Location: Galactic Human Territory
POV: ???
Sitting on a mat, an older man with greying hair sat down cross-legged in a meditative position. He was draped in beautiful golden robes; everything around him radiated a peaceful aura.
Golden tadpole-like runes slithered protectively through the open air around him.
He opened his eyes, revealing exquisite golden pupils that radiated a fierce light. His gaze pierced through a distance almost incomprehensible to the mortal mind, passing through countless obstacles millions of light-years away, landing on a desolate planet, where he focused his attention on two individuals.
One, an older man who bears an eerie resemblance to him but looks much older, draped in a white robe; the other, a child who appears more like royalty than any other royal child he has encountered.
Crimson red hair, sharp purple eyes, and a face that would undoubtedly become extremely handsome in a few years; right now, though, he looked just charming.
He observed as they deliberated on highly classified details regarding a blessed and the sole known method to suppress or, better yet, diminish the impact of their flaws.
Typically, it would seem odd that a child barely six could discuss or debate a serious topic with the elderly so easily, but he was truly blessed. Blessed children are not typical; in fact, they are quite the opposite, especially when they wake early, like Young Alaric.
He could see that the young man had much to learn about the world of practitioners. He was unaware of everything related to their world. He wasn't to blame; if anything, he and the other organisations are responsible for the current ignorance of the world's inhabitants. Not to worry, the old man was bringing the young man up to speed, and he was catching up at an astonishing rate.
The man in golden robes said in a deep voice, "It seems the True Clone Technique is working as intended," speaking to no one in particular.
He would have preferred for the boy to go directly to the heavenly Archives, but that would only attract unnecessary attention to him. It would be like declaring to the whole world, "I have found the 13th awakened and he is now my student."
That would attract his enemies and those who would try to kill the boy to their home. So, it is safer for the boy to stay unknown to the world.
He couldn't let that happen, no matter what. He had already chosen the boy as his successor, but he couldn't protect the young man as much as he wanted to; his real body, along with most of his power, was trapped here, and he couldn't move freely except through clones, like the one he sent to Alaric.
The reason the other factions haven't sought the 13th Chosen over the past month is that they are wary of him, and acting immediately would be seen as giving him face.
Their conversation went on as he took his gaze to a room in the eastern wing of the palace, where an older maid was attending to a young girl.
The young girl sat on the bed with her empty, lifeless eyes staring into the unknown. It appeared as though she was perceiving and pondering things beyond this world, but in truth, her eyes had already lost their sparkle. She was entirely unaware of her surroundings.
His eyes flickered with pity. Despite his clone's efforts to restore her eyes, nothing succeeded. It was heartbreaking to see the life and spirit drain from innocent children unaware of the world. If only the world weren't so harsh.
He blamed himself for the incidents that occurred in his territory without his awareness. While he could justify it by citing the restrictions he faced, he was not someone to let himself off easily, nor would he give his enemies time to breathe.
Anyone who dared to break the contract and invade his territory would face severe consequences for all the lives they claimed there. Whether mortal or not, they were inhabitants of his domain, and he would pursue justice for them.
Suddenly, he felt the familiar presence of five imposing auras entering his territory, directly heading for the Archive Mountain.
A mountain that stands 150,000 km tall and is one and a half times as wide. It is a very imposing peak and among many in the nearby mountain range.
"It took them long enough. I guess they can no longer hold back."
He calmly willed the surrounding energy in front of him, forming a powerful vortex that spun with increasing velocity of golden particles.
Those particles gathered to form another clone of himself, originating from the base up to his head. The clone appeared older than he was and was dressed in white robes, unlike his golden ones.
The clone's hollow eyes gained a spark as it was brought to life.
Tian nodded in satisfaction, seeing the results of his technique. It was a technique that took him thousands of years in isolation and metaphorically burning the midnight oil to create, so he was proud of the results.
Unlike standard clone techniques, it was almost impossible to tell it was one. They were brilliant beings that were connected to him through a hivemind. It was essentially partitioning his mind without burdening his mental world.
If such a technique became known to the people of this world, there would be another universe-spanning war that would lead to many deaths.
He issued a mental command, and the clone, who evidently received it, nodded before the space around him warped and he vanished.
As the clone vanished, it materialised in a vast dimension connected to the Grand Archives. It was a private realm he had crafted to amuse his visitors.
There, he raised his left hand, and the space around him became fluid, as that action sent ripples through space.
Five portals materialised in front of him, the size of a normal mortal building. From the portals appeared five figures.
The first was a man wearing luxurious golden robes, with a matching crown atop his head. He had striking horns extending from the sides of his head, a youthful look, long black hair, and a charming, endearing smirk on his handsome face. This was Jin Huanglong, the Golden Dragon King and ruler of the beast territory, and he seemed rather happy to be here.
The second doesn't seem to share the same enthusiasm as the Dragon King. He was wearing an expressionless face, he was garbed in plain white clothes, and looked rather uninterested in what was happening right now. He wouldn't have come along if he didn't have some other agenda to fulfil. This was the leader of the top merchant group in the universe, the Midas Merchant organisation, Eddard.
One might expect the leader of such a prominent group to appear charismatic and possess a strong work ethic, but he was quite the opposite. He seemed lazy, uncharismatic, and a sleep-deprived beggar who cares for nothing in particular.
'What a pain.'
The third was also a man with a kindly expression. He appeared like someone who would forgive you for stealing his wife, but those around him would never be deceived. He was a ruthless man driven by a thirst for power, willing to destroy kingdoms and experiment on others just to gain a slight advantage.
He was dressed in a mage's robe decorated with various trinkets. His name was Novac von Ortenrosse, the current leader of the royal Ortenrosse family, rulers of the Demi-Human region. Surprisingly, he was fully human and was in charge of the demihumans.
The fourth individual was a woman with shiny white hair and pointed ears. Her beauty defied description; simply looking at her made the world appear a bit brighter. She radiated a calm and peaceful aura, as if in harmony with nature itself.
Aina Lovewood was the current leader of the Elves, serving as their queen.
The final member of the group was also a woman. Unlike the calm presence of the elf queen, she radiated a fierce aura. Her hair resembled a mane more than typical human hair, and her build looked exceptionally strong. Just standing there, she twisted the gravity in the surroundings.
This was the leader of the loose practitioner organisation called the Trade Hall, Eadgyth.
Looking at his guests, the old man couldn't help but offer a small, gentle smile. He waved his left hand again, closing the portals and summoning a grand round table with seven seats around it.
"Please take a seat." He signalled for them to come closer.