As a set of clothes appeared on Extermination, another important simultaneously took place. Something that no one noticed!
The Holy Seer of Atlantis - Rhea - rushed out of a whirlpool of space and time.
"What is this grayness?"
Rhea wondered as her phantom-from-past landed amidst the disappearing buildings.
She was here to "witness" the last part of the "future" that she prophecized almost a year ago; at the request of Poseidon[1].
In a way, it could be said that she was nothing but a ghost of the past! What she was witnessing now has already been witnessed by her real self!
Rhea looked around before bringing her eyes on Extermination.
His smile startled her; making her wonder how he could be so relaxed with the number of people his very presence was killing!
She then thought about his identity and tried to connect him with the other scenes she prophecized. Mainly his link with the golden-haired man and the black-haired man.
"The aura he emanates is very powerful, but not enough to threaten me! Still, my instincts are warning me about this strange grayness!"
Rhea wasn’t afraid since her bloodline originated from the Lords of Time. The Lords that were half-step into Meta-Immortality!
The second most powerful form of Immortality after Transcendental Immortality[2]!
So her strength could be imagined.
Had she been not strong, she couldn’t have brought Atlantis to its present glory!
At the same time, barely a kilometer away.
The temporal forms of Kiba and Pythia appeared!
This was the final part of the Events of Future-past that Pythia brought Kiba to[3].
Since Pythia was nowhere near strong as Rhea, the grayness weakened hers and Kiba’s temporal forms.
They felt nauseated as their forms reached the point of collapse. Still, they forced themselves to gaze at Extermination and wonder about his identity.
Meanwhile, in the restaurant that has long ceased to exist from this space and time.
Cosmic Emperor took the unstable Hope in his arms and rose to his feet. The latter ran her transparent hands over his face as he enveloped them with darkness and disappeared.
When they appeared, he was next to Extermination! Cosmic Emperor walked alongside him, but strangely, neither Extermination nor anyone else noticed his presence!
It was like he existed in another space-time! The same applied to the unstable Hope!
"Just some more efforts," Cosmic Emperor let out a barely audible sigh.
Blinding dark glow wrapped him and the unstable Hope.
Whoosh~!
When the glow faded, the unstable Hope turned invisible while he shapeshifted into Extermination!
Cosmic Emperor’s eyes flashed with blazing darkness, and around him, an opaque water-like screen appeared.
This screen was actually a space-time barrier that sealed his and Hope’s presence from everyone.
Now when he blinked his eyes, the side facing Rhea turned transparent while the others remained opaque.
Without Rhea realizing, her sight shifted from the real Extermination to the shapeshifter Cosmic Emperor.
"!!"
Rhea didn’t know why, but she started trembling. She felt an indescribable sense of fear. It almost minced her heart!
"What is this presence?!"
She suddenly felt Extermination was capable of destroying the entire cosmos.
Before, she felt he was extraordinarily strong, but now, she felt a power that has no limits!
As she tried to make sense of the fear, the shapeshifted Extermination turned towards her, as if perceiving her gaze.
"Bitch, you want to die?" Extermination malevolently asked.
Rhea was shocked!
How could he notice her existence when she was nothing but a ghost of the past?!
As she tried to make sense of things, Extermination stretched a hand towards her. Alongside this, the invisible unstable Hope also stretched her hand, without her realizing.
Swoosh~!
From the surrounding, wisps of grayness gathered into his hand and then moved on Hope’s.
But since everything took place at an unbelievable speed, Rhea wasn’t able to comprehend everything.
From her perspective, all she noticed was grayness concentrating on the Extermination’s hand and then rush at her, transforming into a gray vortex.
"!"
The vortex engulfed her phantom-from-past and she vanished!
****
The unstable Hope looked at Cosmic Emperor in confusion.
A few seconds ago, when the grayness touched her, she felt relaxed. The strange "sense of something being not right" she continuously felt even momentarily disappeared.
This made her nascent eyes sparkle with curiosity.
"Just wait a bit."
Cosmic Emperor said as they again vanished from this time and space.
****
Extermination lifted his head and looked ahead.
A few miles away, Hyperion was high in the air as he jumped forward and closed to Delta Military Base.
Ignoring him, Extermination lowered his head and gazed in the distance.
Amidst the areas that were intact, thousands and thousands of mutants fleed in fear. Some used their abilities to fly, some crawl on the walls, some leap, and the rest amplified their speed on the ground.
The rush was such that many trampled over each other!
BANG
Vehicles collided, injuring many. In some cases, even causing deaths.
Then there were the mutated beasts and animals that so far were used as pets or lab specimens. Now, they turned berserk and speeded off; ignoring the requests and orders of their masters.
It could be said the city was inflicted with total chaos!
This made Extermination smile.
Despite the smile, the spectators were astonished to see him doing nothing. The grayness didn’t spread further nor he stepped forward.
He just stood...
*****
The Holy City, State of Avalon.
When the terrifying battle between Hyperion and Kiba started, the World Council called an emergency meeting.
Presently, the holographic projections of the councilmen sat across the round chair and looked at the visuals from the Delta City.
"Mason, you claimed your men have taken care of everything," Lord Elliot started. "And prevented a tragedy from unfolding in the city."
While saying so, he brought his eyes to Mason Maxwell – the president of the World Government.
Theoretically, Mason was the most powerful figure in the World Government, but only a few knew he was just a little more than a figurehead.
"Sir..."
