Rebirth as a Time Dragon

After killing Nagakabouros, Garon and Volibear did not leave immediately.

In the distance, a streak of fire blazed across the land, taking the shape of a majestic, galloping fire ram. Wherever it passed, it left behind long trails of flames. Before long, the fire ram halted near Garon and Volibear.

The flames dispersed, revealing Ornn's form.

Surveying the surrounding area, now marred by various battle scars, Ornn looked up at the silver dragon circling in the sky and asked, "Fourth brother, where is Nagakabouros?"

Ornn had received the message and rushed over as quickly as possible.

However, without teleportation abilities, he could only sprint here. Although he moved quickly, by the time he arrived, the brief battle, which had not taken much time for Garon, was already over.

Nagakabouros was dead, leaving neither flesh nor soul behind, completely annihilated.

Thus, in Ornn's eyes, he saw only the traces of battle but did not know the outcome, as Nagakabouros' body was nowhere to be seen.

"She's already dead. Fourth brother... defeated her instantly, killing her in no time," Volibear replied gloomily before Garon could answer.

Volibear's bear face clearly displayed his frustration.

Volibear was straightforward and never concealed his feelings. Whatever was on his mind was almost always visible on his face. Knowing that he couldn't defeat Nagakabouros and that Garon, without any assistance from him, quickly took her down left Volibear feeling both proud and a bit melancholic. He thought about how Garon, once needing his protection, had now grown much stronger than him.

Hearing Volibear's answer, even Ornn's typically calm expression showed a hint of surprise.

"Fourth brother, it seems you have become unfathomably powerful."

"I am proud of you," Ornn said with a slight smile, looking at the silver dragon.

Even when Garon had not yet fully grown, his potential had already astonished them. But to truly surpass them within a century and not just by a small margin was still somewhat surprising, even though they had somewhat anticipated it.

It was important to note that Ornn and Volibear had also been growing since founding the Four Pillar Gods' sect, not standing still.

"What about the other deity born from faith? How did you handle him?" Volibear asked curiously.

Garon considered his words and then said, "I destroyed his divine body and took his godhood."

Garon then explained to Ornn and Volibear why he needed godhood.

"I see. Then, while you're not around, we'll keep an eye out for you," Ornn nodded.

After experiencing this twice, Garon realized that for him to create a deity born from faith in another timeline, his followers must remain unwavering in their faith even after his departure. The key to ensuring this was having a strong enough force to protect them.

For instance, in the Faerûn timeline, the God of Death and the Netherese Empire provided such a background. Here, it was the Four Pillar Gods.

Otherwise, once Garon left and couldn't respond to his followers, the church and faith he had established would crumble over time, preventing the emergence of a god born from faith.

"Now that Nagakabouros has been dealt with, do you have any urgent matters in your own timeline, fourth brother?" Volibear asked. "If not, stay here for a while. It's not often you get to visit."

Given the current situation in the main timeline was at a stalemate, Garon knew that immediate return wasn't necessary. Except for his need to grow through slumber, he didn't have any pressing matters to attend to.

If there were any emergencies, Yuna would summon him through the Time Alliance contract, so Garon had no concerns. He thought staying here for a while would be beneficial.

Moreover, Garon was particularly curious about these so-called Void creatures.

Nagakabouros was dead, but there were still many Void creature nests scattered across Valoran.

"Seal more Void creatures and study their devouring and evolving abilities."

"If I can uncover the essence of their abilities and replicate them, my rapid growth could lead to becoming a quasi-great god."

"And what exactly is the Void? Is it a world, a term for a species, or a name for some primordial deity?"

Garon pondered.

Nagakabouros had warned to beware of the Void. While it had once been a demigod of Valoran, even in its transformed state, it was not a true Void creature.

To Garon, the current Void creatures roaming the continent were not as formidable as Nagakabouros. If it had truly warned him to be cautious of the Void creatures, then the ones he had encountered so far might just be the weakest.

As a spellcaster, his research and experimental mindset drove him to seek the truth. This was the main reason why Garon was in no hurry to leave.

"Alright, fourth brother, let's head to the Forge Lands together."

"Big brother has forged many divine weapons recently. Come and choose some," Volibear laughed heartily, despite having sustained minor injuries in the battle with Nagakabouros.

