Defiance of the Fall

Zac held his axe in one hand and a Cosmic Crystal in the other as he tore into the remaining cultists. He retained most of his energy, but this isolated skirmish was just the beginning. And as he upgraded more and more of his skills to D-grade, the higher his energy consumption would become.

It was worth it.

His dealings with the Undead Empire felt like walking a tightrope, where one misstep would lead to death or becoming a puppet to their schemes. However, his experiences had undeniably broadened his understanding of his path and cultivation. Whether it was his experience in the Abyssal Pond or his loss against Kator, both had shown that his view was too narrow and his path incomplete.

He'd felt that not everything needed to be completely attuned. After all, not everything could be explained through his stances, and forcing things into a certain box would only leave him weaker. Or so he thought. But even the inheritance of Mez and Azol could become parts of his Inexorable Path, and Kator could integrate every aspect of his cultivation into a singular purpose.

So why couldn't he? The Abyss explained the whole Heavens through Death. Zac was obviously nowhere near that point, but it was a worthy goal. The concepts of Evolution and Inevitability were the crystallization of his Dao, and his path was confirmed through his Cosmic Core. The more he could put under that umbrella, the better his skills and fighting style would mesh.

Just adding the Dao of Conflict to the many nature-aspected skills on his human side wasn't enough. He needed to instill the idea of evolutionary struggle, of breaking fate and ceaseless rebirth. It still restricted him to some degree, but as his comprehension deepened, he'd be able to express more and more ideas through his path.

It had taken him a lot of work to rework [Ancestral Forest] into [Apex Jungle], but it might have taken him years without the [Court Cycle Token] to provide inspiration. But infusing all of his understanding into the skill had been enough to create its natural formation, strengthening the skill beyond what Zac had originally expected. And thanks to its harmonization with his technique, he could instinctually understand how the trees would move and act.

Similarly, [Forester's Constitution] had seen such a transformation that the System named it [Inborn Predator]. The passive buff still provided attributes, but instead of 15% to Endurance and Vitality, it improved Strength, Endurance, and Vitality by 10% each.

The transition had drastically weakened his connection with nature, and the passive improvement to his natural recovery was gone. Losing the former was more than made up for by the experience he'd accumulated over the years, and the Void Vajra Constitution replaced any need for the latter. What the skill provided instead was the instincts of a predator.

Survival always came first in the wild, so the skill now amplified his danger sense. Its effect was similar to the [Lucky Beads] but focused more on direct threats. It was [Inborn Predator] that had allowed him to pinpoint that the inconspicuous piece of falling debris was the source of his unease.

The skill also strengthened his attunement to his Evolutionary Stance. The effect wasn't anything new—it was the very phenomenon he first encountered when fighting Commander Kaldor inside the Orom World. He'd used his [Thousand Lights Avatar] to amplify his connection with the Dao and his path, elevating his technique. Thanks to [Inborn Predator], the effect was permanent and steady and could be further boosted using the spiritual framework.

This harmonization also strengthened Zac's connection with all skills based on his Evolutionary Path. It made his aura harder to spot when surrounded by [Primal Edict], [Apex Jungle], or any future skill he created. It even improved his control of the vines and trees, though the effect wasn't as pronounced as strengthening his soul.

[Earthstrider], now called [Skystriker], had also seen some changes. The most obvious was that it no longer depended on the ground to work—a fundamental requirement for combat-oriented D-grade movement skills. Furthermore, reshaping it based on his Evolutionary Path changed its method of movement.

The original design he'd prepared inside the Perennial Vastness barely incorporated the Dao of Conflict. His old movement skill only leaned on his Dao of Life, but it perfectly matched his requirements. Even a conservative upgrade would have given him a powerful skill that fit with his pathways well enough to work without issue.

Conversely, trying to force a new Dao into the delicate balance that made up the Skill Fractal was extremely difficult—a risk that wouldn't add much, if any, utility. Nothing said a skill based on two Daos was stronger than a skill based on one. It all depended on what you could create with the insights and your understanding of energy and fractals.

But pushing himself to fully realign the skill had provided far more than the few extra percent's utility from higher compatibility with his pathways. The difference didn't come from efficiency or speed. It came from harmony, for a lack of a better word. [Skystriker] had become more than just a movement skill; it was now an extension of his technique.

He no longer shifted between bursts of rapid movement and attacking his enemies. It was all one flow, where activating his movement skill didn't disrupt the momentum he built through the Evolutionary Stance. Beyond that, it had a surprising side-effect that proved very useful on the battlefield.

