Chapter 276: Ascension

Chapter 276 – Ascension

"Luelle WorldTree, the WorldTree that stood behind the elves itself," Shadow said, his voice heavy with implications.

Noah frowned softly.

"Again the elves, huh..." he muttered under his breath, as if fate had decided he was born just to piss them off.

"And let me tell you," Shadow continued, "if you think you have the power to break the shackles placed by a Progenitor of her level, then you are deeply mistaken."

"And it’s not just her power either—other beings, ancient and terrifyingly strong from each of the races, also participated in their creation."

Noah listened, silently, absorbing the information as he always did before finally,

"And you? Do you think you can destroy them?" he asked, tone casual but eyes sharp.

"If I tried hard enough, gave it a few years... then yes," Shadow admitted plainly, and Noah simply nodded.

"I see... but it seems like you’re underestimating me a little bit too much, even after everything you’ve seen from me," he said with no irritation.

He didn’t mind being looked down on, because he knew full well he wasn’t someone to be measured by any standard, not even the one reserved for abominations.

Even among monsters... he was something else.

So instead of stating that he too was a Progenitor—

"I’ll show you later, but first..."

He smiled softly.

"I think it’s time to make my little shadow complete her evolution and take her crown officially," he said, eyes glowing with mischief as he looked at Shadow, voice calm but every syllable brimming with weight.

"You’re invited. You’ll finally see what a made Original looks like... and also..."

He grinned wide.

"Your new master."

And instantly, he vanished, leaving behind only silence and the sigh of a tired Will who could only shake his head before following behind.

"Fucking abomination."

An old being like him cursing out loud.

He should be ashamed, really.

...

Noah and Shadow reappeared deep within the very core of the Shadow Realm, startling Nixie, who had been quietly relaxing after being released from her torture and when she saw who arrived, she jolted in pure lyre-shock.

Noah smirked devilishly at her reaction, his smile widening like he had just spotted an old friend from high school.

"Nixie!! Come here, let me introduce you to my father-in-law!!" he shouted with mock enthusiasm, making both Nixie and Shadow twitch violently in synchrony.

In that moment, both of them had the exact same thought—they wanted to smack him, hard.

But Nixie knew better than to provoke this lunatic.

And Shadow wasn’t dumb enough to attack someone who held his very own Origins.

What a pitiful duo.

Still, Nixie was genuinely shocked to see Shadow here. So much so that she immediately dropped to her knees, trying to pay her respects properly.

But Shadow merely nodded in acknowledgment and ignored her after that.

Nixie’s lips twitched, suddenly feeling a surge of embarrassment.

And Noah?

Noah laughed freely, unapologetically, clearly mocking her without mercy.

She wanted to die. Crawl into a hole and disappear. But then...

"I hope you didn’t forget our bet, Nixie," he said as he appeared right in front of her, gently lifting her chin with a single finger.

"You said you would do everything and anything, right?" he whispered, his smile sly, sharp, dangerous.

She bit her lip hard, face strained, and nodded slowly.

"Then—"

"Stop wasting time and do your thing," Shadow interrupted from behind, utterly done with Noah’s antics.

Noah stood up with a dramatic shrug.

"Well, if father-in-law says so, I must obey, after all I wouldn’t want people saying I’m an unruly son-in-law," he said with a teasing smile before clicking his fingers softly.

And in that instant, every one of his wives, maids, and even the Originals were teleported to his side, surrounding him in a wide, perfect circle.

Because for what wss about to happen, he wanted a proper audience.

"My love!"

"Noah!"

"My dear baby!"

"Master!"

Each one of them launched themselves into his arms like comets, enveloping him in a warm and chaotic embrace.

Mortis, Ebony, and Sylphira stood off to the side, shocked beyond measure.

Mortis and Sylphira stared especially at their sister, Shadeva, who was looking at Noah like he hung the stars in the sky and carved her name into each one.

They were dumbfounded.

But Ebony... Ebony looked at the man who had turned everything upside down.

And the moment her eyes met his—

BADUM—!

Her heart skipped a beat.

’No way...’ she thought, trying to deny the sensation blooming in her chest.

It was all because of Shadeva. The way she talked about him, the way she declared things so boldly—it had already made Ebony aware of Noah... romantically.

So now, seeing him in person, and him not disappointing in the slightest...

Well.

Something inside of her stirred.

Tsk. What an easy woman.

And in all this, none of them even noticed Shadow, who had intentionally hidden his presence to avoid causing unnecessary commotion.

Noah didn’t say anything about it either. He simply enjoyed the reunion with his women.

Meanwhile, his maids transformed into lotuses of different colors, each one gently entering his being and returning to their usual garden inside him—it was mystical, divine, like a god collecting the flowers of his soul.

"Well ladies... you’ve been exceptional, to say the least," Noah said, smiling with real pride in his eyes.

The girls beamed, happy to receive such praise because that alone was worth every ounce of effort they’d poured into this battle.

"Words are nice, but I think we deserve more than that," Lilith whispered as she caressed his chest slowly.

Like a signal, the chaos began.

"Yes, we need more!"

"This time, let’s make time stop, not just slow it."

"Let’s make everything stop and fu—!"

Sophie immediately covered Alice’s mouth before she could finish saying something utterly unforgivable.

"We have company, can’t you act like adults for once?" Sophie snapped at her lust-crazed sisters.

"We can’t."

"Definitely not."

"That’s not fun."

"Sophie is so boring. Emily, you should really teach her a few things."

"She is a lost cause."

Sophie’s lips twitched violently, but before she could respond—

"Ladies."

Noah’s soft voice cut through the madness like a blade, and just like that... silence.

They turned toward him, saw the calm smile on his face, and understood.

"I’ve called you all here to witness Ester’s ascension."

"So let’s observe properly, shall we?"

They all nodded, stepping back and forming a wide circle once more—leaving Ester standing alone in the center, directly in front of Noah.

She stood quietly, a soft smile on her lips, disbelief flickering in her eyes.

Her, just a shadow-affinity human, once tasked to serve a spoiled noble young man, was now here, about to become something feared by all universes.

A being who owned a realm.

A being who controlled the very concept of shadow.

A being who would rule over Shadow himself.

She still couldn’t believe it, even as she stood in the core of the Shadow Realm, surrounded by her sisters, Originals, and even the Will of Shadow himself.

All because of the man in front of her.

All because of the silver-haired man with white-threaded runic eyes who stood calmly, radiantly, as if fate, destiny and causality bent themselves just to hear him speak.

She might have asked herself if she deserved this.

But she didn’t need to anymore.

If Noah believed she did... then she did. Even if the Records said otherwise.

Noah then teleported the two Origins directly in front of him, the atmosphere instantly shifting—the shadows becoming deeper, more unstable, ever-changing... completely formless.

He smiled.

"Ready?" he asked softly.

Ester mirrored his smile, heart steady.

"I am, dear husband."

And with those words, Noah inserted both Origins into her using his fusion ability.

She only needed one.

But he gave her two.

A blinding light exploded from Ester—not white, but black, an ocean of shadows so dense it seemed to consume the entire universe.

A tide of eternal darkness where anything that entered would never leave, would dissolve and become part of the abyss.

That day, the universe welcomed something new.

A being who combined the Original and Elysiari of Shadow.

And with her birth, a sound echoed, not the sound the universe makes when an abomination is born...

But the simple, powerful sound of something worthy being recognized.

And to The Vaelgrims... to the Seekers of Infinite Evolution...

That sound marked the end of their conquest inside the Shadow Realm.

And truly...

What a delightful sound it was.

—End of Chapter 276—

—End of Volume 4: First Conquest – Shadow Realm—