February 28th, 2033.
A week and a half had passed since Anastasia Tamsen, the Leviathan Monarch, had died, and her death had shaken the entire world of the Monarchs in ways that none of them had expected. Ora had yet to fully recover from the loss, though he was slowly making progress as the days continued to pass, while Tanner had become much more involved with the other Monarchs, cherishing every moment he spent with them in case any of them were suddenly taken away as Anastasia had been.
Montana, after gaining access to her Dimension, had become far more active in hunting Beasts of Ruin, spending nearly twelve hours every day searching for and killing whatever creatures she could find, though she would immediately contact Alma whenever she encountered an EF-5 class Beast of Ruin that required his attention.
Amelia and Weston continued their training as well, though their determination and aggression had increased considerably since Anastasia's death, as the loss of one of their own had propelled them to work harder than ever before and push themselves beyond the limits they had previously accepted. As a result, both of them had begun growing at a much faster pace than before, accelerating the bond between themselves and their respective Mythical Beasts.
Alma, meanwhile, was no slouch either, as he had spent his time practicing with his own abilities, specifically those connected to his position as the Dragon Monarch. The Second Circle, much like the First, was something he had decided he would never use again, despite its ability to dispel anything unnatural potentially proving useful in the right circumstances, because the situation that had caused him to activate the Spiraling Disaster Storm was far too heavy for him to willingly call upon without feeling regret.
If Jasmine and Max knew about the Second Circle, they would probably roll their eyes at Alma and tell him to use it, because, to them, this situation was similar to the Endless Labyrinth, where a tool was simply a tool regardless of who created it or what it represented. To Alma, however, a tool was defined by its maker regardless of how useful it might be, and the Second Circle was a direct product of the very thing he hated most and feared would one day consume him completely, making it the physical manifestation of his greatest fear.
However, the training he had undergone with Ardath was beginning to show results, because while Alma had initially struggled to control the Liminal Bonds produced through the bond he shared with her, his control had steadily improved and become increasingly precise as the days passed. Even so, it was obvious that he still had a long way to go before he was ready to use anything beyond the invisible, spectral wings that allowed him to fly.
More than anything, Alma desperately wanted to help Jasmine control her own Liminal Bonds while also ensuring that she would never again lose control of her energy in the same way she had on the rooftop, and everything he did was for her sake, just as he would have done for any of his children had they been the ones standing in her position.
───
April 20th, 2033.
Two months had passed since the death of Anastasia Tamsen, yet the impact of her loss still lingered among the Monarchs, even as each of them continued carrying out their respective duties as normally as they could. Her untimely death remained a source of motivation for everyone, pushing them to become stronger and succeed so that they would never again be left helpless in the face of such a tragedy.
Ora and Montana had grown accustomed to their Dimensions, refining neither their control over the Dimensions themselves nor the Cheat Sheets associated with them, but instead focusing on the Liminal Bond requirement that allowed them to access those abilities in the first place. Through their phenomenal understanding of Liminal Bonds, they had managed to decrease the amount of energy required to activate their Dimensions, an achievement that even Emmanuel found impressive enough to congratulate them for.
Amelia and Max had also strengthened their bonds with their respective Mythical Beasts, bringing both of them dangerously close to something truly significant, though there were still many things waiting ahead of them before they could reach that point.
Alma, however, had progressed even further, because in the roughly two months since he had first attempted to control Liminal Bonds, he had completely mastered not only the concept behind them but also their practical application, achieving near-perfect control over Liminal Bonds as a whole. Yet, despite all of his progress, something truly unexpected had occurred.
───
White Void—April 21st, 2033.
"Well..." Ardath said as she stood upon a domino suspended high in the air, her voice carrying through the endless expanse of the White Void.
Alma stood below her on the floor, looking upward, while Ardath faced away from him and stared toward the massive bell hanging even higher above her. The enormous object remained suspended like a sun in the strange white expanse, radiating a brilliant golden glow that illuminated everything around it and gave the entire place an almost holy and magnificent appearance.
"This is something unexpected indeed," she said.
Alma merely raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"
Ardath turned around and looked down at him. "You have reached the maximum bond that a Monarch and Mythical Beast can possibly have."
Alma did not immediately react, as confusion rather than bewilderment settled across his face. "I don't understand. Based on everything you've explained to me..."
"You should have far more abilities than you currently possess," Ardath interrupted, finishing his thought for him. "That's what confuses me."
