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Chapter 1,263.
🕑 Added 2024-06-10 18:46:15 +0000 UTCHad he forgotten the grandeur of Ultom's gift over the decade since he last claimed a seal? Or was this the difference from completing the picture and confirming his fate with the Flameseeking trial? There were five lines of enlightenment currently hovering in his soul compared to the three he'd seized during the previous rounds.
Neither seemed able to fully explain the profound clarity Zac felt, and he realized it was the sole benefit of his desperate situation. Void Emperor or not, Zac was still a mortal who found the answers to his path by walking the razor edge between life and death. It was no different now than during the first years of his journey when he seized the means to survive in the heat of battle.
It was almost impossible to advance mid-battle as you rose through the grades, as his current predicament proved, but Zac still accumulated most of his insights when he had his back against the wall. Currently, Zac's mind was forced into that primal state of survival which let him break the chains of his mortality. Zac was in a much better state than when he grabbed the third piece in the Ensolus Ruins if you looked at it from that vantage.
Not only that, but his theoretical foundations were lightyears ahead of when he sought solutions for his Cosmic Core. The Four Laws were a distant concept he'd only heard mentioned in passing. Today, his body was reborn in their image, and echoes of the Four Desolates could still be found in every corner of his body. It gave him a more memorable lesson on the nature of Laws than centuries of meditation could.
Zac even felt closer to grasping the nature of Destiny through the conflict between the Tribulation and Imperial Faith. Seeing the faded bolt of lightning slowly inch closer let Zac grasp the corner of an important clue about the Eternal and the plans of Laondio Evrodok. He reluctantly put it aside, stifling the whispers of clarity to figure out his next step.
A decade's worth of struggle was dragged through the filter of purpose as Zac scanned his body through a new set of eyes. He had his goals, and Ultom would show the way. Void and Dao coursed through his bodies, which exhibited the very limits of their constitutions to endure the combined threat of Kator and the tribulation. Zac briefly stopped at the [Solidarity Link] and the hourglass upholding its connection before moving on, his heart growing calmer as answers came to questions he hadn't even thought to ask.
Zac followed the paths of destruction carved by the lightning across his limbs and torso. He saw golden hurricanes stubbornly blowing new Life into withered cells and Abyssal ponds sealing damage with Death. Compelled by reasons unknown, Zac strained his consciousness, delving deeper than ever before. A fierce resistance eventually pushed him back, though only after Zac caught a glimpse of the realities beyond.
Moving to his Quantum Space, Zac took in the devastation with sorrow. The second tribulation hadn't caused as large a loss as the ignition and getting his core under control, but Zac had still lost over 15% of his core. That didn't account for the energy he'd used to channel his skills. The surviving debris being tempered by the Four Desolates wasn't much use either, considering he'd have to add new materials as part of the upgrade process. The added imperfections would undo whatever benefits he saw now.
There was a small silver lining to the loss. The proto-space of his Inner World had been drowned in Law. A fundamental transformation was taking place, and Zac felt a familiar aura through a few of the scorched cracks. Zac's mind shook, and the last piece clicked into place. Was it possible?
Zac's biggest regret was wasting the singular opportunity of his final epiphany on survival instead of progress. He now believed they were one and the same. Following the spark of brilliance, hundreds of impressions emerged from the depths of his subconscious. Even sealed memories and experiences that his mind had failed to retain came crashing back one after another.
The underpinning truths he'd seen in the Eternal's eyes and Starclad's sun merged with Rava's lessons. The vast grandeur of the Void Mountain was contrasted with five motes of Chaos. The defining moments in his life all came together, ending with two seas clashing against each other.
Zac heard Laondio's sigh echo in his mind. It felt so clear it almost believed the Limitless Emperor had returned and that Zac wasn't just recalling the final bolt of the Tribulation Throne. It had urged him to pick a side—Imperial Faith or Cosmic Destiny. He didn't understand exactly what he'd done back then by choosing a path of his own.
Not even the five shimmering lights in his mind could answer that question, but the road he'd picked no longer felt shrouded by an opaque mist. With the past being filled in, the route to the future became more solid. Each impression became a brick on the bridge stretching into the darkness.
Dao, Law, Destiny. Body, Heart, Soul. There was no superior or subordinate. Everything was connected, reliant on each other.
[Void Vajra Sublimation] was dissected and contrasted with his memory of Eoz, along with the pieces of Draugr Heritage he'd been given. Even the chapters of [Stellar Dominion] he'd deduced while stuck in the Polaris Vault added to give enduring stability and growth. The fusion was contrasted and correlated with the [Thousand Lights Chapter] and the Order of the Empyrean Chalice's Heart-nurturing methods.
