Moorta was shattering the world’s natural order. When Merlin and Aruba saw this scene, they did not have a single doubt. After all, they were a Free Being and a Controller, so they were very familiar with the Latitude Cosmos.
“Merlin, what do we do now?”
Aruba started to get anxious. Even if they failed this mission, it would not affect them much but no matter what, they had spent over a millennium in the Bluewater World. Allowing Naya to succeed just like that would not sit well with them.
Merlin’s face was gloomy and he cast a glance at Mino who was on the ground. At last, he gritted his teeth. “What else can we do? We can only stake everything in one blow. We mustn’t let Naya get away with this so easily. Quick, wake Mino up!”
Merlin and Aruba both swatted Mino awake and the shadow of the world’s apparition surrounding him vanished as well. When Mino saw the abrupt changes in the sky, a scary thought flashed across his mind and his expression dropped.
“Is Moorta becoming a Free Being?”
When he saw Merlin and Aruba nodding, Mino’s heart grew heavier. Today, he was no longer ignorant like he was before. He knew very well what it meant for Moorta to begin breaking free of the natural order and becoming a Free Being. It meant that he would never become a Controller. As Moorta would break the natural order, the source of his power, the natural order that took the form of the world, would even lose its strength completely. He would become an ordinary man.
To Mino who was determined to take his revenge and settle the grudge, this was a devastating blow. Nonetheless, Mino was clear about the disparity between him and Moorta. He was still a long way from reaching the point of becoming a Controller.
If he tried to devour the world’s will now to replace it and become the Controller of the Bluewater World, his odds of success were not even ten percent. He could not possibly succeed.
However, Mino was completely unwilling to just sit around, waiting to be defeated.
“Teacher Merlin, I can’t accept this!”
Mino’s eyes were bloodshot. He could not accept this. A thousand years’ worth of slow accumulation was turned into a mirage. He did not even have a chance to put up a fight.
Merlin gazed at Mino calmly. This ordinary person of the Bluewater World had accompanied Merlin for a millennium. Moreover, Mino had always treated Merlin as his teacher, so Merlin had begun to feel a certain affection for Mino. He could sense the bitter internal struggle in Mino now. He was discontented. A thousand years’ of hard work was wasted.
“No, Mino. It’s not that you have no chance at all. It’s just that it’d be very dangerous. A small mistake and you’ll die directly. Not even I can save you.”
After a long moment, Merlin spoke slowly.
Mino was slightly taken aback but then erupted with wild delight, laughing loudly. “Haha, what is mere death? If Moorta truly succeeds in shattering the natural order, the entire Bluewater World would fall to pieces. I’ll lose my power too. At that point, I might as well be dead. Plus, for Moorta then, killing me would be a walk in the park. What life is there left for me?”
Merlin nodded. Mino’s emotions were calm and stable. Since that was the case, Merlin no longer kept Mino guessing and said, “This method is very simple. Moorta wants to become a Free Being, right? Thus, his first step is surely to break the world’s natural order. Well, the Bluewater World’s will wouldn’t allow anyone to shatter its natural order.
“Therefore, this will be the battle between Moorta and the entire Bluewater World. Moorta might gain the upper hand and slowly break apart the world’s natural order. At that point, the world’s will would crumble bit by bit. This is the key moment, Mino. What you need to do is simple. You must seize the moment when the Bluewater World’s natural order is crumbling bit by bit and the strength of its will is dwindling slowly. Then, you must devour the Bluewater World in one gulp.
“Perhaps you’re racing against Moorta. Whether it’s he who first shatter the natural order and become a Free Being or you who first devour the Bluewater World’s will become the Bluewater World’s Controller in one move thus crushing Moorta – no one can tell. This is the decisive battle between the both of you. In a sense, both of you are on equal ground, fighting each other with your destinies. Whoever loses will be consigned to eternal defeat!”
This was Merlin’s plan. It was ruthless indeed. One wrong move and Mino would be trapped in his fate forever.
After Merlin spoke, even Aruba fell into a deep silence. He noticed the ruthlessness of this plan. There was no leeway at all. It was success or death.
“Haha, good, good. Thank you, Teacher. This plan is excellent. I’ve always wanted a battle on equal ground with Moorta. Today, I have such a good chance. How can I let it slip past me? If he doesn’t die, then I will. This is very fair!”
After Mino heard what Merlin’s plan was, he burst out in joyful laughter. From his perspective, this plan was very fair. His hard work over a millennium had not gone to waste. It was all for this equal and evenly matched fight with Moorta.
Merlin nodded wordlessly to himself. They were burning their boats here. There would be no room for retreat.
“Mino, get yourself ready then. We’ll start out in a bit.”
Merlin said calmly. He knew that Mino wanted to make offerings to his family.
After Mino bowed respectfully to Merlin, he turned to leave. With his current capability, traveling through space was a child’s play.
