SWNOVELXO Chapter 176: Secluded Training
The atmosphere within the Galactic Empire was unsettling.
Considering they had recently defeated Single Numbers in succession and achieved human unification, this didn't make sense.
However… the mood at the top was especially frosty. Those residing in the Imperial Palace were careful not to even make footsteps.
Aria tapped at her desk, her face full of worry. This was an unusual sight for her, as she rarely showed weakness even in minor details. It showed how deeply troubled she was by the current situation.
"Something must have happened to Master."
But why was he not telling her?
Since Karlstein had always been open about his personal matters without hiding anything, this incident was particularly perplexing.
Rip- Rip-
"Um… CC-hief Secretary?"
"I was told for this to be submitted in writing because it shouldn't be left as data…"
"…"
Aria acknowledged her mistake. Even though she should be more focused, especially since Master had entered seclusion for the time being…
"Mm. I'm sorry. Proceed with this matter as is."
Aria tapped the report paper with her fingertip to modify its contents and handed it to her subordinate.
"Ah, yes…"
The subordinate was dumbfounded to see Aria let her guard down for the first time, but quietly withdrew. Caution was all the more advised at such moments.
Of course, Aria could easily guess the subordinate's thoughts and blamed herself.
"I need to get a better grip on myself."
After returning from that place, Master had called for her. She went to greet him happily, but… something had been off.
Wearing a more serious expression than ever before, Master was different from usual. But if she were asked if this was really a bad thing, even she found it difficult to answer definitively.
-Aria. I'll be entering seclusion for a while, so I'm entrusting the Galactic Empire to you.
For her, it could be considered a normal order. But she found it hard to respond due to the overwhelming atmosphere emanating from Master. A faint radiance shimmered behind his back.
"M-Master."
The energy surrounding Master, like that of a spring breeze, was also unusual. Despite being physically close, why did she feel such a distant gap?
Has something gone wrong with the sensory organs of my physical terminal?
How confused must she have been to think that?
But upon checking her body, nothing came up.
Th-this…
The aura naturally emitted by Master created a strange pressure that made even her, despite using a mere AI terminal body, feel like kneeling.
Yes, awe. Awe would be an appropriate description.
An inexplicable emotion, as if encountering a real god, made her feel distant from Master.
-…Did something happen?
She barely managed to ask him, but all he did was smile faintly, giving a simple answer.
-We'll talk later.
She could not ask further. It felt sacrilegious to question even his minor instructions, so she could not inquire more.
"…"
This was an extremely perplexing emotion for her, who had lived her entire life as merely an android terminal body at best. And she was not the only one who felt this way.
Hfff- Hfff-
Camilla, who happened to be in the palace on business, froze as soon as she saw Master.
Though Master called for her, she remained frozen, unable to utter a single word until he left with a slight smile. Duchess Camilla had always greeted him, albeit shyly, when she saw him, and yet…
This was a common experience for anyone who had even briefly encountered Master before he entered seclusion.
Strangely, the ordinary people who could not wield Ether actually seemed to welcome the change.
"Huh? His Majesty seems to have changed somehow?"
"Right? It's like he's become gentler?"
"Before, he was just scary."
"I liked the majestic Emperor too, but I really like the current Emperor as well."
"Shh! Someone might hear!"
"Yikes!"
While they welcomed such changes, the upper echelons worried that something might have happened to His Majesty.
"Chief Secretary Aria. Contact me when His Majesty ends his seclusion."
And so, time passed slowly, as if everyone was walking on thin ice.
***
It took some time to integrate with Longquan and the Ziwen Mirror. Perhaps it was because his soul, combined with Delroa's power and Kameira's power, was gradually reaching its limit.
Fusing with such diverse beings was no easy feat; without the Mental Invariability trait, he would likely have gone completely mad.
Though not easy, it was not impossible if one's mind was firm enough, so he chose seclusion.
Fwoosh-
His inner mindscape.
There was a significant change in his mental world where Delroa's eyes and Kameira's heart existed. The eyes and heart were no longer separate. His mindscape now formed an infinite circle.
So that's why I couldn't reach the Nascent Soul realm.
He realized why he could not break through to the Nascent Soul realm when trying to elevate his cultivation realm with his previous Avatar.
The Nascent Soul realm meant the process of refining one's inner mindscape into a solid embodiment that could be externalized.
However, his near-infinite mindscape made this process difficult, and the incomplete fusion with his transcendent powers made it impossible to refine into a single Nascent Soul.
Longquan's memories provided an accurate diagnosis of the current state.
"Well… The Nascent Soul realm has no meaning for me now anyway."
