“You said the Aggressors are a lie? Explain.” 

“Simple.” 

Adam grinned, but there was a sign of self-mocking in that grin. 

“The Protectors created the Aggressors.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Jean frowned. Her mind processed the information she was just given in the most logical way possible. “Why would the Protectors create a faction to challenge their own authority in the Infinite Realms?”

“To weed out the disloyal,” Adam smirked. “Across the Infinite Realms, there are people who despise the Protector Corps to the bones, but they are too afraid to take action. People...people like me. Before the Aggressors came, we kept our heads low and feigned obedience. Even the Protectors had no effective way of picking us out from the billions and billions of worlds in the Infinite Realms.” 

“And now, by putting forward a power supposedly strong enough to challenge the Protectors, they brought all the would-be rebels into the open.” Jean realized what the Protectors were doing. The Dream Lords. The Roman Empire. Adam. The Alphians. These were all factions and individuals that formerly submitted to the Protectors. Now, they have shown their true rebellious nature. Factions like the Alphians might be able to surrender back to the right side in time and save themselves, but the rest of them…

This was a scheme spread across every single corner of the Infinite Realms. Voyagers. Supplicants. Ordinary worlds. Even Prisoners. Every single faction with a mind for rebellion was given a chance to raise the banner…

And when enough factions have shown their true nature, the Protector Corps would bring the sword down and exterminate everyone. 

That was why a faction out of nowhere was suddenly winning the war against the absolute masters of the Infinite Realms! This has been an act from the very beginning! And it was a damn good one! The Dream Lord she killed in the Dream Realms. The Romans. They had no idea all their deaths and sacrifice wouldn’t lead to a better note for their people in the book that was fate, but rather their ultimate elimination. 

But the effects of this plan would dwindle if its secret was exposed. Would-be rebels would lurk back into the shadows again and wait for another chance to draw the blades. That was why the Protectors were so hell-bent on silencing Adam. They didn't want a mere insect to mess up their grand plan. 

And they were willing to wipe out the Chaos Domain and the trillions and trillions of Chaos Descendants inside to maintain that secret. 

But there was another question. 

“Adam, why didn't you tell this to the Aggressors? If they know they are being manipulated, they will take action...unless, but the Aggressors can’t know what’s really happening, can they? I mean...I have seen Aggressors slaughtered with my own eyes. Are they all martyrs the Protectors are willing to give up just to keep up an act? Is that why your only option is to flee?”

Given the resources of the Protector Corps, creating millions of powerful beings willing to die as traitors shouldn’t be impossible. 

“It’s...it’s complicated.” Adam coughed. His wounds constantly eating away at his health, not that he gave a damn. “Remember when we first met? In the World of the Runes? How did I come to be?”

“You...oh.” 

In the World of the Runes, Voyager Adam conspired with Violet and Cassandra to infiltrate the Empire of the Sun with a cover soul. He literally manufactured another soul and used that to replace his true self in his body to achieve maximum believability in front of the Empress. He implemented a fake soul and all that so that when he talked to the Empress, he honestly believed his own lies. It was just that a part of him hid in the dark and changed things here and there so that the cover soul unintentionally fought for a darker goal. 

But in the end, the original was defeated and replaced by the cover. That cover became the Adam that has caused the Protectors so much grievance. 

“The Protectors modified the souls of the Aggressors. Everything they said to their followers was true. They honestly believed they wanted to destroy the Protectors. There were no lies involved, so there was hardly any truth to be discovered.” Adam flipped his red lance. His lips slightly curved up. “Hmmm. How ironic.” 

“Indeed.”

“But just like what happened to me, when you play with souls, you eventually run into bugs. One of the Aggressors, Il-Shang, subconsciously sensed something was wrong. When he invited me to try to strike him down, he himself believed he merely wanted to spar with me and test my skills. It was only after a small part of him temporarily took control and allowed my lance to go through him did he break that seal on his soul and know everything that was happening. He died soon, but he told me the truth before that.”

“And what prevented you from telling the same story to the other Aggressors? Will the real souls just take control?”

“I don’t know the details, but I can guess. The Protectors had hidden influence over the Aggressors. They made it so that the Aggressors themselves believed they saw me working for the Protectors and kill Il-Shang with their own eyes. They honestly believed they had to kill me regardless of the price for the good of the rebellion.” 

“That is very unfortunate.” Jean said, but she already had her hands beneath her back, forming balls of Power of Death. Adam has served his purpose. Perhaps now it was time to silence him as well.  

