Current World.
"Something's wrong! Very wrong! What on earth is happening?! Why have the magnetic fields and energy suddenly become so chaotic? Is the world about to end?!"
Inside Schicksal Headquarters in Kolosten.
Otto Apocalypse felt panicked—extremely panicked!
And he was not alone. Anti-Entropy, World Serpent, and St. Freya Academy were all in utter disarray.
Terrifying amounts of imaginary energy and quantum power were sweeping across the globe. The Honkai Beasts wailed in agony. Even the Cocoon of Finality had fallen temporarily silent, as if deliberately reducing its presence to avoid drawing the attention of some unspeakable horror...
At the same time, special monsters such as Quantum Shadows and Imaginary Constructs were appearing all over the world.
The four major factions immediately joined forces in battle. Flame-Chasers, mechs, Valkyries, and Herrschers all rushed to various locations to suppress these abnormal creatures.
After all, no matter how fiercely they fought in ordinary times, they were all members of the same Earth. At this critical moment, no words were needed. Old grudges were set aside as they united against a common enemy.
Yet no one knew why this was happening.
Except for those at St. Freya Academy, who more or less had their suspicions. Even Kiana was no exception.
"I don't know about anything else, but... my instincts tell me Elias must be involved!"
Kiana stared at the sky, filled with worry.
Under the influence of imaginary energy and quantum power, the Earth's disrupted magnetic field triggered countless natural disasters—volcanic eruptions, massive tsunamis, earthquakes, super tornadoes...
Compared to that, the invasion of Quantum Shadows and Imaginary Constructs hardly counted as trouble.
Normally, disasters of this magnitude would have caused unimaginable casualties. But...
The Herrschers of the Previous Era stepped forward one after another and suppressed every catastrophe.
Ordinary humans might be powerless against natural disasters.
But Herrschers who wielded authority could accomplish the impossible.
The Herrscher of Finality froze every disaster in time.
The Herrscher of the Void transported others to the scene. The erupting volcanoes were frozen solid by the Herrscher of Ice. The incoming tsunamis were evaporated by the Herrscher of Fire. Widespread earthquakes were directly suppressed by the Herrscher of Earth using overwhelming gravity. Tornadoes were effortlessly dispersed by the Herrscher of Wind.
On this day, the righteous Herrschers saved the world.
(Cocoon of Finality: "...")
Yet what no one knew was this—
The crisis that had united all forces on Earth was merely less than one ten-thousandth of the aftershock from a "tug-of-war" taking place within the Sea of Quanta.
...
Within the Sea of Quanta...
Sea of Quanta: "Damned tree, let go of him!!"
Imaginary Tree: "Filthy sea, you let go first!!"
Imaginary energy and quantum power, thousands upon thousands of times more terrifying than anything in the Current World, collided violently. Bubble worlds in the surrounding region were instantly crushed into dust so fine that not even powder remained.
A towering golden tree manifested, continuously releasing horrifying imaginary energy in an attempt to invade this boundless sea—though it was merely a "projection of the Imaginary Tree."
However, because it was projected through Elias' body, and because the Sea of Quanta was concerned for his safety, it could not forcibly erase the projection for the time being.
Thus the two sides fell into a stalemate.
Golden imaginary energy and blue quantum power each occupied half of Elias' body, erupting into conflict and dividing this space into two halves—one gold, one blue.
Because the intensity of the two forces was so overwhelming, a portion even pierced through space and leaked into the Current World, which was what caused so many disasters on Earth.
"ROOOOAR!!" xN
"RAAAAGH!!" xN
Imaginary Constructs and Quantum Shadows far more powerful than those that had appeared in the Proper World were being born by the thousands. Even the weakest among them possessed strength comparable to a Vipralopa-class Honkai Beast.
At this moment, just like their masters, they locked onto the opposing side and immediately began tearing into each other. The scene was nothing short of spectacular.
