Chapter 235: Absence Only Needs Absence

เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 มี.ค. 2569 03:05

Chapter 235: Absence Only Needs Absence Far away from the Grand Cosmic Prodigy Convergence, in a Universe that had been all but quiet for the last few years, the heart of the Tyrannus Human Clan pulsed with cold, unyielding tyranny. The Main Universe of the Tyrannus was a realm of absolute dominion—a vast expanse where stars burned in rigid, enforced orbits under crimson nebulae that bled like open wounds across the void. There was no hint of freedom here—only the unshakable grip of authority, where any spark of dissent was snuffed out before it could even form, and power reigned as the sole reality. At the center drifted the Tyrant’s Citadel, a massive fortress world of black stone spires circling a trapped black sun that gave no heat, casting everything in a constant, blood-red dusk. In the grand throne chamber—vast halls of deep crimson marble veined with glowing chains of bound laws, walls lined with trophies from conquered universes locked in stasis, and air heavy with incense and the metallic bite of old blood—three figures gathered. Lester Tyrana, the Patriarch, reclined on the central throne—a towering presence with charcoal-black skin etched in glowing crimson runes of power. His pitch-black eyes burned with unwavering certainty, while long, tightly braided silver hair framed his stern features. Wrapped in imperial robes of crimson and black that flowed like molten blood, he exuded an aura of dominance and unyielding authority. Beside him stood the Matriarch, 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚 Victoria Tyrana, equally formidable, her charcoal skin as smooth as polished void-stone, white eyes colder than the farthest reaches of space, black hair tumbling in wild yet intentional waves. Torn crimson robes clung to her curvaceous, predatory frame, her very presence radiating a meticulously honed cruelty. Before them stood Nyx Tyrana, the famed third heir of the Arch Eternal Clan. Her skin was a rich charcoal black, smooth as polished obsidian, and her white, pupil-less eyes burned with a cold fury. Long silver hair whipped in the fading extinction winds that followed her like faithful hounds, while her torn crimson robes clung to her strong yet elegant form. Lester’s voice rumbled out, deep and weighty, like the echo of collapsing stars. "The war with those pitiful Asuras has been intensifying. Now, with their Princess returned and the Goliath Universe lost, it’s time we make our move." Tap. Tap. Tap. Victoria leaned forward, her fingers tapping lightly against the armrest of her throne. "It’s that time again—every 5,000 years, the Convergence takes place. This time, the Asuras were the hosts... yet they left the Celestials in charge. How perfect," she said, pausing as her fingers stilled, a glint flashing in her eyes. Nyx’s grin held an icy satisfaction. "Heh, no need to worry about Sandra. I’ll deal with her again—slowly, and for good this time. We should move now, and when the moment comes, just leave her to me." Lester nodded, his black eyes glinting. "Good. In two years, we’ll wipe out that little convergence and the entire universe with it." Victoria’s smile was razor-thin. "For the Goliaths, we’ll take this bit of payback... along with those so-called prodigies." Nyx’s voids narrowed. "It won’t be that simple. Even if those progenitors are likely neutral, they won’t just watch while their descendants are on the brink of death." "Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered... The Void Serpent and the Eternal Frost Giant Progenitor have already joined our cause," Lester said with a grin. Nyx raised a brow at that. She knew securing the support of Progenitors—especially for a Universal War—was no easy feat. "Oh? And at what cost?" she asked. "Nothing major... they just want assurances about the death of those little merchants," Lester replied with a shrug. "Honestly, I’m not sure why they need help against mere Auctioneers... but over the next couple of years, we’ll uncover all the details." As Lester finished, Victoria smiled. "Enough of that, let’s move on to Phase One. Nyx, call for the Shaded." Nyx gave a nod, lifted her hand, and sliced open the void. She didn’t speak or make another move, because the one she sought wouldn’t respond to calls or commands. So, they waited for him to notice. Hours passed before the three of them felt a faint breeze drift through the room. They couldn’t see or touch anything, but they knew he was there. "Absence, we need your help again," Nyx said, watching as black essence briefly swirled into existence, forming the outline of a vague humanoid. He had no features—just a shadowy silhouette. He nodded his head hearing that and Nyx continued. "We need you to eliminate all the Celestial guardians at the Grand Cosmic Convergence. Kill them, take on their disguises for two years, and then we’ll launch a full-scale assault." Absence nodded silently, not a single sound escaping him or his movements. Without hesitation, he stepped back through the rift from which he had arrived. The Tyrannus exchanged knowing smiles before leaving to tend to other matters. They didn’t need to check on Absence—they knew he would get the job done without question. ---- When Absence stepped through the rift, he didn’t need years to reach another universe. He was special, and that’s why they called him the Shaded. He wasn’t part of a faction—he was the faction. The Shaded. Absence, he or it was a progenitor, and for over six cycles, he had been allied with the Tyrannus Clan. His race had no others like him—it couldn’t. He was too strange, too complex, too unique for more to exist. He was the very shadow of existence, the emptiness between worlds, universes, and galaxies. Born in the 31st Cycle, he swiftly rose to become one of the mightiest of the new progenitors, though hardly anyone knew of him. By pure chance, Nyx had once crossed paths with him—a story for another time—because Absence now stood outside the Grand Cosmic Prodigy Convergence. Here, he neither thought nor hesitated, simply moving with instinct alone. If Nyx told him to kill and wait, he would kill and wait. One of his titles instinctively activated. {Bearer of the Eternal Blank} This title granted him the power to place ’blanks’ on any target within his mana sense... and his mana sense? It was Absence. It was simple, really—Absence was Absence, yet he could inhabit any vessel that became empty. But this time, he didn’t follow Nyx’s instructions exactly. He spared the Celestial Guardians, knowing that taking too much action would inevitably lead to his discovery. He could feel Seraphiel’s presence... and that was something he wouldn’t dare to challenge. So, he placed "blanks" on every Celestial present. They all became empty... their presence signatures completely erased from any form of perception. They were alive yet undetectable, as if they had become a hole in reality’s memory. And while they moved on as though nothing had changed... Absence filled their voids flawlessly, reflecting them and becoming them in every detail. He wasn’t some parasite living inside their bodies—no, he was them, and the moment he acted, they would vanish entirely, all at once. This immense power to perform such feats without anyone noticing was why he led the Unknown Arch Eternal Clan alone, the sole member by design. Because Absence needed nothing but Absence.

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