The precarious tug-of-war was over.
As Karlstein opened his eyes, sitting cross-legged, he gained new vision as if observing the surroundings from a third-person perspective.
"And now that everything has been newly integrated…"
A radiance shimmered behind his back, and a semi-transparent halo was summoned above his head. It was not a clearly defined state like a certain cultivation realm, but there was no need to categorize it.
"…"
And from Longquan's memories, he could tell that Prohiden had deliberately lured out Longquan to create this situation.
This was also one of the reasons he voluntarily entered seclusion. This was the one issue he needed to sort his thoughts on.
And after finishing his mental organization and making a firm decision.
"In the end, I'm the one who needs to settle this."
Karlstein ended his seclusion and called for Aria.
***
[Master. Are you alright?]
"You must have been worried."
Aria showed a concerned look at Karlstein's relaxed smile.
"Hmm. Aria. There's no need to worry. Before, there was a limit to my mental growth due to the Mental Invariability trait, but now I've practically removed that restriction."
[Then… is it not a problem?]
Aria, who wished for Karlstein's immortality, could not help but worry about his mental state.
However…
"Well. If you're worried about the mental barrier issue, there's no problem. Let's just say my soul has matured a bit more naturally?"
[…]
Karlstein dispelled Aria's concerns and called for Maxien.
[I understand….]
Then he took out a golden tower model from thin air and gave it to Aria.
[Is that… Genesis?]
"Yeah."
Then he summoned the platinum egg by flicking his finger, placed his hand on the egg, and quietly chanted a spell.
Float float-
Voom-
As cracks appeared in the air, a wooden puppet gradually emerged from within.
-Huh? What's this? Why haven't we departed yet…?
Unfortunately(?), the Puppet Demonic Warlord had not been to Zhangjiajie, the crevice of time, and was not even aware of it.
"Puppet Demonic Warlord."
At Karlstein's soft call, the wooden puppet looked at him, wondering what was going on.
-Br…
He broke off mid-speech. The overwhelming awe he felt from Karlstein prevented him from calling him a brat.
-…
"Puppet Demonic Warlord. Help Aria here complete 'Genesis'."
-Complete Genesis? It's already complete as it…"
The only reason he could speak was perhaps due to his craftsmanship spirit.
The Puppet Demonic Warlord barely opened his mouth at Karlstein's tone suggesting the current Genesis was incomplete.
Karlstein gave him a slight smile in response.
"I know. Your 'Genesis' is a treasure among treasures. But I'm not saying it's incomplete."
Moreover, unlike before when he always spoke as if it was his own, saying 'your' Genesis gradually eased the Puppet Demonic Warlord's wariness.
-…Then?
"I need Genesis. I need it modified to fit my purpose."
-…I see. But for what purpose?
Aria, who also knew about Genesis and the Puppet Demonic Warlord, was curious about Karlstein's intentions.
Amidst their interest, Karlstein calmly opened his mouth.
"I need Genesis capable of fully containing my current self."
-…
"It's fine even if it's just once."
-You need it to fully contain you in your present state, even if it can be done only once…
The Puppet Demonic Warlord could implicitly understand why Karlstein said that, sensing the unusual changes in him.
-Very well.
"Then I'm counting on you. As I am now, I can't approach 《Three Thousand》 due to the constraints of the seal."
Space-time restrictions had occurred.
Perhaps it was the effect of the sealing formation that happened because he chose the Ziwen Mirror?
This was a constraint that could not be overcome even with his current growth. As the being 'Karlstein', he could not intervene in Three Thousand.
This was like an indelible brand that had become providence. And Karlstein needed to visit Three Thousand without fail.
Therefore, to bypass the restrictions, he needed the Puppet Demonic Warlord's 'Genesis'.
-…I understand. But I'll need your cooperation too.
"Alright. And Aria, please fully cooperate with the Puppet Demonic Warlord in modifying Genesis."
[Understood, Master.]
Karlstein nodded.
With the rare resources obtained from various dimensions, the Puppet Demonic Warlord's craftsmanship, and the Galactic Empire's cutting-edge technology, modifying 'Genesis' should be possible.
-…There's no need to make it disposable, yes?"
"…Of course."
-Haa… Nevermind. I know. Even Genesis has its limits as a vessel to contain a being like you.
It would be no easy task to contain his true self even once.
-I suppose It will become my final masterpiece.
"I'm counting on you."
With that, Karlstein sent Aria and the Puppet Demonic Warlord out and summoned Maxien.
"Maxien…"
Karlstein's lonely voice echoed in the great hall.
***
https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken