My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 436: The auction begins
Previously on My attributes are increasing infinitely...
Ethan positioned himself at the heart of the time field, where the atmosphere continued to hum from Erebus's recent exit.
His very being had turned into a riddle: a universe in human shape, formed by 10^{100} cells that evolved beyond flesh into cosmic powerhouses.
Inside him, the Law of Infinity throbbed like a tiny pin of unadulterated, intense dominion, measuring just five centimeters.
This thin strand carried more heft than the sum of every other law put together.
Even with such divine ascent, a chill unrelated to the body gripped Ethan.
It stemmed from total emotional void.
By detaching his Omega Clones—especially the one holding his joy—he had become a entity driven solely by reason and universal intent.
He gazed down at his palms.
His skin traced patterns of stars.
Beneath it, rivers of golden symbols coursed as blood.
He knew that returning to his family's world in this form would make him an outsider.
He'd stand as a monument of rationality, unable to offer the affection they craved after Zara's heartbreaking loss.
He grasped that strength served to guard, but feelings were key to truly existing.
"Yumiko," Ethan uttered, his tone even and stripped of its typical musical flow.
"The clones."
[Master, they stand prepared. Your six leftover Omega Clones await orders. The Happiness Clone remains poised as well.]
Ethan flicked his wrist.
Out from the ripples of warped reality, seven shapes materialized.
Each mirrored him perfectly, but embodied a unique slice of his essence.
The Happiness Clone led the group.
Its gaze sparkled with life, its energy lively, setting it apart from the rest that channeled his sterner elements of rule and intellect.
Ethan extended his arm.
"Merge."
The Happiness Clone offered no opposition.
It advanced, breaking apart into a haze of golden glow that poured straight into Ethan's torso.
A fierce wave of heat abruptly surged through him.
His icy, machine-like thoughts were swiftly balanced by the resurgence of emotions.
Recollections of Zara's devotion, his family's bonds, and the weight of his journey struck like a star imploding.
He drew in a sharp breath.
His stare grew tender.
The mortal essence reclaimed the divine form.
Now, his attention shifted to the six clones left behind.
They loomed as guardians of raw might.
"You six won't serve as distinct beings anymore," Ethan whispered.
"Yet I have a role for you.
You will act as my extension in the Neutral Plane.
You will form the base of the empire."
He motioned once more.
The six clones moved closer to one another.
Upon contact, the nearby space creaked in strain.
This fusion went beyond basic unity.
It involved stacking realms of power.
Six pieces of an endless law were crammed into one container.
Boom!
A blast of energy exploded outward, held in check solely by Ethan's unbreakable resolve.
As the brilliance dimmed, one form remained.
This Mega Clone inspired dread.
Its aura pressed so heavily that it drew illumination from the air around it.
Ethan scanned the details right away.
[Combat Prowess: Grade 3 Absolute Continuum]
Ethan's eyes widened in true astonishment.
"Grade 3?
It exceeds my fighting strength by an entire tier."
The logic held firm.
Ethan possessed the Law of Infinity in its original, compact state, while this clone served as a forged tool from six fused dominions.
"Grasp the Sword of Infinity," Ethan directed, summoning a weapon resembling a fragment of midnight heavens.
"Hunt down Erebus.
Secure our territory in the Neutral Plane.
Safeguard my sister-in-law.
Make the Human Empire's title resound across the emptiness."
The Mega Clone seized the blade.
Then it slipped away through a rift slicing across realms, tracking Erebus's subtle path.
Ethan exited the space cube and materialized back in the Dragon World, right amid the towering peaks of his stronghold.
The mood weighed heavily.
Within the grand chamber, his loved ones had assembled.
Rose, the sisters, and the rest formed a ring of sorrow.
Zara's passing cloaked them like a dense veil.
Fresh tears marked numerous cheeks.
Ethan entered the space quietly.
His steps fell silent.
Yet his arrival felt like dawn's light piercing a frigid night.
"No need to fret," he assured, his words laced with soothing depth.
"Lady Zara will be back before long.
I've launched unstoppable forces."
Heads lifted in shock.
Rose brushed away her tears.
