Varian's aura, already in stealth due to the slivers, diminished to a minute level.
With minimal application of space power, he passed through the grand entrance of the palace.
In the grand corridor, two dragonic beasts were restrained by a crimson gas.
'The power of death'.
As mid rank 2s, they were still resisting, but wouldn't be able to break free anytime soon.
'Mid rank 2 beasts as guardians…wow.' Varian clicked his tongue in amazement as he passed through.
There were no lamps in the corridor for lighting. There were stars.
'Luxury is a small word.'
Real stars were captured and compressed using the power of space, kept as lighting.
The walls on either sides had no paintings or valuables. Instead, there were records. Of all the rank 2s that ever existed in Jai Empire.
The grander the awakener, the more space they were given.
'The space is limited, so the weaker ones are squeezed out by the new ones.'
Varian approached the wall and noticed the inscriptions. This black wall, made of an unknown material, could withstand a light punch from him.
In practice, it wouldn't change at all under the full fledged attack of a mid rank 2.
His full strength as a high rank 2 can indeed damage it. But if he had to make such inscriptions…
Varian gently brushed the imprints and sensed the power. Space and time were used together.
Space was made the pen and time the ink. Using the sheer flow of time within the confined space, an imprint would be made on the stone.
As he used his perception to delve deeper, Varian caught a glimpse of the power.
He felt like a lone man on a cliff facing the ocean. The power was so unfathomably vast it felt endless.
'God Emperor'.
Varian exhaled as he moved forward. The ruler of Jai vanished and didn't even bother to stop the invasion of his own capital.
Did he not care? Or did something happen to him?
[The knowledge you have regarding Origin is sufficient. Only the shard making method is needed.] Seeing him lost in thought, Logos spoke up.
'Hm.' Varian reached the end of the corridor.
It split into three paths, the middle going straight to a grand silver door.
It looked less like the entrance of a throne room and more like the gateway to paradise.
[Even if we both try, making mini-slivers takes weeks. For others, it'd take years. Aurora doesn't have much time. This is the only way.]
'I know. It's just…' Varian paused, looking left and right.
The path on the left had the walls inlaid with precious gemstones, paintings and trophies.
The entrance looked very luxurious. And more than a dozen protective formations were present, hidden in each valuable hanging on the wall.
It's the Treasury.
The path on the right had more modest walls. But they had items related to the grand and long history of the empire.
The entrance was less flamboyant and more regal.
Perhaps it's the place of Administration.
(Are you worried that God Emperor is somewhere inside, watching all of this? Waiting?)
Varian stiffened, then nodded.
He couldn't be blamed for having such thoughts. With luck as good as his, it might as well happen.
[We can go back. But with the origin knowledge alone, Aurora won't survive more than a few days.
As long as you're willing to sacrifice her for the greater good, it's okay.
Great, in fact. I hope you don't risk it.
God Emperor is very, very, very dangerous.]
Logos knew the effect of her words. That's why she said them.
Varian was worried about the danger. But he's more worried about Aurora's death.
'Fuck it.'
Varian fully expanded his perception.
The central path, Throne Hall, had a very precious treasure. It might even allow him to climb to high rank 2 in one or two paths.
Hades was the only one inside. And he's currently conquering that treasure.
The left, Treasury, was filled with treasures. Ophion and Rakz were inside, breaking some defensive formations as they collected the treasures.
On the right was a Relic Hall, containing many notes, books, herbs and medicines. Asherah was breaking the defenses and collecting them one by one.
All of them had grown stronger.
Hades was on the verge of reaching high rank 2.
Ophion reached the very edge of mid rank 2. That low rank 2 was fast approaching the next sub-rank.
Asherah's injuries have all healed. While not as strong as Ophion, she's now in a decent state.
'I can't fight Hades in this condition. Nor Ophion. I can try Asherah, but it'd take time.'
[You don't have to. Just get the information and return to save Aurora. Treasures can wait. She can't.]
Varian appeared in the Treasury a moment later, aura still concealed.
He was dazzled by the endless rows of treasures on the shelves. And the sheer amount of precious materials, weapons and the like.
Calming his mind, he expanded his perception in search of the Shard making knowledge.
In the process, he avoided Ophion who was blasting a barrier shielding a precious elixir and Rakz who was working on a strange bell.
'Found it!'
It looked like a piece of ice. But it contained a lot of esoteric knowledge about the slivers, including how to make shards from slivers.
It's protected by a barrier, despite the barrier being relatively weak compared to the ones Ophion and Rakz were dealing with.
They mustn't have found value in it.
'None of them have slivers, so of course.'
Varian wondered if he should openly ask them for that one treasure, in exchange for a favor. Or should he try to take it away—he'd be found once the barrier broke, but if he hurried, he could quickly leave.
[Depends on whether Ophion considers you an ally]
Boom!
Without warning, an arrow of pure light shot from the distance and reached Varian.
In his current state, the attack couldn't be brushed off.
Varian side stepped and used the power of chaos to mess with the attack, causing it to crash somewhere else.
"Hand over the slivers and I'll let you leave!"
Rakz, the low rank 2, jumped forward.
In his hands was a treasure pointing in the direction of Varian.
[A very exquisite aura radar. Bad luck.]
Rakz wasn't a threat. But fighting openly was.
Varian turned to the man who stood silently in the distance, staring at him. "Ophion, I just want one unimportant thing and I'll owe you a big favor."
Ophion didn't speak. He only stared at Varian with a blank look.
"We are allies. Nexus and me." Varian narrowed his eyes.
"Were." Rakz scoffed.
Ophion did not refute.
Varian understood.
"There is no God Emperor. No more threat. Hand over our slivers and you would stop being the enemy of Nexus." Rakz brandished a precious sword and warned.
The sword was dangerous. Varian's senses were warning him.
A dangerous aura rose from the Throne Hall.
(Hades sensed you!)
Varian poured everything into his space power. He had to leave.
Boom!
The space channel was hit by the power of chaos, nearly collapsing.
Ophion, who remained silent, used this moment to attack.
"Varian!" Hades aura was approaching.
[I'll cover you.]
Logos used the power of order to stabilize the space channel, saving him a moment.
That moment was life changing.
The moment Varian vanished, Ophion's next attack landed and Hades appeared in the Treasury.
"Where did he go?!"