for their religions and beliefs, while others have gained access to foreign weaponry, with the intent of overthrowing those that have been oppressing them..."


    "...all I ask is for you to afford them the same mercy as your citizens."


    Reed felt a burning on his face while listening to the man''s heartfelt plea.


    -----


    (You supplied weapons to mortals? Wow! I didn''t think the prim and proper Reed would go to such lengths for revenge!) transmitted Livia once they were up in the sky, aboard the ship, towards the Underworld Palace.


    Reed chose to keep quiet. He hadn''t thought much about his actions, mostly delegating such things to Latniss and the others, not spending any brain power upon that particular problem. But now that it had been pointed out by Poseidon, he had started seeing it as a mistake. And he was certain that when the President, Nikolai and Cecilia laid their eyes upon the rampaging mortals, they would be capable of tracing everything back to him with just a glance. They were the people he hadn''t wanted to disappoint the most.


    Before he could sink further down that hole though, the temperature rose, attracting his attention towards a place in the distance, where lava was freely gathered in pools, with a massive hole as the center, where the lava was cascading down into the depths.


    "I sense lightning attribute spiritual energy in high concentrations. It''s dissipating, but it''s there." uttered Lily.


    "Zeus must have battled here. If I am not mistaken, he and Hades battled for Lily. We will need to go down there to see whether more could be gleaned." spoke Reed before leaping off the ship. This time, he didn''t wait for anyone to give the go ahead, or take the lead.


    Before he plunged down though, others joined him above the massive hole, through which they could see crimson down below, probably the result of magma pooling.


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    "I don''t see any of your fellow sect mates." casually commented Reed as the two floated down in close proximity to each other. There were also others who had chosen to go down with them, mostly the generals associated with the Federal army and the President himself. This was just in case Hades was hiding below. Traces of the battle had been masked with the lava, but it must have been intense, meaning that Hades was no pushover.


    "The elder vehemently refused to join this crusade. Plus anyone else would have been too weak."


    ''They must be adopting a wait and see attitude, like the others.'' inwardly surmised Reed.


    "Then, let me change the question. Why are you here?"


    Through his scans with divine sense, making sure not to overlook any nook and cranny hidden behind the waterfall of lava, Reed detected something, pausing his descent. While floating towards its location, while simultaneously scanning with his divine sense, he stopped in place. He had finally managed to thoroughly scan it, feeling the cracks within, and also the unfamiliar energy surrounding it. Since it had looked and felt like steel, he had thought that maybe, it could be one of Lily''s belongings. But the unfamiliar aura that was about to be snuffed out by the lava removed that suspicion.


    A sigh escaped his lips, one he didn''t know whether of relief, or something else.


    "They decided to touch my one reverse scale. Of course I have to be here!" There was something sinister within her tone, though, what earned his gaze towards her, were her words.


    But she was gazing back at him with an unreadable expression, causing him to wonder why that was?


    "I shouldn''t imagine impossible things." he mumbled after coming to a realization he couldn''t believe.


    After that Interlude, they both sped up their descent downwards. Finally, they reached the pool below, which had accumulated enough liquid molten earth to submerge multiple levels below.


    "Looks like we will have to get rid of all this." spoke Livia as her eyes roamed those that had arrived before the two of them.


    Reed had entertained the slim possibility that Lily had perished here. That was why he wanted to atleast find something of her.


    "Stokes!" called out the President.


    Then a man, decked out in the Federation''s military attire, with a designation of a general, acted, releasing an inky darkness that devoured everything within the vicinity, leaving behind the people, giving Reed the impression of standing within the empty void. Even the heat was devoured in its entirety, bringing a chill.


    After the darkness cleared, all the lava had vanished, even way above, on the mouth of the hole. Only a single clump of darkness remained, with everyone certain that it wasn''t the man''s, as the aura was different.


    It was about three levels down on the ground, clearly the end of the abyssal hole. When everyone reached the ground, they surrounded the clump, Reed and Livia included.


    "President! I couldn''t dispel the darkness surrounding whatever this is. It was as if it was on a level higher than mine. I have never encountered such a bizarre situation." commented Stokes, the general.


    "You couldn''t disperse it because the man had reached the very peak of the Nascent Soul stage." explained the President while releasing a wisp of his eerie crimson games, erasing the darkness to expose a corpse.


    It was of a man with a middle aged appearance, with various wounds upon his body, with the most serious one being a hole through his naval, through which the ground below could be seen. Clearly, someone had made an attack that had pierced through him. And judging by the charred sides of the wound, Reed was certain that it must have been Zeus.


    "If I am not mistaken, this man must be the elusive Hades." commented Livia.


    Reed nodded along. No one had ever managed to get a glimpse of the man''s true face in those rare occasions he had managed to make an appearance within the Federation.


    Reed''s gaze and divine sense scanned the rest of the place, finding nothing of worth. That led to the conclusion that Lily had most probably fallen into Zeus'' hands.


    "We are going to have to pay a visit to Olympus. Let''s make haste." spoke the President, upon which the sound of whistling in the air was heard as everyone turned into blurs, flying out of the abyssal hole. Atleast Hades'' corpse had been a clue.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 20, 1:13AM


    The fleet flew over untamed terrain. Dense jungles interspersed with small towns and villages. Farms were also visible, while wooden fences surrounding all these, keeping whatever was within the surrounding woods at bay. Reed could sense multiple demons hiding within the untamed wilderness, probably being kept alive by the so-called gods in order to keep the humans in fear. Temples were also visible. Within the villages, with each housing statues of the three great gods and one lesser Deity, which was most probably related to certain competitions among them for believers.


    Through the jungles, right at the foot of the tall mountain before them, an upside down bowl shaped shield laid infront of the invaders, enclosing the entire mountain peak within itself. It was a translucent blue, with multiple runes swimming across its surface.


    Below, quite the crowd had gathered. And they were in the middle of pelting the shield with attacks from familiar projectile weapons, clearly an older model of array guns. But not even a dent or ripple was being made in the shield, while those within it had the leisure to unleash their wrath upon the crowd as they saw fit, annihilating many in the process. But Reed could feel the powerful determination of the mortals. They weren''t going to easily be forced into a retreat.


    Reed felt his face burning with shame upon looking down at those futile attacks. He hadn''t really paid attention to what Latniss and the others had been doing!


    With a powerful leap, he flew down, towards the mortals below, though he could sense that they had just stepped upon the path of cultivation.

 Chapter 27 Fall of Olympus(3)

    SCC Chapter 27 Fall of Olympus(3)


    The multitude of eyes gazing up at him as if he were a God were irritating. Reed landed with a frown upon his face. They were a ways from the shield since the people had retreated the moment their armada had arrived.


    Hooded figures appeared infront of the gathered crowd, bowing to him.


    "I told you. I don''t like this behavior of yours." said an exasperated Reed.


    "...why are these people attacking the shield. You clearly know that they can''t win even if it miraculously breaks. So, why are you allowing them to throw away their lives!" shouted Reed, pointing towards the scattered blood and limbs, close to the translucent shield.


    "We couldn''t stop them. They were riled up." one person spoke up.


    "Reed, this was a very bad decision! Endangering other people''s lives for the sake of revenge isn''t how the Federation is meant to be! We are above the sects! We shouldn''t act as if we are beneath them!" chastised the president upon landing, having first made sure to create a barrier to isolate them.


    " From now on you won''t be allowed to step foot outside the flagship! That will only become moot when we find Lily Toba!" after that order, one Reed didn''t have the logic to refute, the president turned towards the gathered crowd. There was exhaustion within their eyes and injures among a few, yet even with the deaths of their comrades, their eyes were bright within this night, faintly glowing with the minute embers being supplied to them from their nascent dantians.


    "You are a very determined people. I can see it within your eyes, the will to fight for what is right. But, I say in good conscience that you leave the rest to us."


    "We want to fight too. Just sitting around and letting foreigners do all the work wouldn''t sit well with us." one of the people spoke up.


    "Having pride and will is good. But, can you reasonably tell me that you can win? How many have you lost? How many have they lost? Think about it carefully. We have the power to take them down. But if you insist on participating, you will only be getting in the way."


    "All of you don''t really know me. So let introduce myself while also making a promise. I, Julien Taylor, president of the Federation, promise you... That we will overthrow those tyrants hiding behind the shield and bring equality and freedom, back to your state."


    After that, the crowd was escorted away, back into the forest, quite a distance away, while the Federation started preparing for a lengthy seige, unloading weapons and ammo, while also setting up a perimeter around the shield dome.


    Reed, back on the flagship, watched as the president, step by step, approached the shield, which was surrounding a relatively tall blue colored wall, which was crackling with tiny lightning Serpents.


    A tall haired woman appeared just above, on the wall, looking down upon the man. She had dark short hair with ornaments placed within it to accentuate her beauty, just like the earrings and the many bangles on both arms, almost reaching her elbows. She was dressed in a short green skirt, while her face was the picture of arrogance, with a smirk painted across it.


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    Since he was far from them, the details of the conversation failed to reach his ears. Now that he lacked something to occupy him, the worries about Lily started resurfacing again, making him antsy.


    "Why aren''t you out there?" He initiated conversation with Livia, who was joining him on the railing.


    "Before that thing breaks, I won''t be able to do much, just like the others. This will be a contest between machines." she answered while pointing towards the dome.


    "I am curious about one thing. Why are you going so far for Lily?"


    As they made small talk, the spiritual energy canons fired, eliciting small ripples on the shielding. But a surprise was unveiled towards the Federation in the next moment, as parts of the circular wall slid to the side, exposing huge muzzles, each charged with a blue light.


    With the crackling of thunder, lightning destroyed many of the weapons that had been arrayed close to the dome.


    "Those weapons!"


    "That was the might of a Peak Core Formation cultivator! If I am not mistaken, even the Federal government can''t produce that many, right?" exclaimed Reed.


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 20, 8:42AM


    Craters were everywhere, with the domed shield long shattered. Elemental energies that were lingering, capable of posing a threat to the nearby nature were being extinguished.


    Ansel was using his darkness attribute of devouring to help dismantle an ice block that wasn''t melting. If it was left here, months could pass before it could even start breaking down. It had been a result of one of the weapons that had appeared right before the shattering of the shield.


    Even now, he still felt a chill at the quality and quantity of weapons possessed by Pantheon. The Federation had barely managed to create a few weapons capable of even injuring those in the Nascent Soul stage, yet these people had had as many as ten different types!


    (Ansel! I need you to start looking for Ms. Toba.) a message only for his ears was transmitted, with his gaze moving towards the origin. It had been from above, from within the flagship.


    (I still have to follow orders. When I finish this ice block, I will ask to be transferred towards the duty of searching for the fugitives.) He transmitted back.


    He too, didn''t want to do this. But it had been stipulated within the rules before joining that all those below the Nascent Soul stage were under the jurisdiction of the army. Meaning, they were obligated to accept orders.


    (Ansel! There is some one I need you to find for me before any other person finds them.) another transmission reached his ears from a familiar comrade.


    (Who?) he asked back. This time, he didn''t search for the origin as he already knew the location.


    (A woman, the one the president spoke with before the siege broke out.)


    -----


    Ansel stood leaning against the tree, lost within his own thoughts. And those thoughts pertained to Zeus and that elite contingent, the one he had been a part of before his desertion.


    They hadn''t shown their faces even once. Ansel was certain that with Zeus'' pride and arrogance, there was no way he would have let Olympus be taken if he wasn''t occupied by something even more important.


