Zairon stood in the center of his war chamber, alone. The air around him pulsed with suppressed energy—traces of the storm he had barely contained in his five-year seclusion. His fingers twitched, not from fear or instability, but from hunger—hunger for evolution.
The map of the continent had changed. Borders that once stood proud were now painted with his crest. The resistance was crumbling. Armies were ready. Cities bowed. Yet… it wasn't enough.
Not for him.
He exhaled, then summoned the presence deep within himself—the only voice he truly trusted in this world of shifting loyalties and smiling daggers.
"System," he spoke aloud, his voice low and dangerous. "Show me… how to break this ceiling. How to reach beyond what they call power."
A familiar mechanical tone echoed in his mind.
Analyzing host's current cultivation path…
Warning: Host is approaching the upper threshold of Earth's limitations. Ascension beyond current state requires either—
1. External dimensional catalyst (Raur-level energy infusion).
2. Evolution of existing techniques beyond natural comprehension.
3. Fusion of spirit, body, and madness into a singular path: The Sovereign's Path.
Zairon grinned. "Option three, then. Of course."
The Techniques of a Mad Sovereign
During his years of isolation, Zairon hadn't just cultivated. He created.
He had forged three core techniques—twisted masterpieces that no sane mind would dare conceptualize:
Heaven-Slaughter Pulse – A technique that converts his heartbeat into shockwaves capable of collapsing Spirit Barriers.
Mad Sovereign's Will – A passive aura that influences the minds of those nearby, increasing submission… or driving enemies into madness.
Black Genesis – A forbidden regeneration method that allows him to rebuild his body from pure spiritual force, even after near-death, though it carries an immense mental toll.
Now, he refined them further.
He didn't need Raur's blessing.
He would create his own path to ascension.
Meanwhile… in the Inner Sanctum
His closest generals had gathered outside the chamber. They felt the change. The air was dense. The walls hummed with pressure.
Selene whispered, "He's… different. Again."
Kairo nodded. "It's like standing beneath a black hole. If he continues like this…"
"No," Selene cut in. "If he continues like this—no one on Earth will be able to challenge him again."
Inside, Zairon opened his eyes.
They weren't red.
They weren't glowing.
They were clear.
Focused.
Unshakeable.
"Not just strong," he muttered. "I'll become the standard itself. The peak."