Chapter 3696: One After Another IV
Chapter 3696: One After Another IV
The Weakest Converged Architect among those who entered was decimated as his True Source of Infestation was overwhelmed by something it didn't even understand!
And above Noah, the massive Mythic True Signature of a Shattered Entropic Wheel with a single spoke remained. Its tremendously fast attacks—based on the record of the Quintessential Emperor's Annihilation Technique, First Form—swept out at this moment on all enemies that gazed upon it!
The weavings of existence where only Noah and the Holder of the True Source of Infestation were contained seemingly broke down, as everyone in the surroundings became visible once more.
And the effects of the Shattered Entropic Wheel spread as they seemed like unfathomably fast blades of existence, seeking to cut down every Dead Thing in sight.
But…
The figure of Veltraxis, the Smiling Empty Maw, stepped forward.
He stood before all of the Dead Things as the attacks surging toward them—and those hurtling toward him—converged in his direction.
His smile deepened.
And in the next instant, existence itself began to fold, constrict, and collapse around them.
Near them all, the possible weavings of the living True Sources of Existence ceased to exert their effects.
In his hands, Noah felt the terrifying True Source of Entropy he held—his Spoke—vibrate as he received a horrific backlash. The weavings, Wild True Sources, and existence around him began to fold and collapse in a terrifying manner, threatening to bring down all Complexity!
For the first time in a while, he felt a threat.
He felt his Moderate Complexity and Quasi-High Purity here in danger!
He prepared to exert even more power and even call his other True Sources here, when in the next moment…
WHOOSH!
Ash began to spread around him as a man surrounded by endless ash appeared.
WAA!
The Mythic True Signature of the Great Beyonder released trillions of obsidian-gold runes around him.
Veyl'Aethra radiated a wonder of white as his left hand trembled.
And around him, the terrific collapse seeking to pressure his existence itself was forcefully paused, with an erupting gray sea of ash even pushing it away!
"And here I thought there was still honor in Dead Things…"
The voice of the Holder of the True Source of Asche rang out as he stood before Noah, the Great Beyonder, and Veyl'Aethra.
The scene cleared.
In the region where Veltraxis was, the entire Domus had changed—as if everything nearby had collapsed and filled with paradoxes. Extreme obsidian foldings spread out, resembling the Nullvein Gravewake Folds!
Within them, the figures of the Dead Things became even more empowered. The power they radiated seemed twice as potent.
In front of all this, Veltraxis stood, his smiling expression never fading.
He floated toward the spot where M'gorrhaal, The Crawling Colossus, once stood. His obsidian-clawed hand reached out and tapped the area, as if struck by remembrance.
And his aged voice echoed out.
"He returns to the everlasting silence between pulses, where no weavings dare shimmer and all hungers are finally still. Let his rot sing with glory, for even decay remembers greatness."
…!
Was he… honoring the decimation of M'gorrhaal?
Afterward, he turned to look toward the direction of Noah.
His gaze bypassed even the ancient figure surrounded by gray ash.
"Honor? Honor? Is that tasty? Can I wipe my arse with it? You see, when you are a Dead Thing, you have to be adaptable. You have to be like… what was that saying? Ah yes, you have to be like water, my friend."
HUUM!
"And I am a very constantly changing stream of water at this moment. I have to adapt."
His complexity was terrifying.
Even though it was deemed… High, it was terrifyingly so.
He alone had done something unfathomable—as this Gateway Domus was no longer simply filled with Wild True Sources… but the weavings of the Nullvein Gravewake Folds themselves had been inserted here by Veltraxis!
The Smiling Empty Maw shook his head as he looked toward Noah with eyes pulsing with obsidian death and continued.
"The one whose True Source you just collapsed… do you know what he was asking me just moments ago before we arrived?"
…!
"He was asking me whether we should alert and let the other Mawbearers of the Hollow Concord of Nullity know what we were doing—and whether we needed support. I told him no. Because if there was a clue to that which so many of us seek, I wanted it for myself. And if there was no clue, I would've simply feasted on the weavings of a living Wheel of Existence. But now… to honor him, my mind has changed."
WAA!
Noah's expression became stern.
The Holder of the True Source of Asche's calm smile faded away entirely as he began to move, a massive Mythic True Signature of himself blooming above him!
"Haha, I've already done it. I've alerted all 100 Mawbearers of the Hollow Concord of Nullity about a possible Wheel of Existence I may want support on. Your location—unalterable across the Nullvein Gravewake Folds—is now known to all. And I do this not because I believe I cannot wipe you all here… but out of an overabundance of caution and efficiency. I am old. Truly old, and I have seen many things."
…!
"Did you expect fairness? Did you expect that after asking for a one-versus-one battle and then destroying a Converged Architect, I'd be dismayed—have my pride hurt—and send another Converged Architect one after another? No. No, no, no!"
His eyes and weavings brimmed with death and madness.
"No."
Around him, the terrifying weavings of the Nullvein Gravewake Folds continued to spread!
"No… this is not a fairytale. This is not some fantasy. This is real. Too many things are at stake—and you don't even have the capacity to understand what existence for Dead Things is like. Today, you'll get a glimpse of how that feels. A glimpse of pain. A glimpse of death."
BOOM!
Countless weavings collapsed all around as this entire Gateway Domus became filled with the weavings of the Nullvein Gravewake Folds!
And Veltraxis looked coldly at the four of them.
The Great Beyonder was ashen, her eyes trembling with rage and horror.
Veyl'Aethra sighed, his gaze one of desolation.
And the Holder of the True Source of Asche sighed with ageless solemnity.
Things… seemed utterly dire.
The Smiling Empty Maw's outstretched smile became even more jagged as he continued.
"It seems all available Mawbearers of the Hollow Concord of Nullity who aren't tied up by other Wheels will be here soon. Tell me—has your Wheel of Existence not undergone multiple Breakings already? How many Resplendent Monads and Converged Architects does it have? Because unless you've dozens… things do not look well for you."
Its words were taunting.
"Oh, and speaking of which…"
And as if things couldn't possibly get worse…
"It seems the first one has arrived."
Veltraxis looked behind him- and in the next moment, the folded, collapsed weavings of paradoxes, existence, and nonexistence erupted as brand new auras of… 26 Dead Things bloomed.
Half Converged Architects. Half Harmonized Sourcebound Icons.
And in the lead…
"Haha, my brother—the 63rd Mawbearer of Endless Paradox—is the first to arrive, it seems."
At the forefront, a terrifying entity led the group of 26 newly arriving Dead Things. It radiated a level of Complexity eclipsing even the 77th Mawbearer of Recursive Hunger, Veltraxis!
It was an unfolding of existence that spelled doom and decimation.
Weavings that caused Noah's eyes to burn with tyrannical lividity!