The illusion of the masque was completely broken by now.
And it was now a battlefieldâno, a playgroundâfor the newest faction who had stepped into the Land of Weaving.
Ash and his women watched from the elevated guest area as the chaos below reflected in their eyes like a performance staged for their amusement.
Shockwaves rolled through the realm, and unlike the cultivators of this system, the damage Diana caused did not heal cleanly. Her power left fractures that resisted repair and scars etched into the fabric of the realm.
Madison, still perched comfortably in Ashâs lap, let out a low whistle.
"You know... Diana is my speed. No need to pretend weakness against ants."
Sylvie leaned forward, shaking her head with a knowing smile.
"Pretend? Diana would never... Sheâs been itching to swing that spear since we arrived."
Rune crossed her arms, gaze drifting lazily across the battlefield.
"Only Yonna is as untamed as her... well, excluding you, Madison."
Madison smirked proudly.
"Well, obviously. Who could be more untamed than the Goddess of Beast?"
Seraphiel nodded, eyes narrowing as she watched the Stellar Decree ripple outward.
"And these Decrees... I knew they were powerful." She glanced at Ash.
"But this feels like we are cheating."
Ash shrugged, entirely unbothered.
Everything was unfolding exactly as he intended it to.
And his attention drifted toward Lucyâwho had just finished observing his "sins" and was now leading the Eternal Sins toward the Dimensional Gates.
Before the âdreamâ ended, he had told her not to assist the Infinite Weavers. Naturally, the Weavers would take offense to such a decision.
And.... Naturally, it wouldnât matter as they were already in the sights of Ash himself.
"Thatâs the point," Ash said calmly. "Beings of my existence will surpass normality in every sense."
Katherine chuckled as two small figures shimmered into existence on Ashâs shouldersâElysia and Creara.
"Oh, look who finally decided to show up."
Creara stuck out her tongue and hugged Ashâs head.
"Well, we were being productive!"
Elysia kissed his cheek.
"Right, MY master needs his information after all."
The two spirits had been busy assimilating the knowledge of the Lower Realm. They had already located the core and copied everything it held.
It wasnât the full picture of the Land of Weaving, but it was enough to confirm Ashâs thoughts.
Aeloris smiled faintly as another spectral spear tore through the battlefield.
"So... when do we get to experience the journey of the ohâsoâgreat Origin?" she teased.
BOOOOOOM!!!
Then Lithiaâs laughter echoed from the Western section as another explosion shook the realm.
She wasnât fightingâshe was simply charming entire factions into chaos, turning the battlefield into a storm of deadly rivalry.
To the south, Miraâs presence was just as devastating.
Though she didnât lift a weapon... because she didnât need to....
Her Graceful Presence froze enemies in hesitation, leaving her Valkyries to sweep through the battlefield with flawless precision.
Ash smirked as he watched his Valkyries descend in perfect formation.
"Well... weâre moving now, actually."
He rose to his feet.
By now, the others had already left to pursue their own goals. And that would leave the Valkyries busy with the Lower Realm politics.
Which meant it was time for him to do what he always did.
Seek... And destroy.
Before leaving, he spread his mana sense across the entire realm. He found Aurora already beside Isis, the two trailing the Eternal Sins and Lucy toward the Dimensional Gates leading into the Third Dimension.
His voice brushed Auroraâs mind like a whisper of flame.
âRora... Iâll be watching you closely~â
Auroraâs smile bloomed instantly hearing his voice.
âDaddy, donât tell me you miss me already!â She teased even though she too already missed him and her mothers.
âWell, obviously dear. I will come visit you sometime soon.â He said as he cracked his neck, then looked to his womenâeach one already rising, ready, eager.
"Letâs get started, shall we?"
-----
Seeing that Lucy had already left the masque, Isa gathered with the remaining Infinite Weavers and retreated toward their base in the Lower Realm.
The moment they stepped beyond the boundary of the Masque, their disguises dissolved into threads of light.