    But, what important thing could be greater than securing Pantheon''s continued existence? Was that woman, Lily Toba, really needed for his greater plans?


    Many such questions plagued his mind while he waited for his partner to show up.


    Just a few minutes later, footsteps attracted his attention, and not a moment later, Declan walked out of the bushes. Ansel raised an eyebrow at his expression, but ultimately decided not to speak about it.


    "That woman is Hera, wife of Zeus." he revealed without any prompting.


    ''Boss gave me a task. If this woman is really the wife of Zeus, then she might be holding important information.'' thought Ansel as he recalled her aura. During the cleansing of the battlefield, he had taken special care in registering her aura.


    "This place has minute traces of her aura. It has dissipated enough for the layman to miss it, but I can feel it." spoke Ansel, after which, he led the way, making sure to chart a path that caused less disturbance.


    From what he could glean, the woman had taken this route in escaping. And the suspicious thing about this, was the fact that she hadn''t taken anyone else along with her.


    (Is she alone, or are there others with her?) transmitted Declan. This was a surprising consideration from him. Most of the times, he didn''t pay attention to any of such troublesome details. This woman had to be very important for him to ask questions of such a nature.


    (She is alone. Why?)


    (I don''t want anyone to interrupt my battle with her.) he transmitted, with the feeling of relief also bleeding over.


    So, there was something he held against the woman. That was what Ansel concluded, before making a signal to halt. Transmitting with thought would have been faster, but, the hand signal was a reflexive action he had been thoroughly trained in.


    (What is it?) asked Declan.


    But Ansel''s attention was towards his surroundings, which were now saturated with dark attribute spiritual particles, ones he had been constantly releasing throughout their short journey.


    He had detected an anomaly in the photons. The position of the sun was different from before. And that had tripped his mental alarm.


    (Somethimg is subtly manipulating the atmosphere, mixing the real with the illusory.) He said after coming to a concrete answer.


    (A bewildering formation perhaps?)


    (Yes. But I believe this is on a higher level. It isn''t boxing us in as we can still turn back. Instead, it''s preventing us from continuing forward. If am not mistaken, it would have ultimately led us to another path, away from this area.) Ansel explained with amazement thick in his voice. Things related to espionage were exciting indeed.

 Chapter 28 Fall of Olympus(4)

    SCC Chapter 28 Fall of Olympus(4)


    (What does an array require to be created?) asked Ansel, towards Declan. They had come to a stop, surrounded by lush vegetation, yet without any beasts in the vicinity. It seemed that the gods had disdained sharing the same place with the demons.


    (A place with abundant spiritual energy, mostly attributeless.) answered Declan, though Ansel could pick out the irritation within, slightly dousing his excitement.


    (That''s correct. Unless of course, there is some sort of energy source, a battery of some kind. But here, I doubt there is any as I could have sensed it already. That means, this array is running on inscribed runes. Those are what we should be searching for. And they must have been camouflaged well enough to be undetectable through normal means.)


    Even as he spoke, he was looking around. Not just with his eyes, but divine sense too. That was when something captured his attention, something that looked like a scratching one might create with a piece of black charcoal.


    He moved towards its location, upon the bark of a tree, and scrutinized it. Faintly, there were fluctuations being emitted from it, judging by the fact that his dark particles were clearly absorbing energy upon landing on its surface.


    He brought his hand close in order to scratch it off only for the mark to move, trying to disperse into the surroundings. But he acted faster, having ensured a net of dark particles around, which devoured the small motes, allowing him to perform an analysis, whose results were enough to take him aback.


    (What was that? Runes don''t just simply move!)


    (That is the common knowledge. But what if? Instead of ink, tiny micro-bots were used instead?)


    (You mean, as in robots?)


    (Yes. This is fascinating! These things are decades ahead of what the Federation can create! I need to collect more samples!)


    With those words, Ansel became frenzied, scrutinizing everything intensely. And that intensity was rewarded, as after a few minutes, all the micro-bots were found, with some stored for further research, while the rest were devoured by his darkness.


    (There is something that has always puzzled me. Does your devouring intent absorb everything, even the energy? Or is there something more to it.)


    (Where would all of that go? If it was like that, then all those who have the devouring intent would be miles ahead in terms of cultivation. What happens, is that everything is simply broken down into the smallest possible particle, and then released back into the world.)


    (But wouldn''t there have been some sort of discharge signal that could be picked up?)


    (We haven''t yet managed to create a sensor capable of sensing those particles. I have heard rumors of those with divine sense powerful enough to sense particles smaller than a neutron particle, but I still have my doubts.)


    After taking care of the array, their path forward was cleared, allowing them to make haste, with Ansel now following the faint trail of radiation.


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    A few minutes of walking passed before they found themselves infront of a massive gate, one which was hewn into a perfectly vertical cliff face.


    (The Olympians surely love ostentious displays.) commented Ansel upon taking a good long look at it.


    Gems, each cut to perfection, had been embedded within the gates, with pathways, which he was certain must have, at a point, been filled with something that could allow the conduction of spiritual energy, turning them into an array.


    Someone had taken the conductive material. And Ansel was debating whether it had been Hera, or someone else. He dispersed the darkness attribute particles of his spiritual energy, infiltrating into its inner depths. What took him by surprise was how easily they had managed to infiltrate, but after considering it, he came to the conclusion that the materials themselves must have lost their spiritual nature, making it easy for him.


    (Is there any way it can be opened?) transmitted Declan, whom Ansel could sense to be practically rearing to go. He was barely keeping himself calm.


    (My prior analysis indicates that it''s just a door. All the enchantments that should have been working to prevent us from entering have been depowered, probably because of the missing array conduits.)


    (What are we waiting for then?)


    Declan snarled before making his way towards the door, with an orange flame appearing on his entire form before changing to white, with that allowing him to simply walk through the gate, leaving behind a humanoid shape whose edges were melting.


    After an exasperated sigh was released, Ansel followed behind him, with a massive cavern greeting him upon entering.


    Glowing stones embedded within the ceiling provided enough light for him to be awed by the massive construct upon the floor, one which was circular, and occupied the entire cavern. No, he was certain that the entire cavern had been built just for it.


    It was a circular array, carved into plain rock, with the lines missing the fundamental material needed to activate it. Just like the door, it appeared to have been taken.


    Ansel studied the marks, trying to deduce what the array was for, yet failed to glean anything. He recognized that all the rune symbols were familiar, but their arrangement was meant for something he couldn''t fathom right now.


    All that was discarded in favor of gazing at a frozen Declan, who was staring off in the distance, right at the centre of the array. Ansel''s gaze picked up a figure kneeling in the centre, doing absolutely nothing.


    Declan turned into a white blur, circling the woman to appear right in front of her. She was startled, with her figure turning into a green blur to dart to the side, making sure to keep the both of them within her sight.


    Ansel was taken aback by her plight. Tear stains clearly streaked her face, her hair was disheveled, and her clothing wasn''t as appealing as before, marred by dirt. She was utterly different from the arrogant figure from before.


    "How did you find this place?!" she screeched.


    "That''s a brainless question, dear Hera, wife of Zeus, the God of the sky! I never would have thought that I would get to see a GOD filled with despair..." hissed Declan as he paced, circling her.


    "... Ansel! No matter what happens! Don''t interfere!"


    "She probably knows where Zeus has gone. Make sure that you don''t kill her before she divulges that. And hurry up! Someone''s life is on the line." Ansel took a step back, sinking within the shadows of the wall, obscuring himself from normal senses.


    "Don''t worry about him. He won''t attack you. We are going to have ourselves some fun." Declan spoke, while the white flames went back to orange colored, before extinguishing upon his body.


    "Do you recognize me?"


    His question prompted the wary Hera to intently gaze at him, yet her face failed to materialize any signs of comprehension before she spoke...


    "Are you important enough for me to remember you? Ah! I see! You probably used to reside in our state. I wonder what those cretins guarding the border were doing, allowing your pathetic escape? So, you latched onto the thighs of the Federal dogs, hoping to come back here... And do what exactly?"


    A glint crossed Declan''s eyes before his face contorted into a myriad of expressions, with embers rising around him, before it gained a calm stoic and detached expression. That wiped the smirk off of Hera''s face. It seemed that she had wanted to destabilize his mental state.


    "I used to be happy. I had a loving family, a friendly village, and most of all, freedom and dreams, and goals. But all that was torn down by one jealous woman arriving within the village. Every single mortal was killed except me, who was left behind to listen to the mumbling of a crazy unhinged jealous bitch..." still seeing a lack of incomprehension, Declan continued on with his monologue.


    "... You must have done that to a countless number of villages if you can''t even remember me. Though, I doubt your memory would degrade that easily. You must be hoping to rile me up such that you could have a chance at survival. Maybe I should show you true despair."


    Declan kicked off the ground at that, turning into a blur that sped towards the woman, who conjured up a green wind to surround her like a tornado, holding numerous tiny blades of wind.


    Ansel was certain about her elemental attribute being wind, with her intent being ''cut''. But all that was just speculation. She could have just shaped the wind into blades as a camouflage. Many cultivators always made certain to hide their intents. After all, the more information an adversary had, the greater the chances of your loss.


    Through an amazing display of physical might, Declan stopped himself right a few centimeters away from the wind barrier, with his punch releasing a powerful jet of flames that were funneled skywards by the rotation of the wind, effectively sparing the woman from the wrath of his attack.

 Chapter 29 Fall of Olympus(5)

    SCC Chapter 29 Fall of Olympus(5)


    Declan was ferocious, attacking from every angle, every posture, with his flames hot enough to the point that they had started reddening the floor. Ansel was somehow surprised at the stone floor''s durability, but when he thought about it deeper, he realized that it made sense for it to be this durable.


    Declan was becoming increasingly frustrated. The woman was maintaining a powerful defense. She wasn''t attacking. And movement was minimal, such that she wouldn''t make any mistakes.


    He changed his tactics, shaping the now white flames into a spear, one he concentrated on solidifying, but in the split second that he averted his attention, as if by prior knowledge, a massive wind blade was horizontally hurled towards him, with Ansel almost crying out in alarm, but the figure bisected, turned out to be just a mere mirage, an illusion.


    Then, Declan''s form was revealed, right beside the woman''s defense, at her back, where a white sword was poised to be thrust into her back. But Ansel, as the spectator, could see that her eyes didn''t have any worry, as if she had anticipated the move.


    And that thought was proven right, when ten wind blades were released, threatening to take Declan''s life if he didn''t retreat, which he did.


    But the woman discarded her previously impenetrable defence in favor of going on the counter-offensive, chasing after Declan, with wind blades flying, changing direction in response to his shifts, homing in on his form. Apparently, she had decided to switch strategies upon seeing that her mind games weren''t achieving the desired outcome.


    Ansel had to provide praise where it was due. Even though she was arrogant, beneath that was a highly meticulous and crafty mind that wouldn''t lose out to any cultivator who had lived on the edge of life and death.


    The battle entered a white hot stage as Declan shaped weapons from his white hot flame, whose temperature had gotten hot enough to even start melting the stone floor. But the woman decided to reveal Pantheon''s superior technology at this juncture, with her bangles separating from her wrists and spreading across her entire body, where they turned into a metallic looking fabric that interwove itself across her entire body, effectively enhancing her defenses, while also boosting her attacks, putting Declan on the back foot.


