Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1438: Interference

“What about the non-corrupted timelines?” Zac inquired. “Won’t the people from there attack us too?”

“I’ve already explained that our reality contains only one true timeline, a single version of us. All others are merely memories with minor variations in detail,” Esmeralda stated. “The issue with the invaders stems from the First Era’s corruption, which has somehow alerted them to the omnipresence chamber and the world beyond.” Esmeralda continued, “Speaking of which, we should depart soon. The more perceptive ones might detect our presence if we linger here.”

“Understood,” Zac nodded.

A break was never on their agenda after coming this far, and witnessing the chaotic entanglement with the Peregrine Ocean only reinforced their need for haste. Tasks were swiftly assigned, and they commenced their mission. Esmeralda assumed the responsibility of identifying the most problematic timelines. The corruption here was not overt, unlike what Zac was accustomed to. The damaged timelines could only be discerned by observing subtle fluctuations in time and space.

Esmeralda would conduct her assessment from the realm’s core. She needed to establish a foundational connection with [Second Singularity] to integrate it into the hunting lodge. Furthermore, she was tasked with maintaining vigilance against any backlash when Zac began severing timelines. Zac’s role was considerably more straightforward: his sole duty was to rapidly seal the bridges.

Nevertheless, it was with profound caution that Zac approached the mass of silver water indicated by Esmeralda. He had already opened three vortices; two were positioned far from him and each other, while a third lagged behind. The Peregrine Ocean’s aura was currently suppressed, but he remained acutely aware of its lethality. He had to be prepared to retreat instantly should it breach containment.

As Zac gazed into the undulating waters, his consciousness was suddenly overwhelmed. An expansive world unfolded before him, consuming his entire awareness. He perceived countless lives engaged in their daily routines, each harboring unique hopes and ambitions. An oppressive sense of profound consequence descended upon him.

To his own admission, Zac bore the weight of immense bloodshed, yet even he recoiled at the thought of obliterating all life within an entire reality. Who was he to decide who would perish and who would endure? By simply taking a stand, he would entangle his Karma with unimaginable suffering.

Zac trembled as a wave of nothingness pulsed through him, jolting him back to reality. He drew a ragged breath, realizing he had nearly succumbed to forming a heart demon by heeding the deceitful whispers of the Lost Plane. While the lives he witnessed possessed a form of reality, in a more fundamental sense, they were not truly alive. He was merely observing a meticulously detailed chronicle of a bygone era, lives that had concluded naturally in the distant past.

Moreover, this recording was saturated with madness, directly jeopardizing the potential for genuine cultivators to emerge from the dream. As Esmeralda had conveyed, their intervention was an act of profound kindness. Severing ties with these aberrant timelines was instrumental in preserving the flame of hope for the Limitless Empire.

With his mind centered, Zac began to seriously evaluate his task. The rift was far too vast to simply shatter with his [Fuxi Mountain Gate], as he had done on Sevona’s island. Likewise, engulfing the entire ocean with [Void Zone] was not a viable option. Its suppressive power was insufficient, and the ocean itself was not situated within this dimension. Zac could only stand before it because the waters were contained within an alternate layer of reality.

Fortuitously, the containment mechanism was significantly deteriorated. Unlike the arcane formations encountered within the memory domain, the ones encircling this section of ocean were likely established during the sealing of [Second Singularity]. The timelines within the Omnipresence Chamber had probably furnished it with just enough Imperial Faith to sustain the formations, but this faith had waned considerably from its former strength.

The operational lifespan of these formations had expired long before their arrival in the Left Imperial Expanse. It was highly probable they would begin to fail spontaneously within the next few months. Zac frowned at this realization. Could the elders of the Imperial Court have calculated events with such uncanny accuracy, devising natural decay as a contingency should no one succeed in liberating [Second Singularity]?

Zac shook his head, admonishing himself to regain focus. The encroaching influence of the Empire had become so pervasive that he was inclined to attribute almost any event to their strategic foresight. Even if it had been planned, a natural separation would be far from ideal. He wouldn’t be surprised if it created an opening for the invaders to exploit once more. Zac was determined to deny them such an opportunity.