Zac knew he was being greedy, grasping for everything at once. At the same time, that kind of ambition was the only way to open up his Void Road. Like Chaos, some things could only materialize when the conditions were perfect. The answer he sought couldn't miss a single aspect, at least not at this stage. Unfortunately, that meant he wouldn't find a complete answer today. He'd need hundreds, perhaps thousands of streaks to combine the many threads with his lacking foundations and time.
Four lights were barely enough to find the direction he needed to walk. The fifth would add nothing, as Zac needed Ultom to provide something else. He pulled with all his might, and the final streak of unblemished truth was dragged out of his Soul Aperture and into his Draugr body. It was crushed and spread, with its unfathomable light pouring into the innumerable suns hidden in his cells.
With the final light of Ultom consumed, Zac's mind began to settle. Zac knew the next second would decide everything as time gradually resumed its pace—life or Death, genius or insanity. The third bolt crossed the last stretch of its journey, and furious lightning entered a competition with the boundless white over who could destroy Zac's body the fastest.
Zac furiously held on, both to his structural integrity and the far-reaching idea that had just been born—the unifying method that was the sum of his existence. The miniature suns were key to his survival. Swallowing one of Ultom's streaks had let them be born anew, turning them into blinding floodlights that kept his body anchored in the storm.
Using the profound stability, Zac extended his will into the sigil imparted by the System, connecting him with the drying network of Imperial Faith. He pulled with every fiber in his being, and a series of vortices opened throughout the Centurion base. They ignored vast distances and spatial instability to consume left-over treasures and Imperial Faith, just like when he advanced his bloodline.
Zac wasn't finished there. Hundreds of small gashes appeared throughout his body that gobbled up chunks of Law-empowered lightning. He could have done the same with his cells, except that would only harm him. The sense of rejection was instantaneous. Zac felt like a pressure cooker about to blow as lightning, faith, and all tumultuous mix of energies began leaking from his cells.
They came from the depths of the Abyssal Ponds, from the bottom of his golden hurricanes. He would already have exploded if not for the suns keeping everything together, but Zac felt himself quickly approaching his limit. There was no other way. He needed to use his bloodline as a strainer to combine a discordant mix of concepts and bind them to his mission.
Kator didn't back down this time, despite the third tribulation having already fallen. The hand extended toward the now-gone seal clenched into a fist imbued with the fury and hopelessness of Kator's situation. It dug into the column of lightning surrounding Zac and used Killing Intent and madness to reach his head. Zac narrowly dodged, feeling a burning sting as the fist tore up his skin along the left side of his face.
Zac's vision doubled when the bulky reaver followed up on his swing by brutally bashing his plated head into Zac's. Zac's nose was broken and almost pushed into his head. He used the sharp pain to clear his head, and a screaming warning of danger focused Zac's elevated state even further. Kator had taken out another Temporal Chamber, intent to encase them both.
Kator would likely die from the backlash of stepping out of time at this juncture. Zac definitely would. And yet, Zac didn't try to extract himself from the vise-like embrace Kator had caught him in. Zac took the melded Dao, Law, and Destiny, circulating it in accordance with the pattern he'd traded for four streaks of enlightenment.
Suddenly, it was like his two bodies were one, a four-armed deva which each formed a distinct mudra. The Heavens and Earth connected, and Zac was the bridge. The chaos paused. Even the roiling sky grew quiet, holding off its desire for destruction. The cosmos became a silent witness to the primordial aura that stirred. The true aura of the Void Emperor was on full display and in defiance of the Heavens and the trajectories it enforced.
Zac saw a version of himself standing beyond the curtain, on the other side of the mirror. He reached out his hand, and the Void reached back. The mirror shattered, giving birth to a singularity. Dao collapsed, Law unraveled, and Destiny was rewritten. A vortex crackling with lightning and burning with the flames of destiny opened, and the two enemies locked in a deadly embrace fell into the darkness.
The White Sky faded, having lost its connection with its controller. It was like the cosmos released the breath it'd held, and bones rained down when the hurricane lost its momentum. Zac observed everything from his position atop the Core Formation Array, enduring the sense of weakness as he waited for the connection to be reestablished.
He glanced at a hidden corner of reality, snorting when it grew hollow. It looked like his audience had seen enough.
"You—" Ogras whispered as he appeared next to Zac's human half.
The demon was covered in wounds flickering with shadows, his aura weak but stable. It looked like he was trying to reform his missing flesh by turning wounds into illusions, except the hostile Dao fiercely resisted. Emily was in an even worse state; holding onto the control room's walls, she leaned out to see if everything was okay.
