Chapter 148: The Seven Architects
The sky shattered.
Seven colossal portals hovered above the continent, each radiating an aura so vast that daylight itself seemed to dim.
Every creature, from ordinary beasts to ancient spirit kings hidden in forgotten mountains, instinctively lowered their heads.
Fear.
Pure, instinctive fear.
Within Soul Cross Sect, thousands of disciples struggled to remain standing.
Some collapsed to their knees.
Others fainted under the crushing pressure.
Only the strongest elders managed to keep their footing.
Sect Master Aldric wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth as he stared into the heavens.
"What... are those monsters?"
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
Except Halo.
[The Seven Architects.]
Seraph slowly rose from the rubble.
Every muscle screamed in protest.
His ribs were broken.
His left shoulder was barely usable.
His spiritual core was covered in cracks.
Yet his eyes never left the sky.
"So there are really seven of them."
Halo replied quietly.
[Six.]
"What?"
[The seventh became me.]
Seraph froze.
Before he could ask another question, the Architect standing before him smiled.
"You finally admitted it."
Halo remained silent.
The other portals rippled.
One by one, towering figures stepped into view.
None looked alike.
One wore robes woven from stars.
Another had skin that resembled black crystal.
One appeared impossibly young.
Another looked older than time itself.
Yet they all possessed the same golden eyes.
Eyes that regarded the world as though it were nothing more than a game board.
The eldest among them spoke first.
"You have failed, Seventh."
Halo answered.
"I abandoned that title long ago."
"You abandoned your purpose."
"I remembered it."
The Architect’s gaze shifted toward Seraph.
"So this human is your replacement?"
"He is my choice."
A cold laugh echoed across the heavens.
"A mortal."
"How disappointing."
Seraph stepped forward.
"I’m standing right here."
Several Architects looked at him.
One chuckled.
"He has spirit."
"Should we erase him first?"
"No."
The eldest shook his head.
"I wish to understand why the Seventh risked everything for a single soul."
His golden eyes settled on Seraph.
"What makes you worthy?"
Seraph answered without hesitation.
"Nothing."
The Architects blinked.
"I’m not chosen because I’m perfect."
"I’m here because someone believed I could become better."
Silence followed.
Then one of the younger Architects laughed loudly.
"I like this one."
The eldest remained expressionless.
"Belief."
"An inefficient calculation."
Seraph shrugged.
"Maybe."
"But it’s stronger than fear."
The Architect beside him snorted.
"Arrogant."
Halo whispered inside Seraph’s mind.
[They’re distracting us.]
"I noticed."
[The portal behind them is still expanding.]
Seraph glanced upward.
Halo was right.
The seven portals were slowly merging into one enormous gateway.
"What happens if they complete it?"
Halo hesitated.
Then answered.
[Earth becomes visible.]
Seraph’s heart skipped.
"My... home?"
[Yes.]
[The barrier between worlds will collapse.]
Images flashed through his mind.
Crowded streets.
City lights.
Children walking to school.
People who had no idea cultivation even existed.
If those monsters reached Earth...
It wouldn’t be a war.
It would be a massacre.
His fists clenched.
"They’re not getting there."
The eldest Architect smiled faintly.
"You understand now."
"We did not come for this insignificant world."
"We came for the next."
A wave of silence swept across the battlefield.
Earth.
Their true target had always been Earth.
Yelena slowly stood beside Seraph.
Her silver aura had stabilized.
The pendant she once carved now floated beside her as a glowing crystal.
"I’ll fight with you."
Seraph looked at her.
"You just got your memories back."
"I also got my family back."
She smiled through her tears.
"I’m not losing either."
He nodded.
"Then we stand together."
Astra’s voice echoed calmly.
[Dual Core Resonance: 81%.]
Halo immediately followed.
[Synchronization stable.]
The eldest Architect slowly raised his right hand.
"Enough conversation."
"Erase them."
Three Architects moved simultaneously.
One pointed toward Seraph.
Another toward Yelena.
The third toward Soul Cross Sect itself.
Three attacks.
Three different directions.