"Throughout the history of Monarchs and Mythical Beasts, there has always been an evolutionary bond between the two of us, where the Mythical Beasts would gain additional Liminal Bonds and unlock new abilities connected to their personalities, their mentalities, and even ourselves," Ardath explained.
The domino beneath her slowly descended until it reached the ground, allowing Ardath to step off before she approached Alma and stood directly in front of him.
"The abilities they gained were always different, and not a single one would remain exactly the same between Monarchs, because even if one ability was similar in essence to another, its function would differ, its purpose would be directed toward something else, and its very nature would change depending on the individual." Ardath looked directly into Alma's eyes. "But you, Alma Alastor... have no such abilities."
Alma remained completely still, showing no visible reaction to the revelation, because he already knew it himself, and the lack of additional abilities did not concern him in the slightest. The main reason he had been attempting to advance through the higher levels of their bond was solely so that he could better understand and teach Jasmine, meaning that whether he gained any new abilities was ultimately irrelevant to him, as they would have been nothing more than interesting trophies to possess.
This had always been for Jasmine in the end.
"But there is one unique thing about you, something that only you have managed to accomplish," Ardath continued, staring directly into Alma's eyes. "You have reached the maximum bond with me, and because of that, you have unlocked your Dimension." She smiled before gently patting him on the shoulder. "Well done."
Alma smiled back at her. "Thank you. I'll use my newest ability with pride."
Ardath chuckled as she looked toward the golden bell above them. "You aren't fazed in the slightest. Typical." She turned her attention back toward Alma. "You never reached a point where you believed you could lose, never had to be brought to the brink of death, and never experienced some kind of serious mental transformation in order to unlock your Dimension. You simply ignored all of the rules and did things your own way." She smiled faintly. "What a you-thing to do."
Alma chuckled lightly. "I was never one to follow guidelines, I suppose, but this is the first time in a while since we've spoken, so why haven't you contacted me at all, or brought me here?"
"I couldn't," Ardath admitted, her voice becoming noticeably quieter. "I tried pulling you into this place multiple times, but your mind was too strong for me to do anything, and honestly, it was kind of scary." Sadness entered her voice as she continued. "That was the first time I had ever felt alone."
Alma's expression softened as he rested a hand upon her shoulder and gently rubbed it. "I'm sorry. I was going through a rough time, and I shut myself away from everything for quite a while." He lowered his gaze slightly. "I even technically abandoned my kids."
"The Second Circle?" Ardath asked.
Alma solemnly nodded.
"You know, I don't understand what that is, and I don't know what the First Circle is either." Ardath tilted her head slightly. "The only things I know are their names and effects, though I understand the Endless Labyrinth, at least, but I don't know anything about the Second Circle."
"It's... complicated." Alma paused before looking at her. "Wait, didn't you hear about it when I told Jasmine and Max?"
"No. I only look through memories that might be useful to our bond, not memories that have nothing to do with it."
"Oh..." Alma nodded in understanding. "Well, it is complicated, so perhaps I'll tell you another day, because right now I need to get out of here and help Jasmine with her energy." He turned away from her before stopping and looking back. "But I have to ask you something first." His expression became more serious. "Why does Jasmine possess Liminal Bonds like the Monarchs do?"
"I honestly couldn't tell you," Ardath admitted. "The most obvious, yet least informative explanation would be to simply attribute it to her being the Reality Minister, because she is the host of the creator of the universe and everything within it, including us Mythical Beasts, so it is entirely possible that the Reality Being simply wanted your daughter to possess Liminal Bonds like us."
"But that doesn't make any sense," Alma replied. "Wouldn't that simply make her the next Dragon Monarch or something similar? Since the position of Dragon Monarch is equal to a Minister, wouldn't she already possess Liminal Bonds instead of having to create them herself?"
"It doesn't make sense, but you have to understand that the energy your daughter possesses isn't exactly the same as Liminal Bonds." Ardath's expression became thoughtful. "I don't say that because a Mythical Beast isn't producing it alongside her, but because there is the slightest difference in its nature."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"It's more potent than even your own energy, and far more vast, containing a greater amount than any Monarch I have ever witnessed, yet it is also uniquely her own."
"Her own?" Alma asked. "What do you mean?"
"Every Monarch produces Liminal Bonds, and that energy itself isn't different, because it is exactly the same across all of them." Ardath looked toward Alma. "Their abilities are what differ, and they differ tremendously, but Jasmine's energy is... different. It is something that possesses a form without being visible, something that is tangible while also being intangible at the same time, and it is constantly changing and morphing into something else."
