Lord Shadow - Chapter 2026: Plan Changes
Katarina look at Azief and for a moment she thinks a lot before she finally spouted the words she wanted to say
“You….what are you planning?” she rarely asks such a question. But she has a bad premonition about this.
She didn’t know why she has such a premonition. But she would trust her instinct this time
Azief simply answer back
“You know what I am planning”
“No, I know what you are planning now. But after this….the aftermath. You never told me what you are going to do”
Azief smiles bitterly.
“I have a plan” and for a moment he went silent. Like he is finding the words. Then he sighed
“I have….a…plan”
He paused for a moment and then he sighed. He closes his eyes for a moment and raise his head, sighing all the while.
Katarina waited for him to say something, not urging him.
Around him, the mana keeps being absorbed into his body like he is a black hole that could absorb all the energy in the Universe
And now, as Azief emotions churns, the absorption rate of energy
He opens his eyes and then said
“At the beginning my plan is to settle this war with shock and awe. My prestige would be established once again after long years of inactivity”
“My position does not require me too always be present. Instead, the more I am not present, the more enigmatic I become, the more mysterious I am, the more awe they have for me. Certain people have different ways of maintaining power. For people like me, I simply need to show my face here and there every once in a while, to maintain awe”
Katarina nodded.
She knows this best. Not all could imitate Azief method. Even if you imitate it, it does not mean the effect would be the same
Some rulers need to always shows their face. Some rulers need to cultivate an air of approachability. Some needed to cultivate an inviolable majesty.
It depends on what kind of image and persona you want to convey to the world.
And when one think of Death Monarch, there is only one image that come to mind
Invincibility. And people who are invincible should not talk too much, should not even have to show their face that much. They did not need to be approachable. They didn’t need to be humble.
Instead, the more arrogant they are, the more people believe. The more they believe, the more awe they have
An invincible person who is arrogant? This fits the expectation of the world and the people.
Whether you are truly arrogant or not did not matter. It is the image, the persona. Sometimes these images, these personas could help or hinder you.
In Azief cases, these images of his arrogance, his arbitrariness only added to his majesty.
“That was my original plan. Initially….my initial plan…” and he sighed before adding “Then, I would settle the administrative matter. Setting up a regency.”
Katarina nodded
“There are some old plans that I put on the directive of the Shadow Guards that needs to be scrapped. A new plan for a new world”
“Reworking those old plans. Then, after this is settled, I would convene a grand meeting of all the prominent leaders of the world powers. I would start with the Six Great Powers. Reorganize a bit of the Lotus Order. Maybe dismantled it and create a new power”
Azief also heard the chaos in the territory once governed by the Lotus Order. Asia today, is not the same Asia it was before the Fall.
After the Fall, when the world expanded, the Asian continent expanded greatly. It is already one of the most populous region in the world and it spans many countries.
But after the Multiversal Convergences the world become bigger
But now Asia is cut off.
Seven Great Continents while there are hundred other continents all over the world. Some of them are inhabited, some of them are empty.
“Create some laws to prohibit those Disk Formation realm beings. Lay down the law and order”
He paused for a moment and sigh again
“That was my original plan. I wanted to settle some of the cause and effect that I already accumulated”
“The world….needs to be stable and it could not withstand chaos after chaos. War between nations, regimes and organizations of powerful beings is not something I could always stop. I could only guide it. But guiding it is better than letting it go rampant. This kind of chaos is acceptable.”
But another world ending calamity, another invasion from the stars, another reality bending event? The world could not stand it”
“The fabric of reality that is on Earth could not stand it. It is already on the verge of breaking own”
“The Orvanians was helpful in that they stabilize the erosion of space and time and repair the fabric of reality of Earth. Allowing it not to be pull in a frequency where it would be attracted by some parallel universe or Earths”
Katarina frowned a little.
Not because she doesn’t understand what Azief is talking about.
But because she understands what Azief is worrying about. Even she who doesn’t have many interest in the matter of the world knows this. The Senate does inform him on certain dangers facing the world. It is more of a formality as the Senate usually handle this matter after the discussion with the Senators and the governors of the land.
Katarina look at Azief and ask
“What changed?”
Something must have changed for him to say words like “initial plan” “originally”. All of this shows he had a change of heart.
