!!!!! Pr Credits To Draconis Von BloodTrap & Dragonofsomesort Who Constantly Help With SR chapters, Please take the time to rep them for their work :)
This was last weeks regular release, writing so many sponsored chapters was interesting practice XD that being said i finally had time to edit the sponsor queue and fix it to show that it was cleared.
The path in regards to the plot SR is taking is one that needs time and patience to set up, when you have 5 universes at your disposal i was thinking of pulling the xianxia route and talking about mention-able things as the story progresses at a fair pace, for instance if any notable place or creature appears that will be when i mention it, that being said it doesn't mean im not going to throw some tid bits out there to help the hype a little, but i feel it wouldn't be good if i throw to many info dump chapters
now if you will excuse me XD i have a dozen or so pms to read as well as to prepare this Wednesdays regular release a bit early so its not late
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“Perfect.” Septim was fairly pleased with this. In the end, he still had to give Avrin the fragment of God Essence and was risking quite a lot by allowing him time to grow even stronger. Septim Carefully pondered something, he could only hope that Avrin understood Septim’s knowledge about his improvement rate.
“Of course.” Avrin raised his hand and a moment later, Septim flicked, causing the white fragment of God Essence to appear in Avrin’s palm, after which Avrin engulfed it with Nebula Mist and the chunk vanished. It was, of course, not gone, but placed within his Dark Space. Avrin’s advancement to the Dark Stage enabled him to manipulate the space to some extent, allowing him to store items inside, almost like an enchanted bag within his body.
Septim, seeing that the fragment vanished, couldn’t help but inwardly sigh. The fragment alone could have benefited him greatly and now he was all in. The results in the best case scenario would benefit him greatly, though. He felt great greed knowing he could benefit from Avrin. All he had to do was continue to play the good guy until he obtained all he needed.
“I’ll be leaving now. I do hope you won’t bother me until the deadline arrives?” Avrin spoke in a straightforward manner, not beating around the bush for something important. All in all, he had no intent on helping Septim. He didn’t like him nor who he served. If he helped them, only regret would follow.
Septim forced another smile and spoke. “Of course not. As a token of even more good will I’ll send you off.” Septim raised his index finger and three runes began to glow under Avrin and the unconscious Larissa and Amias, and soon, a flash brightened the room before it dimmed, only to reveal that the three of them were gone. Septim’s smile and calm expression turned grim as he glared at where Avrin stood a moment before. “Once I take what I need, I will deal with you to avoid anyone else obtaining such blessings.”
Back within the northern continent, the Spectrals had already been organized and were cleaning up. Asura, Kael and the others had awoken, only to find that their home was destroyed with Orochi gone and the remains of a battle. Erebus instantly assumed it was Avrin who saved them, as he could feel that Avrin was no longer in training.
After organizing everything, the weaker Spectrals had been grouped up and repairs were being made with what they could salvage.
“When do you think Master will return?” Kael sighed as he spoke to Asura, who was carrying a large pillar between his bulging biceps. “Hmm, oh, him? When he wants to, I guess. More importantly, when’s lunch!” Asura spoke, clearly forgetting about this near death experience.
“Urgh… Is the time of lunch all you think about?” Kael couldn’t help but feel strange while shaking his head in dissatisfaction. This seemed to irritate Asura, who refuted: “Of.. Of course not! I care about dinner and breakfast just as much!”
Kael looked at Asura as if he were wondering what Avrin was thinking when he converted this thing. Though before he could reply, a bright, runic line shined in a clearing near them. This drew the attention of all the Spectrals, who quickly grew nervous and prepared themselves for the worst. Kael brandished his sword and Asura was ready to use the large pillar he held as a club.
Though when the light dimmed and Avrin, with a grin, appeared, Asura felt himself tense up and he quickly dropped the pillar, hoping Avrin couldn’t read his thoughts. He quickly called out. “Welcome back, Master! Hahahaha!“ Kael glanced at Asura and grinned before looking back at Avrin and running up to him.