Zac was like a vengeful ghost, passing through a clump of cultists with incredible speed. He didn't even swing his axe, yet streams of Kill Energy constantly entered his body. The cultists collapsed one after another, their bodies destroyed by invisible cuts. By that point, Zac was already hundreds of meters away, eviscerating another group.

[Skystriker] had blurred the line between a movement skill and an attack, where Zac himself became the axe. [Loamwalker] and [Earthstrider] had enabled rapid bursts of movement by compressing space and forcing their way through it. [Skystriker] didn't just compress space; it also cut through it.

Zac had quickly learned he could control this phenomenon to some degree. If he compressed his energy and Dao, he could increase the speed a bit further. Conversely, if he let it disperse as he moved, he'd create a trail of destruction filled with invisible axe cuts. The effect was mostly useless against skilled enemies, but it let him wreak havoc on weaker enemies who could barely follow his lightning-quick movements.

The last roars of battle eventually abated, and Zac flew into the air while his men wrapped everything up. The victory was swift, but it left Zac feeling lost. What were they supposed to do now? Reinforce the other armies? He had already gotten a quest for his Flamebearer of Zecia designation, but it was just a general mission to take out as many Kan'Tanu as possible.

Thankfully, Zac saw Tussar fly over. He hadn't expected the wounded veteran to actually enter the battlefield with them, but his experience would prove invaluable.

"I don't know what to say. Never seen such a scary bunch of juniors," Tussar said with a shake of his head upon reaching Zac.

"What now?" Zac asked without preamble.

His army had already activated their mobile defense arrays and shrouded their army to hide from the enemies in the sky, but they couldn't just turtle up here. Death could rain down from above at any moment, and the longer they stayed stationary, the higher the risk of a powerful fortification locking in on their position.

"It's messy when you haven't been properly connected to our channels," Tussar asked him to wait a second as he took out a series of communication devices.

It didn't take long before Zac sensed a mental nudge indicating that the old warrior was trying to share a quest with him.

[Special Operation (Alliance, Campaign): Seize the Transference Array of Wolf Teeth Camp. Reward: Contribution and Alliance Merit based on contribution.]

"Take down Wolf Teeth Camp," Zac mused. "Transference Arrays?"

"The biggest danger to any mission is powerful entities rushing over. Our job is to prevent that from happening. Transference Arrays are like beacons, letting the Kan'Tanu home in on this region and perform long-distance jumps and teleportation," Tussar explained. "Similar beacons are placed across multiple worlds, each making it easier for the cultists to reach us. If we break theirs while installing our own, we'll eventually overwhelm the enemy."

Zac relaxed upon hearing the explanation. They still didn't know the operation's main goal, but their objective wasn't much different from the numerous conquests he'd led his men through. Of course, this frontline base would likely be better fortified than any world in a unified sector, but he wasn't working alone. There were Cosmic Vessels in the sky and higher-grade armies participating in this mission. The Acheron Company didn't need to take a central role.

"Our target is in that direction. Looks like it'll be quite a trek," Tussar pointed in the direction the Kan'Tanu spawned from.

Zac frowned at the chaotic environment they'd have to pass through. "Why not teleport us closer?"

"Control over space is one of the facets of this war. This whole planet is acting like a jammer because of these nasty thorns, and space around the camp is further sealed. Just forcing our way onto the planet is hard enough."

"Flying treasures…"

"I know you're a shipwright, but I recommend against it," Tussar said. "If you use large barges, you'll become a prime target for both fortifications on the ground and the defenses above. If you take out enough smaller vessels to stay spread out, you'll expose your wealth and status. That might attract even deadlier attention. Besides, why would you want to go fast?"

"You're saying we should ignore the mission?"

"What ignore? Just work your way toward the base like the rest. Do you see anyone rushing or taking out their ancestral treasures to force a path? We were lucky enough to be dropped off some ways from the target. Let the big shots deal with the fortifications. It might lead to less contribution, but you have to be alive to enjoy your riches. Besides, taking out these bastards on the way helps lessen the pressure on the vanguard."

"What about the fights around us? Do we help them?" Zac asked.

"If you can," Tussar said. "But don't try to be a savior. You also risk drawing too much attention if you gather up multiple armies. If you see our side having a small advantage, just let them deal with it. If you see us losing, consider helping out to avoid leaving a threat behind us."