    (Don''t join in! Remember that!) warned the man having noticed the shift in Ansel''s energies. Though Declan was a firecracker everyone loved to avoid like the plague, there was no doubt that he was a genius in battle only bested by two people in their little group.


    Ansel ultimately decided to keep watching the Battlefield, where the other man had settled into a rhythm where he was simply tanking or evading the woman''s strikes. Ansel became certain that there was something afoot. And it seemed that Hera could see it too as her attacks dropped in energy, while she became even more wary, intermittently releasing her divine sense for any anomalies.


    The reason divine sense wasn''t kept unfurled in battles was mostly because of the fact that it could easily be overwhelmed by information due to intense bursts of spiritual energy. If it became overloaded at a critical moment, it could spell defeat.


    Declan found a chance to take a leap back, with a small white sphere materializing in his palm. Ansel instantly felt a chill down his spine when that sphere materialized, treating it as his worst enemy. And clearly, Hera was of the same thought, because, not even a moment later, she also materialized an attack at the same quality, a small curved blade of green with her intent greatly encapsulated within it.


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    A tense atmosphere materialized within the cavern. Ansel had also lost his previous laziness as each of these two attacks was powerful enough to vanquish him should any sort of mishap come to pass!


    There was an explosion beneath Declan''s feet, with his speed far surpassing any that he had shown previously, instantly appearing before the woman, and palming towards her, with the small sphere leading the way. She also did the same with her wind blade.


    Ansel was about to shelter himself from the explosion, when the wind blade harmlessly passed through the white sphere, and he managed to capture the widening of Hera''s eyes, the contortions of her facial muscles, with her facial expression shifting from solemnity to horror in the next moment, before a powerful flame, as if spewed by a dragon, instantly erased her left side, even boring a hole through the cavern''s walls to the outside, where it left a long trail of destruction.


    "Gods... Always so arrogant. You thought that just because you saw it once, it was no longer an option for me!" shouted out Declan, who was now standing behind the woman. Even Ansel had been deceived!


    Though, he had made certain not to damage her head in any way, probably because of Ansel''s own request of keeping her alive. She crumpled to the ground while Declan went down on one knee, gasping heavily. He had overstrained himself in compressing his intent into the flame. And he wasn''t the only one in such a condition, as even Hera was facing the same.


    Ansel hurriedly tended to the woman. Though, He first stripped away every artifact upon her body. And since her clothes had all been destroyed, her nakedness was laid bare for the two men, yet they barely cared. Both their attentions were elsewhere.


    "Don''t look at me like that. After this, you are going to die! That, I promise you! If I had the power of revival, I would have loved to kill and revive you for every single villager that died!"


    "That attack of yours created quite the commotion. If I am not mistaken, everyone will be attracted here. What do you want to do?" Ansel asked.


    "We will wait for them to come. Even if the President wants to spare her, I won''t allow it!"


    -----


    The first person to arrive was the President. He didn''t come in through the door, but through the hole created by Declan''s destructive power. Ansel could feel a weighty presence bearing down upon them. Being in the man''s presence was akin to being right next to a burning flame, certain that it would burn you if any mishap happened.


    The silence was only broken by his steps that first circled the cavern, occasionally pausing to look at the runes down below, until finally, he appeared before them.


    "What happened here?" he asked, with his crimson eyes gazing deeply into Hera''s. There must have been a grudge there. Maybe the woman had insulted him before the siege battle...?


    "This woman must die by my hand." spoke Declan. There was an edge to his voice. And even though he too, must have been feeling the weight of the man''s presence, his gaze was firm.


    Those crimson eyes finally looked away to gaze into Declan''s. Only after holding that gaze for a few seconds did the President avert his gaze...


    "Her death won''t be in doubt then. Though, keeping her alive right now isn''t going to earn us anything. I suggest the bitch is removed from this world right this instant." Ansel was somewhat surprised by the vulgar language, but what was greater than that was the puzzlement.


    "She is under oath. There is no way she would divulge anything valuable. The moment the words so much as start to leave her lips, her life will be forfeit."


    Ansel''s gaze went back to the woman before signaling towards Declan, who dragged Hera by the hair, out of the place, while she screamed and struggled.


    "That brat has what it takes to ascend the path of power. What is your name?" The president''s gaze lingered on Declan''s back before a question was thrown at Ansel.


    "Ansel!" His cheeks burned when he felt that his voice had come out louder than he had intended.


    "Have you managed to glean anything about this array?" he asked.


    "It is complicated, sir. All I have managed to get a glimpse of, is the fact that whatever was used to transmit energy within these grooves was taken by someone. When we found the place, there was despair written all over the woman''s face, meaning that this array had probably served as some escape of sorts. Zeus must have used it before. That''s the only conclusion I have been able to come to." Ansel explained all that in one breath.


    "Mmmm...There are traces of spatial disturbance. I will go out on a limb and deduce that this might have been some sort of teleportation array."


    The deduction confounded Ansel. A teleportation array! Had the sects reached a level where they could produce such things!?


    But if the space was disturbed, that was the only conclusion that was plausible.


    "That is going to be troublesome. Determining the destination is going to be like searching for a needle in a haystack." cursed the President.


    A few others arrived, with an exclamation attracting the attention of the two towards one of the newcomers.

 Chapter 30 Fall of Olympus(6)

    SCC Chapter 30 Fall of Olympus(6)


    "This was most definitely an array related to spatial principles, probably a teleportation array." spoke a man Ansel somewhat admired. Though there were many that hated him, his expertise in certain fields was second to none.


    "Why ''Probably'', Nikolai?" asked the President.


    Nikolai stood up from his spot, where he had been in the middle of testing out his energy, filling the patterns, causing the rune to light up.


    "As you and I both know, there are many space principles. So, there is a slim possibility that it could be any of the others."


    "I am certain that it''s teleportation. What we need to figure out is the location of the destination. Ever since his return to the sect, no sensory apparatus has sensed Zeus leaving the sect upon his return. And considering the fact that he didn''t appear during the battle, there is a very high chance he should have used this array. Nikolai! Can you find out the destination coordinates, or better yet, restart the entire array?"


    "Restarting the array is far beyond my capabilities in the limited time we have. But figuring out the coordinates can be done."


    -----


    After listening to Ansel''s report, the worry within Reed''s heart grew. He stood up and went to the side of a wall, where a compartment opened up to reveal a chilled drink that was emanating a tantalizing aroma.


    "Pantheon really was a sect of trash. They had such advanced technology, yet they couldn''t even develop their territory. If they had, then even without the presence of Zeus, they wouldn''t have lost against the Federation." commented the other occupant in the room, bringing a frown to Reed''s face.


    "There was a battle and you didn''t participate. There was an interesting discovery, and still, you didn''t leave my side to take a look." there was a question there. He didn''t ask it, but those words and his gaze, were enough.


    "I have decided to take on another mission instead. Looking after you. After all, I have a feeling you might do something dumb and stupid down the line that might cost you your life."


    "What dumb thing could I probably do? There is nothing I can do at the moment. It vexes me that I am sitting here instead of doing something."


    "Is your promise to her that important?"


    Reed took a sip from the beverage while arranging his words.


    "The moment I made that promise is the moment I became responsible for her life. My sense of responsibility is very strong... Unlike some people."


    "Come on! I am responsible!"


    "Says the woman who should have been helming her sect instead of being here, harassing the poor soul that is me."


    "It''s called delegating. And harassment?! Please! I am only making sure of your wellbeing. And if you had to know, the President himself ordered me to do as such!"


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    "That is a flimsy excuse I could poke holes through just by asking the man himself."


    The conversation had been supposed to go further, but an interruption happened in the form of particles directly manifesting within the room, molecules that bonded together to form a synthetic body that gleamed with a metallic sheen, coupled with blue eyes.


    It was Paul. Reed had been prepared to maybe joke a little, but the AI''s synthetic expression was perfectly mimicking a human''s facial expression that was supposed to convey the idea that whatever was about to be revealed was a matter of utmost importance!


    "Mr. Reed. Khaatam has detected an anomaly in space."


    "What kind of anomaly?" Reed asked, with even Livia''s attention grasped by the AI''s words.


    "An energy surge at the peak of category 4. It originated from coordinates that were originally scanned as empty."


    "Where exactly are those coordinates?" Reed asked. Khaatam was mankind''s greatest project. If anything were to threaten its existence, that would be detrimental to everyone.


    "Just outside the effect of the Sun''s gravitational pull, in orbit."


    "Is there any danger to Khaatam? What of the origin of the energy surge?" Reed continued with his questioning.


    "So far, it hasn''t shown any signs of moving towards Khaatam. But the energy is still intense even at this moment. The scans haven''t managed to get a clear image of the thing creating the surge."


    "Have all the other parties been informed?"


    "Many of them are even making their way over at this very moment!"


    Reed was now torn. They hadn''t yet found Lily, yet he might have to leave this place. That wasn''t something he could accept at this moment.


    "What about Mr. President?"


    "I have already been informed." the man himself appeared silently, having teleported directly to this cabin. Of course this hadn''t been Reed''s personal cabin, but the captains''. Meaning that he had been the interim captain of the vessel while the President had been away.


    "Are we going to leave?" Reed asked with worry gripping his heart.


    "Of course! Khaatam is far too important. Besides, there have been some developments with the array. And it seems like Zeus is most likely at the origin of the energy surge."


    "So, you mean that the coordinates have been determined?" the president nodded at Livia''s question.


    "I have always wondered why the sects, especially Pantheon, allowed the existence of the Federation, completely forsaking war. It seems that today, is the day we get to find out why. If whatever they have been preparing is dreadful enough, the Federation might be facing its very first crisis ever since its founding."


    Reed was somewhat taken aback by those words. The implications were many. He hadn''t yet thought that far. Even Livia was solemn at this point. And Reed was even catching signs of signals being transmitted from her portable communication device, a sign that she was in talks with her sect.


    "We will be traveling within the mothership. Reed. Be on full alert, because if the threat is potent enough, we might die out there."


    -----


    FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 20, 11:32AM


    From his feet sprouted tiny greenish brown fibres which started to grow and weave into each other, turning into a thin film that started to spread from his feet to his knees, to the thigh, stomach, chest, and finally, the neck, where they stopped for the moment, encasing him in some sort of body suit that was flexible, and comfortable upon Reed''s skin.


    The flagship had finally reunited with the triangular mothership, and now, Reed was within his own personal cabin in the vessel, solemnly going through the transmitted images and videos within his mindscape.


    Cultivators like Reed himself were on an entirely different level from their mortal selves. A non-cultivator wouldn''t be able to block the Sun''s photons from barraging their eyes, thereby making it appear too bright to gaze upon. But for a cultivator, that was easily solvable with layering spiritual energy over the eyes, or even adding a smidgen of their intent(for those in the 3rd and 4th realms of cultivation.)


    But from the transmissions he was perusing, there were none that could show the true face of the object releasing the light, such that some had even already gotten their vision injured, with even healing slowed down considerably.


    "Lily... Are you okay?" he mumbled out before making his way towards the bridge of the mothership. The minor trembles he could feel through his feet were a sign that the vessel was about to depart. Many more people had boarded it now, than during the invasion of Olympus.


    (Sir! We have failed to glean anything through the countless streams of data sent by those who arrived earlier.) Latniss'' voice echoed within his mind.


    (All of you better be prepared for the coming battle. Our most important task is going to be Ms. Toba''s rescue. Everything else will be secondary.)


    After those words, he terminated the connection and took a deep breath. He had finally the rectangular entrance to the bridge. It was open, with people going in and out, and within it, he caught glimpses of the dreaded socializing.