“Master, what happened?“ Kael was lingering on the fact that he didn’t have answers, though Avrin turned to look past Kael to see Erebus, with a pale, grim look, walk over and bow respectfully. “Lord Monarch. Welcome back.”
Avrin gazed at Erebus. “Why do you look so worried. It’s not as if I let any of you die, is it?” Erebus, listening to Avrin, felt a sense of relief. “Lord Monarch, again, you seem to have saved all of us. I apologize for being so weak. Avrin remained quiet for a moment. He looked around, seeing that not only Erebus, but also Kael and Asura had looks of anger and regret.
“If you were capable of fending off Orochi, your progress would stun me. I don’t expect any of you to be able to fight on par with a dragon, let alone that nuisance. What’s done is done.” Avrin then glanced around and spoke again. “Shandian, stop hiding and come here.”
Avrin’s words echoed somewhat, and the Spectrals, who had stopped to look in awe after Avrin’s arrival, suddenly began to glance around as well, but a slight rustling sound could be heard as a small head popped out of a pile of debris. Shandian looked at Avrin, its eyes bulging as if it wanted to cry. It rushed over towards Avrin as if it had found its parent.
“Master! Master! Ahh, my luck is terrible. I was almost killed… That dragon was one mean son of a bitch! Heh.” Shandian frowned as it circled around Avrin excitedly, feeling it was safe. Avrin blinked, knowing it was no short of a miracle it had survived. He reached into his enchanted bag and pulled out two Dark Cores. These were the Dark Cores he had gotten from the fruits that used the Sigil wielders as energy sources.
Shandian spotted those two glowing black beads and its eyes turned wide. Erebus, Kael and Asura watched with envy, knowing Avrin’s intention. Avrin extended his hand out towards the creature. “Eat these, it will help you improve at a rapid pace. The others are quite strong already while you’re lagging behind. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to help in the clean up. I have another thing to tend to before I return to secluded training.”
Avrin felt a little ashamed that he could not help his people much in this time of need, though it was not his fault. He needed to strengthen himself to reach a position where not even the gods could fight back.
“Master, you just returned, could you not stay longer? It would really boost morale.” Kael spoke with a little worry. Hearing Kael speak, the nearby Spectrals, who had not resumed their work, suddenly grew nervous. “Lord Monarch, please do not leave us!” One middle aged Spectral spoke. At that point, some had gained courage. “Please stay and protect us!” From there, many people began to complain. Even the ones that Asura had brought were voicing some worry, as they had heard about how powerful Avrin was.
Looking around and hearing all this, the pure bloods, including Eitri, who wasn’t too far away and was trying to salvage what he could of his forge, looked over towards the commotion. “Heh!” Eitri simply grunted while resuming his task.
“-What do you think I’m training for...-” Avrin thought to himself. He spoke out, his voice echoing across, causing everyone to shudder but turn silent. Though Avrin didn’t dare speak the truth for caution that Septim may hear him. “It is not that I do not want to help you! But look at how this mess happened. What’s to say a more powerful foe, stronger than the current me, will come. That is why I must use every second to train and improve myself. If I am not strong enough, I will not be able to protect you all.”
Things remained silent. The Spectrals that were working had stopped again. All of them held pondering looks. “Lord Monarch....” One of them quietly uttered, and finally a small child clenched his fists and roared out. “I told you that the Lord Monarch hadn’t abandoned us, Mom!! He is always watching and protecting us! You heard him!“ The young boy’s mother gave an embarrassed look as the many eyes focused on them for a moment, though scenes similar to this were happening all around until the Spectrals were excitedly cheering the phrase “Lord Monarch.”
Erebus gave a sigh of relief and even Asura found a little jealousy, while Kael and Eitri simply smiled. Avrin felt that establishing a connection with his people was quite important, so he decided to continue speaking but in a more hushed tone while Asura and Kael headed off to resume work, which made the Spectrals all return to their tasks filled with vigor.
