Chapter 228: The Gods Of Mythraldor
[ Name: Igaris Vance ]
[ Age: 20 ]
[ Power Rank: God -5 ]
[ Abilities: Spells Records, Ancient Titan Transformation, Limitless Doppelgangers, Nuclear Fire Manipulation, Space-Time Domain, Soul Eclipse, World Destroying Finger, Undead Recovery, Basic Blademastery, Six Directional Sense, Gale Wings, Iron Fangs, Rock Boulder Throw, Spin-Shell Burst, Lightning Shell, Infernal Tornado, The Architect’s Eyes, Godslayer Sword Style, Kinetic Redirection, Earth Manipulation, Umbral Veil, Phantom Shift ]
Laws: Fire (99.9%%), Genesis (99.9%, Ruination (99.9%)
[ Concepts: Yin-Yang Reversal (Taboo) ]
[ Traits: Dimensional Sovereign ]
[ Innate Abilities: Infinite Acquisition ]
----
Seraphina’s breath caught in her throat. The man before her was no longer the same Igaris who had stepped into the Spirit Realm. He was something greater, something sovereign. Yet when his gaze fell upon her, it softened, the same rare smile curving his lips as before.
"I made it," he said simply. His voice carried through the skies.
Seraphina pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes glistening. Relief, awe, pride, and something deeper swirled inside her heart. Slowly, she approached, her steps careful on the sacred branch.
"You fool," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Do you know how worried I was?"
He tilted his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Worried... or daydreaming?"
Her cheeks flushed scarlet. She turned her face away, wings fluttering nervously, but her silence was answer enough.
The Eternal Tree rustled above, as if amused by the moment.
And so, on the highest peak of creation, under the watch of the Eternal Tree, Seraphina stood by the side of Igaris, no longer just a guardian but something more. He had ascended to godhood, but in her eyes, he was not untouchable. He was hers.
---
Far above the mortal worlds, beyond the veil of stars and ether, the realm of the Gods trembled. On the golden steps of the Divine Court, assembled deities froze in shock as a sudden ripple surged through the firmament. A foreign power, one they had sealed away countless eras ago, pierced through the barriers of faith energy and pressed upon their celestial thrones.
The one who presided at the highest dais, the God of Dominion, clenched his fist around his scepter, his eyes narrowing like burning suns.
"This is impossible... that aura belongs to the Eternal Tree. The Divine Liquid of Ascension has been consumed. But by who?"
From the shadows of the marble pillars, the Goddess of Pride lifted her chin with a smirk, though her voice carried an edge of fear.
"Only one who has gained the Tree’s recognition could drink such a nectar. That means the Eternal Tree itself has chosen this mortal. Tell me, brothers and sisters... has the Spirit Realm betrayed us?"
A murmur swept across the gathered Gods. The God of Greed’s eyes gleamed, his fingers twitching as though already yearning to seize this power for himself.
"Unacceptable. That liquid was never meant for mortals. It was crafted in the dawn of creation, for us alone. If it falls into the hands of another... then the balance of the cosmos will collapse."
The Goddess of War slammed her spear against the marble floor, her battle aura flaring with sparks of crimson.
"Then it is settled. We must intervene. Whoever this usurper is, we will crush him before his ascension completes. Otherwise, a new God will rise... one outside our order. One we cannot control."
Yet not all agreed. The God of Knowledge, robed in endless starlight, adjusted his spectacles and spoke with measured tone.
"You rush too quickly to blood. Have you not felt the nature of his power? This is no ordinary mortal, no chance-born anomaly. This is the same presence that once shattered our armies in Mythraldor. The same one who defied us even when wielding nothing but flesh and mortal spirit. That so called Overlord walks again."
At that revelation, silence fell. The air thickened with disbelief. Some clenched their teeth, others paled. The Sun God, Helios, snarled, his voice echoing like collapsing mountains.
"Overlord? That scourge? He should’ve been erased from existence by my own hand. But that damn shield protected him. And now you claim he is the person? How could he cross the Shield?"
