Chapter 823

【 THE CYCLE OF THE UNIVERSE, CONTINUED 】

One after another, countless barren and desolate worlds drifted through the cosmic void, far more numerous than those of the Poseidonian Universe.

And just like in the previous universe, every realm contained endless remains. However, unlike the countless insectoid corpses that had blanketed the previous universe, the dead that filled this one were primarily dragons.

—No.

Upon closer inspection, in addition to the dragon remains, Evé could also discern insectoid corpses. And beyond those, some worlds also still held the ruins of civilizations strikingly similar to those of the Poseidonian Universe.

This universe likewise possessed a platform, and upon it stood another stone monument.

Just like the one in the Poseidonian Universe, the monument recorded the entire history of the Dragonian Universe, from the birth of the universe, to the emergence of the dragons, and ultimately to the destruction of the entire cosmos.

This historical record also mentioned the Kulich civilization. Though it had perished alongside the previous universe, these insectoids had likewise left their mark upon the Dragonian Universe.

They had suddenly appeared thirty million years after the birth of the dragons, calling themselves the ‘Descendants’ and they had waged war against the dragons, who had already come to dominate most of the realms, for control over the universe. In the end, they were completely annihilated by the dragons, whose individual strength and numbers far surpassed their own.

The war continued until the final era of the universe, after which dragonkind reached the absolute peak of its racial power.

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However, the endless insect swarm descended once more.

Not only had the Kulich returned, but they had become even stronger than before. They had even learned to wield psychic power.

This time, however, the insectoid swarm did not prevail as they were defeated by the dragons once more, whose individual strength had grown even more formidable.

Yet the dragons’ victory did not mark the end.

After defeating the swarm, some of the dragons descended into madness and began attacking their own kin. Thus, the dragons, who had barely survived the war, ultimately destroyed themselves.

And with them, the entire Dragonian Universe perished.

At the end, the lifespan of this universe was once again recorded in the stone monument:

【 The Dragonian Universe endured for 480 million years. A total of 81,000 Laws of Origin were born. Of these, 80,000 were successfully collected for our Lord. 】

After reading the record, Evé remained silent for a long time.

Her gaze slowly withdrew from the stone monument and lingered upon the miniature shattered realms surrounding the platform before she let out a long sigh.

“Eighty-one thousand Laws of Origin… Does that represent the total number of realms in the universe?”

“More precisely,” Urinos replied, “it represents the number of worlds, plus the number of Mythical Dragons.”

As she spoke, Urino’s tone became meaningful.

“Your Grace Evé, do you know what the oldest way to become a mythical dragon in our dragon lineage is?”

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“What is it?”

“Devouring the Core Origin of a world.”

Urinos answered.

As she gently caressed the ancient monument, Urinos let out a soft sigh.

“Of course, the success rate of this method was extremely low, and the world itself would have to be destroyed in the process. Thus, it was abandoned long ago.”

Evé’s heart stirred.

She looked at the differing numbers of Origin Laws recorded on the monument, then toward yet another identical Pantheon standing beyond the platform. An indescribable expression appeared on her face.

“So… the destruction of a universe means that some existence out there is ‘collecting’ the Origin Laws? The Dragonian Universe produced 81,000 Origin Laws, of which 80,000 were collected. I’m assuming the missing thousand represents the Mythical Dragons who survived and escaped from the Dragonian Universe and fled into the next universe?”

“Moreover, those two thousand Origin Laws that were not ‘collected’ in the Poseidonian Universe… were they the same? Except those Laws of Origins were controlled by that insectoid race known as the Kulich?”

“These universes… are actually nothing more than breeding grounds for cultivating Origin Laws on behalf of that so-called ‘Lord’?”

Looking at Evé’s expression, which was shocked yet still remarkably composed, Urinos nodded in approval.

“Your Grace Evé, your mental fortitude is even stronger than I imagined. You should know… quite a few Mythical beings who survived the early corruption ultimately went mad the moment they realized this ugly truth, you know…”

Urinos let out another long sigh.

“We Mythical beings stand as exalted existences, ruling the destinies of all life and governing the operation of entire worlds. Yet in the end… we are nothing more than livestock raised by some mysterious existence to harvest Laws of Origin.”

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With those words, Urinos walked toward the next temple.

“Come. Let’s continue onward.”

She raised the violet sphere of light in her hand, and the temple gates opened once again.

Evé slowly withdrew her gaze and followed Urinos inside.

As expected, another ruined universe lay before her.