“Mwasta, thwes thywngs ar dewelicious! More!” Shandian spoke without many near indiscernible words. After gobbling up the two Dark Cores from Avrin’s hand, it felt a surge of strange warmth coursing through its body and an urge to go improve its particle types. “No, I don’t have anymore for you, glutinous creature. Go find a place to train. When I return, I want to see some improvement. Those two Dark Cores are near priceless!” Avrin felt a little wronged. Even if it was him who had given the Dark Cores to Shandian.
Shandian lowered its head and rushed off to do as Avrin said before he could punish it, or worse, not give it anything that good to eat again. It was at this point that Erebus spoke curiously: “Master, before you go...uhh...what about these two?” Erebus motioned to the two unconscious bodies of Amias and Larissa. Avrin turned to look at them both with a regretful gaze.
He wasn’t sure if Gregson was alive. Finding him would be hard, as there were many humans who would be as strong as him, but for Avrin finding Lilia it was simply a case of finding a very powerful half demon half human. The interesting thing was, he seemed able to discern a pattern with each person. Lilias mana pattern was easier to find, while Gregson’s was more or less ordinary. Avrin at least knew that a majority of the human race had ventured to thee southern part of the Central continent, and some even went to the northern part of the southern continent.
“For these two.... Look after them.” Avrin raised a hand and two drops of blood from his fingertip floated out. Nebula Mist surged around these drops of blood, forming into transparent Dark Cores with Avrin’s blood at their center.
Erebus watched in confusion as these two Conversion Cores flew over towards him. “Master, what are these?” He asked, confused. “When these two awaken, I want you to tell them about our race and about me. The boy knows my name. Give them a choice. They can wait two years for me to help them find their families, or they can eat these cores and become a Spectral that will have to pull their fair share and improve themselves to help one another.”
With that said, Avrin began to extend his Divine Sense, even as Erebus spoke. “Lord Monarch...is...is it ok to simply obtain two more pure bloods?” Avrin, at that moment, thought carefully. In Gregson’s case, if he was indeed dead, then he wanted to look after his daughter as a favor to thank him for helping him. Avrin wasn’t sure if Larissas brother was even alive, or her friends, but this was his decision.
For Amias, Avrin had treated the boy as a pest previously when his arrogance was quite high, thinking that as long as he took things carefully, everything would be in his hands. Avrin, of course, knew Amias most likely held no other choice, unless he wanted to venture out alone. When Avrin’s Divine Sense scanned over the White Dragon clan’s home, he found that the area was in ruins spanning for several miles. He even found Lang’s corpse, which made him feel that the dragons spared no one, not even their own kind.
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“We will see. In any case, I still have many matters to tend to but limited time. Every second counts.” Avrin’s Divine Sense had managed to pick up Lilia and, surprisingly, Driada in the far western part of the Demon Continent, within the mountainous region in a small village that was quite intact, perfect to hide from dragons who felt no one would hide in such a desolate place.
Though the more Avrin looked around Seleria with his Divine Sense, the more he understood how much devastation Orochi had brought. “I’m not a hero, I cant save everyone.” He muttered to himself, Erebus, of course, hearing him. “-Lord Monarch… You must have seen it all..-” He cautiously thought.
Avrin then retracted his Divine Sense, enveloping it over the entire area that covered the Spectrals. It was almost like a strange, a visible transparent purple wind that caused everyone to feel shocked and afraid. Specks of dark matter began to form in the air, but Avrin ignored it, as he was currently willing the particles of everyone present to memorize an order from him.
Feeling their bodies act a little strange, the Spectrals began to worry, with some looking towards Avrin, who was engulfed in a near ominous black and purple aura. Though they snapped back to reality as Avrin’s voice echoed in their minds.
“--Converting is now restricted for everyone. Each one of you has a special particle that allows you to form a Dark Core. This Dark Core can be devoured by someone who isn’t a Spectral to convert them. Use these wisely, as you will never be able to convert another being again if these conversion particles are wasted unless I allow you to--”
The Divine Sense scattered and the Spectrals began to whisper and ask what was going on, some even engaging in meditation on the spot to find those particles. “Lord Monarch...will this...be necessary?”
