Semi-Space
"This Fighter group, you're approaching our Carrier far too close. Identify yourself," a voice sounded in Heian Ciemnosc's Ornament as they traveled to the destination. 2 hours had passed when they finally received a message before their naked eyesight allowed them to notice the Carrier they were looking for. Heian Ciemnosc established communications with the voice and responded. "Co-leading Team Leader Heian Ciemnosc, Crimsonbreaking Faction."
“Young black monster! It’s good to finally hear from you,” the voice responded enthusiastically. Heian Ciemnosc was sure the person, whoever it was, on the other side of the line, was at least a Godly cultivator, but they were still nonchalantly talking to him. “Please head to this location. That’s where you can stay before being called to meet the Sect Master.”
“Understood,” Heian Ciemnosc replied before continuing on his trip. After a few minutes, he could finally see the big spaceship anchored in the middle of nowhere. Without activating his nature reading, it prickled at Heian Ciemnosc’s mind. Regardless, out of respect and in case he fucked something up, Heian Ciemnosc didn’t read through the space surrounding them and continued flying.
The Fighter-shaped formation continued flying for another few minutes before arching and heading towards a small hatch. It was one where drones could come out in batches or Fighters in emergencies. The Phosphorescent Flower Sect wasn’t at fault for wanting secrecy.
Heian Ciemnosc led his Fighter group towards the small hatch, entered it first, with his Eternal Return Team behind him, and after flying at a medium speed within the Carrier’s tunnels, arrived at a hangar as big-sized as those from the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s carrier, but not the main one.
Futomp, futomp, futomp, futomp, futomp…!!
Fighters flew into the hangar nonstop until everyone from the Crimsonbreaking Faction had joined Heian Ciemnosc in floating above the floor. A few auxiliary units from the Sect had come, starting to direct Heian Ciemnosc’s group as they joined him near the small hatch.
In under a minute, the Fighter group descended on the hangar and exited their Fighters as a bunch of Third Second and Third Step cultivators were used as auxiliary units, carrying ammunition and repairing kits. The pilots gladly opened their Fighters and watched as the Sect granted them all a well-deserved welcome gift.
“... Young black monster?” Suddenly, as everyone felt grateful for the generous donation, Heian Ciemnosc heard his alias called by a Core Disciple of the Phosphorescent Flower Sect. He turned his head to look at a person with a decent attitude and who stared at his Fighter group without much expression. From a Fourth Step Core Disciple, a Godly cultivator, it meant a lot.
“Yes?” Heian Ciemnosc walked away from his Ornament and stood before the Core Disciple. The latter scanned the former with his eyes, slowly nodded, and started. “We’ll contact you when all parties have arrived in case they do so earlier than expected. You’re one of the firsts, but please, don’t move away from here. This is a crucial matter. I know you understand. I’m just making sure we’re heard.”
“Oh…” Heian Ciemnosc nodded before returning to his Ornament. The auxiliary units jealously cleaned, checked, and resupplied his Ornament while giving Heian Ciemnosc some glimpses. Heian Ciemnosc talked to his Team members and responded to some questions in his emblem to the Fighter group to pass the time.
Beep! “Young black monster, a Servant will come pick you up. Your presence is requested.” Not long after the Core Disciple left, a message spoke to Heian Ciemnosc through his medallion. He looked at his Team members and nodded before walking towards the hangar gates.
Pfssht, slide~. “Ah! Young black monster… Please, follow me.” An early Second Step cultivator appeared between the gates as they opened, revealing an oversized, long hallway leading somewhere else. The pal was not even 20 years old, and nature reading told Heian Ciemnosc the young boy hadn’t cultivated for even 10 years. Heian Ciemnosc looked at the young boy, who turned around and followed after him.
