Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 598: History of Verdantis III: Fate & Incentive

CH598 History of Verdantis III: Fate & Incentive

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”With my limited understanding of the Supreme Law of Destiny, I came to realise that Gu Mo’s actions had triggered a catastrophic tribulation upon Verdantis.”

”And if left unchecked, our plane would not survive.”

”A fate that would mean the destruction of the world itself, and the extinction of all who inhabit it,” Old man One Heaven continued.

”I immediately gathered all Emperor-level powerhouses of the plane —those at the Seventh Circle— to confront Gu Mo before he could completely strip the plane of its Fate and Fortune.”

”Due to the urgency... and the lack of time... All we could do was issue a warning to the false deities regarding the consequences of their actions.”

”We also assigned our subordinates to monitor them.”

”Then, using my authority as the strongest being on the plane, I claimed the Heavenly Mandate. And with it, I entered the Heavenly realm —the very Soul Space of our plane’s consciousness— to confront Gu Mo directly.”

For a brief moment, a storm of emotions flickered across the old man’s usually composed expression.

Anger, melancholy, and something deeper... harder to name.

”One after another... Emperor-level powerhouses fell. Gu Mo and his forces were relentless.”

”Worse still, due to the recent emergence of Deity cultivation, the plane’s consciousness itself was thrown into disarray.”

”It did not understand this new system, nor did it know how to defend against it.”

”No safeguards had yet been formed and that weakness became an opening.”

”An opening that Gu Mo exploited without hesitation.”

”He invaded the Heavens themselves and drew close to the Will of the Plane.”

”His intention was clear— to corrupt it. To seize control at the very root...”

”And in doing so, ensure the complete downfall of Verdantis.”

A heavy silence followed.

”By the time I reached the Will —with what remained of my companions— the corruption had already begun.”

His voice grew heavier.

”Left with no other choice... I made my decision.”

”I merged with what remained of the plane’s Will.”

”And using the combined Providence —and the very essence and being of the Emperor-level powerhouses who stood with me— I destroyed the Will of the Heavens, severing it from the plane itself.

”Then, I temporarily replaced it, thus halting Gu Mo’s advance.”

For a brief moment, pure rage flashed across his eyes.

”However, those false deities, intoxicated by the power they now wielded, ignored our warnings.

”Instead, they deliberately spread the seeds of Gu Mo’s corruption across the plane.”

”And with the spread of that corruption, came the corruption of the very essence of our world.”

”Sorcery itself.”

”To prevent Sorcery from being completely tainted, I was forced to withdraw a portion of the power I had been using to suppress Gu Mo... and redirect it to sever the corruption from Sorcery’s Providence.”

”But that decision came at a cost.”

”In doing so, Sorcerers lost their ability to cast spells as they once did.”

”I was forced to create a new method of spellcasting—”

”Hand signs... or rather, Seal forming.” Realisation struck Alex.

”Yes,” Old man One Heaven nodded.

”But before I could disseminate that knowledge to the surviving sorcerers, the false deities made their move first.”

”They spread word that Sorcery could no longer combat the plague and that only through worship of them could salvation be achieved.”

”They used the crisis to expand their faith?” Alex’s eyes widened with anger.

”Indeed,” One Heaven confirmed calmly.

’These parasites truly know no bounds...’ Alex thought inwardly.

”But that was not all,” the old man continued. ”They also persuaded the Combat Warriors —created through the Heavenly Venerable’s method— to turn against the sorcerers and fight on their behalf.”

”With that, the Sorcerers were driven back... forced into the Minor Heavens controlled by each of the Holy Lands.”

”As my final act for the Sorcerer world, using my bond with the Heavens, I altered the entry requirements of those Minor Heavens.”

”I barred all beings carrying even a trace of divinity from entering.”

’So that’s how the Sorcery Holy Lands survived until now...’ Alex murmured inwardly. ’Not only the clergy who worship the false deities, even the Combat Warriors and their descendants were excluded by that single move.’

’After all, their bodies carry corrupted genes derived from berserk beasts, whose origins can ultimately be traced back to Gu Mo’s divinity.’

At this point, the conclusion became undeniable.

The so-called berserk property was, in truth, a manifestation of Gu Mo’s divinity.

