"My Lord, you aren't just planning." She realized, "You are already building it. A 'Burning Legion' of Demons to conquer the Abyss itself."
"Exactly." Haru said, "If I can transform the Demon Emperor himself, I can rule the Abyss without firing another shot. I could use the Fallen Angel Legion and the 'Holy Demon Legion' to sweep through every planet in the universe while the Angel Army finishes the job. It would be an efficient, absolute conquest."
Celestia's expression hardened with a sudden, fierce determination, "Lord, I will bring you the Demon Emperor's soul myself. I will suppress him until he has no choice but to kneel and become your believer."
…
As they walked, the conversation turned toward the nature of their reality. Celestia's tone became serious, her divine sense reaching out to the borders of the Endless Continent.
"Lord, now that I have regained my Pseudo God Monarch Tier strength, I have perceived a terrifying truth." she began, "The Illusory Angel Realm I remember… it doesn't actually exist. Our entire race was 'virtualized' by the entity you call GM. And that GM is not just a collection of the Endless Continent's Laws."
Haru nodded. He had also begun to suspect that the forces behind the Castle Lords were more than just programmed scripts.
"A single planet's Laws lack the power to create a race as potent as the Angels." Celestia continued, "Behind the laws of the Endless Continent, there is a vast, ancient force hidden in the shadows. I believe it is the Throneveil Shrine."
The name hung in the air like a heavy weight. The Shrine was the supreme temple built by the Ancient Titan Pantheon. Most believed the Shrine had declined into a ruin, a hollow graveyard for Gods to scavenge for treasures. Legend even claimed the God King of the Titans was buried there.
"People believe that the Titan God King and the Ancient Titan Pantheon are gone." Celestia said, her intuition glowing with the certainty of a Pseudo God Queen, "But my senses tell me that one of the dominant players behind your GM is a survivor from the Shrine. Possibly the God King himself."
Celestia hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her eyes searching Haru's face, "There is one more thing. I sense that Svetlana is tied to the Shrine. My intuition tells me she may be one of those Ancient Titans."
Haru nearly stumbled. Svetlana was his future wife, a human Supreme Goddess whose beauty was shrouded by a mysterious veil, "Celestia, that's impossible. She is clearly human. I have seen her; I have felt her presence. There seems to be no Titan blood in her."
"My intuition has never failed me, Lord." Celestia replied softly, "She told you herself that bad things would happen if her veil was removed, didn't she? That veil isn't just for modesty; it is a seal. It most likely masks her true form and the ancient aura of the Shrine."
Haru fell silent, remembering Svetlana's warnings.
"Celestia, contact your incarnation in the Titan Realm. Analyze the data in that Super-Mothership. I want a list of every ancient Titan who was eligible to join the Shrine. If she is among them, I need to know."
…
As Haru led Celestia toward the courtyard of the palace, the Blood Moon rose higher, casting long, crimson shadows across the earth. But while the capital was peaceful, the distant battlefields were a landscape of carnage.
The war against the Dark Empire had reached its final, brutal stage. For two days, the Great Aetherium's host of millions of True Gods had systematically dismantled the enemy. The entire legion of Dark Gods was gone, wiped from the face of the world. Now, only a few alchemy puppets and undead servants remained, trapped in a shrinking circle of fire.
Millions of kilometers away, inside the Dark Empire's palace, Webster sat upon his high throne, his aura of a Supreme God vibrating with impotent fury. Below him, his core ministers trembled in silence.
"Two hundred thousand True Gods… gone." Webster hissed, his voice trembling with hatred, "They showed no mercy. Even those who surrendered were slaughtered. This is a blood feud that the Dark Empire will never forget!"
He looked down at his high-level subordinates, hoping for a roar of agreement. Instead, he saw only eyes filled with terror. His people knew what Webster was too proud to admit: the Great Aetherium possessed way too many Supreme Gods. Revenge was a fantasy; survival was now their only goal.
------------------
Become A Member At My Patreon For Access To Bonus Chapters Or Even Multiple Chapters A Day!
» Patreon.com/LordArchduke