Seeing the movements from both the Covenant and the Nexus, the surrounding powers couldn’t help but pay attention. After all, the conflict of these two behemoths had lasted for several millennia. The battlefields had shifted, but not too much, as they couldn’t bother other powers and have the scales tilt one way or the other.

Yet, suddenly, the Nexus had deviated a relatively decent portion of their army to attack a remote part of the galaxy. Naturally, the Covenant reacted by starting an offense where the hole was created, and they even managed to push two Solar Systems deeper than usual in their frontlines before the Nexus stabilized.

Soon, informants on both powers began gathering intel and sending it to their powers. Spying was a matter of course in the galactic environment, as empires became too big to micromanage every single person.

So, the solution was to "allow" some of the information to flow outwards, while guarding the most important pieces among the top few who could be trusted and also surveilled.

The <Seven Star Branches Sect> was a power that occupied seven Solar Systems. These Seven Solar Systems were in a vantage point with spatial resource points, and the individual power of the top powerhouses was strong enough to make them somewhat feared in their vicinity.

In this sect, a tall Sylvan with sparkling silvery hair and gorgeous, bright silver eyes stood straight, holding a powerful spear. This spear radiated light energies, while her demeanor was cold and stern.

Four summons of light that looked like wooden warriors guarded her sides. This battlefield she was taking part in was against their opponent sect, the <Deep Maw Sect>. And, opposite to her, a woman who could be considered her antithesis smiled at her.

The woman, equally tall and slender, had inky-black hair and eyes, some of which obscured one of her eyes. "Seraphina, do you need to be so serious about this?"

Seraphina looked at the woman opposite her, her tone full of righteousness. It was not the cheap kind, though. Seraphina’s beliefs were pure and heartfelt. "Obsidianis, you exterminated that city. Was there really a need for such actions? You deserve punishment!"

Obsidianis sighed. "Seraphina, you knew as well as I that the city was lost. The corruption had infiltrated even the children. If we didn’t get rid of that city, they would’ve grown like a cancerous tumor and become a new <Corrupted Zone>."

Seraphina knew. That was why she participated in the extermination back then with Obsidianis. Both of them had razed that entire world, erasing basically all life there with their powerful light and dark summonings and skills.

"Still... was there a reason to gloat during that event?"

Here, Obsidianis felt a bit guilty. It wasn’t that she was enjoying the hunt or slaughter, but she relished in letting her own power set free. However, Seraphina seemed to have misunderstood her back then, and Obsidianis knew that explaining would do little.

"Seraphina, I will reiterate again. I am not a danger. I do not relish in slaughter. I was just happy to finally be able to unleash my power without needing to take into account details."

Even when she knew explaining would not do much, she still tried. After all, both Obsidianis and Seraphina had grown since they were little together, being rivals but also friends.

While they fought often, it was more out of stubbornness to surpass the other one. Never out of malice. It was due to that attitude that they both grew incredibly strong, having reached Level 200 quite a while ago.

If one were to see around them, countless dark and light creatures were fighting each other. The light creatures were all humanoid, looking like a legion of plant people who had been evangelized. Their tactics were firm, creating frontlines, mage ranks, and even healing ranks. They even fought in formations.

Meanwhile, the dark creatures were the complete opposite. Their numbers were much more, and their figures were monstrous and beastly. However, even with number advantage, their reckless fighting made them equal to the army of light soldiers.

Both sides had their advantages, and both summoners had skills, talents, and titles to buff their fighting style. Even then, they were basically equal.

Their fight was occurring in a Space Hunt Territory, being fought off by their two sects, and their strengths had become the main forces, making all others dare not approach.

After hearing Obsidianis’s serious words, Seraphina knew that she was probably not lying. While she didn’t like Obsidianis’s attitude, Seraphina knew that she was not an evil woman at heart.

Still, Seraphina also knew that Obsidianis was not a good person, so to speak. She understood that her ability to empathize was quite lacking. It was as if the darkness in her body was too strong and slowly consuming even her own mentality.

"Obsidianis, be obedient this time and let me defeat you. I will take you back home so that Aunty Veyra can decide on a punishment."

Obsidianis sighed. She, on the other side, felt that Seraphina’s attitude was becoming a bit too extreme in the completely opposite direction of herself. Seraphina’s initial faint sense of justice and good-heartedness was starting to become overly... dogmatic and punitive.

She was not angry at Seraphina, just like Seraphina was not angry at herself. She just felt worried for this friend of hers who was straying.

Both sides, with equal perspectives but different attitudes, had taken the first step toward walking the path of irreconcilable enemies.

Obsidianis shook her head. "Seraphina, I truly don’t want this misunderstanding to create a rift."

Seraphina answered firmly. "Then, why are you refusing my words?"

