Star Iron, conquer the world from Omphalos

After coming out of the ruins, Wan Di found him and said there was something important.

But Ash just wanted to take a comfortable bath first.

There is a pool outside the Tilkas tribe. Due to the special reasons of the earth veins, the water here is relatively warm all year round. It is the favorite bathing place of the Tilkas people.

In Omphalos, regardless of race, everyone has a great love for bathing.

Fagina, goddess of the sea, was charged with cleansing the world of filth. Water, a gift from Fagina, flowed between people, conveying the truest emotions, washing away fatigue and allowing for sincere communication. Therefore, bathing is both a cultural heritage of Omphalos and an important ritual on certain occasions.

Of course, for Ash he just wanted to take a bath in the hot spring pool.

He did not tell Wan Di what he witnessed in the ruins. After all, the latter might not understand the meaning of the Möbius strip, and even he himself was not sure. Explaining it as "talking to God" was more convincing.

Well, Wan Di doesn’t really believe it.

"Do you take me for a fool? The spark of Gioria has been taken away. Even if there is still some remaining power here, it won't be too much... Never mind, it's not important." Wan Di waved his hand, "I called you here because I have something important to discuss with you."

"About Xuanfeng City?"

"Regarding Nicardori." Anger flashed in Wandi's eyes. "I've found out that Xuanfeng City is attempting to create a sacred object for Nicardori, a sword vessel powerful enough to carry divine power."

Ash pondered for a moment, then tilted his head, "So?"

"This means that if they succeed, Nicardoli will abandon his divinity and become an 'immortal' monster!"

...

Another 3k! Although there are only two chapters, the number of words is actually quite a lot. The author who is still working hard on writing during the New Year is awesome! Bowl┬—┬ノ('-'ノ) Knock knock knock

Omphalos's Journey: Chapter 22 Ash: I am an Ascended One

The Titans are not immortal, otherwise so many fire seeds would not be recovered.

Especially after the Golden War, the situation of the Titans became increasingly strange. Nicardoli, the Titan who once bestowed glory on warriors, is now abandoning this glory himself.

For the Xuanfeng people, they are warriors who are not afraid of death and value honor more than their own lives...at least that was the case for the Xuanfeng people in the past.

But since when, the Xuanfeng people have been heading towards another path. Influenced by Nicardoli's madness, they began to obsess over the war itself and gradually gave up the dignity of being a warrior.

The people of Xuanfeng chose to leave because they couldn't stand the atmosphere in Xuanfeng City.

Wan Di never expected that Xuanfeng City would change. After all, King Olipon still controlled Xuanfeng City. But what made him angry was that the people of Xuanfeng now actually wanted to forge a sword vessel for Nicardoli to contain his divinity, separate his divinity from his body, and create an immortal Titan!

"Such important news, is it true?" Ash asked doubtfully.

"Humph! Do you think I'm a fake crown prince? Even though I've left Xuanfeng City, it doesn't mean I won't care about what's going on there."

"Then why would they do this?" Ash rubbed his chin. "I mean, under normal circumstances, they wouldn't think of stripping away their divinity."

"Because Nicardoli's situation is not optimistic," Wan Di said in a deep voice. "Since the Golden War, he has become increasingly strange, mad and stubborn, fighting for the sake of war. As far as I can remember, Nicardoli seems to have rarely responded to the requests of his people. The King Lion said that he is suffering. I don't know what this suffering is, but it is definitely not the reason for him to give up his glory."

"The Xuanfeng people can die in battle, and so can the Titans. Even if Nicardori falls, our faith will not change. Only like this... Damn it, what happened, Nicardori, have you fallen this far?"

The immortal Titan sounds powerful, but what is the price behind immortality?

Is a God who has abandoned his divinity still a God? Is he still the 'Spear of Divine Wrath' that the Xuanfeng people once believed in?

"Is there a possibility that this wasn't Nicardoli's will?"

Wan Di shook his head: "Impossible. If He doesn't want to, the Xuanfeng people can't strip a Titan of his divinity."

He knew the situation in Xuanfeng City. If Nicardoli didn't want to, they would not have the courage to do it.

"Well... so what do you think?" Ash looked at the Crown Prince of Xuanfeng. The other party's anger was real. It was the anger of betrayal of faith. Although he did not understand it, he expressed respect.

"Ash, you should know the situation in Omphalos. The world is heading towards destruction, but the conflict continues to bring endless disasters. If Nicardoli gains immortality, the disaster will never end." Wan Di said, "So, Ash, I plan to leave here and take the Xuanfeng lone army with me."

