The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1828: A Possible Answer

In a grand hall filled with expansive space. Polished marble tiles. Luxurious silk drapes. Gleaming gold. Relics from ancient times throbbing with vital essence. Dorn found himself encircled by treasures and prestige that could drive any soul to madness. Just one object from this place held the power to launch a person toward greater realms of strength.

Yet to him, all of it pressed down like an unbearable load.

A common individual would gaze upon such wealth and envision dominance.

Dorn perceived only the heavy duties and the vast burden of the Spirit Realm under his watch.

It suffocated him from every direction, particularly in the wake of recent events.

Zorina's approval of the Sky Judgment had pulled the focus of every other Sky City. Now, the Supreme Elders themselves kept their eyes locked on the matter. Dorn hadn't labored much to attract their notice, which was fortunate, but the abrupt turn left him caught off guard.

Only moments before, word had come from Malvis, the Gatekeeper of Shadow, about a conversation between Zorina and Rezar.

For Dorn, nothing involving their alliance spelled anything positive.

One was consumed by arrogance, while the other burned with revenge over the shame inflicted upon him.

Dorn had no choice but to urgently request a meeting with the present Elders and Supreme Elders. He attempted to sway them using the peril posed by Chaos, yet the ruling got postponed due to Zorina and Rezar's debates over the devastation and the countless lives erased in the assault.

With fatalities numbering in the millions, persuading the Supreme Elders proved nearly impossible.

At this moment, he occupied a seat in the Hall of Gatekeepers, deeply pondering his next steps.

Malvis lounged in an ornate seat adorned with crimson and golden threads nearby.

He observed the tense furrows across Dorn's features and realized the crisis had spiraled to dire extremes.

"I already spoke with the other Gatekeepers," Malvis began, shattering the quiet. "Most weren't there for the strike, making them simpler to persuade. But they're demanding a session with Dominar to grasp the complete story."

"That's not happening," Dorn rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "I won't allow it."

"I don't get it. Why refuse?"

"That pretender, Rex, aimed to offer up Dominar to boost the potential of some Spirits under his control. One belongs to the Tridan House. Should harm befall him—I'd forfeit the sole leverage I hold against Rex."

Malvis leaned forward over the desk and intertwined his fingers.

"You and I could oversee the rest while they confer with Dominar," He suggested a way forward—aware that progress required risk from at least one party. "Without reaching out to them, trust won't form. Zorina and Rezar already sway the crowd easily with their tactics. No give from us means defeat."

Deep down, Malvis recognized Dorn's unyielding devotion to his role.

He embodied the ideal every Gatekeeper should strive toward.

That quality alone justified Malvis's support for him, though it didn't sway the rest.

Dorn stayed quiet for quite some time.

At first, Malvis assumed he weighed the proposal. But that wasn't true.

"Ricco," Dorn snapped his fingers. A drop of molten rock hit the marble surface, instantly morphing into the figure he summoned. "Deploy half our troops here, and dispatch the rest below. Strangle the groups linked to the Gatekeeper of the Sky and Light."

"I'll handle the preparations," Ricco inclined his head and dissolved back into a glob of magma.

He vanished completely to execute the commands.

"Have you lost your mind...?" Malvis drew in a sharp gasp. "That'll ignite a civil war!"

"I'd ignite a civil war before I idly witness our realm's collapse."

"Collapse? What are you even saying? Against Chaos, we can still resist."

Dorn yearned to echo Malvis's words. He longed to declare with confidence that the Spirit Realm could repel Chaos's onslaught and emerge victorious, banners waving proudly. As a Gatekeeper, his faith in the Sky People remained unshakable.

But circumstances had shifted this time.

"You know as much as I do," Dorn gripped the armrests tightly with both hands. "How much time has passed since the Black Rift emerged? How many souls has our realm sacrificed? What territories have we surrendered? I awaited aid from the God Realm desperately, yet no assistance arrived until this point. None at all.

"Against the Black Rift, we hold no solution, Malvis," He regarded his companion with weary eyes. "We're wide open."

Malvis grasped this reality fully.

He felt the deep irritation and recognized their world might not endure.

The Black Rift expanded denser and more potent. Voidal Monarchs multiplied steadily. Spirit settlements dwindled rapidly. Obelisks of Lives faded gradually over time. Before long, Chaos would seize the entire Spirit Realm.

And responses amounted to nothing beyond delaying the inevitable doom.

"Blind faith in the God Realm alone won't save us. We must forge our own path forward."

"Is he capable? Could that pretender truly achieve it?"

"Rex stands as an unquestionable otherworldly power we could lean on," Dorn fixed his gaze forward, his mind replaying the assault's chaos like a vivid nightmare. "A figure like him doesn't chase might the way we do. Might pursues him relentlessly, denying him any real tranquility. His talent lies in that relentless drive to seize whatever he desires, no matter the cost.

"We've witnessed it, you and I. That fateful night... Through the eyes of his foes, we saw him," A tremor ran through his frame at the memory. "Wiping out a noble house the instant he entered our domain. Ascending to Eternal Spirit rank within mere months. Compelling a High Priestess to forsake her sacred vows. Toppling an empire from its core. Commanding a Voidal Monarch to serve his will. Facing our legions with a grin, despite death looming close.