    "Mr. Mumaso! It is a miracle to finally meet you!" someone enthusiastically approached him from behind. It seemed that this was going to be a long trip.


    "May I have your attention, my dear citizens..."


    "...when Pantheon was invaded..."


    The president started the tale, eventually finishing with the speculations and conclusions they had come to. He urged each person gathered to become more cautious.


    "Boy. Cecilia wants to have a word with you." whispered Nikolai, which brought a smile and relief to his face. This was the perfect excuse to leave behind the crowd. There were many that wanted to chat with him and bring up nonsensical deals. Though there were many legitimate ones among them, his top priority right now was the rescue of Lily.


    There was a massive shudder through the ship that alerted him to the fact that it had taken off as he walked away with Nikolai.


    "I heard you were the one that figured out the array, Old man."

 Chapter 31 Culmination(1)

    SCC Chapter 31 Culmination(1)


    In space, close to the star that provided light to the entire solar system, while also acting as the gravitational anchor for the nine planets of the system, a behemoth was berthed. In comparison to the sun, it would be an ant. Yet to humanity as a whole, it was an achievement worthy of pride.


    And in this triangular ship, within the bridge, stood Reed and many others, all gazing at the peculiar new bright light in the system, second only to the star itself.


    It''s location had been meticulously planned, making certain that it''s orbit around the star was always synced in such a way that it wasn''t within the visual sight of both Mars and Earth. And with its advanced cloaking technology, they hadn''t managed to detect it all this time. And now, the reason for its detection came from the energy surge it was emanating. Though, Reed was inwardly debating whether they would have eventually discovered it with the coordinates Nikolai had managed to glean from the array back in Olympus.


    Reed''s gaze traveled from the anomaly, which wasn''t clearly showing any change, towards the gathered ships layered before the mothership. These were the vessels that had arrived before, though there were others that had also arrived after the mothership. There were many different designs, colors of the hulls, and most of all, different organisations and individuals, depending on the insignias painted on their hulls.


    "Lad. It''s nice to see you alive."


    A weighty presence had appeared behind him at an unknown time. It''s quality was equal to that of the president, yet the aura was different. But it wasn''t threatening. Reed turned around and was greeted by the sight of a burly man, whose height faintly exceeded his.


    Golden locks of hair cascaded down his shoulders, while golden pupils gazed at him as if calculating his worth, or something close to that. There was someone close to him, yet standing behind by half a step. Reed could sense that there was some peculiarity about the man, but couldn''t tell what was off.


    "Thank you for acting in time, sir." Reed was very grateful about that as he wouldn''t be standing here right now.


    "Enough with the pleasantries. There is a matter I wanted your help with. I had no idea about how I would go about repaying you... But saving your life seems like a big enough favor for you to atleast help me, right?"


    Reed became somewhat taken aback. The Golden Merchant himself needed his help? That was something surprising enough to have his mouth widen. After all, even though he was the foremost authority on most of the things related to plant life, the man and his company had always sourced their needs elsewhere, which had puzzled him for the longest time.


    "What is it that you need? For as long as it isn''t something complicated, and can wait until after this matter is solved... Then, I will have no obligation to refuse."


    "That... Is something that will need an extensive discussion. And right now, even if we manage to gain some few hours, our minds won''t be completely concentrated upon the conversation. We will-"


    The man''s hair, each and every strand of gold, stood on end, straight as a needle, as if a powerful charge was in the air, and a powerful aura erupted from him, bathing the entire bridge in a golden color, with his gaze fixedly staring out of the ship as if he were looking at a powerful threat.


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    Reed hadn''t sensed anything, but this time, he reacted speedily, turning around to gaze out of the transparent glass, yet only saw nothing that would make the man feel threatened enough to release his aura.


    When he turned back to ask for an explanation, the president materialized right next to the man, his gaze equally solemn, making Reed swallow back whatever had been about to leave his mouth. Though the president''s aura wasn''t billowing, his crimson eyes were bright enough for their glow to paint wherever his gaze was looking.


    Solemn gazes were exchanged between the two before they promptly vanished. Reed''s gaze was once again drawn towards the light in the distance, one caused by the energy surge. What could have prompted the two to react in such a way?" And he hadn''t even managed to sense anything!


    Those two were at the very peak of cultivation in relation to humans. Getting to the late Nascent Soul was easy in relation to reaching the absolute peak of the stage, which was said to be as hard as ascending to the heavens themselves.


    And those two had managed to reach that level. If whatever was causing the energy surge released something that only they could sense, and it made them feel as if they had encountered a formidable enemy, then that meant that this wasn''t going to be simple.


    In just mere seconds, Reed felt communication transmissions being sent outside, probably with even the recordings of the Golden Merchant''s reaction. The temporary social virtual chat group exploded with many speculations upon that, but Reed''s thoughts traveled once again, towards Lily. Was she really okay? He was starting to get unsettled. And that feeling had started upon personally laying eyes upon the energy surge. What if, whatever Lily had been needed for, had succeeded? And it was the reason for this energy surge. Would he really be able to find her still alive?"


    The mothership shuddered as an image was transmitted into the minds of everyone aboard. They were going to be entering a battle ready state, with the multitude of ships just outside the vessel being ordered into a retreat, while anyone who had atleast reached the peak of Core Formation was being ordered to come onboard, such that they could bolster the combat capabilities of the army.


    Two massive plates slid upwards on the front hull of the ship, exposing two deep holes, where two barrels slid out and into the open. Through the transmitted visual video, one which was of a perspective where Reed appeared to be standing in the void right infront of the ship, the grandeur of the two powerful weapons was somewhat stifling.


    Then, through his synced sense with the mothership''s sensors, he detected a weakening of the photon particles radiating from the energy surge, a sign of its weakening, with the ship now starting to move forward. The sheer number of particles buffeting the ship''s hull every single second was in the trillions at the lowest number, and they didn''t originate from a single direction, making him feel as if the void was trying to squish the vessel. Though, with the tenacity of the materials, it was easily shrugging off that kind of pressure.


    But it caused him to wonder whether an energy shield of a Nascent Soul cultivator could handle such an amount of stress.


    The out of body experience ended when the ship picked up speed. Probably, this synching had been a way to reassure everyone aboard the ship, that the Federation had the power to go toe to toe with whatever was within that light, which continued to drop in brightness with every passing second.


    Once again, Reed took stock of his current state. Previously, he had been caught off guard, leading to his life hanging in the balance. That was why he was making certain about his preparations. Even bringing out his greatest secret trump card, the living symbiotic armor now encasing his entire body.


    It was an organism he had created through intense experimentation, eliminating and adding new factors until its current iteration, where it was bonded to him and his wood core. If he died, it would die along with him too.


    An alert reached his ears, attracting his attention towards the viewing screen, where the image of whatever had been releasing that intense energy, had now been exposed to a multitude of eyes.


    It was a peculiar construct. It was composed of a ring, with the middle of it occupied by a dark sphere. In fact, it was so dark that when Reed had first seen it, he had mistaken it for a void. Instead, it was a material that had been made that dark intentionally. It probably had the same function as the glassy panels that absorbed solar essence on the Khaatam.


    The mothership shuddered as a beam of energy was released from one of the main cannons, and Reed''s heart leapt to his throat. The attack had a chance of outright annihilating Lily! Yet, he couldn''t have conjured a plausible argument against such a potent threat to the Federation.


    But his worry proved unnecessary when the attack splashed against something that had previously been transparent. It was a shield of some sort. Reed wondered whether it had been anchored to the surrounding space, because the attack should have atleast managed to push the construct away, even potentially dislodging it from orbit.


    The other barrel also released a beam of something silver. This was probably metal attribute spiritual energy, artificially imbued with the intent of penetration. Yet all it managed to accomplish was dim the shield that had materialized within its path, the same spherical shield from before. Unless an attack made impact, it was otherwise undetectable and untraceable with normal means.


    More attacks bombarded the shielding, with the many secondary cannons joining the fray, giving rise to the birth of different colors, proving to be a visual feast of the eyes. Multiple elemental attacks, common and rare alike, where being released with a massive range of artificial intents, simultaneously trying to find a weakness in the barrier, while also consuming its energy.

 Chapter 32 Culmination(2)

    SCC Chapter 32 Culmination(2)


    This time, the shielding wasn''t allowed any chance of disappearing back into a lull of transparency, though, Reed could see no visible changes upon it. No dimming, as was supposed to have occurred when there was a significant drain upon reserves. And the shattering when it became overwhelmed? That was far from happening in his eyes.


    How much energy had that thing stored up? After all, everyone with a normal working mind could tell that it had been harvesting solar energy for years. Years!! How could they have managed to build a container for the solar essence without blowing themselves up in the process?


    Upon reaching a certain distance from the unknown construct, the mothership came to stop, though the attacks didn''t drop in intensity, owing to the massive reserves of energy supported by multiple artificial cores within the ship.


    But then, came the question. Was this bizarre construct going to just keep defending, or was it capable of unleashing attacks, too? And Reed felt that this question was also the core reason as to why they hadn''t gotten any closer.


    That was when multiple thin objects were released from the construct, making it out of its shielding in mere seconds, all heading towards the mothership. Through his synced senses with the ship itself, Reed managed to capture what they were. Needle like ships, probably drones, the length and width of a normal person. What made him reach such a conclusion was the way they maneuvered within the void. It wasn''t the way missiles were supposed to, yet, he couldn''t entirely dismiss the fact that they could be weapons, entirely from his mind.


    Then, in snyc, as if piloted by a singular mind, which was probably true, they fired thin beans of light, smaller than even the attacks released by the secondary canons, towards the mothership. Reed captured everything within his mindscape, like how the thin beams, upon making impact with the hull, caused catastrophic explosions that disoriented the senses.


    The ship''s AI system issued a warning before the entire vessel underwent a powerful shudder that threatened to throw him off his feet if he hadn''t bonded them to the floor with his spiritual energy.


    (Spiritual energy fission detected in multiple locations outside the hull! Defense integrity compromised by 41%!)


    That brought a horrific expression on his features for a second before his mind kicked itself back into stoic mode. Fission? And integrity compromised by over 40%?!


    (Each of you is going to be synced with a drone! Do your best to take down those small vessels!)


    Then his entire focus was shifted from the mothership to envelop a small craft, shaped like a small airplane, those that were invented during the early stages of the Federation.


    It was a sleek silvery sheen. And the moment his senses were linked with it, it was shot out of the mothership on rails, with him already having ignited the engines, that purred silently, like a spector in the night, yet the vessels they were about to face were even more bizarre in nature.


    Within the span of a second, he spotted one and mentally issued a command, which correlated with the release of a powerful beam of light attribute spiritual energy, instantly severing the small craft in half. That got his racing mind back into perspective as it meant that the vessels weren''t invulnerable to attacks.


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    But the calm didn''t last long as he felt himself being locked on, which made his brain work in hyperdrive such that his craft couldn''t be decommissioned just at the start of the battle.


    Nascent Soul cultivators had a speed of thought that could almost rival a quantum computer due to how their nascent souls interacted with their bodies, sometimes even bypassing the nervous system entirely, which gave them monstrous reflexes in extraordinary times.


    That was why, when his tiny craft''s sensors picked up an anomaly, he accelerated instantly, with an explosion going off the moment he left the space, rattling the craft, and almost making him lose control over it. Yet, he had also managed to gain some valuable data. Data which he sent back to the mothership such that it could be disseminated to the others, just as they were doing.


