Chapter 137 : The turmoil across the divine realms

Chapter 137: Chapter 137 : The turmoil across the divine realms Meanwhile, all across Etheron, chaos stirred beneath the silence. Whether it was the vampire clans in their blood-soaked spires, the elven archmagi hidden deep within their crystalline forests, the human nations scrambling beneath protective barriers, or the ancient beasts that ruled the skies—all looked up as one. The heavens had not returned to normal. A colossal hand of nebula still stretched across the sky, moving with the slow, deliberate grace of something that had existed before time. A torso woven from galaxies shimmered into view, its beating heart glowing like a pulsating supernova. From the swirls of a million stars, a head formed—one with no face, only eyes of pure starlight, infinite and eternal, gazing down upon the world below. The night sky had become a living titan. A celestial being of impossible scale, so immense that mountains looked like ants and continents like dust beneath its gaze. Then, as if responding to the cries of every realm, its shape began to shift. The constellation twisted. Its form warped. It began to take the shape of an immense cosmic tree—each branch etched with glowing runes and star-forged paths. The constellations of gods, both ancient and new, now formed leaves, each trembling with cosmic resonance. Even gods long thought dead had their marks appear. It wasn’t just a being—it was the archive of divinity, and it was alive. And it was watching. --- Far from the mortal realms, nestled in a dimension untouched by decay or entropy, a world of eternal sunrise and crystalline waters shimmered gently. This was the realm of Aurora, the Goddess of Light. Radiant skies flowed like silk, shimmering with colors not found in mortal spectrums. The trees bore fruit made of light and hope. The rivers whispered songs of clarity. Mountains floated lazily in the air, carved from golden marble and powered by divine mana springs. The very air breathed warmth, and life blossomed eternally. Aurora stood alone upon her mirrored platform, her eyes locked onto the sky that even pierced her sanctum. That same constellation-being loomed above her, its impossible body visible even from the divine realms. Even the outer planes—Hell, the Abyss, the divine throne worlds—all could see it. Before she could speak, flames erupted into her paradise. Crimson-gold fire surged like a roaring phoenix across the sky, carving a path of divine heat through the tranquil light. From within the blaze stepped a being of immeasurable grace and power: Solara, the Phoenix Goddess. Her hair was a cascade of living flames, her eyes twin suns that burned with passion and pride. She wore robes woven from sunfire threads, and her wings of cosmic flame unfurled behind her, scorching the space they passed through. Jewels made of crystallized light floated like a crown above her head, ever-shifting in pattern. Aurora blinked, mildly surprised by the sudden intrusion. But before she could ask, Solara shouted— "Aurora, what the hell is happening?!" She gestured angrily toward the living constellation above. "This... thing! It’s not just appearing here—it’s projecting across all realms, including those sealed! It’s showing the entire existence of the gods! Past gods, present gods, even the ones who won in the Battle of the Realms—Tiamat, me, the Old Ones!" Her wings flared with agitation as divine heat washed across the realm. "And what the hell was that energy that descended into your world?! Even the demon realm is in chaos. This isn’t just a divine event—it’s a cosmic alarm bell!" Aurora’s calm never wavered. She turned, her silvery-white gown fluttering, golden tattoos across her arms shimmering faintly. Her voice was soft, but it silenced the realm like the hush before a storm. "Lower your voice, Solara. Or have you forgotten who you’re speaking to?" Solara stiffened immediately, the arrogance draining slightly from her tone. She took a deep breath, the flames around her dimming by a fraction. "...You’re right. Apologies," she muttered. "But you have to admit—this situation isn’t normal." Aurora’s glowing eyes returned to the celestial tree above. She studied it with quiet intensity, her fingers clasped behind her back. "How is my brother doing?" Solara blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Ethan? He’s doing excellent. I’ve trained thousands of divines, and I’ve never seen someone like him. The speed at which he is growing, the depth of his comprehension... If he keeps this up, he’ll ascend faster than anyone from the higher realms." A small smile touched Aurora’s lips. "As expected." "Where is he now?" "Tiamat took him. Said he would personally oversee the rest of his training." That made Aurora raise a brow. "That prideful lizard? Willingly training someone? That’s a first." Solara’s expression turned grim, her flames dimming further. "...That’s the problem. Tiamat almost died." Aurora’s eyes widened, a rare crack in her divine calm. "What?" Solara nodded slowly, her voice hushed. "He tried to harm that other boy... Alex. Through Ethan’s consciousness. But when he did—something responded." "Something?" "A hand. Not made of mana. Not divinity. Not time or space. Something... older. Something that should not exist. It reached out through Ethan’s consciousness and grabbed Tiamat by the throat." Aurora took a step back, her thoughts racing. "He was forced to sever the connection instantly or he would’ve perished. I felt it too. That thing—whatever it was—it wasn’t bound by divine law." Aurora stared at