For example, Husk: Nihilius was locked in mutual destruction with Couatl: Revenant.
The former, though inferior to the Herrscher of Finality, could still manipulate time to a certain extent. The latter could evade the threat of time by rendering itself void-like and quantum.
Elias rested his chin on his hand, expressionless as he watched this epic war. Only four questions circulated in his mind.
(Who am I? Where am I? What the hell am I doing? And when are these two bastards—the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta—going to finish fighting so I can go back and eat?)
The answer was—never.
The Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta were mutually generating and mutually restraining. Without a third party intervening, even after billions of Amber Eras, they would never determine a victor.
And the only third party capable of interfering with the outcome between these two supreme existences—apart from the white-haired boy before them—could not be found anywhere in the entire cosmos, across all parallel worlds.
Elias understood this as well.
Though only an hour had passed, he knew that if he did nothing, the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta could keep fighting for hundreds of billions of years without ever feeling bored.
After all, one of them had no concept of time, while the other was time itself. A hundred billion years and a single second likely made no difference to them.
But Elias was different!
Who knew how long this would last? If he did not interrupt their utterly meaningless struggle now—
Forget lunch. He might even miss tomorrow's important appointment.
Elias' brain spun frantically.
After careful consideration, he finally spoke.
"Don't you two think that's enough?"
Imaginary Tree: "No! You are mine!"
Sea of Quanta: "Nonsense! He belongs to me!"
"Don't fight over me! More importantly, you both know it yourselves, don't you? If this continues, it'll never end. You can't determine a winner on your own."
The moment he said that, both fell silent.
The Sea of Quanta and the Imaginary Tree both wanted to eliminate the other.
And unlike humans, they possessed no pride that prevented them from using any method available.
Therefore, it was not as though they had never tried looking for allies before.
However, their level was simply too high—far, far too high. There was no ally in the entire multiverse who could possibly be of use. After all, everything in existence was constructed from the Sea of Quanta and the Imaginary Tree.
Except for Elias...
Though he was still weak in their eyes, both the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta were convinced that this white-haired boy would one day become a reliable partner capable of eliminating the other.
That was why they fought so relentlessly over him. If neither could obtain Elias, they would continue this struggle forever—even if it meant turning this space into an endless battlefield, the most catastrophic war this world had ever seen.
Time held no meaning for them. No matter how long it took, it did not matter.
"But it matters to me!!"
Watching the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta continue tearing at each other, Elias sighed and decided to unleash his trump card.
"That's enough. Stop right now. Otherwise, you'd better prepare yourselves for defeat. You might be unable to determine a victor on your own—but if I choose to side with one of you, the other will lose without question!"
Sea of Quanta: "..."
Imaginary Tree: "..."
He was stating a fact.
No matter how they fought, the result would always be a draw. At this moment, their energies each occupied half of his body. Neither could overpower the other.
But if Elias were to consciously side with one of them, the other would lose this struggle immediately—and in the future as well.
Imaginary Tree: "Choose me! Choose me, choose me!"
Sea of Quanta: "Don't listen to it—choose me!"
"Choose my ass! If possible, I wouldn't choose either of you! Power is valuable, sure—but freedom is priceless! So here's my proposal... a temporary ceasefire!"
Cold sweat soaked Elias' back. He suspected he was the only being in the entire multiverse capable of speaking to these two at the same time.
The origins and supreme authorities of imaginary and quantum.
In other words, these two represented everything in existence.
And yet, despite standing at such a lofty level, they were fighting over him like shameless rich widows competing for a pretty boy.
Elias was speechless.
"I already know why you want to recruit me. I also know I can't truly resist your power."
"But you must admit—my choice can end this farce between you, however long it has lasted. I can decide which of you lives and which of you dies."
His tone turned icy. As a human, he threatened two supreme existences before whom even gods would kneel.