Ardath slowly trailed off, searching for the words to describe something she herself had difficulty understanding. "It's almost like..."
"Almost like the energy is the Reality Being itself," Alma finished.
"Yes, exactly, but yet again, I have no clue," Ardath admitted, giving Alma a small smile. "And if you're going to try and help her control that absurd amount of energy, then be careful, although you already know that."
She patted Alma gently on the shoulder before stepping back.
"Well, take care, and I'll see you until you need to see me again, or until I need to see you, but make sure you haven't blocked me in your head like an ex-girlfriend's contact in your phone."
Alma chuckled. "Don't worry, that won't happen again."
He waved her off before disappearing.
───
April 21st, 12:00 PM.
Alma opened his eyes while lying on the couch, slowly sitting up as he looked toward Jasmine, who was playing a board game with Max, Emily, and the boy, with a couple of red and green houses scattered across the board alongside several cards belonging to the two players that displayed images of trains.
Alma smiled at the sight before him, feeling a quiet warmth settle over him as he watched his children spend time together.
This was what grounded him, because no matter what happened in the world, whether it was something completely outside of his control or something he simply didn't know about, and regardless of whether he experienced failure or success, returning home and seeing them made everything worth it. Of course, this didn't mean that Alma was good solely for their sake or because of their opinions of him, although the latter was still a foundation of who he was, because they were an anchor holding him steady within a dangerous storm that threatened to pull him in every direction.
Alma sat up, staring at the board game while listening to their shouts of triumph and defeat, and Max was the first to notice him, motioning for Alma to come over and join them.
"You wanna play, Dad?" he asked, making the rest of the heads in the room turn toward Alma.
"Sure, I can allow myself a little bit of free time," Alma said as he scooted over beside Jasmine and Desear. "Alright, so how do I play...?"
───
After an intense hour of playing, Jasmine ultimately ended up as the winner, announcing her victory with a triumphant shout as she flailed her arms around in celebration.
"I won!!" Jasmine exclaimed enthusiastically. "I won, I won, I wooooooonn!" she continued happily.
Alma smiled as he clapped his hands, congratulating Jasmine on her victory. "Well done, you did great."
"Awww, man, I for sure thought I was going to win," Max said, sounding slightly frustrated, although he was still happy with how the game had gone.
"That was such a cheap move, owning the red sets and placing three houses each on them, because that feels like cheating," Emily complained before sighing and shaking her head. "It's whatever, though."
Desear remained silent throughout the conversation, only nodding his head when Emily spoke.
"Well, are we ready for round six? I think I've got a strategy that'll beat all of you losers," Max said playfully, wearing a smile as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"Well, lucky girl, what do you say to another round? Wanna really stress-test that absurd amount of luck you have?" Emily asked.
"No thanks, I need to ask Dad about something personal, but when we're done, sure," Jasmine said before standing up, with Alma following shortly after.
"Alright, suit yourself, but don't be surprised when you come back and see a pro at work," Emily said with a smile.
Max clicked his tongue. "As if, you'll be lucky if you're even amongst the no-names."
As Max and Emily continued their playful banter, Jasmine walked into the kitchen with Alma, looking up at him with a nervous expression as they moved away from the others.
"Am I ready to be trained?" Jasmine asked.
"I've told you before that it isn't you who needs to be worthy. I couldn't train you simply because I didn't know enough about what you were capable of," Alma explained. "I wouldn't make an effective teacher if we're both standing in the dark."
He then looked toward the archway that led into the kitchen. "Have you told them yet?"
Jasmine looked down at the floor, shaking her head. "No... I'm scared to."
"You know that you'll have to tell them eventually." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "But it doesn't have to be now, tomorrow, or even a year from today. You should do it whenever you're ready." Alma said with a smile.
Jasmine smiled softly at him. "Thank you."
A long silence followed between them before she finally spoke again. "Am I ready, though, to be trained by you?"
"Of course you are, and we can begin right now if you want to. I already have an area in mind." Alma said.
Jasmine's face immediately brightened with excitement as she jumped in place with uncontained joy. "Yes, yes, yes!! Please!"
Alma chuckled before telling her to follow him, and together they walked back into the living room, where they turned their attention toward Max, Emily, and Desear.
