Gathering Wives with a System Chapter 442: Seed From Mortal Realm, Tree of Harmony

A frown crossed Isaac's features as he regarded the 'person' who declared himself the War God.

Only a humanoid silhouette radiating white light filled his vision.

The brilliance stung his eyes intensely, preventing any clear view of details. No face. No attire. No traits. Merely a fuzzy human-like contour formed purely from white radiance.

And...

'What was his name once more?'

Isaac strained to remember it.

Though he'd just caught the introduction moments before, the name lingered oddly empty in his thoughts, as if scrubbed from a phrase.

'I couldn’t hear it.'

A peculiar sensation washed over him. The instant of the War God's self-introduction stuck vividly in his mind, yet the name stubbornly evaded retention.

Noticing Isaac's mute stance, the War God let out a chuckle.

"Why the silence? Overwhelmed by my striking looks?" he remarked with amusement.

"I... guess?" Isaac responded.

Sarcasm wasn't his intent. Genuine bewilderment gripped him.

Was the War God truly jesting at this moment?

Isaac discerned nothing of his visage. The luminous white humanoid form could well be the War God's true appearance, for all he knew.

"Oh, pay it no heed," the War God went on with a breezy chuckle. "All newcomers stand stupefied upon first beholding me."

His fingers snapped sharply.

Two chairs materialized right before them in an instant.

The War God strode ahead confidently and claimed one seat. Casually, he motioned to the remaining chair.

"Take a seat. Much lies ahead for discussion," he invited.

Isaac gave a nod, approached, and settled into the chair.

The War God inquired, "Given all signs indicate you're a traveler from the future, we'll provisionally believe you. Now speak: what drives you? Why return here?"

"To halt the apocalypse," Isaac shot back without pause.

"Explain that," the War God pressed.

"Vanquishing the Ladder of Heavens and razing it alters nothing. Victory there leads to the [Heaven] crumbling mere months later, crashing upon the realm—and unleashing the apocalypse," Isaac declared.

Neither the War God nor the Sword Empress cut in.

In unwavering cadence, Isaac pressed on.

"Your current efforts won't avert it."

The War God nodded deliberately.

The Sword Empress inclined her head faintly too.

Shock evaded their expressions.

Instead, contemplation marked their faces.

"Returning from the past demands a strategy," the Sword Empress noted. "Doesn't it?"

"I possess one." Isaac affirmed with a nod, his face bearing a serene, sage-like poise. "Cease assaults on the Ladder of Heavens first. Next, forge ties with Hell and enlist their aid."

"What?" The Sword Empress's brow furrowed at once.

Undeterred, Isaac elaborated. "Clashing with the Ladder of Heavens yields scant benefit. True, should they dispatch envoys to foreign realms, reinforcements could arrive. Thus, apply steady containment rather than annihilation. Sufficient strain to bar alliance outreach or troop dispatch. No further escalation required. Spare our strength from futile conquest of the Ladder of Heavens."

Slowly, the War God stroked his chin.

"How does Hell factor in?" he questioned.

"Devils eternally crave the surface realm. Their prime foe remains the Heavens—the Moon Dragon kin. Grant their desire: permit devils surface access to assail the Heavens." A subtle smile curved Isaac's lips.

The Sword Empress's scowl intensified, though silence held her.

With composed clarity, Isaac expounded further.

"Devils shall confront the apocalypse atop the Moon. Its infancy allows suppression via massed elite assaults. They'll suffer grievous casualties in the effort. We reap gains from either outcome."

Isaac's grin surfaced boldly.

The War God methodically rubbed his chin.

"Hmmm, intriguing notion," he muttered softly.

"No." The Sword Empress interjected swiftly. "Unleashing devils upon the surface ignites colossal war anew. The devastation mirrors the apocalypse's toll precisely."

"Valid concern, indeed. Got a rebuttal?" The War God turned to Isaac.

"Certainly. Even devil dominion over the world surpasses the future's grim fate by leagues," he countered.

Devil assistance proved genuinely vital, no fabrication.

Avery's accounts confirmed devils as prime apocalypse counterforce.

Actual scheme boiled down simply.

Assemble all premier powers at hand.

Strike the nascent apocalypse on the Moon.

Early onslaught by sufficient might offered suppression odds before uncontainable growth.

Naturally, failure loomed largely probable.

Did Isaac fret?

Hardly.

This chaos constituted mere Trial.

World salvation lay outside his true aims.

Procure time; safeguard Ladder of Heavens from ruin.

Alliance with Hell by War God and Sword Empress...

Or prolonged army muster and war prep...

Irrelevant to him.

Each path yielded identical gain.

Time.

Sword Empress and War God exchanged glances.

Silence stretched seconds long between them.

At length, nods synchronized.

"Proper deliberation required," the War God stated.

His gaze returned to Isaac.

"Depart temporarily. Decision reached, you'll hear from us."

Isaac parted lips for reply.

Ere words escaped, the War God flicked his hand dismissively.

Reality warped abruptly.

Instants passed; Isaac stood amid his tent once more.

Briefly, he inspected his palm.

'Devil involvement smooths path to a unique Hell seed.'

Prime motive for injecting devils into discourse.

A seed he craved.

Distinct Hell seed.

Essential for Class Quest fulfillment.

Why unique?

Prior absurdly potent Mortal Realm acquisition unveiled era's botanical might.

"I still can’t believe this," Isaac murmured.

Within the Soulbind Pendant he lingered.

Gaze locked on the tiny item clutched in grasp.

Gleaming golden seed.

[Seed of Harmony] it was.

Remarkable seed destined to sprout the Tree of Harmony.

Selene, its negotiator acquirer, revealed the Tree of Harmony's bizarre gift.

Luck amplification for all within its domain.

Luck.

Plain term.

Isaac grasped its dread potency.

Past encounters proved it.

Luck reshaped fates utterly.

Combats, happenstances, survival odds, revelations—all bent by luck's whim.