Chapter 2007 - 2007. Influence

The metal contained knowledge that suited his existence. Noah was the result of a flaw, and the same went for the dark material. Yet, the latter had been born with the sole purpose of opposing the sky, while Noah had gained those aspects only when he approached the heroic ranks.

The images were vague, and they mainly featured chaotic bright light. They wouldn't make any sense to average experts, but they acted as a priceless source of information for him.

The metal's very fabric knew how to oppose Heaven and Earth. Most of its power was in its unique structure, but the mere matter couldn't affect worlds on its own. It required laws capable of destroying similar forms of energy, and Noah could study them now. His existence made him the perfect student for those teachings, and many of his aspects also suited that subject.

'Is this what the cultivators in Heaven and Earth's system feel during the trance?' Noah wondered as the light continued to fill his vision.

Noah felt immersed in a mass of countless laws capable of creating the most complicated world he had ever seen.. He never felt able to gain a broad understanding of that existence, but remaining immersed in that environment deepened many of his aspects.

The process wasn't trying to help Noah. His existence had simply reacted to the metal's innate properties and had started changing under its influence. The material seemed to understand that it couldn't fulfill its role on its own, so it wanted to spread its power by giving it to worthy beings.

Noah abruptly opened his eyes and flew away from the dark floor. His hands trembled as he forced the knowledge gathered during that short interaction with the metal to remain within the edges of his existence.

The metal had tried to transform Noah into an avatar of its power, but he didn't want to be a simple enemy of Heaven and Earth. He would even ignore the rulers for now if they didn't try to hinder his path toward the stars.

Noah firmly believed that the transformation would make him weaker. He might become a better match for Heaven and Earth if he decided to let the metal affect him, but his eyes had always been past the sky. His existence had to go beyond those petty enmities. In his mind, the rulers were only the last stepping stone that he had to cross before pursuing his real goal.

The knowledge gathered during the short interaction with the metal finished deepening some of his aspects, but he refused to memorize what would make him steer away from his path. Mental waves left Noah's mind before a simple gesture of his hand destroyed them. He had learnt enough to refuse the rest.

Noah's existence stabilized while he studied the dark floor from the ceiling of the underground hall. He thought about his companions and friends as he reviewed what he had learnt about the sky. Night and Steven would benefit a lot from accepting the metal's influence, but he didn't want that fate for them.

Transforming into avatars of the metal's laws would only make Night and Steven lose their goal once the sky fell. The event might fulfill certain conditions and benefit them, but Noah believed that it would only put an end to their path, and he wanted to avoid that option.

Noah wanted his companions to follow him even past the sky, and he wished that his friends did the same when they felt ready. Still, his worries only proved how powerful the metal was, and ideas inevitably began to surge in his mind.

Accepting the metal's influence was an issue only when it involved a complete existence. Noah could imagine it as a weapon. He could resume creating his disposable items or other projects that he had abandoned due to his path. It actually felt safer to use the material like that, and he felt sure that King Elbas would agree with him.

Dragging the metal out of the barrier was the only issue. Noah had already wasted too long during his inspection and study. His escape route relied on Sepunia, and the expert was unreliable, to say the least. It was better to leave now, but he didn't know how much he could take in a single travel.

Noah closed his eyes again, and his mind worked at full speed to understand how to suppress the metal's properties. He didn't need anything exceptional. He only wanted to make sure that his companion didn't suffer while carrying everything away.

The knowledge gathered before allowed Noah to come up with something rather quickly. Dark matter started to flow inside Shafu's separate space and created an isolated area. The higher energy changed its nature according to Noah's conclusions and completed the preparations for the transportation.

Noah flew toward the first area with the pools, and a pulling force soon came out of his figure. Shafu released its ability without coming out of Noah's body. Black trails made of the dark liquid flew in the air and created a surging river that converged on his chest.

Shafu dealt with that material wonderfully. That quick contact with the dark river didn't affect its existence, and the material soon ended up in a special area inside the separate space. The dark matter also endured everything perfectly, so it didn't take much before Noah moved forward to sweep clean all the rooms.

Soon, only the central hall and the area under it remained. Noah approached the dark floor again to inspect its edges. The formations there were quite clear, but Noah didn't believe that Heaven and Earth would let him steal so much without retaliating. Yet, the inscriptions didn't have anything that hinted at defenses, so he eventually decided to take care of the solid metal.

The pulling force came out of his body again, and the underground area started to shake. An earthquake spread through the entire island as the dark floor began to rise in the air and hover toward Noah.

The dragons on the surface went crazy due to that sudden change. Their fake mental state came from a strict routine that didn't feature any unexpected event. However, Noah had already forced the light to descend, so those creatures felt more sensitive to that event.

Confusion spread among the dragons' minds as the earthquake continued. They tried to understand what was happening, but only chaos spread among their thoughts as they kept studying the situation. Their memories began to return as they remained dumbfounded in front of the event. The tremors carried revelations that they couldn't wait to receive.

The large chunk of black metal disappeared as soon as it touched Noah's figure, but he didn't slow down. He descended in the area with the chrysalides and drew the Cursed Sword. He planned to sever the dragons while they were still going through the transformation to study them later, but a powerful presence soon materialized above him and made him stop his attack.

"I wouldn't do that," A deep male voice resounded in the underground hall.

Noah turned to see a tall bald cultivator with a young face. No beard grew on his chin, and piercing white eyes converged toward Noah. The man was an expert in the liquid stage, but his power appeared far above others at the same level. The calm arrogance radiated by his figure and his odd aura revealed how he wasn't carrying a world created by Heaven and Earth.

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Author's notes: I need more time for the third chapter, again.