Chapter 91: Chapter 91: The Council of Twelve - Part Two
Chapter 89: The Council of Twelve - Part Two (Revised)
The silence stretched on, heavy with the weight of what they’d just witnessed. Eleven gods sat frozen in their thrones, staring at the spot where their supposedly invincible colleague had been casually dismantled by a stranger who looked like he’d just finished an interesting workout.
Zhan pulled himself upright, blood still trickling from the cuts where he’d crashed through his own throne. His eyes held a mixture of awe and confusion that would have been comical if not for the genuine bewilderment written across his face.
"What the hell are you?" he asked bluntly.
Elias dusted off his hands with the satisfied air of someone who’d just completed a mildly engaging puzzle. "Someone who appreciates good technique when he sees it. That layered intent application of yours was clever—I hadn’t considered using emotional conviction as a force multiplier quite like that."
"You’re talking about my ultimate technique like it’s homework," Zhan said, sounding almost offended.
"Well, it was educational," Elias admitted with a slight grin. "Most opponents either try to overwhelm with brute force or rely on flashy energy attacks. Your approach was refreshingly... what’s the word... thoughtful."
A Sovereign with silver hair and eyes like fractured mirrors laughed—actually laughed—at the absurdity of it all. "Thoughtful. He calls the Unstoppable Fist of Absolute Victory ’thoughtful.’" She shook her head. "I’m Sovereign Lyra, by the way. Spatial manipulation is my thing, and I have to say, watching you dismantle Zhan’s conviction-based reality warping was the most entertaining thing I’ve seen in centuries."
A massive Sovereign with arms like tree trunks grunted from his throne. "Show off. I’m Korvas. I punch things until they stop being problems. Simple, effective, none of this fancy analysis nonsense." He gestured vaguely at Zhan. "Though I admit, watching someone out-think the Conviction God was worth the price of admission."
"Out-think?" Elias raised an eyebrow. "I just adapted to his fighting style. When someone bases their entire approach on ’I will definitely win,’ the counter is usually ’that’s nice, but have you considered this?’"
He made a casual gesture that somehow conveyed the complete dismantling of absolute certainty.
The eldest Sovereign—ancient even by their standards—finally stirred from his throne. His presence made the air itself feel older, like standing in a library where the books remembered being trees. "Enough pleasantries. I’m curious why someone with your... capabilities... sought us out. We’re powerful, yes, but you clearly don’t need our permission for anything."
Elias’s expression grew more serious, though he maintained that slightly amused air that seemed to be his default. "Because this whole setup feels wrong. The suppression field, the martial laws, the way some of you—" he pointed at a few Sovereigns "—feel like you don’t belong here either. This isn’t a real universe, is it?"
The Ancient Sovereign’s smile was tired and knowing. "Perceptive. No, it’s not. We’re lab rats, essentially. This whole realm is a testing ground built by beings who’ve moved so far beyond normal reality that they treat multiversal displacement as entertainment."
"Ascended Beings," Elias repeated, his tone suggesting he was filing the term away for later analysis. "Let me guess—they’re so far beyond normal existence that watching us struggle with their puzzle-box universe counts as prime entertainment."
"Pretty much," Lyra said cheerfully. "Though they do provide rewards for good performance. Think of it as a cosmic game show where the prizes are actual power upgrades and the penalty for losing is... well, eternal imprisonment in a pocket dimension."
Zhan had finally gotten his bearings back and was looking at Elias with something approaching hero worship. "But you broke their suppression field. Just... ignored it entirely and forced your power back online. How?"
"Stubbornness, mostly," Elias said with a shrug. "Also, I’ve never been good at accepting limitations imposed by others. When reality tells me I can’t do something, my natural response is ’watch me.’"
Korvas barked out a laugh. "I like this one. Direct. No philosophical nonsense about the nature of power or the burden of strength. Just ’screw your rules, I’m doing what I want.’"
"Speaking of rules," the Ancient Sovereign interjected, "there are two ways out of this place. Complete mastery of the Law of Reality—essentially understanding this universe so thoroughly you can step outside it through pure comprehension. Or..."
"Or?" Elias prompted when the elder paused dramatically.
"Defeat the Universe Guardian."
The mood in the Hall shifted instantly. Even Korvas stopped grinning, and Zhan’s expression turned grim. Elias, however, looked genuinely interested.
"Universe Guardian," he mused. "Let me guess—it’s not just some big monster with impressive stats. It’s something more fundamental than that."
