The Bloodline System

Chapter 1621: Reaching The Cosmic Superior Beings

Authorʼs Note: Unedited Chapter

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Gustav turned away and exhaled heavily. ”I could get rid of you, you know,” he muttered with a measured but cold tone. ”I have the power to sever our partnership right here and now. I donʼt need you to finish this task. I can pursue it on my own.”

The systemʼs crimson eyes widened in alarm. ”Gustav, donʼt!” she pleaded, while stepping forward.

For the first time, her voice carried genuine fear. ”You canʼt! Iʼm a part of this—of you! Without me, you wouldnʼt have the guidance you need to complete Ehyrianʼs work. Youʼd be flying blind.”

Gustav turned back to her, his gaze unwavering. ”Then stop hiding things from me,” he demanded. ”If thereʼs anything else, anything at all, youʼd better tell me now. Because if I find out youʼre keeping more secrets, this partnership is over.”

The system hesitated with her expression becoming a mix of guilt and reluctance. ”There is… one last thing,” she admitted.

Gustavʼs eyes narrowed. ”Out with it. Now.”

The system took a deep breath as her crimson aura flickered faintly. ”I intend to revive Ehyrian after all of this is over.”

The air in the room seemed to still. Gustav stared at her with an unreadable expression. ”What?”

”Ehyrian gave his life to create the core, to guide you,” the system explained. ”But his essence wasnʼt completely destroyed. It was fragmented, scattered across the dimensions. Iʼve been collecting those fragments ever since I was created. When your journey is complete, when youʼve reclaimed your full strength, Iʼll have everything I need to bring him back.”

Gustavʼs fists clenched. ”And you didnʼt think to mention this sooner?”

”It wasnʼt something you needed to know until now,” the system voiced with a defensive tone. ”Reviving Ehyrian doesnʼt change your mission. It doesnʼt change the fact that you need to stop Nocturnis and the other enemies. If anything, his return would only strengthen your position if it happens before you defeat them.”

Gustav exhaled deeply as his body eased slightly. ”Iʼll let this slide—for now. But youʼd better not keep anything else from me. If you do, I swear Iʼll get rid of you.”

The system nodded again with a low tone. ”You wonʼt regret it, Gustav. I promise. Iʼm on your side. Always.”

He turned away, staring out the cockpit window at the stars beyond. ”Youʼd better be. Because I donʼt have time for anything—or anyone—holding me back.”

He activated the shipʼs navigation system, setting coordinates for his next destination.

...

...

A spacecraft hovered silently in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a vast emptiness that stretched infinitely in every direction.

A tiny star, no larger than a pinprick of light, shimmered faintly before them—a curious anomaly amidst the dark void of space. Endric stood at the helm, his green dot of energy glowing faintly on his forehead as he narrowed his gaze.

”Thatʼs it?” Ria questioned while eaning against the console. His tone was laced with skepticism as he gestured toward the tiny star. ”Your great karmic temporal string led us to this little thing? Itʼs smaller than the chip in Sersiʼs tooth.”

”Oh, shut up, Ria,” Sersi shot back, rolling her eyes as she stepped closer to the viewport.

Her frost-coated aura shimmered faintly in the low light. ”It wouldnʼt have brought us here if it wasnʼt something. Right?” Her voice wavered slightly, betraying her own doubt.

Endric didnʼt respond immediately. His focus was razor-sharp as he studied the flickering star. Something about it felt… off. He could sense an immense energy emanating from it, one that seemed to stretch beyond what the naked eye could perceive.

”Itʼs here,” he finally voiced with a tone of certainty.

”Weʼre at the right place. Get ready. This might not be what it seems.”

As the three approached the glowing dot in their spacecraft, the light suddenly flared.

Without warning, they felt a violent pull like a gravitational force gripping them and yanking them forward. The cabin rattled violently, and the next thing they knew, they were hurtling through a swirling vortex of distorted colors and lights.

When the vortex subsided, the three found themselves standing on solid ground.

Their spacecraft was nowhere to be seen. The world around them was unlike anything they had ever encountered.

The ground beneath their feet was crystalline and reflective, mirroring their faces like fractured glass. The sky above was an endless sea of shifting hues—red, blue, gold, and green, constantly in motion as if painted by a restless hand.

