Soul of Searing Steel

On the fourteenth of February in Starfall year 845, a major incident that stunned the Multiverse occurred at the edge of the Galaxy of Beginnings. With the subspace tide that surged over ten thousand realms, the fleet of an unknown civilization had warped here from the other side of the Silent Void.

They swiftly defeated the most powerful native civilization and compelled them to become their vessel the instant they arrived at the edge of the Multiverse. Within a brief period, the mysterious and anonymous civilization went to work, building installations and fortresses in the Voids while establishing a massive Stargate at their point of arrival.

It was not a smooth process—many civilizations were bent on chasing that powerful civilization away from their own stars. They were other civilizations from nearby galaxies reluctant to be threatened by another powerful faction, which was why they needed them gone before the civilization could establish a foothold. Other more powerful civilizations from afar were more curious than hostile about the types of civilization and champions that could have grown from the ancient and mysterious galaxy where the lost Forerunners were said to have lived.

Naturally, they were used to expressing both hostility and curiosity with violence and conduct exchange through battle—and so, most of the armada belonging to civilizations intent on breaching into the Galaxy of Beginnings were wiped out in a single day. The Knowers, even with every last of their individuals brought together, had only built a fort upon the other side of the Void. The Takur Ruin Cult and the Court of Amos leaders who had personally dispatched their clones were meanwhile either destroyed or forced to retreat.

At present, a trail of carnage was left at the edge between two galaxies that spanned over hundreds of star systems. Dozens had been destroyed while many small worlds were decimated, with the shockwaves of the champions’ battle stretching over every direction at the speed of light. Without their shields operating at full capacity, even the sturdiest of warships would have disintegrated into dust in the Void at contact with those blurred radiances streaking towards them.

The shockwaves of energy that kept spreading had become a disaster for the surrounding planetary systems. The ships of innumerable civilizations hence fled, while marking that region a forbidden zone in their star charts.

Even if the civilization that had appeared from Lost Galaxy had only defeated ordinary navies and mere clones, it had been a combination of numerous civilizations and the combined might of three major civilizations that were affected. In comparison, the Lost Galaxy’s civilization was nothing more than a single fleet, and though both sides had not displayed their full strength, they had demonstrated their abilities to a certain extent.

Imperator Amos and the Takur Grand Patriarch were the greatest champions of the observable Multiverse, with not even advanced civilizations able to defeat their clones. And yet, the visitors from the Lost Galaxy had not only stopped every interloper, but there had even been faint signs of a counterattack—their weaponry were so advanced that not even the Knowers could discern it, and the combined information made their might evident, perhaps to the point of surpassing imagination. The civilization which had flourished alone in a faraway galaxy appeared completely different from their Void civilization here.

Silently, as everyone were left wondering if another powerful civilization had arrived upon the Multiverse, the name Mycroft and the revered title of a champion—the God of Steel—gradually spread throughout the Multiverse.

And all of that was about to happen.

***

Now, at the heart of the battlefield, Joshua stared at the golden god before him, as the god evaluated the Steel Giant before him.

At that moment, Israel appeared rather illusory in the warrior’s eyes—it was probably recoil from storing excessive divine strength, which was why the warrior himself had anchored by slowing time. Having charged as much as he wanted, Israel could maim their powerful foe with single strength, even if it was not without a price—having just ascended as a god, Israel could not store his own divine strength in the Infinite Horizon like the other six gods, and the power he drew temporarily from the Root was so dynamic that it was only a step away from spiraling out of his control. Certainly, that control was not limited to divine death where self would connect with the Root, tearing and expanding to a level beyond any control. As it suggested, being out of control meant no restraint, inability to use techniques, or even attacking oneself.

Joshua himself appeared different too—the newborn deity was watching his friend with an excited and unique divine sight, but he gasped in surprise at what he saw.

“Joshua, have you already recovered from your Chaos corruption? How long was I in slumber?” the god exclaimed in surprise, finally looking around him to see the Void curtain and the stars that were far brighter than the Lost Galaxy. Considering it all for a moment, Israel then finally murmured in quiet shock, “You people… you people have actually gone to another galaxy and fought champions of other civilizations? How much did I miss?”

