Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1402: Inexorable Fate

Zac had consistently avoided triggering the power of [Love’s Bond] unless every other path was closed. In his mind, revealing his Void Talents was a far better sacrifice than forcing Alea’s spirit into a gamble of mutual annihilation. He had hoped Alea would renounce the skill’s suicidal nature as she grew stronger, but she had remained stubborn. She maintained that an ability was worthless if it couldn't surpass Zac’s own power, and this lethal trade-off was the only way to achieve that scale of strength.

Zac spoke as a fresh strategy took form in his mind.

Simply revealing a hidden trump card wouldn't be enough to shatter Descartes’ facade of immortality. Zac wasn't naive enough to believe they had seen the full extent of the man's capabilities yet. They needed a coordinated effort to erode Descartes’ mental fortitude before they could deliver a finishing blow.

Zac communicated with the Elemental while the Buffing Pygmy from [Profane Exponents] began to stir.

The lantern gripped by the pygmy suddenly shattered, replaced by an ancient sigil beneath its feet. The now-exposed candle flared with the intensity of a malevolent sun, venting a tidal wave of Miasmic fire. The inferno surged forward, swallowing Descartes and his collection of ink-born servants. By pouring the skill’s entire duration into a single burst, even the paintbrush was engulfed in the blaze.

The artifact itself remained unharmed, but the relentless fire choked its ability to paint upon the air. Stripped of its utility, the brush became little more than a decorative club, creating numerous gaps in Descartes' defense. A chain lashed out, targeting Descartes’ left eye to disrupt his attempt to gather Qi.

Even the most elite ancient cultivators suffered a distinct disadvantage compared to those bound by the System. Their techniques required a fraction longer to manifest, making them vulnerable to interruption during close-quarters combat. Disrupting him had been Zac’s secondary goal; the primary was carving a path for Kaltosa Lu.

Having already burnt [Profane Exponents], Zac wasn't about to settle for mere distractions. He charged through the wall of fire, closing the distance until he was chest-to-chest with his foe. He unleashed a lightning-fast palm strike that caved in Descartes’ ribs and pulverized his heart, forcing the man back. In exchange, the brush swung down, connecting with Zac’s shoulder in a sickening crunch.

The impact felt like a falling mountain, forcing Zac to use his chains as anchors to keep from being launched away. Meanwhile, Descartes remained unbothered by the damage. His crushed chest mended itself before he even finished skidding back. It was a losing trade in the short term, but Zac knew that some battles had to be lost to secure the ultimate victory.

Descartes watched with mild interest as the flaming brush failed to knock aside the spectral chain. He was granted no more time to ponder before the energy within his own body began to rebel. Knowing Descartes would eventually adapt to the boosted force-redirection of [Arbiter of the Abyss], Zac aimed for maximum disruption in the smallest possible window.

Zac reappeared instantly before the staggering Descartes. He had effectively scrambled the directional senses of every muscle in the man's body. Even as [Death’s Duality] swung toward his skull, Descartes’ expression remained one of bored mockery. He looked like a predator waiting to see what its cornered prey would attempt next.

His mindset was transparent. Descartes followed a Dao of absolute dominion, finding joy in crushing the paths of others to prove his own supremacy. He was deliberately allowing his enemies to strike with everything they had, certain he would emerge unscathed. Each failed attempt by his enemies only served to temper his Dao Heart. Zac intended to turn that arrogance into a fatal mistake.

Zac unleashed a frantic, relentless assault with [Fatehew]. Using the brief paralysis caused by [Arbiter of the Abyss], he hacked Descartes into a hundred fragments. With the ink creatures destroyed by the earlier fire, Alea’s chains were free to move. Instead of attacking the flesh, however, they coiled tightly around the paintbrush.

As his final move, Zac played his real trump card by activating [Void Zone] at its peak intensity. Massive quantities of Void Energy drained from him instantly, yet he couldn't quite extinguish the convergence of powers within the piles of gore on the floor. He hadn't expected to; the chance of a D-grade Bloodline Talent nullifying an ability backed by Authority was nearly zero. At best, he had slowed the regeneration by twenty percent.

However, Zac caught an unexpected break. The paintbrush, now encased in a cocoon of chains, shrank to its original size once severed from the Heavens' influence. The runes on its handle dimmed significantly. Seizing the moment, Zac silenced his roaring bloodline and pulled out a stone etched with golden scripture.

