Chapter 124

Arc 14 - Absolute Wish - Part 8

Phanomia:

A beautiful blonde woman in an azure coloured skirt and top - which had a huge star on her chest - stretched her arms.

“Jina? Defeated. Family? Saved.” Phantom Star had a relaxed smile on her face.

Jina is the first villain faced by her when she became a hero. Since then, she has become the greatest, but so has that villain.

The reason why Jina still stands is because of her unique physiology. She has no physical form and is powered by a concept - fear. She is the embodiment of this universe’s fear.

Can one kill a concept? Certainly. But it requires certain abilities a user must have and they would have to cause considerable damage to the universe and its inhabitants.

That is the only reason Jina still lives.

But Phantom Star is not someone who will take someone’s life anyway.

“Please go ahead and rest,” she ordered her family who was standing next to her.

They nodded and flew up towards a sphere.

On this planet, people don’t live in houses. Well, not houses that are on the ground.

High above the ground, there are millions of spheres - in many different vibrant colours - floating around. Inside the sphere, it is a pocket dimension which holds the houses of these people. They can design their houses in any way they feel like.

Although the sphere looks no bigger than a van, inside of it feels like an entire world.

The royal family rules over this world, they keep peace and find jobs for people, but their spheres look no different on the outside.

In the universal travel magazine called ‘Let Me Find’, this planet was ranked number 10 in a list called; ‘World I want to visit’. This planet

The planet is by no means a beautiful place, but it is the only planet that can give them this kind of experience.

“Venus!”

A stern voice called out her name.

She looked up and saw a middle-aged man in a skintight red costume, which covered his entire body including his head, leaving only his face visible. In the middle of his body, there was a blue belt.

His helmet was stuck to his face and connected to the rest of the costume, but it can also be removed very easily as long as it senses his motives.

“Father,” she looked up and nodded respectably.

This man is called; 「Lord Cosmos 」, one of the most well-known heroes across the universe.

Although he isn’t as active as he was a few centuries ago, he is still respected by many.

“Why him?”

“Him?” she knew who her father was talking about, but decided to play dumb and tilted her head in a confused manner.

“Who else, that white-haired krilin.”

Krilin is a native animal to this world and is considered the cowardest animal in the universe.

“Why did you ask for his help,” he sounded livid. “You knew well I was already looking for them.”

She let out a sigh.

“I was this,” he held his index finger and thumb close to each other, “close to finding them. But nope! You had to ask for that krilin’s help. I don’t want to owe him anything.”

Ever since Nazar landed on this planet, Lord Cosmos has hated him. He found him arrogant and unbearable.

To make matters worse, one day, Nazar revived the greatest hero of the old era, 「Soar」 and spoke to him. Lord Cosmos was a good friend of Soar, so he hated that Nazar revived him just to speak to him.

Furthermore, when Lord Cosmos found out that Soar and Nazar had met once before, he became angry - jealousy in disguise.

“Don’t worry,” Phantom Star strolled her hand across her neck in a lazy manner, “his debt has already been paid.”

“Wh-what?”

The dumbfounded cosmic hero was not sure how to react.

“I get that he doesn’t respect you and vice versa, but the least you can do right now is to be happy that our family--”

“Your family, not mine.”

A few centuries ago, his wife, the queen of this empire, fled with another man and bore a few children. Her new companion died a few decades later due to old age, so she returned back to her empire. The relationship between them has not been the same.

“I was going to save YOUR family because I didn’t want you to face that pirate again. She is too dangerous. You are strong, but you are not powerful.”

Her eyebrows twitched in anger.

“And you are?”

“No, of course not,” he denied that immediately without any regret. “I am not powerful. But I know powerful individuals. Individuals who can defeat Jina without getting hurt. Without YOU - my only child - getting hurt.”

Venus - Phantom Star - clicked her tongue and slowly started to descend towards the sky from the ground.

“How long are all of you going to continue to act so childish?”

“You will know my pain and shame when you find yourself a partner. A PERMANENT partner, that is.”

She rolled her eyes.

“And not that white-haired kirling, never him, NEVER. As the princess, you have all the freedom, but I will never forgive you if he ever becomes your partner.”

“Don’t worry,” with a dejected look on her face, she looked down, “he already has someone.”

“...Ah.”

Guilt overwhelmed Lord Cosmos.

His heart ached to see his daughter like that.

