Building Interstellar Empire With Universal Synthesis

After the pact was made, Neo took Noir to the camps of the Golden Paladins.

​Standing beside a rock, he proposed a plan.

​"Noir, you just need to keep an eye on the Inquisitor. If he gets wind of what I will be doing, stop him! That is all."

​"Are you going to devour those Paladins like that dwarf?" she asked, as if seeing through his intentions.

​Neo nodded, comforted by the fact that she did not quite get his Ability right.

​Her misinterpretation of him being a Devourer would spare him from exposing his secrets.

​With that, Neo disappeared into the shadows.

​A moment later, he kidnapped a Golden Paladin from his sleep.

​While Noir kept her focus on the Inquisitor, Neo took the kidnapped Paladin into a cave where no one would see his doings.

---

Neo stood over the unconscious Golden Paladin in the damp, isolated cave. The holy knight was clad in gleaming auric armor, completely oblivious to his impending doom.

​"Time to balance the scales," Neo murmured, raising his hand.

​[ Supreme Talent Activated: Universal Synthesis ]

​[ Ding! Target selected: Golden Paladin (Type 7) ]

​[ Compatibility rate: 85% ]

​The blinding white light of the Paladin’s essence clashed with Neo’s spiraling dark liquid. However, unlike the dwarven soul, the pure light energy acted as a perfect counterbalance to his overflowing Nether Force.

The backlash was minimal this time. The pure holy mana flooded his veins, instantly soothing the evil urges that had threatened to consume his mind.

​[ Synthesis Successful ]

​[ Holy Human Gene Assimilated Successfully ]

​[ +15 Strength, +12 Agility, +10 Vitality, +15 Reaction Speed, +20 Light Affinity. ]

​After the synthesis, Neo flexed his fingers. The raw power coursing through him was intoxicating. But it was not nearly enough.

​He slipped back into the shadows. Like a silent predator, he bypassed the perimeter guards again and again.

Over the next hour, five more Type 7 Golden Paladins vanished from their tents without making a single sound.

​Inside the cave, the flashing lights of continuous assimilation illuminated the rocky walls.

Neo broke them down one by one, merging their refined genetic essence, their martial skills, and their holy mana pools into his body.

​Outside the Golden Paladin encampment, Noir remained perfectly concealed within the dense canopy of an ancient oak tree. Her heavy midnight wings were folded tightly against her back.

Her piercing crimson eyes remained locked on the Inquisitor’s command tent, but her heightened demonic senses were entirely focused on the distant cave.

​With every passing minute, the aura radiating from that cavern grew exponentially stronger.

It was terrifying. She could feel the oppressive darkness of his Nether Force expanding, yet it was completely intertwined with the blinding, righteous warmth of high-tier holy energy.

The two opposing forces, which should have violently destroyed each other, were merging into absolute perfection.

​"You’re truly worthy of the Primodial Demon Seed..." Noir whispered to herself, "You are not just devouring them. You are stealing their very foundation. If this goes on, you will be unstoppable."

Imagining that, her heart pounded heavily inside her chest.

​Back in the cave, the final synthesis concluded. The spiraling vortex of dark and light energy receded, revealing Neo’s flawlessly sculpted form.

His muscles did not bulge grotesquely, but they contained the condensed power of a dwarven commander and ten Golden Paladins.

His void-like eyes now gleamed with a small golden halo.

​He called upon his system interface to view the fruits of his relentless harvest.

​[ Status ]

​General Index:

[ Name: Neo Godson ]

[ Age: 20 ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Species: Hellfire Eragon (Variant) ]

[ Lifespan: 500 ]

[ Affiliation: Zenith Empire, Sol-III ]

[ Rank: Type 6 - Metahuman (early) / Baron (Dominator) ]

[ Wealth: $1,410,600,200 FD (Federal Dollars) | 3,500 UC (Universal Credits) ]

Physical Index:

[ Strength: 220 ]

[ Agility: 215 ]

[ Vitality: 210 ( Health: 100%) ]

[ Endurance: 211 ]

[ Reaction Speed: 170 ]

[ Recovery Rate: 180 ]

Magical Index: 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

[ Physiques: Titanium Tempest Body (D), Primodial Demon Physique (D)]

[ Cosmic Force: 6,555 ]

[ Nether Force: 6,666 ]

[ Skills: Vellsing Transformation (D), Water Breathing (E), Spirit Eyes (D), Hydro Manipulation (D), Greater Strength (E). Greater Speed (E), Earth Hammer (E), Holy Aura (E), Heaven’s Smite (E) ]

[ Unique Talents: Universal Synthesis (Supreme), Godsmith (Legendary), Necromancy (Legendary) ]

--

​Neo learned what he needed to know, so he closed the glowing blue interface.

​Besides being three times stronger than he was a few hours ago, his Cosmic Force and Nether Force were finally brought into a perfect balance. Adding to that, the chaotic whispers of unbridled greed in his mind had also completely vanished. His mental state was now perfectly balanced, razor-sharp, and coldly calculating.

​He had successfully harvested the pure mana of the Paladins along with their physical might. He looked toward the exit of the cave, already focusing on his next target.

​The Inquisitor.

​As Neo was now a Type 6, he was confident he could take the Inquisitor down. Noir was stronger, but this matter was personal. He had been defeated once, and now it was time to get back at the Inquisitor.

​First, he assumed his Vellsing form, which increased his overall combat power twofold. His Strength of 215 boosted to 430, making him almost forty times stronger than a regular human. His other attributes also boosted in the same ratios.

​Next, Neo gripped a greatsword taken from the Golden Paladins.

​Then, whoosh!

​He leaped into the air with explosive force.

​5 meters...

​10 meters...

​20 meters...

​50 meters!

​This time, he did not slow down. On the contrary, he started flying through the air as if he possessed invisible wings. In reality, however, every Metahuman gains the ability to fly by using a portion of their Cosmic Force as fuel.

​Neo was obviously exhilarated by his first time taking flight. It felt as if he were a free, unfettered bird.

​But this demonic bird was not here to sightsee. He was here to attack.

​Raising his greatsword high with his monstrous arms, he activated [Heaven’s Smite].

His sword instantly started humming and glowing with condensed light energy.

This skill was only at E-rank, but boosted by his Vellsing form, it became very terrifying.

​Buzz!

​Even the very space around the blade began to ripple like murky water. Then, he unleashed it in a single, devastating downward strike.

​RUMBLE!