“I have not completely recovered, but I am about ninety percent healed. Thanks to the Continental War and millions who have helped me clear it up quickly, you have not missed much—the battle we just fought was incidentally the most important scene.”

Joshua exited his combative form, the lines of divine power over the Giant God of Steel retreating while the threefold seal of light, electromagnetism, and gravity was once again enforced. The four arms of the neutron star’s combative state folded and reverted into planetary form, while the human form of the smaller clone darted out to Israel’s side. The warrior then gestured at a rather dull corner of the neutron star with a faint smile. “There are still some Chaos Memories yet to be deciphered, but it no longer affects my spirit. Though stubborn, it is occasionally useful, since anyone attempting to spy on me from the spiritual aspect would be affected by those Evil God memories.”

It may have been a second-hand and inferior Chaos corruption, but it was not simple to free oneself from it. While it would have been alright for weaker individuals who did not own any important memories, the powerful such as the clones of Imperator Amos and the Grand Patriarch were actually influenced with considerable Chaos presence. When those clones returned to their true forms, it was then possible for Joshua to obtain the coordinates of their homeworld.

Having been separated for a long time, the pair should have had much to talk about, especially after a perfect synchrony in defeating two superior champions of alien civilizations. However, both Joshua and Israel were men of few words, just as it was not the right time for a spar. That was why they simply spoke about the establishment of the Combined Fleet and the years-long journey towards another galaxy before they headed together for the frontlines between two galaxies.

Along the way, Joshua curiously enquired about the sense and process of becoming a True God. He had himself several chances to ascend as a god, for instance as the God of Fortune and Despair, Father Nature, the legacy of the Sky God, as well as the consecration of the Midgardians… all of which the warrior rejected, since he had his own path to take. Even so, he was as curious as any mortal.

Israel did not say much in return, simply murmuring ‘hold ideals steadfast’ and ‘never forget’ before skipping that particular conversation. It was not as if he repeated those illusory words because he had not want to tell, but gods had to transcend their own mortal lives in the process of ascension, and none other than himself would be aware of the resolves he held at rebirth.

Many would have repeated that process a thousand times. Some who had clearly made their resolve about intent and ideals would deliberately set themselves adrift in their lives, repeating experiences and memories, which was why divine ascensions were not processes with fixed timeframes—early awakening did not meant a swift gaining of resolve, just as later awakening did not meant one was himself. It was also why cultivation of Extraordinary powers would see unscientific requirements such as ‘firm resolve’, ‘elevated emotion’, or ‘maintaining determination’, but it did not mean it was a domain only achievable by the heart—the innumerable and differing paths of every person was clear proof.

Two streaks of light shot through the Void and returned from the battlefield while two other profound presences simply vanished. The observing Void civilizations were all left in great shock, some amongst them knowing the ones fighting in that conflict—they had been champions from faraway galaxies whose power surpassed worlds, their clones capable of destroying any Void civilization lacking in power. But now, the clones of those two champions were held back by a single champion from the Lost Galaxy’s civilization. It would have been shocking if the grudge between the two had prevented them for joining forces, but more astonishingly, both were defeated within minutes after the second champion from the Lost Galaxy arrived from the Void beyond.

While everyone was not fully aware of the chain of events at the moment, the planetary systems and world fragments that were all a broken mess made evident the violence of that single battle. Still, the other Void civilizations that knew the victors and defeated had completely retreated away from the galaxy, because they had then known for sure that an allied force of multiple powerful civilizations was needed to repel the civilization known as Mycroft. Were there any powerful civilizations in this Multiverse that would have joined hands? They had fought as nemesis no less than a hundred times over the last dozens of thousands of years— an allied force was simply out of the question.

Therefore, the fact that the foreign armada was establishing a solid foothold on the Galaxy of Beginnings was now foregone conclusion. What was more concerning had been the intention of their arrival here from afar. The remote Galaxy of Beginnings on the fringes was thus the center of attention of the Multiverse.