Thus, Garon, Ornn, and Volibear gathered in Ornn's Forge Lands territory to reminisce and discuss matters.

Ornn and Volibear were curious about Garon's identity and experiences in the main timeline, bombarding him with questions.

Garon selected appropriate stories to share, satisfying their curiosity.

"So, we might be the first gods?"

"According to you, we might all become chief gods in the future," Volibear said excitedly.

Hearing Volibear's excitement, Garon shook his head and said, "Don't get too excited. Remember to be cautious of the primordial deities outside the planes. When they discover you as new, undeveloped gods, they might take a strong interest, leading to unpredictable consequences."

Volibear was unconcerned. "Regardless, expanding our territory and gaining followers is beneficial for us, right?"

Garon nodded, "Faith is crucial for gods. The more, the better."

Hearing Garon's affirmation, Volibear's bear eyes lit up. He turned to Ornn and said, "Did you hear that, Ornn? Faith is essential for us. We can't let other demigods compete with us for it."

"The Four Pillar Gods' territory shouldn't be confined to Freljord. As we expand, conflicts with others are inevitable."

"I suggest that we strike first while their divine power is still growing. With our quasi-divine power and demigod strength, we should conquer Valoran and eliminate all obstacles."

"Kill those who need to be killed, subjugate those who can be subjugated, and establish a pantheon centered around us brothers."

"I know you don't like fighting, but you only need to forge armor for me and my followers, and I will lead them to victory."

As Volibear spoke, his fur bristled, and lightning surged around him.

The combative Volibear couldn't help but be excited at the thought of waging war and establishing a pantheon centered around their brothers.

Compared to the enthusiastic Volibear, Ornn remained silent.

After a moment of silence, Ornn looked at Garon and asked, "Fourth brother, what do you think?"

Garon pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Faith is crucial for gods."

Although he didn't directly urge Ornn to agree with Volibear, Garon's words were essentially a tacit endorsement.

Ornn nodded slightly, "I see. I'll think it over."

With this potentially contentious topic set aside, the three gods continued their conversation and reminisced around Ornn's volcanic forge.

They didn't stay in the Forge Lands all the time.

After some time, Garon and his two brothers set out to continue searching for Void creature nests.

Not only did they set out personally, but they also mobilized their followers to track the movements of Void creatures and report any findings.

Given the desire of other intelligent demigods to eradicate the Void creatures, they also joined in the effort.

As time passed, more and more Void creature nests rooted in Valoran were discovered and uprooted. Numerous Void creatures, whether in their larval stages or evolved into legendary forms, were killed by intelligent demigods.

As for Garon, he had instructed Ornn and Volibear to capture rather than kill legendary Void creatures whenever possible and deliver them to him.

Meanwhile, high above a Void nest spanning hundreds of kilometers, the silver dragon's shadow swept across the sky, obliterating all Void creature defenders beneath its wings. Only legendary-level creatures were sealed in time amber, immobilized like exquisitely ferocious statues.

Soon, Garon dismantled the nest's defenses.

Hovering high in the sky, Garon looked down at the nest, took a deep breath, and then narrowed his eyes, channeling his magic while reciting an obscure incantation.

Fourteenth-level spell, Spatial Weaving!

Under Garon's will, the space enveloping the Void nest folded like paper, compressing and shrinking. In the end, the vast area of several hundred kilometers seemed to be bitten away by an invisible beast, leaving behind a massive indentation on the surface.

The Void nest, including the nearly thousand-meter-deep underground area, was compressed into a small, inverted mountain, only a few meters tall, now held between Garon's sharp claws.

Inside the compressed space, the sealed Void creatures appeared like specks of purple dust. The Void nest, with its network of blood vessel-like purple veins, now

 resembled an exquisite piece of art.

Under the faint sunlight, Garon's scales seemed to be gilded with a golden edge.

Despite compressing such a vast area, Garon appeared energetic, showing no signs of exhaustion.

Examining the nest in his claws, Garon scrutinized the Void nest.

The tiny sealed Void creatures, resembling specks of dust, were clearly visible to Garon.

"Excellent, this is the third fully compressed Void nest."