"We're going out for a while. So Max, you're in charge until I get back." Alma said. "Don't go outside unless it's necessary, and watch over Emily and Desear for me, okay?"
Max immediately stood up and saluted, his expression becoming stern and serious as though he had just been given an important military assignment. "Sir, yes sir!"
Alma chuckled at the sight. "Alright, love you all."
"Bye!" Emily called out, while Desear remained silent and Max continued holding his salute.
Alma and Jasmine then left the apartment.
───
April 21st, 1:30 PM.
Alma had flown Jasmine out to the riverbank where he had gone after activating the Second Circle. The moment they arrived, the memory surged back into his mind, forcing him to remember the terrible and evil thing he had done there. If it hadn't been for his children, Alma believed that he would have taken his own life after the incident, or perhaps turned himself in and served time in prison for his actions.
But now was not the time to dwell on such atrocities, because Jasmine needed a mentor more than anything else, not a man who constantly complained about his own mistakes. Alma then gently lowered her onto the ground before landing beside her.
"Here we are," Alma said. "Your training grounds."
Jasmine's eyes widened in awe as she took in the scenery surrounding them. The place was beautiful, with the trees still carrying the colors of autumn while various animals ran and flocked throughout the open area, the river itself contained the clearest water she had ever seen while the air smelled of purity.
"Everything's... so... GORGEOUS!!" Jasmine shouted.
"Calm down, girl. There's training to be had, and I want you to take this seriously," Alma said sternly.
Jasmine quickly calmed herself and cleared her throat before straightening her posture. "Right, I am ready... teacher," she said, her tone becoming serious.
Alma sighed as he closed his eyes with a small smile. "Let's begin."
───
A massive beam of white and purple energy suddenly raced toward Alma, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. With a swift hand sign, The Greatest Defense: Shield, formed around him just in time to block the attack.
The beam struck Shield before splitting apart into multiple smaller beams that traveled around the barrier and continued deeper into the forest, where they caused explosions of varying sizes that shook the surrounding area.
Shield faded away, revealing Alma standing unharmed but visibly stunned by what had just occurred.
"I told you to limit your output to a quarter percent!!" Alma shouted as he looked back toward the destruction Jasmine had caused.
"Sorry! I'm sorry!! But that was a quarter of my output!" she said with a worried expression.
Alma slowly turned back toward her, his jaw hanging open as his eyes widened in complete disbelief. "Ayayaya... Lord have mercy," he said in a completely flat tone.
"Okay, let's take this from the top," Alma said calmly. "Your energy comes from the Reality Being, and it is a constant presence inside your body, always flowing despite remaining within the same place. You direct this energy into your hands, but you cannot simply flood them with it, because if you don't control how much energy you direct, the amount will become more than your hand can endure, causing it to spill out of your control just like it did a moment ago."
"Try doing it again, because practice makes perfect, after all," Alma said.
Jasmine closed her eyes, attempting to focus harder as she searched for and sensed the energy within herself, and although doing so did not strengthen her connection to the energy itself, it allowed her concentration to become much more focused. She concentrated intensely, and for the third time, she managed to direct an appropriate amount of energy into her hand, allowing it to endure the power without losing control.
Jasmine's left hand began to glow purple, radiating thin trails of white smoke alongside faint tendrils of energy that curled around her fingers, and her eyes widened with a mixture of shock, excitement, and amazement as she realized what she had accomplished. She squealed with joy, pointing toward her glowing hand with her other one while somehow managing to keep the energy within it steady.
"Look, Dad! I did it!! Hahaha!" Jasmine announced excitedly.
Alma stared at her with a proud smile, pleased by her progress. "Very well done, good job. Now, try to redirect it away from your hand," Alma instructed, still wearing the same encouraging smile.
Jasmine closed her eyes once more, focusing intently on the energy within her as she slowly began to redirect it, and gradually, beginning at her fingertips and moving toward her wrist, the purple energy started to fade away until her hand was completely normal again. She slowly opened her eyes and looked down at her hand with confusion before her expression quickly shifted into excitement, and Jasmine began jumping up and down while yelling and shouting in celebration.
Alma's smile widened as he reached over and gently patted Jasmine on the head. "Good job. Now what I want you to do is try it again, but a little bit faster. Closing your eyes seems to help you concentrate, but you need to learn how to direct your energy without relying on them, although that can wait for another training session," he said.
