Soul of Searing Steel

In a Void Settlement of the Amos Court, there was nothing other than astonishment in Creed’s heart after watching the battle between Joshua and Imperator Amos with his own eyes, and the warrior’s later sermon in the Void to every civilization in the Cosmos.

He was a person who wanted and had the talent to become a champion. He felt no fear at all, even in the profoundness of worlds being created and destroyed, having only great yearning—if it was not for the many things he had to do, Creed would at once start training anywhere he could and apply those experiences to his own body.

But in the end, he was not a champion yet.

And now, countless beings who already were challenged that silhouette.

“I have a feeling that the Multiverse’s age of peace would soon fade and never return, but I have simply never imagined that the one who would tear that curtain apart isn’t the legions of World Eaters but you.”

In the Void, energy wildly converged as a champion materialized a combat clone from some corner of the cosmos by tracing Joshua’s broadcasting channel. The champion’s body resembled layers of roses, but each petal was of a different color and elemental composition and could enfold cosmic bodies—and now, millions of them were beautifully spreading apart. Common, rare, natural, and even artificial elements were connecting substantial energy and runes into a natural world-sized spell!

It was an uncommon pure-elemental creature, and unlike elemental fairies which were imitations of elves, the otherworld champion clearly was using his power to conjure a bounded field, and the bounded field in turn imitated a world that becomes a colossal Fairyland as it moved up another trail! Within, elements replaced all Extraordinary powers, even the fundamental forces as a pure-elemental was formed: an entire world of pure elements hence manifested in the mental image of a champion!

“I respect your resolve in trying to protect the stars, but I would never be restrained!” he declared, his voice bold like the cracking roar of an inferno.

And thus, the realm of elements opened just like a flower, a cage that would ensnare the warrior and the Void around him.

Even so, Joshua said nothing in return. He could feel the other’s strong desire to fight, which was why he would answer him with his even greater desire to fight—raising one of this right hands, the warrior gathered vague silver mist into celestial bodies, eventually an entire planetary system that continued expanding until it reached the scale of a silver galaxy between breaths, a swirling radiant saucer hovering upon his palm.

Then, Joshua moved, placing the cosmic saucer upon the oncoming petal world.

Gentle light spread like water ripples with neither boom nor rumble, with silence being all there was—but at the smallest fundamental layer, the two champions were fighting over their knowledge of the world and its intricate systems. Joshua was using Steel Strength as a tool and his own understanding of the world to decipher and deconstruct his adversary’s own understanding, just as the other did the same.

A battle that corroborated the power of another with one’s own, it was the finest of lessons, with an effect whereby 1 + 1 was greater than 2. The sight of Joshua’s exchange of blows against the elemental champion drew the attention of other champions as well, along with other champions who had reached the limits of Legends and roamed the stars for a long time but could not find a path ahead.

Now, all of them were staring at the Void, raring to go.

Phew—more and more champions are not holding back.

Joshua was aware that it was an encirclement, but would they have gone to him one by one otherwise? Having boldly challenged the entire cosmos, Joshua naturally resolved himself to answer the challenge of multiple individuals as well.

Moreover, neither he nor the petal element champion were using their full power, merely having temporary combat clones summoned in the Void.

Then, energy converged once again as a silver rhombus silhouette distorted the radiance of the stars and arrived from beyond dimensions. It was a mechanical warship that was larger than a continent, and upon its silver hull were streams of radiant circuits that moved and shifted form—soon, a two-headed, four-winged metal behemoth grown out of lifeforce and magic appeared.

It commanded great power and its guard was nigh unbreakable, a powerful, unusual behemoth that was basically constituted of countless mutually-fusing silicon-based lifeforms called Lifeforce Flame Seeds. Ultimate wonders in assembling strength and technology, the silver warship was a manifestation of their collective will and power, while they could also assume other forms such as monsters, warships, shelters, and others.

“We have come to challenge you!”

Violent spiritual presence akin to heavy echoes within a valley resounded. The metal behemoth lunged straight for Joshua, engaging him in close quarters—compared to other champions, they were more familiar with the people of Mycroft. They were also aware that Joshua had ascended in the shortest of time, and while he may have ascended high above by relying on his prodigious talent along with the experiences and knowledge inherited from forebears that far surpassed anything else, the deftness of powers was not something to be overcome with just talent.

How much strength could he have accumulated, even when granting him the doubt of decades? It was a wrong choice to pit knowledge and power levels against him like the elemental champion did, since it was equivalent to challenging an assembly of Mycroft civilization as well as others of whom Joshua had learnt from—what they should have done was pit strength against Joshua!

And yet, the metal behemoth was met with an ever-enlarging left hand, reaching the scale where it could cover a galaxy.

The metal behemoth could see lifeforce far more substantial than what they had mustered and infinite lifeforce sweeping towards them like a tidal wave. Starlight around them was distorted under that power, turned into vortices that made one’s eye dizzied, causing them to unwittingly dive at the left palm.

Then, the hand closed gently over metal behemoth…and flung it.

Whoosh— like a falling star shooting away, it sank into the dimensional rift that it came from.

“What did we just do?”

“What power is that?!”

Without knowing, they had been thrown back to the other side of the dimensions, leaving the silicon-based lifeforms at a loss. “We have never come across such force…not even against World Wills!”

