Chapter 355: Gathering of Faith

Goril

Goril Laan, the commander and sole A rank of the Bronze Legion, sighed as he looked at the bloody body of his grandson in front of him, one of the legion’s eight B rank subleaders and the coran who’d stabbed the Heavenly Blade in the back when the man had become too popular.

And, as he noticed how none of his grandson’s wounds were on his front, he regretted his decision all those years ago.

Orom Karendesh had been talented, far more talented than anyone in Goril’s family, even Goril himself, and, if Goril had allowed the man to live and rise to A rank, the Bronze Legion would have entered a golden era.

Sure the Laan family’s control over the legion would have weakened, and Goril’s position along with it, but a rising tide raises all ships. Looking back, it was obvious he would have been better off as a result.

Instead, he’d lost his best subordinate, three others had abandoned the Bronze Legion, one even joining their enemies to fight them, and two more had died from that betrayal, while another had been killed due to improper battlefield commands tens of thousands of years later. Sure, three new B ranks had risen from the ranks, but two, members of his own family, were of lesser quality, and the last, one of Orom Karendesh’s old subordinates, took absolutely no initiative, making no moves for the betterment of the legion unless explicitly given an order.

The Bronze Legion had become rusted armor, completely unlike the gorgeous plate the Heavenly Blade’s scales appeared to have been crafted into, and no one could stop the Heavenly Blade’s son as he walked through the legion’s main hall while wearing it. More important, none of the members of the Laan family were even brave enough to try.

Goril’s grandson’s body, for example, thrown in front of him with casual ease, only had wounds on his back, similar to the Heavenly Blade, but, unlike the father of the A rank before him, Goril’s grandson hadn’t been betrayed. He’d just been trying to run away.

“Do you have any last words?” Brom Karendesh asked as he walked over, flicking all the blood off his sword with one simple flick.

“Could you leave the youngsters alive? They weren’t involved.”

“What type of coran do you take me for?” The Heavenly Blade’s son used his father’s techniques to instantly appear in front of Goril, stabbing him through his heart in one action, his race, racial abilities, class, and stats all far beyond Goril’s own. “Unlike you, I have honor.”

***

Henrietta

Henrietta Vin, princess of the largest elven empire in the Prime Material and former apprentice to the Alchemist of the Deep Woods, watched in amazement as her father and the four other A ranks of the empire fought against Reginald, her old bodyguard. And they were not winning.

Moving like lightning and attacking like a storm, Reginald’s huge ax blade was covered in some kind of sheath, effectively making it a blunt weapon, and, even while surrounded, the five A ranks of the Vin Clan weren’t able to hit him. But, as they fought in the upper atmosphere of the Vin Clan’s A rank planet, he’d already hit each of them at least three times.

“Your gods are dead, killed by my lord,” Reginald started speaking again during a lull in the fighting, standing surrounded by the other five as he calmly floated in the air. “Your protection is gone, and the human population of the Prime Material has been booming.

“With the Primordial Sovereign personally having moved back to this universe and the other elder gods missing, you will not be able to hold your Territory. Unless you change your target of worship, you likely won’t even be able to keep your lives.

“My lord’s offer is fair and generous. The Primordial Sovereign’s will not be.” Reginald removed the covering from his ax, completely freeing its cutting power. “Make your choice.”

Knowing her father as well as she did, Henrietta could practically feel his nervousness. But it didn’t show in his voice nor his aura. “As you said, the Heavenly Spark Soul King killed all the elven gods. What assurances do we have that he won’t do the same to us?”

A wide grin appeared on Reginald’s face, as if he was suppressing laughter, and his aura showed not anger or disappointment but mirth. “You didn’t join an expedition to try and eliminate him and his people, so he doesn’t have any reason to seek your lives.” Reginald took out a small pill from a pouch on his belt and swallowed it, a pure and concentrated power of life entering into his body and eliminating all the negative effects of the fight which had just occurred, leaving the man in tip top condition. “Also, unlike most powers, the word of Emperor Alvaro can always be believed.”

