Chapter One Hundred and Eleven
The sky above was fractured with hues of violet and gold as Crow soared atop his Eclipse Dragon, his next destination in sight—the Second Shard of Origin. This one was rumored to be guarded by a monstrous, forgotten entity of space itself, buried deep within the floating ruins of the Celestial Graveyard.
Liana sat behind him on the dragon's back, arms loosely around his waist.
"You know, most people would've gone mad by now with all this power," she said, her voice soft against the rush of wind.
"I'm not most people," Crow replied, eyes locked ahead.
As they approached the Celestial Graveyard, massive pieces of broken skyships and shattered palaces floated in orbit, tethered by chains of cosmic light. Ghosts of ancient warriors drifted between the debris — not enemies, but watchers of the trial.
"Only one who walks beyond the edge of space may claim the shard," Liana quoted, watching the floating wreckage.
"Then I'll tear space apart," Crow said.
He stepped forward, using Space Manipulation and Endless Dominion to force open a rift. The dimension tore open like fabric, revealing the trial's core: an abyss of stars, swirling around a glowing crystal.
From the void, the guardian stirred — the Astral Warden, a titanic being of cosmic stone and rotating constellations.
Crow summoned:
Thunder Roc Storm Leviathan Iron Golem Commander Crimson Wraith Ashen Crow King
His units exploded from their books, roaring into battle.
"We'll distract it. Go," the Crow King's voice echoed through the void.
While his summons kept the Astral Warden busy, Crow slipped between dimensional folds using Reality Step — an advanced version of spatial control he developed just days ago.
He reached the shard.
But this time, it wasn't just floating.
It was embedded in the chest of a sealed figure — a Primordial Valkyrie, her power dormant, bound by endless chains of stardust and time.
Crow touched the seal.
"You're not the prize," he said. "But I can feel it — you were meant to awaken."
With a flash, he unleashed Divine Contract and Plunder simultaneously. The shard melted into his soul, and the chains shattered.
The Valkyrie opened her eyes — silver and endless.
"You… are not of this time," she whispered.
"Neither are you," Crow answered.
She knelt before him, wings unfolding.
"Then I shall follow."
He named her Astrid, Divine Rank Valkyrie of the Void.
As they returned to the surface, Crow glanced at the third shard's location glowing on his map.
"The next one is under the ocean," he said.
Liana leaned against his side again.
"I hope it's warmer than this place."
Crow didn't answer. He was already planning the next move.