Chapter 70
Within Heaven's Heavenly Court, where no walls existed and only endless holy light stretched across the sacred expanse, four featureless white figures hovered silently with thin golden auras surrounding their divine forms.
Although their appearances lacked faces or physical details, each possessed a distinct outline that naturally distinguished one from another as they slowly floated through the conceptual space surrounding Uriel, who remained kneeling upon one knee with her head respectfully lowered.
They were known as the Dominions, the Four Angels of Intuition who stood among Heaven's highest authorities, guiding the countless lower orders of angels with wisdom gathered across eternity.
"The Four Dominions," Uriel began in her calm, unwavering voice while keeping her respectful posture, "I bear a matter of great importance, and I humbly ask that this knowledge be passed on to the Seraphim."
A profound silence settled across the Heavenly Court, its stillness becoming so absolute that even the concept of sound itself seemed to fade beneath Heaven's authority.
"You are a Principality," one of the Dominions spoke, her feminine silhouette radiating quiet dignity as her voice echoed gently through the holy light. "Guardian of universes and worlds... what wisdom do you bring before us?"
—Caelion—
"I have obtained evidence that the Empyrean Arachnid Emperor has somehow been reborn."
Uriel's words remained calm, yet the weight behind them rippled across the gathered Dominions, whose featureless forms revealed no expressions even as genuine concern quietly spread among them.
"Impossible... that cannot be."
Another Dominion answered immediately, his masculine figure standing tall while six magnificent wings rested behind him, his rough voice carrying restrained disbelief despite its composure.
—Valtherion—
"I agree," another Dominion said, her youthful voice sounding almost innocent despite the gravity of the discussion. "The Holy Maiden's final attack erased him upon the Narrative Layer of Existence. His return should have been impossible."
—Seraphel—
"There is no need to reach conclusions so quickly," the final Dominion said in a relaxed voice while floating upside down, unaffected by orientation within Heaven, where direction, distance, and gravity existed only as secondary concepts. "Tell us why you've reached this conclusion, Principality."
—Aurelius—
"During the mission entrusted to me by God, I spent several centuries within the lower worlds according to their perception of time," Uriel replied with quiet certainty. "On the final day of my assignment, I encountered a man calling himself Haruto Satoru, and he claimed to be the Empyrean Arachnid Emperor."
The four Dominions remained silent as they contemplated her report, each carefully weighing the implications without allowing emotion to cloud their judgment.
"...We understand."
Valtherion finally broke the silence, his deep voice regaining its usual composure despite the faint tension hidden beneath it.
"We shall immediately report this matter to the higher orders of angels."
"Thank you."
A graceful smile quietly appeared upon Uriel's otherwise composed expression before her body gently drifted away, moving through Heaven not by physical motion but by intent alone.
Within Heaven, no being truly walked from one place to another, for movement itself obeyed the will of its inhabitants, while concepts such as direction, speed, and distance remained secondary beneath divine authority.
"What are your thoughts regarding this report?" Aurelius asked while turning toward the others, his upside-down posture never changing as though it were the most natural thing in existence.
"Other than ourselves and the higher orders of angels, very few know the Empyrean Arachnid Emperor's true name," Seraphel replied thoughtfully. "The fact that Principality Uriel identified him as Haruto Satoru lends considerable credibility to her claim."
Caelion slowly nodded.
"I agree. Since Uriel possesses knowledge that should be impossible for ordinary beings to obtain, we have every reason to believe her discovery is genuine."
"Even so," Aurelius continued calmly, "it would be best if this information were delivered directly to God. I cannot do so myself, as my responsibilities require me to exist across countless locations simultaneously."
Caelion's attention quietly shifted toward Seraphel.
"Seraphel... I believe you're the most suitable among us. As the holiest of the Four Dominions, this responsibility should fall to you."
Before Seraphel could answer, the other three Dominions gradually dispersed, each vanishing through conceptual movement as naturally as drifting thoughts, leaving only the endless holy light surrounding the solitary angel.
Seraphel released the softest sigh.
"...They really do leave all the difficult work to me."
Although there was the faintest trace of resignation in her gentle voice, kindness ultimately prevailed over reluctance, and after one final glance across the boundless Heavenly Court, she quietly departed to deliver Heaven's most important report.
Meanwhile, back in Haruto's original world, Haruto and Yuna stood before a massive shopping complex whose breathtaking architecture blended polished glass with elegant stonework, giving the entire building an atmosphere of luxury before they had even stepped inside.
Haruto stood beside his younger sister with one hand resting comfortably inside his pocket, wearing white jeans beneath a tailored white blazer with a black buttoned shirt underneath, while matching black shoes and a neatly wrapped scarf completed his composed appearance.
