Chapter 324: The Hold of Hearts

A month slipped by quickly after Sunya returned to the present, and upon discovering that Nara had been waiting for her, she didn’t hesitate to visit her Celestial Mother.

Meanwhile, the Multiverse of Bounded Hearts had not remained stagnant during that time.

In the void off Sector Six, an incubus and the same succubus who had stood dripping in Vivian’s bath chamber hung in the void.

Before them was a universe that was not a crown, throne, or even an amalgamation of colors.

It was a mountain of black stone shot through with purple veins, the size of a universe, sitting in the sector as if it had always belonged there.

"Nova," the Incubus said with a slight frown, "is this the new universe that appeared a month ago?"

"Pallas," Nova replied with a nod, gliding forward through the void, "according to my previous readings... everything lines up perfectly."

She cast a glance back at him.

"Come on, we’re already behind, and this universe needs to be cataloged."

He nodded and followed her into the dark.

In just moments, without using any powers, they traveled more than five light-years, yet the black-and-purple mountain still loomed ahead for at least eight more light-years.

However, the instant they came within exactly five light-years...

BANGGGGGG!!!!!!

They both hit the barrier head-on, sending both of them backward along the same line they had been traveling.

"What?" Pallas said as they caught themselves.

They flew back to the spot they had struck.

Pallas reached out a hand first, then slowly withdrew it when his palm touched a wall devoid of color.

"They... dare to put up a barrier?" he asked, his frown twisting into something simmering with anger.

Nova stepped up beside him, pressing her hand forward until her fingers spread against the same unseen wall. Her eyes went so wide that the shock bled into her voice.

"What kind of barrier sits light-years away from whatever it’s supposed to be protecting?" she asked, certain that even Universal Kings at most could wield God-ranked items, and in the rarest of cases, a Divine barrier.

But even then, no Divine barrier could stretch five full light-years from its target.

At this point, it wasn’t so much about guarding Akasha’s mountain as it was about claiming an entire section of the Multiversal Sector for himself.

"Does it really matter?" Pallas asked, glaring at the mountain. "This universe is already breaking our rules!"

"What rules?"

In that moment, Akasha’s voice echoed as he emerged from his universe, flanked by Melvin on one side and Calyx on the other.

Nova and Pallas narrowed their eyes at the three figures descending from the mountain, their first assessment focused on rank.

’Three Unbound Gods?’ Nova thought internally as both their gazes slowly passed over each one.

Within Pantheos, Unbound Gods were not entirely rare themselves, but for a Universal Pantheon in particular... seeing three of them was surprising because usually...

Only the ruler of a Universal Pantheon and their Ancestors, if they had any, would be Unbound God or higher.

Melvin’s face was pale and cold, with eyes like black swords cutting through the air.

Calyx’s gaze was diamond-black, her neck adorned with tattoos, and the confident way she moved left no doubt that she wasn’t a servant.

Yet, as always, when attention shifted to Akasha, the reactions changed entirely.

In that instant, Nova’s breath caught, and Pallas lost all memory of the speech he had so carefully prepared for the cataloging.

[Nova Elum’s Favorability — 50/100]

[Pallas Elum’s Favorability — 45/100]

----

’This is good to have back,’ Akasha thought to himself.

Over the past month, he hadn’t given himself a new system, but he had reinstated the Favorability function.

With it, he could easily keep track of who to eliminate and who to spare. It also let him monitor his members again.

After taking a second look at their favorability scores, he spoke up once more.

"And what exactly are we late to?"

At that moment, Nova and Pallas shared a glance, instantly communicating through their mental link.

’This man... he’s dangerous,’ Nova remarked. ’Maybe we should contact the High Apostle?’

’No need,’ Pallas replied, shaking his head. ’We are Apostles.... The least we can do is carry out our duties.’

HUMMMMMMM!!!!

Without giving Nova a chance to respond, Pallas raised one of his hands.

In that instant, a pathway of divinity within the Bounded Hearts void rose beneath their feet, directing them toward Dream Land’s barrier.

’These new Apostles will get me killed...’ Nova thought to herself, shaking her head as she looked back towards Akasha.

"Today is the Decade Vow," She said after sighing softly. "Every Universal King or Queen is permitted to attend, or they will face the consequences of defiance."

The air around Melvin changed instantly; ice slowly began creeping and spreading around the void.

"Master," He said as his breath left him in a visible cloud.

Melvin hadn’t spent much time with Akasha in recent years, but one thing he knew for sure was that Akasha was not someone who tolerated threats.

He had personally seen Akasha destroy Academies and even wipe out an entire universe. Still, perhaps Melvin’s instincts were right if Akasha happened to be in the mood for a bit of sightseeing.

"Well," Akasha said with a faint smile, shaking his head at Melvin.

[Ineffable Affinity]

Then, with a single step, all three of them were suddenly standing directly in front of Nova and Pallas.

"Lead the way."

"!!"

In that moment, both Nova and Pallas instinctively stumbled backward, unable to determine which Affinity he had just used, and the sudden movement only put them further on guard.

"This way," Pallas said, voice level again even if his shoulders had not loosened. "The pathway runs to the Hold of Hearts."

Nova fell in on his other side, eyes cutting back once to Akasha and then forward toward the heart-shaped mass waiting in the dark.

They put the surprise down because the job was still the job.

"This way," Pallas said, voice level again even if his shoulders had not loosened. "The pathway runs to the domain threshold. You follow us. You do not leave the road."

Nova moved to the other side, glancing back at Akasha before looking ahead at the heart-shaped mass looming in the dark.

"Right... once you’re there, you’ll be fully briefed on the matters of our Multiverse."

Without another word, they started walking, leaving Sector Six behind as the black-and-purple mountain faded from view, leading Akasha, Melvin, and Calyx toward the stronghold.