226 Chapter 223: New Fear Unlocked Part 3

Just a few minutes after the intense sex session between Arias and Cheshire had subsided, the rhythmic thumping of helicopter blades sliced through the air, reverberating within the confines of the luxurious yacht.

Both Cheshire, with her feline grace, and Arias, exuding an aura of authority, vacated the plush lounge area and ascended to the helipad. There, a sleek helicopter was in the process of landing, its rotors whipping up a miniature tempest around them. As soon as it touched down, the figures of Ivy and the Enchantress emerged from within its belly, followed by two masked men who began unloading sealed cases with practiced efficiency.

Ivy's emerald eyes narrowed into a frown upon catching sight of Arias, her disdain for him palpable. The enchantress, on the other hand, wore an inscrutable expression. Her head moved in a bird-like manner, her eyes darting around curiously as if she were trying to absorb every detail of her surroundings.

Arias chose to disregard Ivy's hostile glare and turned his attention to the Enchantress. "Your job is done; let Dr. June out."

Enchantress seemed to recoil at this command, her body hunching over as she let out a series of eerie whispers—her unique way of expressing reluctance.

"Now."

With this single word from Arias, the already overcast skies erupted into a symphony of thunderous rumbling and crackling lightning that danced menacingly around the yacht. The seas mirrored this tumultuous display, their waves thrashing against the yacht in sync with the stormy skies. His voice resonated through everyone present, instilling a sense of dread that was hard to shake off.

The two masked men unloading the cases from the helicopter clutched their chests in response to this invisible force, while Ivy, Cheshire, and Enchantress winced in discomfort. Even Raven, who was deep in meditation in her room, was jolted out of her trance by Arias's voice. She scanned her surroundings anxiously before relaxing upon recognizing the voice as Arias's.

The enchantress let out louder, echoed whispers before finally succumbing to Arias's command. Her form was enveloped by a thick cloud of dark mist that swirled around her rapidly. When it finally dissipated, it revealed a bewildered Dr. June, who looked around anxiously before relaxing upon realizing she was safely aboard the yacht.

"Did we succeed?" She asked hesitantly, her memory blank, about what had transpired when the Enchantress took over.

Arias responded with a subtle nod and a reassuring smile. "Welcome back, Dr. June, and yes, as you can see, the operation went quite well."

As he spoke these words, Arias gestured towards the cases being unloaded from the helicopter—a sight that seemed to alleviate Dr. June's worries. However, she couldn't help but notice something amiss.

"Why does everyone look a bit pale?" she asked innocently, oblivious to Arias's display of power just moments ago.

"Must be the weather," Arias replied smoothly. "You should head inside and get some rest; you can study the artifacts you managed to obtain later." His charming demeanor seemed forced to Ivy, who found his pretentiousness unbearable.

"Oh, thank you. Then I'll do just that. Goodnight everyone." Still somewhat confused about what was happening around her, Dr. June decided to heed Arias's advice and retire for some rest after bidding everyone an awkward goodbye.

Without uttering a single word, Ivy made her exit. Her eyes, usually filled with fiery determination, now reflected a heightened sense of worry. Her lithe figure moved with a grace that belied her inner turmoil, each step echoing her growing unease. As she walked past Arias, the air between them crackled with unspoken tension.

Cheshire, on the other hand, seemed more intrigued than alarmed. Her eyes sparkled with a hint of admiration as she sauntered closer to Arias, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Quite the mouth you got there, boss," she commented lightly, her gaze following the two men who were now unloading the cases with renewed vigor.

Arias, his expression as calm as a still lake, issued a warning to Cheshire. "You should head inside as well; it'll be dangerous for you up here very soon." His eyes glowed with an array of colors that resembled clustered galaxies, an awe-inspiring sight that sent shivers down Cheshire's spine.

Feeling an indescribable sense of inferiority and fear, Cheshire didn't utter one of her usual suggestive remarks. Instead, she heeded her instincts and made a hasty retreat. As soon as she was out of sight, Arias exhaled slowly, and the skies trembled once again. The clouds ominously encircled the area above the yacht, casting an eerie shadow over the ocean below.

Apeiro's familiar voice resonated in Arias's mind. 'You're evolving; there's no need to fight it, Ari; unleash the power within.'

Arias felt his entire being grow lighter and lighter until he felt weightless. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but he couldn't focus on any single one. His instincts screamed for him to release the power building up within him.

And so he did.

In that moment, every corner of the universe was bathed in a blinding light that originated from Arias's eyes. This light then receded back into his eyes, plunging the universe into a momentary darkness.

For many beings across the universe, this odd occurrence seemed like nothing more than an illusion. However, for some unfortunate ones, this brief moment of alternating light and darkness had grave consequences.

But for Arias, that single moment stretched into an eternity. As the light from his eyes spread across the universe and then returned to him, it brought with it an unprecedented level of understanding about the universe and its flaws.

Before Arias could even begin to comprehend these changes, Apeiro's soft voice echoed in his mind once more.

'How does it feel to grasp the universe?'

Arias didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stared at his own hands as if they were foreign objects. A look of bewilderment crossed his face as he raised one hand towards the sky and snapped his fingers.

In response to this simple action, an explosive dome resembling several nuclear explosions appeared in the sky above him. Rather than expanding outward rapidly, its outer surface seemed to be expanding slowly.

All who witnessed this terrifying spectacle paled instantly, but before they could fully comprehend what they were seeing, it vanished at another snap of Arias's fingers. In that moment, Apeiro's voice questioned again.

'How does it feel to be nigh omnipotent?'