The young man remained silent, saying nothing; he felt he had no right to speak, now that every ounce of his power and all his abilities had vanished from his body.
He felt like nothing more than a mortal—no different from an ordinary human being. His power had completely evaporated, a realization that filled him with even greater terror.
Once an absolute entity capable of manipulating existence, non-existence, concepts, and laws—creating or destroying whatever he pleased—he had been reduced to a mere human by a single glance from Narrative Chaos.
Such was the power of the Masters of World 12, the Great Outcast, the Nameless One, the Guardian of the Palace of Everything.
As entities that transcend the very concepts of an author, a story, or existence itself, they cannot be confined within any framework. For them, redefining the meaning of power, existence—or even the nature of lesser beings—is as effortless as taking a drink of water.
This was more than the young man could bear. His transformation into a human had severely limited his perception; in fact, the true form of Narrative Chaos lay so far beyond his capacity to comprehend that he could only perceive him as a human, rather than in his actual, transcendent state.
Narrative Chaos gazed at the pathetic figure before him, then let out a deep, heavy sigh.
What was unfolding was beyond the young man's grasp—a state of being that was only natural, given that he had been stripped of his divinity and turned into a mortal. It was a lesson intended to show him that his very birth as an "absolute entity" meant nothing in the eyes of beings such as these.
"You may leave now, you..."
Narrative Chaos paused, then added, with a note of irritation:
"Stop it, damn you! Enough with your cheap, cryptic nonsense!" With a snap of his fingers, the narrative chaos caused the young man to vanish, transporting him back to the Versalkin Palace, where he had been undergoing his training.
---
Meanwhile, the young man's eyes snapped open. He was drenched in sweat, his face drained of color—a mask of sheer terror, horror, and anxiety. The same was true for everyone around him.
He took a deep, ragged breath, wiped the sweat from his brow, and managed to stammer:
"What was that entity? And why, for the love of hell, can I remember nothing about who—or what—it was?!"
Overcome, the young man collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The others around him succumbed to the same fate.
A cold, faint smile touched Zehuaming Hua's lips as she gazed at the youths—soaked in sweat, their faces etched with pure, unadulterated terror.
As she moved them to their respective chambers, she spoke with a heavy heart, filled with sorrow and pity for them. A perilous destiny lay ahead, with death lurking at every turn.
"Forgive me, but this is your fate... to unite the path of the Sovereign. You are the heirs to the masters of this world."
---
In Lucy's private dimension, the egg began to tremble. The waves of energy radiating from it grew increasingly intense—a clear sign that the moment of hatching was drawing near.
Inside the egg—which was roughly the size of a 4x4 vehicle's wheel—a fifteen-year-old youth lay curled up.
Armin's appearance had undergone a complete transformation; His hair had become a blend of deep red and fiery crimson, reaching down to his waist, while crystalline horns—twelve centimeters in length—protruded from his head, slanting backward.
His body was adorned with golden tattoos interwoven with crimson—a mark signifying his lineage from an ancient, noble branch of the Phoenix race.
Furthermore, his body was entirely covered in crimson-red dragon scales, and he possessed draconic wings interspersed with the feathers of a phoenix.
Armin's hands began to stir slowly, a sign that he was nearing wakefulness.
Lucy sensed this as well, even as she prepared herself for the final battle against the followers of the Scorpion Organization.
Checking on Armin's condition, she remarked with a sense of relief:
"He's about to hatch... that wretch! I'm going to give him a sound thrashing when he returns."
---
Elsewhere, Ruichi, Jian Yi, Tom, and the supervising instructors—Liu, Vanessa, Callista, and Julian—watched with a measure of satisfaction.
More than 99 fighters had perished, 60 had fallen victim to poisoning and severe energy depletion, and another 35 were still locked in combat with the beasts.
Yet, the "Shadow and Light Scorpion" remained unchanged—a fact that only deepened their fear and apprehension.
Studying the map, Callista spoke with measured caution:
"There is one possibility: he has transitioned to a 'triple-system'—a three-fold evolutionary path."
"Is such a thing even possible? For someone to shift from a single or dual system to a triple one—or from a single to a dual system?" Ruichi spoke with a sense of bewilderment, his gaze fixed upon Professor Calista.
The senior professors—Leo, Vanessa, Calista, and Julian—remained silent, haunted by the memory of the catastrophe caused by the individual known as the "disgrace of Versalkin Academy."
Zhao Li and Alessandra had authored 3,646 volumes detailing the evolution into absolute entities. These texts covered Mana, Qi, and Ki—along with their various branches—in meticulous detail, all within the framework of what is known as "Konwa."
Users of Konwa are categorized into three distinct groups, with a fourth category reserved exclusively for the De Moliar family.
The first category consists of those who utilize Mana as their primary power system, with Qi and Ki serving as secondary systems—or vice versa.
The second category comprises those who employ either Qi or Mana as their primary power systems, with Ki functioning as a secondary system—or vice versa.