Her eyes fixed on Ethan.
Something about him had shifted.
Still, he remained the familiar Ethan.
Ethan's focus drifted to Rose's arm.
He spotted the well-known, faintly faded bracelet.
To outsiders, it seemed a plain ornament.
To him, it lay as a sleeping link.
"Lady Rose," Ethan spoke softly.
"Might I take that wristband of yours?
I offer anything in exchange.
Supplies, arms.
Just say the word."
Rose glanced at the item, then at him, confused.
"This one?
Ethan, it's merely a worn keepsake.
It holds no strength.
If you desire it, take it freely.
No repayment needed.
You've aided us plenty already."
She removed the band and passed it over.
"Thanks, Rose," Ethan replied.
"Its value runs deeper than you imagine.
Moreover, I've unlocked a exclusive bazaar on the 60th level.
It's within the tower's hidden realm.
Lead everyone up there.
Acquire what catches your eye.
Discover its marvels.
It'll ease your thoughts."
Once they departed, Ethan withdrew to his secluded quarters.
He cradled the wristband in his grasp.
"Po," he murmured.
"Time to awaken."
He channeled a tiny filament of the Law of Infinity into the gadget.
At first, silence reigned.
Then the alloy started to shine.
A digital image sparked to view.
A plump, fuzzy form took shape.
A chubby, animated panda floated in the space.
It rubbed its eyes and stretched its mouth in a big yawn.
"Morning so soon?
I said I wanted five extra minutes..."
The panda halted abruptly.
It stared at Ethan.
Its eyes bulged.
A shiver ran through it.
"Boss?
Is that truly you?"
Po, the artificial intelligence, behaved far from mechanical.
It unleashed a cry of delight.
It lunged toward Ethan.
Through Ethan's law, its projected body acquired substance, feeling like a genuine plush panda.
It wrapped around his neck, nestling close.
"I missed you terribly!
It got so lonely in there!
I figured you'd all abandoned me!"
Ethan grinned, stroking the panda's crown.
"I never forgot.
You had to slumber until I prepared.
Now, I've got a task for you."
Po drew away, turning grave even with his round features.
"Whatever the Boss needs!
What's the plan?
Wiping out a galaxy?
Breaching a deity?"
"Even greater," Ethan stated.
"I aim to build a digital realm.
A copy of this vast prison of reality.
A space for connection, commerce, and life free from outer threats.
A nexus for all knowledge.
But you'll have to advance first."
Po rubbed his jaw.
"Crafting a domain so vast and vivid demands data.
Tons of it.
Boss, we'll journey far.
We must collect intel from every universe edge."
"We shall," Ethan vowed.
"First, though, an auction calls."
Two days flew by amid frantic setups.
The Dragon World, formerly isolated and perilous, now pulsed as the positive plane's core.
The heavens lost their blue tint.
They brimmed with gleaming casings of stellar vessels and radiant halos of airborne litters.
News had raced outward.
Ethan Hunt hosted an auction.
Its magnitude broke all records.
The tower welcomed all.
Lower fifty levels housed the visitors.
The 60th floor stayed as a haven for Ethan's trusted circle.
In the auction chamber, scents of timeless herbs mingled with the buzzing might of countless elite cultivators.
Seating formed a vast arena.
Folded-space tech ensured ample room for all.
At the hall's core, a stage waited vacant.
From his elevated suite, Ethan observed the screens.
He noted the arrogant demons.
The resolute titans.
The graceful vampires.
They remained unaware of dwelling within a entity capable of nullifying their essences instantly.
"Ready, Po?" Ethan inquired.
The panda, clad in a tiny formal vest, bobbed its head with zeal.
"System's operational, Boss.
Each offer.
Each utterance.
Every pulse in this gathering is captured.
Prime data gathering!"
Ethan rose.
No ornate armor or ornate garments adorned him.
A plain dark suit covered him.
The stage entrance swung wide.
The buzz from myriad species ceased at once.
The chamber's tension plunged to nothing.
Not coercion, but his essence alone.
Ethan advanced to the stage.
He surveyed the ocean of myths, divinities, and beasts.
"Welcome," Ethan declared.