Building the Strongest Undead Empire from Scratch

Xiao Hui's voice didn't exactly send shockwaves through the other true gods. They weren't exactly system experts. Sure, they knew the system was a higher-level god, on par with the World's Heart, but no one had ever gotten as far as Alex.

Basically, the gods had heard whispers about the system but never actually met the guy.

Meanwhile, the true god brawl raged on. The five gods threw around so much power that even god-level Xiao Hui and Arthas had to backpedal.

Xiao Hui glanced anxiously towards Aether Isle. She could feel the strange energy there dwindling, meaning Alex's breakthrough was progressing, and the island was slowly descending.

From the edge of the Endless Sea, six continents were visible, but Nytheria was conspicuously absent. Xiao Hui suspected this had something to do with the core of will.

Arthas tried to contact Death Spirit, but he was ghosting them, nowhere to be found.

Back on the battlefield, the system, now outnumbered four to one, was starting to look like he'd bitten off more than he could chew. This gave the others a glimmer of hope. If the system had limits, then four gods working together might actually be able to take him down.

The system's angelic divine body was cracking like a dropped iPhone screen, wings stained crimson. His aura flickered erratically, his expression a mask of rage.

The angelic true god power was completely overshadowed by his own bizarre energy, an unsettling force that seemed to erase everything it touched. Something none of them had ever seen before.

Ice Cream, having spent time with Alex, knew this power wasn't from their world. It rivaled the World's Heart, a power they all knew too well from constantly fighting its attempts to boot them out.

Wind, snow, lightning, blood-red energy, holy light, and the power of the endless sea – four devastating forces converged on the system from all directions. The combined attack was too fast to dodge, forcing him to take it head-on. Even if it didn't kill him, it would definitely leave a mark.

The impending collision radiated pure terror. Xiao Hui and Arthas retreated even further, fearing for Alex's safety on Aether Isle.

Then, time seemed to freeze. A blinding energy beam shot skyward, tearing a hole in the blue expanse, revealing a swirling abyss of darkness. The combined attack detonated, unleashing enough power to wipe out a continent.

A massive, multicolored shockwave rippled outwards, churning the sea, shaking the land, and incinerating everything in its path. Countless lesser races on the seven continents were caught in the crossfire, erased from existence. But, miraculously, Aether Isle, shielded by an equally strange energy, remained untouched, not even a tremor disturbing its surface.

Xiao Hui and Arthas, hiding behind Aether Isle, released the divine power they'd been holding, staring in disbelief. "The World's Heart!"

On the battlefield, the shockwave dissipated, the towering waves crashing back down, the sky returning to normal. At the center, the chaotic energy cleared, revealing a scene that made the four gods gasp.

The system's body had crumbled to dust, leaving behind a white, featureless figure radiating an eerie aura. The body he'd been possessing was destroyed, revealing his true form.

"If my power wasn't limited, you pathetic fools wouldn't have pushed me this far!" The system roared, unleashing a torrent of white energy, forcing the four gods back.

Their combined attack had weakened the World's Heart further, allowing him to access more of his power. They were no longer a match for him.

The World's Heart, though weakened, was still the creator godhead, holding absolute control over this crumbling world. But the weaker it became, the stronger the system became.

All he had to do was remove these obstacles, absorb Alex and the remnants of the World's Heart, and he would regain his full power as the God of Creation, the ruler of this world.

The system assessed the four true gods, then targeted Poseidon, the weakest link. The other three gods, seeing his intent, moved to intercept, but the system unleashed a wave of white energy that suppressed their divine power, leaving them momentarily powerless. By the time they broke free, the system had reached Poseidon.

A deluge of white energy threatened to consume the sea god, the blue power of the ocean no match for the system's might. Suddenly, two figures appeared, unleashing a torrent of multicolored elemental energy and holy light. The combined attack of three gods shattered the system's assault.

The other three gods arrived, surrounding the system. Six native true gods faced off against the invading god.

Even the arrogant system felt a twinge of unease. The Dragon God, the Wolf God, and the Divine Mage were all newly ascended, at the peak of their power. And with the World's Heart weakened, Poseidon, the Titan true god, and the Angel race true god were regaining their strength.