The third category includes those who utilize all three—Mana, Qi, and Ki—as primary systems. Such individuals are exceptionally rare, accounting for no more than 0.001% of the population. They are considered extraordinary due to their capacity to withstand the immense power generated by the simultaneous application of mental, physical, and spiritual energy.
The fourth and final category is known as the "Transcendent Perfect Body." Those who possess it are capable of wielding Mana, Ki, the roots of the Dantian, and the Primordial Sea all at once—a trait unique to members of the De Moliar family.
This knowledge was common among all inhabitants of the five continents. It was an established, fundamental truth—recognized by every being who practices Konwa—that one could not evolve from a three-system configuration to a four-system one, nor transition from a single-system to a dual-system framework, or any other such progression. However, two hundred years ago, scholars studying the books, volumes, and manuscripts authored by Zhao Li and Alessandra discovered five books that address this issue.
They were shocked by what they discovered within it; it contained information that made the impossible possible, explaining how to progress through various systems—from a single-core configuration to dual, triple, and even quadruple-core setups.
This was supposed to be impossible, as being born with both a Primordial Sea and Dantian roots simultaneously was unimaginably rare. Outside of the De Molière family, only the descendants of Zhao Li possessed such a constitution—and even among them, it was an extreme rarity.
Only members of the De Molière family possessed a non-human physical constitution that allowed them to permanently harbor both a Primordial Sea and Dantian roots.
This was the result of a blessing from a highly revered figure—the "Heaven of Normana," now known as Elizabeth—who had bestowed her favor upon the founder of the De Molière family to help defeat the Demon King, who sought to destroy the mortal realm.
This blessing continued to be passed down through the generations of the De Molière family, partly because family members married among themselves; their energy levels were simply too intense for an ordinary woman to endure.
Furthermore, they feared losing the very advantage that had kept them at the pinnacle of the world for thousands of years—a legacy that ensured the head of the family would be the most powerful individual of every millennium.
"Yes, there is a way to evolve one's physical constitution to the point where it can sustain a dual or triple-core system..."
Liu fell silent for a few seconds, glancing at Ruichi, Jian Yi, Lucy, Grey, Seok, and Suho—all of whom wore expressions of utter shock. As for Beatrice and Tom, they appeared to have known this fact for some time—a realization that took him by surprise.
Similarly, the expressions of the senior professors accompanying him—Vanessa, Callista, and Julian—were filled with shame and disgrace whenever the subject was broached.
Leo continued, picking up where he had left off:
"Two hundred years ago, we were conducting exploratory operations within the Versalkin Academy, whose underground facilities span an area the size of the Central Continent. These expeditions were carried out following a summit of the masters from the five continents."
"They would bring their finest warriors and scholars to participate in these explorations."
"One day, scholars studying the books, volumes, and manuscripts authored by Zhao Li and Alessandra discovered five texts that addressed this very issue."
"They were stunned by what they found within them; the texts contained information that rendered the impossible possible, explaining how one could ascend through the systems—from a single-pole system to a dual-pole, and finally to a triple-pole system."
Leo paused, his face contorted with an intense anger—an emotion mirrored on the faces of Vanessa, Callista, and Julian.
The others were left bewildered, unable to grasp the reason for this sudden outburst.
"But after their discovery, one of the books was stolen by a spy from the 'Scorpion' organization, known as 'Math.' In that incident, over 879 people—professors, scholars, and warriors from the other continents, as well as students of the Versalkin Academy—were killed."
"Therefore, it stands to reason that he possesses a triple-pole system." "With that book in their possession, nothing is impossible anymore."
Signs of conviction appeared on the faces of Lucy, Roichi, Grey, Jian Yi, Seok, and Suho.
However, Tom and Beatrice remained unconvinced by Leo's hypothesis.
Beatrice sensed that something was off—that something wasn't quite right—whereas Tom, for his part, was firmly convinced.
Tom kept his gaze fixed on the 3D model of Jeju Island, muttering to himself in a tone of astonishment:
"No, this has nothing to do with a tri-polar system; it's actually far simpler than that. The 'Shadow and Light' Scorpion's level is 'Boundless'."
"What the hell is going on? How could they not know it had surpassed the 'Master of Rulers' rank? Something is wrong here."
"Hmm... this can only mean one thing: their world isn't even aware that this rank exists. But when I think about it, it actually makes perfect sense."
"The power of the leaders of the Great Duchies—the Duchies of MacTire, de Molière, Kethali, and Nozaki—has all surpassed the 'Master of Rulers' rank."
"Duke Aster Guilford and Belgurd Kethali are at the '2 0-FI' level, while Duke Yukimarus MacTire and the Sword Saint Azars Nozaki are at '3 INF-0'. As for Duke Reinhardt de Molière—Roichi's father—he is at the 'ORR-05' rank and has already reached his second 'wing'."
"Many things are starting to become clear, though I don't quite grasp the whole picture yet." "The memories of Zao Li and Alessandra—along with my own memories from my past life as Ji Yao Li—remain hazy and difficult to access."
Tom let out a deep sigh, giving up on his futile attempts to probe those clouded recollections; all he gained for his efforts was a splitting headache.