The cheerful, arrogant and carefree daughter of his was feeling like this. He couldn’t bear to look at her, so he shut his eyes.

“...What has he done now?” he asked in a slow voice.

Phantom Star flew up and entered a dark sphere.

လလလ

Inside a large and luxurious room, befitting only of royalty, Phantom Star threw herself face down onto a large luxurious bed, also befitting only of royalty.

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuugh…” she breathed out a long breath of relief.

“What is the matter, young mistress?” an old wrinkled maid, wearing a large dark blue dress that covered her entire body and a white scarf that covered her head and hair, smiled widely as she held her arms on her abdomen in respect. “You seem tired.”

“Because I am, old hag.”

“Oh how rude of you, young mistress,” she made a disgusted expression. “And by the Gods, what is this vile language? This language is unbefitting of a beautiful princess and the future queen of this empire.”

The maid laughed.

Since the day of her birth, she had raised Venus as if she was her own daughter, so they are very close. So close that they can freely speak to one another and even joke.

However, a sign of respect will always be visible in the maid’s eyes.

“Actually… You might never become a queen,” she sneered as she raised her right hand and covered her mouth.

The princess picked up a pillow and threw it at her.

Although her actions seemed hostile, Phantom Star had a smile on her face, she was amused.

“I will keep waiting for my prince charming.”

Venus turned around and looked up to the ceiling of the bed, which was made from frilly green and red cloth.

She breathed out an exasperated sigh of annoyance and depression.

“I hear a but coming, princess.”

“He already has a partner.”

The maid gasped with wide eyes.

“Why did I have to fall in love with that kind of person,” she said acerbically.

“Have you...”

The maid paused and walked towards the bed.

She sat near the princess and looked down at her as she held her hand.

“Let me tell you something about men and how to get them.”

Hope rekindled in her as she saw a glimpse of confidence in the eyes of the maid.

“But first… What do you like about that white-hair--”

She forced herself to cough.

“Ahem. Nazar?”

Venus scoffed and ignored her.

“His powers, of course. He is strong. He is powerful. And that’s the best thing about him.”

“And have you told him this? The reasons why you love him, I mean?”

Venus nodded without hesitation but the maid let out a sigh of disappointment.

"Listen, men are disgustingly weak creatures who need emotional validity, so instead of praising his power, perhaps you ought to try and praise his looks. Like his face, or his hair, or his body."

Confused, Venus squint her eyes and sat up.

“But his looks are average in my experience?”

"Well, you have slept with thousands of Princes and almost god-like beings, so of course he would appear average but… It doesn’t hurt to lie to get their affection."

"Hm, I see. Lying seems to be my best option, mm-hmm," Phantom Star clenched her fists in front of her chest and nodded.

"Good," the maid smiled.

With a motivated and confident look on her face, she said, “Yes! I will lie to him and get him...”

However, a gloomy look suddenly engulfed her.

“But he already has a partner...”

She let out another gloomy sigh.

“Oh, well, then it can’t be helped--”

A thin smile spread across the maid’s face.

“Oh, but why not kidnap her and--”

“No,” Venus denied it strongly without any hesitation. “I am a hero, not a supervillain.”

The maid was joking and Venus knew that, but even then, hearing the maid’s distasteful suggestion, she felt very uncomfortable within.

“Well--”

“!!”

Throwing away her disgusted expression, her eyes opened wide, almost jumping out of her sockets.

“What is this energy…?”

“My lady?” the maid looked surprised and confused.

“It seems some new powerful and dangerous-- Extremely dangerous individuals have entered this universe and are heading...”

She paused for a moment as she followed the trajectory of their flight.

They were very fast and reached their destination almost instantly as they entered the universe, so she managed to follow their trail left by them. It took her a few seconds to find out where they landed.

“Earth?!”

She got up from her bed.

“I need to go.”

“But Venus, he is already there?”

“That is true, but a little help won’t hurt him, right?”

She took a deep breath as she draped down her clothes.

The maid nodded with her eyes and moved at supersonic speed, bringing new clothes to her.

She donned it quickly and flew away through the window.

“Be careful,” the maid spoke in a heavy tone. She was worried about Venus.

❢◥ ▬▬▬▬▬▬ ◆ ▬▬▬▬▬▬ ◤❢

Sixth Dimensional Plane of Existence:

In a place where the Gods dwell, the Goddess of Life - Esme - narrowed her eyes.

“She is back,” she said slowly as she looked up to the orange sky of the evening.