However, compared to the Dragonian Universe, this universe contained an even greater number of realms.

Among the ruins scattered throughout those worlds, Evé saw an entirely new civilization.

But the moment she saw the gigantic remains, her eyes widened slightly.

“Titans?”

The race born within this third universe had actually been the Titans!

“Weren’t the Titans supposed to be a race born in the current Universe?”

Evé could not help asking.

“…Who knows?”

Urinos shook her head.

“Your Grace, sometimes history isn’t always telling the truth. Everyone knows that I am the ancestor of the dragons in the current universe. There is no doubt about that, because when I descended into Seigues Universe, many Ancient Gods had also witnessed it.”

“But the Titans are different.”

“Does anyone truly know who their ancestor was?”

She then glanced toward the numerous ruined worlds littered with dead Titans and sighed.

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“No one knows for sure. And precisely because no one knows, everyone just assumes the Titans originated within the Seigues Universe. But for those who do know the actual truth… after discovering the far more horrifying reality of the cosmic cycle, no longer concern themselves with where the Titans truly came from.”

Hearing Urinos’ explanation, Evé fell silent.

Passing through the long staircase, she once again arrived before the stone monument recording the history of the universe.

Like the dragons before them, the Titans had also built a mighty civilization.

However, in this universe, those dragons that had escaped from the previous universe have also settled here.

The conflict between the two races lasted from the dawn of the universe until its very end.

Only then did Evé finally understand why dragons and Titans had always been mortal enemies.

Their hostility had not merely begun during the Dragon Era and the Titan Era.

Long before that, across countless previous universes, they had already become sworn enemies in their struggle for survival.

Once again, the insectoid swarm became the force that brought about the end of the universe.

This time, however, the Kulich had evolved again.

Their individuals no longer possessed identical strength. Like the dragons, they had diversified into stronger and weaker forms, while scales resembling dragon scales had evolved across their bodies.

The weak among them were truly weak.

The strong were unimaginably powerful.

The strongest were no less formidable than Mythical Dragons or Mythical Titans.

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Interestingly enough, the psychic abilities the Kulich had once learned had regressed, leaving behind only a single power capable of influencing the minds of their enemies.

And just like the previous two universes, the stone monument had recorded everything, leaving behind inscription which stated:

【 The Titan Universe endured for 430 million years. A total of 123,000 Laws of Origin were born. Of these, 122,500 were successfully collected for our Lord. 】

As Evé gazed upon the enigmatic inscription, her eyes gradually deepened as she realized something.

The lifespan of the universe had grown shorter.

Yet the number of Origin Laws, or rather, the number of worlds, had increased.

Moreover, the efficiency of the so-called “collection” had risen once again.

First, the Poseidonian Universe.

Then, the Dragonian Universe.

And now, the Titan Universe.

Three cosmic cycles had already occurred.

Evé looked beyond the stone monument.

There, another temple still stood.

Without question, the cycle was still continuing on.

“Let us move on.”

Urinos spoke.

The two stepped forward together, heading toward the gates of yet another temple.

Before Evé’s eyes appeared the fourth ruined universe.

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This universe contained even more realms than the previous ones.

Crossing countless shattered worlds, Evé once again arrived before the stone monument upon the platform and began reading.

However, unlike the previous universes, this one had never produced a native civilization.

That was because dragons and Titans had appeared from the very beginning.

Their arrival had smothered every race most likely to develop civilization before it could even emerge.

This time, dragons and Titans did not wage war against one another.

Instead, each developed within its own realms, multiplied, and gradually expanded into neighboring worlds.

Until their presence spread throughout the entire universe.

Only then did war erupt once more.

And much like what happened previously, the “insectoid race” returned again.

This time, however, the Kulich no longer resembled mere insects.

Having evolved by imitating the Titans, they had developed humanoid forms that granted them far greater agility.

For some reason, Evé faintly sensed the aura of demons emanating from them.

This time, the united force of the Titans and dragons spent ten million years exterminating every invading member of the Kulich race, before finally securing victory.

Yet that was not the end.

The moment the war concluded, the Dragons and Titans immediately turned against one another and resumed slaughtering each other.

The conflict ended with both sides devastated.

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There was no victor.

At that very moment, the insectoids that had supposedly been exterminated by both races reappeared.

Boundless darkness swallowed every worlds.

The skies filled with the descending swarm.

Crippled by their previous war, the two great races no longer possessed the strength to resist.

