The sun of Avalon was already low on the horizon, bathing the marble office in an orange glow, but for Sirzechs, time seemed frozen in an infinite loop of scrolls, productivity reports, and export requests. Months had passed since the inauguration of Alabaster Port, and the success of the expansion brought with it the only enemy that the Aura of Destruction could not erase: bureaucracy.
Sirzechs let out a heavy sigh, leaning back in his chair while massaging his temples. In front of him, a pile of documents from Farmenas awaited his signature, ranging from minor territorial disputes to subsidy requests for the new crop of runic wheat. Beside them, Szayelaporro's reports on magicule consumption in the naval shipyards were so dense they seemed written in a dead language.
— Grayfia — Sirzechs murmured, without opening his eyes. — Tell me this is the last batch of the day.
The head housekeep, who remained impeccable and motionless beside the desk, organized another set of papers with surgical precision.
— Unfortunately, my Lord, these are only the reports from New Alabaster. Governor Starrk sent a note informing us that textile production has doubled, but he attached fifty pages of complaints from Lilynette regarding the boredom of guarding the warehouses. Furthermore, there is Grimmjow's request to "preemptively bombard" any ship that approaches within ten kilometers of the port.
Sirzechs picked up a pen and signed a decree with a mechanical movement.
— Grimmjow wants to turn commerce into a firing range, Starrk wants to sleep, and Szayelaporro wants double the budget to research vacuum engines. Sometimes, Walpurgis feels like a holiday compared to a Tuesday afternoon in Avalon.
The silence of the office was interrupted by the sound of something being dragged in the corridor. Valerius entered, bringing a cart with tea and a small mountain of new scrolls sent by Rimuru via the railway line.
— Lord Rimuru sends greetings and requests your technical review of the new treaty for the free movement of monsters across borders — Valerius said, with a perfect bow.
Sirzechs looked at the new pile, and for a brief second, his eyes flashed with the crimson of destruction. A small spark of black energy jumped from his fingers, disintegrating the tip of a scroll asking for authorization to build a statue in his honor in Farmenas.
— If I use the Aura of Destruction on this desk, how long would it take us to rebuild everything? — he asked, with a tired and slightly mischievous smile.
— Approximately three hours for the furniture, my Lord — Grayfia replied without hesitation. — But it would take us three months to recover the accounting data. I would suggest you finish your tea before considering the total annihilation of the Duchy's administration.
Sirzechs laughed softly, accepting the teacup. The weight of the crown was made of paper, and although he could face gods and Demon Lords, managing a growing empire was his true test of endurance. He looked toward the horizon, where the lights of Alabaster Port began to shine, and felt a bitter satisfaction. Avalon was alive, pulsing, and, unfortunately for him, extremely organized.
— Very well. Let's see what Grimmjow wants to blow up this time — he said, pulling the next report.
The silence in Avalon's marble office was broken not by words, but by the sound of reality fragmenting. Sirzechs Gremory, exhausted by the limitations imposed by the laws of Veldanava, decided he would no longer be a pawn of fate. He closed his eyes and activated [Visionary] at a level never before attempted. He did not visualize objects or beings, but the basic unit of existence: Soul Energy.
Through an unbreakable will, Sirzechs began to generate thousands of units of pure soul energy from the vacuum. The process was violent. The sky over Avalon turned a deep crimson as the world system was forced to recognize the transition.
«Notice. Conditions met. Individual Sirzechs Gremory has initiated the Harvest Festival through self-generation of soul energy.»
Sirzechs' body entered a state of forced evolution. As he remained encased in a cocoon of black and crimson energy, his skills began to collide and merge. [Visionary], which created, and [Destruction], which erased, ceased to be opposites and became a single concept of total authority.
«Success. Unique Skills [Visionary] and [Destruction] have evolved and merged into the Ultimate Skill [Shiva, Lord of Creation and Annihilation].»
With the awakening of Shiva, a shockwave of evolution emanated from Sirzechs, traveling through the Soul Corridors that linked him to each of his subordinates. As the master had transcended, the "gift" of the harvest was distributed to everyone in Avalon, New Alabaster, and Alabaster Port.
In the heart of the capital, Grayfia Lucifuge felt her soul being reconstructed. The ice emanating from her body became eternal, and she awakened the Ultimate Skill [Cocytus, Queen of Static End]. She was no longer just a housekeeper; she was the guardian of absolute zero, capable of paralyzing divine laws.
In Alabaster Port, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez roared as his form evolved to a higher plane of existence. He did not just gain more strength; he awakened the Ultimate Skill [Pantera, King of Devastation], allowing him to collapse space with his movements. Beside him, Tier Harribel awakened the Ultimate Skill [Leviathan, Empress of Sacred Tides], assuming total control over the cycle of life and death through the waters.
In New Alabaster, Coyote Starrk and Lilynette felt their duality strengthen. Starrk awakened the Ultimate Skill [Soul Gatling], a capacity for perception and attack that ignored physical distances and magical defenses. Even technical subordinates like Szayelaporro gained Unique Skills focused on the manipulation of runic matter, elevating Avalon's technology to a level bordering on the miraculous.
When Sirzechs' cocoon finally dissolved, he stood with a renewed elegance. His eyes now contained the cycle of birth and death of the stars. He extended his hand, and the bureaucratic paperwork was instantly processed and organized by the analytical mind of his new Ultimate Skill.
— The rules of this world tried to dictate the time of our harvest — Sirzechs said, his voice resonating with the authority of Shiva. — But in Avalon, time and soul belong to me. Grayfia, prepare the empire. We are no longer just a kingdom; we are the new foundation of existence.
Grayfia Lucifuge bowed deeply, feeling the power of Cocytus vibrate in her veins. The tremor of Avalon's evolution was felt in every corner of the planet. Rimuru, in Tempest, looked at the horizon with the Great Sage in an error state, while Guy Crimson felt the weight of a true equal—or superior—finally emerge.