Family system-Chapter 243: The power of the Abyss

Jack smirked. "This is going to be fun."

Now that he fully took in the abyssal energy, Jack could feel its true potential. This was no ordinary power—it was a law-breaking force that did not adhere to the known rules of magic or divinity.

This newfound strength had three major aspects, each with its terrifying potential.

Abyssal Manipulation – The Power to Unravel

The abyss was a place of forgotten things where time, space, and energy did not behave as they should. By absorbing its essence, Jack had gained a unique control over entropy.

Reality Distortion: He could now subtly bend the world around him. Not outright break it, but shift it in ways others would barely perceive. A step here could turn into three steps worth of movement. A strike aimed at him could graze through his form as if he wasn’t entirely there.

The Will of the Abyss: By exerting his presence, he could unmake weaker enchantments and dispel magic without needing direct contact. Even divine spells could be corroded, unraveled as if the abyss refused to acknowledge their existence.

Abyssal Infusion: His attacks, magic, and touch could now carry the abyss with them. If he willed it, his strikes could rot armor, weaken divine resistance, or disrupt the very souls of his enemies.

The Forgotten Echoes – Knowledge from Beyond

The abyss was a graveyard of the old, where remnants of forgotten gods and beings whispered in the darkness. Now, Jack had access to those whispers.

Visions of the Past: He could now glimpse fragments of knowledge long lost, things that even gods had tried to erase. He would know the weaknesses of ancient beings, uncover forbidden histories, and see the truths hidden beneath centuries of lies.

The Tongue of the Abyss: The language of the old ones, which was never meant to be spoken, was now his command. With it, he could issue commands that twisted the will of lesser creatures, force weaker minds to bend to his presence, and even stagger divine beings who were unprepared for its weight.

Echoes of the Forsaken: If he focused, he could call upon the memories of entities that had once ruled before him. He would not become them, but he could wield their instincts, their knowledge, making him an even deadlier tactician in battle.

The Abyssal Call – Control Over the Voidborn

The abyss had once housed unspeakable creatures, things that had long been sealed away, forgotten. Now, Jack had gained the ability to summon and command their aspects.

Abyssal Constructs: Unlike necromancy, which reanimated the dead, the abyss could forge new beings from shadows and void energy. Jack could now create spectral soldiers, shifting entities that obeyed only him, born not of life but of forgotten existence.

Manifestations of Terror: With enough focus, he could summon the fearsome visages of the old ones, causing enemies to falter, to lose themselves in primal terror, their minds buckling beneath the weight of something beyond mortal comprehension.

The Gate to the Abyss: The most dangerous part of his new power was the ability to open a breach back into the abyss itself. For now, he would not dare. But one day, if he ever needed to, he could call upon what lay beyond.

Jack smirked, flexing his fingers as he glanced at the abyssal ruins behind him. He now understood why Xel’Kazur had thought himself unstoppable after obtaining this power.

But Xel’Kazur had only scratched the surface.

Jack had taken it all.

His return to Aetheria would mark the next step in his empire’s rise. With this power, his expansion would be more than just conquest—dominance on a scale never seen before.

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His warriors would be enhanced with abyssal knowledge, trained in ways no mortal army had ever known.

His strategists would have access to forgotten war tactics, giving them the edge in every battle.

His enemies would fall before they even knew what they were fighting.

And more than that—this was only the beginning.

The abyss had shown him glimpses of something greater that had existed before even the gods he knew.

What lay beyond if he could claim this much power from a mere throne? What else had the ancient gods sealed away, fearing its return?

Jack’s grin widened. "Guess I’ll have to find out."

With that, he turned, his golden aura crackling with newfound energy, his presence now carrying a weight beyond divinity alone.

He had touched the abyss.

And he had won.

As Jack stepped through the shimmering portal, leaving the abyss behind, he expected to return to Aetheria as he had left it—a thriving, ever-expanding stronghold built in his image.

But something was different.

The moment his feet touched the grand courtyard of his temple, he felt it—time had passed differently.

What should have been weeks at most had become months.

The air was heavier with power, the city thrumming with new, refined energy, its presence unmistakable. The banners bearing his sigil now stretched across every major building, glowing with divine enchantments, their presence reinforcing his dominion.

