Defiance of the Fall

Zac already suspected his bloodline was the key to making his Duplicity Core work , and this was further evidence supporting that theory . For all the grief Leandra had caused him , he had to give the Kayar-Elu some credit . They really knew what they were doing when forming this mysterious core .

The Technocrats had probably added the automated energy pull to make the Core Formation process easier , but it turned into a ticking time bomb for him . Zac inwardly cursed his mother for only dropping a few vague hints before leaving , but there was nothing to do about it . His plan held many uncertainties , and he was already prepared to make some adjustments on the go . This was just another bump in the road .

The small glowing orb entered the hatch without a hitch , and it transformed in a flash of light . The next second , Zac felt a weak but stable connection to the crystal sphere from within his Duplicity Core . The treasure had returned to its physical form . It was easy to forget , but a Cosmic Core was not a spiritual phenomenon like a Soul Aperture or Skill Fractals . When cultivators formed a Cosmic Core , they essentially grew a new organ . Mortals such as himself had to build one .

A mental command expanded the crystal sphere until he felt an intractable resistance from the outside . Zac performed some calculations , nodding with satisfaction . The less space he had for the Core Formation , the more difficult the process would become . He’d even prepared three scenarios depending on the situation .

The hidden space within the Duplicity Core wasn’t quite as big as Zac’s most optimal scenario , but it was still quite generous . He’d be able to follow his main scenario and even have some extra breathing room in case of mishaps or unexpected turn of events .

He’d already isolated his cave , but the Hollow Core]’s fluctuations had stirred some nearby auras . The beasts’ meditative slumber had been disturbed , but they soon stilled . Zac was relieved though not surprised . If you woke up from every minor fluctuation inside the Calamity , you’d never get a wink of sleep . The process had taken quite some time , almost making him late . Zac took a breath before leaving the cave , just like he had the past six days .

The moon’s surface was currently drowned in the light of Life and Creation from the distant star . That soon changed as darkness rose from below , supplanting Life with Death .

Miasma surged , and the world was reduced to a dull monochrome as time seemingly ground to a halt . Zac flew off the edge , down toward the Oblivion Sun , before any beasts could react . He extracted tremendous speed from his Peak-mastery Abyssal Phase] , but it wasn’t enough to elude the locals . One consciousness after another latched onto him as he pierced the deathly corona .

Zac didn’t feel any killing intent from the observers—they likely thought him yet another fool consumed by greed after just a few days in the splinter’s presence . Having his movement skill forcibly dispelled by the rampant energies on the sun’s surface probably reinforced this impression . The Beast Kings wouldn’t laugh for long .

Death flooded his body as he fell through the sun’s outer layer , and the echoes of Oblivion created zones of extreme danger he desperately avoided . Their concentration was manageable this far out , but it was enough to awaken the Remnants . They had been stirring inside their cage for a week , and their energies were fast rising in response to the environment .

Zac tried to endure the corona’s fiery onslaught as long as possible but was soon forced to activate Profane Exponents] . The floating skeletons climbed onto his back , and a protective shield formed around him . This was the main reason he targeted the splinter first . The absolute defenses of Empyrean Aegis] were slightly higher , but it would have forced him to leave the pillars back on the moon . A single thought of the Late-stage Beast Kings would tear apart his protection .

The outer corona comprised roughly half the sun’s diameter and was made of Death-attuned Energy packed so tightly it mimicked flames . Beneath was a semi-solid layer similar to lava or a viscous ichor . Not even a Draugr was spared from the crazy amounts of Death that tried to tear him apart , but it was manageable .

More troubling was the Dao of Oblivion . It was far more pronounced this far in , enough for the mesh of Remnants inside the cage to separate . Splinters and shards entered a familiar war , where one side tried to break out while the other wanted to contain them . Three sets of Remnants fighting pushed the limits of what the cage could withstand , and Zac was alarmed to see bursts of energy leak into his Soul Aperture .