Infinite Mana In The Apocalypse

Chapter 4162: It Walked Away! I

The question landed in the space between them with the weight of something that definitely wasn’t hypothetical.

But THE Living Concept, distracted by its work and used to Emotive’s strange questions, didn’t think too deeply about the implications.

”Such a thing would be very simple, and even someone less astute than me could tell you this...” Concept said, returning most of its attention to its problem. ”Three words: isolation, disorder, and then the inevitability of collapse.”

”Oh?” Emotive’s interest sharpened to a point that could have cut concepts. ”How fascinating. Could you elaborate?”

Concept nodded absently, its form continuing to work while it explained.

”Isolation is always first. You’d cripple communication between Early Creatures and Living Existences and all others across the Folds. Make them unable to coordinate, unable to share information, unable to warn each other. Cut the threads that bind existence together into a functional whole. When no one can talk to anyone else, paranoia breeds faster than truth.”

Emotive nodded eagerly, like a student taking mental notes.

”Then comes disorder,” Concept continued, manipulating weavings that wouldn’t be discovered for eons. ”Since THE Living Order has collapsed, this is actually the easiest. Once isolated, you sow confusion and disorder. Spread contradictory information, stories, fables through the limited channels that remain. Create events that don’t make sense, that violate expected patterns. Make existence doubt what it knows. When beings can’t trust their own understanding, they’ll act on fear rather than wisdom.”

...!

”And the Inevitability of collapse?” Emotive prompted, its entire form leaning forward.

”The Inevitability of collapse is barely work at all, it is Inevitable as all Inevitabilities” Concept said with certainty.

”Once you’ve achieved isolation and disorder, complete breakdown of order follows naturally. Conflicts arise from misunderstanding. Violence emerges from fear. Existence essentially destroys itself while you watch. Inevitable. And in this case, the countless Hungers of Inevitabilities. You might need to provide the occasional push, but mostly, you just let entropy do what it does best.”

”Oh, and if something like those pesky existences still exists, I guess that could ruin your Inevitability of collapse, so maybe get rid of a those existences that can control Inevitabilities, and you should be set thereafter.”

...!

The explanation buzzed in the air between them, a blueprint for wonder delivered with the same tone someone might use to explain how to bake bread.

THE Living Emotive kept nodding with an earnest gaze that suggested deep appreciation for academic knowledge. ”Thank you so much. I knew I could rely on you to satiate my curiosity. Out of all the others like us, you’re definitely the most magnificent.”

Concept’s form solidified enough to express exasperation. ”Okay, I really can’t waste any more time with you. Go on now.”

THE Living Emotive nodded enthusiastically, actually humming as it departed.

Its entire existence shone with excitement that THE Living Concept really, truly, absolutely should have paid attention to.

But Concept was already deep in its work again, the conversation forgotten the moment Emotive left.

—

Coordination.

Elysia Firmhand let the word settle into the silence before continuing, her gaze turning toward the Living Paradoxes with the weight of inevitability.

”For such coordination to work, we will need to secure the Corpse of the Early Creature that you all have stolen first.”

The directness of it made Noah sit forward slightly on his throne.

This woman in her simple farmer’s attire, holding nothing but agricultural tools, was commanding beings whose power could unmake reality!

Not requesting, not negotiating...she was stating what would happen with the certainty of seasons changing.

When Noah looked toward the Living Paradoxes, he witnessed something that might have been comedy if the stakes weren’t so monumentally high.

Schrodinger blinked several times, his expression shifting into confusion so genuine it had to be performance.

He looked around as if someone had asked him about something in a language he didn’t speak.

In his beggar-like appearance, ragged clothes making him seem less than the least of those present, he turned to Duke Elagabalus beside him.

His whisper carried with theatrical clarity.

”Do you have a Corpse of an Early Creature?”

Duke Elagabalus, whose very existence suggested endings given form, actually smiled wryly and shook his head.

The gesture was almost apologetic, as if he was sorry for not having a fold-ending artifact in his pocket.

Schrodinger then pivoted to a Royal Living Paradox whose form existed in three states simultaneously.

His voice took on a serious tone that was undermined entirely by the absurdity of the question.

”Do you have the Corpse of an Early Creature? Perhaps tucked away somewhere? Under a throne maybe?”

This Living Paradox naturally also denied any knowledge of such a thing, though their triple-state existence meant they denied it in past, present, and future tense simultaneously!

Above them, Elysia’s frown could have frozen suns.

Schrodinger turned up toward her with an expression of such earnest innocence that it transcended into mockery.

”I’m terribly sorry to say this, but it doesn’t seem like any Living Paradoxes here know anything about the location of the Corpse of an Early Creature.” He gestured broadly at his confused-looking compatriots. ”And you saw me- I asked! Very thoroughly, I might add.”

His expression remained earnest and carefree, like a child proud of completing a simple task.

Elysia’s voice dropped several degrees when she responded.

”Is that right? Will the Living Paradoxes choose the most difficult route in all of this?”

The threat in those words was elegant in its simplicity.

Schrodinger’s frown appeared like a cloud crossing the sun, and he released a deep sigh that somehow contained multitudes of suffering.

”Okay, I was actually afraid and embarrassed to say this, but...” He paused dramatically, ensuring every being present was hanging on his words. ”I was actually the one put in charge of overseeing and guarding the Corpse of the Early Creature.”

Several beings literally gasped. Origin Ama Gias’s white eyes blazed brighter.

”The corpse that we happened to obtain,” Schrldinger continued, his voice taking on a storyteller’s cadence, ”from the very giving hands of the Coalition of Living Existences. You know, after they finally learned about concepts like friendship and caring? Sharing is caring, as they say. Or was it caring is sharing? I can never remember.”

The casual insult wrapped in false gratitude made several Coalition members visibly bristle. But Schrodinger wasn’t done.

”Something did happen that I was hesitant to speak about. Because even to someone like me, and I’ve seen paradoxes that make reality question itself...it didn’t make sense.”

He paused again, building tension with the skill of someone who had been telling stories since before stories existed.

”The corpse that had never moved in all these eons, that had been more still than stillness itself... stood up and walked away.”

...!