    He carefully maneuvered the craft to start hunting down the others while also keeping his craft from being destroyed in outer space. It was a task that demanded intense focus, after all, just a slight mistake and it would be destroyed.


    From what he had discovered, the thin beams of light released by those needle shaped crafts didn''t directly target the hull of a ship, but the particles in the space close to it. The chaotic spiritual energy in the void had many attributes, with the most prevalent being solar essence. What the beam did was to induce a fission of a larger particle into its smaller constituents, which visually, caused the explosions. This was an awespiring technology. Spiritual energy fission had been just a theory within the Federation, yet here, it was being used practically!


    Reed took stock of the situation after destroying multiple drones. They had all been in a hide and seek battle with the small crafts, around the mothership even as it continued to fire upon the shielding. And from what he could see, the shield and mothership were still holding on.


    That was why, he decided that they needed more information about the shielding. His comrades were holding out well. Maybe, he could figure something out if his craft managed to capture how the attacks from the the mothership interacted with the shielding...?


    So, he ran it by the president, who agreed right away. Then his craft''s engine was cranked up, and the sleek vessel sped off, towards the alien construct.


    -----


    Silent fireworks bloomed within the void of space, beautiful, yet deadly at the same time. Particles, those of spiritual energy, whose wavelengths read different attributes, collided with a shield that was almost entirely transparent, only to be scattered, like how a stream of water fell upon rock.


    Through the sensors synchronized with his very own senses, Reed was watching the entire spectacle playing about vividly, having escaped from the intense Battlefield behind him. It was worth noting that none of the needle shaped crafts had taken it upon themselves to follow him, making him wonder whether the AI, or cultivators controlling them had determined his lonce craft as harmless, or the Battlefield a more pressing matter.


    But those thoughts were banished in favor of analyzing the readouts from the sensors, trying to see whether he could find a way to break the deadlock in outer space. He was certain that if it wasn''t, deaths would follow. So far, no cultivator had been forced to step into the battle with their bodies, but that was a situation that wasn''t bound to last long.


    With only the passage of two seconds, he finally managed to pick up the anomaly, or in other words, nothing. Yes. Even with the visual sensors relaying the scattering of attacks upon their impact upon the shielding, his craft was picking up none of the scattered energy. And, after a moment of going through many possible reasons, he was finally certain of one. The scattering of the attacks was was a visual illusion. But that led to another question. What was happening to the attacks if they weren''t being scattered?


    That question made him think deeply while also making sure to analyze the readouts from the sensors, no matter how trivial they were. There were no fluctuations being released. If it had been a collision, then there might have been some fallout that the sensors could capture. But it was like all that energy was being absor-


    ¡°Right! Absorbed! Could the shield be devouring all the energy being thrown at it?" He exclaimed while also furrowing his brows, back within his cabin. Even Nascent Souls couldn''t detect the trace particles broken down when the intent of devouring was in an active state.


    While he was being tortured with that discovery, wondering how he could use it to help the mothership into breaking the shield, trace amounts of energy leaked out of the shield. And what alarmed him was the constituent of the energy waves. They were composed of an amalgam of elements that appeared to be highly unstable, breaking down in merely a matter of moments, a fraction of a second. Yet, he had managed to finally find a crux. The energy was all being gathered within the shield, which was acting doubly as an absorber, yet also as an illusion formation.


    (Sir! The mothership could be in danger!)


    Barely after his transmission, a massive multicolored sphere of energies exited the shield as if materializing from another dimension, speeding towards the mothership in the distance, surrounded by a thin layer of blue energy, that appeared to be trapping all the energies inside.


    Instinctively, an emerald ward crystallized across his entire body, with the light spilling out into the entire room. There was a burning resolve within his eyes as he resolutely severed the connection with the drone. Right now, dividing his attention was an unnecessary risk!

 Chapter 33 Culmination(3)

    SCC Chapter 33 Culmination(3)


    As Reed prepared to defend, should the massive sphere of spiritual energies breach the hull of the ship, golden light coalesced outside the hull, right in the path of the attack.


    Through his synced senses, he had seen how it had started. It had been just a small coin, fired from within a certain opening, then it had started to grow with each meter of distance it had covered until it became massive enough to rival the sphere tearing through the void. To his eyes, it was as if it had been carved from one massive solid golden nugget, with etches of wheat stalks upon both of its sides. A powerful pressure radiated from it, one which stifled the breath within his chest. It was akin to being weighed down by tones of bricks. But what made him shocked was the fact that it was just an impression he got, yet, physically, he was perceiving the effects! Was that how powerful the intents of those at the very peak of Nascent Soul, were?


    (All of you shouldn''t be alarmed. The weight of coin will not be overcome.)


    A transmission echoed within his mind even as the coin stopped in place, waiting for the amalgamation of spiritual energy attributes to arrive.


    Then the two met in collision. At first, the ball crumbled as the force of its movement made contact with the immovable golden wall that was the giant coin. Protrusions pierced through the thin blue layer that had been holding it all together before a massive explosion hurled every single particle of matter and spiritual energy away, even faintly pushing the coin back. Light, bright enough to blind even the eyes of Nascent Soul cultivators, inundated this void of space.


    The force even created visible ripples that passed through the coin itself, continuing on to impact the hull of the ship, inducing shudders strong enough to stress the metal of hull, with quakes that caused Reed to almost be hurled into the wall behind him.


    For a moment, he struggled to regain his senses as they had become temporarily overwhelmed by the massive amount of information they had been subjected to, which was mostly the photons from the explosion. Those had been as lethal as staring into the sun itself without any protection.


    When he managed to regather himself a few seconds later and take a look at the scene, awe was born within his chest. The coin was only marred with cracks, having prevented the explosion from truly rippling towards the mothership, though, every single tiny craft, whether from the mothership, or the alien craft, had been wiped out of existence, with no single part visible. The golden coin dissipated into golden spiritual energy, which was absorbed back into the ship.


    The ship shuddered once more, almost eliciting some alarm from Reed, only for his senses to capture something else. A transformation was taking place within and outside the ship. The plates covering the hull were moving, like the squares of a rubik''s cube. His cabin, through his powerful divine sense, was moving, being carried along with tethers of electricity that served to secure, and also provide energy towards it through the shift.


    Reed''s senses were mostly concentrated to the outside of the vessel, where the triangular surface that had been hosting the engines was being raised, moving towards the back. It was the only massive surface that wasn''t breaking down into smaller pieces. The two muzzles that had been pointing towards the alien construct were drawn closer, before merging into one massive barrel, with everything else shifting to become mere accentuates to the weapon.


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    When the transformation became complete, the mothership had undergone a transformation that had made it longer and more cylindrical, except for the triangular base holding the engines at the back.


    Within the massive hole, whose depths were clearly so long that a human without any cultivation might take days to traverse, red light gathered. It was a collection of red bolts of lightning that was forming a sphere. Thin tendrils swarm along the ball''s edges, making it akin to a red sun. It was smaller than the amalgam from before, yet it''s deadlines was unmistakable. Reed, through the visual instruments transmitting the feed, could sense an intent no less potent than that of the Golden Merchant. And it was a familiar one, though, through certain arrays, it had been transformed on a fundamental level to become more destructive.


    As the lightning ball gathered momentum, it became even darker, to the point that its light became blood-red. Then it was fired. So fast was its velocity that in under a second, it had already made impact with the materialized shield of the alien construct.


    The shield only lasted for a second before shattering, with the ball of red sailing right into the distance, only passing by the structure. It seems like the goal had only been to shatter the shield. After all, there were still many mysteries that needed clarification. If they destroyed the station, there might be unforeseen repercussions. And there was also the question of whether that attack was capable of destroying the strange vessel.


    -----


    Trying to keep his emotions in control was always something he took as strange. Especially when he was certain that, with just a thought, he could let himself become impulsive. He could act out. Take a smaller shuttle, sneak out of the mothership, and head towards the alien craft to search for her by himself. Yet, he knew, his logic would never allow that. Even providing those weapons to the mortals hadn''t been entirely his fault. As, if he had been among them, or even privy to such plans, his rationality would have worn out.


    Yet, as his spiritual form sat on the long table, where many discussions were ongoing, there was the nagging thought within his mind that said that he should have been doing more...


    The space in his right direction widened, as if stretched by invisible hands, with a chair materializing next to him, but that didn''t dredge him from his thoughts.


    The feeling that Lily was most probably dead had been growing within the depths of his mind. And the fear that he was going to have to confront her dead corpse and living sister, were tying knots within his stomach. He had thought himself as one of the biggest players on the board during the time he had made that promise. Yet the situation, starting from when she had been captured, had shown him that he was more of a pawn. If he had been as strong as the Golden Merchant, or the president. Then he would have raided Olympus by himself. No. He would have already attacked Zeus without having had to involve her in the first place!


    "Your spiritual state is unstable." spoke a voice beside him, jolting him from his thoughts, and attracting his attention, which was a wrathful one.


    "Livia..." the name left his lips as if he had ash in his mouth. For a moment, the rage gave way to incomprehension, before the pieces fitted together seamlessly, allowing him to finally grasp the reason for her appearance.


    This place, where he and many others were, was a spiritual space, an illusory construct that was facilitated by a spiritual network surpassing the normal infrastructure within the commercial framework. Even though he and the others appeared to be chatting casually, or deep within their thoughts, thereby wasting time... Time wasn''t being wasted in the outside world as this entire network was functioning at the speed of thought. Meaning, that should the session end, only a few seconds might have elapsed in the outside world.


    "You look terrible. I had to tell you that. Your gloomy aura was being felt by almost everyone beside you."


    Reed felt a burning within his cheeks when he gazed at those near him, who were gazing back at him with various expressions. It seemed that he had gotten carried away, failing the simple task of masking his emotional waves.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen. We have gathered here to brainstorm on a course of action." someone at the head of the the translucent table spoke. It was a familiar man with a crimson pair of pupils and short red hair.


    "Mr. President. Pardon my question, but why wasn''t that attack aimed at the vessel? There was a very good chance that it could have been destroyed, or incapacitated enough to prevent any further hostile actions from it." someone, a man not among those on the mothership, but an outsider, like Livia, spoke.


    There were those, leaders of their respective organisations, or with legitimate reasons, that hadn''t boarded the mothership during the president''s call to arms. Though, their vessels had still stayed within range of communications.


    "They might have hostages. But the biggest reason is the fact that we are essentially grasping in the dark. The craft has technology far advanced in nature to ours. What if they have something that can instantly cripple this ship should we push them to the wall? That''s why, we must first attain the necessary data."


    "And how are we going to go about that?" Someone asked.


    "Infiltration." That one word served as the answer, earning a mixed bag of reactions from the crowd.

 Chapter 34 Culmination(4)

    SCC Chapter 34 Culmination(4)


    "Reed. You have to be very careful with your actions. Impulsiveness must be curbed. Acting on mere whims should also be smothered." advised a serious looking Livia as they headed towards one of the vessels their team had been assigned to.


    "Am not a child, Livia. And why do you care for my affairs so much?" Reed could practically feel the irritation bubbling upwards.


    "...its not your affairs I care about, but my life."


    "Then you should have chosen another team! Why did you have to insist on joining mine?!"


    That earned a pout, before the woman vanished within the hatch. Reed directed his gaze towards Nikolai, who shrugged.