Adam sensed what Jean was doing, but he made no effort to defend himself. He has seen Jean’s prowess when she fought with the other three Voyagers. Her minions were even stronger than they were in the World of the Runes. Just the minions were fine, but at the same time, the black energy she used made Adam shiver. 

Even if he was at his best self, Adam couldn’t say for sure he could beat Jean. There was no way he could make it out in a maimed state. 

And that was fine. He was done fighting a war that cannot be won. At least falling before Jean Turner was better than meeting his end in front of a Protector. 

Adam closed his eyes and awaited the end, but suddenly, his eyes snapped open again. A hint of guilt flashed through his eyes as he almost forgot something very, very important.

“Wait! I have another thing to tell you! Before he died, Il-Shang told me about this powerful weapon. The Chapter of Graham. Supposedly, it has the power to destroy anything in the Infinite Realms, even the Protector Corps!”

“Wait...are you sure? If the Aggressors are compromised, then who’s to say this so called Chapter of Graham is not just another one of the Protectors’ ruses?”  

“Well, I don’t have any guarantee either, but it’s worth a shot. What if it’s true?” Adam closed his eyes again. “Now, you can do it.” 

Suddenly, he sensed Jean dispersing the Power of Death. Opening his eyes, he saw Jean turning around, and her Wardens and Purifiers moving to the side and making a way. 

“What is this?”

“I am letting you go.” 

“And miss the chance of becoming a Protector?” Adam smirked. “I know what the Protectors are offering for my head, and I know enough about you to know you won’t give up such a chance just to thank me for delivering the message. There’s no need for deceptions. Just do it. I won’t resist.” 

Jean turned back to face Adam. How intriguing. Countless have begged her for mercy and were denied that. Now, when she was finally willing to hand out some of that, it was refused. 

“You seem oddly considerate of my well-being. Why would you care if I become a Protector?”

Jean had reason to be suspicious. Adam was like a mentor character in all the novels and tv shows. He came to her, of all the Voyagers. He told her countless secrets, and now, he was willing to surrender arms and die? This wasn’t the Voyager who has slain his way through legions of Aggressor supplicants. 

“No reason.” 

“That’s not an answer.”

“Fine.” Adam suddenly grinned. “You want to know why I want you to become more powerful? The same reason I introduced you to the Chapter of Graham. I know you, Jean. Just like Violet, you are someone whose greed can consume the world. You will not truly submit, not even to the Protectors. You will rule the Infinite Realms or see it come crashing down around you. Sooner or later, you will come into conflict with the Protector Corps.”

“And by giving you these information, I am building up your chances of victory, and your victory is the Corps defeat. My sacrifice now,” Adam glanced down on his lance for one last time. “will sing the dirge for the Protector Corps’ funeral.” 

Adam was willing to die so Jean could get one step closer to doing what he could never do. To rid the Infinite Realms of the Protector Corps. 

“Now, do it.” 

Jean shook her head. 

“You are a smart person, Adam, but your fury has blinded you from an important thing. The Protectors know you hold the forbidden knowledge. If I return with your head, they will make sure you haven’t told me that knowledge, which you have. I have no confidence in fooling the searching eyes of the Protectors. If I return with your head in an attempt to claim the prize, I will merely bring the end upon myself.” 

This was especially true since Jean, in the Dream Realms, realized Welch had something planned for her. One wrong move from her might bring Welch to pull the trigger. 

Adam thought about it for a brief moment before nodding in agreement. His wounds have taken away too much of his attention. Plus...he couldn’t help but gaze at Jean in amazement. If he was in a mission where the reward was ascending into a Protector, he would go for it no matter how dangerous the mission was. Power was a tempting tool of seduction, and absolute power was absolute temptation. The fact that Jean could resist it so easily...maybe she really did have a chance of taking down the Protectors. 

“Plus, if I become a Protector, I will command power, but that power will not be my own. Chances are, the Corps will have some sort of setup to prevent me from using that power against them. So, Adam, leave.” 

Judging from how much Adam despised the Protectors, Jean could say with confidence that he would never give her out. In that case, why not let him go and occupy more attention from the Protectors? Plus, Jean really wanted to stay in the Chaos Domain for a few more days. 

The Necromancer she encountered looked like a tool before her Power of Death. Yet, she still managed to learn something from him. The Chaos Domain was a land of infinite possibilities. If she could stay here a little longer, who knew what she would be able to find? 

