Chapter 9 - [Destruction Immunity]

Meanwhile, the Universe's gaze drifted toward the distance, locking onto the grotesque figures lurking beyond the battlefield. A sense of unease spread through its vast consciousness.

"What are these creatures doing here?" The Universe asked with a flat, almost monotone voice, her hope drained entirely. The desolation in her tone reflected the profound loss of hope pervading the atmosphere.

Even though they were powerful, their strength was negligible against NOX and Lucas. She couldn't see any purpose for these mindless abominations in this cosmic-level shit show. And yet, Garuda had brought them along.

There must be another reason behind this.

Garuda, however, remained in his trance-like state, silently observing NOX endure the most merciless beating of his life.

In response to the Universe's question, he offered only a vague, cryptic remark, his mind seemingly elsewhere, lost in contemplation.

"Everything in existence has its due purpose."

Lucas and the Universe exchanged uncertain glances, unable to decipher Garuda's intentions. While his actions appeared to align with VRITRA, the cryptic nature of his words left them puzzled and uncertain of his true motives.

Back to VRITRA and NOX's Battle

NOX remained immersed in his euphoric trance, seemingly unfazed by his tattered body or the torrents of blood gushing from his wounds—enough to drown entire galaxies.

VRITRA suddenly halted his assault, a realization dawning upon him—he might be playing right into NOX's hands.

He had noticed something unsettling: the cracks on NOX's body weren't simply absorbing his attacks. They were first distributing the force before taking it in. And force couldn't simply vanish into nothingness, could it?

That could only mean one thing—NOX was storing the accumulated energy somewhere within his body, preparing to unleash it all in a single, devastating blow.

The more VRITRA contemplated this possibility, the more convinced he became.

However, what truly baffled him was that, despite NOX's body teetering on the brink of destruction with every strike, it never actually collapsed. It remained intact—miraculously, impossibly intact.

For a fleeting moment, VRITRA entertained an absurd notion—was NOX immune to destruction itself?

He quickly dismissed such irrational thoughts, as did the three mysterious entities observing from their separate space-time dimension. There was no such thing as immunity to destruction.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

Reality itself defied their understanding.

Unbeknownst to them, NOX was indeed immune to destruction.

During his attempt to corrupt the [Nothingness] seeping from the space crack, he had inadvertently come into contact with something far more terrifying—the primordial [Destruction] force, the very source that had given rise to this [Nothingness].

How NOX had managed to corrupt both [Nothingness] and [Destruction] simultaneously was a mystery only he could answer.

From his unknown Omnipotent Concept, he had gained multiple branch skills and an Ultimate Skill. [Destruction Immunity] and [The Unmaking] were among his branch abilities.

As for his Ultimate Skill? It required specific conditions to activate. While it was an unrealistically overpowered ability, it was also a double-edged blade

With [Destruction Immunity] in his grasp, nothing in existence could erase him—neither his body nor his soul could be undone.

Of course, there was a single exception. If someone wielded a Concept powerful enough to rival NOX's Omnipotent Concept, then, and only then, could they bypass his immunity through their own Concept skills.

Only a Concept could counter or deny another Concept.

VRITRA, unwilling to leave anything to chance, summoned forth [Chaos Water], conjuring a domain of liquid infused with myriad shifting colors, engulfing everything in sight. As he prepared to unleash his Ultimate Skill upon NOX, Celestial Chains suddenly descended from the heavens.

In a flash, the chains forcibly separated NOX from VRITRA's grip, while simultaneously binding VRITRA in an unbreakable hold.

In that instant, his domain was erased—obliterated as though it had never existed.

Realizing that The Heavens had intervened, VRITRA's eyes burned with fury. A venomous snarl escaped his lips, his voice reverberating through the void.

"You cowardly traitors, dare interfere?" he bellowed. "Count your remaining days, you parasitic bastards… Soon, I will turn your so-called Heaven inside out when I achieve my 'Great Freedom'!"

For the first time since his arrival, VRITRA was genuinely enraged. Not even NOX's relentless taunts had provoked him to this extent. And if VRITRA had truly wanted to kill NOX, it would have required nothing more than a single thought. Even from the Edges of the Universe, he could have erased NOX from existence—wiping him from the very annals of records.

All of VRITRA's earlier vigilance and unease toward NOX stemmed from a single truth—he refused to be put at a disadvantage against NOX. The mere thought of seeing NOX act smug was unbearable.

He would rather walk upside down and dance wearing cross-dress than let that happen.

Yet, as fury boiled within him, three holographic screens materialized before his eyes, each displaying a single word—the desires of three enigmatic entities:

[Fight] [No Concept] [FUN…..]

Looking at these messages, VRITRA's eyes instantly turned cold.

"Do these ants truly think I am a pushover?"

It was one thing for those cowardly bastards to dare interfere—but now, these three insects had the audacity to dictate him?

VRITRA's [Divine Will] erupted uncontrollably, surging across countless invisible barriers separating the vast dimensions of space-time. In the presence of his [Divine Will], the celestial chains vibrated violently as though they were resisting an overwhelming weight.

As his will expanded, those very barriers—meant to be impenetrable—began to dissolve into nothingness, reduced to mere fragments of a forgotten boundary.

Within the span of a single breath, VRITRA's will finally locked onto the three entities.

At that moment, every constraint that had once shielded them from view was erased, and three figures materialized before the eyes of Lucas and the Universe.

The instant the three beings gazed upon VRITRA, an unnatural chill crawled up their spines. Though they had watched from afar, treating the battle as mere entertainment, reality had suddenly shifted against them.

None of them dared utter a word.

"What…? Why are you silent now?" VRITRA's voice carried an eerie amusement, his expression shifting into a 'kind' smile that did little to mask the predatory aura beneath it. "Come now, tell me—what form of entertainment do you desire?"

"Just because I briefly entertained your whims… you thought me a fool?" VRITRA asked coldly, his voice laced with quiet menace.

Despite still being bound by the Celestial Chains that had descended from the Heavens, his presence remained utterly oppressive—an unfathomable storm waiting to be unleashed.

Meanwhile, Garuda's attention remained solely focused on NOX, his expression unreadable yet certain—he knew something extraordinary was about to happen.

Are you truly the one that 'he' decreed would bring the 'Mythos' back? Garuda mused silently, his gaze never once shifting toward the three trembling figures. 

To him, they were inconsequential—mere bugs he could squash with nothing more than a frown.

Lucas and the Universe, however, were shaken. Until now, they had believed these three entities to be powerful beings capable of commanding VRITRA and Garuda as mere puppets to their whims.

But they couldn't have been more wrong.

Only now did Lucas truly understand—VRITRA and Garuda had never been following orders. They had been acting on their own agenda all along.

But what was their goal?

What did 'Great Freedom' truly mean?

Did it imply that the universe itself had been sealed to prevent VRITRA and Garuda from escaping?

And what did these three trembling entities truly want from us?

Lucas' mind raced with questions, a gnawing unease growing within him.

He hated this feeling—the sensation of being nothing more than an inconsequential pawn in a game far beyond his understanding.

While Lucas and the Universe were lost in their thoughts, frustrated over the events unfolding before them, VRITRA seethed with rage—provoked not only by the Heavens but also by the three inconsequential insects that dared to challenge him.

Everyone had momentarily forgotten about NOX.

Everyone, except Garuda.

At that moment—

"How dare they… How dare these mere slaves of ******?"

A booming voice, laced with both rage and insanity, echoed through the void. The countless Celestial Chains that had descended from the Heavens trembled violently—before shattering like fragile glass, obliterated in an instant.