"With these nests and the Void creatures themselves, I should be able to thoroughly study them."

A flash of silver light, and the dragon's figure vanished.

Returning to his followers' territory, Garon made a display of his power, gathered a wave of faith, and then retracted his wings, entering his temple.

After instructing the temple guards and priests to leave and not disturb him, Garon began his study of the Void creatures.

The vast temple interior was now silent, with only the imposing silver dragon present.

Garon sat solemnly, a metal platform conjured by his magic before him.

On the platform lay a legendary Void creature, immobilized in time, unable to resist. Its form, a mutated blend of a large beetle and an elephant, with black armor and purple veins, lay dissected on the metal platform.

Ninth-level transmutation spell, Greater Dissection!

At Garon's will, the spell instantly activated.

In moments, the previously intact Void creature was reduced to neatly arranged pieces of flesh, armor, and bones.

Surrounding Garon were numerous metal platforms, each holding dissected Void creatures.

Garon's glowing eyes scanned the platforms, analyzing the microscopic structures of the Void creatures.

He also retrieved a shrunken Void nest, suspended in midair. The nest and its inhabitants were subject to Garon's scrutiny.

Time passed quietly.

As Garon's research deepened, his understanding of the ancient, evil, and insatiable nature of the Void creatures grew clearer.

During this process, Garon conducted feeding experiments on some Void creatures.

He found that their efficiency in absorbing and converting consumed matter varied. Weaker creatures might only assimilate one percent of the consumed entity's power, while stronger ones could reach ten or even twenty percent.

The conversion efficiency also varied based on the strength of the consumed entity.

However, Garon could not pinpoint the essence of the Void creatures' devouring and evolving abilities.

As a spellcaster, his pursuit of the truth drove him to continue his experiments.

Eventually, he successfully transferred Void creature bloodlines into ordinary beings, turning them into Void creatures.

This experiment succeeded quickly due to the bloodline's inherent invasive nature, with Garon providing minimal assistance.

However, this success was not what Garon sought.

All transformed beings, without exception, exhibited insatiable devouring desires, regardless of their original intelligence.

"Even Nagakabouros lost its mind... Ordinary gods or quasi-divine beings likely can't resist the mental corruption either."

Garon's competitive and inquisitive nature was piqued, and he continued his experiments.

Until...

Suddenly, the Void creatures in Garon's temple began to glow, their purple veins pulsating rhythmically, casting a dreamy purple hue over the space.

The silver dragon, reflecting the purple light, surveyed his surroundings, finally focusing on the pulsating purple glow.

It seemed to be a form of communication.

An unknown entity was attempting to communicate with Garon in this way.

Garon narrowed his eyes, analyzing the glow's frequency. With his mental power, he quickly deciphered the message.

Meanwhile, the purple light pulsed steadily.

[Insignificant creature from another timeline]

[Return to the Void, merge with the Void, and the Void shall bestow upon you the power of infinite evolution]

[You shall become a Void apostle, traversing time and space under my will, devouring everything across endless timelines, and gloriously beginning your infinite evolution to achieve supreme singularity]

Garon's research into the Void creatures had caught the attention of the Void itself.

The Void was particularly interested in Garon's ability to traverse different timelines.

The dragon raised his chin slightly, "Sounds good, but I refuse."

Insignificant?

Garon sensed arrogance in this so-called Void consciousness.

The Void consciousness conveyed that becoming a Void creature was an honor for Garon.

Though he coveted the Void creatures' devouring and evolving abilities, Garon knew they would not be easily obtained. Nagakabouros' dying warning had already indicated some issues.

Nagakabouros might have received a similar message as Garon.

The purple light's pulsing quickened but remained steady.

[Insignificant and ignorant creature]

[No being can resist the Void or the will of the Void]

The communication ceased as the Void creatures' veins stopped glowing, and the purple light vanished.

Staring at the remains and living Void creatures around him, as well as the suspended Void nests, Garon sensed an approaching danger.

In the northern Freljord, in the vast blue ocean.

Boom!

A purple beam suddenly shot up from the sea, piercing the clouds. The entire sky and sea were dyed purple, and massive, indistinct shadows collided within the purple veil, growing clearer.

A terrifying aura of evil spread in all directions.

