SHADOWS OF ENTROPY

[Primordial Cube -- Continental Unique]

Requirement: Empyrean Bearer

Special Effect [Singularity] -- creates a single point of destruction within the reality; s.p.a.cetime, matter, energy, Laws and reality itself cease to exist temporarily. Anything that enters the single point is deconstructed to its base level and erased from existence. Wielder can feed the Singularity energy in order to replace non-existence with whatever they wish; the more energy fed, the greater freedom and range. In addition, wielder has three options to choose from instead:

-- Black Hole -- pulsating Singularity will devour ALL Qi within 500 miles radius and will prevent any Qi from entering within the domain for the following 10 minutes

-- Primordial Burst -- cause the Singularity to implode unto itself, creating a ma.s.sive explosion within a 10 miles radius that eradicates ANY trace of life, wielder included; the remnant energy will prevent reconstruction for 10 years; recharge period from usage depends on the amount of available Chaos Qi in the world -- Currently: 16 years, 7 months, 24 days

-- Crown of Entropy -- the wielder can don the cube, which will phase itself into the shape of the Crown, increasing their capabilities temporarily, as well as giving the wielder ABSOLUTE mastery of Laws of Reality, s.p.a.ce, Time and Destruction. In return, wielder's Vitality will continuously be drained at increasingly higher rate. Recharge time is 1 day.

Note: Beyond unique in the make, the item resonates with the Records, forging its eternal stamp within the histories; while its effects are world-shattering, its singular limitation bars it from achieving its absolute potential.

Lino stared slack-jawed at the small, slightly-glimmering cube in his hands. It looked so simple, so inconsequential that n.o.body would most-likely even pay it a second glance if he whiffed it out mid-battle. Yet, without a shred of doubt, it was by far the most powerful item currently in his possession -- even more powerful than the Wings.

He froze as did his thoughts; however much he tried to underline that he created it, he still had ma.s.sive trouble believing it. He'd never once doubted his ability or even his talent as a smith, yet he was also relatively realistic when it came to his abilities regardless of what he projected outwardly. He knew his limits very well, his strengths and weaknesses, and if anyone asked him prior to this whether he was capable of creating something like the [Primordial Cube], he'd naturally say 'yes' outwardly, but sweat bullets inwardly as he wouldn't even know where to begin.

The initial design simply incorporated the basic special effect -- [Singularity]. He wanted to play with the idea and the possibility of manipulating reality on a greater scale than with the current mastery of

. In his mind, rather than direct manipulation like what he did with the

, he changed the overall structure into the loop of destruction and creation -- taking a small part of reality and breaking it down into nothingness, and then using the cube as a conduit to convert his own Qi into another reality.

It all went according to his plans and desires in that department, yet the entire sub-section of the item entirely crippled his ability to understand where it came from. There was also the completely new concept he was entirely unfamiliar with -- the 'Continental Unique' tier of the item. He didn't know what it meant -- but, at the very least, he knew that it was far better than Legendary, as every single Legendary item he created so far is practically a joke compared to the cube.

Nearly half an hour later, he finally shook awake, quickly going over the item's stats as he was absolutely confident he'd either seen wrong or dreamed up the whole thing as a way to cover up the fact that the cube turned out to be a failure. Yet, it was still there -- all of those beyond insane options, from sucking away all Qi within 500 miles, to destroying all life within 10 miles, to crowning himself and gaining absolute mastery of four Laws. The only question remained as to how much exactly Vitality would be drained -- he imagined quite considerably, actually, as he by now was well aware that Empyreans were a huge exception when it came to the Vitality stat.

He was closing in to six digits at the moment, just a few hundreds away actually, and he imagined it would most-likely be something like a thousand-point-equivalent per second, which would then increase over time. While he would be rather limited at the start, the stronger he grew, the more potent the ability would get. However, past a certain point, once he starts mastering Laws himself, the cube would most-likely grow obsolete. Until then, however, it immediately became his prime tool of escape, diversion, and murder.

"... s.h.i.+tting f.u.c.k." he grumbled, quickly putting the cube away from fear of someone stealing it. Paranoia immediately kicked in as he swept the entire room with the Divine Sense, finding only the two helpers pa.s.sed out on the floor, snoring loudly.