Some of the inscribed runes were in a more dilapidated condition than others, forming an array riddled with vulnerabilities that even Zac could perceive. This presented the opening he required. Zac’s right arm became a blur as swirling mists of oblivion coalesced around [Death’s Duality]. Channeling the power of [Fatehew], Zac directly assaulted one of the luminescent golden sigils.

A primal scream of danger echoed in Zac's mind, narrowly diverting him from a spurt of silver water. The rune quickly righted itself, showing no indication of lasting harm. Even in its diminished capacity, the magic circle endured, fortified by a steadfast devotion that resisted the inevitable grasp of Death. Zac felt no surprise, understanding this entire arrangement was a desperate endeavor by the empire to conquer mortality.

Attempting to target the runes with several other skills produced identical results. Though Sevona’s premonitions had already suggested the Void was crucial for mission completion, Zac sought a more profound comprehension of the runes. With that objective set aside, Zac initiated [Void Mountain]. The inverted peak descended, positioning itself directly above his Cosmic Core within his Quantum Space.

A pristine stream of Anti-Dao proved far more potent than the laborious method of draining the runes with his abilities. The magic circle continuously worked to replenish its energy, but Zac's consumption rate outpaced its regeneration. The golden luminescence faltered, shifting to a sickly yellow, until it could no longer withstand the pressure exerted by the Peregrine Ocean. The rune fractured, unleashing a greater surge of water that inundated the vicinity. Fortunately, the realm's inherent rejection mechanism promptly expelled this foreign substance to the outer spatial layers.

By that juncture, the magic circle had already reconfigured its formations to maintain functionality. Undeterred, Zac identified a second vulnerability. He charged into it with the force of a locomotive, driving the rune of [Void Mountain] directly into the weak point. With the energy flow already precarious, the potency of Dao Annihilation proved to be the final breaking point.

The rune shattered, yet the circle persisted, and Zac continued his assault. He could sustain this action indefinitely—quite literally—and he recognized his progress. The ocean was visibly receding as its connection to [Second Singularity] weakened. Furthermore, its dominion began to yield to the encroachment of the surrounding gateways. It appeared as though each timeline instinctively sought to annex as much of [Second Singularity]’s territory as possible, a fundamental drive for self-preservation.

This gradual erosion escalated abruptly with the shattering of the eleventh rune. The remaining runes proved incapable of sustaining their function, losing their structural integrity. They reverted into swirling patterns of Imperial Faith, which was then absorbed by the shimmering silver expanse. The link was severed, and an immense gravitational force immediately attempted to pull Zac into the abyss. The sheer intensity of this pull demanded nearly all his strength to resist.

Fortunately, the restraints did not encompass the vortex swirling behind him. With a mere mental command, the vortex surged forward, engulfing Zac completely. The gate itself dissolved before Zac could be drawn into the adjacent timeline. Zac had no inkling of the consequences should his Void Realm assimilate that terrifying silver water, but he suspected it would be catastrophic.

Zac had not forgotten the true nature of the Peregrine Ocean. It was either the lifeblood of a defunct Supremacy or their distilled cultivation. The agony he endured from the forced ingestion of a portion of [Twin Eclipse] would pale in comparison to attempting to consume the silver water. And this time, there was no Realmlord available to mend him.

An urgent cry pierced the air just as Zac emerged from one of his contingency gates. "It's about to detonate! Relocate to section twelve!"

Zac swiftly ascertained his location before transforming into a blur of Abyssal Death. The realm had been segmented into sixteen sections for streamlined communication, and section twelve was within proximity. A blinding flash seared Zac's vision the instant he reverted to his normal form. A conical eruption of pure malevolence consumed a significant portion of his visual field as his sight returned.

Three entire sections had been inundated with a torrent of corruption so harrowing that it surpassed anything Zac had ever witnessed. Not even the pervasive aura of the true Lost Plane could be compared to this corruption, infinitely compressed within the Supreme Spatial Treasure. Zac averted his gaze immediately, but the damage was done. Madness began to proliferate with alarming speed.

"Retreat!" Zac bellowed, unleashing a surge of power from his Cosmic Core.

