A low male voice echoed from the depths of the Quantum Sea.
As the strongest of all the Astral Gods present, Aha was the first to look toward the spectral light that was soul-stirring even in the dense darkness.
Black skin, golden eyes.
The figure of a naked human male strode forth from the deepest reaches of the Quantum Sea, spacetime parting before him as if it were mere air.
This appearance was one that none of the Astral Gods present were unfamiliar with.
"Nanook?" The question came from Nous.
They had just seen Nanook not long ago, but without a beacon to guide him, it was impossible for Nanook to have followed them into the Quantum Sea. Moreover, if he truly dared to come here, the corrupted Final Monarch alone might not have enough power to suppress a Qlipoth who was not yet fully eroded.
There was another very important point: Nanook, who was born from the "Fallen World · Adlivun," had appeared with "red eyes." The Nanook before them, while identical in appearance and aura, had eyes of the purest gold.
Furthermore, the scars on Nanook's body were completely different from the writhing, purple-black "scab" in the same location on the chest of the man before them.
"No, Nous. Such a pure golden characteristic..." Yaoshi said, glancing at the Monarch beside her before answering Nous's question without turning her head.
"As the 'God of Knowledge,' you should be well aware of what it represents."
Gold had many symbolic meanings. But in the star-sea universe, a "gold" that surpassed a certain limit began to symbolize something entirely different. Whether it was the Final Monarch or the Monarch, the golden characteristics they possessed represented the most revered existence in the star-sea universe: the Imaginary Tree.
Only those who carried out the will of the Imaginary Tree were worthy of possessing such a pure golden trait.
Just like the [Imaginary Husks] that guarded the Tree, despite being mindless lifeforms, they were of noble status. A being as powerful as the "Final Monarch," in the eyes of an Astral God on Aha's level, was merely a higher-grade [Imaginary Husk].
"..."
Nous focused his attention on the Monarch.
"Emperor of the Sacred Empire."
"Do you have a close blood relative in the Quantum Sea?"
"...Erudition, that joke isn't funny."
Of course, it wasn't a joke, but the question Nous posed was indeed the closest to the truth: pure gold represents the Tree, pitch black represents the Sea.
The aura emanating from the "Astral God of Destruction · Nanook" before them was fundamentally identical to the Monarch's... but on a level that was a full tier higher.
"In that case—" Nous concluded, "after eliminating all other options, no matter how bizarre the answer, it must be accepted as the truth."
Nanook did not act, but quietly waited for Nous to reach his conclusion:
"Timogesi, the Astral God of Order."
---o---
"Clap."
"Clap."
The sound of light applause echoed through the Quantum Sea.
In this being's eyes, the vast fleet and the battle-ready Astral Gods might as well not have existed.
"Aha," the Outer God (?) whom Nous had called "Timogesi" said slowly. "My old friend, you don't look surprised in the least... Don't tell me you guessed the answer from the very beginning?"
"No," Aha replied, refuting Timogesi's guess, before his tone shifted. "If I knew the answer, I certainly wouldn't have used such a slow method, nor would I have fallen for your trap."
"However..."
"From the moment I learned of the 'Grand Monarch of Order's' existence, I began to have my doubts about that 'last will and testament' of yours, the one about going to the Quantum Sea before your end."
Aha's tone was extremely casual, but his unprecedentedly tense expression made the other Astral Gods around him instinctively tighten their nerves. One had to remember, with Aha's power, there had never been a being in the star-sea universe explicitly known to be capable of harming him.
"I just didn't expect that this 'Grand Monarch of Order' truly wasn't under your command. A brilliant move. You successfully concealed Nanook's existence."
"No," Timogesi replied. "That was not my initial plan. His growth rate far exceeded my expectations. From another perspective, the 'Tree's' sensitivity actually helped me."
"Timogesi" shifted his gaze to the Monarch.
"My child."
"You seem... to not have many questions?"
"Timogesi" was completely unconcerned by their hostile attitudes.
"No," the Monarch replied. "I do have many questions, but once I knew who you were, many of those questions were merely to verify answers I already knew."
"Timogesi" said with a smile, "You don't care about the past deception?"
"No. The Astral God of Order did indeed die from 'Path entanglement.' The you right now... it would be more fitting to describe you as the 'Outer God of Order' rather than the Astral God of Order."