    "Am only here to make certain you don''t die. I can''t have Cecilia saddened once again. Besides, that girl Lily doesn''t deserve what happened to her. I will do my utmost in aiding your endeavors in saving her."


    "Thank you, old man. I really appreciate it."


    The two entered the craft side by side, then strapped into their seats. The vessel rose and flew out of the hangar, joining another few, who were enclosed within a massive golden aura, shaped like a coin.


    "It is shocking, considering the power that those at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage can bring to bear." commented Nikolai. Though, Reed didn''t detect any yearning within his tone.


    "Old man. Don''t you want to reach such heights one day?" he asked despite the roiling emotions related to Lily within him.


    "I am content with my lot in life. Maybe I will reach his level in my lifetime, but that isn''t my goal. I simply want to enjoy my quiet life with Cecilia." those words even managed to capture Livia''s attention.


    "Really! And I had thought you would have really loved to see what''s beyond the Nascent Soul stage."


    "I don''t have to reach that level to see what''s beyond it. Witnessing someone else reach that stage is also a joy unto itself."


    Complicated emotions swirled within Reed. Would he really have to watch as Nikolai died in the future? Could he really accept that?


    "Everyone has their own ambitions. Immortality is a far fetched goal. What I crave is genuine happiness. I don''t think I can stomach watching everyone I care for biting the dust while I alone keep on living. Would I be able to keep my sanity then? Young ones like yourselves are disillusioned by the dream of immortality, but what would happen if by some chance, you achieve that goal? Would your loved ones still be by your side? And most of all, would you be happy?"


    Reed was certain that he wasn''t after the illusory immortality, but what he craved required him to have a long life. Would he really be able cope with the passage of time, and loss of loved ones? Just a single Lily was already bringing this much turmoil to his mind. But what would happen if Cecilia and Nikolai died? Would he still be able to stay true to his goal?  Or would he give up and crumble?


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    Even as he mulled upon such things, the small shuttle started moving in synchronized movement with the others, all enveloped within the golden coin that acted as their shielding in case of an attack.


    The journey was slow and filled with tension. Everyone was expecting something to jump out at them from the alien vessel. An attack of some sort, or even the occupants themselves. Reed''s tension was at all time high, coupled with the fact that he couldn''t wait for their arrival such that he could start searching for the traces of Lily.


    As their formation of ships got increasingly closer to the craft, the tension mounted, with the silence deafening, to the point that Reed could hear the sound made by his spiritual energy while it cycled within his veins, preparing to be released should anything attack at any moment.


    When the formation finally reached the outer hull of the vessel, specifically the hull of the ring object, there was no collective release of breaths. Instead, the tension reached an even higher level!


    (It''s time to alight.) transmitted Nikolai when the massive golden coin surrounding the vessels reached within a few meters of the hull, stopping in place in tandem with the engines of the shuttles.


    With a nod, Reed unstrapped himself from his chair, opened a door, which also served as a window above him, but not before having an entire suit of synthetic armor draping him, from head to toe. It was a silvery space suit that was clinging to his entire body like a second skin, outlining almost every contour of his form.


    The moment it opened, he floated out, navigating his body on released pulses of his emerald spiritual energy, that served to stabilize him, while also allowing maneuverability.


    Behind him followed Nikolai and Livia, clad in similar suits. His gaze could also spot others doing the same from the other vessels. He took the chance to take a good long look at the golden spiritual energy around him, which was simultaneously akin to both a gas and a liquid at the same time.


    (Let''s go.) Nikolai said before taking the lead, with the two following behind.


    The moment they made it out of the golden domain of spiritual energy, Reed felt his senses become buffeted with feedback from the suit as it experienced collisions with many particles, not to mention the chaotic spiritual energy within the void. That brought him to a pause of a fraction of a second, but ultimately, he moved on. There was a promise to fulfill. He reminded himself.


    With as much caution as he could manage, Reed propelled himself towards the silvery hatch right before their eyes. He hadn''t taken a proper look at the structure, yet he had been certain that it''s square area was equal to that of the pyramid shaped mothership. Yet viewing it up close, he was taken aback by its sheer enormity. For a moment, he got the distinct sensation of heading towards a massive beast, a predator that could take away his life on a whim.


    The president and the Golden merchant had reassured them that nothing would happen, yet his heart still couldn''t settle down. There was most certainly some information that they had withheld, pertaining to their confidence, but for him and the others who had none of that information, there was a fear that simply couldn''t be banished away. But for Reed, the chance to rescue Lily was his driving force, the one that overrode his instincts to stay in the back and wait for results from those brave enough to take on the exploration.


    His gaze momentarily fell on Livia. What were her motivations for taking such a risk? He wondered. She was the epitome of a scheming shadow that loved to stay away from the light of danger. What was really pushing her current decision? Surely, she could have convinced some other sect elder to take her position, right?


    With a shake of his head, he banished those thoughts as the metallic silver of the hull got increasingly larger within his gaze. There were certain contraptions, that probably appeared to be sensor arrays dotted upon the surface, but otherwise, it was a smooth seamless surface that glinted in the light.


    Spiritual energy left his body, passing through the pores of the suit and into the outside world, casting a green glow within the void of space before attaching itself to the hull, transforming into vines that wove themselves into a platform upon which, they landed. It would have been careless of them to land without any precautions.


    (I am going to try and breach the hull. Make sure you aren''t pushed into space by the escaping air. Also, be vigilant of everything!)


    Nikolai only turned away when both of them nodded to acknowledge his orders before pushing himself towards the edge of the woven vines.


    Light blue spiritual energy made it out of his body before transforming into a long sword pulsing with electric arcs.


    With a thought, it plunged into the metal, not meeting any resistance at all. Reed exchanged glances with Livia at that, entering an even more heightened state, while every single particle of the green vines was kept within his awareness such that he could deal with any situation that arose promptly. Yet, the cutting of the metallic hull didn''t induce any responses, leaving the trio puzzled. Even when the metallic square was pushed outwards by the escaping air, and blasted away into space, nothing jumped out of the breach.


    (This is worrying.) commented Nikolai.


    And his fears weren''t ungrounded. The lack of any retaliatory measures, or even simple defensive means was putting the trio on edge. Reed''s gaze traveled to the other teams within his visual scope, yet there were no signs of panic among them, with some already taking the initiative to enter the construct through their respective breaches.

 Chapter 35 Culmination(5)

    SCC Chapter 35 Culmination(5)


    Through the breach, Reed descended, with his body floating within the long white corridor, which appeared to be relatively intact even with exposure to space. Yet, before he could get a close look at his surroundings, the familiar tug of gravity greeted him, almost bringing him to a less than ideal greeting with the floor, but he managed to land on his feet, with his eyes whipping upwards towards the breach, where, a transparent energy shield had sealed the hole from the horrors of space.


    Through synchronization with his suit, he felt the air occupying the previously empty void now that the breach had been sealed.


    (They must be observing us. We better prepare ourselves for anything!) warned Nikolai as he took point.


    The white light that allowed them to see, originated from the walls of the corridor themselves, which were smooth to the point that even when they met the ceiling, it was simply a smooth curve. Steps echoed within the corridor as the group moved forward, making sure to constantly be on the lookout for something different from the monotonous corridor.


    And just like that, they discovered something in the distance, a break within the wall that suggested a door frame, judging by the rectangular shape of the seams. The sound of steps was eliminated as their bodies floated upwards, just a few inches off the ground.


    Reed stationed himself at the left side of the door, while Livia took the right side. Nikolai stood directly infront of the door, but closer to the far wall of the corridor, conjuring a blue lightning bolt within his hands. Reed conjured a shoot from his wooden energy, which was poised to grow and strike the moment something threatening was detected. The trio exchanged nods before a continuous stream of lightning went from Nikolai''s hands to the door, scorching a hole through the construct, with the sides melting into a red hot slag.


    Nikolai burst into the room barely a second after melting enough of the door to enter, with Reed and Livia following not too far behind. Yet, what greeted them was a white room with a single bed, and a small table plus chair. There was nothing that suggested that a person had once lived here.


    (There is a light sensor above us, below us, basically everywhere!)


    Goosebumps manifested on Reed''s skin beneath the suit. That alone made him take the action of withdrawing from the room, with the others following suit.


    (If I am not mistaken, these were quarters for those that lived here. Though, it seems that the master of this place has trust issues.) commented Livia, her face a mask of thoughts.


    (Now that we have determined some things, it will be better if we pick up the pace.) suggested Reed.


    As they traveled along, many more rooms, empty and devoid of anything that suggested a prior occupation, were discovered. Though, Reed could feel himself becoming more frustrated by the minute.


    (We should try to breach one of sides of the corridor, or the walls of a room. This is getting us nowhere!) he complained.


    A sigh escaped Nikolai''s lips before he agreed with the plan.


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    With that, Livia took point. Lightning itself was a destructive element, but the splash damage was unbearable. They had no idea what was on the other side of those walls. The splashing effect might trigger something unknown, causing their deaths, so they had to be vigilant.


    A beam of pure white light was released with just a point of her finger, and with its movement, a rectangular shape was gradually cut away from the corridor, exposing another white wall in the distance.


    After a moment of waiting to see whether anything had been triggered, they floated through, appearing within an identical corridor to the one they had just left.


    (It looks like we are going to have to continue with the destruction.) Even as Livia transmitted, she continued to release another beam of light. They had already determined the thickness of the ring construct from outer space. What they wanted to do, was to breach their way through, all the way to important facilities, or to the other end, which was closer to the dark ominous sphere floating within the ring.


    After manys breaches later, the monotony, that had started to weigh on their minds was broken when the final one finally led them to something different. A room that caused Reed''s heart to skip a beat and his complexion to pale by a few degrees. The horrors within the massive room weren''t things that should have been subjected to people!


    (These people... What the hell were they doing? How could they treat fellow humans like this?!) transmitted a shaken Nikolai.


    Reed agreed with him wholeheartedly. What had Zeus, or Pantheon for that matter, been doing?!


    The room was entirely white, from the floors to the ceiling, except for the many transparent cylindrical tanks within the room.


    Down on the ground, many fleshy roots connected the tank to the floor, while up above, a riot of colors, enclosed within transparent tubes, connected to the ceiling. Though each cylinder had many transparent pipes connected to the ceiling, the colors of the transported spiritual energy were unique to each cylinder.


    But, all that was ignored by Reed as he teleprted right next to one cylinder, where the transparent pipes, through a man''s shoulders, had sunk into his body like leeches, all the way to his naval, where his red core, a physical entity, was located, exposed to the outside world. And what horrified him was the fact that the pipes were directly connected to his core, sucking in the released spiritual energy, like mouths of a straw.


    The man''s appearance looked bleak. His red hair had been left with only a few singular strands, while his entire body was withered, with even the silhouette of the ribs visible. But, it appeared that he was being forcibly kept alive in order to extract from his core.


    Eyelids fluttered for a few minutes before ultimately opening by a crack, exposing eyes that oozed with an apathetic despair that hit Reed like a stench, one he desperately wanted to run away from, yet he forced himself into keeping his eyes trained upon the man''s.


    (K-Ki-ll me. I-am begging-you!)


    Reed and the other two froze at the transmission. It carried a craving for death they had never come across before. This was a man who had lost all will for life. All he wanted was to die.


    (We might be able to save you.) transmitted Reed.


    (I-used to cr-ave for that. But n-ow, all I want i-s death.)


    (How long have you been a captive here?) asked Nikolai, his voice filled with gravitas.


    (231 years.)


