Global Gods : Skill-Resonance Awakened Chapter 381 381: Ch 381 : The Second Phase

In the City of Gods, a heady aroma of celestial wine mingled with the ethereal resonance of countless divine instruments filled the air.

A grand festival, the Festival of the First Harvest, was in full swing. This was no celebration of mundane crops or wealth, but a jubilant commemoration of conquest.

The esteemed first God vanguard team had successfully returned, heralding the seamless integration of the initial external multiverse into the Sovereign's vast inner world.

This expansion, far from being a minor event, triggered a colossal wave of unprecedented opportunity. It was not merely a triumph for the ten Gods who spearheaded the expedition, but a newly forged frontier for every single deity within the pantheon.

Deities presiding over Arts, Crafts, and Industry suddenly found themselves blessed with trillions of untapped mortal canvases. A God of Harvest or Weather, whose influence was once confined to the limited agricultural expanses of a small subspace universe, now heard the fervent pleas of untold trillions of farmers across the multiverse, all yearning for their divine favor.

As these deities diligently responded to prayers and meticulously stabilized the seasons across the newly acquired realms, the continuous influx of faith back toward the City of Gods intensified, thereby fueling an accelerated cycle of exponential growth.

However, far removed from the thunderous acclamations of the masses and the dazzling light displays of the emergent Gods, a palpable sense of solemnity permeated a secluded alcove within the celestial gardens.

Gathered around a magnificent table meticulously carved from a single, colossal branch of the World Tree, sat three imposing figures, whose sheer presence would ordinarily compel any mortal within the Inner World to prostrate themselves in fervent adoration.

These were not mere individuals, but legendary titans from a bygone era, the celebrated champions who had previously defined their respective races during the ancient Tournament of Mortals centuries ago.

Present were Anaske, the former King of Humanity; Vel, the revered leader of the Elven lineages; and Thalorax, the formidable Primal Sovereign of the Dragonborn.

Their magnificent statues served as the most frequented pilgrimage destinations throughout Veridia; yet, here they were, seated together with the quiet, profound gravity typically shared between old comrades and longstanding rivals.

Thalorax, his draconic eyes narrowed to glowing slits radiating a low, simmering heat from their depths, was the first to shatter the prolonged silence. His voice, a deep, resonant rumble, made the delicate crystal glassware adorning the table visibly vibrate.

"So, you orchestrated the entire sequence of events, didn't you, Anaske? Right from the initial proposal to withdraw our influence and permit the mortals to navigate their own inherent conflicts, to the eventual, inevitable emergence of this Cosmic Empire that is now systematically absorbing the entirety of the subrealm universe?"

Anaske, his handsome features and commanding presence as striking as on the day he achieved godhood, subtly adjusted his regal attire. He observed the refracted spectacle of the distant festival lights shimmering within his goblet of wine.

"Yes and no, Thalorax. From the very first moment I stood before our God as mere infant, barely months old, when he gazed upon my father and declared me extraordinary... I understood my destiny was to serve as a bridge. I guided humanity toward unparalleled greatness, I established the very first human empire, I battled the demons until my blade bore countless chips, but I ascended with a singular, persistent regret gnawing at my soul."

"The unification," Vel murmured, his keen elven ears subtly twitching as he apprehended the profound weight of Anaske's words. "You yearned for the one objective that the prevailing circumstances were utterly incapable of facilitating."

"Precisely," Anaske affirmed, a flicker of ancient resolve mingling with a shadow of lingering sorrow in his eyes. "In the nascent stages, my ambition was to lead all lifeforms of Veridia to conquer every star the cosmos had to offer, thereby presenting a unified multiverse as a supreme gift before our God."

"However, my grand vision was irrevocably shattered by the Sovereign's own formidable efficiency. Before I could even muster a fleet for conquest, the other Gods had already pledged their allegiance to him. The worlds were integrated into his domain before they could even be subjugated."

He leaned forward, his voice lowering to an intimate, almost conspiratorial tone. "Because those particular worlds fell under the direct aegis of the God Emperor, I was legally barred from interfering. Uniting them under a singular banner would have constituted open defiance against Him. When I relinquished my throne to Anohara, I imparted this lifelong dream to him. I genuinely believed I was merely passing on a phantom, a mere narrative of a potential past."

"Until the day I observed the pervasive stagnation," Vel interjected, his eyes widening in comprehension as the disparate fragments of the intricate puzzle finally coalesced. "I presented the official report to you, voicing my concerns that the populace was becoming complacent, their development had reached an insurmountable plateau due to the absence of adversity."

"And that, Vel," Anaske confessed softly, "provided me with the precise opportunity I had been seeking."

