Space rippled like a festering wound, and Taviel's much-dimmed figure, composed of twisted geometry and darkness, stumbled out of the torn void, looking somewhat disheveled.
It clutched tightly to the huge, pulsating, and ominous-looking giant egg in its arms; the surface of the eggshell seemed even darker than before, as if it had absorbed the aftershocks and fury of the recent great battle.
Deep within the nest, two other, even larger and more suffocating wills had been waiting for a long time.
"Taviel!"
A will, mixed with the suffocating sensation of the deep sea and endless madness, surged forth like a roaring undercurrent.
That was the wrath of the Great Old Ones, Yigothoda.
"How dare you act on your own!"
"That variable… did he hurt you?!"
Another will was colder, more rational, yet contained the paradoxical sense of nurturing countless offspring and decaying into nothingness.
That was Shub-Niggurath's voice, carrying an undeniable tone of questioning.
"I have already stated that the only priority currently is to concentrate all forces and accelerate the unsealing of our brethren!"
"Why did you provoke that anomalous constant? Your arrogance might disrupt the entire process!"
Taviel's form fluctuated violently, showing its inner turmoil; facing the anger and questioning of the two, its ancient and arrogant will also churned with frustration and indignation.
"That variable… is no longer what he once was!"
Taviel's mental fluctuations carried a hint of disbelief and lingering fear.
"He has ascended to the same level as us! And even… his power attributes subtly restrain us! If I hadn't retreated in time…"
"Same level?!"
Yigothoda's will was filled with shock and greed.
"A naturally born… primordial deity?"
"How is this possible! His very existence is the greatest blasphemy against us! He must be devoured!"
"Restrain?"
Shub-Niggurath, however, caught more crucial information, and its will grew even colder.
"It seems his threat level needs to be re-evaluated."
"But this is still no reason for you to act on your own! Liberating our brethren and welcoming the ultimate void is the highest goal!"
"Any unnecessary complications are a betrayal of the great objective!"
Taviel fell silent for a moment, slightly hiding the giant egg behind him, not fully revealing its true purpose.
This was a conspiracy between him and the Second Great Old One, Yigothoda, a vessel intended to merge all Great Old Ones' wills at the final moment and become the ultimate existence.
He merely responded in a low voice.
"I know I underestimated the variable this time."
"But precisely because he has grown powerful, we cannot let him continue to grow; otherwise, the threat to our plan will be even greater!"
Shub-Niggurath snorted, clearly not entirely believing his words, but now was not the time for internal strife.
It could feel that the restlessness of its brethren, imprisoned beyond the cosmic dimension, a longing to return and tear everything apart, was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.
"Enough! This matter will be noted for now!"
Shub-Niggurath's will was like a cold whip.
"The ritual has reached its most critical stage; the wills of our brethren are about to break through the last shackles, and there can be no more mistakes. Inject all power into the Gate of Unsealing!"
The three ancient and terrifying wills temporarily put aside their differences and once again converged before the massive, constantly twisting and expanding gate deep within the nest, which exuded an aura of universal termination.
Even vaster decaying energy was extracted and poured into it, and the roars of hunger and madness coming from behind the gate became increasingly clear and audible…
Alliance, Lishi Star.
In stark contrast to the cold and eerie Great Old Ones' nest, the Lishi Star base was now a sea of jubilation!
The news of Mark Grayson single-handedly repelling the First Great Old One and personally destroying its important stronghold had spread like a cosmic storm to every corner of the Alliance.
This was undoubtedly the most brilliant and morale-boosting victory achieved by the resistance forces since the outbreak of the Great Old Ones' disaster!
The War God's prestige reached an unprecedented peak!
Fervent public opinion and the ecstasy of surviving a great catastrophe erupted like a volcano. At the strong urging of officers and citizens at all levels, Grayson had to agree to hold a one-night celebration to reward the soldiers and people who had been under high pressure and to further unite hearts.
Of course, he was not carried away by victory; he strictly ordered at least one-third of the combat units to maintain the highest alert level, rotating their posts, and reconnaissance fleets were doubled, closely monitoring any disturbances in the surrounding star systems.
As night fell, the Lishi Star plaza and surrounding areas were illuminated as brightly as day by countless lights and holographic projections.
Members of different races expressed their joy in their own ways.
Rough rock giants played earth-shaking rhythms by pounding the ground and their own rock armor, agile psionic beings wove brilliant light and shadow dances in the air, and aquatic races from ocean civilizations performed elegant and powerful parades in huge tanks.
There were even a few warlike races directly engaging in friendly wrestling and gladiatorial matches in designated areas, drawing cheers from the onlookers.
The air was filled with the aroma of various exotic foods and celebratory drinks.
Races that might usually have minor frictions due to cultural differences or resource allocation mostly put aside their prejudices at this moment, putting arms around each other, and after several special drinks, called each other brothers and imagined a beautiful future after defeating the Great Old Ones.
And the most eye-catching focus of the entire celebration was, of course, Mark Grayson.