    This words came out with a certainty that shook Reed. Even when he had lost his desire for life, the man had been calculating every single day he had been locked within this cylinder.


    (Pl-ease...)


    (Don''t you have anyone you would like to see? To meet?) asked Reed, trying to see whether he could ignite a spark of life.


    The man''s eyes didn''t even show a glint, instead his expression conveyed all. Either he had, and didn''t care, or he didn''t have any.


    (Reed. This is the best for him.) Livia''s words dug into him, yet he couldn''t bring himself to go through with it. His gaze traveled to every other cylinder in the room, with his heart getting heavy by the second. All these had been people with lives. Someone who managed to reach the Core Formation stage had great ambitions, yet all of them had been captured here in order for their cores to fuel this construct. Reed was terrified of the fact that everyone within this room would wish for death. That was something he really didn''t want to see.


    Then his face hardened into a mask of resolve as he beheld the man, whose face shifted into one of relief when his eyes noticed him. Emerald ligh, lit up his surroundings before small vines, many in number erupted from him, instantly shattering the cylinder with their sharp points before invading the body of the man, taking the energy of his core for themselves to turn a vibrant dark red, ultimately exiting through his shoulder pipes and into the ceiling, enlarging enough to shatter the transparent tubes, replacing them. Then, they produced buds which unfurled into flame red flowers all around the man, whose body was covered in vines, leaving only the head exposed, which now had a relieved smile forever curved upon it.


    (What a beautiful coffin!) Livia attempted to lighten the atmosphere with that, but he didn''t buckle.


    Reed''s stomach had already sunk into the pits of his body. If this was what these people were being used for, then what about Lily? Was she in the same section?


    His divine sense unfurled around him like a tsunami, scanning every single cylinder''s spiritual energy attribute, comparing it with the imprint within his mind. But even when his senses reached the end of the massive room, there was no match. Something that brought him both relief and worry in equal parts.

 Chapter 36 Culmination(6)

    SCC Chapter 36 Culmination(6)


    Lily (POV)


    Her spirit, her very soul, felt heavy. She couldn''t sense it of course as she was still below the Nascent Soul, but there was a heaviness within her core that she couldn''t quite understand, apart form the other things within it.


    Lily could still remember it vividly. The neverending pain. She had howled within her mind, leading to catastrophic waves of divine sense that had relentlessly battered the room she was sealed within. If divine sense had been capable of affecting the physical world, she would have even shattered her cylindrical prison. How long had that soul tearing pain lasted? That, she couldn''t tell. It might have been seconds, minutes, or even hours before she had gained some respite. That was an ordeal she never wanted to go through again, yet she wasn''t even sure whether she was going to survive. A growing void was enlarging within her, as if something fundamental to her life was being destroyed, particle by particle.


    Then there was the pickling pain. It was a pain that was constant, and one which had also made her scream out at first, but now, her body had grown numb to it. It was a pain that originated from her core. The things that had forcefully invaded her body were sucking from it, like how she always used to drink her yogurt, from a straw. It was the same feeling, yet now, it only disgusted her. She swore that if she ever got out of here, she would never drink from a straw.


    Got out of here. That was a thought that caused endless hope to bud within her chest. That green eyed man, what was his name? Rod? Ah! Reed! He had promised to get her out of here. She could never forget that emerald gaze that had the effect of drawing her in. It was the kind that made you want to simply stay within it, as it radiated an endless charm. Another pain rippled through her, making her shiver.


    She tried to scan the depths of her mind. Though she sometimes got muddle headed, she was certain that her memory was failing her, a consequence of the growing void within her. A void she had no way of solving, lacking even a basic understanding of it.


    An image, probably a memory, appeared within her mind. It was of a woman with an uncanny resemblance to her, clad in an attire that screamed noble. And right now, she was looking at her with a frown etched on her face. Lily felt her heart skip a beat under that judgemental gaze. It had been a familiar companion of hers during her younger days. And it had always had a way of keeping her on her toes.


    "Tell me, my dear daughter, Bakung... Would you really want to die in such an unsightly way? As l have always told you, you should have your chin up! Eyes forward! And back straight! We women have always been looked down upon. That''s why we should have our pride show that we are greater than their thoughts and imaginations!"


    Lily''s heart trembled even as her spiritual body''s eyelids trembled intensely. Wasn''t this supposed to be a memory? Had she started hallucinating now?


    " Why are you simply looking at me like that?! Fix your posture!"


    "We are no longer within such times, mother." she drawled out even with the full knowledge that this wasn''t real.


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    "Times change, but attitudes are the hardest to change, my dear Bakung."


    Once again, the woman had uttered that revolting name. Bakung. She had never loved it. Mawar and the rest of the clan members knew that. But, their mother had wanted to stick with tradition. Even when she had come back one day and revealed the bullying that had accompanied her during school, the woman hadn''t cared to mind. It hadn''t devolved into fist fights and violence, but the way they had taunted her with the name had been grating on the ears.


    "Attitudes have also changed... Mom. She had wanted to call her by her names, yet they too, had vanished within the void. It seems she was losing more of them, her memories.


    ''I really want to sleep.'' she thought tiredly.


    -----


    Reed''s frustration was mounting even as his wood attribute spiritual energy turned into massive stems that bore through the wall with reckless abandon. Lily hadn''t yet been discovered. And the many others that had been found had either chosen to die, or their cores had already been sucked dry, already having left the world.


    His face was warped in a stoic mask, yet his actions were anything but. Livia and Nikolai had already been relegated to simply following along as he rampaged. And thankfully, they were keeping quiet. That was the thing that he was most thankful for.


    And then, when he couldn''t get anymore enraged, they finally broke into a room, one he hadn''t expected to house only a single cylinder. Yet, the person inside made every single thought within his mind vanish, with a cold rage taking over with an intensity akin to that of a volcano about to erupt. Flight was instantly discarded in favor of teleportation, as he reached the cylinder near instantly.


    She was still clad in the businesslike attire, the one she had been in, upon her abduction. Her steely grey hair had lost its luster, with some parts of her head even missing strands of the steel entirely, exposing bald pink skin.


    The expression on her face was more impactfull than anything else. It was slack, as if she was somehow under a trance.


    (Lily!)


    He shouted through his divine sense, trying to rouse her spirit. The shout drew her eyes towards him. They looked dead, without a single spark.


    (I have come.) he tried to paste a smile on his face, yet that was failing. His senses were scanning the cylinder, trying to find a way that would harmlessly allow him to dislodge the transparent tubes draining her core. He almost cursed himself for not having tried to save the others regardless of their wants, such that he could have atleast had an inkling of what he needed to do to save Lily.


    He decided to mentally run through the discoveries they had come across about the transparent tubes and the cylinder in general.


    First, were the transparent tubes. At first, they had thought that they were inanimate objects, made of the rarest of materials, but through multiple encounters, they had managed to glean out one thing. They were living things. The sucking force originated entirely from their transparent muscles, not some device hidden away elsewhere. And even as they sucked the core, they worked to keep the body stabilized and alive, though forcefully. They were akin to parasites, with many filaments branching off from them to every muscle within the body. They worked by actively stimulating the body to absorb the nutrients within the liquid around the body, within the cylinder.


    The fleshy roots holding the cylinder to the ground acted as the feeders, releasing nutrients into the tank at certain periods.


    What made all this sick was the fact that there was always an excruciating pain that never went away. Reed wanted to crush everything and be done with it, yet saving Lily required a subtle careful touch. And he already had an idea of what to do.


    Within his mind, he sent orders to his symbiote, after which, strings of matter poured out of the pores of his suit and onto the cylinder. They moved downwards, towards the roots, bore through the pores and into the root system.


    (What is that?) asked a shocked Nikolai. Though, even Livia was straining her ears.


    (My creation, a symbiotic plant. It is the only one which can help me save her.) explained Reed even as his eyes captured strings materialize inside the cylinder from the bottom, boring into Lily''s body through her pores. Though he appeared calm and collected outwardly, inwardly, he was praying to the heavens that nothing untoward happen that might kill her while she was being saved.


    (What are the chances of it saving her?) asked a composed Nikolai.


    (I don''t know. I have never tried such a method.) Reed answered honestly.


    (Then it looks all we have to do, is wait.) chimed in Livia. Reed would have glared at her any other time, but right now, nervousness was gripping him.


    Just at that very moment, a change occurred, with Lily''s body starting to intensely tremble within the cylinder, greatly worrying him. Her steely grey core, exposed through a hole within her stomach, had its surface start to ripple even as the drain from the transparent tubes weakened, as if fighting back. With his understanding, Reed was certain that even his symbiote was being actively fought against by the core, thereby greatly hindering its task. But, it had to succeed, or else, Lily might die! Death was an outcome he didn''t want to see.

 Chapter 37 Culmination(7)

    SCC Chapter 37 Culmination(7)


    The transparent tubes that entered through her shoulders became less transparent as color invaded them, a dark emerald hue that brought a certain joy to Reed. That meant that his method was working. But he didn''t let that go to his head. There were thousands of things that could cause the process to fail, with some possibilities even outside his imagination.


    The trembling came to a stop a few minutes later, when the color had spread along every inch of the transparent tubes, eventually breaking them off from the ceiling. Reed poked a hole in the cylinder, close to where it met the fleshy roots, causing the liquid within to start draining out, before he shattered the cylinder, teleported right by Lily''s side, and then once again to another spot with her, laying down her unconscious form, while at the same time taking stock of her state.


    The wound in her navel had closed, with her core going back into its metaphysical state. It seems like the living organisms that had been the tubes, had somehow had a way to cause its manifestation onto the physical plane.


    Her state wasn''t optimistic from what he could glean. She had slipped into an unconscious state, and from what he could sense, there appeared to be many things wrong with her.


    (Let me take a look at her.) Nikolai crouched beside him, with blue light sparking upon his fingers.


    As he touched her body, the small Sparks of lightning traveled inwards, with a frown appearing upon his face afterwards, making Reed''s heart skip a beat.


    (Her energy vessels have been extensively damaged. And since they are superimposed along the blood vessels, her blood flow is also somewhat chaotic. Her core has become dormant, and for some reason, I can feel fragments of energy, one akin to the nascent soul itself, scattered across her entire body.)


    (Nascent soul fragments? Are they foreign?) Livia beat Reed to the punch.


    (No... They are wholly hers. It''s very strange. She is clearly a Core Formation cultivator. Why would she have nascent soul fragments without going through a Tribulation?) wondered Nikolai.


    (It might mean that the nascent soul is a true soul. And if it''s scattered...) Reed turned pale even as he explained. Resources related to the divine soul didn''t exist anywhere on the planet! That was the whole reason everyone had banded together years before the Federation to eradicate all evil cultivators, as they had used souls to cultivate. Every evil cultivator only became one upon reaching the Nascent Soul stage. There was no greater temptation than learning that absorbing other people''s souls could let you advance faster within the Nascent Soul stage. Below that stage, sensing someone else''s soul was impossible.


    (Reed. Don''t even think of using those evil methods!) warned Nikolai.


    Reed''s hands trembled as rage took over his body. Zeus had done this! All the others they had met had clearly not been as this overdrawn as her. That only meant that what had been a lengthy process for the others had been compressed into this small time frame. How much pain had she endured? How had she managed to hold on for this long? Had it been because of that promise?


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    Reed released the mental constraints that had been holding him back, with his spiritual energy blasting out of his body and suit to take on a form akin to emerald flames burning around him. They weren''t hot, but filled with life and the potential for growth.