After Mino had left, Aruba frowned and said, “Brother Merlin, even if Mino failed, as long as you’re willing, you could still keep him in your Minor Cosmos. He won’t die then.”
Merlin nodded. Aruba knew very well that even if Moorta became a Free Being, as long as Merlin was willing to protect Mino, there would not be any problem.
“If we don’t do this, we might have no way of unleashing Mino’s last bit of potential. He had waited for so long. A thousand years of hard work for today’s chance of a fair battle with Moorta. How can he let it pass him by? Only by embracing a literal do-or-die stance, would Mino have the chance to succeed. Which Controller had not gone through countless life-and-death encounters to finally become a Controller? This is the biggest test Mino will face. If he failed in the end, I’ll keep him in my Illusory World, allowing him to live a peaceful life…”
It was not that Merlin did not care for Mino. He had a plan to prevent Mino from dying but he must not divulge this to Mino at this moment.
Aruba nodded. He understood too. Merlin wanted to stimulate all of Mino’s potential and so he must do this. They could not allow Mino to cling to any hope of survival.
They waited for three consecutive days. Mino finally returned. After making offerings to his loved ones, he appeared much calmer overall. Nonetheless, anyone could tell that beneath his tranquil exterior, there was hidden a steely resolve!
“Alright, let’s go. Moorta is almost about to break the natural order.”
After Merlin spoke, he brought Mino and Aruba with him and traveled through space, heading toward the place where the changes were most intense.
…
“Hoo…”
A huge wind snarled. Above a barren wilderness, Moorta was standing in the air. Around him were the endless, ferocious gale and massive sweeps of the terrifying world’s will.
Nonetheless, Moorta appeared very calm. There was no trace of energy around him but the world’s will seemed to feel threatened somehow. It ceaselessly rained down various forces upon Moorta to deal with him but there was little to no effect.
Beside Moorta stood an enigmatic man. It was Naya. As he watched Moorta, a satisfied smile splayed across his face and he said serenely, “Alright, Moorta, nearly there. You can shatter the natural order now. The Bluewater World’s will is helpless against you!”
Naya appeared to be brimming with confidence. After a millennium of guidance from him, today, Moorta was equipped with almost all the traits of a Free Being.
Currently, not even the Bluewater World’s will could do anything to Moorta. What else could stop him?
Maybe Merlin and Aruba could but with Naya around, Merlin and Aruba would not dare to attack. Otherwise, if they wrecked this Latitude Cosmos, both sides would be penalized by Sir Tyron.
“Very well!”
Moorta appeared excited as well. He looked up and glanced at the sky that was filled with the whirling wind, then thrust a fist upward.
“Boom.”
The entire space shuddered. Bursts of the natural order cast down like chains. This was not the power of mountains and rivers but a force even greater than them.
This was because each beam of the natural order’s power represented the fundamental strength of the Bluewater World. The power of the entire world was gathered and sent crashing down viciously upon Moorta.
“Haha, just in time! Shatter to pieces then….”
Moorta chortled loudly, his laughter ringing in all directions. His two fists contained fearsome strength and transformed into countless shadows that struck in the air. Each shadow fist caused the air to vibrate.
A “whimpering” sound came from the wind as if the sky was weeping. This was the limit of the force which the Bluewater World could bear and Moorta’s strength had exceeded that limit.
“Crack.”
Finally, a sharp crack sounded from the air. Whether it was Naya or Moorta, they both heard this clear sound and a look of delight bloomed over their faces.
This was the sound of the natural order shattering, meaning that the Bluewater World’s most powerful natural order was pummeled by Moorta until it started to gradually crumble and disintegrate.
Once all of the natural order’s power had collapsed and disintegrated, the entire world would be unable to restrain Moorta any longer. He would become a genuine Free Being, a mighty existence among countless Latitude Cosmoses, transcending the Latitude Cosmos.
“Swish swish swish.”
At this point, in the frenzied sky, three figures appeared dimly. The surrounding chaos of the gale did not seem to affect them at all.
“You’ve arrived too late!”
Naya narrowed his eyes. When he saw these three figures, his voice revealed a sense of blitheness. From his point of view, Merlin and the rest had come too late. By now, Moorta was highly accomplished in his power. No one could stop him from becoming a Free Being.
“Is that so?”
Merlin did not look at Naya but kept staring at Moorta. From his acute observation, he saw that the Bluewater World’s natural order was collapsing too rapidly. Even its will was swiftly weakening.
Just as the Bluewater World was weakened to its limit and could collapse at any time, Merlin yelled, “Now’s the time! Mino, go, devour the world’s will as much as you like. From this moment, you don’t have much time left but you and Moorta are at least on the same starting line. You’re in an equal fight against him!”
Indeed, the current Mino’s eyes were bloodshot and his body exuded a matchless, terrifying presence. He was wildly devouring the Bluewater World’s will. He was never on the same starting line with Moorta and even when he did his best he could not compare to Moorta.
However, Mino felt that this was the moment of utmost fairness!