"To unleash a monstrous entity like Anohara?" Thalorax growled, his innate Law of Protection flaring involuntarily. The very atmosphere around their table grew heavy, charged with the Dragonborn's palpable indignation. "To decree that trillions of lives would suffer? To permit a mere youth to assume the role of a deity, manipulating the fates of the innocent solely to satite your own unrealized ambition?"

"They are not truly perishing, Thalorax," Anaske countered, his voice resonating with the unyielding strength of tempered steel. "The Sovereign has graciously bestowed upon them nine lives. The Era of Friction has indeed claimed many, true, but it has stripped away their recklessness, not their essential existence. Those who have fallen have been taught, in the harshest manner, the true cost of vulnerability."

"And behold the outcome! Under Anohara's governance, the bloodshed has ceased. The pillaging has stopped. The growth trajectory of the Cosmic Empire is already on track to eclipse even our own Golden Age at its zenith within this decade. I did not orchestrate a massacre; I forged a proving ground."

Thalorax let out a low growl, compelled by the undeniable logic of the statement, though the intensity in his gaze remained undimmed. "But why the regalia, Anaske? Why must they all pledge allegiance to your lineage? The Emperor already holds dominion over all things."

"It is my declaration of unwavering faith!" Anaske's voice resonated with a sudden, fervent conviction. "To present the God Emperor with a flawless masterpiece, not a collection of disparate pieces."

"My father perished due to the interference of a demonic demigod, only to return with power exceeding that of a star, aided by the Emperor. My bloodline demands more than merely acceptable results."

"Anohara is accomplishing what eluded me. He is transforming the 50 billion worlds of the sub-realm into a single, honed instrument for our God. And this? This Multiverse of Gods represents his subsequent endeavor. I surmise he will not rest until every multiverse touched by our God is consolidated beneath the banner of the Cosmic Empire."

While Anaske articulated his vision with passionate fervor, the ground reality presented a far more intricate scenario.

The universe comprising six billion Gods, a creation of Sunny to safeguard worlds rescued from demonic assaults, operated at this time as an isolated entity.

To Anohara, who had not yet fathomed the staggering immensity of the True Multiverse, these 50 billion worlds constituted the entirety of existence.

He felt the profound burden of a sacred obligation to unify them, oblivious to his role as a mere tender of a single flowerbed within an infinite expanse.

He remained unaware that beyond the confines of his universe, countless other universes, some so vast they could engulf his entire empire, were actively preparing for impending conflicts.

Nevertheless, the transition was drawing near its critical juncture. Following Esmira's public declaration and her acquiescence to the Cosmic Empire, subsequent events unfolded with a powerful, rhythmic momentum.

The current state of the Inner World was truly remarkable; in a mere handful of months, nearly 13 billion worlds had embraced the dominion of the Cosmic Empire.

Concurrently, the 3 billion worlds that had renounced the empire during the smear campaign were now desperately seeking readmittance.

However, as Anohara had decreed, those who had faltered in their loyalty during the empire's most vulnerable period would find no path back into its embrace.

Thirty billion worlds now marched in unison with Anohara's directives. The Cosmic Empire curtailed all trade with the remaining independent worlds due to the limited availability of resources and the immense population to sustain.

This scarcity further compelled the other 17 billion worlds to consider integration, yet the lingering memory of the prior defamation caused them to hesitate. They resolved to observe the prosperity of the worlds under the Cosmic Empire's rule.

For Anohara, it was a moment of quiet reflection, a pause before the next significant advance. He sat within his study, his All-Seeing King eyes tracing the energetic pathways of the unified worlds. He sensed the shifting equilibrium of the world; the resistance was subsiding, replaced by the resonance of synchronized productivity.

But far above him, dwelling in the True Void, Sunny observed. The Sovereign understood that the First Phase was nearing its conclusion.

He planned to soon dissolve the boundaries of the sub-realm, integrating Anohara's unified empire with the expansive, untamed Multiverse of Gods, which housed billions of similar universes and quadrillions of civilizations.

"You performed admirably, Anaske," Sunny murmured from the void's obscurity, his voice a whisper in the demigod's consciousness. "You bestowed upon the young one a dream. Now, let us witness how he confronts the reality."

Anaske remained frozen at the table, his wine goblet suspended halfway to his lips. His gaze swept across the festive scene, a single tear of pure, zealous joy tracing a path down his handsome visage. He turned towards Thalorax and Vel, a wild, exultant grin spreading across his features.

"He has heard us," Anaske breathed, his voice quivering with devotion. "The God Emperor is pleased. The second phase... it draws near. It shall commence once the sub-realm is fully unified."