"It's fine, for now. There's one more." Zac nodded at the sky, taking out another handful of pills and treasures.
Figuring out a path forward didn't magically solve all his problems, and he couldn't just sit around waiting for the Quantum Link to stabilize. The Heavens had recovered from its stunned silence and was already roaring in fury over having its punishment dragged out of its domain. Zac needed to perform what field repairs he could to prepare for the fourth and final bolt.
"Another one? Since when—" Ogras muttered in confusion before shaking his head. "Never mind. This dimension is about to go up in a big way. Galau is coordinating with Carl and Jaol to pick everyone up. What about you? The reaver?"
"He won't be joining us," Zac said, his eyes steely with determination as the connection was reestablished.
In a space beyond space, a heated exchange had resumed. Zac furiously swung his axe against a faltering Kator who leaked corruption and Dao like a sieve. The collisions created muted sounds like they were fighting underwater, and the sense of looking at the Dao from outside strengthened that impression.
The reality was far more complicated. Swirling clouds of Void-touched energies and enough rubble to rebuild civilization floated all around them. It was the hidden Void Realm he'd always known existed yet hadn't managed to find until today. And for good reason. Zac knew it was too early, yet he'd forcibly opened a path to a realm that shouldn't exist.
The Void Realm's current appearance was materialized with Destiny and stabilized through Law. It also relied on the temporary formation of his proto-space for his Inner World. This realm would last until his breakthrough was over at the longest, most likely failing much sooner than that. After that, it would return to its original inaccessible state. Before that, Zac needed to wrap things up.
Kator had first lost the seal, then his ace, as the White Sky failed to follow him into the Void Realm. The Temporal Chamber he'd tried to erect as a last-ditch effort had collapsed before it could stabilize. He'd even lost his connection with the Heavens, causing him to lose the war against the Four Desolates. Even the Dead Dao of the Lost Plane abandoned the ship as whole bones became pitch-black before disappearing.
Zac fared much better. Using the tribulation to stabilize the Void Realm had allowed him to avoid more than half the punishment. The remainder was being handled by his human half, who had begun using [Void Mountain]'s imprint to erase swathes of lightning. There was no reason not to, as significant amounts of Void Energy poured into his Draugr body from the surroundings. Was this how it felt to be a cultivator?
Against all odds, Kator fought tooth and nail, not giving an inch. Ultimately, his determination couldn't overcome his fate. His temporally accelerated swing stalled when a section of his right shoulder disappeared. Kator tried to recover with a shield slam, except his pivot was preempted by Alea's constrictive bondage.
Zac saw his chance and took it. [Death's Duality] descended, bringing with it the inexorable finality embodied by his path. The anthracite edge bit into Kator's shoulder right where he'd lost a battle against the Four Desolates. A pang of pain was transmitted through his bond with Alea. Tearing into Kator's body, she was also forced to face the heavenly wrath lodged within. Alea's pain dispelled any lingering hesitation, and Zac pushed even harder.
A distorted snap echoed through the realm as Kator was split in two. Zac's axe had carved a diagonal line running right through his bones, Cosmic Core, and the central nervous system that controlled the sinewy muscles hidden within the bone plating. Huge amounts of energy poured into the darkness, along with errant arcs of confused lightning.
Kator's bones faded, and Zac felt his aura rapidly dwindle. Being bisected wasn't necessarily the end of a battle when it came to Hegemons—many could survive with much less. That wasn't the case with Kator. His soul had essentially been split in two when his bone carapace was destroyed, and he could no longer mount a resistance against the Laws. The battle was over.
Zac felt a band of agony matching Kator's wound, a final gift from the harried [Solidarity Link]. Zac furiously fought back with his bloodlines and the Void while turning to the hourglass. Knowing it was time, Zac rallied his bloodline once more. He'd exhausted most of the starlight already, but there was barely enough to form a small vortex above Esmeralda's treasure.
The hourglass was gone the next moment, and Zac felt a flicker of time in the distance when it was deposited in a random corner of the Void Realm. Zac let it be, focusing on the [Solidarity Link] as it unraveled before his very eyes. At the very last moment, he infused the crumbling sigil with [Void Mountain], blocking a final shockwave. The sigil was gone, and Zac's suffering immediately began decreasing.
Esmeralda's treasure, if you could call it that, had wound back time repeatedly. Even then, echoes of the damage remained it refused to be fully erased. Between transferring the Four Desolates and Kator's repeated attempts at severing the connection, the link had been living on borrowed time for a while. The dying reaver sighed, and Zac turned to Kator with a complex gaze.