Yuna, standing proudly beside him in a black skirt and a blazer that perfectly matched his own, wore a stylish hat adorned with a delicate rose that gave her cheerful appearance an elegant charm.
"Little sis," Haruto said with an amused smile as he glanced toward her, "why did you drag me all the way out here?"
"Because I wanted to go shopping, obviously," Yuna replied with an excited grin as she placed one hand against her hip, the enthusiasm in her voice making it impossible to miss how much she had been looking forward to today.
Haruto let out a quiet chuckle before the two of them began walking toward the grand entrance together, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone beneath them.
"So," Haruto asked casually, "how's being an idol been?"
"It's amazing!" Yuna answered without hesitation, happily throwing a fist into the air as though she couldn't contain her excitement. "The training is exhausting, but meeting so many fans makes all of it completely worth it. It seriously gets my blood pumping."
Haruto quietly listened while a gentle smile remained on his face, finding himself genuinely happy as he watched the excitement shining through every one of her words.
(Letting her become an idol really was the right decision. If I interfere with every danger she might face, she'll never have the chance to grow on her own. I'll simply keep fate from becoming too unreasonable... because the entertainment industry can be troublesome enough as it is.)
The moment they stepped inside, a spacious luxury mall unfolded before them with spotless marble floors, towering crystal chandeliers, and beautifully decorated storefronts displaying goods that radiated quiet elegance.
Despite the breathtaking scenery, only a handful of people could be seen browsing through the countless stores, each dressed in refined clothing that quietly reflected their extraordinary wealth.
This was the kind of place where even an ordinary purchase could cost more than most people earned in months, making it a destination reserved almost entirely for millionaires, influential figures, and elite Gate Hunters.
"Wow..." Yuna murmured as she slowly looked around, her curiosity making her resemble a child visiting a new world for the very first time. "It's almost empty. I heard this place has a seven-star rating, so I thought it'd be packed."
Haruto smiled helplessly before casually running a hand through his hair.
"Of course it isn't crowded," he replied. "This isn't a fashion mall. It's a shopping center built specifically for Gate Hunters."
Yuna froze exactly where she stood before slowly turning her head toward him with an expression that looked as though she had just witnessed a horror movie.
"...I thought this was a fashion mall."
Her voice trembled ever so slightly as she instinctively grabbed Haruto's arm with both hands.
Haruto couldn't help letting out another soft laugh.
"It's fine," he said reassuringly. "You could always buy clothes infused with Mana. They're much tougher than ordinary fabric, so you wouldn't have to worry about someone stabbing you."
"W-What?!"
Yuna's eyes flew open in disbelief before she began dramatically shaking Haruto's arm.
"Brother, do you even hear yourself? I don't want to get stabbed!"
Her complaints continued for another moment before they abruptly stopped.
Haruto had completely stopped responding.
The relaxed smile that had remained on his face until only seconds ago had vanished without a trace, replaced by an expression so calm and serious that it immediately caused Yuna's heart to tighten.
"...Brother?"
She slowly lifted her eyes toward him before instinctively following his line of sight.
Standing several stores away was Velmaria, quietly holding several shopping bags as she looked up after finally noticing Haruto and Yuna's presence.
Beside her stood Valerius.
The moment their eyes met across the shopping mall, the warmth lingering within the atmosphere disappeared, replaced by a silent tension as both Haruto and Valerius regarded one another with equally unreadable expressions.
Velmaria had only just begun to part her lips to speak when the entire universe abruptly came to a standstill beneath the authority of "Stasis", freezing time itself before a single word could leave her mouth.
In the next instant, Valerius unleashed a devastating punch that crashed into Haruto's abdomen, sending him hurtling through the atmosphere before his body pierced the endless void of space and plunged directly into the blazing core of the sun.
Without wasting another moment, Valerius stepped forward and vanished from his position, appearing within space itself as he calmly pursued his opponent.
Haruto slowly rose from within the heart of the sun, its unimaginable temperature failing to affect him in the slightest beneath the authority of "Temperature Nullification", while blazing flames slid harmlessly from his body like liquid fire before dissolving into the surrounding vacuum.
『Alert: Hostile entity detected. Identity confirmed—Valerius, the True Dragon of Darkness. Classification: One of the Four True Dragons currently in existence.』
Before Haruto could react, a colossal planet hurtled toward him at terrifying speed, having been hurled across space by Valerius with overwhelming physical strength alone.
Haruto remained perfectly still.
With nothing more than a slight tilt of his head, the massive planet exploded backward into countless fragments, its brilliant light illuminating his calm figure as the shattered remains scattered across the darkness of space.
