Soul of Searing Steel

The Amos Court and the Takur Ruin Cult were advanced Class 4 civilizations residing within the same galaxy. Due to their attributes and a series of events over history, both had waged all-out massacring wars against each other, with their numerous colonies systemically purged and decimated by other to the point that not even the civilians would take anything lying down now.

Neither Imperator Amos nor the first Grand Patriarch of the Takur Ruin Cult had grown to their present level at the time, while their respective fleets also saw as many defeats as victories. And while they fought, every other middling or inferior civilization was banished or culled to the point of extinction, until the two monsters known as ‘civilizations of calamity’ were left in the galaxy. The name ‘Galaxy of Bloodbath’ therefore spread like wildfire across the Multiverse.

There was no clear reason for war or enmity—the Takur Ruin Cult’s doctrine had not been as radical as it was at present, and neither was the Bloody Court’s way of thinking as hostile as it was now. Perhaps the Amos and the Takurians were naturally antagonistic that after bombarding each other within short distances of less than half a light-second with the first generation of Void warships, they still kept themselves entangled with each other through continent-sized Void fortresses and stellar divine incarnations to beat up each other from across planetary systems. Just as no one had known when the war actually started, none could tell when their war would have ended.

However, the all-out raging war between both civilizations cooled over the last three hundred years, seemingly after having suffered excessive blood loss. To avoid having civilizations from other galaxies take advantage, they briefly entered a period of ceasefire and no longer engaged each other in violent confrontation, turning their war into one of perimeter interference, infiltration, sabotage, arms race, and resource monopolization. In their cold war, the true form of Imperator Amos stood off against the incumbent Grand Patriarch from afar, holding the final word for their respective forces. Being galactic-level superentities who could subjugate most Class 4 civilizations, they would not attack recklessly and create an opening for their counterparts.

Naturally, the encounter with the Mycroft civilization had been an unexpected situation. Both sides had first and foremost sent out only their clones instead of their true forms, believing they had not really needed to personally make a move in stopping the newcomers from establish a foothold in the Multiverse. Instead, they intended to use Mycroft’s champions to weaken each other, so that their enemy would develop their own personal hostility against the Mycroftians. Ultimately, the Multiverse was so vast that there was all the time and space to clash if war was what they wanted. They did not have to hasten it all at once, and it was far important to get rid of their familiar nemesis.

Joshua was aware of the bloodthirsty history between the Amos Court and the Takur Ruin Cult, and he certainly would not critique the two naturally xenophobic and seclusive civilizations’ tendency to beat each others’ brains out. But with that being said, the matter mentioned by the God of Life was definitely unusual.

“The Amos Court ran into trouble? Looks like they have come across roaming Evil Gods.”

The warrior speculated about the possible scenarios, although the fact that Evil Gods existed in the Multiverse goes without saying—both the Starherders and the Knowers made it evident that an unknown number of Evil Gods roamed the Multiverse, like wandering nightmares that attacked civilization. Nonetheless, they were not too powerful. Class 4 civilizations were able to repel most Evil Gods, even maiming and slaying weaker ones. Even powerful Class 3 civilizations could protect themselves when facing weaker Evil Gods, and it had not been too extraordinary for them to repel their attacks.

Nevertheless, encountering an Evil God was not a good thing for any civilization, regardless of how powerful they were. If the Amos Court had actually summoned a correlated Evil God due to the long years of blood wars, even they would be left troubled—because if that happened, the Takur Ruin Cult would not simply stand idly by. In fact, they would have been all too pleased to fight alongside the Evil God to pincer and mangle the Amos Court, for their mutual hate far surpassed the innate disgust and fear that civilizations of Order had towards Chaos.

And that was where the problem lay—the Takur Ruin Cult had not done that.

It was truly puzzling.

“That being said, you are too powerful.”

Even after relaying the important news, the God of Life still studied Joshua. She stared at him, inadvertently shaking her head before sighing, “Unbelievable. How are you so powerful? How did you catch up with us in a brief dozen years?”

“I had the System early on. It was probably given by the Sage—either way, I’m different from most.” Joshua responded honestly in return, although he did not really have the God of Life’s attention. After all, the story that Joshua’s pre-existence was lived within another mysterious world was known even to bystanders amongst Mycroft’s leadership, although the warrior also noticed the God of Life’s gaze twinkling at the mention of the ‘Sage’.