"Don't look at me like that, Draugr. I don't need your pity," Kator wheezed, his voice hollow as pieces of him disappeared.
"You should have cleared your head when I gave you the chance. The situation was still salvageable," Zac said.
"Tell yourself that if it makes you feel better," Kator snickered. "In your heart of hearts, you should know better. We've been moving toward this moment since we met. There can't be two tigers on the mountain. Your very existence is poison to my path. I don't know why. The only way to avoid this outcome would be for one of us to take a step back, to make concessions to our nature. This is the answer we chose."
"Our grudge is our own. I won't hold it against the White Sky Phalanx as long as they do the same," Zac sighed.
"What do I care? I'm no one's pawn. I lived for my dream until the end." Kator said. He stretched out his hand toward the sky, his last words barely a whisper as he collapsed. "Only an inch from overcoming the current."
Comments
Lex Luther S
No kator was literally right at the seal so he was genuinely an inch from overcoming the current. I'm the end though, as stated he became fertilizer for zacs path.
Tommy
One inch? Boy you didn’t even see the palace! You were fertilizer.
Lex Luther S
It's more like the corruption altered Kators mind and he basically felt that zac would follow him to whatever mountain he'd go to no matter how far. Not just that but it's also his pride that likely held him back from deciding to follow zac instead of trying to usurp his fate.
Jeff McCulley
“There can't be two tigers on the mountain”. So, dumbass, find a different mountain. There’s a whole multiverse out there full of them. What a waste. Fodder.
Nicodos 209
Kator's last moment might instantly be one of my favourite moments in this story, chills
Jeff McCulley
I believe Kruta is the only one needing that one, Joanna has her three.
Amani
I hope we stay with Zac. we haven't gotten the kill energy yet! and someone has to take Kator's seal
Amani
Right! I remember when Iz and his guide came to save Zac from the oram world and Iz was like "are we being influenced by his luck" lol YES
Amani
Who will be getting his Seal? Joanna? also we haven't gotten any kill energy sooooo..... is he really dead? this was one of the best chapter this year by far.
Amani
I hope there isn't a spin in the next chap, like he somehow survived and we don't get kill energy.
Lex Luther S
Te four desolates is just another name for the 4 laws. As for how inner worlds are formed, we got a bit of an info dump on half-step monarchs after the fortress sub arc but it boils down to ones Earthly Daos forming the foundations and bedrock or core of their inner worlds. We also know that the cultivators core is ignited and expanded though how that works when one is going for Half-step monarchy isn't really known yet. Same with the actual step into monarchy. What resources are used? Is actual worlds or nexus veins used or are certain treasures required for the inner worlds lands to form? We just don't have the answers and even when we get the answers, it'll be a moot point for Zac as he's a mortal and has to progress his own unique way. As for the energy loss, that comes from the fact that inner worlds aren't perfect dimensions and thus there is a constant drain of energy. Now, this is countered by cultivators running their cultivation manual at all times. Zacs case is unique because he gets to temper his body and core with the four desolates, which isn't usually encountered by hegemons and rarely so by monarchs. Only other way is through unique treasures like that tempering treasure Esmeralda gave to zac or opportunities like the Throne he encountered in the fortress. As for the threads, that's talking about the threads of his one holistic Manual for cultivation. The hundreds or thousands is the amount of lights and insights he'd need from ultom to bring it all together at his current level. Give him a century of consolidation and that number would drop exponentially as he continues to find his path and a thousand years, he'd likely only need 2-4 seals worth of insights to bring it all together properly.
Tyler S.
My understanding is that the cosmic core is connected to the Earthly Dao realms formed and the better in tune with your path everything is the more stable. Any incompatibility causes internal poisoning requiring more compatible materials to fix the discord. This continues till you are able to grab a portion of the grand Dao to build your latter of autarchy (bringing all dao peaks into balance under your Dao)... This is all best guess though
Nate
Luck has nothing to do with the system pushing things a certain way.