“And headed for Earth.”

The orange sky ripped open like a piece of paper, revealing a dark starry sky. A man entered through it and the sky was recreated.

“Arael, why have you left your bed?”

Arael, the God of Power, descended next to her and looked up at the orange sky.

“I need to go.”

“No, you don’t.”

She touched his shoulder and his image flickered, revealing his true form which was full of bruises and broken body parts.

“Why won’t you accept my healing?”

“It’s more fun this way,” he created another illusion on top of him and hid his wounds. “Also, I want to see how far I can go before reaching my limits.”

“Uh, alright. But you aren’t going anywhere.”

“WHAT?” he looked at her in reflex. “You can’t stop me.”

“Of course I can,” she spoke in confidence.

Arael gave her a look that said; I am the God of Power, I can fight the Supreme One.

Esme understood what his expression said, so she smiled smugly, held her chin high, and rested her right hand on her hip.

“I am the Goddess of Life, after all,” she said as she held her left hand in front of her and palm her fingers backwards a little.

“That doesn’t mean anything when I stand above all of you.”

Esme forced out a peal of sarcastic laughter, “Har har, funny.”

Arael groaned in annoyance.

“Anyway, I am going.”

“No, you are to heal yourself. I am going instead.”

Arael bit his lips as he thought.

“You are a pacifist, right?”

She nodded, “I do hate violence of any kind and don’t condone it, so yes.”

“So, that means you can’ stoooo--- ow, ow, ow, ow!”

Suddenly he felt pain within him. A pain he could not explain but he knew it was there.

He tried to massage his face where he felt the pain but it only made it worse.

“OUCH!”

“If you can’t withstand a pinch to your life, then I assume you will be useless in the battle against her. For the second time.”

With the pain gone, Arael looked down in a defeated manner.

“Yes, she is powerful but I did manage to land a hit on her and sent her flying across the multiverse,” he spoke with his chin held high.

“I hear another but coming?”

He nodded with his eyes.

“It didn’t even hurt her. She was just… Just playing around.”

“Which one hurt more, her attacks or Nazar’s?”

“Hers, of course. Nazar was holding back.”

Esme’s eyes lit up with white energy as she looked at Earth.

She did not want to think about her meeting with the Queen.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt fear.

Esme is the Goddess of Life, but the Queen is her opposite. Death.

I can see the 「Life」 of others and hers was nothing but death. Esme thought to herself. If she isn’t stopped, then she would be everyone’s end.

“Hrn,” she let out an unpleasant voice. “Something is blocking my view. It’s as if...”

She gulped.

“It couldn’t be...”

“It is,” Arael spoke in a serious tone as he faced her. “I need--”

“No, you are going to die. That is an outcome which is undesirable by me nor you nor the universe.”

She glared at him and continued.

“So, stay here.”

Her stern voice caused Arael to change his mind.

“I will go myself. I could protect it with a 「Life Barrier」. That should help a little.”

“No, it won’t. I can see it. I can see the flow of your barrier before it is created. I can see the strength of it. I can see the weaknesses of it. And I know how easily they will break through it. The probability of success is...”

Arael paused for a brief moment and stared at her in the eyes with a serious look.

The serious look in his eyes caused her to swallow her saliva.

“0%.”

She knew that and was expecting this answer, but she couldn’t stop her body from shuddering.

“Then permit me to go,” behind them, a tall and muscular man with black hair and black eyes, appeared. “I will be more useful than the two of you.”

“Orion,” without turning around, Esme knew who it was.

He was Orion, the God of War.

“I will take 「Chronos, the Lord of Time」 and 「Luna, the Goddess of Space」 with me.”

Esme breathed out with pooched lips as she thought.

Maybe we should avoid this--

She bit her lip as she was reminded of her father - creator. He was a selfish God who made everything, including angels, yet did not try to help their creation.

Should she be the same as her creator or should she choose something different for these Gods?

Esme doesn’t want to control the Gods, but if they wish to help Earth and Nazar, then she doesn’t want to stop them.

But that also raised another question for her; is one planet more important than the multiverse.

Yes, it is.

She did not have to think a lot about the answer. It was very simple and straightforward.

If Earth gets destroyed, his family will die. And the last thing the universe or I need is his fury.

“Just… Don’t die,” she forced out those words.

Esme turned around and faced Orion.

“Please?”

Her sympathetic tone and smile made Orion rethink his decision for a split second.

