Against The True Gods

The colors in Caine's vision rapidly faded, their brilliance absorbed into the dark fabric of his perception. Yet, before the void could fully take hold, strings of every imaginable hue began to appear, weaving themselves into existence and casting faint light upon the endless darkness.

Caine observed with a fascinated heart.

Runes materialized in intricate rows and complex formations, their shapes etching themselves into the fabric of the void. Then, with a resounding BOOM!, the world around him shifted. Colors and shapes returned to his vision, but the change was profound. The darkness remained, yet now he could see energy bundles coursing through everything around him.

He could see his tent, the air, and the very essence of the world itself, not through ordinary sight but through the ebb and flow of Qi.

The endless lines that had emerged began to intertwine, wrapping around one another as the runes carved themselves into the threads, creating an intricate tapestry of light and form.

The void itself morphed into a twisted yet stunning fresco of all imaginable colors, blending and clashing in chaotic harmony.

WHOOSH!

Caine's senses trembled. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though every fiber of his being had shifted. Then, his perception evolved further. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire

Now, he could hear the runes and lines around him, feel their textures as though they were tangible, comprehend their truths as if they whispered secrets directly into his soul. He could even smell their essence—each rune and thread possessing a unique nature that spoke of creation, destruction, and everything in between.

His stars blazed brighter, their light burning with newfound intensity. It felt as though he could only now truly wield them, as if this new perception had unlocked their full potential.

Time, space, the elements, life, death—all the paths he had painstakingly cultivated came alive before him, their truths laid bare.

Caine's True Will bloomed and settled, a rare sense of comfort washing over him.

'I haven't regained my full vision, but I'm one step closer now.'

As formidable as this transformation was, Caine instinctively understood it was far from complete. Whatever changes his eyes were undergoing still required time—or perhaps countless more moments of enlightenment.

'How strange,' he mused, his mind rapidly adapting to the change. 'I can see the world for what it is—Qi, Intent, Essence, Quintessence, and Dao. Yet even stranger is…'

He glanced at his hand. In this new vision, he appeared to be the only thing still made of flesh.

'…it feels like I can finally use my main affinities properly. As if this was the foundation I always needed to truly grasp them.'

As the thought crystallized in his mind, another surged forward, making his eyes widen.

With a flip of his palm, he summoned the thick tome Zao had given him on his birthday. Its title glowed faintly in the dim light of his tent:

[The Heavenly Pupil—An Ocular Truth]

And at the bottom, etched with delicate precision:

[Written by Julia Herales Velios]

His mother.

'…how could Zao have known I would…' Caine's gaze narrowed. '…can he read the future?'

Under normal circumstances, this thought might have seemed ridiculous, but now Caine wasn't so sure. Zao's actions over the years had consistently guided him toward moments of tremendous growth.

His stars, his bloodline, even the God-craft tools he possessed—each had been a direct result of Zao's interventions.

In a sense, even Caine walking upon the True Defiant Forgery path was a result of Zao's actions.

'He's been guiding me from the shadows. If that's true, then this is a huge opportunity.'

Without hesitation, Caine opened the tome and began to read.

***

Hours passed.

Outside Caine's tent stood a young woman, her slender frame cloaked in the layered robes of a priestess. Her eyes radiated a pure and joyful blue, her long blonde hair partially obscuring her face as it swayed gently in the breeze.

"Sir?" she called softly, her voice carrying both authority and warmth.

The flaps of the tent opened, revealing Caine seated cross-legged on a cultivation mat, his attention absorbed by the tome in his hands.

"Come in," he said, his tone distant, almost distracted.

The priestess stepped inside, her movements light and deliberate. She hesitated for a moment, watching him intently. Caine seemed completely unaware of her presence, his gaze locked on the book, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Finally, at a loss for how to proceed, she crouched and tapped his shoulder.

Startled, Caine blinked, raising his head to meet her gaze.

"Hello," he said, closing the book and rising to his full height. He towered over her, his presence almost overwhelming in the confined space. "My apologies. I didn't notice you."

The priestess smiled warmly. "There's no need to apologize, sir."

"How do we proceed?" he asked, his voice calm but direct.

She gestured toward the mat. "Please, sit back down on the mat. It will assist with the procedure. I'll position myself behind you to begin the work."

"You can continue your reading, if you wish. Judging by your injuries, this will take several hours."

Caine raised an eyebrow. "You're confident you can heal me?"

She chuckled, pride flickering in her eyes. "Of course, sir. From a glance, I can see your body is riddled with Demonic Dao Will, an extremely potent form of it at that."

Her tone shifted, becoming clinical. "There's also a significant amount of Karmic Qi intertwined with your Blood Qi, reversing its function and forcing it into a catatonic state."

Her gaze fell to his left shoulder. "As for your arm… well, that's another matter entirely. It's healable, but not by me."

She sighed. "It seems someone proficient in Karmic Laws severed the limb. That alone makes healing it nearly impossible. But beyond that, there are additional laws layered onto the wound. Nasty ones."

She straightened, her tone regaining its confidence. "I can restore your body to perfect health, but your arm will have to wait."

"You're fortunate to have survived such a powerful Ascendant."

Caine's eyes widened slightly as he processed her analysis, but before he could respond, the priestess smiled brightly, laughing at his expression. "Shall we begin?"

Caine nodded and sat back down on the mat.

"Are all healers as capable as you?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

The priestess harrumphed as she knelt behind him. With a flip of her palm, she summoned a small marble table covered in a dazzling array of tools.

"Me?" she said with a grin. "In this world, apart from the Pope himself, I doubt anyone could rival me—let alone surpass me."