Chapter 2097 - 2097. Tree
Noah understood how something as strong as Heaven and Earth could decide to take that risky path. The destruction generated by the fusion of two different systems was incredible. It carried a type of power that both cultivators and worlds couldn't wield on their own.
The theory behind that might was quite simple. King Elbas had gotten his hands on a superior power by gaining access to the strongest type of energy in the cultivators' system. Something similar could happen when fusing fuels from two different systems, but the reaction would be far stronger in that case.
Of course, Noah also noticed the problems with that approach. He had Heaven and Earth as a living example of the drawbacks of that path. Yet, he had now seen with his own eyes what happened when fuels from two different systems had the chance to fuse without anything that controlled them.
The reaction was quite explosive and reminded Noah about the unstable substance. The latter worked through the same theory, and its effects were incredible, so it was only normal for something stronger to happen when using far different fuels.
As appealing as that project was, Noah didn't know how much it suited his path. He pursued power with every inch of his existence, but he also had limits given by his character. Diving into the world's system only to gain access to a different type of energy sounded tempting, but it would also ask him to stick to specific duties.
Heaven and Earth had to manage the entirety of the higher plane, abide by the world's fairness, and fight against the drawbacks that their state sent against them. The last part wasn't too much of a problem for Noah, but the other aspects of that path created issues that he didn't know how to solve.
Truth be told, there wasn't a solution to the issue. Heaven and Earth had managed to contain the explosive reactions of their path, but they had ended up as an unstable mess made of countless laws in the process. Also, they couldn't avoid the obligations that came from their position as leaders of the world.
Noah couldn't find anything better during the instant spent thinking about the issue. He could fix one of the problems, but not all of them. Also, the solution would even be incomplete since it would bring new drawbacks of its own.
The innate temptation generated by the sight of a superior form of power and Noah's natural weakness toward those scenes made him come up with entire plans in the span of mere seconds. He could start a project right away. He could see himself reaching the void to fuse with some Mortal Lands before growing through that different path, but he eventually managed to suppress those thoughts.
'My greed sure is dangerous,' Noah commented in his mind as his focus returned on the battlefield.
The death dragon was slowly recovering from the large injury suffered after the last clash. It remained still as blood stopped flowing out of the giant hole on its back. It would take it a while to regrow skin and scales, but that didn't seem to be its priority now.
The death dragon coughed while spitting black flames that released strange noises when they dispersed through the world. They resembled dying screams coming from inhuman creatures that didn't belong to any dragon species.
The upper tier specimen continued to spit flames until it puked a torrent of gray energy that fused with the world as soon as it touched the whiteness in the area. Everything happened so quickly that Noah didn't have the time to study that substance. Even the time dragon seemed unable to slow down the dispersion.
"What did it eat?" Noah asked through a growl while the death dragon remained busy puking out that strange material.
"We need something better than this sky," The time dragon explained through a low growl. "After millennia spent traveling through this environment, we found a resource that seemed able to satisfy our hunger, but it turned out to be a trap planted by Heaven and Earth."
"How did they even trick you?" Noah asked.
"I don't know," The time dragon sighed as a tinge of shame appeared in its human voice. "Heaven and Earth have learnt how to trick my senses."
"You have fought the rulers for too long," Noah commented.
"Indeed," The time dragon admitted before glancing in the sky past the weak whiteness. "It's almost our time."
"Don't you dare to die too soon," Noah said in a cold tone. "I need you to keep the rulers away until I become strong enough to defeat them."
"That's the plan," The time dragon laughed through an emotionless cry.
"Don't mock me," Noah stated. "You didn't live for so long to end up dead."
"I lived for so long to win," The time dragon replied. "I will bet everything on you if it comes to that."
"What about your kind?" Noah asked.
"You are my kind," The time dragon announced before moving its focus on the death dragon.
The death dragon had finished puking out the grey substance. Its injuries began to heal as it inspected its surroundings. It was clearly confused, but its aggression slowly waned as it recalled what had happened.
"We need to pay them back," The death dragon said through a chilling roar.
"I do agree," The life dragon added. "Heaven and Earth are gaining ground, and magical beasts are dying all around the higher plane. They are getting ready for the final attack, and we can't let them be like this."
The space dragon voiced a simple roar to approve that idea, and the three upper tier specimens eventually glanced at the time dragon. They stared at their leader and waited for its announcement.
"A fight it is," The time dragon eventually exclaimed. "We do need to slow down Heaven and Earth. Though we need to regroup with our kind, and I believe that our old enemies will want to join this."
Noah turned toward the orange glow in the distance with the four dragons. The old rulers didn't answer to that gesture, but they didn't escape either. They appeared ready to negotiate an alliance.
"What about you, Defying Demon?" The time dragon asked.
"I'm in," Noah said before moving his palm to his side, "And so is she."
A lightning bolt fell on Noah's palm, and June appeared after the orange glow dispersed. She was holding his hand, and she didn't hesitate to throw herself on him to sit on his lap.
"Can you even find the other dragons from here?" Noah asked. "I have traveled for a long time, but I never met them."
"We know how to find them," The time dragon revealed. "They are somewhere safe."
"Let's go then," Noah declared as battle intent came out from him and June. "I was getting bored of this safety."
"The battle will be harder than you can imagine," The time dragon teased.
"What do we have to fight?" Noah asked.
"It's a tree," The time dragon explained. "A tempting tree masked as a flaw in Heaven and Earth's system."
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Author's notes: I won't be home for the rest of the night, and I'll probably crash for a while once I manage to get back home, so I'll finish the other 2 chapters when I wake up.