"So let's talk properly. No—actually, just agree to my plan. If either of you refuses, I'll side with the other. And if both of you refuse... I'll blow myself up."
His gaze was resolute.
He did not want to die. He did not want to self-destruct.
But he had to be prepared to do so.
Before these two supreme bastards, he could hide none of his thoughts. So he could only sincerely demonstrate that he truly possessed the resolve to kill himself—or to drag one of them down with him.
He knew full well that the former was not much of a threat. If the Imaginary Tree so desired, it could resurrect him even if his soul were utterly obliterated.
But after such a threat, neither the Imaginary Tree nor the Sea of Quanta would dare push him to their opposite side.
Imaginary Tree: "Don't be impulsive. Stay calm."
Sea of Quanta: "Fine. We'll pause. We'll pause."
As soon as their will shifted, every Imaginary Construct and Quantum Shadow present immediately stopped fighting and stood obediently in place.
"Good. Then let's continue. I will not join either of you right now. I still have my own life."
Elias nodded in satisfaction.
"Besides, I'm still weak. At least, weak to you. Even if you want me to eliminate the other side right now, it's impossible. That's pure fantasy."
"So give me time. Time to choose. Time to grow stronger. In the future, I'll give you an answer. But you are not allowed to shackle me. I... have never been your slave!"
He spoke fiercely.
In truth, he did not mind having his freedom somewhat restricted.
After all, a global pandemic in his previous life had proven that as long as one had a phone and Wi-Fi, even if the body was confined, the soul could remain free.
But being a slave? Absolutely not.
Countless beings would have begged for the chance to serve the Sea of Quanta or the Imaginary Tree, yet this was a matter of his dignity as a human.
At his core, Elias was a proud man.
He was a savior who had saved the world more than a dozen times. The Flame-Chaser of deliverance who had once been revered by an entire Era as leader—even as faith itself.
He would never allow anyone to fasten a collar around his neck.
That would be an insult to the life he had lived—a life he himself could look back upon with pride.
He would sooner cut off his own head.
Sea of Quanta: "Calm down! Just calm down a bit more!"
Imaginary Tree: "Ceasefire! We'll ceasefire!"
"So—you agree to my proposal?"
Affirmation came simultaneously from both sides.
The corner of Elias' lips lifted slightly. He felt the imaginary energy and quantum power within him gradually recede. He knew then that the two had truly backed down before him.
Only at that moment did he finally release a heavy breath.
The pressure he had been under just now had been unimaginable. His behavior had been like that of an ant shouting at a human—utterly overestimating himself.
And yet, once again, Elias had created a miracle.
Though perhaps, in the eyes of the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta, he was not an ant at all—but a protected species.
The kind that, if harmed, would bring ruin upon the one who harmed it.
There had never been an option of killing him outright if he refused. Once he chose a side, the chosen one would protect him with everything it had.
Even if he were killed, it would not matter.
The Imaginary Tree, which Otto Apocalypse had once longed for, could easily accomplish resurrection. And the Sea of Quanta, standing at the same level, though its methods were unknown, could undoubtedly do the same.
So for him to truly die, the only possibility would be for both the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta to perish. Otherwise, in another sense, he was truly immortal.
"Alright, you two can go back to wherever you came from. I'm going home for dinner. Hmph—this is all your fault. Everyone's definitely going to worry and nag me again."
Sea of Quanta: "...These are yours."
Imaginary Tree: "...Mine as well."
As if to curry favor with him, neither the Sea of Quanta nor the Imaginary Tree withdrew the power they had just left inside his body.
They even granted him a bit more of their authority—and gifted him all the Imaginary Constructs and Quantum Shadows present.
Elias rolled his eyes but accepted without hesitation.
"Hmph. I'll take this as compensation for today. Honestly... you two really are troublemakers."
Feeling the unrestricted authorities of the Quantum Pseudo God and the Imaginary Pseudo God within himself, Elias finally relaxed.
At least he had gained something from all this.