1,000,000 Karma: My Reward Is a Quiet Life-Chapter 101: World of Flesh

"Seperated, living beings are at constant strife; fear, loss…Such things restrain only those disconnected from true unity," the Primordial of Flesh spoke softly. "Those that assimilate with me no longer experience such pain and misery. It's a blissful eternity, together as one."

"You're completely wrong about that. Nobody wants that–it's completely being removed from being human," Noah protested, stepping back as he wiped the disgust from his mouth.

The Primordial stared blankly with its inhuman, unblinking gaze, "Humans do not understand what they need. That's why I must show them, even if they reject my gift."

"You're not going to do anything like that. I won't let you," Noah claimed, standing his ground even though his knees felt weak.

"You won't…let me?" The Primordial repeated. "Fascinating. By my estimations, you are a one-in-one-hundred-million talent among the denizens of Gaios. You have commendable power that has earned you favorable confidence in battle, however–you do not understand the gap."

As those chilling words lifted from the transcendent being's lips, Noah's sight was consumed by one of the hands reaching towards his face as if to clasp it. Out of pure reflex, he slipped back and swung his axe, severing that which attempted to grab him.

Squelch.

He felt the blade cut right through the Primordial's wrist, amputating it without a doubt–yet, there it was, still attached without so much as a wound.

"Curious," the Primordial calmly looked. "You do seem aware of the gap between yourself and I, yet you still resist; I am fascinated to know what drives this confidence in yourself."

[Tintri]

Without sticking around within such close proximity to the unnatural being, he sprinted throughout the city, cutting through streets with his utmost agility. Inside his chest, his heart drummed as he constantly checked over his shoulder, though the Primordial gave no chase.

It remained in the heart of Coudale, simply standing there idly without any haste of its own.

'I cut it…I know that for a fact, but it didn't do anything. Did it heal the wound instantly? No, it felt more like cutting it just purely had no effect on its body,' he thought while running. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

While encircling the surrounding area of the Primordial without getting too close, he kept an eye on the transcendent entity, waiting for some sort of counterattack. The only plan on his mind was buying time and keeping the Primordial from further assimilating anybody else.

From a few blocks down, he came to a stop before pumping his palm forward. A blistering heat emerged, gathering into a stream of condensed fire that ripped straight through the brick buildings in front of him.

["Breath of The Ashen Beast"]

The spell burned straight through a half-dozen structures, charring a trail through the lifeless city before colliding with the Primordial.

With no citizens left, all reservations were withdrawn; Noah held nothing back in destruction. The impact left a plume of heat flaring upward, soaring above the tallest buildings of Coudale.

["As estimated by Astrid, Noah's talent in magecraft had already brought him to the level of an Archmage. In regards of highest potency, fire magic remained his greatest strength in the field of magecraft.

In all regards an all-out assault would be a death sentence for ninety-nine percent of the world—"]

The smoke settled, unveiling the unmoving form of the Primordial. Amidst the downpour of sparks and embers, it remained unscathed.

"This is the magic utilized by humans? Fascinating; the people of your world do not possess an innate 'mana', yet you're able to manipulate the strands of the arcane once coming to Gaios. There is much to learn about this realm," the Primordial spoke in his soft voice like an intrigued scholar, letting an ember touch down on his palm as if from a transient snowflake.

[World Reservoir] [S-Rank Mage Skill]

The high-end skill allowed him to tap into the natural resources of mana abundant in the air itself, drawing out from the earth and sky alike. Using this abundant reservoir, he raised his hands, compelling the ground itself to ripple and quake, waking the world from its slumber.

["Stampede of The Leviathans"]

From the world's crust, serpentine colossals born of mud and stone rose at his behest, casting shadow over the remnants of Coudale. Even for one as blessed with talent as himself, Noah pushed his mind and body to the limit invoking such vast magecraft as blood dripped from his nose.

'Crush it–at all cost,' he resolved.

Raising his hand, he guided the earthen leviathans up into the air as their long bodies sought to the clouds.