This sudden anomaly caught the attention of all intelligent demigods on Valoran.

Countless eyes focused on the ocean.

Seeing the sea and sky turned purple and the looming monstrous shadows, the demigods shuddered in fear, feeling like prey before apex predators.

Though Nagakabouros was dead, the Void had achieved its purpose through it, connecting with this world, ready to devour and extend its reach to all worlds.

"This is bad. Such a terrifying aura."

Garon's figure flashed, teleporting to the northern sea, his gaze heavy as he looked at the ocean.

The purple veil in his sight indicated the planar barrier being eroded by the Void. The monstrous shadows inside were likely the true Void creatures.

Though they hadn't arrived yet, Garon felt immense pressure.

Cracks spread across the planar barrier like fragile glass, and the purple shadows grew clearer.

As the anomaly intensified, more intelligent demigods gathered.

Boom!

A gap over a hundred kilometers wide opened, revealing a strange space filled with purple mist.

The scene lasted only a moment.

The next second, a massive, crystalline purple eye filled the gap, like a terrifying entity observing a tiny world in a bottle.

An icy, probing gaze swept across, making the demigods feel a chill.

"Let me see your structure, tiny beings of flesh and blood."

Though there was no sound, a mental wave conveyed the entity's meaning.

"Damn it, this is a quasi-great god, similar in power to the King of Heroes."

Powerful Void creatures possessed consciousness.

And these beings were primordial entities outside the material plane.

Garon realized this.

But now, Garon faced a crisis.

A quasi-great god could destroy the material world.

In the main timeline, such entities didn't do so because it would attract the gods' hostility and likely result in their eradication, except in barren worlds.

But in this primordial era...

"Do I have to use Temporal Reversal again before repaying it?"

Garon felt the massive eye locking onto him.

The crystalline purple eye began to glow.

"Dissectable creatures so concentrated, excellent, let me take a closer look."

Zzzz!

A massive purple beam, like a collapsing sky, swept towards the gathered demigods.

Garon's vision turned purple, sensing mortal danger.

Instinct told him that being hit by this beam would mean annihilation, and even his temporal barrier wouldn't hold.

However, just as Garon prepared to use Temporal Reversal, a small star streaked across the sky, perfectly blocking the purple beam and then reversing direction, striking the Void eye.

Boom!

Purple blood fell like a waterfall into the ocean. Amidst a painful roar, the Void eye caved in, with the tiny star embedded deep within.

This was just the beginning.

Garon looked up.

Unbeknownst to him, the sky had changed.

Billions of stars filled the sky, forming a silhouette resembling a cosmic galaxy.

More stars materialized in the material plane, streaking across the sky like a continuous meteor shower, bombarding the Void breach.

The scene was overwhelming.

The gathered demigods could only watch in awe, unable to intervene.

Garon strained his eyes, taking in the celestial silhouette, and his pupils trembled.

The silhouette was that of a dragon.

A serpentine, galaxy-like body, strong limbs, a majestic dragon head... The entire form seemed composed of semi-transparent blue energy, with countless stars twinkling within, like a cosmic river flowing through its body—grand, magnificent, and dreamlike.

Its body resembled the imperial dragon species.

Moreover, this dragon's aura and presence, in Garon's perception, were fiercer than that of the Storm Lord.

But what shocked Garon the most was sensing a familiar soul, akin to his own, within this dragon.

After so many temporal journeys, encountering his temporal counterpart for the first time was a profound experience.

"Aurelion, it's you again."

"Oh? You dare attempt to attack and devour me without adequate preparation? Besides, a world brimming with life shouldn't be destroyed by you."

This dragon, forging countless stars as weapons, spoke calmly.

As he spoke, the meteor shower of stars embedded themselves into the purple veil, forming intricate patterns that shone brightly, causing the purple veil to fade and vanish.

After repelling the Void.

The star-forging dragon looked down, its eyes like a pair of suns in the sky.

Inside the world, Garon felt the gaze from above.

"Hello, my counterpart from another timeline."

"You may call me Aurelion, the Star Forger Dragon King."

Aurelion's voice echoed in Garon's mind.

After pondering, Garon left Valoran

, appearing in the chaotic void outside the plane.

Facing Aurelion directly, his astonishing size was even more evident.