“His wife is called the Mistress of Oaths and Deception.” One of the two former elven emperors in the group, Henrietta’s great-great-grandfather, almost spat the words.

At the same time, Reginald’s aura took on a hint of both anger and schadenfreude. “She literally has an oath that punishes her if she breaks a deal made in her own name. Empress Li can always be trusted when you know it’s her. It’s when you don’t that you have to worry.”

Henrietta watched her father take a deep breath, calming himself. As the youngest of the five A ranks, he’d been the most hurt by Reginald during the fight, but, as the only one who’d interacted with the man before, he was also the main speaker for the group. “Why do the Heavenly Spark Soul King and Mistress of Oaths and Deception want such a deal?”

“The power of faith is a resource.” Reginald’s aura became a little calmer, his anger at the former emperor quickly fading. “And all but one member of the United Federation of Planets are mortals. Think large scale. And realize Emperor Alvaro is the owner of thousands of universes, most of which are far underpopulated.
“You are all intelligent elves. It’s not hard to figure out.”

***

Primordius

Primordius was growing really sick and tired of always having to hold back.

After receiving reports of abductions occurring in the Primordial Thunder Universe, he’d gone to take a look and found his entire home universe almost completely bare of life, only non-intelligent lifeforms left, and it had been obvious what had happened.

His grandson, desiring more sources of faith energy so he could give divine roles to everyone he cared about so as to make them immortal, had somehow kidnapped everyone from the Primordial Thunder Universe—while also stealing everything of value—and moved them to his own universes.

How the B rank Heavenly Spark Soul King could move between universes with such ease and what method he used to transport so many people so quickly, Primordius didn’t know. But it didn’t really matter.

His grandson’s mobility through the multiverse was better than his own, and, like any good warrior should, the boy was making use of his advantage.

If his actions weren’t so annoying, Primordius would have even been a bit proud of him.

He was at least better than his mother, who could only follow Primordius around like a lost puppy, fearing her own children’s revenge.

But Primordius was very much over children not even a million years old leading him around by the nose.

His frustration, however, didn’t mean they would stop.

For instance, upon his return to the Prime Material, he learned how one in 144th of the universe’s population had also been stolen, and he still didn’t know how the United Federation of Planets had accomplished the feat.

He had some ideas of how his grandson could move between universes so easily, and how he could transport so many people, but what he couldn’t figure out was how they could be so sure he wouldn’t ruin their plans.

That was at least until he focused more on his senses and realized he was being Watched.

Firing out a lightning bolt at whatever deity with the Watcher divine role was daring to spy on him, Primordius then moved through the Prime Material at a speed no one else, not even Quandra, would be able to match, tearing through the very fabric of space like a lightning bolt, and, when he arrived, he found the destroyed remnants of what felt like a doppelgänger of his grandson’s wife.

“Well, that at least explains some things.”

Now on the list of beings he had to worry about, and whose existences forced him to hold back his power and not just start ripping holes in universes, there weren’t just his grandson, the four missing elder gods of the Prime Material, and the undead elder gods, but his grandson’s wife as well.

Primordius moved back to Tanavar, taking a look at the portal that was still open to the main universe of the undead, and took a deep breath.

At least now that he knew about the threat of the Mistress of Oaths and Deception’s Watching abilities, he could be on guard and put a complete stop to it.

***

Mila

Mila Watched as the stolen populations of the Prime Material and Primordial Thunder Universe were resettled in Aalam’s Territory and couldn’t help but smile. Sure, the Primordial Sovereign now seemed aware of her ability to watch him from afar, but they’d achieved their goals.

Brom had realized his revenge and rescued the coran species from a possibly terrible fate. Reginald had proven himself to his old clan and saved them as well. And the United Federation of Planets’ Department of Faith had a lot of extra work.

Everything was going well and Mila couldn’t see anything drastic happening before she and Aalam could finally advance.