Published at 1st of December 2025 8:15 am

Chapter 1776 Appearance of Cosmic Elder

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Serine let out a long, weary sigh before speaking. "The Cosmic Elder... he has appeared once again, and his condition is extremely difficult to understand!"

"The Cosmic Elder? That overwhelming, transcendent entity people claimed had already perished?" Richard's eyes widened to their limits, shock flickering across his face. "He actually appeared again?"

"Mm." Serine nodded firmly. "He manifested in the Mid Sector 911 and not only that he managed to locate and kill the mature space beast that had been haunting the sector!" She paused, then added, "The inhabitants of that entire sector have been celebrating for months without pause. Even the neighboring sectors have been swept up in the wave of relief, grateful this nightmare was finally erased."

"That sounds... good? Doesn't it?" Richard frowned, unable to understand. "So why did you say his condition is worrying? And why would this delay our journey to the next planet?"

"That's because of what the eyewitnesses reported..." Serine's expression dimmed with a faint sadness. "Several Nexus State experts and Guardians had been monitoring the mature space beast. They witnessed the entire confrontation and were the ones who publicly declared the result to the entire universe: the mature space beast was slain." Then she turned toward Richard, voice lowering. "But behind closed doors... something else was said."

"What is it?" Richard asked immediately, anxiety sharpening his tone.

"It's the appearance the Cosmic Elder took on when he emerged..." Serine explained. "Among the higher circles of the universe, it's well-known that he normally resembles an extremely ancient man, as if a decaying mortal whose age exceeded a hundred and fifty years. Someone you might cry for if you saw him sitting by the roadside-because his missing organs were sealed away long ago, and his spine could practically be seen through his hollowed abdomen."

She continued quickly, "But this time... the observers needed a long moment to even confirm it was him! He appeared young-as if in his early fifties. He had hair and a beard, features the Cosmic Elder was never known to possess. His body was covered with healthy, solid muscles, and they reported he was laughing loudly, almost joyfully, while tearing apart the mature space beast!"

"...I don't understand," Richard muttered, baffled. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Serine nodded slightly. "In a sense, yes. It means the Pillar of the Universe somehow regained a portion of his lost strength. But at the same time... he appeared missing one leg and one arm."

"One leg and an arm?" Richard's eyebrows shot up. "Who could possibly take that much from the Cosmic Elder, especially when you just said he killed a mature space beast with ease?"

"That's exactly what caused the panic!" Serine replied instantly. "The only being capable of taking the Cosmic Elder's limb... is the Cosmic Elder himself." She rested her head against her right hand, exhausted. "Everyone is saying he has finally lost his mind-that he traded his own leg and arm in exchange for regaining a younger appearance."

"...What?!" Richard froze for a moment, stunned, then slowly nodded. "Based on what you've described... that actually sounds very possible. Maybe there truly is no other explanation." He looked back at her. "But why is that such a problem for them? He's still unbelievably powerful."

"The act itself isn't the issue-it's the reason behind it." Serine shook her head lightly. "The Cosmic Elder maintained that decrepit, collapsing form for tens of millions of years. Why would he suddenly do something like this now? He used to fight with an expression full of boredom and despair, as if exhausted by the unending evil filling the universe. So why is he laughing now?"

She paused for several long seconds. "Everyone believes his life is nearing its end... and he's trying to find some final moments of happiness before it's over."

"That..." Richard murmured, "What if he found a way to heal himself by sacrificing his own limbs? Why assume he restored only his outer appearance?" "What is taken through balance cannot be returned." Serine shook her head again. "Even the Law of Balance can't help him. The Cosmic Elder's arm and leg are far too small a price to buy back a lifespan like his. The only plausible explanation is that he restored his appearance alone... and perhaps something else. Something that has deepened everyone's unease even further..."

"..." Richard let out a long, weary breath, the kind that came from the depths of someone who truly understood the weight of what he was hearing. If this was really the conclusion everyone had reached, then he could vividly imagine the sheer terror spreading through every cosmic power at this very moment.

To put it simply, they were like a small, fragile child watching his father carefully put on perfume and comb his hair one final time-trying to savor a bit of comfort before dying and leaving that child completely alone to face the overwhelming dangers of the universe.

"You said there was something else that made them even more suspicious?" Richard asked, remembering Serine's last remark. "What is it?"

"...." The girl's face flushed deeply, turning an adorable shade of red that spread all the way to her cars.

"What is it, Serine?" Richard laughed softly, unable to stop the warm feeling in his chest; her expression nearly melted his heart.

Even though he had never touched Serine in any intimate way, the two of them had journeyed together through dozens of planets over the span of centuries. They had shared countless thrilling, dangerous, sometimes even absurd stories together. Yet despite all that time, all those adventures, the girl still grew shy around him-almost as if they had just met.

"The Cosmic Elder, he..." Serine nervously rubbed her slender hands together. "After killing the mature space beast-no one knows what price he paid to accomplish that he didn't remain there floating in the void for years like he normally does. Instead, he immediately left while laughing loudly." She took a small breath, then continued with growing unease, "And according to the information networks owned by the great cosmic powers, someone who looked very much like him was seen shortly afterward in Mid Sector 99... specifically inside a building meant for finding wives."

"...Hah?!" Richard's expression froze, and his shock was so clear it practically radiated off his face.

"I know!! It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?!" Serine said with frantic energy. "It's a place where poor women, widows, and anyone struggling to find a partner go to meet potential husbands. Each woman sits at her own table, and the suitors come to her one at a time. If both of them agree, they finalize a marriage contract-either through a dowry or a formal lifetime-care agreement-and then the man takes his new wife and leaves. You could say it's a gathering place for the desperate and hopeless on both sides!"

Her already-wide eyes opened even further. "According to the networks, the Cosmic Elder walked in hopping on one leg like an ordinary old man, proudy showing off his muscular rejuvenated body and that silky hair of his. They said he wore an enormous, confident grin as he went from woman to woman, trying

to find himself a wife!!"

"Heh~" A small laugh escaped Richard before he could stop it.

Pa! Serine smacked his hand lightly. "Hey! He's still the Cosmic Elder-don't you laugh at him!"

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