Chapter 286: MERGING A NEBULA

Aaron hovered outside the entire nebula that encompassed the Truy Empire, the vast cloud of interstellar gas and dust swirling lazily around him. Stars twinkled within its depths, a mesmerizing veil that hid countless worlds from casual view.[You really sure you can devour an entire nebula? You were only able to merge a hundred solar systems. Now trying to merge a thousand of them feels like pushing it too far for me,] the system questioned Aaron’s action, its voice echoing in his mind with a hint of doubt.

"I think I can pull it off. Thanks to the recent battles, my proficiency in space manipulation has increased further. Although I doubt it will be easy," Aaron smiled confidently, his eyes fixed on the sprawling nebula before him.

Taking deep breaths to center himself, he initiated the process, slowly merging solar systems together bit by bit, the fabric of space bending to his will. He increased the tempo gradually, each fusion sending subtle ripples through the void.

He employed his time manipulation talent to accelerate the process, compressing hours into moments, the stars blurring slightly as temporal waves washed over them.

Aaron easily merged a hundred, the systems aligning with harmonious precision under his command. Then he progressed further to two hundred, five hundred, the burden intensifying as the number of merged solar systems grew, straining his mental focus.

At the eight hundredth turn, Aaron felt a deep strain from the process, the merged systems teetering on the edge of instability, gravitational forces pulling taut like overstretched strings.

But focused as ever, he merged the nine hundredth, sweat beading on his brow despite the cold vacuum of space, his concentration unyielding.

The nine hundredth proved to be his limit, the merged systems extremely unstable, as if the slightest disturbance could cause it to crumble and result in a catastrophic event that would echo across the cosmos.

[That’s actually impressive. Increasing from a hundred to nine hundred is good business,] the system praised, its tone shifting to one of reluctant admiration.

Aaron ignored the system, his mind wholly absorbed in completing the task, every fiber of his being attuned to the delicate balance he maintained.

[Aaron...]

[What do you think you are doing? Do more than that and you might just destroy an entire nebula!]

The system warned Aaron, caught by surprise by his refusal to stop at nine hundred, urgency creeping into its digital voice.

"I said an entire nebula. Not part of a nebula. So I’m merging the entire nebula," Aaron simply stated, carefully and as slow as possible, beginning to merge more solar systems with painstaking precision.

[Do you know the gravity of your actions should the merged solar systems self-destruct? We are talking of the destruction of over nine hundred solar systems! Quadrillions of lives will be lost if you don’t stop your madness.]

The system tried to talk sense into Aaron, its pleas resonating with logical desperation.

But Aaron had his mind made up, still continuing his actions without pause, his determination a fortress against doubt.

"No risk, no reward," Aaron muttered under his breath, returning to absolute concentration on getting the job done, his hands glowing faintly with spatial energy.

The nine hundred and fifty-fifth merged solar system hung in precarious balance, the equilibrium of the entire structure teetering on a thread. So many planets spun on the same revolutionary axis, their orbits a delicate dance that could shatter at any moment.

Should the speed of revolution of one planet increase, it could easily lead to collisions of planets, triggering a chain reaction of destruction that would consume everything in fiery chaos.

But despite all that, Aaron remained focused on reaching his goal, his will unshakeable amid the mounting peril.

He meticulously merged the solar systems one at a time, each addition a testament to his growing mastery.

964, 973, 987.

Aaron continued merging the solar systems, each one amplifying the instability, the gravitational fields warring like invisible titans.

The 999th proved to be the absolute limit. The merged system was saturated, offering no plausible means of incorporating the next solar system without inevitable catastrophe.

[Aaron, don’t be ridiculous. This is good enough. This can as well be called merging of an entire nebula.]

"But it’s not the real thing," Aaron replied, his brows furrowed deeply from intense concentration, refusing to settle for anything less than perfection.

The task was extremely mentally consuming, draining his reserves with every passing second. If not for his time talent that ensured he remained in his peak state, Aaron would have long collapsed from the overwhelming mental fatigue.

After merging the 999th solar system, the entire structure was on the verge of instability. If left unattended, it would only be a matter of time before an apocalypse ensued, unraveling the cosmos in a blaze of entropy.

Aaron scanned the entire merged system, releasing as many clones as he could to hasten the process. The duplicates fanned out like ethereal echoes, their forms shimmering as they analyzed every orbital path and gravitational nexus.

But his search proved fruitless; there was no space to add one more solar system without causing a devastating collision, the geometry of the merger defying further expansion.

It felt like Aaron was defeated, unable to achieve his ambitious goal, a rare shadow of frustration crossing his features.

"I guess this is it," Aaron muttered, accepting the apparent defeat at last, his voice barely above a whisper in the void.

[At least it’s good to know that you are sensible enough to call it quits when you face a chasm that can never be surpassed.]

The system’s tone was one of relaxation, easing after being tense for some time due to Aaron’s audacious pursuit.

[Oi, you maniac. What’s that smile on your face? I thought we both agreed to call it a day!]

The system grew frantic, the evil smile spreading across Aaron’s face all it needed to know that he wasn’t finished trying, a surge of alarm pulsing through its connection. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on N0v3l.Fiɾe.net

"I admit. This is beyond me and my capacity. I don’t think I can go beyond this. But I also won’t accept defeat," Aaron said slowly, his eyes gleaming with the light of sudden epiphany, a spark of ingenuity igniting within.

"It’s been a while since I bridged my continuum with this universe. I should be able to sustain it for a while," Aaron said with an arrogant smile on his face, confidence radiating from him like solar flares.

"If I can’t do it alone, I might as well make use of help from a much better essence," Aaron smiled, slowly bridging his continuum with the universe for the second time since its construction, deciding to harness Norton instead of mana.