Step, step, step… The two of them walked for a couple minutes before the young boy stopped. A panel soared from beneath the floor, supported by a pillar with the diameter of an adult’s head, and the young boy clicked on it before turning to Heian Ciemnosc and saying, “Now, please put the names of the leading figures from each Fighter Team that you’d want to receive information directly with you. You can also choose someone extra from your Fighter Team.”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc said nothing and walked over to play with the panel. He noticed everyone’s faces from his Fighter Team and selected the team leaders of each. Additionally, he chose Ruo Wei as the extra representative from his Team. The young boy looked around and gave Heian Ciemnosc time.
“Ready? Cool, let’s go. The Sect Master is interested in you, ehe.” Thus, the young boy led the way again, and Heian Ciemnosc followed. They passed through the entire long hall until another set of gates appeared. After going through them, a transporting vehicle was waiting for them. They boarded it and immediately moved towards a personnel portal.
Heian Ciemnosc went through another 3 such portals, arriving at an immense place where it was surrounded by halls, which only a few transporting vehicles moved around, and the rest of the traffic seemed to avoid this place. This was ostensibly a ‘VIP’ location where only higher-ups and upper echelons were allowed, perhaps.
Heian Ciemnosc didn’t bother asking the young boy, preferring the silence. This trip took them less than 5 minutes after stepping outside the hangar. It wasn’t that strange, considering the same could happen in the Crimsonbreaking Carrier. Only not everyone could use them. On the other hand, here in the Phosphorescent Flower Sect’s Carrier, anyone with allowed permission can go through these portals.
“... We’re here,” the young boy said, gesturing towards the gates. They seemed ordinary, but Heian Ciemnosc could almost feel the array formations coming from them. The sensation made him revel, making Heian Ciemnosc believe he could ‘feel’ them thoroughly if he could enter the later stages of the [All-Devouring Force Chronicles]. However, it wasn’t that simple, and Heian Ciemnosc remembered the autobiographies of grandmasters Craftspeople and even Lords Craftspeople.
“Ah, one last thing… if you don’t mind, young black monster.” Heian Ciemnosc heard the young boy speak. He looked to his left and watched as the fella fidgeted with his fingers, looking at him embarrassed. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t know if the young boy had butterflies in his entrails or was just slightly ashamed of whatever he was about to do. The young boy said, “My 3-year-old daughter has seen some of your fights… I was wondering if you’ll let me have a picture with you?”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc looked at the young boy dead in the eye. The young body didn’t notice, but Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes initially trembled for a mere instant before showing only calmness and stillness. “Sigh…”
… A minute later, Heian Ciemnosc requested permission to enter the central command, and the gates opened. While Heian Ciemnosc was guided inside by a beautiful, obscure violet-robed lady, the young boy opened his medallion and talked with someone as he showed the image of his countenance with Heian Ciemnosc at the side. It had to be someone from the Carrier since no Universal Conveyance was allowed. This was a covert operation, after all.
“See that? Daddy got it~,” the young boy looked proud. A young woman’s voice accompanied the baby sounds on the other side of the line, causing a smile on the fella’s face. “Alriiiight~. Damn, I didn’t think it’d happen. Sigh, let’s wait until she’s asleep, okay? It’s gonna hurt…”
“Kukuku…” The young boy couldn’t care less about the young woman’s helplessness. He had won!
… Step, step, step, step. Whatever story Heian Ciemnosc just formed part of didn’t matter to him. Although he still felt like shaking his head when being guided inside, he ignored everything else and prepared to meet none other but the Phosphorescent Flower Sect’s Sect Master!
Besides being his old pals, Yun Tang and Yun Nitu’s master, this was the leader of one of the leading figures of the whole Existence! Equal but even stronger than Celestial Isayid and on par with the acclaimed as strongest organization under the Fifth Step, the Obscure Orb Sect’s Sect Master.
Heian Ciemnosc could only be polite here and not mess anything up. The beautiful lady, at least an Acting Elder in the Sect, led Heian Ciemnosc to a room in the middle of everyone else working in the central command. There, Heian Ciemnosc met a few dozen other representatives from their organizations.