Kevin Albers
Except at the very least the Primo saw directly that Kator is the one who attacked Zac, White Sky Phalanx is already positioned against the Primo but depending on how their war works it might not be the best casus beli
Kevin Albers
It's still very nebulous on how extreme the Luck stat functions with Fate but I would love to see Zacs enemies thinking they have enough luck to jump into Zacs fate whirlpool and then somehow learning how big of difference there is between their and Zacs luck
austin kutz
Seizing the seal isn't about being the first to touch it, it's about fate and talent. Kator had gone mad and was dying of essentially self inflected injuries. You think he would be allowed to take the seal? Even if he had touched it, he already lost the qualifications to use it
DannyO
Yeah I'm not sure it's temporary either. It just seems too OP too be permanent. But perhaps they are a double edge sword considering they may be a part of the Eternals plot.
solodagod 23
OMG WHAT AYE CHAPTER THIS SHIT CRAZYYYYYYY
SmokeJam
I wasn't on Patreon, correct. First 2 books were kindle
Mike Naka
So do we know how inner worlds are formed? We know a lot of energy gets lost, but that the 4 Laws/Desolates can prevent energy loss. Does anybody know the difference b/ween the Laws and Desolates? Or how inner worlds are powered? I wonder if Zac can link the Void Realm to power his inner world? BTW, Zac talking about the 1000s of threads he'd need to get a full understanding kind of reminded me of the scenes of the Evening Tide Asura when he was looking at a grand tapestry. I wonder if Zac will have to create something similar when he's a Divine Monarch. Seems like he now has an idea of what needs to be made.
Omiso
In war truth is often the first casualty. Doesn't matter what happened, Kator died while in a trip under Zac's command the Reavers can spin it anyway they need to get the war started.
Jeff McCulley
Nope. It just looked like he was that close. Zac was basically half assed fucking around the whole time, without getting serious, until Kator forced him to grab the seal. That illusory “inch” might as well have been the Grand Canyon.
Jeff McCulley
Don’t think it was temporary, either. Rereading for the theirs time, still trying to match up the various aspects with physical manifestations. Does the “Destiny” come from the stars in his cells? That might explain why the fifth insight bolstered them.
Luke Scheffe
You clearly weren’t here when they were still in the story.
Jeff McCulley
Influence from Ogras? Hell no. Before the two ever met, Zac decided to go for the whole Island. They just happen to be soul mates in that regard.
Jeff McCulley
Life tablets wouldn’t tell them Zac killed him. Nor would they know why. Nor is Zac any factor in the Undead factions attacking the Primo, for that matter. The upper grades barely notice that Kator exists. He remarked himself that he was disposable to them.
Luke Scheffe
I don’t think the strengthening is temporary. The dust didn’t need to expend energy from the beginning in order to resist the lightning. I feel like he’s just enhanced that nature.
NiceTryMate
Void (ste)roid sounds about right.
Kenn Zamora
I feel like there’s hinting towards a nice rule of 3 synergy, that starts to get increasingly more meta: 1) Heart. Body. Soul. 2) Destiny. Law. Dao. 3) Cosmic Destiny. Imperial Faith. Void Roid
MistuhBogan
He is isn't he.. you can really see Ogras influence on how Zac goes about Cultivation.
Lex Luther S
Technically those cultivators that developed a single supreme method were insurmountable geniuses. The cream of the crop of the templars. But it does fit well that zac would literally need to combine everything into one whole to bring out the full might of his void road.
SmokeJam
Huh? Why those two who have been gone since books?
Tyler S.
Life tablets and knowing Zac killed him
Tyler S.
Think the most love hated would either be Thea or Kenzie but it was a good fight
Enthoney
Wat this about new daos? Zac’s Dao path is already locked in with his arcane classes. The stellar dust / suns is the energy given by either Wal’Zo or the stellar wanderer. Zac spent 4 of 5 ultom truth lines to dissect a bunch of things he’d encountered before to clarify his Void Road destiny, and how to use it. The final ultom line was used to strengthen/ stabilise his body for the tribulation.
Enthoney
No? Kator literally was only an inch away from claiming the seal and overcoming his fate.
Frederik
my personal Theorie is as follows at c grade he opens a small hole to the void realm in his innerworld to give him more void energy at b grade he will be able to temporary tap in to the void realm to overcharge his void skills at a grade he will be able to tap in to the void realm for extendet periods like a full battel at s grade(asuming there is an S grade) he will open the void Realm and gain authority over it making him basicly a god inside and able to forcfuly submerge other realm in the void realm severing all comic energy and dao
Frederik
yeah but he will probably beable to splitt back up at will
Matt Creighton
Wasn't even trying for autarchy yet, was trying to confirm path to hit divine monarch
Andrew
Thank you!
Nate
I guess Kator ended up being pretty tragic because he claimed he wasn't anyone's pawn in his dying breath when the system gave him the Solidarity Link so he could help Zac to light the beacon. He got played like a fiddle.