"It’s the universe’s will given form," Zhan said quietly. "But that’s not what makes it truly dangerous. The Guardian doesn’t just embody every law and restriction—it’s a master of martial arts beyond anything we’ve ever witnessed. Perfect technique, flawless intent, and combat instincts that border on prophetic."
"And here’s the truly cruel part," Lyra added, her usual cheer replaced by grim respect. "It doesn’t fight at full power. The Guardian matches your exact cultivation level, your exact mastery of laws, your exact physical capabilities. The only advantages it brings to the fight are pure skill and martial intent so refined it makes our techniques look like children playing with sticks."
Elias’s eyes lit up with genuine interest. "So it creates a perfectly level playing field and then defeats opponents through superior combat mastery alone. That’s... actually brilliant design."
The Ancient Sovereign nodded slowly. "We’ve tried. Multiple times. Each of us has challenged it at various points in our development. The result is always the same—a humbling demonstration of just how crude our supposedly perfect techniques really are."
"I lasted three moves," Korvas admitted grudgingly. "Three moves against an opponent with my exact strength and speed. The fourth move came at me from an angle I didn’t know existed."
"I managed seven," Zhan said quietly. "My conviction-based reality warping meant nothing when faced with martial intent so pure it made my techniques feel like desperate flailing."
"Seventeen moves for me," Lyra said with a rueful smile. "Though I suspect it was letting me show off my spatial techniques before demonstrating why positioning means nothing against perfect prediction."
A Sovereign who hadn’t spoken yet—a woman with eyes like burning stars—finally contributed. "I’m Vera, Sovereign of Temporal Arts. I lasted the longest at thirty-two exchanges, but only because time manipulation requires more complex counters. The Guardian adapted to my temporal techniques with terrifying speed, eventually moving through time as naturally as breathing."
Elias was quiet for a long moment, his mind clearly racing through possibilities. "So the challenge isn’t about power or even creativity—it’s about fundamental martial mastery. The Guardian forces you to face the question of whether your technique is truly perfect or just elaborate."
"Exactly," the Ancient Sovereign confirmed. "It strips away all advantages except pure skill. No overwhelming power, no exotic abilities the opponent can’t match, no environmental advantages. Just warrior versus warrior with nothing but martial intent deciding the outcome."
"And you’re all convinced it’s unbeatable?" Elias asked.
"Not unbeatable," Zhan corrected. "But defeating it would require achieving a level of martial perfection that none of us have managed in millennia of existence. It would mean transcending technique entirely and entering a realm of combat that exists beyond form or method."
"The Guardian doesn’t just fight," Vera added. "It teaches through battle. Every exchange reveals flaws in your understanding, weaknesses in your foundation, gaps between what you think you know and what you actually know. It’s simultaneously the most humbling and most educational experience possible."
Elias stood, his expression shifting into something that the Sovereigns were beginning to recognize as his ’interesting problem’ face. "The Nexus Chamber—where is it located?"
"The absolute center of this artificial universe," the Ancient Sovereign replied. "But Elias, you should understand—this isn’t about adapting to unexpected techniques or finding exploits in the system. The Guardian represents martial arts in their purest, most perfect form. It will match your cultivation exactly, then defeat you through skill alone."
"Which means victory requires achieving a level of martial excellence that surpasses perfect technique," Elias mused. "A demonstration that true mastery transcends even flawless execution."
"Is that even possible?" Lyra asked.
"That’s what I intend to find out," Elias replied calmly. "The Guardian’s approach eliminates all external factors and creates a pure test of combat mastery. It’s the most honest form of battle possible—no tricks, no overwhelming advantages, just the question of who has truly mastered the art of war."
The Sovereigns exchanged glances that spoke of shared amazement and concern. Here was a being who had just casually dismantled Zhan discussing the Guardian’s legendary martial prowess with the same analytical interest he’d shown for the conviction-based techniques.
"If you’re determined to face it," Zhan said seriously, "we can provide intelligence about its preferred forms and techniques. Though I warn you—every challenger faces different manifestations. The Guardian seems to custom-craft its approach based on the opponent’s specific martial background."
"That would be useful," Elias agreed. "Though I suspect my encounter will differ significantly from yours."
"Because your martial foundation is unlike anything it has faced," Vera concluded.
"Because," Elias corrected with a slight smile, "I’ve never believed that perfection is the end goal. Perfection is just the beginning of true mastery."