The world shimmered around Raghu as his spiritual flying sword soared through the clouds. The wind rushed past his ears, cold and sharp like silver needles, yet the divine aura surrounding him kept him steady. Beneath him, the Immortal Sect stretched like a glowing constellation, and above him, the endless heavens waited in silence.
The moonlight reflected off his armor — the symbol of his newly earned status within the sect. He was no longer just a novice. He had completed his first mission, awakened his divine bloodline, and now, the system had assigned him his next challenge.
> **[System Notification: Heaven's Gate Trial Initiated.]**
> Objective: *Pass through the Heaven's Gate.*
> Requirement: *Defeat the Guardian of the Sky.*
> Reward: *Ascension Token × Billionfold Multiplier.*
Raghu's eyes narrowed. "Heaven's Gate, huh?" he muttered. "Let's see what kind of test the gods have prepared for me."
His spiritual sword trembled beneath his feet, responding to his fighting intent. In the distance, clouds parted as golden light poured through the heavens. There — suspended between worlds — stood a colossal gate carved from celestial gold. Lightning danced across its surface, and divine runes pulsed like living veins.
Raghu guided his sword upward, stopping just before the massive structure. The energy here was overwhelming — ancient, divine, and oppressive. Even breathing felt heavy.
Suddenly, the air rumbled.
From beneath the clouds, a shadow rose — a **giant stone guardian** sculpted from thunder and earth. Its eyes glowed with blue fire, and in its hand, it held a halberd the size of a mountain.
When it spoke, its voice shook the skies.
"Mortal child... Turn back. The gate of gods is not meant for one such as you."
Raghu smirked. "I'm not a mortal anymore."
He leapt from his sword, landing on a floating rock. Energy flared around him, golden and sharp. The moment his aura touched the air, lightning exploded outward in response.
The guardian moved first, swinging its halberd down in a single devastating strike. The weapon tore through the clouds, creating a vacuum of roaring wind.
Raghu raised his hand. Flames burst from his palm — golden and divine, infused with his billionfold talent.
> "Heaven-Piercing Flame Burst!"
The fireball he summoned was no ordinary spell — it was a miniature sun, blazing with a power multiplied beyond comprehension. It collided with the guardian's weapon, shaking the entire sky. The explosion turned the night into day, scattering clouds across miles.
But the guardian didn't fall. Instead, it roared and swung again, its body covered in crackling lightning.
Raghu's spiritual sword flashed to his side. He grabbed it mid-air, channeling his energy through its blade. The sword pulsed like it recognized his will. He shot forward, cutting through the bolts of lightning one after another, each clash echoing through the heavens.
The battle raged for what felt like eternity — flame against thunder, mortal will against divine law.
Finally, Raghu's eyes glowed with determination. "Let's end this."
He focused all his energy into a single point. Every cell in his body trembled. Every drop of spiritual essence surged toward his sword.
> "Billionfold Sword Arts — Celestial Severing Strike!"
The strike wasn't loud. It was silent — frighteningly so. The world seemed to freeze as a single golden arc cut across the guardian's chest. A heartbeat later, the sky erupted. The guardian's body cracked apart, divine energy leaking like molten light. Then, with a final roar, it shattered into dust.
The heavens went quiet.
Raghu hovered amid the fading glow, his sword humming softly at his side. Before him, the colossal gate trembled, its golden surface breaking free from invisible chains.
> **[System Notification: Trial Complete.]**
> Reward: *Ascension Token × 1,000,000,000.*
> Title Unlocked: *Heaven's Chosen.*
A glowing sphere drifted toward him, merging into his chest. His entire being trembled as divine knowledge flooded his mind — ancient cultivation techniques, celestial arts, the secrets of ascension. His body, already strengthened by his billionfold talent, now felt limitless.
The Heaven's Gate slowly opened. Behind it was no simple light — it was a universe unto itself. Countless realms floated within, each one more radiant and mysterious than the last. Stars, nebulae, divine palaces — everything shimmered beyond mortal imagination.
From far below, a familiar voice called out through the clouds.
"Raghu!"
He turned. His Taoist master, the one who had first awakened his bloodline, was standing on a cliff of the Immortal Sect, his robes fluttering in the wind.
The old man's voice carried deep wisdom and warning.
"Beyond that gate lies the Divine Realm. Once you cross it, no mortal rule will guide you. Remember — power without heart is chaos. Even a billionfold talent cannot replace wisdom."
Raghu smiled softly. "I understand, Master. You gave me my start. I'll honor that."
He turned back toward the gate. Its pull was irresistible now — calling him, beckoning him forward.
He stepped onto his spiritual flying sword again. The blade vibrated, ready to soar. He took one last look at the world below — the villages, the sect, the mountains — and then lifted his gaze to the divine expanse beyond.
"I'll return stronger," he whispered. "And I'll rewrite my destiny."
The sword tilted upward. With a burst of golden energy, Raghu shot forward, piercing the clouds. The wind howled past him, the gate's brilliance engulfing his figure entirely.
For a moment, all was light. His body dissolved into streams of divine essence as he crossed the threshold between worlds.
When the light faded, Raghu was gone.
---
Far below, the Taoist master watched as the Heaven's Gate closed, sealing the mortal realm from the divine. The winds grew still. He sighed, a mix of pride and worry in his eyes.
> "Billionfold increase in everything... Heaven itself may tremble at that power," he murmured. "May he not lose himself to it."
In the sky, the remnants of the battle still glimmered — faint trails of gold and lightning weaving together like celestial threads.
A legend had just begun.
The boy who entered a VR world had become a being beyond the system's own limits — a player whose talent defied logic, whose potential could shake the foundations of gods themselves.
And somewhere, deep within the Divine Realms, new powers were stirring — watching the heavens, sensing the arrival of a new contender.