Robes of woven blue and white silk unfurled around them as their true appearances showed.
The Infinite Weavers were human, but not in the normal sense. They were the apex expression of what a human could become, they all had pale skin and were all above six foot five inches tall.
Their eyes were made of literal threads that formed rings for pupils. With pointy ears that resembled elves, but with physiques that seemed to hold endless potential.
Isa herself had skin that gave off a silver luminance, and her eyes were a literal rainbow of threads.
With a single coordinated motion, the group rose into the sky, streaking across the Lower Realm like a formation of comets.
----
The Lower Realm of the Land of Weaving was unlike any other dimension.
Even hereâat its lowest tierâCosmic Overlords would find it hard to survive. The environment was built for beings whose senses extended beyond the third dimension.
The landscape held colors existed in spectrums beyond mortal comprehensionâhues that twisted, folded, and refracted into weird shapes.
Mountains spiraled upward in elegant arcs, bending in ways that defied Euclidean logic.
Rivers flowed through the sky, looping back into vast seas on the ground. Forests shimmered with leaves that chimed softly when brushed by the wind.
Above the sky was a living tapestry of shifting stars, and above it all hung a golden gate, faintly hidden by drifting purple cloudsâit was the entrance to the High Realm.
Isa exhaled softly.
Even after countless cycles, the Land of Weaving still felt unrealâtoo vast, too intricate, too alive.
Even for her, someone who had called this place home for ages.
But today, the usual awe was overshadowed by tension.
----
As the Infinite Weavers cut through the sky in a streak of blueâwhite light, a tall man with silver eyes finally broke the silence.
"Should we begin with those Sins... or that Pantheon?"
A woman flying to his right scoffed softly.
"What even is a Pantheon? Iâve never heard of such a faction in any dimension."
A man beside Isa shook his head, expression tight.
"Does that matter? The powers they wield... thatâs the real problem."
Isaâs eyes narrowed as they began to bicker, but she didnât voice out yet... because she had seen it too.
Well, more like felt it.
Their Decrees, the powers they used from the codex, and the way TransâConcepts and even Strata simply failed against them.
Another Weaver muttered under his breath.
"And they didnât look friendly... or open to any welcoming."
A woman behind Isa added,
"We should alert the higher realm. Someone needs to investigate them."
Isa nodded once and she didnât wait. She instantly pulled out an artifactâan elegant badge of blue threadsâand activated it.
"Reporting... This is Isa of the Lower Realm."
She didnât wait for an answer as there never was one.
"I need a faction investigated. They recently entered into the Lower Realm... and call themselves the Ineffable Pantheon."
Her voice was steady, but her mind raced.
âThis Pantheon isnât just strong... something about them feels wrong.â
She shook the thought away as she put her away the badge and spoke.
"Stay alert. Until we receive intel, we wonât provoke them."
Their base soon came into viewâa vast palace-like structure made of threads, floating above a spiraling valley of prismatic mist.
But as they approached, the entire group halted midâair.
Because they were not alone.
Floating in the sky before the palaceâcrossâlegged, relaxed, as if he owned the placeâwas Ash.
And not just Ash.
His wives sat with him in a serene formationâAeloris, Katherine, Seraphiel, Rune, Sylvie, Madisonâeach radiating a quiet pressure that made the Weaversâ skin prickle.
Ash smiled the moment they appeared.
Without even glancing back, he rose smoothly into the air.
"Oh, Isa... youâve finally made it."
She froze hearing his voice, that she recognized instantly... not just thatâhis attire from the Masque still clung to him for a heartbeat before he changed into his usual look.
He now wore his baggy sweats... a longâsleeved shirt, while he left his feet bare.
And then his true presence settled over her.
His long whiteâandâred hair flowed in the wind. The tattoos across his face glowed faintly. His golden eyes with nine ringsâthat were ancient, amused, and impossibly charmingâmet hers.
BaDump!
Her heart skipped... but before she could get lost in his appearance....
HUMMMMMM!
Mana began to surge towards him in endless droves.