"Why…!"
"No!"
In the midst of all of this, Aldrich's eyes remained impassive as he watched the Star Forging Celestial Commander in his hands begin to fade away, a shocking sight displaying itself all around the tens of miles area as hundreds of thousands of Celestials had their lives extinguished.
"There is no underlying reason, your uses have just run out."
Aldrich spoke out slowly as there was not a single soul to answer him, only golden flames remaining in the surrounding miles that signified the lives of Celestials he had raised for years. Numerous Fate Lines descended down at this juncture as the apathetic eyes of Aldrich glanced at the ashes around him.
"Do not blame me for what I am about to do to the creatures dwelling in this little cage of yours. You have simply pushed me too much."
His cold voice rang out again as his figure carried out another long distance teleportation, disappearing from this area that bordered the Dark Expanse as he went towards a different location.
At this same time, the commands he released to the other Celestial Legions to destroy the location in the Dark Expanse they occupied were being carried out with extreme cruelty, the Celestials themselves not knowing that hundreds of thousands of beings just like them were just decimated by their Founder!
As they began destroying the lives of many in the Dark Expanse, they had no idea what fate awaited for them as they made their return to a place they called home!
The events about to occur next...were simply too horrendous, and the deaths would be simply too many. It was a cruel and sad time period, and one that would be remembered throughout history…
---
In the location above the Verittas Fortress, Noah and the other Commanders began receiving news from many locations that were monitoring the occupied strongholds of the Dark Expanse by Celestials.
The news they received was of shocking cruelty, of numerous stars beginning to be destroyed as Celestials could be seen retreating!
"This…!"
"Monsters!"
Many beings growled out in pained fury as they heard this, as too many of them had connections to these places, where some soldiers even had their families still living in strongholds occupied by Celestials! Now, they were hearing that they would not even get the chance to fight back for them, that the Celestials had begun destroying stars using their World Commanders or Prime Warships, if not the more horrendous Realm Dreadnaughts.
"Snow Field Stronghold...has been destroyed!"
"The Bronze Star Cluster is…!"
Numerous shocking news rang out as the many forces in the Dark Expanse began to move and react to these news, Noah turning towards the 1st Infernal Lord that had begun speaking with a cold tone.
"It seems Aldrich is adopting drastic measures. Go, save all those that you can."
Noah's figure disappeared even before the words of the 1st Infernal Lord could finish as he teleported to the location that his identity as Crixus had a role in helping occupy, his main body appearing at the Witches Layer where three stars were rotating the last time he was here.
Now, only two stars remained as one had already been targeted by a Prime Warship, its core blasted by destructive lasers as the billions within it were wiped away!
"Wretches!"
RUMBLE!
Noah moved with a cold expression as his eyes blazed red, his figure targeting the three Prime Warships that were now aiming their weapons towards the other two remaining stars as he cast Aether Star Form and barreled towards these vessels in an instant, smashing into them and destroying all those within as he moved to save the remaining two planets.
WAA!
Baleful Aether and many other skills were employed as he moved to wipe out any of the remaining Celestials nearby, moving fast to save as many beings as he could.
As his eyes watched the already shattered star, he felt pangs of guilt for the billions lost as it was through his identity as Crixus that this Witches Layer was taken over, but never did he expect for Aldrich to command his forces to destroy conquered areas after he appeared!
RUMBLE!
Noah continued to move as he was among the many beings across the Dark Expanse that moved angrily to stop the injustice and blatant genocide currently being carried out by retreating Celestials, the fates of many creatures being affected this day as chaos freely spread out unbound!
It would be a long, painful, and sad day for many to live through, but it signified the nearing of the end of something that would have carried on for years.
If it had followed the normal route, the Last War would have lasted for a much longer period of time, with the possibility of trillions facing their deaths.
But now, less than even a month after the Last War began, the Celestials were already retreating while carrying out horrendous actions.
Whether it was through the law of ever-increasing chaos and disorder.
Or through the steering of the river of fate.
Or through the karma sowed by the multitude of creatures.
An end was coming, and a new beginning would soon arise.
Chapter 577: The Inquisitor, Athena I
A few hours had passed since the Celestials began their retreat while carrying out horrendous actions.
During this time, Noah and the others had moved to save all they could, even the Nebula Realm Infernal Lord and the recently appearing Fritz lending their hand!
But when all was said and done, billions of lives were still lost on this day as numerous stars faced complete destruction. It was a sad day, but it also marked the beginning of something new as all Celestial forces effectively retreated out of the Dark Expanse, leaving many beings to wonder where exactly things would go from here.
Noah's figure flashed back to the Verittas Fortress as he glanced at the starry expanse of space where many things had occurred, his mind receiving a message from the 1st Infernal Lord as he looked after his forces in the area.