"Long ago, I felt a sense of your arrival and searched the chaotic void for you, desiring to meet you."

"Until recently, while tracking the Void, I found your presence and locked onto this world."

Listening to Aurelion, Garon realized.

This was Aurelion's timeline, meaning, as in the past of the main timeline, he did not exist.

Every timeline had different histories unless branched from the main timeline. This was a completely different timeline.

Even if it reached the future, the outer planes Garon knew might never exist.

Perhaps, in this timeline, there might be no Nine-Faced Dragon God or original Sun God, among other familiar primordial entities.

Conversely, in the main timeline, the Void might not exist.

If it did, it might manifest differently.

"In the recent battle, I didn't sense temporal power."

"Do you not primarily wield temporal power?"

Aurelion smiled, his entire form radiating light, like countless stars twinkling.

"I was born with this universe, mastering the power of star-forging creation. Compared to the intangible temporal power, I prefer the artistic beauty of stars."

"I see."

Garon showed a hint of envy.

Clearly, this temporal counterpart had a unique start, born with incredible power, unlike Garon's gradual growth.

"You seem to have a connection and conflict with the Void. What exactly is the Void in this world?"

Garon inquired curiously.

Aurelion carefully considered his words, then began to explain, "At the universe's inception, it was the most chaotic yet balanced, and we primordial beings were born with it, mastering various primordial powers, able to alter the world's rules."

He smiled and asked Garon, "If you were the world, conscious, how would you view these beings born from you, living within you, yet capable of disrupting your balance?"

Garon pondered, "Some annoying parasites?"

Aurelion nodded, "Exactly. As expected of me, you grasp it instantly with stellar wisdom."

He continued, "To us, the Void represents the ultimate evil because it is the embodiment of the world's justice. Its sole purpose is to devour and cleanse us, the living beings."

Garon was shocked.

According to Aurelion, the essence of justice and evil was contrary to conventional understanding.

In the complete world's perspective, at the multiverse level, destroying life was justice, and the Void, perceived as evil, was actually the guardian of justice.

"In your timeline, you should also have similar ultimate evils, representing the world's justice."

"If you discover them, be cautious."

Aurelion continued.

Garon suppressed his unease and asked, "Is the Void powerful? You seemed to repel them easily."

Aurelion shook his head, "Not easily."

"Due to the world's balance rules, such extreme entities like the Void are perpetually sealed, rarely interacting with the outside."

"If unsealed, facing the Void alone would be beyond my capacity."

Garon and Aurelion conversed.

Later, Aurelion curiously asked about Garon's timeline.

After hearing Garon's description, Aurelion mused, "The Abyss might be another Void."

"Perhaps, in your timeline, the Void resides in the deepest part of the Abyss."

Indeed, Garon sensed a similar malevolence in the Void creatures akin to Abyssal demons.

"If so, the Abyss demands even more attention."

Garon thought.

The Abyss was an endlessly deep plane, unexplored even by Abyssal demons. In planar guides, it represented the oldest and ultimate evil. No one knew how many layers the Abyss had.

If finite, what lay at the bottom of the Abyss?

For these questions, neither gods nor demons had answers.

However, Garon now had some uncertain yet plausible guesses.

"Want to visit my timeline?"

After some conversation, Garon extended an invitation.

"No, I still have grand goals to achieve."

"Such as?"

Garon inquired.

"I aim to forge countless stars in this void, creating a magnificent starry sky."

"That's a daunting goal. Good luck."

Garon glanced around, noting the barren, desolate void. Even for a powerful being like Aurelion, filling the void with stars was a challenging task.

"My counterpart, when you grow stronger, I might need your help in the future."

"I foresee crises targeting me through the temporal river, though the specifics are unclear."

Focused on forging stars, Aurelion's temporal powers were weak.

Garon nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'm leaving. Good luck to you too."

With that, Aurelion's galaxy-like body gradually disappeared from Garon's view.

"I'm already quasi-weak god level, close to quasi-mid god level."

"But this world still holds many unknowns."

"However, that's good. The future is worth anticipating."

Garon returned to Valoran, contemplating silently.

___________________

(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)

If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters

Read Ahead

Patreon.com/INNIT