    "Reed! You need to calm down!" shouted Nikolai, this time without the transmission.


    "I have always been calm, not taking any drastic actions until now. But that time has passed, Nikolai. How long are we going to be cautious about everything? They have had the initiative in everything while we simply followed their backs. I need to see Zeus dead before I can settle my wrath and think about other things." Reed surprised himself when his voice came out calmly as he spoke to Nikolai.


    The aura round him, which had been flaring like a flame, started morphing, with protrusions rising out of it and starting to solidify. He would have loved to use his symbiote, but right now it was the only thing stabilizing Lily''s condition, leaving him with no choice but to use only his spiritual energy reserves to mimic physical plant matter.


    The protrusions started morphing, becoming certain plants with teeth like protrusions, the fly traps, before speeding towards the far wall, where they burst through it, exposing the room to outer space, which in turn sucked out all the air within the room. And through that hole, there was the darkness. An unnatural darkness unlike the void. They had finally managed to make it to the inner side of the ring, where the dark sphere was looming.


    (Take care of her.)


    With that instruction, Reed started floating out into space, priming himself for the battle and destruction that was to come. It had been a long time since he last faced battle, but the wrath within him was preventing fear and hesitation from manifesting. It was fuelling his mind, making him feel as if endless energy was coursing through his veins, making him feel as if anything that hit in his way could be broken, killed or destroyed. This time, logic was pushed to a corner, with impulsiveness taking centre stage.


    Around him, the aura spread, filling the entire room behind him, creating a domain with visual illusions of ever-growing trees, vines and all manner of bizarre plant life, before massive logs of wood manifested, sharpening themselves. He willed the spiritual energy within his domain to do his bidding, which was infiltrating the ten massive logs. The only sign that they had become saturated with spiritual energy was the fact that the emerald glow they released had become blinding enough to cause blindness in a non-cultivator.


    His preparations didn''t stop there as the walls of the room were invaded by the wood energies, causing the metal to bend and break, enlarging the room by adding in those nearby. Then, the logs spread out, yet each tip was pointed towards the dark sphere.


    Reed took a deep breath to try and calm himself down enough to see whether he could second guess himself. But that didn''t happen. So, the logs were propelled from his domain as if launched by a slingshot, yet their velocity was far far greater than a normal slingshot. Within mere moments, they had arrived and penetrated through the dark outer shell, or whatever it was before all hell broke loose within. He felt each log start to sprout buds before they grew in every direction, breaking through walls, machines, setting off explosions dangerous enough to wipe out a Nascent Soul, yet... He didn''t feel any loss of organic life.


    Where were the people that were supposed to die? He wondered idly even as two auras, one crimson, and another gold, bathed the space outside with their majesty.


    The two auras had stationed themselves in opposing directions of the dark massive sphere, with one originating from a crimson giant, the domain of the President, while the other aura was being generated by a massive golden coin. Reed in only took a glance before turning back towards the dark sphere. He knew that there might be something terrifying hidden within, but that wasn''t going to stop him from going in. Zeus had to die! That was a condition that was non negotiable!


    Seeing that his attack didn''t seem to have captured anyone, Reed decided to change the method. He could feel the trees that had sprouted from the logs still growing, seeking to fulfill his instructions, which were to seek out those with filled with life and power. They had been programmed with the capability to search for spiritual energy trails, no matter how minute, though it seems that the pipes transporting spiritual energy, coupled with the various machines using it, were the casualties.


    But his mind wasn''t idle. A new kind of attack was being formulated which started its manifestations within the domain surrounding him. From the space beside him, his emerald spiritual energy coalesced into a small shoot that grew before budding. With a thought, the growth was halted at the budding stage. Then, he started adding his parameters to the things within the bud, such that they could act in the way he wanted them to. His wood attribute spiritual energy allowed him to, apart from manipulating actual plants, recreate any ability within a plant he had ever come into contact with, or read its genetic makeup. And since spirit energy was malleable, his wood constructs could be made to have multiple traits, abilities, or even mutated to create brand new species entirely. Though, ultimately, they dissipated without a source of spiritual energy. But the effects were real.


    After his preparations, the bud started to open, petal by petal, with its tip pointed towards the dark sphere in the distance, now partially visible because of the green wooden growths sticking out of it, coupled with the holes caused by explosions.

 Chapter 38 Culmination(8)

    SCC Chapter 38 Culmination(8)


    The leaves encapsulating the bud opened, one by one, exposing something different from what everyone had expected, going by the flicker of both Nikolai and Livia''s eyes. What was exposed was a red pot-like object, whose mouth was pointed straight at the dark sphere. From within the mouth, something was shot out, fast enough for even Reed to barely capture its form, yet he had already known what it was, after all he was its creator.


    The moment it vanished into one of the earlier holes created by a wooden log, nothing happened at first, but then, the dark hull started dissolving, as if being eaten by something, exposing more of the object''s inner layout to the outside world.


    Rooms arranged in the honeycomb structure, each having housed some sort of device before being destroyed by the growing trees, were exposed to the outside world. Even just a cursory glimpse was enough to make Reed understand what an undertaking the project had been. Even from this far out, through the sense of touch shared by the trees within, he could feel the rarity and value of the materials used. These were in quantities that shouldn''t have been collected in just a single instance, but through a lifetime.


    (This thing might have solar essence stored somewhere. I don''t need to remind you of its volatility, right?)


    The President''s transmission served to drag some of his logical thinking from the corner of his mind. He had forgotten that particular detail. Before he could address it though, a powerful aura was released from within the dark sphere, suffocating his chest, and snuffing out his spiritual energy, while collapsing his domain with brute force.


    His hair, at the back of the nape and his head, stood on end as he felt the powerful aura that gave the impression that it could snuff him out of existence in a heartbeat.


    His attacks, maintained by spiritual energy, within the dark sphere crumbled into emerald motes of light that vanished into the ether. And his movements had essentially been frozen, like a deer in headlights. This... Was power beyond any that he had ever felt. Even the auras of the president and the Golden Merchant were akin to fireflies in front of a sun.


    Then, as Reed looked on, the dark sphere started disintegrating into particles. It was bizarre, as even though his other senses were hindered, his eyesight was not. And he couldn''t even begin to fathom how someone was doing that, until the particle ocean dispersed, exposing two things, a sleek dark vessel, and a human, one he was familiar with.


    Even though he had discarded his previous outdated attire in favor of a simple white shirt and a pair of jeans, his blue hair and eyes, coupled with a face he would never be able to wipe from his memories, gave up the fact that it was Zeus, yet, there was something unfamiliar within his gaze. The unmistakable arrogance had vanished, replaced with a hunger for something.


    "Now, here is something you don''t get to see every day, a welcome party!"


    The voice that left the man''s lips was as shocking as the fact that it had managed to be propagated through space, reaching Reed''s ears. That was something that should have been impossible!


    "I only want to talk my dear, welcome party. Violence isn''t always the answer to problems. And it would be better if you take that piece of advice seriously, as I have no patience for clamoring ants."


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    After those words, his suffocating aura was retracted back into his body, even as his feet stayed upon the sleek dark vessel''s hull.


    He was standing in space with his physical body... That was a fact that was as shocking as his voice reaching his ears with just physical speech, within this void.


    (He has reached a higher life level.) Nikolai''s shaken voice transmission entered Reed''s ears, causing a frown to etch itself into his features.


    (Who are you exactly? That is Zeus'' body, but I don''t think you are him.) The president asked the question even as his form appeared right beside Reed.


    He was clad in a crimson armor that appeared to be something that needed to be arranged piece by piece. It was metallic, and was emanating a faint bloody aura, which was also translating into a bloody scent impacting Reed''s nostrils.


    (That man is dangerous! Make sure to stay within a kilometer of me.) the President transmitted.


    "I must say, during my time, those that had truly arrived at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage had been so rare, that even the sects had lacked such an existence. Yet here, there are two of them! It looks like the Era has been kind to your so-called Federation."


    (Who are you, blue-eyed?) an irritated voice echoed within Reed''s mind, one which came from the Golden Merchant, who also materialized beside him, yet a ways off to the side.


    "Is that really the most important question right now? I suppose I could humor you. The so-called third generation Zeus is effectively dead from now on. I devoured his soul and everything that was his, making them mine."


    That caused everyone, Reed included, immense shock. Zeus had been a strong powerhouse whose lightning rod was capable of allowing him the capability of going toe to toe with those at the very peak of the Nascent Soul stage! How could he have lost his body to another so easily? And most of all, how had this body surpassed his limits, skipping the peak of his stage to directly enter the next one?


    These questions were important ones that needed to be answered.


    "There is no need to act that taken aback. It was simple, really. From his birth to me devouring everything about him. Everything had been destined to happen. There were a few hiccups here and there, but ultimately, the grand plot spanning over a thousand years culminated into great results."


    (A thousand year plot? Who are you?!) asked a bewildered Golden Merchant. Reed couldn''t even comprehend someone living beyond a thousand years!


    (Are you playing with us? We would have known of someone who had transcended the Nascent Soul realm. How could you have lived for that long, otherwise?) scoffed the Golden Merchant.


    "Heh! That''s what frogs at the bottom of a well would think. I was once like you and the rest of humanity. Thinking myself to be an unparalleled genius, having made such considerable contributions to the path of arrays that I had become more than smug..."


    Everyone was hooked on his tale, even Reed. It seems that this man wasn''t going to be giving straight answers.


    "... But an encounter with the relics of an extraterrestrial civilization humbled me. It taught me that what I had invented was merely child''s play compared to the heights they had reached. And that, my friends, exhilarated me. It gave me a goal, one where I wanted to see for myself the heights, civilisations greater than ours had reached. But, I had already exhausted half my lifespan, with the chances of getting to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage even slimmer. "


    "Yet the heavens never abandon the diligent. Through a certain artifact, I managed to preserve my soul, while laying out a plot for my revival, also making certain that I would be surpassing my previous heights."


    (And that plot included sacrificing the innocent for your goals? Do you even have a conscience?!) transmitted Reed. He had heard enough.


    "hmmm!? Why should I care about them? Ah! I see... The Federation has done well to support everyone, but I will say this once, young boy. The Path of immortality and progress is mostly paved upon many bodies and sacrifices. If you had access to what I know, you wouldn''t be saying such naive things. Do you know that Deity Transformation cultivators can start entire wars just for a flimsy chance to advance a minor stage in their cultivation? From the Nascent Soul and below, cultivation is easy. All you just have to do is absorb spiritual energy to make progress. Even the complicated Nascent Soul is merely child''s play. In order to advance within the stage I am in, you will either have to hunt down resources, or create yours. And trust me on this. Both those solutions come with their own hardships."


    (Hardships?! You... Bastard! All those lives... Don''t they weigh upon your conscience?!)


    " Conscience... Guilt... Are such things going to make me strong? That brat Taylor beside you. Do you know how many sect cultivators he slaughtered? Even those that were innocents? His past is one of endless slaughter. Why? Because his wife was killed by the sects! Even you, brat! What right do you have to speak about such things when you haven''t experienced the brutality of the world? To me, anything that could aid in my advancement, whether through slaughter or peace, is welcome. I will say this to you, dear boy. You haven''t lived long enough. When you do experience the loss of those so-called loved ones when their lifespans come to a natural end, without you being able to do anything, you will finally understand that only the pursuit of the peak is eternal. Wow! I never thought I''d get the chance to lecture someone! This is a novel experience!"