“!” One of them were Yun Nitu and Yun Tang! The former leaned her left cheek on the latter’s right, robust, long arm. When they saw Heian Ciemnosc, he saw them, too. Yun Tang’s expression went from boredom to joy, and Yun Nitu’s eyes strongly shone as she waved at Heian Ciemnosc, silently petitioning him to come closer.
“You’ve arrived, good,” another voice interrupted Heian Ciemnosc’s thoughts as he walked to the Yuns. He wasn’t stopped, so he continued without halting and stood beside Yun Nitu as the person who spoke to him, and turned before speaking into his emblem.
“Heian Ciemnosc! So glad to see you~!” Yun Nitu said, keeping a straight face, slightly smiling lips, and holding his left wrist with her right hand. Heian Ciemnosc looked at the seemingly excited gal and studied her pretty face. She narrowed her eyes to a close and gently spoke, “How have you been? I heard many things from my spies in your Faction.”
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“Err, she refers to her ‘girlfriends’ that have joined the Faction, nothing else.” Yun Tang mentioned, trying to avoid the start of a war between these two. However, Heian Ciemnosc was aware. He looked at them both and shook his head slightly before taking Yun Nitu’s hand in his. “I understand. And I’ve been well… Have you talked to Elena?”
“Mhm! She said you’ll only see her in Mini Warlord until you decide to show up again. Is she punishing you for leaving her?” Yun Nitu said, squeezing his hand and forming a crooked smile from the left corner of her mouth. Heian Ciemnosc looked down at the changed lady and said, “Now that I think about it, I don’t have your Universal Conveyance. Should we add each other and play someday?”
“Eer… no, I-” Yun Nitu tried saving herself, but what were bros for? Yun Tang chipped in and encouraged her. “Of course! She’s doing very well recently. Just look at her cu- ah, never mind. You’re still in the Second Step, ahem.”
Heian Ciemnosc only slightly smiled at Yun Tang’s words, not explaining he could see through Yun Nitu’s cultivation base to a certain degree. He couldn’t tell the exact stage she had cultivated to, but she was in the later stages or even at the peak of the Mythical realm.
“She’s a Mythical realm 10th stage cultivator. I have just broken into the 5th stage, but it’s not my fault. There can’t be 2 Sect Masters, right? The Sect made a choice, and I’m left behind…” Yun Tang said, turning sad and pitiful at the end of his words. Yun Nitu turned to face him and softly caressed his right cheek with her left hand, tilting her head as if melting.
“Aww, don’t be like this. You know I’ll take care of you. Haven’t I told you?” Yun Nitu’s words were quite smooth. Heian Ciemnosc was surprised, and he approved. As expected, Yun Tang was weak to her touch, and he calmed down while clasping the back of her hand.
“Attention!!” At this time, the person who caught Heian Ciemnosc’s attention before shouted. Yun Nitu slowly retracted her hand, and Yun Tang became a dumb boy in love. Heian Ciemnosc ignored their lovey-dovey moments and looked where everyone else was. He saw a hidden gateway open, revealing the shadow of a person. Before long, that person’s appearance illuminated, and everyone could finally see her.
“!” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes widened at the sight. A black woman, youthful, wearing a verdant, semi-transparent crown. She was a Human, had picked up hair in many bun-sized braids, and looked strict. She was followed by another 2 people. One of them was a tall male Human, white with a grayish tone skin color and with a flatly amicable expression.
The other was a female Draw-Giant. For some reason, she wore glasses, but they made her look adorable despite her ‘regular’ height despite her obvious Races-mix. She had undulating, raven black hair and seemingly petals atop her head. Her skin was pale-ish and creamy, while her body was quite charming from the front, to say the least.
Step, step… “Good. All of you here is a welcoming fortune to my Sect,” the black woman, followed by the other 2, said after she stepped into the limelight. The piloting experts in the central command faced her and saluted her before returning to work.
“You must already know my comrades here, but allow me to introduce them to you personally,” the Sect Master said, gesturing to the white-gray-skinned man before doing the same to the Dwarf-Giant beside him. “This is my Sect’s Grand Ancestor, Epopa. He and my Vice Sect Master, Kate, will brief the rest of you after I have a word with everyone here.”