Mason didn’t get an opportunity to explain as Lord Harley cut-off him and said, "From what we can see, the actions of your men have resulted in the expansion of the destruction. Earlier, only the central region was the target, but now the destruction is cutting through the city and sweeping towards the Delta Military Base!"
"I..."
Mason knew the fault was his. Actually, it was of his subordinates, but the responsibility would come on him.
He couldn’t blame his subordinates either. After all, they activated the Field Generator to save the city.
How were they supposed to know their preventive actions would ruin the city? As per their expectations, with the suppression of energy, the one with a strong physique would easily kill the other. And then the special teams would kill the surviving one. It sounded simple but there was a detailed plan.
Obviously, nothing worked as per the expectations...
"Mason, we don’t see a reason for you to bear such pressure," Lord Kakusandha added. "Have rest."
"!" Mason was shocked.
These words pretty much decided his fate! His status as the president was at risk unless other councilmen interjected.
Sadly, as he glanced around, he noticed a few councilmen nodding at Lord Kakusandha’s words. The others showed no interest and continued to observe the screen.
"Sir, please reconsider!" Mason begged just as new developments flashed on the screen.
"Block the live feed from the city!" One of the councilmen said while ignoring Mason’s request. "Except us, no one should have access to the visuals!"
*****
Delta Military Base.
When the soldiers and researchers stationed on the base realized the titan was coming towards them, they deserted the base!
Desertion was no less than betrayal, a crime that has serious repercussions, but in front of the overwhelming desire to live, no one cared about the punishment.
As for being brave, that was only possible when there was at least a tiny bit of hope in succeeding. But with the strength the titan has displayed, they knew that even with his energy suppressed, he could kill them hundreds of times!
Neither the bunker nor the advanced weapons would help them!
Morgan felt the same as he left the bunker and escaped in his hovercar.
"I can’t let myself die!"
Morgan told himself as he ran the car at full speed.
"If I die, Suzane would be all alone! There would be no one to share warmth with her, relieve her of her stress, and make her happy!"
Morgan didn’t want his loving wife to suffer.
Sure, she has mood swings whenever she didn’t get her supply of favorite flavored lipstick... and even showed some weird fascination with "meatballs," but otherwise, she was the best wife a man could ask for!
She was the type of Good Wife every man deserved!
"My poor Loren! I have to find a great guy for her! Someone who is smart, kind, and well-mannered!"
"And then there is my good son, Olly! He has changed for the better, but he always looks tensed!"
Morgan knew he couldn’t afford to die before making arrangements for his son.
"I have to find a good wife for him! Someone who is like Suzane!"
"Dear God, please give me an amazing daughter-in-law! Someone who can make Olly the happiest man in the world!"
He didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt the gods have listened to his last prayer!
....
At the same time, Hyperion arrived before the base. In front of him, the pillar of white light continued to erupt from the bunker and pierce the sky.
Hyperion thrust his claws on the force field barrier.
RIPPPPP
The claws sliced through the barrier and dug into the bunker. Force field fragments and debris crazily swept out, stirring up an energy storm.
Hyperion ignored the storm and continued.
BANG
His claws penetrated the base of the Field Generator; ripping it from inside.
Zzz~
As this happened, the pillar of light in the sky dimmed before scattering in thin air.
The generator detonated from inside.
BOOOM
A frightening explosion rang out; reducing the base to a pulp! From far away, a menacing explosion cloud shrouded the horizon.
"Finally!"
Hyperion raised his head through the explosion cloud as energy surged through him.
"I have regained my abilities!"
Now he no longer needed to flee like a coward! He could show his might as the titan!
In his fight with Kiba, he withheld his true might as he was afraid of backlash.
But not any longer.
He has to exact revenge for the slight he faced!
He turned in the direction of Extermination. They were separated by a gap of many kilometers, but their vision instantly collided.
Hyperion grinned.
Just like he thought before, the aura of Extermination was weaker than Kiba with Golden Lightning Sword!
Hyperion was happy.
He wouldn’t need to tap in his hidden powers! Sure the grayness was dangerous, but to avoid that, he could use his abilities related to Absolute Light!
Their visions continued to collide. Sparks exploded between them and fierce winds swept out.
To Hyperion’s surprise, the lips of Extermination spread into a sinister smirk.
How could he afford to smirk despite the obvious gap in strength?!
"You have my gratitude for helping me again," Extermination lifted his right hand and brought it on his chest. "Now that you have served your role, your existence is no longer required."
Help again?!
Hyperion was bewildered.
Just as he thought of asking what Extermination meant, his four eyes constricted to the size of a needle.
The scene in front of his eyes shocked him to the core. The shock was so great that his mind shook violently.
His breathing turned heavy.
****
The Holy City.
In the meeting hall, the holographic projections of the councilmen looked at the visuals provided by the drones.
When the scene observed by Hyperion flashed on the screen, the expressions of every councilman drastically changed.
Almost instantly, all of them jumped to their feet, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
"Impossible... could it be...?!"
Lord Harley stared at the screen.
In front of Extermination, a glowing crystal floated.
Cosmic Spark!
[1] Chapter 55. After having a meeting with the World Council and learning about a shard of Cosmic Spark, Poseidon requested Rhea to gaze in the future.
[2] All types of Immortalities were explained in Chapter 290
[3] Chapter 287. Pythia, the only Alpha-rank mutant Kiba met in Desolate Blood Forest. She showed him many scenes from both the past and the future; one of them even related to Cosmic Emperor