"Aldrich must have seen your genius methods of advancements and pulled back his forces because of it, choosing the route of stumping your growth while he completes his comprehension in a Supreme Law."
The words of the 1st Infernal Lord rang out in his mind first, with her figure materializing beside him thereafter as she continued to speak.
"But...fate continues to move where it wishes, and the actions of a single being will not stop it."
Even during this situation of immense loss of lives that occurred today, the 1st Infernal Lord smiled as she continued.
"You recall when I gathered all the Infernal Lord and gave out the commands to hold captive the enemy Commanders they faced? A grand present is waiting for you in the Fourth Infernal Realm when you have the time."
"...!"
Noah turned towards this unique existence as he reigned in his emotions, seeing that the gathering of Fate Lines might actually be continuing with a much smoother method even after Aldrich interfered and initiated an unexpected move that still had its effects spreading out even now!
Noah nodded towards the 1st Infernal Lord as he began sending messages to his subordinates, sensing that huge things would be occurring in the next few days as he had to prepare diligently.
"I'll finish a few things here and then make my way over."
He looked towards the smiling Infernal Lord as he said this, seeing her expression shine even brighter as she began to disappear into particles of light.
The space around the Verittas Fortress regained some quietness as figures moved here and there, Noah's subordinates beginning to disappear as his Infernal Legion also began to move back towards the Doorway leading to the 2nd Infernal Realm.
The Commanders of the Dark Expanse continued to busily move as Old Man Inuit worked with Vladivostok and the Grand Mage Edrusim to stabilize the chaotic situation, Noah not needed to attend to any of these things as he went on to conclude events of his own before the next stage was set!
His forces disappeared one after another as
they returned to his Infinite Realm, the gaze of his main body landing on his remaining clone who had gone to protect Athena when Aldrich appeared, those two figures also disappearing as they were sent to the Infinite Realm.
He left the battlefield at the Verittas Fortress for the last time himself as he teleported into the radiant Infinite Realm, this time appearing above the wide seas that used to be in his home world.
The unique aesthetics of the Infinite Realm that was vibrant with the essence of all sorts of laws brought in a calming effect, but the figures currently populating the skies above the wide blue seas had varying expressions.
Noah glanced at the beings that he had teleported in this area as they ranged from Harbingers of Sin to the Beasts of the Infinite Realm, with the addition of a figure imprisoned in a cage made of Aether and a lone Athena that floated in the skies with a difficult to read expression.
All of them were above the beautiful blue seas, an enormous vessel arising below them as the figures of Atlanteans and Merfolk rose to the surface, their gazes all locking towards the two new figures of Grandmaster Vredral and Athena!
Vredral was the being imprisoned in the cage of Aether, his mouth snapped shut as the baleful essence restricted him from even speaking a word. All he could do was send murderous glares toward the creatures around him.
Noah looked at all these beings as he raised his hand, his voice resonating out clearly to every single being here.
"We have advanced much, those we labeled as enemies being stopped in their tracks as they even retreated today."
Yes! He and his forces had moved forward with their goals as they opposed Celestials, being largely successful so far as now all that remained was a final battle!
"Some of you faced varying levels of pain from Celestials, with a few holding very personal grudges as things that were very important were taken away from you."
The gazes of the Kraken, remaining Calamities of the Sea, and the Ocean Master that had appeared from the sea below on the expansive vessel all shook at these words as they continued to listen.
"A few months ago, multiple figures boarded a Prime Warship as they appeared above the Lost World. These two...are the only ones remaining alive at this moment."
Noah pointed towards the caged Vredral as well as the figure of Athena who stood with his clone, his voice continuing to ring out.
"When it comes to revenge for the lives lost and for the destruction of the Lost World, we have reaped the lives of many Celestials! The ones standing before you today are the principal figures that were directly involved, but there are also intricacies behind the scenes that created for the way that events occurred on that day!"
He waved his hands as he said this, causing the appearance of an illusory screen that began relaying the truth behind many events, starting with the similar scenes he had shown Athena not too long ago as he narrated the hidden history that very few were privy to!
He was set on coming up with a good conclusion to the being that had helped to set in motion many of the events that occurred so far, the fate of Athena being the major thing to be decided on the meeting here today!
Chapter 578: The Inquisitor, Athena II
An entire hour passed as those around Noah learned a great deal about how the Celestials used to operate behind the scenes, coming to know of the reasoning they used to destroy many worlds as well as some of the ways they recruited their disciples.
The major thing was for them to understand Vredral and Athena, the beings they had come to know in the past few months as Noah moved with them using his identity as a Celestial!
After the hidden truth and histories were laid out with the inhabitants of the destroyed Lost World understanding everything fully, Noah looked towards them as he asked.
"You know the past history, and you have lived the future. What do you all wish to do?"
"..."
---
An eerie silence descended upon the gorgeous environment of the Infinite Realm where a few powerful figures were clustered.
Athena's eyes glanced towards all of these beings as her heart actually felt at peace, hearing the words of the being she knew as Crixus that caused this silence to descend.
When she saw her own life history playing out in front of her, she had gazed towards this being as he was the reason her heart had grown calm- and it was because she confirmed that there really was something in the heart of this Junior Brother that was forcing himself to act coldly towards her the past few days!
A person that did not care would not have bothered to explain or justify things to his own subordinates, but Crixus went to great lengths to show the truth to them before he asked them what they wished!
Athena looked at the beings that she had destroyed the World of as even in the calmness, her eyes shook. This was because she still remembered carrying out those actions, and even if she used the excuse of being deceived by Celestials, she was still the one to ultimately push the button that released the destructive lasers.
Even though Grandmaster Vredral was right there beside her on that ship powering it with his Domain Expansion Realm energy, it was still her mission that she completed! Thus, her heart was at peace as she prepared for the actions that the inhabitants of this destroyed world would take, even though it seemed her Junior Brother was actually going out of his way to protect her!
The silence ended when a single miniaturized Calamity of the Sea moved forward.
It was the one holding the Sin of Wrath, the being who was closest to the Lost World as he heard its last few words when it fell! The Kraken moved towards the crazed figure of Grandmaster Vredral who was contained in the cage of Aether.
"Master, may I…?"
The Kraken voiced out as Noah waved his hands, the cage of Aether disappearing as Vredral regained control of his body and screamed out.
"You all will peris- Huk!"
His words were stopped short as the tentacles of the World Rank Kraken wrapped around him, his power still at the Domain Rank this entire time not being able to do a single thing as he felt his body constricted and his bones begin to break!
CRUNCH!
The Kraken did not even give Vredral any time to release any last words or curses, using its powerful strength to actually crush the body of this being instantly!
The Ocean Master and other inhabitants of the Lost World looked at this scene as their hearts became lighter, the eyes of many moving towards the figure of the War Princess they had seen move with their Master, and also the being that played a crucial role in the last battle at the Verittas Fortress.
The Kraken also floated towards her as his red eyes looked into hers deeply, as if trying to sense something or discern a deeper meaning!
"Even though this woman was brainwashed at a young age and deceived by the Celestials, she is still responsible for what happened! But...we are not cruel like our enemies, so I will speak out on behalf of the inhabitants of the Lost World when I say this."
The gaze of the Kraken who was the most powerful being from the Lost World shone with splendor as he finished his words.
"So long as she continues to use her strength to work with us in order to change actions that she and many other Celestials have carried out over the last hundreds of years...she can earn forgiveness!"
RUMBLE!
Invisible waves of fate spread out at these words, Athena looking up to the Kraken and then towards Noah as her eyes shook.
…!
Many of the beings looked towards each other as some held nodding expressions while others were impassive. The Emperor Penguin shook its beak as its beady eyes glanced at everyone with disdain, its gaze seemingly looking down on everyone here as if it knew a larger truth that many of them were not privy to!
Noah nodded at the words of the Kraken as he waved his hands and began sending out commands once more. If one was really paying attention, they would be able to notice the heavy weight lifting off his shoulders at this moment.
"Very
well. I will send out word later for the role this being with Noble Fate will continue to play in the future."
Noah looked towards Athena as he said this, his words continuing as he spoke to his subordinates.
"Continue training and prepare, as it looks like the final fight is coming soon. Though it seems that many of you will not be able to participate in it…"
Noah's words trailed off as his subordinates nodded, many of them beginning to move out as they sought the Time Space or a specific Law Space for them to train in while using their loot they obtained from the recent battle!
The Atlanteans and Merfolk nodded appreciatively towards Noah as their vessel returned to the sea below, the Kraken and other Harbingers looking towards Athena before they moved out as well.
Above the beautiful blue sea, all that was left were the two figures of Athena and Noah's main body, his clone returning to the Time Space to continue training as the time drew closer!
The voice of Athena rang out at this time. It seemed to be filled with complicated emotions as her expression held a gaze of hopefulness and loss at the same time. She was extremely grateful for the kindness that the inhabitants of the Lost World showed, as she knew they were well within their rights to even demand her death from their Master. But they chose a different path!
"Thank you...Junior Brother."
Noah heard this voice that seemed to have many emotions in it as he nodded, looking out across the expansive blue seas around them as his mind went over his own thoughts multiple times.
"The...the places affected by the Celestials are many, and even if this war ends in your favor, they will require the help of powerful beings to re-establish order."
Athena continued to speak with slight hesitation as she glanced at the back of her Junior Brother, regaining the valiancy of the past War Princess as she continued.
"I will stay true to my aim and stand forth to establish order...and I would like your assistance again if it is possible, Junior Brother."
Infinite Mana In The Apocalypse c1-705 Page 226
