Chapter 52: Universal Disturbance (2)

Chapter 51

"To think..."

Avaroth murmured softly, his expression remaining composed despite the awe in his eyes.

"To think that the mythical, ancient, legendary Origin truly exists."

For countless ages, the Origin had been described in ancient texts and passed down through records that even the most knowledgeable beings struggled to interpret. It was spoken of as something extraordinary, an existence whose true nature surpassed the understanding of ordinary powerhouses.

Some considered it a legend, while others believed it to be an ancient myth that had gradually become distorted throughout the passage of time.

But now, the ripple he had sensed was enough to convince him that the Origin was real.

He had only felt a fraction of its aura. He hadn’t seen it directly or experienced its true power, yet even that faint ripple was enough to leave him in awe.

Avaroth slowly turned his gaze toward the distant horizon.

"The Origin..."

He repeated the name in a low voice, contemplating what its appearance meant.

Its true power must be far greater than anything described in the ancient texts. Perhaps the records they possessed hadn’t even scratched the surface of what it was capable of.

The thought alone was enough to fill him with a profound sense of wonder.

However, that wonder was quickly accompanied by another realization.

The Origin’s appearance would undoubtedly attract massive attention, and not all of that attention would come from friendly beings.

Dangerous existences would soon begin gathering around the realm where the fusion was taking place, each seeking to claim the Origin for themselves. Some would come out of greed, others out of ambition, and there would undoubtedly be those who would stop at nothing to obtain its power.

Avaroth understood that the situation was already beyond anything he could control.

There was absolutely no way his alliance could interfere without being destroyed. He had warned them because it was his responsibility to do so, not because he believed they could change the outcome.

Avaroth slowly exhaled.

"Massive changes are about to take place..."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"Since the Origin has finally revealed itself after so many ages, there is no doubt that something extraordinary is about to happen throughout the universe."

The appearance of the Origin wasn’t something that could simply be ignored. Its very existence was enough to alter the balance of power among the strongest beings.

And once its new wielder emerged, the consequences would spread far beyond the small realm where the fusion was taking place.

Avaroth remained silent for a moment before shaking his head.

"Sadly, there is nothing even I can do."

His voice was calm, though there was a trace of helplessness beneath it.

"I can only wait."

He had already made his decision. There was no point in throwing his life away over something he couldn’t influence, and he wasn’t the only powerhouse who had reached that conclusion.

Across the universe, several other mighty beings had also decided not to interfere with the impending battle. They had sensed the same overwhelming aura and reached the same conclusion.

Whatever was happening in that small realm was far beyond an ordinary conflict. Interfering without understanding the full situation could very well result in their deaths.

And so, they backed down.

However, not everyone was willing to make such a decision. Some were too proud to retreat, others were too blinded by greed to consider the consequences, and there were those who simply couldn’t tolerate the thought of allowing such an extraordinary opportunity to slip away without attempting to seize it.

Their pride, ambition, and desire for power ultimately outweighed their fear.

As a result, while many powerful beings chose to remain behind, countless others continued rushing toward the realm where the Origin was fusing with its new master.

Among them were existences whose arrival would soon turn the entire situation into something far more dangerous.

---

Back in the realm where the Origin was fusing with Orion, the former wielder of the Origin stood side by side with his subordinate.

Both of them gazed into the distance, waiting for the forces that would undoubtedly attempt to prevent the fusion from succeeding. Although the process was already underway, the most dangerous part was yet to come.

Once the Origin’s presence became fully exposed, the countless beings who coveted its power would begin converging on the realm, and they wouldn’t all arrive with peaceful intentions.

Rikan turned his gaze toward the approaching figure.

The newcomer was dressed in what appeared to be shimmering starlight.

No, it only looked like starlight.

The very fabric of his clothing had been fashioned from one of the hottest stars in existence. Such a material was necessary because of the overwhelming cold radiating from his body, which was simply too intense to be contained by ordinary materials.

Even the environment around him seemed to grow colder as he approached, the surrounding space trembling faintly beneath the pressure of his existence.

