"Welcome, sir!"
Jacob silently looked at Autarch, kneeling in front of him in the body of Lamia Queen, for a while before he finally nodded in acknowledgement.
Jacob impassively replied to Autarch’s greeting, "There’s no need for ceremony. I’m glad you’re without any harm."
In truth, Jacob was slightly agitated ever since he had found out about Autarch’s awakening and being hunted down by everyone who was after the Throne of Death.
Although Autarch was fully capable of surviving, Jacob was still worried since Autarch had always been by his side, not to mention the special connection they shared as the former experiment subjects of Decker.
They both have truly come a long way from that underground, gloomy lab to the apex existences of the Legendary Plains.
Nonetheless, Jacob wasn’t the one who would reminisce about the past or show excessive emotions now that they have been reunited. After all, the circumstances that forced him to found Autarch this way were anything but safe.
Autarch was unaware of what Jacob had experienced all this time; he had been either in his evolution phase or after he completed it, but Autarch was a highly intelligent being, a fantastic insect that had achieved something his entire species couldn’t, so Autarch felt Jacob’s well-hidden indignation.
As Lamia Queen rose, her ’subjects’ remained kneeling without exception; it was the Autarch’s way of showing Jacob the utmost respect and reverence.
Jacob also noticed all those legendary kings’ unified, empty expressions like puppets. He couldn’t help but remember Immortika’s words about the Autarch’s true capability of turning an entire nation into puppets, and now, witnessing it himself, he felt those words still couldn’t do justice to the scene before him.
"You have built something extraordinary for yourself here. I’m very happy for you." Jacob impassively commented with genuine praise.
Autarch humbly bowed and replied emotionlessly, "They are just fools who didn’t know what was good for them and seek chaos when they have their individuality, so I have no choice but to ’reform’ them into unified, systematic beings. I merely help them reach their true potential by giving them one mind and thought! Now they all serve one, unified purpose, free of worldly corruption!"
Jacob’s eyes flickered with a hint of astonishment because it was his first time hearing Autarch speak so cynically, and he knew something had changed after Autarch evolved into a Legendary Rank Fantastic Insect!
"And what purpose would that be?" Jacob asked curtly.
Autarch replied without hesitation, "Of course, that would be to serve sir’s interest, for that is my purpose!"
A peculiar intent flared in Jacob’s eyes as he could see there wasn’t any hint of lies within Autarch’s answer, and he was secretly glad that Autarch didn’t seem to have changed or didn’t show any sign of breaking free from his control, or things would’ve taken a sharp turn for them both.
"I’m glad you feel like that, and your efforts won’t go to waste. I’ll make sure of that. However, right now..." A chilling intent flared in Jacob’s eyes as he remembered those terrifying enemies after him who he couldn’t counter and only fled by paying with his very life, "...it’s time for you to return by side. Gather everything you wish to gather and all of your puppets as soon as possible. We are leaving the Legendary Plains!"
Autarch didn’t show any reaction to Jacob’s command and, without hesitation, followed Jacob’s will, the totem behind him, and the invisible singles throughout the entire forest.
Jacob felt slightly better seeing Autarch’s absolute obedience before he opened the portal to the infinite space and entered, leaving behind another command for Autarch, "Send everything and everyone inside!"
"As per your command, sir!" Autarch bowed in acknowledgement before he quickly started to transport everything he had gathered in all this time to the Infinite Space alongside his puppet army.
After all, from the start, Autarch’s true purpose has always been to go back to Jacob, and now that time had finally arrived!
Once Jacob was inside the Infinite Space, he felt like he had returned home and felt infinitely safer from outside because he knew his enemies couldn’t trace him while he was inside this space.
However, Jacob didn’t have time to rest because there were too many questions that needed answering, especially the existence of Destin Saint, the most dangerous existence because of his terrifying ability to erase the future and force everyone to relive the past.
Although Jacob wasn’t at Destin Saint’s level, he was still sharp enough to guess that rule-defying ability could only be a Universal Godly Scripture’s Godly Ability like his own.
At that moment, Jacob appeared within the Mechanized Sovereign Tower and transmitted his cold voice into his soul.
"Nyx, what is the last thing you remembered?"
Nyx, within the Nightmare Realm, sitting on her dreamlike throne, seemed to be sulking after Jacob found Autarch and, even sensing his reaction, was startled when Jacob suddenly asked that strange question.
"What do you mean?" She perplexedly replied, "The last thing I remember was seeing that annoying insect again!"
Jacob’s voice turned colder, "I don’t have time for your mood swings. What I’m asking is what was the last thing you remembered before I left the witch race’s elemental galaxy? I mean, do you feel anything strange, like you are forgetting something, or anything unusual?"
Jacob clearly remembered how the last time he remained conscious was because of Nyx’s interference, and he was grateful for it.
Now, he put great importance on Nyx’s existence, for even the heirs of Universal Godly Scriptures like Destin Saint and Immortal Nimrod couldn’t detect the Beast of Primordial Nightmare!
Nonetheless, Jacob wasn’t going to show his gratitude to Nyx because she would become more insufferable, not to mention that it would be meaningless if she didn’t remember anything.
Nyx was becoming more annoyed by Jacob’s question, but she could feel his seriousness and replied, "I have no idea what you’re talking about. You simply blocked my vision once you were in the Witch Race’s territory..."
Suddenly, Nyx stopped as if she had remembered something, and Jacob sensed it as his eyes flickered with sharp intent because he had also discovered something now that Nyx mentioned it.
"Wait, this is strange. I didn’t remember you connecting my vision again? Furthermore, for an instant, I felt something was wrong, and then I was very sad, but that feeling was very elusive, and I couldn’t comprehend what it was before you suddenly decided to find the insect out of nowhere. Before I knew that feeling was gone. What is going on?" Nyx couldn’t help but ask, uncertain.
Jacob thought for a moment before he replied, "Nothing is wrong. Please focus on the Nightmare Plan and gather all the lifespan as quickly as possible without slacking! Because if you don’t, terrible things will happen to us!"