Adam slowly gathered his strength once again. His soul reached inside his lance, and channeling the power from within, he was finally in a decent condition again. Slowly, he turned and walked away. 

Jean’s eyes were trained on him as he left. 

---

Two days later. 

Throughout the days of marching, the Voyagers and Supplicants have moved further and further away from the landing zone. Trillions were slain, but there were countless more trillions in their way. If all the Chaos Descendants in the Chaos Domain were organized into a single force under a single leader, they could be one of the most powerful forces in the Infinite Realms, but their nature meant that was impossible. The Protector Corps has tried to tame them before, but even their attempts were unsuccessful. 

The Protector legions kept on pressing forward. Groups of top Voyagers followed them. These were Voyagers with dozens of missions under their belt. Their CAS were in the hundreds of thousands. Only they could barely keep up with the Protectors’ pace. 

Jean has enjoyed quite the success. Her fleets and armies spread out wide. They were tiny compared to the some of the armies under the other Voyagers, but they were still a big enough target that could attract thousands of Chaos Descendants to their end every hour. Most of these Chaos Descendants died meaninglessly, but some were a bit more...important. 

“The Carrions will not rest until they hunt you down! Kill me, and you will follow me to the graves!”

This was the declaration of a two hundred meter tall mechanical being. It was the very definition of a technology based entity. Its entire body was composed of an unknown alloy. It was covered in countless artilleries, anti-aircraft and anti-personal guns, flamethrowers, and other weapons. Its two mechanical legs could open up and deploy entire armies of tanks and armored vehicles. Its back opened up into a dozen hangars that could eject thousands of fighters into battle. 

Well, at least they could do that half an hour ago. As of now, Jean’s Wardens and Purifiers were collecting and examining the remains of all the vehicles and fighters this being produced, and the statement he made would’ve been a little more threatening if he wasn’t on its knees before Jean. 

“Carrions? Is that what you call yourself?” Jean wondered. “Pray tell, if I kill you, who will come after me. Let’s see if I feel intimidated.” 

The Carrion growled in a low, robotic voice. Chaos Descendants couldn’t be controlled because the spirit of destruction was in their genes, or CPUs, but some of them still had emotions, and that meant they knew self-preservation. 

The Carrion tried his best to scare Jean. 

“Five hundred kilometers to the north is our base where my squadron resides in! There are twenty of my kind who are twice my size! And our leader! He is four times my height and twice my width! He is more powerful than you can ever imagine!” 

“Ahhh...five hundred kilometers to the north, you say.” Jean nodded. “Thank you.”

She turned back to Delta. 

“Dissect him.” 

As swarms of Wardens and Purifiers overwhelmed the screaming and cursing Carrion, Jean was deep in thoughts.  

These mechanical beings were creatures of nightmares. The fear and anger of people of countless worlds, torn by countless fighters and warships and tanks, flowed into the Chaos Domain and condensed into these so-called Carrions. 

Now, Jean couldn’t tame these Carrions like she did with the Wardens or the Purifiers, but while these Carrions were formed by the forces of chaos, they still had a physical form. That physical form was what Jean wanted. 

In the battle, this Carrion, despite being put down easily, proved itself to be quite a combatant. Its weapons were many times behind what Jean’s minions had to offer, but by acting as a living, breathing fortress, the Carrion used all these weapons to their full potentials. 

When you see a fortress, you call in artillery right? But what if that fortress can move at 200 miles per hour? You got on the back of the fortress where there was a firing blindspot? How are you planning to take advantage of that if the fortress can just kneel down and take a roll on its back?

Imagine what these Carrions could accomplish if they had rune cannons, rune shields, rune-reinforced missiles and gauss guns, and a hundred other weapons? 

“Jean?” Delta walked up with a report. 

“Yes?”

“The analytics are out. The info we gathered from that Carrion can only allow us to create medium sized Carrion units that are around 200 meters tall. He was too small and too weak.” 

“What’s the CAS estimation of a medium sized Carrion unit?”

“Should be around 500.”

“That is not enough.” Jean frowned. “Every single unit of the Warmongers is at 550. Every Iron Garrison trooper is at 600, and they are just two supplicant legions. Their numbers are in the billions, if not trillions.” 

“Then we will need to make a move on the Carrion squadron.” Delta concluded. “Hunt down the stronger Carrions. Dissect them alive and create our own Carrion duplicates. We don’t have sufficient intel on them. It will be risky.” 

“True.” Jean suddenly had an idea. “But perhaps we can minimize the risks.”