(What is one of the Four True Dragons doing here...? This is bad. I can't afford to hold back anymore, yet if I fight at full power... I may destroy this entire universe.)
Far away, Valerius silently watched him.
(Such a mistake should never exist within this universe.)
Two magnificent daggers materialized within Valerius' hands, each bearing a crimson hilt traced with golden cracks, while a small dragon's head formed the guard as brilliant silver blades emerged from their open jaws beneath dancing arcs of crimson lightning.
At the same moment, Haruto's longsword, FateCleaver, materialized before him, and his fingers slowly closed around its hilt before he drew the weapon into a steady stance.
Without another second passing, both figures disappeared.
Their blades collided almost instantly, each perfectly intercepting the other's strike before an unimaginable shockwave erupted from the point of impact, expanding into a blinding sphere of white that swallowed everything around them before collapsing into absolute nothingness.
The force of their clash tore open space and time itself, hurling both combatants across different points in history as every exchange of their weapons either erased distant galaxies or cast them into entirely different eras before the next strike followed without pause.
After completing another exchange, Valerius suddenly leapt backward before raising both daggers toward Haruto, carefully bringing the tips together until they touched.
""Destroyer's Shadow"."
A tiny sphere of absolute darkness formed between the joined blades, its existence so unnatural that even surrounding starlight seemed to vanish into its endless blackness.
The sphere erupted forward.
As the attack raced toward Haruto, its size expanded continuously until it consumed the very path before him, leaving no conceivable route of escape while countless stars disappeared within the endless darkness flowing through the attack.
Haruto immediately fled by running through the flow of time itself, crossing countless temporal layers in an instant, yet "Destroyer's Shadow" continued pursuing him relentlessly as though neither space nor time possessed any meaning before its advance.
Even so...
Haruto remained faster.
The distance between them continued to widen until Haruto suddenly turned around, calmly facing the approaching attack head-on.
The very next instant...
"Destroyer's Shadow" struck.
The overwhelming force engulfed Haruto completely before tearing through the universe's Reality Barrier itself, bursting into the endless Void Sea beyond.
Its destructive path continued through infinite universes, erasing multiple universes unfortunate enough to exist along its trajectory before the terrifying attack gradually weakened and finally faded into nothingness.
Moments later, the damaged Reality Barrier surrounding Haruto's original universe slowly restored itself, repairing the impossible wound left behind by the True Dragon's attack.
(That should have erased him. "Destroyer's Shadow" annihilates everything without exception. Whether physical matter, Spiritual Matter, or the vessel that contains them... nothing should survive.)
Valerius' eyes narrowed slightly.
A lone figure slowly emerged from the fading darkness.
Haruto remained standing.
The only visible damage upon his body was the torn fabric of his clothing, while "Absolute Ward: Aegis of Fourfold Rejection" quietly shimmered around him before disappearing once its purpose had been fulfilled.
Unlike ordinary barriers that relied upon durability to endure overwhelming force, Absolute Ward governed whether hostile phenomena were permitted to interact with Haruto in the first place, rejecting the attack before true contact could ever be established.
(He survived "Destroyer's Shadow"...? That only proves my conclusion even further. Such an existence should be erased.)
Valerius' grip around his daggers slowly tightened.
(That's a True Dragon for you... destroying multiple universes as though it were nothing. More importantly... what kind of attack was that? I can't lower my guard for even a moment.)
As Haruto's damaged clothing restored itself through his own will, his gaze never once left the dragon standing before him.
『Master, attacks directed at the soul, mind, or physical body are ineffective against a True Dragon. I recommend switching to conceptual warfare.』
(...Is that really true?) Haruto thought while tightening his grip around FateCleaver.
(I don't have much experience with conceptual warfare... but I'll trust you.)
『There is no cause for concern, Master. I shall guide you. After all... that is the very reason I exist.』
Across the battlefield, Valerius quietly sensed the subtle shift within Haruto's presence, and for the first time since the battle had begun, genuine anticipation flickered within the ancient dragon's unwavering eyes.
(So... he's finally about to reveal what he's truly possesses.)
In a beam of radiant light, both Haruto and Valerius burst through the universe's Reality Barrier, leaving it to slowly repair itself behind them as they instinctively chose to continue their battle elsewhere before their clash reduced the entire universe to ruin.
Moments later, they landed within another universe that was completely empty, a silent reality where no stars, worlds, or living beings existed because its fundamental concept of life had never come into existence.
Without the slightest hesitation, Valerius activated the Sub-Skill "Conceptual Authority", one of the fundamental authorities shared among all Ultimate Skill users.
