[A/N: I would appreciate more reviews :) It truly doesn't matter if the criticism is good or bad... It would just help me become a better writer and deliver a better story!]
After playfully dancing with a beauty, Ash reappeared in his room given by Archie and Layla. He smiled as he floated cross-legged over the bed. He then waved his hand as a mirror appeared, showing him his new appearance.
Honestly, not much changed for him—his skin was still alabaster, hair long and ethereal white. Eyes remained two different blood drops: one white, the other void black. But on his back, twelve wings now unfurled—mix of phoenix flames, seraphim radiance, and Nosferatu void, rose-pink veins threading through all.
All in all, he looked more… difficult to describe. Ethereal, balanced, terrifyingly beautiful.
"Alright, show me exactly what these two races changed?"
[Master, what you wield is far beyond the Seraphim and Eternal Adaptor races. As I mentioned briefly, I used Inspect as well as Conceptual Insight. This way I personally elevated the bloodlines beyond the Second Realm of Power (the paragon limit). We won't actually know the true rank until we exceed the limit of power as well.]
"Huh, so is that the reason why it normally shows question marks?"
[Correct,] Elysia said before briefly displaying two descriptions.
[Morpharchs - Formless entities born in Fourth Cycle the void's first chaos—beings that existed before shapes, before other beings of that cycle.
They appear as ever-shifting beauty: one moment ethereal and alluring, the next monstrous and terrifying, always adapting to evoke desire or fear. Psychotically driven by the thrill of change, they live for out-evolving everything around them, turning enemies' strengths into their own in endless, mad evolution.
Addition to Primavus Race
Infuses supreme formless adaptability and infinite evolution. Primavus gain mutable essence—bodies shifting mid-battle (wings to blades, skin to void-armor, forms to mimic foes perfectly).
Strengthens the race by removing rigid traits: no fixed darkness/light dominance, instant adaptation to any environment/Law/attack.
Bloodline becomes truly unbound.... evolving in real-time, desires triggering permanent mutations, turning the Primavus into a race that cannot be predicted or countered long-term.]
Celestial Archradiants - Born during the Third Cycle from the primordial source of all light and divine resonance—beings of pure, overwhelming radiance born from creation's third dawn.
They manifest as twelved-winged figures of blinding beauty, skin glowing like stars, eyes holding entire galaxies of light. Madly devoted to "perfect order," they wage holy wars with ecstatic zeal, viewing battle as divine purification—beautiful destroyers who burn away impurity with smiles of rapture.
Addition to Primavus Race
Infuses absolute radiant resonance and divine empowerment.
Primavus gain balanced light essence—wings with radiant feathers, aura that empowers allies while purifying enemies, blood that heals/strengthens through holy light.
Strengthens the race by harmonizing extremes: darkness and light fuse seamlessly, desires manifest as radiant judgments (purify or empower based on will).]
[Juvenile Progenitor - Path to Omnipotence - .91%]
----
[Master, with just a thought you can make every Primavus undergo bloodline evolutions. This will update the entire race, matching diluted aspects of you, their progenitor.]
"Why is the percentage rising so slowly?" He asked as he nodded to her suggestion. It would be something he did much later.
[Well, you have much to do, much to become. The path we're walking is not something that can be done in a few years no matter how OP your potential is. Just be patient and enjoy your journey.]
Ash smiled hearing that and allowed himself to get some rest for the first time in ages.
---
The next day came swiftly as he opened his eyes, heading to the bathroom to get himself ready.
"Sleeping really feels like 5-minute naps..." he muttered as he felt like he'd just closed his eyes moments ago.
[Well, that's what happens when your lifespan is so long. Master, you're but 57 years old with hundreds of millions of years left to go. Maybe sleeping for a few millennia will feel better?] she teased.
"Yea, right."
A soft knock echoed at the door.
Elara entered, silver hair tied elegantly, adaptive robes professional yet flattering. She carried a jade talisman—meeting summons.
"Good morning, Ash. Grandfather and Grandmother are—"
Words died.