What a curious and complex relationship the Seven Gods shared with the man.

“Leaving that aside—so, are you hoping that I’ll investigate the mystery in the Galaxy of Bloodbath? To check what’s happening?”

Putting that topic aside to follow up with another, Joshua frowned at the God of Life rather puzzledly, while she looked up and nodded solemnly in turn. “Certainly, Joshua. It’s a task only you can undertake.”

“I agree. When do I leave?”

Joshua had assuredly not denied the fact, even if he knew that both the old Pope and the Seven Gods could easily handle that task as well, and that it was not really something only he could do. Being one who was self-aware, Joshua would score full marks in direct confrontation, but was probably questionable in infiltration—compared to uncovering the truth by slipping in and spying, he was more used to clearing a path with his fist and obtain information from hostages.

Of course, there was no need to refuse either. “Don’t worry, it can wait for another six months. The Multiverse Sacrificial Grounds is now positioning itself, and the Commanding Will would transport you to the edge of the Galaxy of Bloodbath when the times comes. It saves time since we are merely going to take a look and not to defuse any situations.”

The God of Life had already turned around, ready to call her clerics and heroic spirits here to study the Undying Bird caged in the star. “In reality, any troubles the Amos Court and the Takur Ruin Cult face are none of our business,” she reminded Joshua before going to work. “Your only task is to verify if they are indeed facing an Evil God, although it doesn’t really matter either way… Ultimately, your true form is needed to calibrate and build ‘that thing’, and it is the most vital element. Do as you see fit when it comes to other tasks.”

Joshua said nothing in return. He stood in the Void, watching as the divine being and a group of blessed clergies headed for the sun where the Phoenix was.

The God of Life was very busy, having to analyze, confirm, and record all new lifeforms of the Multiverse previously unknown to the Unified Archives. If the new species were unique and exceptionally powerful—such as the Super Void Behemoth infant this time around—she would have to work overtime to study it from beak to tail and discover an aspect to be emulated.

Even if she had been touted a genius and powerful by the former God of Might, the God of Life was working hard in the new Multiverse for knowledge and strength, just as other gods and Legendary champion did not pause. There were many new environments brought by the Multiverse, new knowledge, new systems of Extraordinary ability, along with diverse races and civilizations. It was the finest fertilizer for a developing civilization, and by absorbing the Unified Archives, the Knowers’ data and the many systemic information gained through trade with brand new civilizations, Starfall Mycroft was indeed growing at the fastest speed possible.

Naturally, growth remained growth, just like the Legendary champions who needed to charge up. Population, the most critical issue for Mycroft civilization, was also not easily solved—their present number of two billion was far too few for their reach that it caused a headache for the Legendary champions.

For such an insurmountable conundrum, the Nature’s Magister suggested re-creating a Legend by working with the Elven Queen to directly cultivate Treeborn Elves out of Lifetrees, using ‘fruits’ to rapidly increase elven numbers. She was really able to do it too, and if not for the elves’ ethics and the long period required for the population to mature, which in turn meant the present crisis could not be solved at once, the Nature’s Magister—who was driven rather desperate—would probably have had set the plan into motion, so that the childhood myths of ‘which tree did you fall out of’ became reality.

Likewise, the Seven Gods Church was working with the Skypiercing White Tower and the Imperial Royal Mage Guild to research ‘highly-intelligent artificial soul puppets’, with Zero Three and Lothram (Unnamed Technician) acting as their core members, as one of them was a classic powerful artificial soul and the other was a master in spiritual machines. Either way, the factions were now collaborating with the plan to directly produce AI that could replace human work, which would neither incur issues of ethics nor growth time.

Still, the only thing worth being cautious about was if the AIs would be quietly subservient and cooperative after gaining intelligence. Even if AI uprising remained a theory, just as artificial souls and AI were two separate products, neither ‘life made’ nor ‘life born naturally’ would acknowledge that the other was a different species by default, despite being fundamentally identical.

Indeed, there had been many ideas, but hardly any were practical. Both Barnil’s elemental servants and the dwarves’ automated war machines were more or less the same relative to the highly-intelligent artificial soul puppets, since the former was bestowing genuine intelligence upon elemental lifeforms while the latter meant producing a combat mechanism that even civilians could operate safely, such as enchanted armor to Void warships. In comparison, only one suggestion stood out—Godard the High Priest and his ‘biological theory of evolution’. He had indicated a path to modify every race from human, elf, dwarf to his own brethren the murlocs so that everyone could gestate twice per year, becoming fertility machines. If it proved successful, the Mycroft civilization would never have to be troubled by the lack of a labor force.