["Stampede of The Leviathans: Heaven Downfall"]

Descending from the sky, the rocky colossals were infused with scattering lightning. The electrified leviathans crashed down in an impact that erupted into clouds of dust and sparks, leaving blocks of the city collapsing from the destructive descent.

As it all settled, with the charred buildings around finally giving in and falling apart, he squinted ahead. Inside of him, his stomach churned at the sight of the four-armed, four-legged being still upright, and still impervious.

"There is no point in the actions you are currently taking. I exist of a higher realm; the techniques of mankind cannot harm me," the Primordial brushed off with a blank stare.

An immutable force of nature; it was as if he was tasked with stopping a tsunami with his bare hands. Finally, the Primordial took action; like a doll operating itself, the disjointed limbs moved as the being's arms raised then, their fingers snapped:

"Allow me to pull the curtain on your perception."

Blinking a single time, the scenery around the young man was completely altered; the buildings built of brick and stone were constructed purely of pulsating meat. Even the ground he stood on suffered the same, repulsive change; the cracked cobblestone became lacerated skin, gushing blood.

'What in the hell is happening…?' He questioned.

"It's all flesh," the Primordial answered. "Rock and stone–these things are merely the flesh of the world itself. Once I assimilate enough to completely constitute myself, I shall welcome Gaios into myself and all those on it."

A bluff? No, there was no reason for such a being to reasonably lie–he came to that conclusion with a single thought. If there truly was nothing to be done, he questioned what the point of fighting was–if it would be better to just "accept it."

That line of thinking was quickly washed away as he steeled his mind, fortifying himself with thoughts beyond the green pastures. Alone in the city made of flesh, he stood, squeezing the handle of his axe to remain grounded in whatever reality he stood.

["...When facing something of a completely different existence than one self, either the astronomical pressure of their presence crushes all will or the difference is so vast that it can't even be perceived."]

"Flesh without will; it takes shape at my command," the Primordial waved his hand.

There was no chance to approach the Primordial as the buildings of meat rose, extending like dormant serpents. The colossal worms of gushing crimson chattered with teeth large enough to chew up boulders, wriggling through the sky.

Against the city of flesh, he fought and resisted, though it felt like battling the ocean itself. As he cut through one tendril, another the size of a skyscraper rammed into his body.

[Red Engine] [Stamina++]

Left battered-and-bruised with only tattered bits of his shirt left clinging to his torso, he planted his boots against the slippery, squishy ground. In front of him, a swarm of building-sized worms of scarlet material slithered forward, causing the city to rumble.

[Giga-Chop] [Mega-Chop] [Enhance]

With every bit of strength he could summon, he swung his axe, casting forth a torrent of power that shredded through the living skyscrapers. The wind pressure pulverized the gargantuan tunnels of flesh, leaving a crimson downpour.

Across his body, the repulsive rain painted his skin, engulfing him in the disgusting realm.

["Just keep going."]

The guiding thought cemented itself in his mind as colossal serpents of flesh rammed into him. From all angles, they plowed through him, sending him into the sky.

As he regained his bearings, he turned himself around as another leviathan ascended from beneath. While falling through the sky, he guided his axe along with his momentum, cleaving through its meaty form.

["Just don't stop. Not yet. Cling to whatever consciousness I've got—and keep going."]

Descending the length of its colossal body, he reached the squelching ground, leaving the worm-like giant bisected. A downpour of blood left him completely soaked with not a single part of his bare skin left uncovered.

"You harbor a soul refined by selflessness; a noble being that proves to give more than take–a sort of "super being" amidst a society," the Primordial calmly analyzed from the crater, only spectating. "Yet, you kill with the proficiency of one paid for their craft. Fascinating."

There were a few blocks between himself and the otherworldly entity, yet as it reached one of its many hands out, he felt something that should not be touched be forcibly grasped.

Everything compressed; blood spat from his mouth as he looked down, finding his own chest being forcefully turned into a spiral.

"Fascinating may you be, all will be learned once you're assimilated, Noah Soul."