Ash stood there—changed overnight. To him, the difference felt small, almost unnoticeable. But to everyone else? He seemed even more divine, more irresistible.
Twelve wings folded behind him, beauty beyond reason—alabaster skin glowing, white hair ethereal, dual-hued eyes balanced in perfect harmony.
Elara froze, adaptive eyes changing into a rose-pink, hair lengthening uncontrollably, robes shifting to reveal more as lust flared hot and immediate.
Ash smirked.
"Well.... Morning.~"
The talisman slipped from her fingers.
Moments later, the bedroom door closed.
Time blurred—passion reigniting, bodies entwining once more.
----
Later, Ash walked into the private meeting chamber, composure perfect, twelve wings hidden beneath illusion.
Archie and Layla Vossmere waited at the obsidian table, holographic summaries floating.
They looked up—and froze.
Layla's Cosmic Eyes flared—breath catching.
The man from yesterday was gone.
This Ash was… transcendent. Beauty that already defied meaning became even deadlier.... It should be impossible right? How can the Original Desire become more desirable?
Her affection grew even more as it reached 89%.
Archie's golden eyes widened, then narrowed with sharp interest.
"You… changed," he said, voice steady but intrigued. "Overnight."
Ash smiled, taking a seat.
"Well, these kinds of things just happen, you know?"
Layla recovered, voice mature and composed despite the lingering heat in her thoughts.
"Indeed. Your items performed beyond expectation. Trillions secured... and with that has come a few individuals looking to find out just who created these items."
Layla gestured, and ten holographic sigils materialized above the obsidian table—each pulsing with distinct, powerful auras from across galaxies and beyond.
"The inquiries are numerous," Layla continued, voice composed. "Ten parties have made formal requests to meet the forger. All influential. All persistent."
She listed them, sigils flaring one by one.
Solar Drakon Sovereigns (Ancient solar-dragon race—beings of blazing scales and starfire wings)
Abyssal Leviathan Brood (Deep-void leviathans—colossal tentacled horrors with bioluminescent lures)
Nebula Weaver Collective (Ethereal spider-like race—silk-spinners of fate-threads and nebula-webs, masters of illusion formations)
Chronal Echo Seers (Time-walking seers—crystalline beings with echo-voices, prophetic race)
Aetherstorm Nomads (Lightning-born nomads—storm-elementals in humanoid form, energy manipulators roaming void-realms)
Crystal Titan Forgemasters (Gem-based titans—living crystal colossi, legendary crafters of sentient artifacts)
Voidborn Revenants (Undead void-race—spectral warriors reborn from black holes)
Prime Homo Ascendants (Sub-race of humans—evolved humans with perfect physiques and latent law-seeds)
Starlight Sylph Enclave (Wind-spirit race—ethereal winged sylphs of pure starlight, harmony-seekers)
Whispering Enigma (Unknown affiliation, void-mirror communication)
---
Listening to each faction's description, Ash found them all pretty interesting to say the least—new races, ancient powers, glimpses of galaxies beyond Venia. He leaned back in his chair, dual-hued eyes thoughtful beneath his mask, fingers drumming lightly on the obsidian table.
"Which would you suggest as the best business partners?" he asked, the question double-edged—one for Elysia in his mind, and aloud for the Vossmeres.
Archie chuckled softly, steepling his fingers as he eyed the holographic sigils. "Business-minded, are you? Wise. From a profit standpoint, I'd recommend these three."
He gestured, highlighting sigils.
"First: Stellar Gate Lords. Inter-galactic trade masters from another galaxy. Partnering with them means limitless markets—your items could flood new sectors, net exponential profits. Low issues; they're neutral, but competitive bidding wars could arise."
"Second: Crystal Titan Forgemasters. Legendary crafters. A deal with them could mean joint ventures—your relics enhanced by their living crystal tech. High profit potential in co-forged items, but they're reclusive; negotiations might drag, and they demand reciprocity."
"Third: Nebula Weaver Collective. Their web-formations and fate-threads make for unbreakable contracts. Business with them ensures secure deals across stars—profits stable, no betrayals. Issues: Their illusions can hide clauses; trust is key."