"You can leave anytime you want, but I want to know what you're going to do. Are you going to attack Xuanfeng City with just these few people?"

"There's always a way. Sitting back and waiting for death isn't the Xuanfeng people's style. Their plan is still in its early stages of implementation. I will do everything in my power to prevent this from happening. Don't worry about me. I'm immortal. Perhaps this is my destiny..."

"Bah!" Ash spitted foul language. "What bullshit fate? According to you, the living are destined to embrace death? Are you masochistic? Wandi, I admire your bravery and the spirit of these Xuanfeng people, so I want you to stay here. If you are just an idiot, no matter how powerful you are, I will kick you out of the territory of Tilkas."

Wan Di frowned. He wanted to refute, but didn't know where to start.

Ash's words seemed to scold him but also seemed not to.

"Hmph! Then what do you think we should do?" Wan Di asked.

"Charging straight in would be suicide. First, we don't have enough people, and second, the gap in strength is too huge... Hmm, let me think about it." Ash crossed his arms. "You just said that now is the pre-planning stage. Don't rush. A project this large isn't easy to complete. The more complex and difficult the project, the more loopholes we can exploit. As long as we find the key point, we can kill them with one strike."

"The key point..." Wan Di suddenly remembered something. "Forging a sword that can contain the divinity of a Titan is no easy task. It requires the best craftsmen to complete. As far as I know, the only one in the entire city of Hanging Blade who can do this is Hartonus."

"Who is he?"

"The leader of the Mountain People." Seeing Ash's doubts, Wan Di frowned, "Sometimes I really think you are pretending to be stupid. You don't even know about the Mountain People."

"I don't even know the limit of the universe, how can I know who they are?"

"...The people of the mountain are Gioria's creations."

"Oh!"

Ash suddenly realized.

"Hmph, got it?"

"don't know."

"I'm going to tell those Tilkas people right now, and let them know that the angel they believe in is a liar. You must have obtained the power of Zagreus, not Gioria!"

What the hell is wrong with this guy? Does he have any common sense?!

Ash shrugged, "I can't help it. I'm an Ascended One, so it's normal for me not to know about your situation in Ompharos."

"Do I look like a fool to you?" Wan Di said expressionlessly. He had already determined that Ash was the most suitable person to obtain the Zagreus Spark. "In front of Aigle, anyone who attempts to fly into the sky will be punished... Forget it, whether you know it or not, the Mountain People are the creations of Gioria. They are born with extremely strong physiques, but they are slightly lacking in other aspects."

"intelligence?"

Ash had indeed never heard of the Mountain People, which meant that this race must be very small, or at least have little influence.

"Perhaps." Wan Di didn't dwell on this question. "Now the people of the mountain are enslaved by Xuanfeng City. They mainly forge weapons and equipment for the Xuanfeng people. They are an indispensable support for the Xuanfeng army's invincibility on the battlefield."

They are actually slaves, some Spartan helots.

Wait... Ash's eyes lit up: "The mountain people are very skilled in forging?"

"Why else would I have mentioned Hartonus?"

"Then I am the messenger of Gioria. Will the people of the mountain follow me?"

"Didn't you just say you had nothing to do with Gioria? What kind of ascended being is that?"

"Wan Di, someone like you definitely has no friends and no emotional intelligence. Do you even know what a flexible moral bottom line is?"

"Tsk, I only know that Zagreus is a cunning Titan, and his schemes are despised by us, the Xuanfeng people."

Even so, Wan Di was seriously considering Ash's words. If Ash came forward, the Mountain People might actually follow him. After all, they were all big, honest creatures, just as easy to please as the Earth Beasts.

However, even if the mountain people were willing, it would be useless because they were now enslaved by the Xuanfeng people and had no freedom at all.

Moreover, Xuanfeng City now needs the people of the mountains to forge holy weapons, so it is even more impossible to let them leave easily.

"Don't be impatient. Take your time. Tilkas just fought a war. Now is our happy time."

After saying this, Ash picked up the wine glass beside the pool and took a sip, then leaned comfortably against the pool wall.

He longed to acquire the mountain people's forging techniques. Before the Sand Soldiers could be fully formed, human soldiers were essential. Warfare required the support of equipment and weapons. Fortunately, he had plundered many valuable items from the Ohma people during this battle, although some were damaged.

However, compared to this matter, the Möbius strip that Gioria showed him was more worrying. The last "last words" of the Earth Titan would definitely not be simple.

"Eternity, cycles, repetition... This is the meaning of the Möbius strip. So, what about Omphalus?"