Before accusing the Murloc High Priest of clear misogyny, Godard had actually meant to do away with the concept of gender so that every Mycroft being could reproduce asexually, becoming creatures that were fertile all year. Their bred infant would also be set to mature in years, having certain levels of intelligence. If one had to put it in words, Godard was perhaps one who insisted on genuine equality.

The murlocs were a perfect example of that theory since they had been mostly modified to such a state. That was why the murlocs who had almost faced extinction in the great battle between the Eastern Plains and the Holy Mountains could survive until now, even claiming territory in the Void—it was all thanks to the Murloc Hight Priests of every generation who discreetly modified them to become such a tough race.

Godard was recently inspired by the Tuftians, and was now preparing part of his body as a template to cultivate a superior lifeform born in spore units. They were the ultimate lifeforms that would breed endlessly and boast strong physique along with rapid growth, even grasping knowledge through bloodline and not by learning. Moreover, Godard projected that those beings would be fine being beaten to a pulp, since their very flesh were actually breeding spores. As long as there were organic substances nearby, they would multiply even more—truly the perfect war machine.

So wild.

Undoubtedly, all those insane and erratic plans were put on hold and stopped, every radical and hazardous research halted so that humankind fell to some random technology before the population crisis was solved.

Human beings never stayed their hand when it came to tormenting themselves, and would even be unusually successful—a complaint Nostradamus raised to Joshua in the previous gathering. An idea which the Legendary dimensional mage was rather supportive of was the ‘Soul Split’ technique developed by William Mind Lord, and it had nothing to do with the ‘soul’ despite having the term in its name. The technique itself meant to split an individual’s consciousness so he could think of or complete two different matters as if he were two people. Through training, the splitting effect would increase as well, so that one person could have the efficiency of six people. Naturally, split consciousness could be restored as a whole at any given moment—one could act as many, while two billion citizens would multiply at once, a number that would keep increasing as their training progressed.

Nonetheless, Joshua still found it unhinged—those Legendary champions really had no restraint when their brains were set loose, with the warrior himself wondering if it was a disaster not to keep Extraordinary civilizations limited to feudalism. If the leaders of their race had all such a mindset and had the same incredible authority, civilization would either advance rapidly upwards or plunge vertically straight into the Abyss.

Despite having considered plenty, Joshua did not remain too long inside the sealed world. While the God of Life and her clergies studied the Undying Bird, he vanished, with his consciousness returning to his true form.

In the silver world, crystal obelisks were glimmering with light. The warrior’s will had become a star, shining upon all creation. Neither the problem that the Amos’ encountered nor Mycroft’s population crisis were of chief importance to Joshua at the moment, not even ‘that thing’ mentioned by the God of Life.

In truth, Joshua was now recalling the Rund champion and the electromagnetic signals it had transmitted several days ago which were full of cursing and hate. In the Soul Pool, boundless soul fragments of hatred floated in the darkness, most of it and the curses they contained already rotting into nothingness. Still, the recent addition of the Runds’ vengefulness stimulated and made the Soul Pool rather active, with clusters of dark red curses and resentment driving a near solid stream of light, stirring storms within the Soul Pool.

However, a hand reached out and caught the light that was supposed to have neither shape nor form.

Joshua projected his self into the dark Soul Pool and frowned. His spirit form was emanating white-hot radiance and other colors, and yet it appeared to illuminate the entire lightless Soul Pool—with its brilliance, the true colors of various soul fragments and curses that had been entirely black showed their true colors. Red ‘rage’, green ‘hate’, blue ‘apathy’, purple ‘envy’, golden ‘greed’, and black ‘curses’…the spectrum of emotions formed beneath the illumination of Joshua’s pure soul radiance.

Clenching the near solid ‘resentment’ and ‘curses’, Joshua looked down upon the dark red and blackness in his hand, reminiscing the exceptionally unique power contained in the soul and current, unable to avoid sinking into profound thought.

“Perhaps… it could be illusion, but I have always had always such a theory.”

“Could… emotion… be a power too?”