Tyler Gibbs
I can’t wait to see how his inner world is structured, was happily surprised by the ideas in core formation and it looks like the inner world will be as interesting
Tyler Gibbs
Yea I love how tfd seeds ideas long in advance. It’s a lot harder for webnovels to have satisfying long arcs without that
Tyler Gibbs
My guess is they merge in C grade. The two Zacs always felt like a one grade effect, not central to his character
Jeff McCulley
Kator: Man, going up against this guy is like throwing yourself under a bus! Also Kator: Imma gonna throw myself in fronta that bus anyway!
Tyler Gibbs
Above might not be the right word, they rely on each other to create reality. But destiny is perhaps the most centralised, most difficult to challenge, most stable
Tyler Gibbs
Wow, just wow. This is why I love xian xia, and you delivered. Thank you
Jeff McCulley
He seems to have life, death and now stellar in his cells. Plus chaos frags, creation bits and void. Does that mean he’s going to retroactively use all of that cumulative experience he just dredged up to spontaneously create another Earthly Dao? This one stellar based?
Jeff McCulley
If Zac is greedy, can’t we be too?
The Lost Pages
Is both too much to ask?
Mike Naka
That'd be nice BUTT I don't think his spatial storage device will survive.
Shup Idot
Yeah there's no way they're not hurting from that, if not the entire reaver society, at least their clan.
John
Two of their Autarchs and an eonic Hegemon seed just got trounced by a border barbarian lol
John
Zac is going to enter the War ranking for Late Stage Hegemons and immediately shoot up to first place. With the Kan Tanu Pope being crippled/setback (I assume) the start date for the Ultom trial may be pushed up again. I believe the whole sector war is literally just the System readying Zac as much as possible and since he’s taken a major leap here AND fucked over key enemies in the war I feel the wars purpose as diminished. I don’t totally understand what’s up with this supposed C class cosmic vessel Carls found, but that’s the same letter rank as the giant ship the Dravaroks were flying so Zac’s prestige just got a major bump. Not totally sure but I think it’s assumed the defensive foreign Gods Zac summoned (the Starclads?) will go on a rampage throughout the Zurbo sector after the Graveyard collapses.
Chris Hallman
Nice summation, yea I'm pretty lost with all this stuff lol. I kept thinking since his split of his self in hegemony that his melding of his halves would be his entry into monarchy. All this other stuff about laws, stellar dust, destiny, faith, etc. is confusing/interesting. So void is kind of like the glue that holds everything together just like his core? It would be kind of cool if he could meld himself or split whenever he wanted. I personally like all this mysterious stuff as it will be an amazing 2nd read through once a bunch of this stuff gets cleared up.
Jeff McCulley
But not forgotten.
Jeff McCulley
He has tons of energy to make up for what he spent. Mostly Imperial Faith.
Jeff McCulley
I think he’s going to straight up start eating them all.
Jeff McCulley
He Tossed his cookies?
Jeff McCulley
Funny thing is that Zac is going to pop up with a bit for the Primo at the absolute wrong time for them.
Jeff McCulley
How would they know?
Jeff McCulley
I think maybe she’s still passed out at the moment? Wakes up and furiously signs, “WHAT THE ACTUAL F*** JUST HAPPENED?!!”
Jeff McCulley
Sure. Because that was WAY more than an inch.
Jeff McCulley
I’m still processing this (AWESOME) chapter. Going to be a bit. So. Do we get the second half of Zac Wednesday, or a shift to a POV of Sorothom being further depantsed?
Dro
That had to be at least one of the many questions he thought through with the insights.
DannyO
At first I was pretty confused exactly what Zac used the seal for, but after a few rereads I think I understand what happened. So he was given 5 strands worth of Ultom's Truths. It sounds like 4 were used to create a method that is a fusion of his VVS and TAA, with principles from Stellar Domnion and the heart nurturing methods of the Empyrean Order thrown in. The pattern that he summons which let's him 'seem' to fuse back together is just the culmination of this new understanding. Which implies this new method will be the key to him fusing back together permanently. My guess is he will have to reach a very high level in the method to do so though. As for the last strand, apparently it strengthened the Stellar Dust in his cells, vastly increasing his constitution. Which is probably temporary, but should let him withstand the last bolt. And also to 'eat' the whole Centurion which would have been suicide before. The question is what is he going to do with THAT much energy in the midst of a tribulation?
Dro
So Destiny is basically above the Laws/Dao and originally there was the 'Cosmic Destiny' that was created by The Eternal. Laondio then created the 'Imperial Faith' which stood at the same/almost the same level. Also, at some point, Karz got his name thrown out of the Cosmic Destiny which is why nobody remembers him (don't know where that actually fits in but probably relates to the Void Emperor(?)/his big fight with Laondio). So what Zac seems to be trying to do in this advancement is create a third Destiny path focused on the Void that would stand equal to the other two - ridiculously epic and truly embodies ‘Defying the Heavens’.