"If everything in this world is destined to cycle, then the previous speculation that this might have been created by some powerful figure is even more plausible. What is this artificial cycle testing? And the arrival of the Star Core Spirit is the key to breaking the cycle?"

"Ah~ Praise the sun, someone please find the screenwriter of mhy for me."

Ash's thoughts were absorbed in that fleeting glance.

Wan Di beside him took a look and said nothing, soaking his body in the pool. Fighting makes people tired, while bathing makes people relax physically and mentally... This guy Ash is really weird.

...

Xuanfeng City.

Above the towering palace and majestic city stands a huge sword - the Blade of Retribution.

Once upon a time, the Titan of Dispute, Nicardoli, used this sword to destroy one city after another in the sky, making the Titan in the sky, Aigle, fearful of him.

But since the Golden War, things have been getting worse in Nicadori, and the priests' prayers have gone unanswered. The King of Xuanfeng, Olipon, and the high-ranking members of the Xuanfeng tribe have made an important decision.

They want to create an immortal body for Nicardoli!

This idea is undoubtedly crazy, but with the increasingly distorted beliefs and stubbornness of Xuanfeng City, this madness seems to complement each other, and not many people even doubt its rationality.

More importantly, Nicardoli did not refuse.

"Since the Golden War, Nicardori's brilliance has caused the gods to shun him, and the might of the Scourge has also instilled fear in countless people. Now that Aigle has closed his eyes, it was Nicardori who bestowed light upon us, and he is now suffering unknown torture. We, his devout subjects, must do our utmost for his faith!"

King Olipon's voice resounded in the ears of his people, and then one ceremony after another was held, just like the grand Xuanfeng Festival, except that the content was more cruel. When the foreign war could no longer be continued, the Xuanfeng people used these competitions to "worship" Nicardoli, proving to him that they had not given up the war.

at this time.

Inside the empty palace.

"Your Majesty, the sword-making process is progressing smoothly, but there is something I must report to you."

The high-ranking members of the Xuanfeng tribe looked at Olipon, who sat on the throne, and said respectfully, "My spies have received news that Maidemos, the cursed Goldenborn, has led the treacherous Xuanfeng people to a small tribe called 'Tilkas'."

Olipang raised his eyes, and his originally calm gaze showed a slight fluctuation.

"Maidemos... the one who even Senatos refused to accept. Have we finally tracked him down? Tilkas, I know that the tribe that once believed in Gioria has fallen so far that they have sought help from such a cowardly tribe."

"Yes, and I recently found out that Maidemos even returned not long ago and purchased a large amount of medicine from an unscrupulous merchant," the man said respectfully. "Your Majesty, during this critical period of forging the holy vessel for Nicardoli, we cannot allow any possible threats to exist."

"I know," King Olipon said calmly. "Corneli, take the advance spearheads and capture those traitors who betrayed their faith. If they resist, kill them on the spot! As for those Tilkas, destroy them. They are unfit to be slaves of the Hanging Blade."

...

3k, the author who is still working on the New Year's Eve wishes you all a happy New Year's Eve! Keep working, there will be updates today!

Omphalos's Journey: Chapter 23: The Mark of the Dragon King, the Moment of Power

Two days later.

Ash sat cross-legged on the high platform of the ruins, constantly drawing strength from the sun disc.

Since acquiring this ability, he has become accustomed to daily self-discipline.

He could feel the power filling up in his body little by little, and he could feel himself getting stronger. This feeling made him addicted.

Strength is a man’s dream. Who hasn’t dreamed of wearing underwear outside and blowing up the world with a punch since childhood?

A woman? She'll only slow down my growth!

But as I grew older, these dreams were shattered one by one by the iron fist of reality.

"The sun...the stars..."

Warm light.

The light shining on Ash seemed very hot, but it did not hurt him at all.

In the haze, Ash seemed to see something. He felt that he was in a deep starry sky, or to be more precise, a flowing energy track.

"This is..."

He followed the direction of this energy and looked down, realizing that the energy was flowing towards Omphalos—a celestial body surrounded by the power of the triple destiny, with the shadow of the sun disk faintly emerging from it.

"Strange, this isn't Gioria's power."

Different from what I've seen before.

Before, when Gioria's will manifested and answered his question of "What is the oracle", all that was presented to Ash was a glimpse of the sky of Omphalos, and thus he saw the Möbius strip.

But now, he was in the starry sky, and this kind of thing could not be done by Gioria's power alone, at least not with that little bit of remaining will.

So, where does the power come from?

"Is it related to this energy?"

Energy, connected to the sun disc, could it be the power of the ascenders?

So what is at the other end of the energy trajectory link?