The sight of the object made the scattered remains of Descartes shudder. Zac stomped on the ground, dispersing the piles of flesh. While it didn't delay the reformation, it served to agitate his foe. It was a petty distraction while he funneled his entire Strength into jamming the brush into the aperture of the [Fuxi Mountain Gate].

Zac had originally intended to tear open a Void Vortex to dump the tool into his personal Void, preventing Descartes from summoning it. Seeing it shrink provided a cleaner solution. This way, he avoided the risk of the massive brush causing a lethal backlash while trying to force its way out of his body later.

The weapon fought back until Zac forced the tip into the gate. In that instant, it went still, transmitting a sense of pure terror. It ceased its struggle entirely, allowing Zac to slide it through. A moment later, the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] was pulled back into [Purity of the Void], vanishing from existence a breath later.

Zac smirked as a furious Descartes reformed within the nullification field, just a second too late to stop the theft. He stood there empty-handed. Disarming him had been useless before, as the brush would simply reappear in his hand upon every rebirth. But even that connection had its breaking point.

The artifact was now on the far side of the Left Imperial Expanse, locked within a Supreme Void Treasure. Even if it escaped the [Fuxi Mountain Gate], it would find itself at the edge of the Crushing Hell. Zac trusted his human half to handle the situation, and Tavza was available to suppress the weapon if needed. He had more pressing concerns.

Stealing the weapon was merely the first course. Kaltosa Lu had been preparing the main event while Zac provided the distraction. Unlike Descartes, who was blinded by [Fields of Despair] and [Void Zone], Zac could see the precise movements of the thousands of Array Disks hovering above.

They had shifted in a seemingly chaotic pattern until Zac trapped Descartes in the nullification sphere. At that moment, they snapped into a unified formation. Even without his Danger Sense, Zac could feel the lethal power they were manifesting. He transformed into a blur of Abyssal Death, wrapping the restrained Descartes in total shadow before slipping away.

The sensory blackout of [Abyssal Drive] would only hold Descartes for a heartbeat, but that was all the time required to mask the arrival of a featureless, four-armed figure. With palms pressed down as if pinning the world itself, the space around Descartes imploded as the fabric of reality failed.

For a fleeting second, Zac felt the energy signatures of the current era, suggesting Kaltosa Lu’s attack had actually cracked the memory. Was this the Elemental’s escape plan? Zac had used similar methods to flee memory domains in the past, but the Mercurial Court’s memories had always seemed indestructible. It was a testament to the terrifying power Kaltosa Lu had harnessed through his array chains.

“The Emissary is beyond your reach!” Descartes bellowed from the heart of the collapse, thrusting a flag into the earth. It bore twenty-three undulating lines.

A constellation of dozens of stars flared from the banner, despite it lacking any obvious spirituality. The massive phantom exuded an overwhelming aura of Order and Imperial Faith. Standing in its presence felt like being crushed by the weight of the imperial sky that watched over the universe.

Each star contained a symbol or relic of such majesty that Zac had to look away to keep his eyes from bursting. Some were so potent their true forms remained obscured. This was particularly true of the three central idols above the banner. They were distinct yet unified, feeling both alien and strangely familiar to Zac. Others, however, he recognized instantly.

A faint sun bearing the Theomore Dynasty’s emblem held down the western flank. Similarly, the Empyrean Chalice and its Eternal Flame drifted above the banner, acting as a lynchpin for the heavenly dome.

Every Imperial Bloodline and branch was represented. Most remained dormant, like the Theomore sun, but their mere presence was enough to nullify Kaltosa Lu’s ultimate strike. Thousands of Array Disks shattered instantly, and Kaltosa Lu was slammed to his knees. The shimmering light of the Elemental's body began to fade, with only three tiny sparks within him offering any resistance.

Though he wasn't hit by the direct backlash, Zac’s mind throbbed from the sheer weight of the scene. It contained high-level truths he wasn't yet meant to grasp. The chart reminded him of the mosaic in the Centurion Lighthouse—a simplified map of the System.

In contrast, Descartes’ banner was a celestial map of the Limitless Empire itself. It felt like a blueprint of their combined territories, with the three central stars representing the Emperor and the capital. It was the physical manifestation of the Empire’s authority over all things.

The reversal was more violent than Zac had anticipated, but it was still within his calculations. He had never expected Kaltosa Lu to finish the fight alone. The plan was to chip away at Descartes’ certainty. Even if the brush wasn't the source of his immortality, losing it proved he wasn't invincible.

