Genetic Ascension

Chapter 2328 Time

A crown flickered to life above Sylasʼ head.

Before it could properly form, it vanished and another took its place, then another after that, one crown cycling into the next so quickly that their shapes began to blur together.

Sylas recognized them. He had worn these crowns before, manifestations born from the various Titles he accumulated throughout his path, but all of them should have disappeared when the Grim Reaper Title formed.

At the time, the system had been quite clear that the others were stripped away, their separate existences lost beneath the new Title. Yet as one crown after another flickered above him, Sylas realized that hadnʼt been entirely true.

They hadnʼt disappeared. They had been swallowed, their power and meaning folded into something greater even if the system itself hadnʼt seemed willing to acknowledge it that way. Or maybe it had simply been wishful thinking on its part.

The flickering finally stopped.

A sleek black band settled around Sylasʼ forehead, so simple that compared to the crowns that came before it, it almost looked ordinary. There were no towering points, no jewels, no complicated markings, only a thin circle of black wrapped around his head. But the moment it appeared, the Legendary City Stele pulsed in response.

—

[Legendary City Stele]

[Status: Active]

[Kingdom Name: Sky Roaming]

[Territory Level: Grade 1 Rudimentary Kingdom]

[Territory Diameter: 10 Sector Spans (ERROR)]

[Residents: 10,103/22,000,000,000,000]

[Soldiers: 0/1,000,000,000]

[Popularity: 2/10]

[Subsidiary Village Limit: 10,000]

[Territory Stats: Variable]

[Special Status: Grim Reaper Bound. Property of Sylas Grimblade]

—

Sylasʼ gaze lingered on the error for only a moment before another notification appeared.

[Warning: Territory boundaries have been restrained by the existence of foreign territories.] [Clear competing territorial authorities to restore the full range and functions of Sky Roaming.] [Until territorial restrictions are removed, several abilities of Sky Roaming will remain limited.] That was expected enough. Sky Roaming had only just manifested into the outside world, while the Galaxy of the Grimblades alone already littered with old territorial claims, newly evolved foundations, and powers that had existed long before Sylas arrived.

His ownership of the galaxy thankfully made all of that irrelevant. They had already been cleared. But he had no control over the bounds that existed beyond the Galaxy of the Grimblades, unfortunately.

Before he could focus on the matter any further, though, another notification descended.

—

[Quicktime Event, Heavens Clash, has evolved]

[Level Recommendation changed]

—

Sylasʼ eyes narrowed.

—

[Quicktime Event Triggered]

[Heavens Clash]

[Level Recommended: 200]

[Description: Since the first Heavens were first raised, a race of comprehension has been their calling. The Beast Heaven has always answered with Constitution as their champion, tempering flesh until the world itself breaks upon it. The Skai Heaven has always answered with Will, forging a self so complete that flesh becomes an afterthought. Two answers. One sky. Only one may keep its Karma. On this day, the answer to this question will be decided by the youth. Show us your potential, young ones.] [Event Type: Domination]

[Clear Requirements]

[Whichever Heaven holds the superior kill count at the close of one month shall receive plentiful rewards] >[Whichever Heaven falls short shall have its Karma crippled by the victor] —”> >[Whichever Heaven holds the superior kill count at the close of one month shall receive plentiful rewards] >[Whichever Heaven falls short shall have its Karma crippled by the victor] —

Sylasʼ gaze flickered.

His connection to the Galaxy of the Grimblades had changed too much for something this large to escape him. His senses reached across distances that should have made such awareness impossible, and even where his conscious mind wasnʼt focused, information continued to brush against his subconscious and influence his understanding of the whole.

He didnʼt need to search very long before he became absolutely certain of what had happened and what changes had been triggered. The Heaven System had moved.

Across the Galaxy of the Grimblades, every existence beyond Level 200 had been restrained at once.

There had been no preparation and no gradual descent of pressure. The systemʼs might simply appeared and bound them beneath rules none could ignore.

Sylas turned his attention toward Xarvenya and found her unharmed, but invisible Runes floated around her body, woven so deeply into the laws around her that there was no mistaking their purpose.

They limited her.

Not only was Xarvenya forbidden from acting directly, she couldnʼt even give Sylas advice about how to proceed. The moment the Quicktime Event changed, every advantage that could be provided by someone above the recommended level had been sealed away with it.

Rhykanʼs calculations had been correct.

The tides of Karma had shifted, and the Heaven System had changed its mind about how it wanted this clash to be decided. Whatever might have happened before no longer mattered. The youth of the Beast Heaven and the Skai Heaven had been given a month, and the only measure left that mattered was slaughter.

Which meant Sylas only had one thing left to do...

Kill.

The Grimblades had already made their debut, but not in a way Sylas considered sufficient. His grandfather had risen, then Sylas himself followed, and now Sky Roaming had become a Rudimentary Kingdom beneath a Legendary City Stele. Their name had spread, their authority had grown, and an entire galaxy now carried their ownership.

Yet they were still too mysterious, too undefined.

The Karma of the Grimblades existed, but Sylas wanted it anchored deeply enough that when the time came to take down the Fate Dragon, there would already be a foundation capable of carrying that weight. He wasnʼt interested in allowing something that immense to become the beginning of their legend.

Sylas looked out across the Galaxy of the Grimblades, the black crown resting quietly around his forehead.

It was time for the Grimblades to make a true debut.

And what better place to do it than a battlefield of Heavens?

—

[Quicktime Event Cleared]

[Gluttony of the Serpentes - Completed]

[VICTOR: Sylas Grimblade]

-

[Galaxy Destroyer Reward Received]

[Menace Reward Received]

[Multiplier Reward Received]

[Against All Odds Reward Received]

[Merit Reward Received]

[Slot Machine Reward Received]

—

Sylasʼ eyes narrowed when he saw the last line of rewards. There was something peculiar about the Will surrounding the words ”Slot Machine”.