Chapter 1109: Paths and People

After Orion departed, a long silence fell over the sixth floor of the Black Tower.

“Today, I finally get what they mean. The next generation is always on a different level,” Alexander, the quiet and aloof one, finally spoke, a note of melancholy in his voice. “Arthas, are we falling behind? Have we just been wasting our time all these years?”

Among them, he was the only one who had reached the rank of demigod by taking a shortcut with a spirit sword. The pressure of being overtaken by someone like Orion was a weight he felt more keenly than anyone.

“I can’t speak for anyone else, but I haven’t,” Arthas countered. His mindset was far more stable, a difference perhaps born from comprehending his Lord’s Stone on his own. “The foundation we’ve built over the years is more than enough to sustain us. It’s what lets us advance steadily at our current level.”

He gestured vaguely. “Look at Hulk. His current state is a classic glass cannon build. All attack, no defense. One real, high-stakes fight and a build that lopsided will shatter completely.”

“Everyone has their own path,” the Deputy Commander’s voice echoed calmly, carrying the wisdom of one who has seen through the noise. “Some shoot for the stars overnight, some dominate their era, and some build their strength slowly over time. Whatever the path, the destination is the same: godhood, immortality, eternity. We won’t be qualified to judge which path is better until we get there ourselves.”

“Deputy Commander,” Alexander suddenly asked, “do you think Makareth could replicate Hulk’s method? Power-level himself to arch lord peak?” He brought it up because the Demon Makareth had also comprehended a Lord’s Stone on his own, giving him an innate advantage over them.

“Highly unlikely,” the Deputy Commander stated firmly. “Hulk’s foundation might look shallow, but he’s seen just as many wars and life-or-death battles as any of us. Makareth trying to copy that path? It’s a fool’s errand. Even if we poured all our resources into him, all we’d build is a house of cards.”

He was the one who had brought Makareth into the Champions Alliance; he knew the Demon’s personality inside and out. As a Demon, Makareth acted with zero restraint. If he gained power that outstripped his foundation, he would inevitably cause some catastrophic disaster that would lead to his own downfall. Worse, his home turf was the Abyss, a place so treacherous you could get wiped out at any moment.

“It’s like I said. Everyone has their own path. The ones who can endure the grind, the ones who can stick it out to the end—they’re the ones who get the last laugh.” That was the Deputy Commander’s perspective, his wisdom.

“Actually, I’ve been wondering something,” Arthas interjected after the Deputy Commander had finished, grabbing his and Alexander’s attention. “I was thinking… what if you can still comprehend a second Rule after reaching the demigod realm?”

A second Rule. A second Lord’s Stone.

“For a demigod like Alexander… if he comprehended another one, would it make him stronger?”

Arthas’s question hung in the air, silencing them both. The three men fell into deep thought as sunlight streamed in from outside the Black Tower, casting long shadows from the palatial chairs.

“It’s possible,” the Deputy Commander said, his voice low. He had either come to a conclusion or Arthas’s question had simply prompted him to share a secret about their leader. “The commander comprehended his second Rule when he was at the third-stage.”

He paused. “But I wouldn’t recommend it. Because if you do, you’ll end up on the same path as Hulk. It’s not a matter of if, but when.”

His tone grew heavier as he mulled it over, then he murmured another secret. “If that second Rule wasn’t holding him back, I think the commander would have already ascended to god by now. You want to get hard-stuck at the demigod cap for countless years just like him?”

Silence once again descended on the sixth floor. Arthas and Alexander finally understood why most of the demigods they’d ever met wielded the power of only a single Rule. It wasn’t that they lacked the talent to grasp another; it was that the time consumed just trying to merge multiple Rules was astronomical. With that much time, you might as well just ascend, achieve immortality, and gain the exponential leap in power that came with it. The countless gods who had already made the journey had proven which choice was superior.

“So it’s a no-go for us, but what about Alexander?” Arthas pressed. “The spirit sword and he aren’t fundamentally in conflict, right? If he could temporarily separate himself from it, I think…”

From there, the three of them launched into a deep discussion, exploring the unique problem of Alexander’s situation. If they followed this train of thought, they might just find a new path for him to increase his own power and solidify his foundation.

The next day, at Isilra’s request, Orion brought her to the Forest of Nature.

“Orion, the Wood Elves are children of nature. They are a peaceful race,” Isilra said, walking beside him. “They don’t belong with your… followers. I want to trade for them. Name your price. I’ll meet any condition.”

Sunlight filtered through the canopy, dappling her face and lending a serene quality to her already stunning features.

“The Wood Elf race swore allegiance to me,” Orion said, shaking his head and refusing her offer. “That makes them my people. And my people aren’t for sale. They are not slaves.”

Isilra turned, her gaze falling on him as he moved through the shifting patterns of light and shadow. A new respect flickered in her eyes. She didn’t doubt his words; the man beside her was a lord, after all. And with that single declaration, she knew the future for the Wood Elves would be a much better one.

“Orion, this isn’t your original body, is it?”

He nodded. It wasn’t surprising she could tell. The Deathly Soul-Reaper was a creature of the Abyss. Though the Death-Soul tendrils covering its body were living matter, they gave off no vital energy, no strong soul fluctuations.

“I come from a giant tribe.” Orion said, turning to meet her gaze, an unreadable expression on his face, as if to say, So what do you make of that?

“My mother used to tell me that in the legends of some worlds, giants and elves share a common origin.”

Orion just shrugged, unmoved by her statement. He understood, of course. She was using the old legend to signal that she held no prejudice against giant tribes.

“Don’t know if moon giants and elves share an origin,” he said. “But I’m damn sure Moon Elves and Giants don’t.”

It was a dry, not-quite-funny joke. A small smile touched Isilra’s lips, but she said nothing more, and they continued walking in comfortable silence. Soon, they arrived at the area that had once been the heart of the Wood Elf settlement.