Transformation

The cosmic storm preceding Zane's ascension to godhood had already swallowed dozens of planets and satellites, leaving a vast void in space. Even Bastis was unsure if Zane was unharmed. It wasn't until Skynet saw, through a remote telescope, the figure sitting serenely on the throne at the center of the storm that everyone finally relaxed.

"He's okay, he's okay..." Lorna kept repeating, looking at the familiar figure in the telescope. The longing she had suppressed in her heart finally broke through her emotional defenses, overwhelming her entire being. She now desperately wanted to be in Zane's familiar embrace.

Lorna stared at Zane's image, unwilling to blink for even a moment. She was utterly entranced.

"Bastis, how much longer will Zane be like this?" Lorna asked expectantly after a while, regaining her composure.

"It should be within a few hours that the Master will take the final step. However, given this terrifying prelude, it might be slightly extended, possibly taking 3 to 5 days to complete," Bastis said confidently after some thought.

Lorna nodded in acknowledgment and then looked around at the now capable group, her face breaking into a warm smile.

"Since our dear one will take a few more days to awaken, we should make some preparations," she said. "Everyone, use all your resources to gather your subordinates or allies. I don't care what methods you use; I want to see the grandest welcome ceremony the galaxy has ever seen when Zane comes out of seclusion! Let's show our beloved what we've achieved over these years! Understood?" Lorna's commanding presence filled the room, exuding the aura of an iron-blooded queen.

"Got it!"

"Yes, Madam!"

"As you command, Mistress!"

"Leave it to me!"

"I am Groot!"

Seeing everyone's enthusiastic responses, Lorna nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright, everyone, get to work and reconvene here in three days!"

With that, everyone excitedly stepped through the portal constructed by Skynet, returning to their respective places. They looked like children eager to show off their achievements to their parents. Only Lorna stayed behind, continuing to gaze at Zane's solitary figure with a sweet smile on her lips.

"Zane, you've worked hard..." Lorna murmured to herself, barely audible.

Only now did Lorna truly understand the role Zane played in their family. He had always acted as a father figure, protecting all of them, including Lorna. This man had silently shouldered all the burdens, leaving only warmth and happiness for them.

As the leader of a civilization, Lorna now realized how fortunate she had been before. Now, she could finally stand by Zane's side and help support their family.

"Wait for me!"

Lorna smiled and stepped into the portal, returning to the palace of the Caesar civilization.

Three days later, the space-time storm surrounding Zane had expanded several times, forcing Skynet to retreat further and further.

At the center of the storm, deep within Zane's soul, the gray divine power of death was assimilating the last remnants of faith energy. The moment all the faith energy was converted into death power, Zane felt an immediate sense of relief. The oppressive sensation in his soul vanished without a trace.

As Zane withdrew his consciousness from the [Mystic Eyes of Death Perception], a transparent divine fire suddenly ignited deep within the boundless ocean of death power in his soul. This divine fire spread at an unimaginable speed, engulfing Zane's entire soul.

Strangely, despite his soul and body being burned by this transparent flame, Zane felt no pain. On the contrary, he felt an unprecedented comfort, akin to returning to a mother's embrace—an experience Zane had never known.

In a daze, Zane's consciousness seemed to enter a peculiar space. Countless indistinct, magnificent beings emitted an aura capable of destroying galaxies. Some were malevolent, some chaotic, some righteous, and some teeming with life.

These ancient entities from countless dimensions across the universe focused their consciousness on Zane, watching him stride confidently down a path paved with brilliant stars.

At the end of this divine road floated an ancient crown, simple in appearance, adorned with twelve gray gems, exuding an endless aura of death. It called out to Zane.

In this space, time was meaningless. Zane had no idea how long he walked—maybe a second, maybe ten thousand years. Under the watchful eyes of the ancient gods, Zane steadily approached the crown. Following an inner yearning, he gently took the crown from the void and placed it solemnly upon his head.

In the next instant, a bone throne appeared behind Zane, and he sat upon it without hesitation. At the moment Zane donned the crown, it seemed as if every being in the universe who had reached a certain level heard a voice:

"The God of Death has risen; all beings shall bow!"

Instantly, every creature within a radius of hundreds of light-years felt an inexplicable pressure in their hearts. The strong could resist it, but ordinary beings, livestock, and even plants and trees involuntarily bowed towards Zane.

At this point, Zane's consciousness withdrew from that peculiar space. In an instant, the depths of Zane's soul saw the countless death powers rapidly refined by the transparent divine fire. Ultimately, the almost boundless liquefied death power condensed into a 56-faceted elliptical gem.

As the gem formed, infinite divine light shone through Zane's soul onto his physical body. Zane's cells underwent rapid transformation. On a microscopic level, his genetic chains disintegrated and reformed quickly. His blood, muscles, and tendons were imbued with a noble golden hue, and his bones transformed into a diamond-like crystalline substance.

Once the transformation was complete, the crown and bone throne from the mysterious space manifested in reality.

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