Chapter 1198: Hymn Of Utopia

The 34th floor—Nova Realm—a hundred and ten star systems, ravaged by unstable stars, exploding planets, and comets was an apocalypse brought to life.

If the historians or strongly religious people of earth were here, they'd have scrambled to their workplace and recorded everything, while praying on the side hoping for divine intervention.

But the civilizations found on this floor had no such inclinations. They didn't bother writing down their history nor did they pray for protection.

These dwarf humans—no more than three feet—continued doing their work. Research, painting, sculpting, farming...everything imaginable under the sun.

The streets of these men and women, all had a particular tree on the sidewalks. It looked like a cherry blossom tree but it grew up from a seed to a tree, gave off glowing cherry blossoms, and died in just a minute. Then, another seed took its place.

There was no concept called money. There was produce and there was consumption. People took what was needed and shared happily.

Maria and Varian walked on the streets in disguise. But they felt like they were standing out and getting exposed.

It wasn't the defect of Maria's treasure or Varian's powers.

"Really..." Maria sighed deeply, the look in her eyes complicated and perplexed.

Varian didn't reply. His gaze was fixated on the brilliant smiles flashing on every single person walking on the street.

It was a genuine smile, something only kids in their innocence. A smile so bright and cheerful that even his heavy heart was swept into joy.

Varian had toured the planet for a few hours already, there wasn't a single fight, robbery, murder, or even a crime.

It was unbelievable. But for some reason, it felt just right—this was how these people behaved—their way of life.

Even though Maria and Varian were both excellent actors, they couldn't give that genuine smile. They just couldn't. Even if they tried, it fell flat in front of the ones that came straight from the heart.

"You know," Varian walked into a park and sat on a tree branch. Looking into the blue sun in the pink sky, a scene that rivaled a painting, he chuckled. "When I was a kid, I used to believe in this thing called Utopia. Everyone is happy, no one fights, no one is greedy."

Maria shook her head. "It's Utopia for a reason. It's impossible."

"We are in a Utopia." Varian laughed, but his gaze was down and his expression heavy. "This place, this is how I want my home to be. No crime, no pressure, be happy and be good."

Maria leaned against the tree and said nothing.

"The beauty of this place exists only because it's on the threat of destruction at any moment." Varian looked at the smiles on the people and said without any doubt. "The moment they live in a normal world, greed will win, peace will end and conflict will begin. It always does.

The smiles we're seeing on everyone, they'll only remain on naive children. Everything will be corrupted."

Maria couldn't help but nod.

It was the irony of humans, no, of any sentient race with emotions.

The Utopia every sentient civilization dreamed of at least once in their existence was here. But it occurred only because of the constant threat of destruction.

Had it not been the case, this place would've been like any other.

Three hours passed quietly.

Varian didn't speak again and watched the people enjoying their lives, doing what they loved, as if it was their last day because it might as well be.

Unfortunately or fortunately, they were right.

A signal went off and golden glyphs shot into the sky. Everyone—on the streets, homes, museums—stopped what they were doing and closed their eyes with a big smile.

Even though there were tears swirling in the corners of some, they too chanted with the rest.

"A life that is lived,

A gift, not wasted.

No regret that it ended,

Only joy that it happened."

As their chants rang softly in the air, the core of the planet exploded.

The park or what once was a park, had now debris of rock, water, and magma floating in the space.

Varian sighed deeply and flew to the central coordinates of what was once the planet. Now, it's an expanding sphere of blue flames.

As he approached the center, the fire split open and revealed a shining green mass of gas inside. A handful gathered onto Varian's palm which he stored away in a specialized container.

"Your treasures can control matter and energy? You have too many treasures." Maria muttered from the side.

"Where's the exit?" Varian asked, his voice a little dull.

He initially wanted to intervene in this destruction. But after learning of its nature, he didn't.

"Why in a hurry? Don't you want to watch?" Maria crossed her arms and asked.

"I thought you were on a mission."

Maria's expression crumbled but she said in a hurried tone. "We can't use the fertilizer immediately. It needs at least three hours to get into a usable state."

Varian argued no more and backed off from the planet's core and debris.

After expanding for a while, everything started to contract. The flames, the soil, the rocks, the magma, even the flesh, blood, and...souls. Varian saw the souls of all the dead, slowly returning to the planet.

Then, changes that'd have taken tens of millions of years took place in mere minutes. The most primitive of life began and an hour later, the humans of this planet were born.

They were born with knowledge they didn't know the source of, of history they didn't remember living through, and with a state of mind that didn't fit their humble beginning.

They began working together and started building a society where no one had to be hungry, poor, or homeless.

"What a strange planet..." Varian sighed.

If he intervened, their reincarnation would halt and their 'eternal lives' would end.

Even then, he wanted to save them, but after observing them accepting death like that, he respected their choices.

The two left the planet and took off to the nearby star system that seemed to have the teleportation gate.

"Wait a minute, why aren't we ambushed by now? Shouldn't that be the case?" As they passed by a star, Maria asked.

"Oh, don't raise any fla—"

The star, which was incredibly stable until then, exploded.

Two types of beasts, numbering dozens, surrounded them. Creatures of reddish gas and creatures born from the flame itself.

Varian's hair was burning in the fire and worried if he'd go bald. 'Bald Emperor gives the vibes of a tyrant.'

Maria, on the other hand, didn't even have a scratch on her leather armor and pants.

"Star beasts, children of stars." Maria summoned her spear and swung it in an arc to blow back the advancing beasts.

Aeromancers—the gaseous creatures—at the peak of rank 5 were hit by the shockwaves and almost dissipated. But a small part of their body—a breath of gas remained and they quickly regenerated back.

Pyromancers—the fire creatures—even the peak rank 5s were able to take part of her attack collectively and disperse it.

"This is going to be a bit problematic," Maria muttered. "Every bit of Aeromancers need to be destroyed for them to die and Pyromancers are very, very resilient."

Varian, on the other hand, was grinning like a madman.

After this battle, all his paths would set foot on rank 4!