Thus, the universe was destroyed once more.

At the end, the stone monument recorded:

【 The New Universe endured for 380 million years. A total of 197,000 Laws of Origin were born. Of these, 196,700 were successfully collected for our Lord. 】

Evé fell silent once again.

“So these ‘insectoids’… are they actually the progenitor of the Abyssal Demons?”

she asked.

“…What do you think?”

Urinos replied in return.

Evé remained silent.

Deep within her heart, she had already known the answer.

“‘New Universe’… was that name given by the dragons and Titans?”

“Probably. The names recorded upon these stone monuments seem to reflect the understanding of the most dominant races. This universe’s name was most likely chosen by the dragons and Titans who escaped here from the previous universe.”

“Why is it that, no matter what, dragons and Titans always end up slaughtering one another?”

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“Perhaps… by then, they had already discovered the truth of the universe.”

Urinos sighed.

Then she steadied herself and looked toward the gate of the next temple.

“Come. Let us proceed to the fifth universe.”

The fifth…

Evé looked at the temple before her with a complicated expression before stepping forward once more.

The temple gates opened again as the two entered.

Before Evé appeared a universe even larger than the previous one.

Countless worlds filled every direction, so numerous they were impossible to count.

Within this universe, dragons and Titans still existed.

However, they were no longer the only Mythical race.

Upon the stone monument, Evé discovered records of another civilization.

They were a race composed of energy lifeforms capable of merging with worlds and altering their very attributes.

They were known as the Elemental Giants.

Born alongside the universe itself, they came into existence together with the countless worlds.

Some even fused with a worlds’ Core Origin, thereby becoming its ruling master and reshaping the entire environment according to their own elemental nature.

Not long after their birth, they came into conflict with the dragons and Titans who had once again fled into this universe.

The subsequent war continued intermittently for more than one hundred million years before the insectoid swarm descended once again.

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In the end, this universe was destroyed yet again.

This time, Evé keenly noticed something recorded within the monument.

The insectoid race, seemingly connected to the origin of demons, had become weaker overall.

Naturally, the Titans, dragons, and even the energy lifeforms of this universe were likewise noticeably weaker than those of previous universes.

The number of worlds continued to expand with each successive cosmic cycle.

Yet the overall strength of intelligent life steadily declined.

“Now that they already knew a great enemy would eventually appear, why did the dragons and Titans still wage war against the Elemental Giants?”

Evé could not help asking as she read the monument.

The moment the words left her lips, however, the answer surfaced within her own mind.

Escaping from one universe into the next did not necessarily mean retaining the knowledge of the previous universe.

Just like Urinos.

When this Ancestral Dragon descended into the Seigues Universe, she had completely lost all memories of her past.

Perhaps…

The dragons and Titans of this universe had likewise “lost” their memories.

At the end of this universe, the stone monument recorded:

【 The Elemental Universe endured for 380 million years. A total of 246,000 Laws of Origin were born. Of these, 245,900 were successfully collected for our Lord. 】

After reading the inscription, Evé felt her heart grow heavier.

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Her eyes shifted toward the next temple, and her voice becoming noticeably subdued.

“How many more of this temples still remain?”

“Only one left.”

Urinos answered.

“There are six ruined universes here within the Cradle of Origin. This is the second-to-last.”

The last one…

If that was the case…

Would the World Tree finally appear in the final universe?

Looking at the temple that was identical to the Pantheon, Evé could not help but wonder.

Like the dragons, the World Tree had also descended from beyond the cosmos.

But oddly enough, none of the previous cycles had contained any trace of the World Tree.

Which meant this final universe would very likely reveal its true origin.

“Come.”

“Let us head to the final universe.”

Urinos opened the temple gates.

Without hesitation, Evé followed her inside.

Her vision immediately shifted upon entering and she found herself within a space larger than every previous universe combined.

Countless dead worlds floated silently like stars scattered across the heavens.

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Within this universe, Evé discovered the ruins of human civilization.

Deep inside the shattered realms lay scattered human remains.

Their civilization bore no resemblance whatsoever to the humans of the Seigues Universe.

Instead, its architectural style even carried a distinctly futuristic appearance.

Dragons and Titans appeared once again.

However, they were far weaker than they had once been.

Even so, there was still no trace that the World Tree had ever existed here.

Arriving before the stone monument of this universe, Evé read its name.

“The Dimensional Realm.”

The Dimensional Realm…?

Seeing that title, Evé could not help revealing a look of surprise.

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