"Observe his devoted followers..." Dorn pressed on, thinking of the conviction in Amanir’s and Linthia’s stares. "No hesitation filled their gazes. They've undoubtedly faced countless dire trials alongside him back in the Mortal Realm. Dominar views him as a deity trapped in flesh. He believes if Rex decrees ruin upon someone, destiny itself will obey."

From molten rock, Dorn conjured a scroll and hurled it toward Malvis.

It contained the findings from his orders to probe every detail of Rex since his arrival.

"Check the final section," he instructed.

Malvis scanned the concluding lines and inhaled sharply.

The document revealed that the emblem Rex carved into the Sky City resisted all attempts at removal. Moreover, the waves of energy he unleashed that night had intensified the vital essence density across a hundred-mile span.

Each mark he imprinted pulsed with immense force.

Even the Black Rift recoiled, transforming the zone beneath the Sky City into a radiant haven.

Malvis had dismissed Dominar's claims as overblown.

But with the report in hand, he began to accept that Rex could indeed be a concealed divinity.

"Among the mightiest in this realm, that's me, Malvis." Dorn's gaze held firm, unclouded by doubt right then. "I've confronted countless perils over my years, but locking eyes with him that night left me helpless, my legs buckling. Do you comprehend...?

"Chaos covets him for good cause, and aiding his rise is the smart move for us." He concluded, his voice resolute.

Conceding their world's futility against Chaos proved a bitter pill.

Malvis clung to hope that some strategy existed to shield their realm from Chaos's tide. Yet he was shrewd enough to see the odds were slim—and time to uncover it might be running out.

He suspected Dorn harbored similar inner conflict.

A portion of him yearned to safeguard the realm through its inherent might.

But true command emerges when feelings yield to the broader view.

"How might we draw him into our cause?" Malvis inquired.

"No—we avoid ensnaring him. Our aim is a genuine alliance as friends. Binding him transactionally would breed falseness," Dorn denied with a shake of his head. "Besides, no effort from us is required. Others have paved the way already."

"Others?"

"Indeed. At heart, Rex remains youthful. He's forged bonds with several women from the Haeltara Empire."

Hearing this, Malvis let out a light laugh.

Even today, arranged unions thrived in their realm for a purpose.

Nature's current simply drew souls together.

"Erlin..." Malvis summoned, and from his shadow stepped another figure. A shadowy form with sharp, intense eyes. "Assemble our full strength and bolster the Gatekeeper of Lava’s troops. Aid them in every manner, regardless of the madness involved."

Without a word, the shadow faded away once more.

...

Through Princess Davina and Lilliana, Rex gained insight into the empire's current state.

He first absorbed the positive update—that Emperor Dominar had been seized by the Sky People. Rumors pointed to the Gatekeepers' involvement, a relief for Rex since it suggested Dorn wasn't conspiring with the emperor against him.

Despite the emperor's absence, the empire endured, though plunged into turmoil.

Various houses formed alliances to vie for the vacant throne.

A grand civil war loomed inevitable with the seat of power unoccupied.

Rex wished April safe amid the disorder, but anxiety didn't grip him. Great Elder Rosa understood her importance to him, ensuring no harm came her way. Beyond that, a twinge of guilt stirred for Althea.

She had stood by him when Emperor Dominar ordered his death.

For thrusting the empire into such profound disarray, she likely seethed with anger toward him.

Still, Rex saw no alternative path.

He planned to make amends for her now that his objectives were met.

Nearly two days passed before the Shade Crawlers, joined by Linthia, Amanir, and Devo, reached the sanctuary. Rex had linked minds with Varya via telepathy to share his position. The distance proved considerable, with perils hidden along the route, delaying their arrival.

"Princess Davina," Amanir bowed respectfully, noting the shifts in her look.

"Devoratar Tridan," She returned the nod with a hint of mirth. "So you're the target Rex pursued in the Sky City. I have to admit, you've stirred up tremendous chaos for the empire. He essentially razed it just to claim you."

Amanir managed a bitter grin.

He realized numerous tasks awaited to prevent burdening others.

Rex had emphasized this to him plainly.

"I figured you'd suit Rex best among the nobility," He indicated his ears, alluding to her wolf-like ones. "Well done on your Silverstar transformation. You've embraced the fast track to strength, trading it for a horde of foes."

Princess Davina laughed softly at the remark.

She'd entered eyes wide open into life with Rex, so it suited her.

"Where is Rex?" Linthia cut in. She carried urgent news but couldn't detect his presence. Not even her abilities could pinpoint his location.

"He ought to be close by," Lilliana scanned the surroundings, recalling his recent departure. He'd slipped away roughly half an hour prior. "Just hold on for him. We should head to the shelter before some vile voidal beast detects us."

...

A few miles distant.

Rex positioned himself in a hidden cavern below ground. An intricate array of barriers enveloped the space, concealing his presence and odor. A Voidal Monarch hovering directly overhead couldn't detect his subterranean hideaway.

Arrayed before him lay scores of crimson-tinted crystals.

He extended his arms and rolled his shoulders, "Time to see how many threads these will yield."