Layla nodded, her Cosmic Eyes glinting as she added, "Those would maximize returns while minimizing risks. The others? Too volatile for pure business—dragons crave conquest, seers demand prophecies in payment."
Elysia's voice echoed internally, tone eager and power-focused.
[Master, for true growth—power over profit—these three:
Prime Homo Ascendants—sub-human race with perfect physiques and law-seeds. Assimilating their bloodline grants absurd physical power, unlocking physiques in future Primavus.
Starlight Sylph Enclave—wind-spirits of pure starlight. Their harmony/resonance adds ethereal power, elevating Primavus aerial dominance and Law synergy.
Chronal Echo Seers— Assimilation brings stronger foresight power, allowing Primavus to "echo" timelines for evolutions (e.g., predict and adapt to threats pre-emptively). Each strengthens your race exponentially... and you further towards omnipotence.]
Ash absorbed it all, smile faint as he surveyed the ten holographic sigils.
"Well," he said, voice casual but decisive, "let's begin with the spiders, shall we?"
Archie raised an eyebrow, amused. "The Nebula Weaver Collective. Bold choice—they're known for binding deals tighter than void-webs."
Layla nodded, gesturing to a talisman. "Arranging now."
Elara squeezed his hand again—curious, affectionate.
The first meeting was set.
Nebula Weaver Collective
The envoy arrived like a living dream—eight-legged form cloaked in shimmering silk that shifted between spider and humanoid, body ethereal and curvaceous in its semi-human shape, hair like strands of nebula mist, eyes multifaceted galaxies reflecting infinite possibilities. Aura like infinite webs—fate-threads humming invisibly, tugging at the edges of perception.
The Weaver—named Arachne Veil—bowed slightly, voice a chorus of whispers that seemed to come from every direction at once.
"Your artifacts weave new threads in fate. We seek partnership… an exclusive supply, and our webs ensure delivery across stars, no loss, no theft. In return, bind to us: share your forging secrets and we get priority orders."
Ash leaned back, smile teasing beneath the mask.
"Cute… however, let's get something straight." His voice carried calm authority, eyes flickering from Arachne to Archie and Layla.
"From this point, allow everyone to know my demands. There will be no limit on artifacts… name a rank and a number, you will receive it. However, under no circumstances will I be bound to any faction, nor reveal the creation method."
The room stilled.
Archie's golden eyes widened slightly, a rare crack in his composure. Layla's Cosmic Eyes flared, surprise mingling with calculation.
Elara, seated beside Ash, bit her lip—pride and worry warring in her adaptive gaze.
Arachne Veil's many-faceted eyes glimmered, silk robes swaying as her spider legs shifted with quiet precision. The chorus of whispers grew sharper.
"No binding? No secrets shared? Bold… and reckless. Our webs can sense betrayal without chains…"
"How about this… we take the partial method—just enough to craft joint relics—exclusive supply for five cycles, and in exchange, we offer fate's insight and private transport."
Ash's smile didn't waver.
"No."
Simple. Final.
Arachne's aura pulsed—webs humming louder, fate-threads tugging at the air.
Archie cleared his throat.
"Perhaps a compromise—"
Ash raised a hand.
"My terms stand. If you can provide information on top factions, realms, wars, movements. Private transport.... Then you will receive a bulk of artifacts. All ranging from Ultimate to Paragon, but there are no binding and no secrets."
To prove his point, he activated his title |Forger of the Unwritten Cycle| subtly, alongside Eternal Origin Nexus. The air in the room shimmered faintly—rose-pink threads of mana weaving unseen, time compressing around his will.
Before their eyes, he brought forth Arachne Veil's greatest desire: a Divine-rank relic crafted to match her very essence—a Nebula Web Crown, woven of living silk and strands of void, capable of spinning fate-webs across galaxies and boosting her illusion formations to an almost universal scale.
It formed in seconds—silk condensing from nothing, threads weaving themselves into a delicate yet terrifyingly powerful crown, radiating Divine power that made the room's arrays hum in resonance.
