Infinite Mana In The Apocalypse

Chapter 4521: History is Written III

In the Infinite Unfurling.

In a region filled with endlessly billowing waves of snow that stretched across countless Gigaparsecs in every direction.

The air was thick with crystalline ice particles that refracted light into prismatic colors, creating an otherworldly atmosphere of beauty mixed with deadly cold. Mountains of compacted snow rose like frozen titans, their peaks lost in clouds that themselves were composed of frozen temporal energy.

The end of a terrifying battle played out with brutal finality.

A massive winged furred eel-like creature fell from above and crashed into a mountain of heavy snow with devastating force. The impact created an avalanche that buried the creature under millions of tons of frozen matter.

The creature was easily the size of several continents, its serpentine body covered in thick white fur that had been scorched and burned across most of its length. Most notably, it was missing one wing that had been brutally ripped from its body.

That severed wing was held up triumphantly by none other than Noah, who stood amidst the falling snow with blue-gold brilliance blazing around his form.

He opened his mouth unnaturally wide, the opening expanding far beyond what should have been physically possible, and swallowed the entire massive wing whole. His Way of Hunger devoured it instantly, breaking down the authority of Mass that had composed it.

And then he tyrannically waved his hands upward with commanding certainty.

A sea of Mana surged in response to his will, forming beneath the buried creature and forcefully lifting its massive form up from the snow. The creature was brought directly toward Noah despite its attempts to resist, pulled by irresistible authority.

Noah opened his mouth again, even wider this time, and swallowed the entire titanic creature whole!

The scene was a terrifying one as around Noah, blue-gold brilliance visibly surged with increased intensity. His Way had grown stronger with each consumption, each battle refining his understanding and deepening his claim.

Prompts bloomed before his vision with familiar glory.

|Your Way of Existence has advanced significantly through triumphant combat.|

|THE Organ of Civilization has advanced further as you devour immense efforts, harvest, and the barely-formed Sovereignty of Mass.|

|Complexity increased by: 100 Nonillion (New Total: 166 Nonillion)|

|Purity increased by: 100 Nonillion (New Total: 166 Nonillion)|

|Additional Boon: Grand Principle Fragment of Gravitational Manipulation is being studied by The Cheating Architect.|

|Additional Boon: Grand Principle Fragment of Density Control is being studied by The Cheating Architect.|

|Additional Boon: Grand Principle Fragment of Weight Nullification is being studied by The Cheating Architect.|

|Additional Boon: Understanding of Mass-based Sovereignties has been cataloged and can be referenced.|

|Additional Boon: Your Way of Mana has been confirmed to supersede mass-based concepts.|

|Additional Boon: Your physical body can now naturally manipulate its own mass at will.|

|THE Organ of Civilization Progress: 0.45% toward THE Surface Depth of Absolute Sovereignty|

|Unquantifiable Units of Everything Generated: 1 (Current Total: 12)|

|Note: Your understanding deepens.|

After he observed all these prompts with analytical satisfaction, Noah’s gaze lifted to the distant figure of Tor hovering above.

”I seem to be getting the hang of it more and more,” Noah said with calm observation. ”I want to say that pending no disruptions, I can continue to fortify my Way of Existence over the next few hours and days, but...”

His eyes narrowed with perception.

”When do I see a frown on your face for the first time?”

Yes, at this moment, Noah could actually see a frown on the face of this terrifyingly powerful THE entity. It was the first time such an expression had crossed Tor’s features since they had begun their massacre.

Tor blinked at Noah’s words before he shook his head with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

”My Hunger is very sensitive,” he explained with measured words. ”Anything relating to its propagation or challenges is sensed before it can fully occur. And right now, my Hunger feels a sense of challenge approaching.”

He paused thoughtfully.

”A type of challenge that I have encountered a few times before across the eons. It usually means anticipation. My own Hunger can sense something coming and it begins to salivate in anticipation of what might be consumed or what might pose a genuine threat.”

His expression became more serious as he continued.

”Once a Way of existence reaches a certain depth of understanding and Sovereignty, one will be able to carry out what others only believe to be possible through different Ways. Hunger should in no way be capable of telling me about things that are coming in the future. Hunger should not be able to burn or freeze or manipulate temporal flows.”

He smiled with dark satisfaction.

”But it can do all of that and more, as long as one understands how to properly use their Way. And right now, my Hunger is showing me in its anticipation the image of a savage being coming toward this location with an entourage of followers.”

His eyes focused on Noah.

”And you seem to be the one that attracted this savage thing, Outsider.”

Noah frowned at these words as he closed his eyes and focused with his own Way of existence, extending his perception outward as far as it could reach.

He sensed nothing approaching, no threat on the horizon.

His perception had not reached the level that Tor was experiencing, and this only further demonstrated how entities that had not achieved THE Surface Depth of Absolute Sovereignty were so far below in capability. Someone could be in mortal danger and about to die, and they would not even know it until the killing blow landed.

And yet Tor already sensed the incoming threat, and had even gained an image of what that threat was before it arrived. What a glorious and terrifying capability this was!

At the same time, Noah was reminded of the immense dangers all around. While he currently had Tor as protection, he had to prepare for the inevitable possibility when he would not have such a being as a guardian.

He would be entirely defenseless, simply walking with hope through these dangerous environments. And he did not like to rely on hope.

He would either have to remain hidden while allowing his body of Ozymandias to be the one to move out freely and risk collapse, or he had to make the decision whether the unfathomably glorious opportunities in this dangerous landscape were worth potentially being collapsed before he even knew it. Worth being unable to even return to his current era.

Of course, these were all contingencies and things that he was thinking through in case things should go catastrophically wrong. As of now, he still had THE First Hunger with him.

As he was processing all of this analytically, the figure of Tor smiled and spoke.

”Well, this encounter will serve as a teaching lesson,” he said with anticipation. ”You can get a glimpse of the scale of power between genuine Sovereignties at THE level. It will be extremely hard for you to even perceive what is truly happening, but you should be able to catch a glimpse at least.”

...!