A tempest of Life, Death, and Conflict swept through the Quantum Space, saturating the Soul Cores with energy. Minute fragments of darkness were purged and carried away. Zac drew a ragged breath after quelling the intrusive thoughts in his mind. There was no subsequent wave, as the cone of malevolence dissipated swiftly. A portion was absorbed by the other timelines, while the majority breached the confines of the hidden realm, vanishing into some unknown plane.

Nevertheless, to state it was entirely gone would be inaccurate. A sparse scattering of oily flecks remained within the realm, defying the expulsion forces. Seemingly sentient, they coalesced into a writhing network, dotted with distended nodes. Resembling oversized microbes, they exhibited an intent to return to [Second Singularity], their place of origin.

“Ack! Keep that hideous thing away from me!” Esmeralda urged, her hands moving with blinding speed.

The toad was enveloped by incredibly intricate runes that flowed into the singularity. It appeared the toad was exploiting the aperture created by the corruption's release to imprint its own mark upon the treasure. Should the corruption be permitted to re-enter, all her diligent efforts would be rendered futile. Zac found himself compelled to postpone the construction of the subsequent magic circle, diverting his efforts. He conjured another vortex, repositioning himself to directly confront the spreading corruption.

Fortunately, less than a minuscule fraction of the prior outburst remained. Any more and Zac would have faced dire circumstances. As it stood, the entangling mass lacked the sophisticated awareness of a Qriz'Ul. It reacted purely on instinct when detecting a threat, but its rudimentary assaults posed no real danger. This predicament did not necessitate any further expenditure of Void Energy.

The sorrowful call of inexorability resonated, and the tangle was cleaved asunder. Blisters were burst by chains imbued with corrosive power. Pockets of corruption were isolated and systematically diminished by Zac’s Inexorable Path, causing the tainted mass to shrink at a pace observable by the naked eye. Before long, only a few disembodied remnants persisted, which were swiftly purified with a blast of [Void Zone].

“Is everything alright on your side?” Zac inquired, having swiftly flown to Esmeralda’s position.

“I’m perfectly fine,” Esmeralda affirmed with a broad smile. “I’ve successfully placed the initial anchor.”

“You weren’t exaggerating earlier about it expelling corruption,” Zac remarked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

“Merely my little darling purging some impurities,” Esmeralda stated with palpable excitement, her eyes gleaming intensely as she affectionately regarded the point of hyper-condensed space. “You’re such a good boy, aren’t you? Getting rid of all the nasties before Esmeralda devours you.”

“As long as you are unharmed…” Zac replied, his brow slightly raised. “Have you located the next target?”

“It's over there.” Esmeralda indicated another timeline. “Proceed with caution. The equilibrium within this region was already precarious, and the removal of one realm has initiated a chain reaction.”

Zac gave a nod and immediately departed. Even he could perceive the ripple effect Esmeralda had mentioned. The various timelines were not merely converging at the location where Zac had sealed the first magic circle. Boundaries were in a constant state of flux, a silent conflict between worlds redrawing them, thereby rendering the entire domain increasingly volatile. Were it not for the periodic reactivation of [Void Zone] to maintain his bearings, Zac would have long since lost any sense of direction.

Nevertheless, the inherent dangers remained manageable, and Zac’s effectiveness increased with each gateway he secured. The accumulation of corruption expelled by the [Second Singularity] also diminished in intensity over time. It was merely a matter of when it would become safe for Esmeralda’s consumption. However, Zac did not let his guard down. When had anything ever proceeded smoothly for him? His suspicions were validated when he sealed away the eighth corrupted timeline.

A potent surge suddenly permeated the inner domain of the [Second Singularity]. The familiar energy signature caused Zac to halt abruptly and scan his surroundings with apprehension. Indeed, that individual had not yet abandoned his efforts. Although still weak and distant, the aura was unmistakable. It belonged to August, the pseudo-god who had attempted to usurp Sevona’s divine status. After remaining concealed for months, that corrupted entity was once again extending his influence across the timelines.