The God of Knowledge raised his head, his golden eyes reflecting countless pasts.
"Yes, he did. But I don’t know how."
A wave of unrest struck the Court. The Goddess of Pride, though shaken, masked her unease with laughter that dripped venom.
"Then we have no choice but to destroy him once more. If he truly dares climb to Godhood, let us cast him down before the roots of the Eternal Tree. Gather the Legions of Faith, call upon the Demon God, and prepare the seals. We will remind the stars who rules above."
But not all shared her resolve. The God of Justice frowned, his hand trembling as he clutched his blade.
"And if we fail again? If this mortal is destined to surpass us, no matter what we do? Then all our efforts will only hasten his rise. Perhaps... perhaps we should not oppose him. Perhaps he was chosen by the greater balance to correct what we have corrupted."
His words caused an uproar. The God of Dominion rose from his throne, divine radiance flooding the hall like a storm.
"Enough. Whether chosen or cursed, this mortal seeks to rise where he does not belong. We will not allow it. If he dares ascend, then we, the Gods of Mythraldor, shall descend. If war is what he wishes, war is what he shall have."
But just then—
"BUZZZZ!"
The buzzing sound shook the heavens, a vibration that did not belong to the Divine Court nor the Mortal Realm. Every God froze. The walls of the celestial hall, carved from pure law and eternal flame, wavered as if struck by something greater than themselves.
The Eternal Tree’s roots quivered across dimensions, carrying a resonance that none of them could ignore.
A golden cicada of pure light manifested in the middle of the hall. Its wings trembled, each vibration producing a sound that pierced into the depths of their divine souls. None of the Gods had called for it, yet all of them recognized it instantly.
"The Herald of Balance..." the God of Knowledge muttered, his voice tight with awe and fear. "For it to appear here... it means the cosmos itself has taken notice."
The Goddess of War snarled, gripping her spear tighter. "So even the Herald stirs because of him? Tch. Then this mortal is far more dangerous than we imagined."
The cicada’s wings continued to hum, its light expanding until it cast illusions across the divine chamber. They saw visions of the Eternal Tree glowing, its branches expanding endlessly through galaxies. They saw Igaris seated calmly on the highest bough, divine liquid flowing within him like molten creation itself. Behind him, the stars bent, the laws of existence trembled, and in his hands flickered three primal forces: Fire, Genesis, and Ruination, each at the brink of total completion.
The Gods watched as the illusion played out, none able to turn away. They saw Seraphina standing guard beside him, her aura flaring with unwavering devotion, her eyes betraying something the Gods had long since abandoned: pure love.
The God of Dominion’s jaw clenched, his scepter trembling. "This cannot be allowed. That mortal dares command three laws at once. Even among us, such a feat is impossible. He will destroy the order we have built."
The Goddess of Pride laughed coldly, though there was a tremor beneath her voice. "Destroy? No. He will redefine it. And when he does, our thrones will crumble. Unless... we bind him first."
The Herald’s buzzing grew louder, shaking the golden pillars until cracks spread across them. The cicada’s voice was not speech, but every God understood the decree that rang in their minds:
"A Sovereign has awakened. His path is written in eternity. None may halt his ascension, save by their own ruin."
The words burned into them like brands. Even the most arrogant deities felt their divinity recoil.
The God of Justice took a step forward, his face pale but determined. "Did you hear? The Balance itself has chosen him. If we fight him, we fight the order of the cosmos itself. This is no longer about pride or dominion. This is about survival. Perhaps the time of the old Gods has ended."
A roar of anger burst from Helios, the Sun God, who rose in blinding flame. "Silence, coward! I will not bow to some upstart mortal. Chosen or not, he is not a God until I scorch his soul into ashes."
The cicada’s wings shimmered once more, sending out a pulse of light that extinguished Helios’s flames instantly. The Sun God staggered back, his face pale with disbelief.
The Herald then faded, its body unraveling into motes of law that scattered across the stars. But its decree lingered, echoing like an eternal judgment.
For the first time in countless eras, the Gods of Mythraldor felt the chains of inevitability tighten around their thrones.