Three days passed quickly.
Not quietly, but with a steady build of movement across the entire galaxy. Fleets shifted, teleportation hubs lit up one after another, and messages flowed constantly between sectors. Every race moved with purpose, every force aligning itself to the plan that had been set in motion.
The calm before action did not last long.
And then it began.
I stood inside one of the largest teleportation hubs of the Nagas on Kaalseris. The space was massive, carved deep into one of the mountains of the planet, with multiple circular platforms arranged across the floor. Each one glowed faintly, ready to activate at a moment’s notice.
Soldiers moved with discipline around me, their attention sharp with more than usual security. One of the coordinators approached and bowed his head respectfully.
"Lord Billion," he said, his voice steady despite the pressure in the air, "these are the rift assigned to you."
A projection formed in front of me, showing the location.
"They are the Grade 4 rifts under the Elemental territories."
I nodded once.
"That will do."
Without asking anything further, I stepped onto the teleportation circle. The moment my feet settled on it, the runes beneath me flared to life, glowing brighter as energy gathered.
The world blurred and in the next instant I was gone.
When the light cleared, I found myself standing on a different planet.
The air here felt different, filled with natural energy. In front of me stretched a vast city built directly into towering mountains. Structures were carved into stone, layered across cliffs and peaks, connected by flowing pathways and bridges.
The Elemental headquarters.
Three figures were already waiting. Each of them stepped forward and bowed their heads the moment I appeared.
"Lord Billion," one of them said respectfully, "thank you for coming."
They were the elemental generals. Each representing a different element.
Lightning, fire, and water.
I gave a small nod.
"Let’s not waste time," I said.
They guided me quickly into their operation chamber, a space filled with projections similar to ours, though smaller in scale. Maps, rift locations, and troop movements filled the air.
"There are four Grade 4 rifts in this part of our territory," the fire general began. "We will each take one."
He paused briefly.
"You will take one as well. Once you are done, please come to assist us with the remaining three."
I didn’t argue with them.
"That works."
We moved immediately. Another teleportation circle activated.
And in the next moment, I arrived at the rift. The environment shifted instantly. The sky was gone, replaced by the void. At the center floated the rift, massive and unstable, tearing through space with a jagged opening. Around it, three large black structures hovered like braces, holding the rift open. The multicolor glow of the rift shone directly into my eyes.
Farther inside, near to the rift on a floating landmass was the black tower which was responsible for keeping the system out of the rift and was the seat of the Eternal commander.
I almost chuckled at how weak the grade 4 rift appeared to me now.
Without waiting, I moved. I floated upward into the void, my perception fixed on the entire defensive structure of the Eternals.
My fist clenched as Essence churned and I tapped into my laws. I activated my skill.
"Hand Of Convergence."
The attack formed above my hand.
A massive palm of swirling energy, multicolored, violent, and unstable, yet held together perfectly. It grew rapidly, expanding until it dwarfed even the floating structures around the rift.
The void dimmed under its light. At the center of the palm was the silver glow.
Then I launched it.
The palm shot forward, tearing through space as it moved. It struck the first brace, obliterating it instantly, then the second, then the third, without slowing down even slightly.
And then it hit the rift.
The impact was catastrophic.
The entire structure collapsed inward as the explosion spread, consuming everything in its path. The black tower shattered, the forces around it erased completely, and the rift itself destabilized violently.
Almost ninety percent of the Eternal’s forces were gone instantly. Silence followed for a fraction of a second.
Then the system reacted. Runes appeared on both sides of the rift and began closing it. I remained floating my hands behind my back waiting for any retaliation from the Eternals but it did not arrive.
Slowly the rift sealed shut and I received notification from the System for merit points.
I didn’t stay for cleaning up the remaining forces and left it up to the elementals. I stepped back onto the teleportation circle. And moved again.
From one rift to another. Each arrival ended the same way.
Destruction and closure.
By the time I returned only an hour had passed. I stood once again on the Elemental planet, the three generals already waiting for me, their expressions filled with disbelief and respect.
"Lord Billion... this..." the lightning general began, unable to finish his sentence.
I waved it off lightly.
"It’s done as we planned. No need for any words. This is all for the future of our galaxy."
They bowed again, deeper this time.
"Please," the water general said, "allow us to host you. At least rest for some time."
I thought for a moment.
"One hour," I said. "That’s enough."
Relief appeared on their faces. They guided me to a guest chamber.
I stepped inside. And the moment the door closed I smiled. My perception expanded instantly, spreading across the entire planet, searching, scanning, filtering until I found it.
The hidden pocket space which hosted the world core.
I moved quickly. Runes formed beneath my feet as I began inscribing a teleportation circle, carefully masking every fluctuation, ensuring nothing leaked outside. Then I pulled out the violet token and crushed it.
A small portal formed, barely the size of my palm.
And from within a bird flew out.
Vivi.
She landed on my shoulder immediately.
"Do it fast," she said. "I am very far from Abor." I heard her weakened voice.
"I know."
Without another word, I stepped forward and vanished. I appeared inside the pocket space.
At the center floated the world core. It was triangular in shape. Like a floating pyramid, glowing with dense green Essence.
Without hesitation, Vivi moved.
Her body expanded slightly, her head growing larger as she opened her mouth and swallowed it.
In one gulp.
"Vivi," I said quickly, "no fluctuations."
She nodded rapidly. The energy that should have spread across the planet remained contained, sealed entirely within the pocket space.
The devouring began.
And I felt it instantly.
My Dawn Core reacted, expanding, growing, pulling in the energy as it was consumed. At the same time, my understanding deepened of the elemental laws. The volcano representing the major law of elemental convergence began growing even more within the dawn core.
I floated there, eyes closed, digesting my new found understanding.