Birth of the Demonic Sword

"We were thinking really hard about your request, right?" The orange humanoid figure inside the white separate space explained. "And then it hit us. Getting our existence back will take a long time, so it's better to focus on what we can do to mess things up with our current assets."

Noah's group had gathered in the separate space inside the orange mineral to question the old rulers after the recent events. A horde of magical beasts had joined the city. Many of those creatures were in the ninth rank. Still, some featured weaker beasts due to the packs that had managed to hide their presence inside the storms.

"The city is our greatest achievement after separating from the sky," The old rulers continued, "But we can't deny our feats with the Kesier apes. Our knowledge gives us the chance to improve magical beasts, so we sent some of our underlings to gather weak packs."

The world had experienced a massive migration after the destruction of the higher plane. Noah had tried to gather as many magical beasts as possible. Yet, many had already left toward the storms, fallen on the sky, or died against the giants' relentless clash.

The population of the storms had increased after the apocalypse for obvious reasons, but Noah had ignored that event since it didn't involve him. Moreover, he wasn't sure of how many of those creatures could survive in an environment filled with rank 9 existences even if they limited their presence to the peripheral stormy regions.

"What are you even trying to do with these magical beasts?" King Elbas asked as curiosity filled his gaze.

"Well, consider Heaven and Earth as a massive force that can't stop spreading its influence," The old rulers responded while waving their hands to create an orange image that depicted the higher plane. "All their actions end up causing consequences, and this feature intensifies as they get closer to their victory."

The old rulers described the various threats that Heaven and Earth had to face through those orange images. They depicted the monster looming over the sky, the dragons, and the city, and they used different intensities of their shade to highlight how Heaven and Earth had affected those forces.

Noah's group didn't need a reminder of those forces to understand how Heaven and Earth had affected them. The dragons were on the losing side right now because they came from the rulers' old version, while the other two seemed to grow stronger as the world's defeat grew closer.

Still, their interest in those images intensified when they saw a fourth light materializing next to the city. Noah and the others could see themselves representing a faint version of the other massive threats standing against Heaven and Earth.

"We can't say much about the monster outside the sky," The old rulers announced, "But we can see how your rise to power is affecting the balance of the world. Heaven and Earth must have enemies as long as they remain separate from the world. The dragons and the magical beasts as a whole are growing weaker, so you and the other threats are getting stronger to balance that event."

One of the lights that depicted Noah's group intensified and left to disappear among the storms. The old rulers didn't fail to use Alexander's departure to emphasize their explanation.

"Our power doesn't come from Heaven and Earth," Noah reminded in a cold tone.

Noah could accept that the original idea behind his existence had some connection to Heaven and Earth, but he would never see the rulers' power as the source of his improvements.

"We aren't implying that you grow stronger because of Heaven and Earth," The old rulers corrected. "The world has a funny way to balance things. It doesn't need to do anything, but everything naturally strives to a preset balance, which is exactly the reason behind this mess and our past defeat.

"It takes only a small ripple to move everything toward the balance. Our meeting is forcing our existence to feel again. We don't know if we are recalling or developing emotions, but we are sure that you have caused this change."

Noah wanted to say many things, but he decided to remain silent in front of the rulers' words. His companions shared his emotions and the complicated thoughts that had surged in his mind. They were all wondering where the old rulers' changes would lead.

The group had accepted to deal with the cauldron even if they knew that giving more freedom to the old rulers might create a new threat. After all, those beings were the reason behind the current Heaven and Earth. Even a major defeat or a separation from the main existence might not be able to change their core.

Noah and the others had to keep the old rulers' changes in check to make sure that they didn't end up returning to their previous state and create a second major opponent. They wouldn't hesitate to take them out if they started to walk on a troublesome path.

"Look at us," The old rulers continued. "Your request made us decide to improve the magical beasts, our original opponent! Maybe we are adapting our existence to the new state of the world and reinventing ourselves inside the role of Heaven and Earth's opponents."

The old rulers' complicated reasoning partially worried Noah's group, but it also brought good news. Improving the magical beasts would definitely cause problems for Heaven and Earth and slow down the arrival of their victory.

The only problem with that process was the inevitable connection that the old rulers would build with those magical beasts. Noah didn't even want to consider if the old Heaven and Earth regained their existence only to become a better version of their original form. They would be able to conquer the world without facing the corruption of their law at that point.

"What do you plan to do with these troops?" Wilfred eventually asked once the silence of his companions became suffocating.

"We'll send most of them back among the storms," The old rulers explained. "They will probably incur in Heaven and Earth's suppression. Those capable of surviving it will transform into new threats for the world and empower the magical beasts' side in this war."

"I bet that you will keep the others here," Noah guessed, and his tone clearly expressed his doubts.

"We offered the city to you during our first encounter," The old rulers replied. "It's still yours to take, together with the Kesier apes and the other magical beasts. Yet, something tells us that you'll keep refusing them."

Noah fixed his cold eyes on the orange figure. Its facial features were still unclear, and the same went for the rest of its body. The changes didn't affect that expression of the old rulers' memories, but it didn't quell Noah's doubt either. The old Heaven and Earth could still lie if they had recalled how to do it.

"Go," Noah ordered. "Cause a mess and buy us more time. Improving the magical beasts is a good plan, so make sure to be thorough."

The sudden answer left the old rulers and his companions surprised, and his departure from the separate space only intensified that feeling. King Elbas and the others quickly followed after him, and they didn't hesitate to question him once they made sure to isolate an area inside one of their habitations.

"I believe I don't need to tell you how dangerous this game is," King Elbas stated once the group made sure that the old rulers couldn't hear them. "We are giving the old rulers the chance to retrieve and improve their old power. We might have to face the best version of the original Heaven and Earth if this goes bad."

"We'll face it then," Noah snorted. "We are playing with forces that we can barely touch or affect. Risks are necessary. Just make sure to become strong enough to face all the mess that our decisions cause."