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THIRD POV
Meanwhile, somewhere in Solaria, something devastating was happening.
'Belenos, the Gods' signals are fading by the second.'
A telepathic message from the Supreme Star reached the Deity of Sun.
"I can sense it. I just..."
Belenos slammed the table before her in frustration, the poor piece shattered, the sound reverberating through the palace.
"Will someone get rid of that thing?"
She yelled commanding her troops.
Solaria is considered the biggest fraction of the Pond followed by Azyrion. If the Pond is a hundred, Solaria consists of fourth five, if not more. Noticing his creator's distress, Alter the strongest Hypergod responded to the call. It was an indirect call from his creator so he knew best.
He calmly made his way into the grand hall of golden light. With measure and confident stride, he eventually stopped at the centre of the hall, kneeling.
"You can't go alone. I'll inform Sabaki to dispatch Aquila right away."
That was the first thing Belenos said.
Hearing this, Alter flinched. His creator has created him, the strongest God, the only intermediate between Stars and the Omnis, yet it is willing to send another Hypergod to the scene.
"Light Deity..."
"Silence!"
She roared, her voice crashing through the palace as the entire structure trembled under the force, cutting him off instantly.
"You're strong, but the rate at which the Gods' signals are vanishing from the Pond is unbelievable. For some reason, I have a doubt you two will take care of it."
She said in all honesty. Never has the Pond faced such for since the O-Class.
"Its threat level has long surpassed the Hypergod stage and it's increasing by each kill."
Said threat fed from the vulnerable Domain, Elyvra before making its way into Solaria. The fact that it can cover such a distance within a short time as well as effortlessly kill the Gods it's not something to be taken lightly.
Alter was silent, he wasn't permitted to speak so he stayed silent.
"Dispatch for now. I'll talk with Sabaki to send reinforcements."
Alter raised his head, his eyes locked onto his creator. He wanted to complain but there was no order to talk.
"Speak."
Belenos has no reason not to hear whatever he has to say so she permits him.
"I'm ready to go, Light Deity."
He said simply, no defiance in his tone.
"I know you are. Now go and prove your worth."
"Thank you, for representing this wonderful opportunity to me."
With this, he stood up and bowed before disappearing.
Alter appeared at the edge of the island where the palace stood, his gaze fixed on the Nests in the distance. In Solaria, every Nest had been drawn under Belenos's central Domain, and their control now rested in his hands.
"This new feeling… annoyance."
He said under his breath, the word settling uneasily.
"How dare it disturb my Light?"
He began, his tone calm yet anything but comfortable.
"How dare it dim me in the presence of my own radiance? How dare they force me to stand beside a lesser god?"
With each question, his golden aura swelled, growing heavier, sharper, until the very air strained under it. The Nests began to tremble in response, their structures quivering beneath the rising pressure of their guardian's wrath.
[[IMAGE]]
[[IMAGE]]
"I can't let this happen. Only I will be The Intermediate."
Without hesitation, he descended at a slow, calculated speed, rending space apart in his wake. His crimson eyes darted sharply, tracking the flickering blur of his target as it leapt from planet to planet.
"Lock."
He cast, isolating the universe before he landed with a deafening impact, crashing into a planet within the universe. The sheer weight of his arrival carved a crater visible even from space.
From the swirling debris, four glowing red eyes emerged, then, slowly, one faded, leaving only three burning in the dust.
A jagged bone shot out to impale him but it dissolved inches from his body. It wasn't a barrier he summoned; it was a natural field, an innate force that shielded him from all harm.
"If you can't get past this you'll never be an opponent for me."
Alter spoke, his voice carrying across the space, and in response, it giggled.
The sound was wrong, sharp and uneven, echoing like something that did not belong. From that alone, it was clear it was no ordinary being, but a monster.
ALTER POV
Without hesitation, I summoned countless spears from the Divine Gates and unleashed them in a storm of blinding flashes. The creature deflected every single one with a spark, then reappeared before me, its blade-like arm slicing toward my head.
I caught the strike barehanded only to feel...pain. Blood... trickled from my palm. These are new concept to the Intermediate God, fields he has never experienced before.
I tightened my grip until its arm cracked and splintered. With a Mystic-Class sword materialising in my other hand, I drove the blade straight through its heart.
"Disintegrate."
The blade shone and exploded, knocking off the monster.
'Huh?'
I felt the heat of my chin and checked only to draw out blood. I was injured again from an attack I could've detected but couldn't. It wasn't healing or perhaps, he chose to let it bleed.
"I need to end this before Aquila arrives. I could've finished it right now but from the looks, it's not complete.'
I watched as the creature regenerated completely, not a feat for a Nebula or a Void Dragon. This has be an otherworldly creature, perhaps the one's lurking in the Underworld.
I dashed forward and drove my fist into it, the impact sending it hurtling across space until it crashed onto another planet.
'A planet? Why am I holding back?'
I glanced at my fist, searching for an answer that refused to come.
Even as the thought lingered, I knew the truth. I could end it here, alone, without effort, yet something in me resisted.
'It is obvious. I do not want to kill it yet. It is incomplete. Ending it now would be nothing but cowardice."
I adjusted my strength, just enough to move it without destroying it, forcing the shift beyond this universe instead.
The space around us bent, and in the next instant, we crossed into another universe, emerging into the vast emptiness of space.
The creature let out a low growl, then dropped towards the nearest planets, tearing through them, devouring Stars and evolving with every passing second.
Seeing what it was doing, I moved. I paused the very concept of movement across the world, and everything came to a halt, frozen where it stood.
Traces of my energy still clung to the monster, and I used that link to close the distance instantly. I appeared beside it and drove a backhand into its body, the impact sending it hurtling out of space.
(Teleportation is still movement but instead of moving through space, the distance is covered without moving through it.)
I released the grip on the concept and it ran away heading for Supergods and Hypergods if possible. Its speed increased but I chased it minimising my speed.
I descended the planet and four corpses of Supergods can be seen hanging in its blade-like arms. The last Supergod's energy had its energy absorbed. After absorbing their energies, it devoured their bodies and its monstrous form began to transform taking a humanoid form.
"Can you speak now?"
I asked, ignoring how I just watched my fellow Stars get devoured.
It looked human but some monstrous distinction such as spikes protruding from its body and the skeletons stood out. Despite that, gender can be classified even though it doesn't need one.
"Still not complete."
It struggle to speak before uttering a single word.
"N...no."
With its speed and strength improved once more, it attacked.
"Rainbow Ray."
Seven colours materialised spiralling together to form a beam of light before firing towards me. I simply slapped it off, changing its direction.
"Stolen powers from Stars won't work. Destruction Flare."
Golden flames erupted, taking the form of a roaring lion that tore across space, its impact annihilating the planet and every celestial body in its path. Her wounds sealed in an instant, and for the first time, she countered, unleashing an attack entirely her own.
"Gravity... Space...devour."
By her command, she became the centre of gravity pulling everything into it. Naturally, Hypergods have their one centre of gravity so they can exist outside the natural gravitational force. But this is different.
'Gravity, space? Only gravity is taking action.'
I pointed out not picking up the spatial aspect of the attack. As soon as a planet reached the invincible line, the force was reversed with extreme pressure tearing the space creating a rift.
The rift opened further, pulling the planets to the event horizon.
'If this keeps up the universe will crumble. And I won't fight her in her peak.'
This was against my plans so I took action immediately. Without casting, I teleported us to another universe. Now I'm surprised because the cut on my cheek hasn't healed.
At least a hundred Supergods and at least three new Hypergods rained down from the sky as reinforcement. I looked up, puzzled, noticing I'm open, and she attacked. Her fist cloaks with darkness to deliver a punch. But I was on guard and easily dodged it. A bone outstretched, stabbing my vulnerable point.
"Curse."
The wound opened and black curse marks spread rapidly covering my body.
"Darkness. Not absolute yet, but it'll buy time. Now then,"
She turned to the heaves, ready to face the Stars ignoring the immobilised Alter who disintegrated from darkness.
"Activate, Dark Realm."
The world activated without needing time to spread, it engulfed the entire universe.
"Stay still and be part of my growth."
Her voice dripped with malice-and the moment she spoke, everything began to crumble. Stars, planets, galaxies, even the universe itself disintegrated into dust. The transcendent essence that once sustained it all vanished, as every trace of power, energy, and divinity was drawn inexorably into her body.
A portal splintered open behind her, and I stepped through, completely unscathed. Yet she paid me no mind. Evolution had begun. Darkness swallowed her whole, swirling and writhing until it burst outward in a storm of shadows.
When the void cleared, a woman stood there, draped in black. Her long hair, darker than the night itself, flowed like liquid shadow. Crimson eyes gleamed with quiet menace as she drew a black-and-red blade, its edge humming with annihilation.
"Finally. "
I muttered, golden light shaping to form a sword. She swung the sword once releasing a chaotic arc instantly replacing the space with a rift.
"No concepts to your advantage now, golden boy."
She said with a smirk, dashing towards me and we clashed.
In terms of swordsmanship, they were on equal footing which left me bewildered. I was forced to the defensive in no time as she was pushing me back.
Clash, clash, clash. Fresh wounds were inflicted with each strike. Somewhere within the rift, an azure beam streaked through Hyper Space at impossible speed.
Sensing the intruder's presence, she pivoted sharply, her blade flashing in a precise vertical arc to intercept the incoming spear. Sparks ignited from the clash, then another spear whistled past, grazing her neck and leaving a clean, crimson line across her skin.
"Oops, I missed."
Said the awaited reinforcement. His otherworldly appearance shines majestically amid the Hyper Space.
[[IMAGE]]
[[IMAGE]]
"It's unheard of for the Intermediate to need a backup. But I've responded to the Deity of Sun's request along with My Lord's approval."
Aquila said, hovering slightly above us.
To be continued...