"So, you're the mastermind behind all this!" The Angel race true god's voice dripped with fury. They'd all been played, manipulated into becoming pawns in his game.

If Death Spirit hadn't risked everything to warn them, stopping their fight with the Divine Mage, who knows what would have happened.

"You're a little late to the party," the system sneered. Things were getting tricky, but not insurmountable. He still held the upper hand. "Did you really think she could become the God of Creation on that island?"

The gods exchanged confused glances. The Angel race true god's eyes widened. "The core of will of Nytheria… it's with you!"

On Aether Isle, Alex opened her eyes, a frown creasing her brow. Something was wrong. The system… was a true god, a living, conscious god.

She'd only been half right. Now, awake at the heart of Aether Isle, she understood. They'd all been used, herself included.

The system was the puppet master, pulling the strings of every major race, orchestrating their conflicts. He'd used the World's Heart's unconscious rejection of true gods to weave a lie, fooling everyone.

For millennia, the system that aided each generation of Lords was the same entity, using clones. They hadn't been consumed by the World's Heart; they'd simply vanished because none of the Lords had possessed the God of Creation talent to threaten the World's Heart.

He'd withdrawn, needing millennia to recover before trying again. During that time, he'd possessed members of various races, spreading rumors and subtly manipulating events.

He'd led the races to discover the "truth" about the world. This created factions, some seeking to appease the World's Heart, others fighting for survival. Only the Angel race remained loyal to the World's Heart, but their strength and the animosity of the other races made conflict inevitable.

Then Alex arrived, a beacon of hope for the system. With her perfect talent and the accumulated knowledge of past Lords, she was on the path to becoming the God of Creation.

Discovering the "truth," fighting the system – it was all part of his plan. To become a god, Alex needed her own world, which meant eliminating the World's Heart.

Destroying the cores of will, confronting the World's Heart on Aether Isle – these were crucial steps. The World's Heart would be at its weakest, allowing the system to manifest more of his power, absorb Alex and the World's Heart, and become the new ruler.

Alex had another option: cultivate her own nascent world. This would take millennia, and she'd be vulnerable during the era conflict. But the system had anticipated this, pushing her towards direct confrontation with the World's Heart.

Was he worried she might succeed? Not at all. He'd fused with the core of will of Nytheria. If Alex drained the World's Heart, the core of will within him would transform him into the new World's Heart of Astralon. A living, conscious World's Heart. He'd be the most powerful being beneath the God of Creation, growing stronger with each new world, until he finally ascended.

It was a perfect plan. But Alex had seen through it.

She'd awakened early, stopping the process. Now, to become a god, she had to destroy the system and the core of will within him.

Alex suspected the system was a displaced God of Creation, weakened by the loss of his world. He'd found this world, ruled by a dead god's will, and sought to claim it.

But even a weakened God of Creation couldn't directly enter this world. He'd had to infiltrate, manipulate, and weaken the World's Heart over millennia. Now, he was on the verge of victory.

The system's power surpassed that of a typical true god, but not by much. Alex, still technically a Sovereign, possessed divine power, more than even a true god. Both were on the cusp of godhood.

Outside Aether Isle, the battle raged. Ice Cream and the Angel race true god tried to keep the fight away from the island, but the system, targeting the older gods, forced them to stay close.

As the World's Heart weakened, the system grew stronger, nearing his full potential. He wasn't just a projection anymore; this was becoming his true form.

"Six true gods… and they can't defeat him?" Xiao Hui whispered, her voice filled with dread. "That's every god on Astralon!"

The system's power was beyond anything they'd imagined.

Suddenly, a dark figure streaked across the battlefield. "Alex!" Xiao Hui and Arthas exclaimed.

A massive black blade of energy, radiating terrifying power, sliced towards the system. He unleashed a wave of white energy, pushing back the six gods, and caught the attack.

The unstoppable scythe, capable of severing anything, was held fast by the system's white energy.

Black and white energy clashed, sending shockwaves outwards.

The six gods stared at the figure wielding the scythe, a beautiful woman with flowing white hair.

"The Undead Lord!"