R-a - Volume 4 - Chapter 47 (Patreon)

R-a - Volume 4 - Chapter 47 (Sorry for the delays! This chapter ended up being 2000+ words in total, longer than I expected!)

(Next release on Mar 18) (Edited v2)

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After Micheal regressed to the past, he planned his each and every action with the utmost care. As a warrior in the Last Army of Humanity, he had lived through the Layers and seen the horrors housed within. He knew that any action he took could have striking ramifications later on down the timeline.

However…

The wheels of destiny ground forward, evermore, uncaring and relentless.

No matter how detailed the plan, no matter how careful he was… Micheal was not perfect…

And life was not a game.

Reality was irrational, illogical, and unpredictable.

And on this fateful day, the largest divergence yet between the timelines took place.

In the first timeline, the Vile King’s Beasts of Providence clashed with the Six Lords and destroyed the Sanctum, preventing Orion from transferring into the body of a Toren, trapping him in his Byren form. While Constantine wasn’t yet aware of the power Deities possessed at the time, he was aware of the Six Lords plans to conquer Humanity and, as a result, took actions to weaken them.

Conversely, in the second timeline, the Vile King had pulled out of the Second Layer entirely. With the advent of the Nirvana Saint, Director Prime advancing to the Second Layer, and Micheal obstructing his plans and allying Humanity with the Farians, Constantine reached a simple conclusion.

‘Humanity is capable enough to handle the Second Layer without further aid.’

Would Humanity have an easy time fighting the Six Lords?

Absolutely not.

However…

‘A trial of this level is just what the Human Race needs to force itself to grow.’

And so, he left.

And, thus, history began to diverge.

As a matter of fact, the changes that took place were not far off from Constantine’s expectations.

The Nirvana Saint assembled a huge, diverse team of the strongest warriors on the planet, and ambushed the Six Lords. Micheal shared vital information with the Nirvana Saint and the Farians, leading to a more cohesive, stronger, and better prepared Humanity.

The Vile King was certain Humanity’s survival was no longer in danger, even if they had to face off against the Six Lords all at once, without him.

And that’s how things should have gone…

But for two impossible-to-predict miscalculations.

…

“This is… is this Humanity’s Shop?” Orion muttered as he looked at the floating blue screen in front of him, his eyes narrowing.

The First Lord paused for a few moments, befuddled.

His confusion was only natural. The Title System that all Deities possessed shared many similarities with The Shop that all Humans possessed. Both came in the forms of floating blue screens that appeared in the air before them, sharing information about one’s Abilities.

“Interesting…” The First Lord rubbed his chin as he looked at the screen, before glancing out at the enemies surrounding him, and the corpses of the Divine Might Sect warriors that had held them off.

They might be dead, nameless corpses to his enemies, but to the First Lord, they were allies he had recognized and respected, regardless of their differences in race.

“I have lost much this day.” Orion said with a sigh,

“But I suppose I should be grateful.”

The First Lord raised his right hand, watching as it remained strong and steady.

“A body that does not rebel against me.”

The pangs of Arthritis that had plagued him for centuries now were no more. While he was still in the process of adapting to his new form, he could already tell his health and fitness was now leagues ahead of what it had once been.

“It was well worth the cost of moving the Raid up.”

This was Micheal’s first miscalculation, through no fault of his own:

In the original timeline, the Sanctum Raid didn’t take place today...

It took place two days from now.

Micheal’s interference in the timeline had caused the First Lord to push up his date for the planned raid on the Sanctum.

Records of what took place on the Second Layer had always been fragmented and incomplete. In the data Micheal had read, knowledge on the Sanctum was especially sparse and limited.

Micheal knew that the Sanctum went through long periods of times where it was impossible to open, and therefore forced the Six Lords to wait until a certain date.

All historical records showed that the Sanctum Raid took place on the first day possible.

And those records were wrong.

The Sanctum’s defensive wards went through a cycle of weakening and strengthening every several years. The growth and weakening functioned on a near logarithmic scale, meaning the price to overcome those defenses increased massively even after a single day.

The disappearance of the Beasts of Providence had unsettled Orion so much to the point where he had been willing to expend nearly a fifth of the Divine Might Sect’s stored wealth, countless Helion Spirit Crystal gathered from High-Tier Magic Beasts over centuries, in order to gain access to the Sanctum early.

This vital information about the Sanctum was one of the many facts lost to time. After all, the entire building had been annihilated during the battle between the Six Lords and the Beasts of Providence in the first timeline. There had never been a way to properly investigate the functions of the Sanctum.

“Orion, I presume?” The Nirvana Saint’s crystal clear voice cut through the air, drawing the First Lord’s attention.

“Nirvana Saint.” Orion muttered, his eyes cool.

“Oh? It is quite the honor to see you know me.” The Nirvana Saint returned with a half-smile, his gaze never leaving Orion.

The First Lord shrugged.

“I know many things.” Orion turned his gaze from the Nirvana Saint to those by his side.

“Gregor Mantorel, the Lord Justiciar. Fire Dreamer Shahsta, the Great Wizard.” The First Lord remarked.

“Bevlin Petrov, the Sun Knight. Yun Chen, the Cloud Knight. Francis Dubois, the Sea Knight.” Orion named each of the three Knight Commanders of the Purgatory Church’s Grey Knights.

