The Guardian gods Chapter 862

The arrogant Paragons of this world, having witnessed the spectacular battle, experienced a crushing blow to their overwhelming pride. This served as a brutal awakening, forcing them to realize that their tier of power, however physically or conceptually devastating, meant absolutely nothing without the continuous mana reserves to sustain it.

Desperate and deeply humiliated, they attempted to corner and ambush Osita, hoping to extract the secret of the tower from him. However, much to their immense frustration, Osita skillfully slipped through their grasp, evading the combined, overwhelming efforts of the realm’s most powerful figures.

Ikenga, alongside his son Ikelos, had observed every second of the intense battle. As the dust finally settled, Ikenga noticed something peculiar, and he wasn’t the only one. Far below, still recovering from her defeat, Princess Nwadimma had also perceived it.

Exhausted from the staggering expenditure of energy and with her body bearing the heavy damage accumulated from her fierce battle with Osita, the princess tragically collapsed into unconsciousness the moment the fight concluded. Depleted to her very core, her innate, passive instincts took over, causing her physical form to begin greedily absorbing the ambient mana from the surrounding atmosphere.

Under ordinary circumstances, this would have raised no immediate concern. The world of Nana had never encountered a scarcity of raw, natural mana.

However, the situation changes dramatically when dealing with entities like Paragons. These were not mere spellcasters; they actively manipulated, bent, and enforced Conceptual Laws upon the world itself. The sheer volume of mana required to manifest a fundamental law into reality is immense. Consequently, when a Paragon’s reserves are completely emptied, the resulting vacuum necessitates a staggering, dense concentration of ambient mana simply to replenish.

Right now, a single fallen princess passively drawing from the atmosphere would not tip the scales significantly. It would still require considerable time, and a much larger number of depleted Paragons simultaneously entering a forced state of deep recovery, before the total ambient mana of this world experienced a sharp, noticeable decline.

The arrival of Ikenga’s son, Ikelos, had fundamentally altered the rules governing the world of Nana. As the God of Stagnation and Succession, his very existence caused certain rules to shift, accommodating his divine domain.

Princess Nwadimma’s desperate, passive act of drawing in surrounding ambient mana to refill her empty reserves was now interpreted by the world as a form of hoarding—a localized pool of energy refusing its natural flow. This was, by definition, stagnation.

Because she remained unconscious, her mind was blissfully unaware of the trap that was swiftly closing around her. But Ikenga, from his vantage point, saw it all with perfect clarity.

With every breath of ambient mana she drew into her core, the invisible thread connecting the princess to the newborn god grew progressively thicker. This was a physical manifestation of a profound karmic debt she was accumulating against the world, a debt that would inevitably demand repayment.

It wasn't until Nwadimma finally opened her eyes and attempted to consciously accelerate her recovery that the true gravity of her predicament crashed down upon her. The instant she actively reached out to manipulate the surrounding mana, she felt the thick, suffocating tug of that karmic thread ensnaring her very soul.

The princess froze, abruptly ceasing her absorption. Her breathing grew shallow as fear and trepidation washed over her face.

She gazed at her trembling hands, still reeling from the shock of her realization. She now understood the new laws of this world all too well. To allow oneself to stagnate, to hoard energy and halt the natural cycle of succession, meant only one outcome: an inevitable, terrifying visitation from the God of Stagnation himself. And when Ikelos came to collect a karmic debt, his method of pruning carried a single, definitive name: "Death."

Soon, more Paragons arrived at her chambers, not out of concern, but driven by a ravenous hunger for answers. They were desperate to understand the events of her conflict with Osita, eager to scrutinize her memories of the battle. Their goal was to unravel the mystery of his rapid mana recovery, a feat that defied the quality of spells and laws employed. By dissecting her defeat, they hoped to gain insight into Osita’s enigmatic power.

However, upon entering her presence, they were confronted with a startling revelation. Her depleted, unreplenished reserves were immediately apparent. Cornered by their intense scrutiny and unable to conceal her condition, Nwadimma was compelled to reveal the unvarnished truth: the terrifying karmic debt that now ensnared any who dared to excessively absorb the world’s mana.

The scene was astonishing. The fierce, unbridled arrogance that had characterized the continent’s most formidable figures crumbled. The predatory Paragons, who had arrived seeking an advantage, suddenly retreated in hushed panic. Their ambitions to hunt Osita or wage war on neighboring territories evaporated. The desire for conflict vanished; no one wished to risk draining their mana reserves in battle, knowing that recovery would mean attracting the Pruning God’s attention.

Merely possessing knowledge of a Mage Tower’s existence was insufficient. To truly command its power, one had to grasp its creation, the life force that animated it, and the foundational magic from which it originated. Even the goblin mages had failed to achieve this profound understanding, desperately clinging only to the remnants they had pilfered from the enigmatic Mage Civilization.

Following Osita’s pivotal battle, Ikenga dedicated the vast majority of his time to studying the tower’s intricate design. This pursuit offered him a rare and genuine sense of exhilaration. Despite his extensive knowledge of the world, the secrets embedded within this structural marvel initially presented a formidable challenge to his comprehension.

As he stood lost in thought, a disruption fractured the spatial fabric. A portal originating from the spirit realm materialized directly upon the moon’s surface, and from its otherworldly glow, an apeling figure emerged.

"You have arrived," Ikenga declared, his voice resonating across the tranquil void as he addressed his grandson.

Ember inclined his head in a gesture of deep respect towards Ikenga, offering a silent nod before shifting his gaze to the immense structure before them.

Ikenga harbored a strong desire to guide his grandson, Ember. The young apeling was already treading a path of great promise, equipped with innate talent and unwavering determination. However, he lacked the crucial final push and the precise blueprint necessary for true ascension.

Fueled by this need, Ember embarked on an extensive quest for enlightenment, seeking the last missing piece for his ascent. It was during this journey that he inadvertently discovered the spirit realm, a mystical plane that reveals itself to a traveler only when the moment is truly significant.

Aware of the unique connection binding the spirit realm to his own domain, Ikenga extended his influence, guiding his grandson safely into his realm to provide assistance.

The young apeling actually elicited a rare chuckle from the old man when he confidently articulated his aspirations. Ember intended to forge an artifact worthy of Origin Gods, beings of Ikenga’s own caliber. Yet, it was the sheer intricacy of the forging process that ultimately baffled the boy, halting his progress and bringing his ambitious endeavor to an abrupt standstill.

In response to his grandson’s ambitious declaration, Ikenga raised a hand, directing Ember’s attention upward toward the luminous moon of his realm. Ember looked up, his expression clouding with bewilderment, unable to perceive the connection.

To facilitate his understanding, Ikenga stated, "That is an artifact of immense power. Created by me."

The bewilderment on the boy’s face instantly dissipated, replaced by an expression of profound awe as the realization dawned. Possessing an abundance of time, Ikenga began to recount his experiences with Keles. He explained how, during their travels, a sudden surge of inspiration had struck him—a desperate imperative to overcome his most significant challenge at the time: his deficiency in the vast divine energy required to contend with mages and their formidable towers.

"I am nature, and thus, nature empowers me," Ikenga stated with serene composure, before subtly altering the surrounding space and instantly transporting Ember with him to the moon’s surface.

"This place was nothing more than a barren rock, devoid of life, when I first beheld it," Ikenga said, gesturing to the verdant landscape now teeming with life around them. "Its current state is a testament to my divinity. I facilitated the genesis of a natural ecosystem suited to this world, and with the assistance of the elements, I crafted an atmosphere capable of sustaining breath and life."