"Timogesi's" smile did not fade as he continued, "...As expected of my 'Grand Monarch'."
"Whether in the past or now, your performance has never disappointed me."
"..."
Silence fell where their gazes met.
"What does this mean?" Xipe, the Astral God of Harmony, asked Yaoshi, the Astral God of Abundance, beside her.
"Even if you ask me..." Yaoshi was not one of the most ancient Astral Gods. Although she was older than Xipe and Mythus, there was still much she did not know. After all, she was not an Astral God of a Path like "Erudition" or "Remembrance"; one couldn't expect her to be omniscient.
"As an elder, Timogesi should not mind answering this small question for us," Aha interjected.
"Oh~" "Timogesi" gave a slight shrug. "Of course, no problem."
"How should I put this..." "Timogesi" thought very carefully—a demeanor that was completely at odds with the "Nanook" image he projected.
"Should I start with the 'Astral God of Origin' named 'Tigesi'?"
"Or should I start by telling you that 'Order, Destruction, and Finality are all me'?"
---o---
"!?!"
Amidst the mixed gazes of confusion and shock from the others—
"'Tigesi, the Astral God of Origin,' the very first Astral God in the cosmic cycle, a 'weapon' 'created' by the Imaginary Tree to fight the Quantum Sea. He killed the king of the Ancient Beasts, a being named 'Erofa,' and led the primordial Astral Gods to quell the chaos stirred up by the Ancient Beasts."
"To eliminate the useless Ancient Beasts and to fight the vexing Abyss."
"The Imaginary Tree granted him two special abilities: to divide into thousands and to encompass all things, and the Dominion to command quantum energy."
"Order," Aha said, explaining to the surrounding Astral Gods before Timogesi could speak. The "Order" he mentioned at the end... referred to Little Bai, not Timogesi.
"There is no need for doubt," Aha continued. "Although most Astral Gods are unaware of the source of your power, at least Qlipoth and I knew... Fuli and Nous, with their Dominions, could probably deduce a thing or two."
Though it smacked of borrowing power to intimidate others, this was the key reason why the several powerful, ancient Astral Gods had not sought trouble with the Empire. The newer Astral Gods were only fit to be beaten by the Monarch, the mid-tier ones couldn't gain an advantage, and the top-tier ones gave him a certain degree of face.
"This is all I can confirm," Aha concluded. "As for the rest, it's better if you tell us yourself, Timogesi."
"Snap."
Timogesi lightly snapped his fingers.
"Thank you."
Unconsciously, his appearance had begun to gradually change.
"Before I held the title 'Astral God of Order,' I was indeed the 'Astral God of Origin,' with the true name Tigesi."
"The Mother Tree granted me Dominions."
"She allowed me to use quantum energy upon the Tree, and she allowed me to master the power of all Paths."
"But unfortunately, both of these Dominions were 'time-limited'."
"After the Ancient Beast race was mostly eradicated, my control over the Paths was limited by the Mother Tree to forty-nine, and as more and more Astral Gods were born, it was finally weakened to a mere thirteen. As for the amount of quantum energy I could wield without being 'punished' by the Mother Tree—child, you have seen a similar scene—it was reduced to one-twentieth of what it was in the primordial era."
Timogesi's words immediately made Little Bai think of the disaster that had occurred on the continent of Mu.
"If the Mother Tree hadn't still needed me to screen civilizations and continue suppressing the weakened Quantum Sea," he went on, "I fear that when I became the 'Astral God of Order,' I wouldn't have been able to retain even that much power."
"So..." Timogesi gave a slight shrug. By now, his image had transformed into that of an elderly gentleman in a formal suit.
"I merely wish to reclaim what was lost."
"Among them, the four most important Paths are 'Origin,' 'Finality,' 'Preservation,' and 'Destruction'."
"Destruction is me."
"The previous Astral God of Destruction died at my hands... Of course, that's a bit of an exaggeration. Back then, he was still the 'Astral God of War' and was heavily injured in the apocalyptic battle, unable to continue fulfilling his duties as an Astral God. I merely helped him from the shadows so he could return to the Mother Tree's embrace."
"The avatar I left on Adlivun, Nanook, successfully took command of the power of the [Path of Destruction]."
Of the four fingers Timogesi held up, the little finger on the far end successfully bent and retracted toward his palm.