Sitting down, he took out quite a few bottles of booze and began unpacking everything his feeble mind had undergone in the past hour. Six items, four weapons and two utility items, each more insane than the other, the pinnacle being the ordinary-looking cube. His battle prowess skyrocketed immediately to the point he was genuinely confident in being able to face off against Hannah and win, and even put up a fight against Ella he saw for a brief moment when she fought against Eos.

He'd hardly be able to defeat her, yes, but she would be hard-pressed to kill him too, especially if he utilized everything in his a.r.s.enal. Doing some quick calculations, he realized that fully equipped in armor, with proper weapons, and all his body-enhancing Arts activated, he could push both Strength and Vitality stats into millions, if not tens of millions. And while majority of his other stats lagged behind beyond the point of salvation, the highest being Agility at 15,000, it was irrelevant; even he knew the sheer impact of any one, let alone two, stats crossing into the seven-digits and eight-digits territory.

Remaining seated for a long while, he still had trouble accepting it all. Now more than ever he needed an exponential increase in strength, and that's exactly what he got. More and more he began realizing how important the items were and why blacksmiths were treated as heavenly lords by many. If, in the future, he becomes capable of crafting items directly impacting any ground of Laws... just how more insane could he become, he wondered.

Too entrapped in his own thoughts, he even failed to notice the doors to the smithy opening, and Lucky walking in casually. The first thing she saw were Chwek and Sena happily pa.s.sed out on the floor, huddled together, their expression halfway blissful and halfway terrified. Her gaze quickly veered on Lino who was drinking subconsciously -- or at least trying, since the drink just kept escaping from his mouth and flying onto his lap. His gaze was dull, empty, distant, lips occasionally curling up into a smile, and from time to time into a form of awe.

Shaking her head while smiling, she walked over slowly and stood right above him, yet he still failed to notice her. For someone who was usually on high alert, she realized he must have crafted something beyond huge to be this distracted from the reality. She suddenly picked up one of the bottles and, with an evil grin plastered across her face, swung it squarely across his head.

"GYAAAH!!!" Lino screeched in a high-pitch, jumping up from the chair and rolling back on his behind, cras.h.i.+ng a whole table in the process. Growing alert once more, he almost whipped out his weapons and readied for a battle before spotting the still-standing Lucky grinning at him with glee. "... uncool." he mumbled, shaking his head to try and dry the hair up. "I could have died, you know?"

"Oh, yeah. That scream of yours was really indicative of someone dying. Not necessarily a guy, but still someone." Lucky crackled.

"Hey, I told you many times," Lino grinned back. "I'm a gentleman of many layers; one of them just happens to be slightly... effeminate."

"Slightly? Yeah, keep telling yourself that." Lucky chuckled, picking up another bottle and popping it open. "So, Val talked to me."

"It must have been one h.e.l.l of a conversation if it prompted you to come here." Lino said, walking over and picking up a bottle himself.

"Oh, it was. Apparently, against consulting me, you decided to name me the leader of some phantom-whatever-s.h.i.+tfest that ought to be doing stuff in your name."

"... did I? I can't remember. Might have slipped my tongue."

"I've already dispatched twenty or so peeps to the Holy City," she said, sitting down. "To keep an eye out there and report. I've also tasked a few with running across the Demonic Battlefield and the Mainland here and report if they find suspicious newcomers. For the time being, the rest are training."

"... oh, you're more efficient than I thought you'd be." Lino stroked his chin."And, as always, I'm right. Aah, the burden of the wise..."

"The burden of the a.s.s!" she hit him lightly, seemingly pouting. "Do you even know what Val decided to name us?!"

"... what?" Lino asked, his eyes turning into slits.

"Shadows of Entropy!!" Lucky exclaimed, her cheeks turning slightly red.

"..."

"...."

"... that's... that's beautiful," Lino smiled wryly. "What's your motto? We're always staring at the Empyrean's bottom?"

"Pa!" it's been a while since someone squarely slapped him, yet Lino simply ignored it, bursting out into laughter.

"Hey, hey, don't get so worked up," he cried out. "Shadows are supposed to stay hidden!"

"Get back here, you a.s.shole!!"

"Ha ha ha..." Chwek and Sena suddenly woke to the scene of their Lord being chased around while laughing by Lucky as she cursed him out. All the while he continued throwing words that seemingly infuriated her even more, prompting a very cat-and-mouse chase around the room. They swore to themselves to forget everything that transpired within this room lest they lose the ability to follow the supposed Empyrean of their age.