Solara, stunned beyond her usually unshakable divine calm. "Are you telling the truth?" Solara’s mouth twitched as if resisting the urge to breathe fire. Her voice was laced with irritation and disbelief. "So you think I’d joke with you about something like this?" Aurora’s eyes narrowed. "That boy... I met him. There was something unusual, as I couldn’t see through him. But aside from that... he felt mundane." Solara scoffed, folding her arms as her wings flared lightly behind her. "Yeah? And yet he almost erased one of us with a look. That guy is not normal, Aurora. He’s something else entirely. And we need to figure out where he came from—or what he truly is." She turned her head, looking back at the living constellation—still shimmering, still shifting. Its roots stretched across planes, touching realms where even gods dared not peek. "All the higher beings in the universe are shaken. Not just angels and demons. The ancient ones, the primordial ones, the eternals—even the Watchers Beyond the End. This phenomenon is unknown." Solara’s eyes hardened. "And you know what we gods hate the most?" Aurora whispered, "’The unknown.’" "Exactly," Solara said coldly. "We either find out what’s going on... or it might spell doom for all of us." Aurora nodded slowly, turning her gaze back to the cosmic tree blazing in the sky. The leaves shimmered with the names of forgotten gods and unborn stars. --- Meanwhile... Alex still stood shirtless in his private training room, wearing only his boxers, staring at his hand. Still slightly sweaty, hair a mess, his back leaned against the cool wall. "...Useless," he muttered. "I think instead of praying to gods, people should start praying to me. What do you think?" In front of him, a system window was materialized, showing something that could scare even the divines. --- [True Stellar Force: Cosmic Essence] Status: Awakened A unique energy only you—a Genesis—can wield. Not mana. Not ki. Not divine grace. This is the raw force of existence, drawn from the interwoven threads of space-time and creation itself. --- Abilities: 1. Energy Replacement Spells and techniques instead can also be powered by Cosmic Essence through your will—making them exponentially stronger. Essence Threading (Locked): Can imbue Cosmic Essence into weapons, attacks, or even words and thoughts to create reality-altering effects. 2. Transmutative Essence Can convert Cosmic Essence into any form of power: fire, time, sound, gravity, life force—even emotions or concepts like despair or willpower. --- [Mark of the Genesis] The universe itself has branded you. This mark is the fountainhead of all beginnings—the point from which stars, worlds, and destinies can be reborn. Abilities (Initial): 1. Access to the Akashic Records (Locked): The sigil acts as a key to the universe’s memory. Tap into echoes of cosmic-level events, unlock ancient bloodlines, peer into time and reality, and gain knowledge of techniques forged at creation’s dawn. 2. Constellation Bonding: Allows bonding with celestial bodies—stars, planets—and grants unique powers from them in the future. --- A soft system voice followed. [Host, I know you’re really excited, but these powers you’ve gained are also dangerous. You must tread carefully.] Alex smirked, eyes narrowing slightly as he raised his glowing hand. "You’re right about that." He turned the hand under the light, the mark gleaming in a swirling, prismatic pattern like a nebula etched into his skin. "So... this symbol is the Mark of Genesis, huh?" [Yes, Host. And as you can see... it’s not ordinary at all.] Alex grinned. "You’re right." He leaned back with a low laugh. "But the most interesting thing... is this Cosmic Essence. It’s an entirely new energy—something that even the gods don’t seem to understand. And it surpasses them." His eyes sparkled with anticipation. "To think... it can erase existence itself. That’s insane." [That’s why I warned you, Host.] [Too much power can destroy the wielder just as easily as the enemy. And this Cosmic Essence has a limitation to how much of it you can use at a time.] "Fair point," Alex muttered. "We’ll take it slow. Test one thing at a time." Suddenly, his voice became sharper. "Zara. Do you hear me?" A feminine voice answered through the room’s internal speakers. {Yes, Alex.} "Remove all the seals around the apartment. The awakening is complete." {I’m glad you’re safe and sound.} Alex chuckled softly. "Thanks, Zara." With a soft pulse of light, the dozens of magic arrays and barriers that covered his apartment flickered and dissolved, one by one. A wave of fresh air washed through the room. "Zara, prepare a bath. I’m sweating too much." {Right away.} --- Meanwhile... In the same building, several floors down, a young woman burst into the elevator. Her violet eyes were wide. Her heart thundered. Charlotte Evans Avaloria was running. She slammed the button for the 10th floor and stared at the changing numbers. ’It can’t be... it can’t be... it can’t be him.’ The moment she felt that cosmic tremor... her instincts screamed it. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and stood in front of a large, wall-like door—sleek, silver, guarded by dormant glyphs. Charlotte took a deep breath. Then another. ’Calm down... It can’t be him...’ -------- A/N: So how was the Chapter? Tell me in the comments! Thanks for the golden tickets: @MaskedGods, @Capnmoonfire, @StormJem, @Bjarne_H, @G2KEZ , @gary_robinson, @Rheagal @Dawid_4859, @Ray7032, @dean_otsuka, @sloZz, @Goncalo0110, @BluuuuTea , @Peacecj I really appreciate the support, guys. ???? -------- Discord link :- .gg/czvmuyZ6xx