Jasmine nodded before closing her eyes once again and attempting to direct the energy toward her hand, but this time, she misjudged the amount of energy she was sending into it, causing a massive beam of energy to suddenly shoot forward and strike Alma directly in the chest.
Alma was launched backward with tremendous force, crashing through multiple trees as his body continued descending down the hill, while Jasmine stared in horror and immediately cupped both hands over her mouth. She quickly ran down the hill after him, eventually finding Alma lying within a crater in a small mound several yards away, his body covered in branches and dirt. Jasmine hurriedly looked over him, searching for any injuries, but she couldn't find a single wound on his body or even a wrinkle in his clothes.
Alma spat out a mouthful of dirt and raised his index finger before Jasmine could even begin apologizing. "Why do I always stand in front of you...?" he joked.
"Are you okay?!?!" Jasmine asked as she hurriedly removed the branches from his body and dusted the dirt from his clothes.
Alma stood up, wiping away some of the remaining dirt that Jasmine had missed. "I am. It tickled, but it didn't injure me," he said, his smile returning to his face. "It was actually fun being sent backward that fast, and it almost makes me wish we could do it again."
His expression then became serious as he looked directly at her. "You lost control. Again. I don't want to be rude, but if your concentration can be broken this easily, even while you're actively trying to focus, then you'll never be able to master your energy."
Jasmine nodded solemnly, holding Alma's gaze as his words settled heavily within her mind.
'I can sit here and make all the promises I want. Whether they're to myself, to other people, or to anyone else. Anybody can make a promise. But to him... my father...? It's difficult. I feel as though the weight of the entire world settles onto my shoulders the moment I think about making one to him,' Jasmine thought.
She let out a quiet sigh before turning around and facing away from Alma.
'I don't want him to think of me as a weak person. I hate that he saw me in the state I was in a couple of months ago, but maybe that can only show him how far I've come.' Jasmine thought.
She eventually turned her head toward Alma. "Father...? Can I ask you something?"
Alma nodded. "Of course, whatever you want."
"How are you able to do it?" she asked. "You're able to do everything with perfect efficiency and absolute confidence. You have all the talent to back it up, and you never fail, never lose... so how are you able to do it?" Jasmine asked as she turned to face him fully.
Alma didn't answer immediately, taking a moment to formulate his reasoning into words. But as he thought about it, he realized the answer was actually quite simple and could easily be boiled down to one thing: ego.
"Well..." Alma began before pausing again. "I suppose that... the thought of losing never crossed my mind."
Jasmine's eyes widened slightly as she understood what he meant, realizing that Alma's position was so high that the possibility of falling had practically become obsolete to him.
'Then it's decided,' she thought.
"Father... I wish to be like you. To have the mindset and the strength of the strongest," Jasmine said.
"That's a good start, but you know, copying somebody else will only limit you to what they can do, rather than what you can do," Alma explained as he rested a hand on her shoulder. "It's a good place to begin, but you need to develop a mindset of your own. Something that allows you to grow beyond what I did, because one day, I won't be here to help everybody. I know it's too soon to be talking like that, but it's the truth, and I want all of you, my children, to surpass me one day. Not just in strength, but in every aspect. To be what I was and more."
Jasmine's eyes widened. "But that's too much to ask from us. We barely even know what we are, at least me and Max do, and to even dream of being like you, even a tiny bit, let alone surpassing you, is impossible. It simply cannot be done."
"But it can be." Alma said. "I'm the strongest, not the unreachable. You'll be able to surpass me. I believe in every single one of you."
Alma smiled at her, leaving Jasmine able to do nothing but stare at him in shock.
'Then maybe... making a promise to you isn't so tremendous after all,' Jasmine thought.
---
"Do you not understand what fighting him means?!" the voice of a man shouted, outrage filling every word as it echoed throughout the room. "If you think we'll willingly risk our lives trying to withstand that monster for even the shortest amount of time, then I'll take my chances with the President instead." The furious voice belonged to a short figure wrapped entirely in an all-black cloak, its hood concealing nearly every feature of his face except for the sharp glint of his eyes beneath the shadow.
"Easy, easy, you've misunderstood my words," another man replied, his voice calm, refined, and almost unnaturally gentle, standing in stark contrast to the tension around him. "You won't need to fight him at all." The composed voice belonged to a youthful-looking man dressed in an immaculate ivory suit lined with intricate gold embroidery that resembled the branching veins of crystal, while a long white overcoat draped from his shoulders and nearly reached the floor, its inner lining shimmering with countless tiny geometric patterns that caught the light whenever he moved. A pair of pristine white gloves covered his hands, and resting against his side was a polished black cane crowned with a perfectly clear crystal sphere. His silver hair was neatly combed back, and although he appeared no older than his mid-twenties, the calm certainty in his eyes betrayed an intelligence that seemed far older. This was Quinex.