“Of course, I do not have a death wish,” his confident voice assured Esme and she let out a sigh of relief.

With red flaring eyes, a flash of blinding light covered the God of War and he vanished into thin air.

“And you,” she looked at Arael with a very serious look on her face, “go back to your domain and rest. Or else I will strap you to a bed somewhere here.”

“Uhh...” Arael's expression, which was a mix of confusion and disgust, did not make her react differently.

A few indecent images flashed through the mind of the disgusted God.

“I did not know you were-- Bye.”

And just like that, he vanished into thin air.

“Huh, I did not mean anything bad about it...” she let out a sigh.

The orange sky above her turned dark as blue and purple stars appeared. It reminded her of a world she visited a long time ago.

She raised her slender hand and held it at the sky.

“Arias…”

A few thousand years ago, she knew two people in a small world in the middle of nowhere. They are both dead now and have been for a long time, but she still remembers them as if they were with her yesterday.

One of them was a man named Arias, she had grown quite fond of him at that time. Perhaps her emotions or his were manipulated at that time, but she fell in love with him.

She doesn't care enough about it to investigate the origin of her feelings.

“What happened to you?”

She is the Goddess of Life. She can kill people, can resurrect them, create life, and more.

However, she could never resurrect Arias no matter how much she tried.

“Mira...” she closed her eyes as she thought about someone else whom she knew.

Mira, the fairy who was always with Arias, destroyed her soul one day when she entered a place she shouldn’t have. To respect her wishes, Esme never tried to resurrect her.

"I miss you," tears streamed down from her pretty hazel eyes.

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A few minutes earlier - Earth:

Eddie looked up at the figure’s back and narrowed his eyes in a confused manner.

That’s not Nazar…

But then who? Who is this person who came to save him?

Eddie wondered if he had met him before but he cannot recall ever meeting such a man.

So, who is he?

“『I did not expect to see you so soon.』” Alek spoke in a voice that did not belong to him.

“Neither did I,” the other man replied casually as if he was meeting an old friend.

However, his eyes carried a lot of hostility towards Alek.

“After so long, I met you again. I have questions. Many questions. But I did not expect to find out how much of a coward you are.”

“『I am many things but a coward is not one of them.』”

The other man chuckled bitterly.

“I would only ever possess a human if I was a coward. But I am not.”

“『Ah! I don’t call this cowardice...』”

Alek spread his arms wide.

“『I am being cautious.』”

“Ah-ha...”

“Who are you?”

Eddie had enough of their chattering and finally managed to force out some words.

The man in front of Eddie turned his head around and looked down at Eddie, who was sitting on the ground.

“I am...”

Six wings shot out of the man’s back. Two white wings, two grey and two black wings.

“『Lucifer.』” Alek or the person who was controlling him smiled thinly. “『I advise you to leave. I don’t wish to hurt you. 』”

Lucifer, the first angel, looked back at Alek.

“I am glad. I don’t wish to battle you either, but I do have some questions.”

“『Not now.』”

“Why?”

“『I don’t have time today.』”

Lucifer clicked his tongue.

He was about to ask another question, but Alek spoke.

“『I am here to meet him...』”

Eddie gulped as Alek pointed at him with his index finger.

“『His friend.』”

Lucifer glanced back at Eddie and scoffed.

“Him?”

He looked back at Alek and laughed.

“Please don’t joke.”

“『I do not joke, Lucifer.』”

Alek closed his fist, dragging the reality around him into his fist as if it was plastic.

“『Move out of my way, Lucifer, and leave.』”

With a complex look on his face, Lucifer looked at Eddie.

Confusing, surprise and fear danced on Eddie’s face. He was not sure what was going on.

Seeing that, Lucifer let out a sigh.

“I can’t let you do anything to him. I know you will do something bad to him, but I won’t let you.”

Alek let out a laugh.

“He is under my...”

Lucifer narrowed his eyes.

Above Lucifer’s head, a white halo appeared.

“Protection.”

A divine voice rang out on this island, calming everyone's chaotic emotions, including Eddie.

“You can’t hurt any of them, understand?”

Alek slammed the bottom of his fist into empty air behind him, creating cracks in reality.

“『I expected better from you, Lucifer.』”

In front of Lucifer, a giant white magical circle appeared.

The circle started to rotate at an unimaginable speed.

“So did I.”

And so a battle between two powerful individuals began and Earth was their stage.