—[Black Pole - Year 000]—
At nearly immeasurable distances, beyond the reach of conscious creation, there was the Black Pole, the opposite extreme to the White Pole: The other face of the universe. Where the White imposed harmony (order and love), the Black offered freedom (chaos and hate), breaking the fixed universal order that the White Pole sought to impose.
The beings of the Black Pole were like antagonistic brothers of the White Pole; They came from the same underlying force, but were essentially incompatible (opposites)—Like a strangely familiar face… The inhabitants of the Black Pole, though they denied the harmony of the White, could not avoid feeling an inescapable connection to their opposite—
…Though each being was a unique expression of freedom, a silent call began to unite their essences: a response to the order that tried to impose itself from the other end of the universe.
The shadows of the universe were gathered in the great pentagon of dusk. Ereshyka (Vighatan) — Semyazza (Patan) — Mivernag (Nirarthakata) — Yozora (Tuchchata) — Baalzebub (Seema).— Emanating principles opposed to those that seek to forge the light—
"The White Pole insists on its advance, and its structures are spreading roots beyond its domains. This cannot continue." Semyazza would say, resting her jaw in her hands.
"Ah… You really speak as if the threat is imminent. Is the White Pole truly so strong, or is it simply afraid of losing its harmony?"
"It is not strength, Yozora. It is persistence. Every structure they build tries to curb the currents of chaos, like tying down what must flow freely."
"Then let us allow them to taste the flavor of their mistake." Ereshyka said with a smile. "The ten Kyoki Manticores are ready."
"Oh, the manticores. Such ironically beautiful creations. Beings born from our own contradictions."
"Ironic, yes, but necessary. They represent our rejection of the White Pole's chains. They are not just weapons, they are symbols of what they will never understand."
"And yet, we must be precise. We cannot just send chaos into chaos. We must direct it, concentrate it. Chaos without direction is simply destruction without purpose."
『Yes… The chaos must be concentrated. You cannot add more chaos to chaos, chaos without direction is so unstable it would not achieve a direct impact — Like a storm without direction, it wreaks havoc but does not necessarily destroy what it aims to destroy… Chaos is like a double-edged sword; it can cut everything else, but it could also cut you. That's why it's necessary for chaos to be a precise and controlled weapon, not just an overflowing force.』
"Very well. My manticores will be the first move. With their untamable nature and ability to reduce everything to nothing, they will easily eliminate the Dawns' defenses... Being powerful enough to even reduce nascent universes to nothing, they make for a terrifying threat." Mivernag would say, a proud smile on his face.
"A terrifying threat?" Yozora chuckled softly. "Your pride is almost as overflowing as the Manticores themselves. But tell me, what will you do if that 'untamable nature' turns against us?"
"I'm aware that pure chaos is a double-edged weapon: it cannot be controlled without contradicting its nature. But while we cannot tame it, we can direct its fury where it will have the greatest impact." Mivernag responded seriously, before smiling slightly.
"Haahaaahaaa!" Yozora laughed loudly. "Perfect. Let's let chaos not only destroy, but tear out their roots and plant something new in its place. If the Dawns do not understand the beauty of chaos, perhaps they will feel it in their souls."
Ereshyka rose from his throne, and his firm voice was heard in the great pentagon of dusk. "It is decided. The Kyoki Manticores will not only eradicate their order; they will be the first wave of the storm to come. The proof that in destruction, true freedom blooms… They are not just creatures; they are the will of the Black Pole made flesh."
『Chaos always follows its own path. Nothing and no one can predict its fate.』
…——————
After a few moments, the storm was unleashed. From the far reaches of the Black Pole, the first movements were felt in the deepest layers of the universe. The Kyoki Manticores, creatures made of chaos and pure destruction, crossed the vastness like living shadows that devoured the light.
On the other hand, in the White Pole...
The Great Aurora of the Pentagon was preparing, forged with the strength of a thousand dawns. The Kyoki Manticores, despite their indescribable speed, crashed against the protective layers surrounding the White Pole, creating distortions in space, but this only slowed their advance. Although the resistance was fierce, the forces of the White Pole knew that this barrier would not be enough to stop the eternal creatures of the Black Pole for long. The Manticores would reach them, sooner or later.