Avrin glanced at Erebus and spoke as he heard his worry. “It may or may not be permanent… The reason Orochi even attacked is because of a man who stole my blood and converted himself. If it can happen to me, it can happen to any of you. Particles, of course, can’t be stolen. At least, not to my knowledge. I will return in two years. There shouldn’t be anyone who bothers you in that time, but just to be safe, it is best if you rebuild the city underground.”
As Avrin spoke, he handed the Conversion Cores to Erebus. He soon vanished and appeared several thousand miles away, within the western part of the Demon Continent. Lilia was smiling warmly while hanging out the laundry. It seems she, in her frustration, decided to move to this part of the western continent, and because the dragons attacked, she didn’t dare venture out and felt she could wait until her father found her, or until it became safe.
“La la la..hmm mm mmm” She hummed to herself, before a cold, annoyed voice spoke out. “I’m bored. When can we leave!” This voice belonged to Driada, who was wearing a somewhat revealing red and blue dress while propping her head up with her left hand.
“If father truly cares for us, he will find us. That being said, right now it’s dangerous out there, Sister. We should just wait here. Remember what happened last time you tried to leave? You almost got caught by a dragon!” Lilia reminded Driada. This was the reason Driada didn’t dare explore. The dragons were as common as flies outside of this place, and she held quite a bit of fear without her Sigil weapon. “That.... That was bad luck. But this time! Damnit, why did I even listen to you.”
Lilia simply laughed and replied. “Because you said anything is better than being locked u-”
Before she could finish, a purple light flashed in between them. When the glow faded, a floating sphere could be seen. This sphere was a Dark Core, though the Dark Core didn’t remain floating for any longer as it expanded and began to form into a figure. This figure was in a laid down position and engulfed in a purple light.
“What’s...” Lilia was confused and on guard as she prepared her weapons and was ready to activate her field. Even Driada had both her hands extended out with two bolts of dark magic prepared for use, caution in her eyes.
As the purple light dimmed down, the figure was revealed. It was Azrael’s lifeless body. The body softly landed on the ground, and the energy that brought him here dispersed. Silence reigned for a good ten seconds afterwards.
“Father....” Lilia’s eyes were wide open as her body began to shake while looking at Azrael.. “FATHER!” She rushed over, dropping her weapons as she knelt down beside the body and began to shake him, even trying as much as using a healing spell. Though she was no fool. Anyone could tell this man had been dead for a while. “WAKE UP!!! PLEASE!!“
Driada was watching in shock as Lilia cried and screamed for Azrael to wake up. Driada was not sure what to do. She could only watch with confusion, even as her body shuddered somewhat. She remembered when she was little and Azrael played with her and bought her all soughts of things to spoil her, then she remembered the near present where she betrayed him and didn’t lift a finger to help him while her weaker half-sister put her life on the line to free him.
“I’m.... I’m a failure...” Driada fell to her knees and covered her face with her hands as she began to sob. It didn’t take long for several of the curious demon inhabitants of the village to hear the screaming and crying and they came to check what was going on. Though not too far from the village, Avrin was looking down at them from a hill, seeing them in their sorrow and anguish. “I lost my mother and felt so sad, even when I didn’t know her at all. If that is enough to cause such sorrow, than I don’t know what the both of you, who knew your father, are currently feeling...”
With that said, Avrin’s body turned to ash. He used his Divine Step, returning back to the northern continent. He arrived at the eastern edge, within a small cave that had formed from a collapsed mountain, most likely caused by a dragon.
Sitting down in a comfortable position, he retrieved the core that Orochi was formed from and placed it into his mouth. The effect was near instant, as he felt his strength shoot up by an incredible amount, though he didn't stop there. He willed the Dark Space in his body to directly absorb the white fragment of God Essence and it was devoured with little resistance. Avrin began to close his eyes while thinking to himself.