“Baron Fortuna. Director Prime. And…” The First Lord paused for a moment as he stared at Yvvtal.

“You.”

“Keep my name out of your filthy mouth, Toren.” Yvvtal’s eyes glowed red as he glared daggers at the First Lord, practically oozing bloodlust.

“I didn’t mention a name… regardless.” The First Lord shook his head.

“I don’t fault you for trying to stop me here, warriors.” Orion chuckled.

“How can I? I attacked you all first.”

“You did. Unprovoked. Our people did nothing to you.” The Great Wizard Shahsta spat out, interrupting the First Lord.

The First Lord shook his head slightly,

“I hold no grudge against you or your people. I am merely doing what needs to be done.”

The tension in the moment seemed just mere seconds away from exploding.

“It doesn’t have to end this way, Orion. There’s still time for us to find even ground.” The Nirvana Saint responded.

“Even ground, Saint? After you have slaughtered my people?” Orion motioned to the dead Byrens lying on the ground around him.

“You are a leader who is responsible for the lives of millions. Extended warfare will benefit neither party.” The Nirvana Saint returned.

Orion laughed aloud.

“What’s the matter, Saint? Have you gotten cold feet?” The First Lord’s eyes pierced towards the Nirvana Saint.

“You came this far to defeat me, yet want to come to a truce now? Where’s the logic in that?”

The First Lord’s observation was spot on.

The Nirvana Saint absolutely had planned on defeating Orion, and the other Six Lords, as soon as they emerged from the Sanctum.

However…

Ever since Orion appeared, countless golden symbols had begun to flutter chaotically in the white book the Nirvana Saint held in his right hand. Solomon’s Book, the unique Limited Ability that only he possessed, had been screaming a single message at the leader of the Purgatory Church for the past couple of minutes.

‘DangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDanger...’

“Talk is cheap. Let’s end this here and now.” Shahsta cut in, fiery energy starting to condense in the air before her.

“I can see no even ground with a man who would enslave my people.” Gregor’s deep voice boomed out as he stepped forward, slowly raising his gray sword.

Orion sighed again.

“I’m almost glad you have gathered here today. It has saved me the trouble of finding you all individually… especially you Gregor.” The First Lord stared back at the Lord Justiciar.

“You might not believe me, but I have always held you in high regard, Gregor. To lead your people by example, as a man who understands the responsibility that comes with great strength.”

The Lord Justiciar stared back at the First Lord, his gaze firm.

“If you understand that, Orion, then how can you possibly explain your actions?” Gregor returned.

“It’s simply a matter of perspective. I am not a monster who will slaughter your people or enslave them like dogs. I will unite all the Races here on the Second Layer, for a cause greater than any other.” The First Lord rumbled back.

“Had we met under different circumstances, perhaps we could have been friends.” Orion murmured.

The Lord Justiciar responded by holding his blade out in front of him and assuming a ready stance.

“Well… at the least, I can promise you all this.” Orion’s hands began to glow as streaks of lightning began to form around them.

“When all is said and done, no matter what happens here today…”

“Your people will all survive.”

A massive wave of pressure slammed down on the world around Orion as his Aura spread outwards, the very air in his presence set to trembling.

And here, in the fight to come, would unfold Micheal’s second miscalculation, once again through no fault of his own, something he could never have dreamed would be possible:

The presence of a Titled Deity.

The battle began…

…

…

…

And then immediately ground to an abrupt halt.

“This… this feels dangerous.”

In a world frozen in Time, Director Prime spoke to himself as he began to walk forward.

He left behind a snarling Yvvtal, ducking under crackling waves of silver energy that had begun erupting from the Destroyer’s hands. Prime smiled briefly as he lightly pushed away a piece of stone shrapnel that floated in front of his eyes, removing it from his path.

He carefully stepped over the bodies of the dead Martial Artists of the Divine Might Sect, treating their corpses with respect. He walked around the three Knight Commanders of the Purgatory Church, avoiding the deadly swords the elite warriors held out before them.

Prime then silently passed by the still forms of the Lord Justiciar, the Nirvana Saint, Baron Fortuna, and the Great Wizard Shahsta.

As he walked, he observed that white light had begun to glow from the Nirvana Saint’s eyes, emitting faint particles into the air. A deep, blood-red Aura had begun to condense around the Lord Justiciar as the Farian activated his Primordial Giant Bloodline, preparing for combat.

Baron Fortuna, likewise, had pulled back his rapier and crouched down, the ground beneath him cracking as he prepared to leap forward and enter the fray.

The Great Wizard Shahsta had already sent a great beam of molten fire forth from the scepter she held, rocketing towards Orion. Prime had to step to the side to avoid walking into these flames, before continuing to step forward.

“Something feels… off.”

Prime finally came to a pause as he stopped in front of the First Lord, a frown creasing his forehead.

The First Lord’s face was impassive as he stared out at his enemies. Apart from a small shockwave that was spreading at his feet, cracking the earth beneath him, and the lightning condensing on his hands, Prime could find only one other thing that stood out.

Prime’s eyes narrowed as he glanced between the floating blue screen that had appeared before Orion and the First Lord's Toren appearance. 

As he stood there, frozen in time, pondering the situation, memories of a curious human he had battled against on the First Layer rose to the forefront of his mind.

What would that man do, if he was in his shoes?

…

“...prepare for the worst.”

.