“Greetings, Sect Master Diquiu Slan!” The crowd of organizations’ representatives bowed, and some even half-knelt to greet the Sect Master.
”...” Heian Ciemnosc remained unmoved. Not because he wanted to but because Yun Nitu’s hand on his wrist moved to his shoulder, stopping him from moving any further. The Sect Master looked at everyone before her gaze fell on him. Her eyes showed a different light to the Sect Master than she let know.
“...” Heian Ciemnosc kept silent as he felt thoughtfulness from the Sect Master. He suddenly felt a little apprehensive, and the intrigue to know how the Obscure Orb Sect Sect Master budded in his heart. Was it interest? Respect? Longing? Heian Ciemnosc didn’t know where to start meditating, so he left it aside and recomposed himself to focus on the meeting.
“Young black monster, co-leading Team Leader Heian Ciemnosc… It’s my gratitude that you have chosen to participate despite the dangers ahead.” The Sect Master directly talked to one of them. If this wasn’t a straightforward show of respect and the desire to give him leadership, then what could?
The others also received notes about Heian Ciemnosc and his importance in the covert operation, although it wasn’t detailed. But neither did Heian Ciemnosc know about it. And from the looks of the Yuns and the Golden Terra Sect’s representative in the room, only they seemed to know what it was all about.
“Mr young black monster here will be the leader of all of you. His capabilities are what makes him the most important asset in our covert operation to achieve our goals.” The Sect Master began, directing her words to everyone as the other upper echelons looked at each representative. She continued, “His experience to live through similar events and his nature reading advanced level at his cultivation base are critical. So, all of you will become his direct subordinates. Don’t look at his cultivation base, but at your lives if you ever find yourself doubtful.”
Even if the other representatives felt doubtful towards Heian Ciemnosc, as they should, they couldn’t express it to the Sect Master. They didn’t have any reasoning behind their words other than mindlessly contradicting the Sect Master and being wimpy about being led by the weakest among them.
“There are many ‘treasures’ within the Semi-Space we’re sending you to. It’s a location that my Phosphorescent Flower Sect and the Golden Terra Sect found after many generations. But the dangers are insurmountable. Greed will be equal to your deaths…” The Sect Master suddenly looked at Heian Ciemnosc, “And that of others.”
“... … …” Suddenly, the representatives looked a bit pressured, realizing that wherever they were going wasn’t just another place in the world or a ‘second’ world where they could harvest resources. Besides, Semi-Spaces are scary, failed, or ‘denominated’ as incomplete. They lack life and laws unlike in any other Space.
“Is there any question? I will only allow smart doubts. Any other can deem itself worthy of me ignoring them,” the Sect Master strictly spoke, clasping her hands before her chin. The notion placated the majority of unrest within the representatives’ minds. But a couple of them remained unconvinced.
A gal from a Fire element-based organization stood forward with her eye-catching, fiery emblem and respectfully bowed towards the Sect Master and Heian Ciemnosc. “Sect Master, by making young black monster our commander in this covert operation, do you expect us to follow his every word and order?”
“He will have permission to kill whoever he wants…” The Sect Master calmly looked at the gal, who looked at the Sect Master, somewhat shaken. The Sect Master then added, putting rest and convinced nearly everyone else. “You can leave the main group and go on your own. You might gain more treasure this way and more for you and your organization. But I nor young black monster will be held responsible for your organization’s people’s extermination.”
“Gulp…” The gal stepped back meekly. Before 3 seconds passed in silence, a young man stepped forth and clasped his hands with slightly narrowed, haughty eyes. He bowed to the Sect Master before starting, “What will happen if Heian Ciemnosc dies? Will your people take his place? Or will whoever has the best capabilities be granted this heavy burden?”
“...” The Sect Master didn’t respond at first and only looked at the young man. Her lips moved at last after enough pressure to make the young man kneel fall on his shoulders with nobody exerting that pressure in the air. “My Sect’s people will abide by my orders here, and so will the Golden Terra Sect. They will ensure the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s safety and the commander’s order. That, I can promise with their loyalty, but none of you need to do that.”