“-Zephiron, huh… You’re going to be the first one I kill when I finish…-” With that, Avrin entered his inner workings. He first began by reading the next clue from the book God had given him. After reaching the New Deity level, he had discovered the book was not something God simply made, but it had a name, and that title was simply Heart of God. It seemed strange to Avrin, but he understood a bit. After all, the dark matter heart he possessed was a fragment of something powerful and referred to as the Heart of God.
“The next stage is the Void stage, huh.... Void… What makes a Void… Surely the clue to advancement is within the name. Empty space… Endless.... Unless..” Avrin’s body suddenly shivered. He had a theory. It would be quite frightening if it was the truth.
He began to will a single particle to have all the energy it has gathered to condense as much as it could into a single core. The moment this occurred, he felt that this condensed core of dark matter energy caused a very insignificant tremble within the space. This made Avrin grin a little.
“For now, I’ll keep feeding them energy. Thankfully, with Orochi’s core adding to my Dark Space, it should be enough to keep it going. The process should be similar for the C.Particles, but both are different. One is used to control while the other to keep my body intact. If I can maybe try something...”
Avrin began to scan around a C.Particle carefully, and sure enough, he found at the center of each one was a very, very miniscule mass that looked almost like a brain. It made Avrin almost pity the thing for how small it was, though Avrin began to tinker a little. He willed the C.Particle to feed this brain a constant flow of dark matter.
The brain itself, Avrin realised, remained the same size ever since his C.Particles were first created. This meant that he could have maybe sped things up if he had fed these miniscule brains some dark matter. Avrin didn’t think that the C.Particles could remember more orders than the normal ones, which is why he scanned around for something different.
He would utilize this to help increase the intelligence of the C.Particle and, hopefully, as it grew more intelligent it would be of more use for his more advanced stages. Avrin watched as the brain inside the C.Particle began to contract a little and expand at a slow but steady pace. As the brain-like mass expanded, small, veiny lines appeared within it that sprung up and shot towards the inner shell of the C.Particle.
From there, the brain began to send off small pulses of blue light across the C.Particle, making it quiver and change and causing it to shrink further. This process continued until the shell of the C.Particle had a sort of transparent, ghostly appearance, resembling the shape of the brainy mass inside, as if it were the soul of the brainy mass. Of course, one could also see the small, veiny tendrils that attached the brainy mass inside to the transparent shell of the particle made from dark matter.
“Type 12 C.Particle...” Avrin couldn't help but grin and, after seeing that the change was significant and beneficial, he willed the new Type 12 C.Particle to assist in converting the others and, once they were all converted, to begin on feeding every Type 11 Dark Stage particle dark matter.
Avrin glanced at the first Type 11 Particle he had willed to form a condensed core and looked with some astonishment. He could see that after being fed with dark matter from his Dark Space, the core looked jet black and held a heavy glow. The core seemed to be rubbing up against some invisible barrier that caused the space to tremble somewhat. Avrin knew that, although the process was not complete, right now this was a Type 12 Dark Stage particle.
After setting the order and everything in motion, Avrin left that part of his inner workings and willed his consciousness to his observe his Dark Core. Walking past the first field where the grass shifted colors, representing Astaroth, and the next field where it represented Limos, Avrin stopped and looked strangely at the wall in front of him. This wall was completely white, with a single black handle, much like a door’s. It was so white and endless one may think it would make them go blind.
Avrin was unable to look past it at all, not able to view the dark matter core or the glowing energies of Astaroth and Limos. As Avrin reached up to turn the handle, he felt his heart violently tremble. It surged enough to make him fall to his knees and pant heavily.
He felt a throbbing pain on his left arm, and watched in shock as it began to turn a little transparent, as if it were vanishing. Avrin was stunned. The sound of a door creaking open caused him to look up, and as he glanced at that white wall with the door open, what he saw caused him to change from a look of shock and worry to one where he his lips curved into a smile.
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Avrin's Inner Workings Status
Dark Stage Control ParticlesType 120%Dark Stage ParticlesType 120%Skymetal WeaponsAstaroth-ScytheLimos-Vajra