The Empyreal Gem Master

He defeated the illusory version of the Unweaver with a single arrow.

It hadn’t been as powerful, only the first right reflection on the Minor River of Reality, but it was still a reflection.

A reflection of power. Of the intricate, impossible weight of his existence in this moment.

And yet it fell in the face of an Empyreal Clone currently capable of displaying x5,000% of the power of his Main Body…

5,000%!

Such was the magnitude of power his Clones had achieved under the core features of the Enneagram.

He commanded a Supermassive Empyreal Cosmos born of countless trillions of Empyreal Galaxies and Universes surpassing all others. And with his Clones able to wield 5,000% of that power?

The gap between him and a normal Cosmic Filament Entity- beings who were supposedly entire realms beyond him, became meaningless.

After receiving confirmation, he gave only a quiet nod, bow still cradled in his left hand as he looked forward.

The figure of the Unweaver wore a stern expression, lifting his gaze to the hundreds of cosmic entities that floated in the distance. His face unreadable, he paused briefly in thought before continuing his steady march across the Minor River of Reality.

The destruction of the Illusory Unweaver left the gathered cosmic entities glancing at one another, eyes lit with growing joy. Somehow, the combined force of their powers—and the unspoken power among them—had shattered that terrifying challenge in mere moments.

To them, it meant something vital.

Perhaps the challenges ahead were actually conquerable. Perhaps freedom was no longer a dream.

And wondrously, Alexander smiled as he looked at their hopeful expressions and thought—yes. For them, just today, things might really be that easy.

He and others followed like a procession of devout believers as the Unweaver continued climbing higher across the Minor River of Reality.

At a certain point, brilliant multicolored light flared. Another Illusory Unweaver appeared—this one stronger than the first.

Again, the cosmic entities launched volleys of fantastical attacks, their authorities glowing brilliantly. The Unweaver raised his hand to respond—yet never released an attack.

Alexander noticed. Even as his bowstring snapped forward, loosing another arrow that pierced the illusion alongside the others’ powers, he noted the restraint.

BOOM!

The second illusion splintered into pieces, destroyed in a single united volley.

“Ha ha!”

“Let’s go!”

Excitement surged. No casualties. No horror. This time, they truly believed they’d succeed.

Every face reflected joy—except for one.

The one who walked the Minor River of Reality.

The Unweaver.

He hadn’t attacked. Not once. And yet the reflection—equal in power to his own—had still been obliterated.

He realized something then.

Among the hundreds of cosmic entities, there existed someone or something… unknown.

Equal to him in power—or worse, something beyond comprehension.

And for that reason, he made a choice.

The Unweaver would not walk the final stretch of the Apex Trial of the Infinite Cosmic Tower.

Instead, he pressed forward, unease crawling down his spine. In seconds, he surged ahead—his pace now five times faster as another Reflection of himself took shape.

Then another.

Two now stood.

“Attack!”

The emboldened cosmic entities hurled their power into the star-drenched void once more, and Alexander did the same.

Two arrows flew, each brimming with quiet, terrifying power capable of unraveling the very essence of a Cosmic Filament Entity.

When they struck…

BOOM!

Both reflections shattered instantly.

Cheers erupted again.

And the Unweaver did not slow. He pressed onward, ever higher.

His face grew more somber as time passed.

Minutes later, the swirling river beneath them shimmered and three Reflections rose.

BOOM!

Gone, instantly.

Still, the Unweaver didn’t stop.

By now, many began to notice. The roars of joy dulled. Something was wrong.

But they followed anyway.

Then five Reflections appeared, their presence thrumming with the unmistakable power of the Cosmic Filament Realm.

Less than half of the entities attacked this time as something about the atmosphere had changed.

And yet…

BOOM!

Even those five fell instantly, consumed by a single coordinated volley.

“…”

This time, no one celebrated.

No one smiled.

They watched the Unweaver in silence.

He had not moved. Had not lifted a single finger.

Still, five Cosmic Filament Reflections had died.

“…”

The silence turned oppressive.

The Unweaver continued forward, unaffected.

Then—six Reflections arose.

No attacks were launched.

Not by the Unweaver.

Not by the cosmic entities.

And yet from within the crowd, without any warning or clear source…

Six arrows flew.

They ripped through the illusory guardians, shattering the protective authorities around them. The Reflections vanished a moment later.

A hush swept through the crowd.

Fear bloomed.

They looked at each other with uncertainty.

Somewhere among them was a monster—a terrifying unknown!

But still the Unweaver pressed on.

Seven Reflections.

Eight.

Nine.

HUUUM!

Without a single visible source, nine glowing arrows—white and blue—rained down upon the Reflections that pulsed with immense power.

BOOM!

All nine shattered and disappeared before they could act.

And finally, the Unweaver stopped.

He breathed raggedly, his form still.

Ahead, the Minor River of Reality pulsed as waves of light expanding outward, revealing a dome-shaped ceiling that stretched for light-years.

The absolute boundary.

The final ceiling of the Infinite Cosmic Tower.

The nine Reflections had been the last trial.

The dome buzzed and cracked like a mirror under pressure, runes blooming into existence across its surface.

[A Power worthy to leave the Infinite Cosmic Tower through brute force appears. But will it be enough to traverse the Infinite Tower of Existence?]

…!

The prison they’d called home for so long was fracturing, finally. But the words… the words robbed them of celebration.

Another tower waited.

One even more vast.

The cosmic entities stared upward, spirits heavy with the weight of the unknown.

Alexander read the runes and simply smiled, shaking his head.

Just as he expected.

The tower wasn’t just a structure. It was a reflection of existence itself.

To some, a prison.

To others, a sanctuary.

And maybe, just maybe, for those powerless to leave their realms, those without the ability to fly or change their fate…every world was a kind of tower.

A matter of perspective.

For Alexander, peace had always been his perspective.

But at the very moment the apex of the tower cracked apart, the Unweaver’s eyes turned crimson with blood. He stared into the crowd of cosmic entities and roared.

“I wonder… is now a sufficient time for Sir to reveal himself?”

His voice cracked with despondency, his vision clouded with dread.

Because just as he stood at the edge of achieving everything he’d sacrificed, pillaged, and killed for…

He felt it all slipping through his fingers as it felt like an unknown blade hung over him!