No, a change of plan.
“I met Wargod. A…” he hesitated to say the words Etherna. He is now mature enough in the affairs of gods and deities to know certain words are powerful enough to establish cause and effect
Before, he doesn’t know. And not knowing sometime is better.
Cause and effect could not always be established.
Certain cause and effect are established whether you know it or not.
But some special cause and effect only take effect if you know what you are talking about. Know the meaning of what you are saying.
After all, if one uses a spell but spoke gibberish, not invoking the name of gods and demons of old, can cause and effect properly be established? Some of the cause and effect on this world are also arbitrary.
Azief was about to say Etherna.
Before he would say it freely.
Now, knowing things as he did, certain words could no longer be uttered so freely and without thoughts.
“I met a forbidden being and was gifted with a story. I met the One-Eyed wanderer and see cause and effect five thousand years ago….before even time immemorial. I met a Sage Monkey, riding the clouds, free from all the three realms transcending the five elements”
“Talking to them, experiencing many things that I did not experience before….”
“You change your plans” Katarina mutters and Azief nodded
Azief then look at Katarina
“And there was something that urges me. Before I felt rushed. But I don’t know. Now I know”
Azief paused for a second and then he said
“I have no time. Precisely because of that….I need to cherish this moments. I need to settle some personal things. With you. With Sina. With Loki.” And then he paused for a moment and he sighed
“With Sofia”
“So that I would have no regrets”
Katarina however did not care at all what Azief is saying.
All of this saying, all of this sentence, this is a prelude. The next thing that comes out of his mouth would be the real things Azief wanted to say
And Azief said it.
She listens and she frowns.
She did not understand.
But from what Azief told her, she would understand it later.
Time and space, destiny and fate….is being counterattacked right now!
A ripple in the Omniverse creates a domino effect all over the Omniverse.
..
In the Untainted Land
Right now, Raymond, Hikigaya and Oreki is already inside the Untainted Land. And there is also Loki
But Loki, that trickster would never walk alongside them.
That trickster always has a plan.
Right now, the Untainted land is covered in a fog of war.
There is war everywhere.
Raymond and Hikigaya had somehow made sense of what is happening here. But the more they understand, the more they felt that all of this conflict…is incredulous.
That is the conclusion they reached
Right now, Raymond, Hikigaya and Oreki is inside a white tower.
This white tower is floating above the tallest peak of the tallest mountain in the entire Untainted Land.
It is so high that the floating structure is shrouded by the clouds and mist of the mountain.
Mortals would not even be able to see them from this heigh and even the Disk Formation realm leveller of this continent would hardly be able to sense them even if they come near here.
After all, Raymond, Hikigaya and Oreki are already in Divine Comprehension realm.
Even though there is a difference between Divine Comprehension realm power between these three, to the Disk Formation realm, each one of these are like a chams in terms of power.
It is like comparing the heaven and earth.
Inside the tower, there is many rooms. And many levels. And Raymond, Hikigaya and Oreki is now on the highest level of this white tower
Inside a white room, there is a round table. This table itself is floating in the air, sitting three feet above the ground
It is floating but it stays steady almost like the base is invisible and it is not floating at all. And there are three chairs also floating near the table.
And sitting on these chairs are Raymond, Hikigaya and Oreki. Each one of them is emanating their own energy.
This tower….prevents the Heavenly Will of this place to look for them. Unlike the Heavenly Will on the real Earth, the Heavenly Will of this place….it could not exceed the limit that was imposed on it.
And so, even if it wanted to punish, it could not punish these three.
But if they do come out of the tower, there would be reactions. And reactions from the heaven would make them be noticed
It is the last thing they wanted right now
They look at each other. For a moment they seem to be staring at each other.
Raymond then shakes his head and then he sighed
“They are so…..stupid” this is Raymond conclusion
Hikigaya frowned and then he shakes his head.
“Because they are mortals. Their life is like a cicada on the summer”
Oreki on the other hand simply said
“They are too creative. But not toward creation.” And they all three sighed.
For a moment there is silence inside the structure. Raymond then asks
“Did Jean….come?” he look toward Hikigaya and Oreki
Hikigaya and Oreki look at each other and smiles bitterly. They are reminded of something and both of them know what to say.
..