Chris Hallman
Yea I found myself thinking even Esmerelda should get rewarded for this after going through multiple heart attacks lol. I find it hilarious she has to sit along for the ride, must be going over the agreement to see if there is a way out of this madness lol.
Johnny Streit
Does this mean his bodies will join back up (or soonish anyway)?
austin kutz
The worst part about that is that it's 100% delusion probably caused by having the Solidarity Link connection with Zac. Dude couldn't even resist the erosion of the lost plane well enough to not go nuts
austin kutz
Great chapter, probably one of the best this year.
Kris Piskorski
Best chapter to date, farewell Kator
Matthew Hay
It should help w/ the energy needs, but I think the Pope would have to die to make significant impact. 15% of his total energy at this point would have to be multiple levels worth, but a single D-grade kill couldn't recover that.
Sanc Asura
Been waiting for this, finally glad to see Kator take his final set of lumps.
Owen Kaz
I think he'll unlock it when he reaches Monarchy tbh. It will be related in some way to the formation of his inner world, it was heavily hinted at here from my perspective of the chapter "It also relied on the temporary formation of his proto-space for his Inner World. " I feel like he will touch upon it when he forms his inner world, and we'll see him further explore it throughout Monarchy. Afterall, I can't see him truly reaching something that only an Autarch should ever touch, and not exploding.
MythWizard
Agreed. It was whimsical thinking on my part. I though it would interesting to have someone constantly challenging Zac on the team. An almost uncontrollably ally.
1FantasyFanatic
Seriously amazing chapter! “Only an inch from overcoming the current.” Chills down my spine man, chills .
Owen Kaz
The battle being planned is on the level of Supremicies. While a few first or 2nd step Atarch's getting injured is certainly an unexpected and unwelcome surprise, it is like Zac's army's losing a few high ranking E-grades. Basically, for those in the back, this will affect the war to a degree, but in no way will it stop it.
DannyO
Incredible finish! Super happy to see the foreshadowing from Rava come to fruition. She mentioned how ancient cultivators basically had a single method for everything; heart, soul, body, mind, bloodline etc. I'd been hoping Zac would figure it out for himself too.
StuBee3
Wow!
Lonez Zhavec
Cant wait for how insane that Merit for himself and Arcas will be, plus all his followrs! The Sector reacting to the shift in leaderboarda is gonna be insane! The Graveyard mini arc started with dead Autarchs and it ends with a Monarch trying to reach Autarchy I guess. Will he get a special title again for curb stomping a Monarchs attempt to ascend?
Lonez Zhavec
thats what Im doing. started a few days ago! lol
Sirloki
Have to give him that much at least
DannyO
By the sounds of it he has only fused VVS and TAA. No mention of his 9 reincarnation manual and integration/ stance stuff. Maybe that's what Zac meant when he said it was only a first step? I do agree with Jake though having a single method for everything would be a bit boring. I'm definitely hoping it's more of an integration/simplification of his path.
Owen Kaz
I found his end fitting, and it had long been clear Kator and Zac weren't fated together, with the exception of a single decisive battle.
Katerina
This is a freaking amazing, bone chilling chapter! ❤️
MythWizard
Just an amazing chapter though I was hoping that Kator would have that soarly needed ephony and join Team Zac. Not fated to be. And now we have a Void Realm. Very excited to see where that takes Zac in his journey to look beyond the curtain.
Hellasz123
seems like zacs way of getting through the future tribulation lightnings will be through force by the void
Timothy Dana
Hahah
Cook Bach
Excellent. Tftc!
MistuhBogan
A noble end.
Mike Naka
Toss: I felt a great disturbance in the Force. Kaldor: Yeah...There's a giant stain on your backside. Pavina: Guess you better make a run for the border...to...ya know...check things out. Toss: Dammit Pavina! No more Taco Bell!
Jeff McCulley
I feel like if Kator just HAD to be a problem, he should be helpful now, and have some useful, high grade materials in his spatial storage for Zac to use to complete his core. Oh, and the keys to that Mystic Realm he tried to bribe Zac with a while back, too, while he’s at it. Along with whatever Esmerelda wanted. Gotta take care of the beautiful ladies!
liquid_helix
Farewell Kator
Jeff McCulley
I’m not sure it’s the lost potential that’s the problem. It’s the material flaws to his core.