Descartes had been forced to reveal his ultimate defense because he felt truly threatened. His opponents were more dangerous than he’d thought, and he wanted no more surprises. If Zac could break this constellation—Descartes’ spiritual fortress—the man's Dao Heart would likely crumble.

Zac’s frame creaked under the pressure, his Soul Cores nearly grinding to a halt. It felt as though a deity was pressing down on his shoulders, demanding he kneel. Yet, the weight wasn't insurmountable. He initially credited [Void Zone] for his survival before realizing it was only a minor factor.

The real reason he remained standing while Kaltosa Lu collapsed was a sudden discord within the celestial map. While the other stars turned their blades toward the Emissary's enemies, one star offered a hand of welcome. The golden chalice expanded in Zac’s vision, his own memories acting as a bridge across time.

The Empyrean Flame had dimmed over the ages, but it surged to life upon sensing the connection. Zac felt the fire reach out from the horizon of reality to the Left Imperial Expanse, intending to cloak its chosen in supreme authority. A mere messenger dared to use the Empire's name to suppress a Terminal Son—the one who carried the legacy of the Empyrean Chalice?

Zac didn't care about the costs or the duration of this blessing. He only knew this was a window of opportunity far greater than any other plan. It was time to demonstrate that immortality was an illusion.

The Void of Life merged with the anthem of War and Death, adding a new layer to Zac’s momentum. A hidden path through the Empyrean Chalice manifested before him, and he stepped onto it without hesitation. A warmth like a summer breeze washed over him as he passed through the spectral chalice, mending the bulk of his injuries.

Descartes had begun moving toward the fallen Kaltosa Lu, but he whipped around in shock as Zac appeared beside the banner. His horror deepened when Zac reached out and gripped the pole without being disintegrated.

“No—!”

Zac ignored the scream and wrenched the banner upward with a massive heave. The constellation deflated like a punctured lung, its divine glory vanishing. The three central suns retreated first, as if they refused to remain if the banner wasn't at full strength. Their departure left Zac frustrated; even at this range, he couldn't see what they were, but their exit triggered a mass exodus of the other stars.

Suddenly, only one icon remained—a golden chalice holding a ghostly flame. It didn't just stay; it solidified until it seemed physically present.

“You! This is high treason!” Descartes screamed, glaring at the lone sun with pure rage.

“Treason? A lowly emissary thinks he can turn the Empire’s banner against me? The Emperor himself guards my Dao. You are seeking your own end,” Zac growled, snapping the banner over his knee.

Zac’s heart raced at the bold lies he was spewing, half-expecting the Heavens to strike him down for his gall. But no lightning fell, and his words hit home. Descartes looked more wounded by the verbal barb than any physical strike. He appeared physically ill and disoriented, and Alea knew this was the moment.

A five-meter spectral image of Alea’s torso appeared above Descartes, wearing a serene smile. Descartes shuddered as ten chains manifested across his frame. They were tethered to Alea’s fingers, making him look like a puppet on a stage.

Violent surges of power erupted from Descartes as he fought to break the bindings, and the animalistic roars returned. But the energy was suppressed as he took a jerky, forced step toward Zac. He struggled repeatedly, but the outcome remained unchanged. Eventually, Descartes stood before Zac, his arms spread wide in a forced welcome.

All living things were puppets of fate, walking toward a predetermined end. A spirit of absolute will could momentarily seize those strings, provided they paid the price.

This was the core of the evolved [Fate’s Predestination]—[Inexorable Fate]. It didn't manipulate Qi or Dao; it bent the path of fate itself. The stronger the target’s destiny, the worse the backlash Alea would endure. If she tried to force a fate that was too improbable, her spirit would shatter.

“You were right before. It’s time to fix the trajectories. There is no place for you in the Left Imperial Expanse,” Zac said, his voice dripping with hatred. Cracks were already spiderwebbing across Alea’s form. Every second she held Descartes’ fate, her soul took damage. He had to finish this now.

Zac pulled every drop of power from the ten remnants within him. Massive force flooded his shoulders as he stepped in. His left hand carried the spark of evolution; his right held the void of nothingness. He became the alpha and the omega, with the sea of existence caught between them. Finally, the Void of Conflict shattered the laws of separation to create Primordial Chaos.

It was a power that shouldn't exist in this age, let alone the ancient past where the Peak of Chaos lay in ruins. Descartes’ eyes filled with a new level of terror as the silver light of Chaos reflected in them. Zac offered a silent prayer as he struck the final blow.