***

Even more legions of champions came to Joshua, challenging him to see who would come out on top of power or simply engaging him in discourse. From a certain point of view, it had become a remarkably profound conference of treatises—Joshua’s preaching to the cosmos, the academics and field authorities below his stage who swarmed at him in doubt, or attempted to repress him with direct force.

For Joshua, what he would do was to first convince everyone who had braced themselves to challenge him. Whether in theory or strength, he would have a forum and debate both physical and spiritual aspects.

Thus, across the fringe space of the Amos Court, dimensional rifts appeared one after another as champions from all walks of life arrived like stars falling in from distant horizons. It was as if all of the Void was now one massive vortex brimming with coldness and killing intent, as endless gazes of rage, of apathy, or simply intent on a challenge were leveled upon the warrior, who appeared to have strength to spare.

And in both theories or actual power, Joshua feared nothing.

The days leading to his ascension was certainly short. To the champions of the Multiverse who might have cultivated themselves over dozens of thousands of years, his age was no more than the start and end of a dream—just like the Astral Dragons whose rests and slumbers skipped through the rise of humankind.

But that did not say much.

“There are no monsters that have lived hundreds of thousand years in this cosmos. All individuals who have tried to accumulate time were destroyed as the eras moved on, and even Ultimate Sublimator Collective was only a few dozen thousand years old.”

Joshua’s four arms were reacting to different foes at the same time. The elemental realm that had arrived first had been repelled—though he showed great depth in the discipline of elements to conjure that unique world that disobeyed all physical principles and not even the fairies of Mycroft could have won against him in that aspect, the Ultimate Sublimator Collective was superior in its creation of alternate spaces. Moreover, Joshua himself was very experienced, analyzing the essence of that world far faster than the other did his own to create imbalance within, causing it to simply diminish.

And in the end, accumulation of strength was merely supposition, since any who had reached the limits of legend would be able to easily manipulate the infinite matter and energy around them to their own ends. Moreover, having the Great Mana Tide flowing across the Void, energy storage was only theoretically needed where the Tide faded off in the Silent Void.

Now, Joshua could simply and instantly muster energy a thousand times exceeding his normal levels, a tsunami-level burst that he had yet to even test the limits of. Preparing himself over hundreds of millennia was therefore really meaningless: as long as the burst of energy of a certain period did not exceed certain thresholds, the so-called profound depth was merely a tap attached to a pool.

His next opponents were quite troublesome as well, with the champions of the cosmos proving that they had the strength to stand their ground. Joshua was unacquainted with most, although there were quite a few familiar faces as well, including a champion belonging to the Enbang, one of the eighteen infamous Class Five civilizations. Their race resembled nine-tailed foxes, although their tails were essentially detachable limbs from which another Enbang could be born. Furthermore, their minds grew on their backs and what appeared to be their brain was a simply an organ that absorbed energy, allowing them to survive like lizards even if their heads were cut off.

To a certain extent, the tails were their true form.

Still, the Enbang smiled when he caught Joshua’s eye, as if slightly embarrassed at being a part of the encirclement.

In turn, Joshua also broke him with a single punch in slight embarrassment—the Enbang champions was certainly powerful, but since the warrior himself, along with the Pope and the Seven Gods had sparred with him, it would be wasting time as both sides knew each other’s depth.

Soon, that part of the Void was a chaotic mess of energy and substance. While most champions attacked Joshua consecutively in spirit, energy, physically, or across dimensions, there were some who found that they could not join in—finding it at once awkward and boring, they sought out other idling champions as opponents.

Either way, most who were there challenging Joshua were clones that would not hurt the true form much. Instead, it was sheer profit and no loss, as they could never know how far they were from each other, making communication utterly inconvenient.

There were even defeated champions who had sneaked in, creating a challenge for the second or third time. Even so, being too embarrassed to engage with Joshua, they sought out and challenged other opponents that may have benefit them.

The scene was one of other chaos. Thousands upon thousands of champions at the limits of Legend had come, with hundreds repelled by Joshua or other champions.

***

Meanwhile, the Amos Court military which hurried to the scene retreated at several times their speed of arrival. All of their fleet were evacuated urgently as the surrounding quadrants were all within threatened range.

There had never been so many champions gathered in a single place. The fallout from their sparring would permanently affect that part of the Void, and could cause phenomena such as spatial condensation or even Void Vortex to some extent! A forbidden zone hazardous to all life!

“Damn it…damn it all!”

Imperator Amos had never been so filled with resentment. Before this, he had not been able to conquer the Takurians’ homeworld just because he alone could not edge out the Infinity Dynamo of Divine Energy—which was the power of every Takurian. It was such a magnificent false that he admits defeat, just as he believed not even Joshua could match it. That was why he certainly would allow them to have a free pass without a word.

But now, of those otherworld champions from who-knows-where, most would not have held a candle to himself, much less Joshua! What was that feeling? It was like having a person with muddy shoes stepping into his house right after he had cleaned it thoroughly and polished the floorboards… he endured it since the first person was powerful, but to have him invite another bunch who came making merry in his house, even turning on the speakers for a disco session, they were no longer people but Slimes!

Even them?!

Those who would never have been a match against him would challenge Joshua?! It was nothing other than trying their luck as others were flocking him—despicable! Shameless! There was no low that they wouldn’t sink to!

With that in mind, Imperator Amos sent out another clone into the raucous flock of champions.

Then, upon further thought, he sent a few more.