Mike Naka
Zac drew all 5 lights and became Exodia! LOL
DrSubterfuge
I wonder if the kill energy will help at all with the lost potential
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
SmokeJam
That was a bloody good last chapter for the most love-hated character of the story. After all, you have to respect his resolve and determination to the very end. And dying in the void realm after a proper good fight is kinda cool, isn't it. Tftc, I really enjoyed that read.
Omiso
RIP Kator. Commander Toss got his martyr after all, the Undead Empire Civil War will go from cold to hot soon.
Jeff McCulley
Exactly!
Jeff McCulley
Yeah, that was me. “Whatever just happened, that was good.” “Whatever just happened now, that was good, too!” “Oh wait, Kator got his ass kicked, and now everything’s hunky dory? Fair enough!”
Jason Brown
you have a real gift with words. whenever I read your work there is a vivid movie playing in my head the whole time. sometimes I don't quite understand what you are driving at until we get there, but the ride is something else. thank you for sharing your vision with us.
Jeff McCulley
Sure. However, odd as it is, looks like Yselio took the smart route.
Hms
Was hoping Kator would get taken out after the battle involving the monks and undead so can't say I'm sad to see him go. He would never have completely been on Zac's side and would have backstabbed at some point either for personal reasons or an order from higher up so this is the only way this could have gotten resolved. Now the question is how the rest of this arc gets resolved after Zac blows up the graveyard like we all expected him too. Was really looking forward to this battle arc and wished more time was spent on more of the battles instead of doing such large time skip. Just felt too rushed for me so hoping Ultom gives more POV opportunities and more fights.
Jeff McCulley
Agreed. Can’t wait for Wednesday to see and sort some things out. Is it Wednesday yet?
Jake
I do agree that he is aiming for an overarching idea to integrate/balance all the paths he is working on as he goes :)
Jake
I dont think that will be the case would be too easy for the style of story this has been so far and part of what makes it so great. A one awnser to all the mcs problems is what i expect from lower quality stories.
Jeff McCulley
The Pope’s turn next. Plus Merit.
jobe matula
lol.🤣
Jeff McCulley
Oops.
Jeff McCulley
A Reaver-free zone.
Tyler S.
Not quite what i expected but still absolutely amazing thanks TFD
Henry Wartemberg
Well that was epic. Barely followed what the hell was happening, but certainly epic😆
Guy Lanzman
Too bad about him
Frederik
lul zac discoverd creative Mode 4 Grades to early xd
Shup Idot
Very awesome, and now the reavers have lost a bunch of their power, doubt they can go through with their plans now.
Porter
Wow. Kator was an effing boss.
The Lost Pages
You know, in many ways Kator was Zac's mirror. In the end one of them had to prevail. The only other option was to do like Ogras chose to and follow Zac.
jerome
I wonder what the fallout will be from this.
Chase C
Crazy chapter, as we all expected! It sounds like Zac used the insights to develop a path toward combining all aspects of his cultivation into one system. If I remember right, Rava said that this is what many of the pre-system cultivators did, but Zac originally thought it wasn't feasible and would take far too much time to figure out. If this is the way that Zac eventually goes, then I think that would mean he ends up with a singular method to improve all aspects of his cultivation at once instead of having to split his time up between different soul/heart/body/etc. methods.
jobe matula
2nd
Edgar Segura
im gonna start rereading this series from the beginning. Cant wait
Lex Luther S
Bro holy shit this is hands down the best chapter TFD has EVER cooked up. And it seems zac, the mad man, did it. He really combined his entire cultivation into one supreme path of the void. Utterly INSANE. And a FOURTH bolt? Ohhh the heavens REAALLY don't like what zacs done huh? Welp, seems kator is finally dead. I feel he is one of the better antagonists of the story; especially because kator could have gone either way. Follow zac wholeheartedly or aim to bring him down. And his choice sees him dead. Which is why I can't hate him, he chose his path and even at the end, he's accepting the consequences. Rest well Kator whitesky. You will be forever remembered as the one enemy that helped zac take his biggest step yet on the path to supremacy.
TorHKU
Holy shit, that was insane. Zac pulling out all the stops to doing something WILD. The fact that he took apart all his improvement methods to form something better, that gives me hope we're gonna see he's got a really nice custom-built prize at the end of all this.
Edgar Segura
Wow
Azwrix
Kill energy is going to be insane
FriendorFo
Hot. DAMN.
Peyton Wheeler
fantastic chapter, was glued to the screen until the end
Raymond Whitehead
Awesome chapter
Tibstrike
Noooooo Katoooooor!
support!
And finally he's gone
Bryce H.
Thanks dog
The Lost Pages
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