An intriguing theory posits that a single Fate universe has finite capacity... or energy... limiting the number of parallel universes it can spawn due to insufficient energy. Thus, pruning is necessary for further development.
However, there's no limit on how many such singular universes can exist. If enough universes branch from distinct choices, they could theoretically expand indefinitely, potentially filling the encompassing multiverse... or "grand universe"... without ever reaching a cap.
In this sense, a single universe could be considered near-infinite.
Not truly infinite, but approaching it.
Creating a new phase and overlaying it onto an existing micro-universe... is that based on the micro-universe itself?
Undoubtedly, yes.
But does the phase occupy the micro-universe's space?
No, it doesn't.
It's like constructing a mirrored world within the multiverse, grafted onto a single micro-universe. This allows a phase's volume to far exceed the original world's, enabling infinite existences that couldn't fit in the universe to reside within a phase.
After creating a new phase with Rhongomyniad, Morpheus now had Artemis's aid and partial Shakti authority, making phase creation less daunting than before.
The challenge lay in maintaining the phase. But with Venus's goddess Ishtar before him, he could delegate that task to her, along with Quetzalcoatl, Gorgon, and even Tiamat, to birth a new phase.
His current task was convincing Ishtar to join him. If she refused, he'd persuade her through force.
Ishtar pondered, stunned by his offer of a divine realm where gods could exist without affecting reality... a familiar concept.
"You mean like separating the world into inner and outer sides, with gods retreating to the Reverse Side of the Planet, leaving the outer world to humans?"
That was the original trajectory: gods and fantasy beings retreating to the Reverse Side, the outer world left to humans, sealed by a holy lance to prevent interaction.
If so, no external help was needed. Once this erroneous history was corrected, all... gods and humans... would vanish, unable to return to the Reverse Side of the Planet.
Another Ishtar would exist there, but not her current self.
Morpheus shook his head. "No."
He paused, then explained, "A new world, larger and freer than this one, where even Tiamat could play her life-creation game."
He glanced at the Lion King, who understood and handed him Rhongomyniad.
Morpheus channeled mana, drawing on Shakti's knowledge to wield primordial essence.
"I swear by the cycle of the four worlds, reforging authority in the void of Ain Soph!
"My right hand lifts Metatron's Wheel, turning the seventy-two holy names into an infinite line... behold! The lightning path from Keter to Malkuth, granting equal divinity to all values!
"My left hand grips Samael's inverted blade, condensing the fifth essence's flame into an absolute singularity... hear! Beelzebub's throat trembles with ten billion collapsing possibilities, the prime of finality takes form!
"With the Rose Cross as the axis, let the branches of the Reverse Tree of Life intertwine with the Tree of Life!
"Now, Thoth's silver hammer strikes Horus's Eye, tearing the triple veil in Tefnut's storm... manifest! Merkabah's geometry bears Sariel's lunar shadow, Babel's fragments reform as Jacob's Ladder, and Sophia's tears climb the third pillar!
"With Hermes's staff as conductor and the ROTA wheel as foundation, let the primordial bolt through the twenty-two paths... 『LIGHTNING OF AIN SOPH』! Forge chaos into the newborn Tarot Fool!"
A special force descended from the highest realm, tracing a unique path, forming lightning-like patterns in the air.
Ishtar sensed its immense, focused power. If it struck her, her body would be obliterated instantly!
The Lion King felt this Creation Lightning, far stronger than before... a qualitative leap, from 1 to 10, or even 100!
The creation force interacted with this world, replicating it. As the void tore, space stabilized, revealing a nascent world through the rift.
Rivers, earth, mountains, trees, and flowers began to form.
Medea smiled. "Your Creation Lightning is getting polished. Contact with Shakti has deepened your grasp of primordial essence, mastering a fraction of creation's power."
"Shakti's primordial force, infused with the Trimurti's divine power, was immensely helpful," Morpheus nodded, turning to Ishtar. "Want to take a look?"
Ishtar hesitated, then nodded. "Fine, human. Show me this world you've made!" Her tone briefly reminded him of Tohsaka Rin.
