The morning sun spilled lazily over the quiet city, gilding the rooftops and washing away the chaos of the night before. The faint hum of the Extreme Defense Array pulsed in the air like a heartbeat, serene and unbothered, while above it all, a massive bronze-jade serpent coiled lazily through the clouds, its golden eyes half-closed in contentment.
Inside the manor, Zeke yawned so loudly the servants outside nearly dropped their buckets. He stretched, hair wild, robe half-open, and shuffled onto the balcony. The city below looked peaceful—maybe too peaceful for someone who had just accidentally caused every sword in the world to freak out.
"Morning," he muttered to no one, squinting at the sky. "Still standing. Not bad."
[Ding! Daily Sign-In Complete. Reward: Breakthrough Pill.]
A small white pill shimmered into existence above his palm. It was tiny, perfect, and glowed like condensed moonlight.
Zeke blinked at it. "…Another pill, huh?"
[Item: Breakthrough Pill. Function—Allows immediate advancement to the next cultivation stage. Bypasses bottlenecks. May cause mild internal combustion if taken incorrectly.]
He raised an eyebrow. "So… candy."
[That is not—]
"Candy it is."
He glanced toward the courtyard below. Alora stood there, motionless as a statue, black leather gleaming faintly in the sun, her blade resting against her shoulder. Even doing nothing, she radiated quiet menace—the kind that could kill an entire army before breakfast.
"Hey, Alora," Zeke called lazily.
She turned her head slightly. "What is it, Young Master?"
He tossed the pill down. She caught it effortlessly between two gloved fingers, inspecting it under the light. "What is this?"
"Candy."
"…Candy."
"Top-shelf stuff. Real sweet. Maybe spicy. Try it."
Her masked face tilted ever so slightly, suspicion flickering in her eyes. But after months of guarding him, she'd learned one thing—when Zeke sounded confident, the universe usually regretted doubting him.
She sighed softly. "Very well."
He grinned. "Atta girl."
She turned and disappeared into her quarters, the black folds of her cloak fluttering briefly before the door shut behind her.
Zeke leaned back on his chair, kicked his feet up on the table, and pulled open his system interface. The translucent blue screen hovered before him, scrolling with neat golden text.
[Divine Sword Physique]
• Top-tier Sword Dao constitution
• Unparalleled comprehension
• Limitless providence
• Destined to reach the peak of the Sword Dao
Zeke chewed on a mouthful of rice and muttered, "Destined, huh? Funny how destiny forgot to mention the whole banishment thing."
[Correction: You were destined to entertain me.]
He squinted. "You're lucky you don't have a face."
[That would make your food taste worse.]
"…I hate how fast you respond."
He flicked through the Shop tab instead, scrolling lazily through a seemingly endless catalog. "Let's see… swords, pills, talismans… oh, look, a 'Spatial Chicken Nugget'? That sounds cursed."
[Warning: Not recommended for consumption. Contains a small pocket dimension.]
"I'll take two."
As he confirmed the purchase, the air suddenly trembled. A deep, rumbling boom spread from the far wing of the manor. The sky itself seemed to vibrate.
Slither's eyes opened high above the city, golden pupils narrowing.
Zeke paused mid-chew, chopsticks halfway to his mouth. "Ah. There it is."
A wave of dense Qi rolled through the courtyard, shaking the walls. The sound was like thunder wrapped in silk, deep and endless.
[Detected: Breakthrough to Nascent Soul Realm (Alora Cross).]
Zeke stuffed another bite of meat in his mouth. "Told you it was good candy."
[You intentionally caused that.]
"Did I? Or did destiny?"
[You.]
"Details."
The surge of energy faded, and a moment later, Alora stepped out of her room. The faint glow of a fresh Nascent Soul aura surrounded her, subtle but powerful. Her movements were sharper, her presence heavier; even standing still, the air seemed to bend around her.
"…Young Master," she said quietly, bowing her head. "I've advanced. Thank you."
Zeke didn't look up from his bowl. "Told you. Sweet and spicy."
"That was not candy."
"All candy's cultivation if you chew hard enough."
She stared at him for a long second, then exhaled through her nose—a quiet, resigned sound that might have been the closest thing she'd ever come to a laugh.
"With this advancement, I will be far more useful to you," she said. "My strength has increased severalfold."
Zeke waved his chopsticks lazily. "Eh. You're now about as strong as my old man."
She paused. "The Clan Leader?"
"Yeah."
Her eyes narrowed slightly behind the mask. "He's already at the peak of Nascent Soul Realm, Young Master. I cannot compare to him yet."
"Eh. He can't fly or burrow. Slither could probably flick him into next week."
Alora tilted her head just slightly. "Actually, flight becomes possible upon reaching the Nascent Soul Realm."
Zeke blinked. "Then why hasn't my father ever—"
"He's scared of heights."
He froze mid-bite, then broke into a grin. "…That explains a lot."
Above, Slither's booming laughter rolled across the clouds, shaking the air.
Alora looked up at the enormous serpent, her tone softening just slightly. "Heavenly Beasts truly are terrifying. Their strength surpasses their cultivation by several stages. I've heard that the heavens favor them — each one is destined to become a god."
Zeke leaned back and gestured upward with his chopsticks. "See? You hear that, Slither? You're basically divinity with scales."
Slither's voice rumbled like distant thunder. "Then where is my worship, mortal?"
"You already get free food and naps," Zeke said. "That's pretty divine to me."
[Host's logic is unsound.]
"Still works."
[Debatable.]
Alora shook her head slowly. "Young Master, you really aren't ordinary."
He looked up, mouth full of rice. "Huh?"
"Nothing."
She turned toward the courtyard, her aura now completely stabilized, her back straight and calm.
Above them, Slither circled lazily through the air, its shadow gliding over the city like a moving eclipse. The citizens below went about their work carefully, speaking in whispers.
Zeke leaned back in his chair, eyes half-closed. "Candy for everyone, then."
[Please refrain from distributing divine-grade treasures as candy.]
"I make no promises."
Alora sighed. "Heaven help us all."
He smirked. "Already did. I'm right here."
From high above, Slither's laughter echoed again — slow, rolling, amused — as the morning sun rose over the world that still had no idea a sixteen-year-old boy with bed hair and a god complex had just rewritten its balance of power.