Arachne's multifaceted eyes widened—all facets reflecting the crown in shock. Her silk robes rustled as she leaned forward, whispers turning to a single, stunned voice.
"Impossible… Divine rank… in moments?"
Archie's composure cracked—golden eyes wide. "That speed… that quality…"
Layla's eyes narrowed as she shook her head. "That's far beyond normal forging..."
Ash held the crown aloft for a heartbeat—letting them see, feel its power—then dismissed it in a rose-pink flicker, gone as if never there.
"Not for sale," he said calmly. "Just a demonstration."
He manifested something else—a simple token: black jade disc etched with an infinity symbol, pulsing faintly with his essence.
He flicked it to Arachne—she caught it instinctively.
"Contact me through that when you're ready. My terms stand."
Arachne clutched the token, whispers returning—conflicted, but hungry.
"We… will consider. Swiftly."
She bowed deeper this time, retreating.
Archie exhaled slowly. "You play a dangerous game."
Ash's smile returned.
"Dangerous games pay the best."
Then the next meeting began...
Stellar Gate Lords
The envoy entered with the subtle distortion of space folding around him—a sleek humanoid in robes of swirling portals that shifted like living wormholes, eyes deep and endless like black holes pulling in light.
His aura bent space subtly, making the room feel larger and smaller at once.
Lord Veran Gate—merchant supreme from another galaxy—smiled with polished charm, bowing slightly to Archie and Layla before turning to Ash.
"Sir Archie has already relayed your previous demands," Veran said, voice smooth as greased silk, laced with the confidence of someone who had negotiated across galaxies.
"However, don't you think they're a bit too harsh?"
Ash sipped his wine slowly, dual-hued eyes calm behind the mask as he set the goblet down.
"Negative," he replied, tone casual but unyielding.
"What I offer is artifacts above anyone else. I can guarantee—there isn't a single person you can find to make artifacts better than mine at the same rank."
Veran laughed—a rich, practiced sound meant to disarm.
"Haha, don't be foolish. Sure, your artifacts are indeed special… exquisite, even. But do you truly believe there aren't other legendary forgers scattered across the many galaxies?
Masters who have refined their craft for eras, with secrets passed down through bloodlines older than stars?"
He leaned forward, portals in his robes swirling faster.
"We could introduce you to such talents. Partnerships.... Shared knowledge.... Exclusive rights with us would open doors—literally—to markets you've never dreamed of. But your demands… unlimited supply with no binding, no shared method, only information and passage in return? It seems a bit off... and unbalanced"
Ash's smile didn't waver.
"Unbalanced?" he echoed, voice light. "I'm offering infinity. You bring me a forger who can match my quality, speed, and volume... I have Paragon peaks on demand.... things that can perhaps cost my life. Do that and I'll reconsider. Until then…"
He shrugged, sipping again.
Veran's wormhole eyes narrowed, his charm slipping as calculation took over. Still, he couldn't quite believe what Ash was saying. It might have looked like Veran was trying to sweeten his end of the deal, but in truth, he doubted Ash could deliver the amount he claimed.
"You drive a hard bargain, Ash Originat. But the gates between galaxies are not easily opened to those who demand too much without proof."
Ash leaned back, fingers drumming once on the table.
"Oh brother… simply, do you accept or not?"
Silence stretched—Veran's portals swirling thoughtfully.
Archie and Layla watched, neutral but intrigued.
Elara's hand rested lightly on Ash's arm—supportive, quiet.
Finally, Veran exhaled, smile returning—conceding.
"Very well. We accept your terms. Unlimited artifacts, any rank. In return—full dossiers on unique races, hidden realms, myths, and tales across galaxies. Free, unrestricted gate passage for you and your… associates."
He extended a hand, spatial rune glowing.
"Deal."
Ash shook it—firm, brief. Afterwards he gave him a similar token as before.
"Deal."
Veran rose, bowing.
"You won't regret this. The gates open wide for you now."
He departed through a personal portal—swirling away.
Archie chuckled softly. "Another one bends."
Ash smiled... Then the meetings continued as Ash copied the three races Elysia suggested while also making a few allies.