"I honestly can't understand why you don't just get one of the Rulders to help you out, Quinex," a woman said, resting one hand on her hip as she tilted her head. She wore a deep crimson military-style coat with long split tails that reached the backs of her knees, the dark fabric decorated with rows of polished silver clasps and black leather belts crossing over her waist. Beneath it rested fitted black trousers tucked into knee-high leather boots trimmed with crimson stitching, while a pair of fingerless gloves left only her fingertips exposed. Resting across one shoulder hung a weathered scarf patterned with dark gray diamonds, fluttering lightly whenever she shifted her stance. "They'll have an answer for all of this."
"When Alma Alastor appeared," Quinex answered without hesitation, "every single one of the Rulders fell into a coma-like state. I haven't been able to wake any of them since."
The expressions of both the cloaked man and the woman changed immediately, their earlier skepticism giving way to visible disbelief as silence briefly overtook the room.
"All of them...?" the woman muttered, genuine horror creeping into her voice. "But how...? They were the first beings to ever exist..."
"I don't understand it myself," Quinex admitted, lowering his gaze briefly before lifting it again. "I had Millard place them inside the Subatomic Crystal Sphere."
"But that's dangerous," the cloaked man interrupted immediately, taking a cautious step forward. "It hasn't been tested on beings as divine as them. What if you end up killing them?"
"That won't be a problem," Quinex replied confidently, the faintest smile returning to his face. "Because of their nature, Ruin constantly surrounds their bodies, making them naturally immune to its side effects, and even if traces were somehow capable of affecting them, that same Ruin serves as a filtration system, blocking harmful quantities before they ever reach them. Trust me... they're perfectly safe."
"But that still doesn't explain why you need us," the cloaked man continued, his suspicion refusing to disappear. "You said we wouldn't have to fight him. So what exactly do you mean by that? Why even call us here if not to use us?"
"It's actually very simple," Quinex answered, folding one gloved hand behind his back while resting the other atop the crystal handle of his cane. "Both of your abilities are rather unique. Individually, they're mostly suited for direct offense and producing overwhelming noise, rarely lending themselves to situations that require stealth or precision, but when the two of you work together..." A knowing smile spread across his face. "...you become exceptionally good at creating the perfect silence."
"What exactly are you getting at?" the woman asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Alma Alastor is an extraordinarily intelligent and perceptive individual," Quinex explained patiently. "He doesn't simply overlook something unusual. Whenever he notices even the smallest inconsistency, he immediately begins asking himself why it's there, what purpose it serves, how it came to exist, and what consequences it may have. That is the kind of man Mr. Alastor is."
The woman grimaced. "Ugh... are you sure you don't secretly want to date him?" she asked, visibly disgusted by the admiration hidden within Quinex's explanation.
"No, no," Quinex replied with a small chuckle. "I'm not quite there... yet." His expression quickly settled back into one of composed calculation. "Anyways, the two of you will create a distraction. First, something so insignificant that it barely registers, just enough to make him suspicious, and then immediately afterward, something large enough that he'll have no choice but to respond. While he's occupied, I'll be preparing the Subatomic Crystal Sphere. However..." His smile deepened. "...it will be slightly modified to better accommodate him."
"You're planning on sending him to the same place the Rulders are?" the cloaked man asked. "So you are trying to kill them after all."
"Relax," Quinex answered calmly. "The Dragon Monarch will be receiving an entirely different version of that realm, one separated completely from the existence the Rulders currently inhabit. Think of it as... another reality built upon the same foundation."
"Whatever you say, you crazy nut," the cloaked man muttered with an annoyed sigh. "But if either one of us dies because of this plan, I'm coming after you."
Quinex merely smiled.
"You already know where to find me," he replied. "Now prepare yourselves. Two months from now... a new era will begin." His smile slowly twisted into something darker, colder. "An era where the world finally learns that one man cannot be enough."
The challengers had already drawn their weapons long before the battle itself had begun. And in time, the strongest amongst humanity would be forced to prove exactly why he carried that title in what would become the most difficult battle of his life thus far.