But he knew it was an illusion. She was not Rin!
At best, a god occupying this world's Rin's body.
The thought unsettled him.
Entering the phase world, Ishtar felt its mystic power, flowing from the highest point to form the world's foundation, brimming with elemental energy. She inhaled deeply, awestruck.
"The mana density here surpasses the Age of Gods!"
"This is a divine realm, where gods of myth reside…" Morpheus emphasized, glancing at her, "Mythic gods!"
Ishtar grasped his meaning. Her world was the Age of Gods, not myth. This was a reimagined mythic realm.
"It's newly born, modeled on Sumer but without gods. If you don't join, it'll birth a new Ishtar, Gorgon, Quetzalcoatl, even Tiamat."
Morpheus smiled. "And they'd surpass you, becoming the true Ishtar and others, revered by countless humans."
Ishtar raised a brow. This human excelled at provoking her, yet his displayed power suggested she'd lose in a fight.
She was temperamental but not foolish enough to challenge an unbeatable foe.
"By the way, your body... it's Tohsaka Rin's, right?"
"You know her?" Ishtar asked curiously. "But she doesn't know you."
Morpheus was surprised. "Consciousness fusion?"
"Close enough, or soul fusion. I'm seventy percent original Ishtar, thirty percent Rin's consciousness. I see her memories; she sees mine, but hers is dormant."
Morpheus rubbed his chin. "Unlike the Lion King, whose Artoria consciousness can suppress divinity to return, your case…"
He'd seen this often... not in the Toaruverse, but in novels. Soul transmigration, merging with a recently deceased or living person's consciousness, acting as the dominant mind.
So familiar!
As someone reborn from birth twice, Morpheus felt superior.
At least he didn't steal bodies or seize souls!
"You seem to dislike me using this body. Out of kindness, or…?" Ishtar leaned closer, curious.
Morpheus stepped back, raising a brow. "In another world, that body's owner is my girlfriend... very close. Understand?"
Ishtar froze, mouth agape, before blurting, "Impossible?!"
Morpheus remained calm. "You want to say, 'How could another world's me fall for someone like you?'"
Her thoughts voiced, Ishtar stared. She began to believe him. He knew Rin's behavior well, and both worlds' Rins seemed similar in personality and logic.
This piqued her curiosity. "Another world? You're not from this world, even its correct future?"
"You're half-right. My body is absolutely from this world's future!" Morpheus clarified, muttering, "I just visited other worlds, joined a Holy Grail War. If you knew the next few centuries of proper history, you might've heard of me."
Humanity's history was burned, but the Age of Gods' records lingered. Ishtar's words made her open her eyes... not physically, but the omniscient gaze of history.
Searching for this man in the Age of Gods, she struggled to find traces.
In Greece's Age of Gods, a human was active but left scant records.
Using this clue, she scoured archives, finally finding something.
"You existed in Greece's Age of Gods?!" She exclaimed.
"Yep."
"You fought in the Gigantomachy?!"
"Yep."
"You killed Typhon?!"
"Yep."
Gods protected humanity, preparing for its future, as did she. But seeing a human wield power rivaling or surpassing gods, Ishtar questioned her efforts.
"If you stay here, can you return her to the future?"
Ishtar knew he meant Rin's body.
She shook her head. "What if she chose to stay?"
Morpheus looked at her.
Seeing his silence, Ishtar explained, "Understand this: I'm not the original Ishtar. As I said, I'm a Servant, not a Heroic Spirit. My power and authority descended into a human, making me a Demi-God.
"Though named Ishtar, I'm a new goddess! Born from this world's Rin's will, a new divine Ishtar!"
Morpheus relented. "Fine, it's just a suggestion. If it's her choice, I've nothing to say."
He stepped toward the still-open rift.
"I'm leaving. Stay to explore, or call me to pull you out when you're ready."
Ishtar felt the realm's power and considered staying but followed him out.
She could explore later. For now, she wanted to see what this human planned in this world.
***
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