He was surrounded by representatives from various races, generals, and even daring ordinary soldiers and citizens, each raising a toast to him with reverence and gratitude.
Grayson accepted every drink; his powerful metabolism made him almost immune to intoxication. Whether it was dwarf spirits as fiery as fuel or psionic fine wines that caused pleasant hallucinations, he drank them all without changing his expression.
Watching him drink an entire Orc squad under the table, intoxicate three troll elders who tried to challenge him, and even compete with and defeat a natural gaseous life form known for its heavy drinking…
This became the most talked-about anecdote of the celebration, adding a touch of approachable heroism and authenticity to his image as an invincible War God.
However, after three rounds of drinks, as the clamor gradually subsided, Grayson came alone to a relatively quiet viewing platform on the edge of the plaza.
Looking at the still-jubilant crowd below, and at the faint war scars visible in the distant starry sky, his gaze gradually deepened, losing its earlier boldness and taking on a subtle, almost imperceptible hint of worry.
The scene before him was prosperous, lively, and full of hope…
This made him think of the former Interstellar Alliance.
At that time, the Alliance was also so flourishing, as if the future of the universe was bright.
However, internal strife, arrogance, and the neglect of potential threats ultimately led to catastrophic consequences.
The lessons of history were still fresh in his mind.
Would the Alliance… repeat the same mistakes?
Had the threat of the Great Old Ones truly diminished because of one victory?
He knew it hadn't.
On the contrary, it might become even more dangerous and unpredictable.
Just as he was deep in thought, a soft yet firm footsteps sounded from behind him.
Grayson turned around, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
It was Ruijia.
She had clearly dressed up carefully tonight, having changed out of her usual formidable battle armor into a long dress that combined Earthly style with her native characteristics, perfectly accentuating her strong yet curvaceous figure.
Her bronze skin glowed with a healthy sheen under the starlight, and her flame-like red hair was intricately braided, adorned with sparkling mineral ornaments.
She even seemed to have applied a touch of light makeup, softening her wild amber eyes considerably and adding a rare feminine charm.
She held two drinks, handing one to Grayson, and then leaned against the railing, watching the celebration below, her tone seemingly casual but with a hint of subtle nervousness.
"Why are you hiding here alone? You're the star tonight."
Grayson took the drink, took a sip, and smiled.
"It's a bit noisy, and… looking at them, I always think of some things."
Ruijia was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned her head, her amber eyes exceptionally bright in the night, looking directly at Grayson.
"Mark Grayson, I like you."
"Pfft—!"
Grayson almost spat out his drink, utterly bewildered by the sudden, impossibly direct confession. His brain seemed to have crashed, and he stared blankly at Ruijia.
"Huh?… You… what did you say?"
Seeing his rare, utterly dumbfounded expression, so unlike his decisive demeanor on the battlefield, Ruijia actually let out a chuckle, her nervousness dissipating considerably, but her gaze remained serious.
"I said, I like you, the kind of… liking between a man and a woman, as you Earthlings say."
"I want to be with you."
Grayson now understood completely, and he was thoroughly stunned.
He opened his mouth, momentarily unsure how to respond; he had never been so flustered even when facing the Great Old Ones on the battlefield.
"I… Leader Ruijia…"
He stammered, a rare occurrence for him.
"I'm very grateful for your… admiration, but… the crisis in the universe has not yet been resolved, the Great Old Ones are still rampant, Earth, the Alliance… the lives of countless people are still hanging by a thread."
"I… I really don't have the mind to consider these personal emotional issues; my responsibility…"
"I know."
Ruijia interrupted him, not appearing disappointed or angry, but rather nodding understandingly.
"I know how heavy the burden on your shoulders is right now, and I'm not asking you for any promises right now. I just want to tell you my feelings."
She took a step forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Grayson, looking out at the starry sky, her voice becoming soft and firm.
"I will wait for you. I will wait until we win this war, until the day the universe returns to peace. I will always stand by your side and fight with you."
"Then, it won't be too late for you to tell me your answer."
Grayson looked at her resolute profile, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.
There was surprise, a strange sense of being moved, but more than that, there was the heavy weight of responsibility.
He finally nodded slowly, his voice low.
"…If such a day ever comes."
Ruijia smiled, a smile like a meteor streaking across the night sky, brilliant and full of hope.
She said nothing more, simply stood quietly beside Grayson, both silently gazing at the distant, unknown, and dangerous starry sky, and the twinkling specks of light within it, representing hope and the future.
The clamor of the celebration seemed to gradually fade away, leaving only two hearts quietly drawing closer in a chaotic world, and the still long and arduous road ahead.
----------------------------------------
If you'd like to follow the story earlier than the public release, come join my Patreon:
👉 patreon.com/TripleCrown07
There, you can read up to 40 chapters in advance, enjoy exclusive content, and help support me to keep releasing chapters more regularly.
Thank you so much for your support and for being part of this journey! ❤️