Chapter 4727: All Things Live And Die I

All beings rose to power.

THE Creature rose to power as he was THE Intermediate Depth once, climbing through the stages of Absolute Sovereignty like everyone else before reaching heights that made him synonymous with existence itself. So was THE Living Paradox and THE Primordial Chaos, both of them having passed through the lower Depths before ascending to the peaks they currently occupied!

So when it was stated that Noah had 70/100th the power of THE Living Paradox or THE Creature at Intermediate Depth, this was only a point of comparison for them at that specific stage of their journey!

Would the immensity of any common Intermediate Depth entity even come close to matching the immensity of THE Creature at Intermediate Depth?

The answer was a clear and resounding no.

THE Creature at Intermediate Depth had already been a monster beyond monsters, a being whose foundation was so profound and whose accumulation was so vast that comparing him to ordinary Intermediate Depth entities was like comparing an ocean to a puddle. The same was true for THE Living Paradox and THE Primordial Chaos, beings who had been exceptional even at lower Depths, whose foundations had been built on concepts so fundamental that their immensity dwarfed their supposed peers.

It was estimated that at most, a powerful Intermediate Depth entity, the renowned beings who had grand Civilizations and who had built up their foundations to the absolute peak as they waited for a spark to enter Fundamental Depth, such entities could maybe come close to matching a tenth of what the immensity of THE Creature had been at that stage.

...!

And even that estimate could be off!

This was the power that Noah currently held as he continued rising through the burning skies of Muspelheim, his form wreathed in blue-gold flames that made him look less like a man and more like a celestial phenomenon given consciousness and purpose.

He came to float on the same level as THE Living Spirit, the two of them facing each other across a distance that seemed both vast and insignificant at the same time, predator meeting predator in the eternal dance of those who refused to acknowledge anything as superior to themselves.

The two looked at each other dangerously.

THE Living Spirit’s form had shifted from the amorphous mass of countless spirits into something more defined, more intentional, a humanoid shape that suggested he was taking this confrontation seriously enough to consolidate his presence into a singular expression of power. His face, if it could be called that, held contained calmness and immensity that spoke of eons of existence and countless battles survived.

His voice came out slow and heavy, each word carrying the weight of mountains settling into place.

"Are you him?"

HUUUM!

A simple question that resonated through the burning air of Muspelheim with implications that stretched far beyond its three words.

One that Noah remained nonchalant to as blue-gold flames spilled out of his mouth with every syllable and scorched the surroundings, his Weight and Immensity still acclimating to the massive influx of harvested essence as he replied with casual dismissiveness.

"Such a question could have so many answers, big guy." The flames around him danced with amusement that matched his tone. "But what is this? Are you feeling talkative? I thought we would fight first, establish a baseline, and have a talk after. Preferably as your Way is collapsing."

...!

They began to converse, but it occurred so rapidly that not even a nanosecond had passed or would pass for them anytime soon, their exchange happening in the spaces between moments where lesser beings could not perceive or participate.

And Noah affirmed the effects of the Fragment of THE Axiom of Mayhem that had dimmed in his existence, running calculations through his mind as he assessed that the Depth reduction would last at least a few minutes conservatively and up to an hour or more moderately!

So he looked upon this Legend with eyes that burned with blue-gold fire, and as he watched, their body became more clear, more defined, more intentional in its presentation.

The amalgamation of spirits that had composed THE Living Spirit’s previous form consolidated into a humanoid muscular entity that stood imposing against the backdrop of Muspelheim’s eternal flames. His skin was gray and white, shifting between the two colors in patterns that seemed to follow rules that had nothing to do with normal biology, and multiple shining gray eyes were scattered across different parts of his body, on his shoulders and his chest and his forearms, each one tracking Noah with independent awareness.

He looked alien and off-putting in ways that transcended simple aesthetics, a being that had emerged from concepts that predated the forms most entities wore, but despite this strangeness, he possessed his own sense of regality that could not be denied.

He looked at Noah closely, those countless gray eyes examining him up and down with scrutiny that missed nothing.

"Your usage of ancient power. Your Declaration with The First Tongue." His voice was measured and analytical now, the tone of someone piecing together a puzzle that had just become far more interesting than expected. "Are you the one who has claimed THE First Tongue? And still currently emerging? Still weak?"

His eyes narrowed with understanding that was equal parts respect and predatory interest.

"It is why you did what you did with my forces, but you had to rely on a Fragment of an Axiom to give yourself an edge?"

...!

The words were heavy with implications as Noah’s eyes shone sharply.

