The whale returned to the planet slowly, floating in the skies. All forms of life watched him up there, as if he were the only source of light in the world. He stopped, then emitted a soft puff and converted a small fraction of the power granted by the hero into IQ.
In the firmament, his round and divine figure pulsed with radiant power, connecting with all those who had placed their faith in him. No matter where they were on the planet, everyone could feel and hear his words.
"People of the planet Pristine. From today, we no longer belong to the original universe..."
Bruno took over, beginning to declare to everyone in a straightforward manner. He didn’t need to explain how the hero thought and acted; to everyone, the evil he represented was evident, but the title of the one who commanded and created all the evil in multiple universes struck everyone’s mind like lightning.
Then, he revealed that they were in a universe that had been destroyed long ago. Thanks to the sacrifice of the Primordial Divine Beast, guardian of the planet, life was reborn in this place so that everyone could live.
"The Behemoth has always protected this planet, and its bloodline and influence have always been among mortals. Now he’s gone, passing this responsibility to me. However, the enemy will not remain inactive; soon, I will have to leave and confront him again to protect everyone."
The whale spoke slowly, leaving people breathless with this new information. The Behemoth used to be seen only as an ancient legend. Now everyone’s minds connected the dots; his sacred bloodline was indeed the same as the planet’s greatest clan, and even the name of the Three Extremes Sect was a tribute to the powers of the primordial beast. He had always been present.
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"I leave to you the responsibility of populating the universe and preparing against external evil. Humans, beasts, dwarves, elves... all are insignificant in front of the heroes and the Queen. Despite the differences, if you wish to live, do not repeat the mistakes of the past; stop creating divisions among yourselves."
Everyone listened in surprise, and after a few seconds, the whale continued, "I trust that this current generation will cherish this new chance they’ve been given. However, future generations may forget and restart conflicts. The future depends on the seeds and examples you leave behind. Make sure your descendants do not forget the Behemoth, the Hero, and me. If you place your faith in me, I will always have the strength to continue the legacy wherever I am. Alone, I will never win or be able to protect you; you may consider yourselves small, but each one has their own fight. I need you to unite and fight in whatever way you can. By protecting yourselves, you have a much greater effect than you can imagine."
As his last words echoed, his power dissipated. The whale descended gently through the skies before the astonished and pensive gazes of everyone, then entered the city’s formation.
Arriving at the city center, all the inhabitants watched him with tense and pained eyes. The whale observed them gently and spoke: "She has not completely departed yet. There is hope, just pray for her."
His words struck everyone like a thunderbolt of hope and joy. Ruri was just below the divine being as the central pillar of this place. All the whale statues included her; the Whale was the Deity, while she officially represented love for everyone as his divine wife. The cultivators witnessed her death, which deeply shocked them; in the city, there were no secrets, and everyone quickly found out, creating a somber atmosphere. Now, everything has changed drastically.
The whale turned and looked in the direction of his closest people. Kaiyka, Langrum, Loeus, Almin, Rehvka, and Thea quickly moved to the castle, gathering together.
First, the whale gave them a detailed explanation of the events. Now, with the total destruction of the formation, the secret continent would only be an ordinary and uninhabited continent. It was then that Rehvka had a quick idea.
"Let’s build the kingdom of the Onis there. They are completely loyal to master, can live independently, and still maintain a part of their culture. If they follow the guidelines of our religion, they will never be like they were in the past. Besides, some Oni women are already expecting hybrid children from this..." She swallowed hard in the middle of her words, trying to disguise it. "This was the work of the sister... she positioned herself as the goddess of love, encouraging everyone to love each other."
Everyone’s eyes trembled, feeling an unparalleled pain in their chests. It was at that moment that the whale shared what the Behemoth had told them about Ruri. At that instant, Alm and Bruno were shocked; tears filled everyone’s eyes, but seeing even Langrum in that state left them stunned; everyone loved and respected Ruri equally. Now, the words of hope stirred deep emotions in them.
"Lord, I think I know how... it should be impossible... she was mortal... but if it’s her..." Kaiyka spoke between sobs.
The whale widened its eyes; they knew there was a way, but they had no idea how. Kaiyka was the only one with some clue. "How? Tell me what you know."
"The ring you gave her. When I felt it for the first time after coming back, I sensed soul energy flowing into it." Kaiyka replied seriously, and the whale immediately nodded, opening the inventory.
In the next instant, Ruri’s small body appeared before them all. She was dead, but because she had been quickly stored in the inventory, there was no death Yin flowing from her body temporarily. The whale gently placed her on the bed and held her hand, which was clutching the ring.
It was a rose-golden ring, shining beautifully and conspicuously. They obtained it from a chest in the system, and its level was 77/100. Its name was Ring of Timeless Bond, made by an immortal dwarf. Everything indicated it was something extraordinary, but at the time they received it, upon analyzing it with their divine souls, they didn’t notice anything unusual. (Chapter 491)
Dwarves used to make this kind of thing; they liked to create objects randomly, without necessarily having a practical use. This race was known for making beautiful things like jewelry and common clothes, as well as transcendent equipment for battle and war, and most of the time, the same dwarf made both. So, Alm and Bruno simply gave it to Ruri; even if it was just decorative, it was beautiful, and they knew she would be very happy.
The whale investigated the ring with all its focus, but felt absolutely nothing. Kaiyka, seeing its despondent expression, joined in, also investigating the ring anxiously.
She also felt nothing...
Seeing her devastated expression, the whale sighed, trying to calm its mind, but it was impossible. Everything they had stored in their hearts surged again like a throbbing pain that tore through their souls. They wanted to see her again, no matter what. They wanted to make her happy... but now she was distant and inaccessible.
Without much thought and completely immersed in that pain, the whale held Ruri’s hand and squeezed, trying to touch something that was no longer there.
’Brat... where are you...’ Alm murmured mentally, unable to hide his feelings.
Bruno was equally immersed in that pain; he no longer had much control over his impulses; now, only his purest Will flowed out.
’We saved everyone because of you. We want to reward you and will do whatever you wish. We will no longer run from your feelings or desires. Just...’ He stopped, interrupted by a sudden premonition.
It was in that second that the whale felt a subtle and almost imperceptible change.