’Which means... the old man wasn’t able to finish off Gu Mo when he had the chance,’ Alex surmised.

”Unfortunately,” Old man One Heaven continued, ”due to the many measures I had to take to prevent Verdantis from falling into the hands of the false deities —an outcome no different from surrendering it to Gu Mo— I no longer possessed the strength required to eradicate him completely.”

”I was left with no choice... but to seal him.”

His voice grew heavier.

”But I knew that such a measure would only ever be temporary.”

”With the corruption of the Will of Heaven, and the seeds of his corruption already spread by the traitors, it was inevitable that Gu Mo would rise again.”

”And so I took more drastic measures.”

”I destroyed the four continents that had already been thoroughly corrupted, and used what remained of them to expand the last remaining continent.”

”Upon that final landmass, I constructed the Heaven–Earth Concordance Formation.”

”I connected this formation to the plane’s Heaven itself. Then, by drawing upon the plane’s Fortune as fuel, I embedded a beacon within the stream of Destiny...

”A call... meant to attract an individual who could become the Legatee of a new era, and complete what we began.”

”Then, to ensure the worthiness of such an individual, I used my connection to the Heavens to preserve the remnants of those who fought alongside me.”

”Phantoms of the Emperor-level powerhouses who gave their all to defend this plane...”

”They would serve as examiners for the chosen successor.”

”That is why a phantom such as myself —a remnant of a bygone age— can stand before you now to recount the truth of the past.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly.

”So... you’re saying it wasn’t mere coincidence that my party arrived on Verdantis?” he asked.

”Not entirely,” Old man One Heaven replied, shaking his head.

”I never intended the call to be answered in the form of outsiders, nor can I fully discern the mechanism by which said outsiders cross into our plane despite the guard around it due to the dawn of its tribulation...

”But I am certain of one thing.”

”You were guided, in some manner, by the hand of Destiny— As response to the beacon I left behind within its stream.”

Alex fell silent.

He took a moment to digest everything he had just heard.

The weight of it all...

The scale...

The implications...

Eventually, he spoke again.

”If I were to accept this legacy of yours, what exactly would be required of me?”

His tone turned dry.

”I hope you’re not expecting me to go up against a Class Eight Transcendent entity... along with several Class Seven Navi.”

A faint, wry smile tugged at his lips.

”You are aware that I am only at Class Two, aren’t you?”

Old man One Heaven shook his head.

”The conflict against the traitors, and the outsider, is not one that can be resolved through direct confrontation.”

”Even if you were to reach the Eighth Circle, as I once did, you would still struggle to defeat them.”

”You must first obtain the Heavenly Mandate.”

”Only with the Mandate can you ascend into the Heavenly realm, and form a bond with the reborn consciousness of the plane.”

”And only through that bond, can you wield the Will of Heaven itself to vanquish these foes.”

Alex folded his arms, his expression turning indifferent.

”And why,” he asked, ”should I go through all of this trouble?”

”Because Destiny brought me here?”

He gave a faint shake of his head.

”I’m afraid I’m not a hero.”

”I have seen what kind of person you are,” Old man One Heaven replied calmly. ”And I am not asking you to be one.”

”Instead...”

”I am offering you a transaction.”

”A series of benefits in exchange for accepting this legacy.”

Alex’s gaze sharpened slightly.

”What kind of benefits?” he asked.

”First,” the old man began, ”I will impart to you the method I devised to create the Seal-Forming Spellcasting system for Sorcery.”

Alex’s expression remained largely unchanged.

He was not particularly impressed.

He was after all uncertain how such knowledge would truly benefit him.

”Second...” One Heaven continued, ”The Legacy itself is a method of gathering the power of many... to empower one.

”With it, it may not be impossible for you to confront an Eighth Circle opponent, even while remaining at the Second Circle.”

This time, Alex’s eyes widened— if only slightly. But just as quickly, he suppressed the reaction.

Old man One Heaven caught it.

A faint glint passed through his eyes.

Without hesitation, he dropped the final bait.

”There are other, lesser benefits... But I believe this is the one that will interest you the most.”

He smiled as he revealed,

”If you accept the legacy –and successfully form a bond with the plane’s consciousness— then the entire plane...

”...will fall under your control.”

***