He tilted his head and spoke with flames licking around his words.

"Do those within THE Loom not communicate? Do you not know about me?" His smile was sharp enough to cut. "Or did THE Living Paradox keep information about me to his closest dogs, and you did not make the cut as one of the dogs who licks him the most? Because even THE Living Elemental seems closer to Paradox..."

Noah’s words burned with brilliance that made the air itself recoil, each syllable a calculated strike at pride that had existed for eons beyond counting.

THE Living Spirit continued to look at him calmly, absorbing the insult without visible reaction, before his voice emerged imposing and ominous in ways that made the eternal flames of Muspelheim seem to dim.

"Maybe information was withheld about you because of what you represent." His countless eyes gleamed with hunger that could not be disguised. "THE Living Paradox would gain much for eating the one who claimed THE First Tongue. So would Elemental and many others. I wouldn’t blame them for not sharing such information."

He paused, and something that might have been a smile crossed his alien features.

"Just like they wouldn’t blame me for the fact that I won’t be telling anyone about your appearance here. I would want you... all to myself."

His form seemed to grow more solid, more present, more real as he spoke his ambitions aloud.

"After all, the benefits to usurping One Who Laid A Claim are many. Just look at THE Living Paradox and the heights he has reached." His eyes blazed with dreams that had suddenly become possibilities. "Can you imagine it, Youngest Claimer? THE Living Spirit eating you and joining the ranks of THE Creature and THE Living Paradox?"

BOOM!

His eyes shone with an ominous and terrifying light that spoke of hunger and ambition and the willingness to do whatever was necessary to achieve heights that had seemed impossible just moments before, and Noah’s visage frowned even as a devilish smile curved across his features.

The flames billowing around him became more controlled, more focused, more intentional as he responded to the threat with calm that bordered on arrogance.

"Are you sure about that?" His voice carried the weight of someone who had heard such threats before and remained standing while those who made them had long since ceased to exist. "It is ambitious. This can also play to my favor. You tell nobody about me here, and I get to potentially collapse THE great Living Spirit with nobody being the wiser."

He floated forward slightly, his flames reaching toward THE Living Spirit like eager servants.

"Can you imagine that, O Weakest of THE Emerged Leaders?"

...!

His words were heavy with mockery that cut deeper than any blade, but THE Living Spirit’s eyes smiled dangerously in response, countless gray orbs crinkling with amusement that spoke of someone who enjoyed the game even as the stakes rose to lethal heights.

"Existence is all about risks." THE Living Spirit nodded with the gravity of someone who had gambled with his existence countless times and won. "I assure you that I take you very seriously the moment I affirmed your identity. Anybody that has laid a claim is not a normal entity. I expect you to be slippery. I expect you to be hard."

His form pulsed with power that made the air around them both grow heavy.

"But hey, such is existence."

His smile widened, revealing teeth that seemed to be made of compressed spirits screaming in silent agony.

"And you didn’t think you were the only one who could play around with Fragments of Axioms, right? Even with my Depth slightly reduced, with enough power..."

His voice dropped to something almost gentle, almost caring, almost horrifying in its false concern.

"I worry for you, O Youngest Claimer. I truly, truly worry for your safety. Come, let me invite you to an endless slumber inside an Infinite Spiritual Depth. There, you can dream of The First Tongue while I will actualize it for you."

...!

Noah’s expression remained valiant and calm even as in the next moment, above THE Living Spirit, a terrifying singularity bloomed into existence with force that made reality itself groan in protest!

A gray scythe began to manifest from that singularity, its blade curved with the promise of endings that could not be avoided and its handle wrapped in chains of spiritual essence that writhed with tortured awareness. The weapon was massive and terrible, designed not for combat but for harvesting, for reaping, for claiming the existence of those unfortunate enough to stand before its edge.

And it manifested with the light of a Fragment of an Axiom!

Noah’s eyes flashed sharply as he recognized what he was seeing!

He had expected one of THE Living Existences to have tools up their sleeves as a Fragment of an Axiom was one such tool, but still, it seemed like things would not be made easy for him!

Because that Fragment blooming above THE Living Spirit shone with the splendor of a Paradoxical Axiom, the essence of contradiction itself woven into a weapon that could probably do things that defied normal understanding of what was possible!

But he remained calm.

Because at this moment, from below, two auras of Fundamental Depth neared his position with speed.

The Muspeli Giants.

The ones who had been holding back the weight of the previous Half-Step Absolute Depth THE Living Spirit before Noah’s Fragment had reduced him to peak Fundamental!

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