“Your commander won’t die. If he does, I doubt even my people would survive inside this Semi-Space. Any more questions?” The Sect Master ignored the young man and looked ahead. The young man stepped back with a darkened face, and the crowd went silent. The Sect Master nodded, and Vice Sect Master passed a device to her from behind.
Piiing. “This is the Semi-Space we’re sending you to. Its interiors are unknown, and there are no records of anyone ever entering it. It has been a long time since it exited and was lost. Don’t underestimate anything you see. You might think something looks harmless, weakened, or vulnerable. But they will not. They are only death. Remember that.”
“..” Heian Ciemnosc got an inkling of what kind of ‘forces’ they would face inside that Semi-Space. The Sect Master continued, showing a coffin seemingly hidden somewhere, presented beside the image of the Semi-Space, which was just a glowing blub.
“While there might be other treasures, my organization is in dire need of one in particular. My people will carry a Relic to find the way to this object. It’s of utmost importance. Whatever you can find will become useful from this object. Additionally, every other item you find for my organization, be it a treasure, a natural resource, or knowledge, my Sect will pay you and your organization tremendously.” The Sect Master said, honestly speaking from her heart comprehensively.
“Now… any doubts? Before your group enters through those gates,” the Sect Master gestured to the side where the main entrance was, and Heian Ciemnosc immediately stepped forth to let his request be known. “Sect Master Diquiu Slan, I’d like to ask for something beforehand. I can’t know nor guarantee if I can find more treasures for your organization, but I’d like to know if you’ll let me ask for something in exchange for participating in this covert operation.”
“Ha! Shameless…” - “Seriously? Ugh…” - “What- who does he think he is to ask for something without doing anything?” - “And he’s our commander…”
“... Go ahead,” the Sect Master looked at Heian Ciemnosc nonchalantly before saying those words. Heian Ciemnosc nodded and bowed, saying as he kept his back bent. Yun Nitu looked at him, surprised. As for Yun Tang, he was thinking about what to eat later.
“I… have someone I’d like to teach the Bellink and Genoa’s Descent Supreme Arts. A couple of people, actually. I’d wish for your permission and guidance to give them this opportunity.” Heian Ciemnosc’s words weren’t too absurd, but they were also quite greedy. The representatives fell apprehensive, while even Yun Nitu became pensive.
“Are these people important to you?” The Sect Master probed. Heian Ciemnosc nodded and offered no more words. Then, she asked again. “Are they that important? So much that you’ll waste such an opportunity to help yourself or form a solid alliance with my and the Golden Terra Sect?”
“Yes.” Heian Ciemnosc kept his back low as he asked. Finally, a snort sounded behind the Sect Master, and Vice Sect Master Kate spoke in a slightly high-pitched, smooth voice. “The Sect Master does not need to answer this. You learned the Belling Supreme Art, right? You just need their permission and my Sect’s guidance to teach it to whomever you want. That’s… acceptable.”
“However, my Sect won’t promise anything to a possible dead person. Come back, and you’ll have your honors rewarded as you’ve requested. If you return but can’t even achieve your words, don’t even give your face to my people anymore. Understood?” The Vice Sect Master said with crossed arms, nudging her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
The Grand Ancestor to the side moved his hands behind his back and limited himself to lightly smile. Heian Ciemnosc felt a sigh of relief forcing its way inside his head, from himself, and another from Sara. Silence prevailed. Heian Ciemnosc straightened his back, and the gates opened. Sara lightheartedly whispered, “Sigh, your balls are heavy, huh? Do you just want to see people die inside? Why create so much commotion before they tell you anything?!?”
“Does that mean you already know?” Heian Ciemnosc asked in his inner self as he watched his Crimsonbreaking Faction’s Teams leading the other cultivator groups into the central command. Sara crossed her arms and puffed out with a pouty, angry face.
…