"Because I know that you don’t just want me to return to be punished. You want to take that chance to step ahead and then control my actions to a certain extent." She smiled sadly. "I know you truly think you are doing this for my own good, but believe me, this is doing everything but that."

Seraphina’s heart stirred, but after a second of doubt, her eyes grew a bit firmer, and the sense of justice within her hardened.

Seeing her gaze, the sense of defiance within Obsidianis also deepened, a faint touch of resentment brewing in her heart. Barely discernible, but still there.

When they were about to continue with their battle, both of them received a message from their sects. "Return for now. The Nexus and Covenant seem about to enter a full-scale, blown-out war. The millennial conflict might be resolved soon."

The <Deep Maw Sect> told Obsidianis: "We should support the Nexus."

The <Seven Star Branches Sect> told Seraphina. "We should support the Covenant."

At this, both Seraphina and Obsidianis were startled. Seraphina was surprised because she had not expected the sect to take sides.

Meanwhile, Obsidianis was stunned to learn that her sect was actually supporting the Nexus. While Obsidianis felt a greater affinity for this sect, she was still a member of the Covenant. She asked back, bewildered. "Why are we supporting them? This is not right!"

The person on the other side answered coldly. "This is much more complicated than you think, Obsidianis. I know you are from the Covenant. However, as the candidate for the next Sect Master, you should know your priorities."

Seraphina was informed: "The <Deep Maw Sect> is intending to support the Nexus. Be careful of Obsidianis. I know you might think of her as a former friend. However, our informants told us that Obsidianis has been selected as the next Sect Master of the <Deep Maw Sect>." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Seraphina was baffled, and then, she looked at Obsidianis across her. Their summons were still battling, creating a line of light and darkness dividing both their camps.

Looking at that line, Seraphina felt as if she was being pulled apart from Obsidianis. She felt that this should not happen. That their connection should be deeper. Why was then Destiny seemingly pushing them apart? Were their paths that impossible to merge and travel together?

Seraphina felt unwilling to let her good friend walk the wrong path!

Meanwhile, Obsidianis was currently struggling very badly. The resources to become stronger and keep up with Seraphina were with the <Deep Maw Sect>.

If she took a step back here, she would eventually be surpassed. Something she was incredibly unwilling to let happen. Looking across the battlefield, Obsidianis could see Seraphina’s silver starry eyes looking her way.

Black and Silver met, both sides showing different levels of complexity within them. Seraphina opened her mouth, hesitant. After a few moments of doubt, she finally spoke. "You... You are not supporting the Nexus, right? They are a non-plant supremacy group that denies World Trees. Their very core beliefs go against our very race."

Obsidianis knew the answer she needed to speak. She knew how she needed to act. However, it was difficult to do so when her advancement path would be cut down here!

’Why!? Why did that old bastard bend toward the Nexus!?’

"What is the reason?" Obsidianis asked coldly.

The other side responded lightly. "There is a World Tree, named Tianlian Liu Shu, who seems to be growing a bit over the Nexus’s estimates. So, they have shifted frontlines and want to eliminate her."

Seraphina was also informed, but the reason was not at all to her liking. "There is a new World Tree in the Covenant, named Tianlian Liu Shu, and the Nexus had deviated part of their army to eliminate it. The Covenant wants to use this moment of distraction to deal a big blow. Basically, sacrifice that World Tree and gain an advantage."

However, when the name was spoken, both girls felt their hearts skip a beat. The previous answers that were about to leave the tip of their tongues, suddenly, halted.

The destiny between them that was about to be set into motion suddenly shifted.

A single name.

A brief, momentary shift in their mind, as if something deep within their soul momentarily stirred awake.

Obsidianis’s expression turned cold, her black eyes almost swallowing the surroundings through their darkness. "You want me to participate in the killing of a World Tree? I have low bottom lines, but not that low. You all can scram. I can find a new sect to provide for me, even if it delays me."

Then, she crushed the communication device.

Seraphina answered with an equally cold voice, her silver eyes shining with disdain. "The Covenant has fallen so low that they are using World Trees as a sacrifice? It seems that placing my future hopes in my native power was just my hopeful delusion. I would rather find a new sect to nurture me than participate in this charade."

Then she, like Obsidianis, crushed the communication device.

Looking at each other, they noticed the other side’s crushed communication device, and then, the spark of true opposition between them suddenly died out.

Seraphina, feeling a bit embarrassed, spoke up as she retrieved her army. "So... what are your plans?"

Obsidianis felt freer and recovered her smirk, leaning back as her darkness beasts also vanished. "Who knows? Find another power and devour their resources while stomping on their geniuses?" Her inky irises moved a little. "Or we could help that World Tree and give the Nexus a good kick on their backside."

Seraphina instantly became tempted. Protecting that sacrificial World Tree sounded like something she very much wanted to do. Her usually pursed lips arched, her silvery hair flowing beautifully. "That sounds quite... interesting."