"Preservation and Destruction."
"These two Dominions are crucial. They concern the reach of the Imaginary Tree's influence and can be simply summarized as 'space' or 'matter.' By taking Preservation from Qlipoth, the Mother Tree will no longer be able to stop my 'body' from appearing in the star-sea universe."
"Unfortunately..."
"That fellow IX... no, I should say 'Qlipoth's avatar,' is much smarter than I thought. Back then, in my haste to collect the Dominions, I was a bit too eager for success... I shouldn't have given a 'Path' with a few little tricks left in it to Qlipoth."
Timogesi directly exposed IX's true identity.
"He was even able to 'create' Inverse Followers."
"I should have known long ago that the relationship between 'Existence' and 'Nihility' was not so simple."
"Although 'they' aimed for the wrong target, their actions happened to coincide... No, was Qlipoth 'interested' in my child from the very beginning?"
The "child" Timogesi spoke of was, of course, Little Bai.
"Fortunately."
"'Time' is something I will soon have in inexhaustible supply."
---o---
"Finality is me."
The ring finger was the second to curl back into his palm.
"...Although it wasted a great deal of time."
A hint of dissatisfaction, absent before, crept into Timogesi's tone.
"As a former tool of the Mother Tree, I know all too well the pattern by which the 'Astral God of Time' (Astral God of Finality) acts. After I lost my identity as 'Origin,' the 'Final Monarch,' who was watched with extra caution, couldn't even be considered a tool. He was merely a puppet."
"Dealing with a puppet," he said, "is both simple and easy."
"When there is no opportunity, any operation or method is futile. But when an opportunity arises, a small breach is all that is needed for success. Nanook and the Final Monarch fought for countless eons just to create such an opportunity."
"Thankfully..." Timogesi's gaze never left the Monarch. "After six thousand years, the opportunity has once again appeared before me."
That was right. The Final Monarch had not been "corrupted" from the beginning. Although Timogesi had laid his plans long ago, he had only recently taken "control" of the Final Monarch.
At the same time, Timogesi's words revealed a fact: if the battle between Little Bai and Annihilation six thousand years ago had gone according to the Final Monarch's script, then Timogesi's plan would have likely already succeeded. Of course, if Annihilation had won... the outcome would have been the same.
"Now," he continued, "the only Dominions left are 'Preservation' and 'Origin'."
"When 'Origin' and 'Finality' touch, 'Time' and 'Spirit' will be within my grasp."
"Matter and Spirit, Time and Space."
All four of Timogesi's fingers retracted, and his gloved hand formed a fist, the most direct symbol of power.
"With them, the Mother Tree will no longer be able to bind me!"
"..."
Timogesi's expression remained calm, but his voice had changed significantly.
"Timogesi," Aha spoke up. "You are no longer an Astral God. If you take these four most critical Paths from the hands of the Astral Gods, do you know what will become of the entire star-sea universe?"
"..."
"Who knows?"
"Perhaps the Mother Tree will generate new rules to replace them, creating an entirely different new universe?"
"No. The Sea will drown the Tree," Aha said. Though he was the God of Elation who had witnessed the "end," his tone was now unprecedentedly grave.
"Everything that exists will be destroyed. All known rules will be completely overturned."
"..."
"Aha, my old friend."
"With your power, no matter how the Tree and the Sea are upended, survival is not an issue for you. The high-dimensional subspace might be affected, but that would only be for Astral Gods below the universe-class, no, 'individual' level."
"..."
After a brief silence, Aha called out.
"Order."
"I am here," Little Bai responded immediately.
"Protect yourself."
"Timogesi has not yet completed 'Origin.' He still lacks the minimum threshold of eighty-one Dominions. 'Finality' and 'Destruction' are currently in a standoff with Qlipoth's 'Preservation.' As long as nothing happens to him, the star-sea universe still has a chance. And for nothing to happen to Qlipoth... the Paths within your body are of the utmost importance."
The Path power stirred by Aha caused a drastic change in the "sea conditions."
"With just 'Order' and a few odds and ends—" Timogesi interrupted Aha. "Old friend, do you intend to fight me with 'Elation' alone?"
"Even if such a Path is taken to its extreme—"
Aha retorted in the same manner: "The you of the past, naturally, would not."
"But now..."
"Old friend, you have been corrupted by the Abyss."