"A layer after layer, they disappear as if they were insignificant... Is this the power of Nirarthakata?─ Each layer seems like an infinite magnitude stacked on top of another..."
"It's not just about power, Rikumi. It's the essence of Nirarthakata. No matter how powerful your emanating principle is; without an essentially nihilistic force, you couldn't reduce the infinity that seeks to grow, down to the truest insignificance," Hanuman said, correcting Rikumi while gently petting her head.
"Tsk── I won't just stand here doing nothing!" Rikumi exclaimed, excited, stepping forward, adopting the lotus position, and beginning to recite an incantation in harmony with her emanating principle. As she did, she attempted to amplify the infinity of the protective layers with her own power:
Om — Vātati, vyāpnoti, ca pūrṇatāyāṁ sādhyate.
Om — Śṛṇu śabdaṁ mahādevīr, yā tvam atītya prakṣepaṁ ca rūpaṁ,
yā svam mūlyam pratibhāti, sakṛt tattvaṁ prakāśayati:
Mūlyakarana!"
At that very instant, an unimaginably bright flash emerged from Rikumi, adhering to the protective layers and amplifying their infinity to unimaginable levels.
"Ha!—"
The Kyoki Manticores began to slow their pace, as if their advance was being contained. At first glance, the incantation seemed to be the solution. However, it only took a few seconds for the illusion of success to crumble. The creatures deformed the space around them with the pure essence of their Nirarthakata, reducing the infinity surrounding them to nothingness. With every impact, they created a gap in the protective layers, getting closer to the heart of the White Pole.
"D-Didn't it work!? What the hell!?" Rikumi exclaimed, incredulous, as she watched her efforts fail to stop them.
"Pff──" Shizuhana let out a carefree laugh, with a calmness that contrasted sharply with Rikumi's frustration. "Haha! Rikumi, the infinity of the layers isn't defective. The problem isn't the lack of amplification, but the Manticores themselves."
Shizuhana stood up gracefully, her face shining with knowledge. "Being creatures purely made of Nirarthakata, they cannot be measured as a value in space that can be conditioned by an infinite magnitude. The more we try to trap them with infinity in the space, the more futile it will become. We must attack the Manticores intrinsically, Rikumi. That's the only way to truly affect them."
"Tch── D-Do whatever you want, idiot," Rikumi whispered, embarrassed.
"Alright! Now it's my turn," Shizuhana said, stepping forward. Adopting the lotus position, she prepared to recite an incantation against the Kyoki Manticores. Shizuhana inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as a soft light seemed to emanate from her being.
Around her, the air seemed to freeze, and a sense of vastness enveloped everyone present. It was as if the universe was holding its breath, waiting for Shizuhana's words:
Om — Palāyate, vimucyate, ca chāyāṁ atikramya jyotiḥ paśyati.
Om — Śṛṇu mahādevyāḥ śabdaṁ, sā yā tvām samatikramayati,
sā yā tvām uttamaṁ rūpaṁ pradarśayati:
Atikramanushakti!"
As if the universe exhaled its breath, at an imperceptible speed, a powerful wave shot out from Shizuhana's essence, directed at the Kyoki Manticores. The force of the wave was so massive that upon impacting the Kyoki Manticores, five of the ten manticores disintegrated instantly.
"N-No sense! How is it possible that something so simple worked where an infinite magnitude failed?" Rikumi screamed, surprised.
『It makes perfect sense. The Atikraman (principle of transcendence) attacked the root of the Kyoki Manticores, beyond the superficiality that they can disintegrate. It transgressed the barriers until it reached the core of the Manticores, causing them to disappear, disintegrate, and collapse with greater force than the Manticores had when they crashed through the infinite layers. That's the true power of transcendence: it's not limited to the superficial, but pierces through the illusion to reach the essence.』
"Good job, Shizuhana!"
"However... the remaining ones have arrived," Hanuman said, unsheathing his great Gada of Brass. "Remember that attacks, whether physical or metaphysical, are useless unless they reach the very core of the Manticores. If you attack their external illusions, you'll be wasting your efforts."
The remaining Kyoki Manticores advanced with insatiable hunger, not stopping before Shizuhana's power. The battle was not over. It was only the beginning.