Jack’s golden eyes swept across the expanse of Aetheria. It was no longer just a city.

It was an empire.

The streets had expanded far beyond what he remembered, sprawling out with new districts, trade hubs, fortified walls, and watchtowers taller than anything he had sanctioned.

Even more intriguing, a towering citadel stood at the city’s heart, its black and gold architecture resembling something far more advanced than Aetheria once possessed. The unmistakable sigils of Amaterasu, Kali, and Selene adorned its grand gates—indicating that they had pushed Aetheria beyond its original scope while he was gone.

Jack smirked. "I leave for a little while, and they build a kingdom without me."

He strode into the Grand Hall, where his most trusted subordinates awaited him. The room’s energy was electric, thick with reverence and power.

When he entered, all eyes turned toward him, and everyone dropped to a knee in unison.

His elite commanders, priestesses, generals, and closest allies had gathered, and at their center stood Amaterasu, Kali, Ela, Selene, and Elise—his strongest and most loyal.

Amaterasu, her golden glow more radiant than ever, was the first to speak. "You have returned, my love. And much has changed in your absence."

Jack took his seat on the throne they had prepared for him, one that now rested atop a massive obsidian dais overlooking his gathered followers. He leaned forward, amused. "So I’ve noticed. Let’s hear it. What have you done in my name?"

Amaterasu took a step forward, her divine presence unwavering. "The faith of Aetheria is no longer contained to this city alone. We have sent missionaries, scholars, and priestesses far beyond our borders."

She gestured, and a holographic projection of a world map appeared above the central war table.

Vast territories had been marked, stretching beyond Aetheria into neighboring kingdoms, cities, and regions Jack had not yet conquered.

"Your name is now whispered in places even the gods once thought unreachable," she continued. "Temples dedicated to you have been constructed in over a dozen major cities. Your influence is no longer local—it is global."

Jack’s grin widened. "And their devotion?"

Amaterasu smirked. "Absolute. Even those who do not know the truth of your divinity still turn to your teachings. They follow your word, even if they do not yet know that the god they pray to walks among them."

Kali, leaning against her massive scythe, let out a small chuckle. "While Amaterasu has been busy making sure people sing your praises, I’ve ensured that no one dares oppose you."

She waved a hand, and the map shifted to military installations, training camps, and fortifications.

"The old city guard? Gone. Replaced by something far superior." Kali grinned. "Your forces are now the strongest in the known world. We’ve trained them to perfection—disciplined, ruthless, unwavering. And those who excel? They are being trained in divine combat."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Divine combat?"

Kali’s eyes gleamed. "Your warriors are no longer just mortals. With the power we’ve gained, we are molding them into something greater."

Ela, her emerald eyes sharp and calculating, stepped forward next. "Trade has exploded beyond anything we could have predicted. We control nearly every major supply chain in the region."

She waved a hand, and a massive flow of wealth, resources, and controlled territories lit up the map.

"Merchants now serve your will, whether they know it or not. Our trade networks have ensured that no major economy can function without Aetheria’s approval. We dictate what is bought, what is sold, and who profits. And of course… we profit the most."

Jack chuckled. "And the competition?"

Ela’s smirk was cold. "Eliminated. Some bought out. Others… removed."

Selene, ever the warrior, gave a sharp nod. "We have already started seeding our influence into the northern warlords."

The map shifted again, revealing hostile territories, armies, and potential threats.

"These lands were once thought to be untouchable, but now? We have their generals eating from our hands. Some have already begun pledging their loyalty without even realizing it. And those who resist? They will be crushed."

Jack exhaled, taking in everything that had been accomplished in his absence. He had expected progress—but this? This was beyond even his expectations.

His empire was not just growing; it was thriving and evolving, becoming something that could challenge the gods themselves.

And now, with the power he had claimed from the abyss, he had the tools to ensure that nothing—not gods, rival empires, or the old world order—could stop him.

He leaned back, golden eyes gleaming. "You’ve all done well. But we are not done yet. This is only the beginning."

The room hummed with anticipation, his subordinates hanging on his every word.

Jack smirked. "Prepare yourselves. The next phase of our conquest begins now."