Seraph couldn’t stop all of them.
Neither could Yelena.
Halo calculated desperately.
[Probability of saving everyone... 0.4 percent.]
Seraph inhaled.
Then smiled.
"I’ve survived worse odds."
He turned to Elder Song.
"Master."
The old man looked up.
"Take everyone underground."
"What about you?"
"I’ll buy time."
"You can’t fight seven!"
"I don’t need to."
"I only need to delay them."
Elder Song’s fists trembled.
Every instinct screamed at him to refuse.
Instead...
He bowed.
Deeply.
To his disciple.
"I am proud of you."
Without another word, he gathered the surviving elders and began evacuating the disciples.
The Architects watched with amusement.
"They’re running."
"They’re surviving," Seraph corrected.
"There is a difference."
Blue lightning exploded around him.
Silver light wrapped around Yelena.
The two auras intertwined until they resembled twin dragons circling the sky.
Halo suddenly spoke.
[Seraph.]
"What?"
[The resonance is forcing open another seal.]
A new notification appeared before both Seraph and Yelena.
Neither had seen it before.
---
World Core Authority Unlocked
Candidate Status Confirmed
Preparing Successor Trial...
---
Seraph frowned.
"Successor?"
The eldest Architect’s calm expression vanished.
"No..."
One of the younger Architects took a step back.
"That’s impossible."
Another whispered,
"The Trial has recognized them..."
Halo’s voice was steady.
"It has begun."
Before Seraph could ask what that meant, the merged portal split apart.
Not because of the Architects.
Because something inside it was trying to come out.
A gigantic eye slowly opened beyond the gateway.
It dwarfed mountains.
It dwarfed continents.
It looked past the Seven Architects...
And fixed its gaze directly on Seraph.
Then a voice, older than creation itself, echoed across every world.
The voice echoed across the heavens.
No.
It echoed through existence itself.
Every sound vanished beneath it.
The Seven Architects immediately knelt.
Not one.
All seven.
The arrogant beings who had treated worlds like toys lowered their heads without hesitation.
Their expressions were no longer calm.
They were afraid.
Seraph exchanged a glance with Yelena.
"I thought they answered to no one."
Halo answered quietly.
[They don’t.]
[They serve.]
The gigantic eye beyond the fractured gateway remained fixed on the siblings.
Its gaze carried no killing intent.
No warmth either.
It simply observed.
As though measuring something.
The eldest Architect finally spoke.
"Great Origin..."
"We have the situation under control."
The eye did not move.
Instead, the ancient voice answered.
"You lie."
Those two words shook every mountain on the continent.
The eldest Architect’s face paled.
A thin stream of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
He had been injured...
By two words.
The remaining Architects lowered their heads even further.
Seraph frowned.
"Who is that?"
Halo was silent for several moments.
When it finally answered, its voice carried respect.
[The First Creator.]
Seraph blinked.
"I thought the Architects created everything."
[That was the lie they spread.]
[The First Creator built the World Cores.]
[The Architects were originally its guardians.]
Astra continued.
[Until they betrayed their purpose.]
Yelena slowly looked toward the kneeling figures.
"So they stole the worlds they were meant to protect."
[Correct.]
The First Creator spoke again.
"Seventh Guardian."
Halo brightened.
Its blue light pulsed once.
"You abandoned your station."
Halo replied without hesitation.
"I did."
"Why?"
Halo remained quiet.
Then answered with a single sentence.
"They forgot that life matters."
Silence followed.
Then...
The enormous eye slowly closed.
When it reopened, the golden color had changed.
It was now blue.
The exact same shade as Halo.
The Architects stiffened.
The eldest finally looked up.
"Impossible..."
"The Origin is judging us?"
The First Creator ignored him.
Instead, it addressed Seraph directly.
"Child of Earth."
Seraph stepped forward.
"I’m listening."
"Do you know why you were chosen?"
He glanced toward Halo.
"I thought I did."
"Now I’m not so sure."
The ancient voice rumbled softly.
"Good."
"Those who believe they know everything cannot inherit anything."
A new notification appeared.
