Chapter 570: Two Star Names - Eyes of Pantheos

The two Watchers appeared in the void between universes of Pantheos.

The white owl hooted softly, his golden eyes wide with shock as he looked around at the endless expanse.

"Just... what is this place?" he asked, his voice shaking with a mix of wonder and unease.

"Where’s the mana... and the traces of the power system?" he murmured, as if realizing they had stepped into a realm completely beyond the creation of both the Father and the Mother.

His sister, the darker owl, floated beside him, her feathers bristling as she scanned the layered universes, galaxies, and dimensions stretching out in every direction like an infinite, living tapestry.

"It’s overwhelming," she agreed, her voice low and cautious. "I figured they had created their own reality... but that was a major understatement."

Even though they were overwhelmed with awe, their purpose for coming here remained clear.

In that moment, they nodded and soared through the void, their golden eyes scanning for any trace of Ash or the Ineffable Pantheon.

"Just where would... a creator live within his own... existence?" the White Watcher wondered aloud, unsure even of what to call this strange place.

The sheer immensity of Pantheos loomed over them, an endless tapestry of reality that dwarfed even the vastness of the Prime Expanse.

Before they could explore any further, a sudden rift tore open before them, pulling them straight into its depths without warning.

The rift pulled them through without resistance.

They reappeared in a peaceful oasis within the Velora kingdom — the soft grass, silver-barked trees, and floating lily pads on crystal-clear water creating a tranquil scene.

Ash was sitting casually against a tree, watching Emma as she completed the final level of her trials and received the Empress Crown — a glowing, ethereal crown of pure conceptual authority that settled on her head, marking her as the first of the Ten Boundless Stars.

Ash felt their presence immediately. He turned his head slightly, his reddish-purple eyes calm as he spoke casually.

"The two Watchers in my backyard," he said with a small smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The two Watchers floated in the air, stunned into silence, their golden eyes wide as they took in the unexpected sight of Ash sitting calmly in the oasis.

The white Watcher shifted uneasily, ruffling his feathers with clear discomfort, his voice emerging in a low, cautious hoot.

"Ash... Originat, long time no see..." he murmured.

His sister, the darker owl, kept her composure, though the guarded gleam in her golden eyes betrayed her wariness.

"We came to speak with you," she said. "Your... son, Klaus, made it clear an opportunity awaited us here.... However, before that we want to know something else."

Ash’s smile remained faint and relaxed as he gestured lightly with one hand, inviting them to settle on nearby branches or floating platforms if they wished.

The two owls moved to sit on a tree branch above him, their golden eyes fixed on Ash as they waited for his answer.

Ash smiled at the question, then called out lightly to Emma, who was descending from the trials.

"Emma, come sit down for a moment."

Emma nodded, descending gracefully from the floating platforms and landing beside him. She looked at the two owls with curiosity, tilting her head.

"Who are these two? New beasts you’ve acquired?"

Ash laughed softly, shaking his head.

"They’re not my beasts... not yet at least."

Ash’s reddish-purple eyes remained calm as he looked up at the two owls perched on the branch above him, his voice steady but carrying the quiet weight of absolute conviction.

"I want nothing from the game," he said, his tone casual yet unyielding. "It truly doesn’t matter to me. It’s just in my way."

He shrugged lightly, the movement relaxed, as if discussing something as trivial as the weather.

Then he continued, his words forming a hypothetical that hung in the air like a blade.

"Hypothetically..." he began, but before he could finish, the dark watcher interrupted.

"This family really does have a thing for hypotheticals, doesn’t it?"

Ash chuckled knowingly, clearly aware of what had transpired with Klaus and the others.

"If you had a single dream of absolute freedom and power, yet the entirety of Existence and Nonexistence stood in your way... would you simply abandon that dream, or would you destroy anything and everything that dared to stand between you and it?"

The meadow settled into a deep, thoughtful silence.

It was clear the hypothetical wasn’t just about his own dream, but about dreams in general.

When someone had a dream and the path ahead seemed difficult, did that mean they were supposed to give up?

For some, perhaps it did—but for Ash, it only fueled his determination. That was exactly why he called Emma over, hoping to share a little perspective.

The white owl’s feathers ruffled uneasily, his golden eyes widening as the implication settled over him.

His sister, the darker owl, remained more composed, but her gaze sharpened, a flicker of reluctant intrigue crossing her face.

Emma, sitting cross-legged beside Ash, felt the resonance of his words deep in her core. Her expression turned thoughtful, almost solemn, as she murmured softly,

"I would choose.... Slaughter..."

Ash chuckled softly, the sound warm but edged with a hint of danger, as he nodded in agreement.

This was the response he had hoped for—and, deep down, already knew she would give—but hearing it aloud and seeing the unwavering determination in her eyes made it all the more satisfying.

He was genuinely impressed; at just sixteen, she was already thinking with the poise and resolve of an Empress.

"Exactly. That’s what I would choose as well."

The two owls remained still, their golden eyes fixed on Ash, as the weight of his words settled over them.

The serene oasis seemed to grow heavier, the once-gentle breeze now carrying a quiet tension that hadn’t been there moments before.

"So... does this mean you won’t spare anything under any circumstances?" the White Watcher finally asked.