The Supernova Dominator warily eyed the High-Dimensional Overseer before it, subtly sealing its starry domain with its powers, wary of the Overseer slipping its kin into the civilizations it controlled.
Through countless battles, the Old Ones of the cosmos had realized the High-Dimensional Overseer was an anomaly, wielding the most bizarre resurrection ability among them.
Though its offensive power paled compared to other outer gods, its ability to revive flawlessly through its kin—ignoring time and space—coupled with elusive escape tactics, gave them headaches.
For humans without Beyonder abilities, outer gods typically paid no heed. But the Overseer was an exception, with kin scattered across nearly the entire cosmic domain, including—but not limited to—civilizations under the Supernova Dominator's sway or planets ruled by weaker outer gods.
In short, except for the Old Ones' Sefirot, the Overseer's kin were everywhere.
Outer gods initially mocked its nurturing of humans, attributing it to instincts within its Sefirot. But when they converged on Earth for a grand battle, the Overseer revealed its formidable "home-stealing" ability.
An Old One who could revive at will with unclear motives worsened the already devastating war of their initial awakening. Even the Supernova Dominator's Sefirot lost a fragment under the Celestial Worthy's hand when the Overseer's revival tactics struck.
From then on, the Overseer's kin became pariahs among outer gods, with the Star Sovereign leading a purge of any within its sight.
So, when the Overseer approached for a deal, the Supernova Dominator instinctively… grew cautious. Vigilance and prudence were the cornerstones of an outer god's existence—admirable traits.
"Let's talk there," the Supernova Dominator said to the Overseer. "Stay where you are—don't enter my domain."
"Oh, come now, don't you trust me?" the Overseer replied, projecting a displeased expression with its powers.
"No, I trust you," the Supernova Dominator said gravely. "I trust you've got backup plans beyond the main deal."
"…" Seeing the Supernova Dominator resolve, the Overseer reluctantly dispersed the grotesque kin it had summoned, sending them to other star sectors. The Supernova Dominator's massive star cluster twitched as warped light flickered around the Overseer.
This guy's cunning—nearly got my domain raided again…
"What's the matter?" the Supernova Dominator pressed. The Overseer retracted its radiant, limb-like appendages, signaling sincerity.
"Want to go to Earth? Breach the barrier, reclaim the Sefirot fragment sealed by the Celestial Worthy, and restore your essence," the Overseer said, its words laced with persuasion. A holy glow illuminated the Supernova Dominator transmitting Earth's current state and history.
The Supernova Dominator paused, rare for it, then sent back, "Looks like you want me to draw fire from those inside the barrier. I can't descend in full, nor transfer characteristics like you—nice plan."
"So, you're refusing?" the Overseer said, unfazed. "Fine, I'll ask the Circle of Inevitability's lot."
"No, I accept," the Supernova Dominator replied. "The Conqueror and Arbiter aren't yet under my sway, and I've lost domain fragments on that tiny planet—why wouldn't I go?"
The Supernova Dominator laughed, a sound that triggered stellar explosions across this cosmic region. The Primordial Hunger, studying Earth's barrier, mistook it for another clash between the Overseer and Supernova Dominator but saw no battle ripples.
So, the dim-witted Primordial Hunger kept drooling at the barrier.
"How much Sefirot can you smuggle in? Or just Beyonder characteristics?" the Supernova Dominator asked, ceasing its eerie chuckle. The Overseer feigned contemplation, replying, "Without detection, Sequence 6 at most. But later, I might risk sneaking in demigod-level characteristics."
"When?" the Supernova Dominator ignored the first part, focusing on the timing of its descent. It knew the Overseer's sneaky nature meant it'd likely broadcast its position to Earth's gods, even if undetected.
With a demigod starting point and an outer god's status, surviving Earth wasn't hard. Its goal was reclaiming its Sefirot—maybe even snatching Uncertain Mist's characteristics for a promotion, since the Celestial Worthy had sealed its will. Perhaps it could devour the remaining Sefirot.
Compared to that, drawing fire for the Overseer was a win-win deal—aside from the slight irritation.
"Wait a bit. My kin are planning a divine descent event. When I trigger two or more true gods to descend, the astral barrier will weaken unprecedentedly. I'll try dimensionalizing your characteristics to sneak them in," the Overseer promised, vanishing before the Supernova Dominator.
The Supernova Dominator stared into the dark starry void, preparing for its descent.
…
Klein Moretti sat on the manor's sofa, staring blankly at the wall. Master Adrian, fresh from a day of high-level scheming, entered with a smile. "What's wrong, Old Zhou? You seem conflicted today."
"I saw Melissa… I don't know if it's coincidence or what, but I handled her transfer today," Klein said, his expression torn between tears and a smile. "We made her a Beyonder. She's doing well, really well… It means my sacrifices mattered…"
"Hold on," Adrian said, recording Klein's words with his powers for later use. He pulled a photo from his pocket, dispelling its effect to reveal a talisman.
Crushing it, he formed a Wall of Spirituality. Activating smuggled Sefirot essence, he scanned Klein's body, then exhaled. "No signs of manipulation. It's truly a coincidence."
For a moment, he'd feared Adam had seen through his disguise. If so, the fragile evil god alliance would crumble under the orthodox gods' assault. Leodero, the traitor, would strike the True Creator without hesitation, and the Evernight Goddess, to clear her name, might hit harder than the rest…
Seeing Klein's confusion, Adrian sighed, sitting beside him. Watching Klein, he said slowly, "This is why I told you we need to advance our sequences."
"In this world, only strength can protect those you care about."
(End of Chapter)