[Ash POV]
When the white light filled Ash vision, his consciousness retreated back within his Soul Space, pulled away as if his mind could no longer withstand what it had just witnessed.
He appeared back inside his Soul Space, specifically at his desk in the Soul Library. His soul body was already seated there, as though it had returned instinctively to the place most familiar to him, seeking stability after the shock.
His eyes were vacant as he sat there like a statue, unmoving and silent. Several moments passed before a faint glimmer returned to them, and only then did he slowly regain his bearings. Even so, his awareness felt loose, as if his soul had not fully recovered from what he had witnessed.
But even then the recovery was slow.
His thought process was moving at a snail pace, each thought was forming with effort. The things he witnessed in the final moments weighed heavily on his mind, pressing down on his consciousness. His mind was unable to comprehend what that white light truly was, nor what exactly happened after the collision of the celestial bodies with his own.
That image was deeply imprinted in his mind, etched into his memory with unnatural clarity, making it impossible to forget no matter how hard he tried.
I feel....weak and drained....It feels I haven’t slept for eons.
Ash was barely supporting his soul body from collapsing onto the desk, his arms trembling slightly as they bore his weight. His mind felt dull, his soul heavy, as if both had been stretched far beyond their limits. He forced himself to stay upright, fighting the pull of exhaustion, but his efforts were meaningless against the overwhelming fatigue that followed witnessing something he was never meant to see. At least not yet.
His strength slowly faded. His head slipped forward and rested against the desk, and within moments, he fell into a deep sleep.
Due to his condition, or perhaps because his senses were completely dulled by exhaustion, Ash failed to notice something resting quietly on his desk.
The Spirit Devouring Crystal.
It was no longer inside the space ring. Somehow, the white light had destroyed the space ring entirely, yet at the same time transported the crystal directly into Ash Soul Space.
This alone was inconceivable. By all known rules, it was inherently impossible for anything other than Ash himself to enter his Soul Space, if the Mysterious man was excluded from consideration.
Whatever the reason behind it, this was not something that could be explained easily.
It was something Ash would have to uncover on his own.
**
Time passed quietly inside his Soul Space, and without Ash realizing it, an entire week slipped by. In the real world, however, only seven minutes had passed.
Ash slowly blinked his eyes open. As his gaze fell upon the familiar sight of towering bookshelves and the neatly arranged items resting on the desk, his memories began to return to him in fragments, stitching themselves back together.
Almost instantly, he sat up straight.
His mind was calm now. Although the mental image of that scene had not left him, it no longer pressed down on his thoughts like before. It lingered in the back of his mind, clear and sharp, but for now it did not feel like a burden. At most, it served as a distraction he could temporarily ignore.
It was only then that he finally noticed the Spirit Devouring Crystal resting on the desk.
A faint trace of bewilderment surfaced in his eyes. No matter how hard he tried to recall when or how it appeared inside his Soul Space, his mind drew a complete blank. There was not even a vague impression left behind.
Still, he did not dwell on it for long. The crystal was already here, and overthinking its arrival would not change anything. With a simple touch, he sent it into his Soul Vault, deciding to deal with the mystery later.
Though, in his heart he silently attributed the appearance of the Crystal to the white light that was responsible for everything.
Next, he tried to sense the outside world.
And he failed miserably.
There was no body to anchor his senses to, no familiar feedback to latch onto. Without a physical vessel, he could neither see nor feel anything beyond his Soul Space.
Ash shook his head lightly, suppressing the disappointment that surfaced for a brief moment. Since there was nothing he could do about it, he shifted his focus elsewhere and opened his status window. Until his body formation was completed, this was still something he could see.
The status window appeared as usual.
It was completely normal, displaying the same familiar information, albeit far more limited compared to what the Eye of Omniscience once provided. Still, it reassured him that nothing had gone wrong on that front.
Only after checking everything did Ash lean back against the chair and allow himself to relax.
His mind was in a strange state of calm, assuming one ignored the vivid mental image etched into his memory. Even so, this calm felt different from anything he had experienced before. It was as if he had been carrying an invisible burden all this time, and without realizing it, that weight had finally disappeared.
