Soon, with the assistance of the other Supreme Laws providing energy, the Virtual Trial stabilized.
Maximus's process of conceiving a vessel of will had also gone more smoothly.
With the mountain-like manifestation of Will providing timely insight for the river of knowledge to process, the condensation of the vessel of Will was greatly shortened.
Seventy years later, after spending trillions of strands of causality and exhausting various rare tier 12 materials he had in store, Maximus looked at the piece of embryo in his hands.
Instead of feeling joy, Maximus could only feel regret.
Due to a lack of strands of causality and insufficiently strong materials, he had only been able to create a prototype.
Just as Maximus was about to test the vessel's power, the Supreme Law of Will appeared beside him.
"What did you do?" it asked with curiosity.
Looking at the vessel embryo Maximus held, the embodiment of will felt a strong, instinctive pull—as if it were a light in the darkness, a shield against destruction, like a vessel that could shelter the will of every being.
"This is the vessel of will, A carrier that could contain and nourish the will of everyone..."
The creation of such a vessel was an idea inspired by the amalgamation of will and the subsequent divine will.
This vessel could not only contain will, but could also harness the power to manipulate the very rules of the world.
If all beings willed it, it would happen. If they all desired something, it would manifest. If they sensed danger, it would protect them.
Like an all-powerful wishing device, as long as enough willpower converges, any desire can be fulfilled.
Unfortunately, this was only a prototype. The will it could carry, and the wishes it could grant were limited.
If this vessel could become more perfected, it might even form a plane of will of its own.
As for its full potential, Maximus couldn't predict it.
Meanwhile, as he studied the vessel of will, the Supreme Law of Will couldn't help but feel amazed.
He sensed that if this vessel were a little stronger, perhaps it alone could save the Aeon Plane from the Dark Disaster.
As long as the will of every living being converged, nothing would be impossible.
"It's a pity..." the Supreme Law of Will sighed as well.
If only this thing were stronger, if only...
Suddenly, it looked at Maximus with a glimmer of hope.
If he could create this vessel, why couldn't he create a more powerful one?
In fact, there was no need to create a more powerful vessel—just enhancing the one before them was enough.
"It's impossible with my current capabilities," Maximus shook his head, sensing its thoughts.
Even with all the strands of causality, he could ever spend and all the materials in the Aeon Plane, Maximus didn't think he could perfect this vessel of will that could repel the dark disaster.
His current knowledge, abilities, and this plane resources simply weren't enough.
Even if he reached the tier 12 realm and enhanced the river of knowledge to the absolute limit, he doubted he could accomplish it.
This was akin to creating an alternative plane.
Unless he could transcend the power structure of the Aeon Plane, Maximus didn't believe he had the capability to create a perfect vessel of will.
"You really can't do anything?"
"At most, I can enhance it to contain all the will within the Aeon Plane. But to use it to repel the dark creatures... that would be impossible."
With the collective will of all beings, this vessel could at least provide an advantage in the fight.
If not, this vessel of will could also be the last way out to preserve the beings in the Aeon Plane.
As long as their will remained active, resurrection would still be possible.
The Supreme Law of Will couldn't bear to see the beings it had created disappear from existence.
It couldn't allow the trace of the Aeon Plane to be extinguished.
After a deep moment of thought, the Supreme Law of Will passed the vessel back to Maximus.
"Complete this trial, " it said solemnly.
Hearing its advice, Maximus turned serious.
Facing the mountain, Maximus began to fly forward, unaffected by the burden of will.
The vessel he carried absorbed all the descending pressure meant for him.
Unhindered, Maximus spent several months reaching the top.
Seeing the will that had almost converged into pure essence, Maximus could only imagine how devastating it would have been without the vessel of will.
Placing the vessel atop the peak, the mountain's overwhelming pressure began to gather and contain itself within the vessel.
"I'll take this creation of yours to the true mountain of will." Suddenly, the Supreme Law of Will appeared, snatching the vessel Maximus had crafted.
"Tsk." Maximus clicked his tongue at the unscrupulous embodiment of law.
Fortunately, he had already refined the vessel of will with his 'origin.'
Unless he permitted it, only he could fully control the vessel.
[Generating the final trial: The Supreme Law of Origin.]
"The Supreme Law of Origin..."
The source of all laws and the catalyst for the creation of the Aeon Plane.
Watching the indistinct form of light approaching him, Maximus braced himself for the coming trial.
"You have finally reached the peak..." the Supreme Law of Origin intoned in praise.
Witnessing Maximus's passage through the trial of will, it couldn't help but feel admiration.
"However, this trial will not be as simple."
"To embody the essence of origin, you must
everyone and everything."
"From the living to the inanimate, from plants and trees, from seas and mountains, from fire and stone, from the most sentient creature to the most archaic one."
"You must become everything and everyone while preserving your origin and self, remaining uninfluenced, unaffected, and, above all, unwavering..."
Listening intently, Maximus grew solemn.
To become everyone and everything without being lost.
To keep his self and origin intact, uninfluenced, unaffected, and unwavering.