The newcomer stopped before the two and gave them a slight bow.

Rikan looked at him.

"How is it?"

The blue-skinned being raised his head and responded respectfully.

"The other Sovereign Overlords have already moved out with their forces to stop the Chaos Path from advancing."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"They should be able to buy us enough time for the fusion to proceed."

Rikan nodded in satisfaction.

That was good.

As long as the other Sovereign Overlords could hold the Chaos Path back, the situation wouldn’t immediately spiral out of control. They needed time for the Origin to finish merging with Orion and for the fusion to reach the point where it could no longer be interrupted by ordinary means.

However, Rikan wasn’t finished asking questions.

"What about Terazax?"

The blue-skinned man paused, seemingly attempting to establish contact with someone as his attention drifted away while he tried to obtain the information Rikan had requested.

A few seconds later, he shook his head.

"No..."

His expression became slightly more serious.

"He cannot be stopped by any of the Sovereign Overlords individually."

He hesitated briefly before adding, "I’m sorry."

Rikan waved his hand dismissively. There was no need for an apology, as they all knew just how powerful and terrifying Terazax was.

He wasn’t someone who could be measured by ordinary standards, nor was he an opponent that a single Sovereign Overlord could hope to defeat. Even among the countless powerful beings in the universe, Terazax was an existence whose name alone carried tremendous weight.

His strength was simply too overwhelming, making it practically impossible for a single Sovereign Overlord to match him.

Which meant that the responsibility of stopping him would fall upon the three of them: Rikan, the blue-skinned being, and the former wielder of the Origin.

They would have to face Terazax together.

There was no other choice.

Rikan was still contemplating the situation when something happened.

The very universe around them shook violently, and the space they occupied trembled as though an unimaginable calamity were approaching at an astonishing speed.

The disturbance grew stronger with every passing instant, and the surrounding space began to ripple under the pressure of the incoming existence.

Rikan’s expression changed.

Before he could react further, however, the former wielder of the Origin smiled and stepped forward.

Petra’s gaze settled on the distant space, a faint glint appearing in his eyes.

"The trouble is already here..."

His voice was calm, almost amused.

The moment those words left his mouth, the very fabric of the world was ripped to shreds.

Space shattered, and the surrounding void was torn apart as though it were nothing more than a fragile piece of paper. Through the destruction, a terrifying figure descended.

A being with crimson-red hair that seemed to cover his entire body emerged from the shattered space, his presence immediately causing the surrounding universe to tremble beneath the weight of his existence.

His eyes resembled two pools of raging, red-hot magma, burning with a suffocating intensity that seemed capable of incinerating anything unfortunate enough to fall within his gaze.

Yet, despite the terrifying rage his eyes appeared to contain, his expression remained strangely composed.

His gaze swept across the trio before finally stopping on Petra.

For the first time since his arrival, a hint of shock appeared in his eyes.

Petra.

Upon recognizing the former wielder of the Origin, Terazax’s expression changed slightly.

Wasn’t this guy supposed to be dead already?

Hadn’t his existence been destroyed long ago?

The thoughts flashed through Terazax’s mind as he stared at Petra, but his shock didn’t last long.

He quickly sensed the truth.

The being standing before him wasn’t the complete Petra. Only a fragment of his former existence remained.

The realization immediately restored Terazax’s confidence.

So that was it.

Petra was already on the verge of disappearing. Whatever power he still possessed was merely a remnant of what he had once been, which meant there was no need for Terazax to fear him as much as he would have feared the complete former wielder of the Origin.

A dangerous smile gradually appeared on his face.

This time, he would undoubtedly get his hands on the Origin.

No one would stop him.

Not Petra, not Rikan, and not the other being standing beside them.

The Origin would be his.

Terazax slowly stretched his hand forward. His expression remained calm as he looked at the trio, but the words that came out of his mouth carried such pressure that the surrounding space trembled.

Even the void seemed to shudder beneath the force of his voice.

"Give me the Origin..."

His eyes burned like raging magma.

"And I will make your destruction quick."