It feels strangely nice and comforting....
There were many possible reasons behind this feeling, but Ash chose not to chase them right now. Overthinking would only disturb this rare moment of peace, and some things were better left unexplored until the time was right.
Soon, however, his thoughts shifted toward something far more important.
Now, what should I do? I definitely have at least 1440 years, if not more....
Time inside his Soul Space flowed at an absurd rate. One minute in the outside world was equal to one full day inside. By simple calculation, if even one year passed outside, a total of 1440 years would pass within his Soul Space.
As for why he considered this the bare minimum, the reason was simple. He had absolutely no idea how long his body formations would take to complete. It could be two or three years in the outside world, or it could stretch even longer. There was no reliable way to predict it.
Still, assuming at least one year was reasonable, especially considering the nature and quality of the materials he had used to upgrade his body. That alone demanded time.
I am asking a stupid question. Of course I have to comprehend the Runes. With the Eye of Omniscience, I should comprehend as much as possible.
Yet, as soon as that thought surfaced, another problem followed.
If he spent all of his time only comprehending Runes, how would he develop in other aspects? Growth was never one dimensional. More importantly, he needed a long term plan. One that would hold even if he had no clear idea how long he would remain inside his Soul Space.
Even so, such a plan would not fail easily. If he awakened earlier than expected, he could simply continue following it in the real world. And his Soul Space was going nowhere.
There was also another practical issue.
Logically speaking, he could not sit still for 1440 years and comprehend Runes nonstop. He was not a cultivator, like the ones he had read about in the novels. Although his mind was strong, his State of Mind was not suited for endless meditation or remaining motionless for centuries at a time.
In fact, this was one of the main reasons why Ash had never truly comprehended even 1% of any Rune before. His approach had always lacked structure and balance.
With that realization, he reached out and took a sheet of paper from the stack on his desk.
Then, without hesitation, he began writing down the things he wanted to achieve.
***
[Present]
Elizabeth and Perseus both felt powerless for the first time in a very long while. Before their eyes, the Abyssal Gates continued to expand, their massive form steadily approaching the size of the Gates of Heaven. The mere sight of it made their hearts feel heavy, as if an invisible weight had settled deep within them.
As for any signs of their master, whether it was his incarnation or his true body as an Eternal Supreme, they sensed nothing at all. No guidance came, no response followed, leaving them uncertain of what was happening beyond their perception and even more uncertain of what would follow next.
Their attention soon shifted toward the Angelic army that was continuously arriving in the world of Akumia.
The numbers were overwhelming. Waves of Angels poured in without pause, so many that the world itself could no longer accommodate them. A vast portion of the army remained in outer space, completely surrounding Akumia like an enormous, radiant encirclement, sealing it from every direction.
"Brother, I think this world is going to be destroyed soon enough," Elizabeth spoke with a grim tone. Her perception stretched across the battlefield, taking in the Gates, the armies, and the unstable space itself. For the first time in a long while, she was unable to maintain her usual calm demeanor.
"Indeed," Perseus replied after a brief pause. "It was already a miracle that this world managed to withstand the burden of the Gates of Heaven alone. But now, with the Gates of Abyss nearing full activation, there is no possibility of survival for this world."
His words struck heavily. Elizabeth’s mood worsened, and memories she had long buried surfaced against her will. She thought of her previous planet, of her youth, and of how she once stood helpless as everything familiar was erased.
"But reinforcements from our side will arrive soon," Perseus continued, his voice steady. "At the very least, we will be able to evacuate the people from this place. And don’t forget although the Angels are two faced by nature, and the Abyss poses a grave threat, they will not abandon an opportunity to earn Karmic Virtue by saving a this many people. Take some solace in that. Steel yourself, because from this moment onward, anything could happen."
His words did not erase the heaviness in her heart, but they were enough to steady her emotions. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth regained her composure and lifted her gaze once more toward the Abyssal Gates, which had now grown to the same height as the Gates of Heaven.
Abyss was finally about to open.
***
A/N: I will not be mentioning every time that the scenes are all happening at different timeline. Ash POV is of past, while in present the Abyssal Gates are about to open.