I created my own system-Chapter 339: Perfection
This time, I was born and named Nero Von Celestio.
A heir to the throne, I am the eldest after all.
I should be able to gain an even greater power than the other lives I have experienced.
The thought of being the emperor filled me with ecstasy
But then again like fate decided to play with me he appeared again
An Apollo came
And he put Augustus on the throne.
My throne.
The seat, the position that was supposed to be mine, was taken from me
And now, from the supposed to be crown prince, I became brother to the emperor.
But it’s okay
This time... I will not lose.
This time, I will gather all the more power
This time... I will evolve.
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.
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They say patience is a virtue.
But for someone like me—patience is survival.
I will bide my time until that Apollo dies. I must lie low and not catch his eye.
After my rebirth as Nero Von Celestio, the empire grew too wary. Too watchful, especially with all the ruckus that the Monastery has been making. I needed time, space... and silence.
So, I disappeared. I went to a kingdom far away
Far from the empire’s eye, I found her a princess of a crumbling kingdom. I gave her an offer she accepted
She was beautiful. Desperate. Gullible at times but perfect to help me.
I married her not for love, not even for power but for protection, so his eyes would not land on me again. I need to remain quiet until the news of his death comes to me. Those golden eyes shouldn’t reach me here.
There, in the silence of that dying nation, I rebuilt myself.
As the years passed, the echoes of the past faded.
The last Apollo was dying. I could feel it. And so the good news reached me of his death, and that is when I began spreading my connection as well as the power of the Monastery.
Years went by and the monastery became a threat that even the emperor couldn’t turn a blind eye to.
On the other hand, the remnants of the Revolutionary Church have already gained a foothold that even reaches the nobility. And at the center of it all was me. Without Nirvana, they needed a new leader. I took it without them noticing it.
I twisted their doctrine into one of rebirth and transcendence. All aim to worship me and pay their allegiance to me.
They called it heresy and madness
I called it progress.
All the focus and power will now be on me
Through them, my experiments extended and expanded.
Nirvana may have been sealed, but his ghost still lingered in their sermons.
While they preached salvation, I harvested followers, subjects that I could use.
Materials.
Experiments.
Each soul fed the fires of my research.
But fate, once again, denied me peace.
I saw him again.
Clad in lightning, bearing the same name.
Apollo.
Not a ghost. Not a fragment.
But a powerful storm that shook even my soul
He didn’t speak at first. His eyes said enough.
He has the confidence, the power, and within his eyes I saw
Condemnation. Recognition.
Hatred.
He came to capture me, in the four corners of this wrench academy, he arrived like a god.
To end me.
I escaped. Barely.
I had to.
Because I was close—closer than ever before.
To the creation I wanted to be perfect than ever
I began the final phase.
But before I could even do that, the damn dukes got me. I never thought they could be that strong, strong enough to negate the powers from the outside.
And just like that I died
I couldn’t even see him again
The one that bears my teacher’s name
He was the one I wanted to see
In every life I had, he was always there
And for some reason, I wanted to see him again, even if it meant I had to die for it.
Aside from my research, his existence is the one that excites me the most
Apollo
I both fear and adore you
So come and see me, but even you can’t I will
Those golden eyes, beautiful sunset hair, just by looking even in my current form brings satisfaction to me
However, I need a body; if I were to meet him looking like a runaway ghost, it would look unsightly.
I want to look at you with pride and show the perfection I have achieved.
Using the foreign energy I had discovered in my days in Mahika. I built the vessel.
This time, it would be perfect.
Stronger than Nirvana.
Stable.
Conscious.
Aware.
A demon not born of chaos...
...but of desire
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.
.
My last laboratory was forged beneath mountains. This is also the place where I first found the grimoire.
Surrounding me are the objects that house that strange power. Even after so many years, I still don’t know where that energy comes from, but for now, I will focus on how I will use it. For the mystery of their origin could wait
"Let’s do this"
The power that came from the outside brewed like a storm, and slowly it bent to my will.
There in the middle of it all, my soul hovered—fractured, stitched together from the repeated time I broke it to pieces, but even in this state it still clings to the identity it has.
More, come to me, I need more
The more energy came to me, the stronger my senses became.
I move my will, and the jars that contain Nirvana’s flesh came to me; it surrounds my soul along with the dark matter.
And piece by piece, I built my new body. Not just a host. I don’t need that anymore.
I will personally do this
And acquire the power to see him again.
While the dark matter stitches me, I summon another object from the grimoire.
It was a gemstone that came from the condensed form of the fragment of the world tree. With this, an infinite amount of power will be mine.
Finally, as my limbs grew, the grimoire flew to me
Finally, after absorbing the other vessels, it grew much more powerful.
I have it now in my hand
A weapon.
I suddenly howl, feeling the new life that I just achieved.
I now stood with perfection
One part demon. One part divine.
"Yes this is me"
It was beautiful. Elegant.
And terrifying.
As I began the merging process, I needed to be fully assimilated, as my soul took root in the new vessel, I felt invincible.
I was transcending.
Then I saw it.
A ripple in the air.
An echo of movement that triggered a memory so old I forgot I still had it.
A silhouette.
Claws. Horns. A low, unnatural growl that reverberated not in the air... but in me.
A demon.
No. The demon.
The one I always dreamed of creating. Ever since I laid my eyes on that enigma, I felt the urge to take hold of it.
Even as a half-demon, its form was stable. Fluid. Perfectly synchronized with its soul.
I froze.
I had spent lifetimes chasing this.
And here it was walking, breathing, looking at me.
The demon looked at me the same way it did when we first fought.
Before I could move, its fist slammed into my gut.
Pain shot through my forming body. Bones not yet solid cracked. My breath, new and unused, was forced out in a desperate gasp.
And then I heard it.
That voice.
Unholy. Guttural. Not meant for human ears.
Yet every word was clear.
"Finally found you... Nero."
My eyes widened.
I tried to defend and use the grimoire to push him back, but then its appearance changed, from its previous half-demon form, it turned into a humanoid creature with wings made of blades.
Cold and red eyes look down on me though I am not sure if it really is the eyes I am seeing and not his aura.
The energy surrounding me moves
But... it twisted.
I looked at my opponent
Not divine. Not human.
Something else entirely.
And he was smiling.
I felt my body tremble
This isn’t good
My body is not fully developed and my will is not fully aligned with my body.
This fight will be tough,
I was suddenly filled with tension, not until the grimoire in my hand glowed.
Right, I shouldn’t be nervous I have the power of eternal energy from the world. My body heals the moment it receives damage. And my most cherished weapon, the power from the outside that won’t run out no matter what.
I smirk, This time it will be different
I will win
Apollo’s pov
"Let’s go, Alicia"
I urge you because this is the day I decided to deal with Nero. Initially, I wanted to handle it alone, but she kept insisting that she wanted to tag along, so since she is determined, I let her join me.
As soon as she stood beside me, I commanded the space to bend to my will. And just like that, we arrive at the place I desire.