Had August detected the threat posed to his dominion? Or, more alarmingly, was this a personal retribution, his attention fixed upon their location due to Zac’s presence? He had thwarted the false god’s bid for true godhood by closing the dimensional gate at the critical moment. That was ample cause for vengeance. Unable to ascertain the origin timeline of the scan, Zac turned to Esmeralda. She conveyed a negative response with a shake of her head, signaling for him to press onward and increase his pace.

Zac voiced his displeasure internally as he hurried towards the subsequent gate.

They had not received any communication from Idiche, or whatever her current alias was, since departing Sevona’s island. He had harbored the hope that she had been occupied with addressing lingering threats like August during the intervening months. The prospects of her arriving to their aid now were slim. They had only encountered corrupted invaders and Qriz’Ul emerging from recollections.

Zac plunged into the next gateway with the fervor of a man possessed, narrowly evading its assaults to obliterate the magic gate with the utmost possible celerity. It was hardly surprising they had failed in Sevona’s vision. At least two dozen timelines exhibited clear indications of corruption, and several likely required more meticulous investigation. Addressing a mere nine had depleted a significant portion of his Void Energy reserves, roughly one-third.

Within the vision, Zac possessed neither his current Void Energy capacity nor convenient methods for its replenishment. He had already recuperated half of his depleted reserves through his human lineage, leaving him with over 80% remaining. In the vision, Zac also lacked [Earthly Dome], a crucial safety net that had been consistently available. He could still have managed without it, but the endeavor would have entailed greater cost and a considerably slower progression.

His engine would be running on fumes right about now. With August breathing down their throats, Esmeralda would have no choice but to fuse with [Second Singularity] while it still held dangerous levels of corrupted spacetime. Even though the situation was still dangerous, it was much better now.

The ninth gateway crumbled. Instead of disappearing, August’s presence grew stronger.

Esmeralda warned.

Esmeralda said.

Zac refused to see a repeat of the past, and he continued through the next gateway like a man possessed. Ten, eleven, twelve. Timelines kept collapsing under [Void Mountain]. Zac couldn’t be certain, but he felt the Bloodline Talent had gained an imperceptible weight to it. It seemed like erasing high-grade Daos didn’t drain as much Void Energy as before, and the speed had improved too.

Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on Zac’s side. August’s presence was stronger than ever by the time Zac had closed all twenty-two obviously corrupted timelines. Finding the ones lurking in the shadows would be difficult. The inner realm had descended into an all-out war after the rapid outbursts.

“Pattern?” Zac muttered, suddenly drawing on a set of runes in his mind. “Courtesy through rite, wisdom through imagery...”

Zac’s vision shifted, adding a new dimension. Suddenly, he saw thousands of bridges all around him. They were the connections made from condensed spacetime, each holding countless possibilities. And in some cases, madness. Torrents of ichor suddenly burst from Zac’s Abyssal eyes as deep cracks opened up. He’d witnessed something beyond his tolerance, but that brief glimpse was all he needed.

“It’s you!” Zac growled, rushing toward a timeline that Esmeralda hadn’t pointed out.

It didn’t have the same distinct aura as the world he’d briefly visited on Sevona’s island, yet he trusted what he’d seen. That seemingly ordinary timeline was a spider in the web, connecting to more than a third of the realm’s gateways through almost invisible bonds. Zac would never have noticed if the chaos hadn’t reached a crescendo. If he could close it, the whole network would collapse.

The waters rippled as if it knew it had been exposed, and it suddenly shot out hundreds of water jets. Zac managed to destroy a few, but he wasn’t the target. The jets crashed into its bonded timelines to create a secondary connection. And then, the spider began devouring its subordinate dimension.

Zac thought, but it was too late to stop.

The small patch of ocean ballooned to ten times its original size. Not only that, it gained an oily layer of corruption. That was to be expected. More disappointing was that the runes of Imperial Faith had been bolstered by the transformation rather than breaking down on their own. Zac only managed to destroy three runes before his mind screamed of danger.

Zac pulled back, narrowly dodging a spear that emerged from the water. He frowned, seeing it bulging in dozens of spots. Then, he saw the unmistakable contours of a face. They were breaking through. He only had time to realize the danger before the first man appeared. The fact that he was only Late D-grade wasn’t much of a comfort since he was just the first of many.

One by one, they forced their way through the shimmering wall to appear