---
Successor Trial
Phase One Initiated
Condition: Protect Your World
---
Seraph frowned.
"My world?"
Halo answered.
[Not this one.]
Seraph’s expression hardened.
"Earth."
Halo nodded.
The gigantic eye slowly shifted toward the merged gateway.
Inside it...
A new image appeared.
Earth.
Blue oceans.
White clouds.
Cities sparkling beneath the night sky.
Exactly as Seraph remembered.
For a brief moment, homes, schools, busy roads, and ordinary lives filled his vision.
Then...
The image rippled.
Dark cracks spread across the planet.
The Seven Architects had already begun reaching through the barrier.
One whispered,
"It is beautiful."
Another smiled.
"So fragile."
Seraph’s fists clenched.
"No."
The eldest Architect finally rose.
"If we cannot stop the Trial..."
"We’ll eliminate its candidates."
The other six stood beside him.
Their fear disappeared.
Only determination remained.
The First Creator did nothing.
It merely watched.
Halo’s voice became urgent.
[This is the Trial.]
[It will not interfere.]
"They’re going to attack."
[Exactly.]
Blue lightning burst around Seraph.
Silver flames surrounded Yelena.
The siblings stood shoulder to shoulder.
Seraph smiled.
"Looks like we’re doing this ourselves."
Yelena laughed softly.
"Just like when we were children."
"You remember that?"
"You always made me fight the older kids."
Seraph grinned.
"They were picking on you."
"You usually lost."
"I still stood up."
She nodded.
"You did."
The brief exchange settled both of them.
No fear.
Only resolve.
The eldest Architect raised his hand.
"Kill them."
The six others vanished.
Not one after another.
All at once.
Halo reacted instantly.
[Left!]
Seraph blocked a blade of black light.
[Above!]
He ducked beneath a spear.
[Behind!]
He spun, catching a crystal fist inches from his head.
At the same moment, Yelena moved with Astra’s guidance.
Silver barriers appeared around fleeing disciples.
Every attack aimed at the sect was redirected into the empty sky.
Elder Song looked back while evacuating the last group.
"They’re protecting us..."
Even while facing seven beings beyond imagination...
They hadn’t forgotten the people behind them.
The battle spread across the heavens.
Blue and silver streaks crossed the clouds.
Black and gold tore through space.
Mountains collapsed.
Rivers changed course.
The continent itself groaned beneath the strain.
Seraph barely avoided another strike.
He countered with his soul blade.
The youngest Architect caught it.
"You’ve improved."
"But you’re still mortal."
He smiled.
"So are you."
The Architect frowned.
"What?"
"You bleed."
Seraph pointed.
A thin line of golden blood ran across the Architect’s palm.
The first wound.
Tiny.
But real.
The remaining Architects noticed it too.
For the first time...
One of them looked uncertain.
Halo’s voice sounded almost excited.
[Their bodies exist in this world now.]
[That means they can be harmed.]
Seraph smiled wider.
"So the gods..."
"...can bleed."
The eldest Architect’s face darkened.
"Enough."
He raised both hands toward the sky.
The six others did the same.
The merged gateway trembled violently.
A massive object slowly descended from within.
At first, Seraph thought it was another portal.
Then he realized...
It was a throne.
Forged from countless shattered worlds.
Upon it rested a sword so enormous that its tip disappeared into the clouds above.
Halo’s excitement vanished.
Its voice became little more than a whisper.
[Seraph...]
"What is that?"
Halo hesitated.
Then answered.
[The Creator’s Blade.]
[The weapon that ended the Age of Guardians.]
The eldest Architect smiled for the first time since the Trial began.
"You wished to make gods bleed."
He reached toward the descending sword.
"Now witness..."
"...the weapon that kills them."
Far above, the First Creator finally moved.
Its enormous eye narrowed.
Not in anger.
In recognition.
As if it had just remembered something important.
Then it spoke a single name.
"...Nathan."
Seraph’s heart stopped.
Nathan.
His name from Earth.
A name he had not heard since the day he died.
"At last... I have found my heirs."
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