Tussar's words were callous, essentially using the other factions as meat shields. However, Zac knew he was right. Idealists didn't last long on the frontlines, and every move he made came at the price of his soldier's lives. And was he ready to trade his soldiers for some strangers? Obviously not.

"Still, you shouldn't dally too long. You want to be close to where our elites are gathered. That's where we'll be safest and where the extraction points will appear. The situation can shift in a heartbeat, and we've been forced to leave people behind before. I'm sure you have some ships prepared for emergencies, but I doubt we'll get the chance to set them up if the alliance is routed," Tussar continued, briefly scowling at the sky. "Thank the Heavens Jusis still has a conscience. He really sent us to one of the safer worlds."

Zac had to give the old captain a double-take, thinking he'd heard wrong. "This is a calm battlefront?"

"I see no motherships, and the Hegemons are mostly Early and Middle stage. We seem to have a slight edge in the sky, lessening the risk of planetary bombardment. And the Kan'Tanu clearly haven't had time to fortify this world properly. The World's Blight is in an early stage, and you shouldn't have much trouble dealing with it," Tussar explained. "But we can't relax. The stakes must be very high for the headquarters to take such drastic measures."

Zac wholly agreed with the sentiment. His instincts had warned him that there was more at play since the start. The Kan'Tanu would likely push back hard against such a forceful play. If nothing else, it was a good opportunity to lay waste to a whole Field Army.

The region around them had been drained to summon the huge army, letting the Acheron company advance unopposed. Even then, Zac's nerves were drawn taut, and it felt like death could appear at any moment. It was undoubtedly even worse for the soldiers marching below him. They could do nothing if another streak of death descended from above except pray Zac and the others would be able to block enough of its force to give them a fighting chance.

Dozens of orders were relayed through an intricate network of mental connections, allowing the huge army to move as one. Zac didn't involve himself in the details, content with staying in the middle of the pack, ready to reinforce his men in case something dangerous cropped up. They advanced steadily, cutting and burning their way through the cursed environment.

A preliminary path had already been plotted, and they moved toward a large accumulation of corruption that had formed a miniature mountain range. It was clearly a semi-living formation holding a lot of Kan'Tanu inside, but avoiding it would put them too close to conflicts involving multiple Middle Hegemons.

It would take them thirty minutes to reach their target, but Zac's eyes opened wide when they reached halfway.

"Barriers!" Zac ordered, and shimmering walls immediately rose to protect their frontline.

The shield formation had barely linked up when it looked like a sun was born before them. Not a life-giving sun, but a primordial sun full of chaotic energies, where the Dao of Space was most dominant. Rays of destruction lacerated the lands, where both Kan'Tanu and Alliance armies were struck by the fallout. The Acheron Company was actually lucky, as the Kan'Tanu formation stood between them and the explosion.

The mountain range was swallowed whole, and their sacrifice drastically weakened the assault. Even then, the barriers barely managed to block the wild storm of energies that swept forth, and more than one War Array was overloaded and damaged. Hegemons and defensive cultivators moved as one, reinforcing the breach with layers of defensive skills.

The initial onslaught abated after a few seconds, but Zac would have to be a fool to resume their march. Their path was cleared of Kan'Tanu, but what remained was even more dangerous. That terrifying blast had unraveled the Dao and exhausted the spatial integrity. A spatial storm remained, holding immense amounts of chaotic energy.

"What the hell was tha—" Emily muttered, but her words caught in her throat when an ancient and overbearing aura swept through the region.

The feeling went as quickly as it came, but that ephemeral eruption was enough to force the whole Acheron Company to their knees. Zac's insides churned, but he managed to stay afloat thanks to [Conviction of Eoz]. The other Hegemons weren't so lucky. Even Tussar was pushed toward the ground, though he'd likely been able to resist if it weren't for his damaged core.

Everything had stopped when the aura descended like subjects freezing before an emperor. However, the winds of war were still blowing, and the battles spanning the region quickly resumed. It was clear the memory of the explosion and its aura was still fresh in everyone's mind, though, as the neighboring clashes were inching away from the epicenter.

The tacit accord between cultists and alliance soldiers also created a large pocket around the Acheron Company, who were the closest force to the explosion. Zac gave no orders, silently observing the situation. That aura had been enough to exhaust the lingering energy from the explosion, and he could tell space was already mending. Eventually, he felt Vilari fly over, and they shared a look of mutual understanding.

The aura of the Left Imperial Palace.

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