Tall, spindly structures shaped like twisted spires rose in the distance. Their surfaces were covered in a strange script that seemed alive, writhing and shifting with purpose.

In the far horizon, massive, floating orbs radiated a soft, pulsing glow, casting long, warped shadows across the land.

”This place…” Sersi whispered as her frost aura flared instinctively. ”What even is this? It feels… ancient.”

Before Endric could answer, the air around them vibrated, and three tall, dark figures emerged from the horizon.

They were clad in flowing black robes that shimmered with an eerie, oil-slick sheen. Their faces were obscured by deep hoods, but faint glimmers of silver light suggested eyes watching from within.

”Ah, the seekers arrive,” one of the robed figures voice echoed unnaturally, as though layered with multiple tones. ”Welcome to our domain.”

”Weʼve been expecting you,” added another, its voice softer but no less unsettling.

Endricʼs fists clenched at his sides, but he kept his voice steady. ”Who are you? Why did you interfere with our mission to retrieve the sword?”

The tallest of the robed figures stepped forward, its movements fluid and unnervingly graceful. ”We are the Xyfect, a collective of the most powerful Cosmic Superior beings in existence. Our purpose is simple: to maintain the balance of the universe by ensuring no being rises in power to the level of the old deities.”

Sersi frowned, stepping forward with frost coating her fingertips. ”So youʼre glorified babysitters? Thatʼs why youʼre interfering? The Outworldlyʼs power is the only thing that can stop Nocturnis from destroying everything. Are you blind to that?”

The robed figure chuckled, letting out a hollow, grating sound. ”We are well aware of the Outworldlyʼs intentions, but his goals are irrelevant. Power like his should never exist. Whether he aims to save or destroy the universe, the end result is the same—chaos and devastation.”

”Bullshit!” Ria voice echoed across the crystalline expanse as he snapped. ”Youʼre telling me youʼd rather let Nocturnis rampage than let someone strong enough rise to stop him? How does that make any sense?”

Another of the Xyfect spoke with a tone of disdain. ”You misunderstand. We have no intention of allowing Nocturnis to succeed. When the time comes, we will deal with him ourselves.”

Endric took a step forward with his glowing green marked forehead as his telekinetic energy rippled around him. ”If thatʼs true, why cloak the sword? Why go out of your way to stop us from finding it? Youʼre only delaying the Outworldlyʼs ability to protect the universe.”

The Xyfect scoffed in unison, their voices a chilling harmony. ”Delaying him is a kindness. He should consider it a gift. Should have succeeded in regaining more of his power, he would leave us no choice but to kill him ourselves.”

Endricʼs aura flared brighter as his frustration boiled over. ”Youʼre making a mistake. You donʼt know what youʼre risking by interfering. Nocturnis isnʼt just a problem you can solve with brute force. Heʼs already close to breaking free. If we donʼt act now, there wonʼt be a universe left for you to ʼprotect.ʼ”

”And yet, we stand by our creed,” one of the Xyfect said, its tone cold and unwavering. ”The Outworldlyʼs power is an anomaly that should never have existed. Ehyrian may have chosen to preserve it, but we do not share his sentiment. We will see to it that no being—Nocturnis, the Outworldly, or anyone else—ever disrupts the balance of the cosmos again.”

Ria slammed his fist into his palm, his patience gone. ”You stuck-up bastards think youʼre gods, huh? Let me tell you something—youʼre not invincible. If you keep this up, weʼll make sure you regret ever messing with us.”

The Xyfect didnʼt flinch. ”Bold words, but misplaced. This is not a negotiation, mortals. Leave now, and count yourselves lucky that we do not view you as a threat. Continue to seek the sword, and you will force our hand.”

Endric glared at the robed figures. He could feel their immense power, a suffocating presence that dwarfed anything he had encountered before.

He knew a fight against them now would be suicide. Revealing themselves to be some of the most powerful Cosmic Superior Beings in existence already meant they were thousands of years old.

But he couldnʼt back down—not with the universe at stake.

”Weʼre not leaving without that sword,” he said firmly. ”Youʼve already made this harder than it needs to be, but weʼll find a way. With or without your permission.”