bookbashuk Chapter 315: Beyond Fate, Returning to Chaos
Chapter 315: Beyond Fate, Returning to Chaos
The starry sky returned to its tranquility, but that did not signify the end. Ares, Selna, and Ulysses stood in the boundless universe, surrounded by starlight that showered down like dazzling jewels, yet the oppressive atmosphere lingered. It was as if some deeper power was quietly brewing within this endless space.
"Did we win?" Selna's voice was tinged with weariness, but her gaze remained steadfast as she stared at the vast cosmic void ahead.
Ares's gaze narrowed slightly. He didn't answer, but turned to look at the once shattered river of fate. The distortion of time still lingered in the cracks of space. The gears of fate, though broken, hadn't disappeared. Instead, like an uncontrollable vicious cycle, they once again harbored surging dangers.
Ulysses sensed the change in atmosphere and couldn't help but say, "The River of Fate has collapsed, it's all over, our victory is beyond doubt." He looked confident, as if he had completely ignored the potential threats around him.
“You’re wrong,” Ares said in a deep voice, a complex light flashing in his eyes. “We have torn apart the chains of fate and broken the shackles of time, but not all the fragments have disappeared.”
"What do you mean?" Selna raised an eyebrow, sensing the danger hidden in Ares's words.
“The power of chaos has not completely disappeared,” Ares said slowly. “We have shattered the rules of a universe, but we have not truly replaced them. The essence of chaos still exists, lurking in the abyss of time, waiting to rise again.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding void trembled violently, and a powerful dark force surged out from the abyss, as if an ancient being was awakening from the very foundation of the universe.
“This is…” Selna’s voice became hoarse.
Before she could finish speaking, a crack suddenly appeared in the sky, from which came a chilling whisper. The sound was distorted and chaotic, like a strange force from an unknown dimension, seemingly summoning the ultimate power of the universe.
“The power of darkness, no, the afterimage of chaos…” Ares’s eyes flashed with astonishment. He turned abruptly, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. “It has not been completely destroyed!”
As the rift opened, an indescribable energy began to surge in the deep void, as if time and space themselves were being torn apart and thrown out of control. The shadowy figures that had vanished reappeared, like black armies, intertwined and rampaging unchecked.
"You still don't understand!" The deep voice rang out again, this time clearer, as if it were no longer the resurrection of a shadow, but the beating of the heart of the entire universe.
Ares' pupils suddenly contracted. "This is the call of the origin of chaos."
From the crack, a massive black vortex slowly emerged, its center shimmering with a cold light, like the core of the universe. Ares could sense the ancient power contained within, a power capable of overturning the very laws of the universe.
A hint of wariness flashed in Ulysses's eyes. "What exactly is this?"
“This is the origin of chaos.” Ares gripped the hilt of his sword, his eyes flashing with determination. “It is an existence beyond fate, the initial chaos and disorder of the universe. As long as it exists, time and fate can never truly achieve balance.”
"Then what do we do?" Selna asked, her voice filled with unease.
“Break it.” Ares’s gaze was firm. “Only by completely destroying the source of chaos can we completely get rid of its threat.”
However, just as Ares finished speaking, a bright light suddenly burst forth from the depths of the vortex, as if some enormous cosmic rule had been reactivated, and an invisible force shoved the three of them away.
“This power…” Selna’s face turned pale, “We simply cannot resist it!”
"Close your eyes!" Ares suddenly shouted, instantly unleashing a powerful sword aura that protected the three of them. He swung his sword fiercely, the sword aura surging out, tearing through the edge of the black vortex, attempting to break free from its restraints.
However, the dark power within the vortex seemed unconcerned by this resistance. Instead, a surge of energy instantly engulfed the sword energy, and the center of the vortex began to expand, as if it were about to devour the entire universe.
"I will not let you destroy this universe." The deep voice rang out again, growing clearer and clearer. "The fate of the universe is destined to be decided by me!"
As the sound echoed, Ares finally understood that the dark force before him was no longer simply chaos, but a powerful being—the ruler of the universe, a being that had been abandoned and was now reborn.
"Who are you?" Ares asked through gritted teeth, a strong sense of crisis rising within him.
"I am the primordial force beyond fate." The shadowy voice finally echoed in this space. "I am the embodiment of chaos, the existence before all rules. I am destined to dominate every thread of fate in the universe."
As the shadowy figure spoke, the laws of the universe began to twist, stars shattered in the sky, the timeline seemed to be rearranged, and all the past and future began to intertwine.
Ares's energy was about to explode, but he felt all his power being gradually devoured, as the power in the black vortex continuously absorbed his existence.
“You have no choice,” the shadowy figure whispered, as if announcing the end. “No matter how you struggle, you cannot change the laws of the universe.”
Ares's face turned ashen, the fire in his heart burning even brighter: "I will not let you continue to bind the universe! Whoever you are, I will shatter you!"
His sword flashed out, and golden light tore through the void like lightning, rushing directly towards the center of the vortex.
However, just as the blade was about to touch the source of that darkness, a black tentacle suddenly stretched out, shattering Ares's sword energy and sending him flying.
"You... how dare you..." Ares spat out a mouthful of blood, his body barely able to withstand the impact of that force.
"Ridiculous." The shadowy figure chuckled. "You are merely a brief interlude in fate, utterly incapable of altering the ultimate laws of the universe."
Selna lunged at Ares, her lightsaber flashing with a last glimmer of hope, but her attack was once again neutralized by the dark tentacles, as if all her efforts were in vain.
"We can't possibly defeat it!" Selna gasped. "This power is just too strong!"
“I know.” Ares closed his eyes, instantly realizing something, “If we can’t beat it… then we must give up.”
"Give up?" Selna and Ulysses were both taken aback.
“Yes.” Ares took a deep breath, his gaze suddenly hardening. “Abandon the current universe, return to the state before chaos, and recreate everything.”
“What?” Selna was stunned, staring at Ares in disbelief.
“Only in this way can we escape this endless darkness,” Ares said softly, “to rebirth the universe and return all timelines to their original state.”
Ares's eyes were filled with unwavering resolve. His sword movements suddenly slowed, as if each strike was a final farewell.
“This is my only choice,” he said softly, the blade pointing once more at the abyss of the universe. “The universe has been destroyed once before; now, it is time for it to be reborn.”