His authority immediately reached toward Haruto's existence, attempting to rewrite the very concept of his identity.
Unfortunately for Valerius...
The moment that authority attempted to take effect, "Absolute Ward: Aegis of Fourfold Rejection" responded automatically.
Its Third Layer—
Ward of Anti-Authority.
The authority was rejected before its influence could manifest, denying the conceptual interference as though it had never been permitted to exist in the first place.
Valerius' eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
For the first time since their battle began, genuine surprise crossed the ancient dragon's face.
Haruto did not allow that brief opening to go to waste.
He immediately activated the Sub-Skill "Concept Severance", directing FateCleaver's authority toward the conceptual relationship connecting Valerius to Immortality and Regeneration.
Realizing Haruto's intention, Valerius instantly reinforced both concepts with his own conceptual authority, desperately strengthening the connections before they could be severed.
One survived.
One did not.
The bond connecting Valerius to Immortality remained intact.
The bond connecting him to Regeneration...
Was severed.
"...No."
Valerius' calm expression finally shattered.
"My regeneration..."
For the first time in countless ages, genuine shock echoed through his voice as every regenerative phenomenon tied to his existence instantly ceased.
His wounds could no longer heal.
Passive recovery disappeared.
Resurrection became impossible.
The concept of Regeneration no longer recognized the True Dragon of Darkness.
(Got you.)
A faint smirk appeared across Haruto's face as he quietly looked down at Valerius.
『Report: Severance operation successful. Target: True Dragon of Darkness, Valerius. Conceptual severance incomplete. The concept of Immortality remains intact.』
(Seriously...?)
Haruto quietly tightened the hand gripping FateCleaver.
(I'll take that as a victory. Without Seraphina performing countless calculations in the background... I might have lost.)
He slowly raised his sword before pointing its gleaming tip toward the stunned dragon.
"Do you still believe you can survive against me now?"
Valerius gradually regained his composure before lazily swinging one of his daggers to the side, the casual motion alone sending a shockwave across the empty universe.
"Of course," he replied calmly. "I am a True Dragon. Since the dawn of this universe's creation, we have stood as the strongest beings within it."
Even as he spoke with unwavering confidence, another thought quietly lingered beneath his composed expression.
(Without regeneration... I can no longer recover from physical, spiritual, or astral damage. A prolonged battle no longer favors me.)
"Not while I'm standing here."
Haruto lowered FateCleaver before resting the weapon against his shoulder.
"Let's end this battle. It's becoming a waste of time."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Before we finish... why did you attack me in the first place?"
"Because an existence like yours should never have been born within that universe," Valerius answered without hesitation as he straightened his posture once more. "You are a danger to its continued existence."
"You're mistaken."
Haruto calmly descended until both of them stood at nearly the same height.
"I was born there."
Valerius' eyes widened.
"...Impossible."
His usually unwavering voice carried unmistakable disbelief.
"You're a Divine-class existence. A universe like that could never produce someone like you, not even across an infinite span of time."
"In the beginning... I simply fell asleep."
Haruto's voice remained calm as distant memories surfaced within his mind.
"When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in another world filled with monsters and magic."
(So he was transported from another universe...)
Valerius silently pieced everything together.
(Judging by his existence alone, his birthplace must have been a God-Birth Universe... just like mine.)
Haruto slowly extended his hand.
"Let's make a deal."
"I'll continue living peacefully in that universe. The only reason I remain there is because my sisters are still waiting for me."
"They're all I have left from my human life."
Valerius quietly stared at the offered hand for several long moments.
(He appears sincere... even so, I still can't fully trust him. Still... for Velmaria's sake... I'd rather continue living a little longer.)
After a brief hesitation, Valerius reached forward and firmly shook Haruto's hand.
(The deal is made...)
A small smile quietly formed across Haruto's face.
(I wonder how this True Dragon might help me in the future. I can't wait to find out.)
Far beyond that empty universe, another universe slowly drifted through the endless Void Sea, revealing a mysterious celestial figure standing silently upon its edge while observing Haruto and Valerius from an immeasurable distance.
Pure white robes embroidered with elegant golden patterns flowed gently around the figure, while multiple pairs of magnificent angelic wings unfolded behind him, each feather adorned with countless eye-like markings that seemed capable of watching every direction simultaneously.
(Ah... so this is the Empyrean Arachnid Emperor that creation fears so deeply.)
His calm amusement quietly echoed within his thoughts.
(...How fascinating.)
A slow, unsettling smile spread across the angel's face, its malice feeling strangely unnatural upon such a holy being, before his physical body gradually dissolved beneath the overwhelming currents of the Void Sea, leaving only silence behind.