---
Three professors entered the operations center, their expressions etched with dread and anxiety.
Breaking the silence, one of them spoke:
"The protective dome created by Seok—a student from the elite class—has been destroyed."
None of those present showed any change in expression; they were already aware of this, thanks to the 3D holographic projection of Jeju Island displayed before them.
Clearing his mind, Liu looked at those gathered with a gaze full of resolve and strength.
"The war is about to begin, and we must face it head-on. Prepare yourselves."
A profound silence descended upon the command center following Liu's words, which signaled the onset of the conflict.
Everyone's eyes burned with determination. They were intent on surviving this war against the remnants of the Scorpion Organization—a force that had been whittled down from 816 fighters to just 240 in the span of only seven hours.
Up to this point, the war had tilted in their favor; they had eliminated the majority of the organization's initial operatives, as well as a significant number of those who had arrived as reinforcements.
Defeating 576 combatants by employing clever ruses, setting traps, and leveraging the unique terrain of Jeju Island to their advantage was an achievement they would be proud of for years to come. Instructor Liu stepped outside and leaned against the wall of the camp's command center. He pulled a high-quality cigar from his pocket and began to smoke.
A cloud of cigar smoke billowed from his mouth as he gazed out at the students and instructors.
He felt no fear; after all, the Versalkin Academy had healers capable of bringing them back to life.
Yet, his gaze betrayed a sense of unease—a distaste for how this situation was being exploited to "cull" the students, as if their lives held no value whatsoever.
Versalkin Academy was not merely a place for rest and personal growth; it was a crucible for survival, where only the worthy could endure.
The academy viewed every crisis—of any nature—as a means to discard the "useless trash" and retain only those truly deserving. It was precisely this philosophy that kept Versalkin Academy at the forefront, surpassing all others.
---
Half an hour later, a contingent of professors and students stood a kilometer and a half from the encampment, bracing for the impending battle.
At the vanguard stood the senior professors, accompanied by Ryoichi and his companions. In contrast, Seok and Suho remained in the rear ranks, shielded from the immediate line of fire.
Seok was a vital asset for securing victory, while Suho served a different, equally crucial purpose: preventing someone else from losing control and descending into chaos.
The bond between Suho and Seok was profound—akin to that of brothers—and the death of Suho would almost certainly trigger a state of uncontrollable chaos in Seok.
---
Minutes later, the forces of the "Scorpion" organization—led by the fifth-ranked council commander, known as "Scorpion: Shadow and Light"—faced off against the contingent from Versalkin Academy, commanded by Professor-in-Charge Liu.
The atmosphere was thick with tension. The two sides were evenly matched in strength: Liu's camp fielded 260 combatants, while the "Scorpion: Shadow and Light" faction commanded 240.
Without a single word being exchanged, the battle erupted. This was no time for idle chatter or heroic speeches; it was a battle where the weak would perish, and only the worthy would remain.
Casualties began to mount on both sides, yet the tide was clearly turning in favor of Leo's team—thanks to Seok's domes, which hindered the Scorpion Organization's followers while providing an advantage to his own allies.
---
Meanwhile, Lucy was cutting down any of the Scorpion Organization's followers who dared to approach her.
Her gaze was uncharacteristically cold as she dispatched her vastly weaker foes with single, decisive blows.
She narrowed her eyes, sensing the energy emanating from her own personal dimension.
"It's about to hatch."
Lucy thought to herself, even as she sliced an opponent in two.
Suddenly, an egg—a hybrid of dragon, phoenix, and human—materialized out of thin air. A pillar of energy erupted from it, shooting kilometers high into the sky.
The battle ground to a halt. Everyone stared at the pillar of energy, utterly helpless; the power radiating from it was far too immense for anyone to contain—even the "Scorpion" himself, in both his shadow and light forms, could do nothing.
An overwhelming presence swept across Jeju Island for a few fleeting seconds—long enough to strike terror into the hearts of everyone present.
"What the hell just happened?!"
"Where did this overwhelming energy come from?!"
"Armin—how do you possess such power?!"
Ruichi exclaimed in shock, his eyes fixed on the pillar of energy.
"It's incredibly powerful!" The presence was overwhelming; though it lasted only a few seconds, it was enough to strike terror into the hearts of everyone present.
Tom's tone carried a hint of mockery as he glanced back and forth between his own hand and the pillar of energy.
"This is the power of a warrior at the 'Expert Sovereign' rank—truly formidable! It's terrifying. Is this the strength of someone who has reached a 'hidden' rank, or is something else at play?"
Grey's expression betrayed a sense of utter astonishment.
Murmurs rippled across the battlefield; the event was so shocking that the combatants found themselves unable to continue the fight.
At the pillar of energy, three pairs of dragon-like wings—interwoven with the crimson feathers of a phoenix—emerged, spanning thirty meters in length.
The pillar of energy began to shrink, gradually revealing Armin, whose appearance had been completely transformed.
His hair, a blend of deep red and fiery crimson, reached down to his waist. Crystal-like horns, twelve centimeters long, swept back from his head, and his eyes—now golden and burning—resembled those of a dragon.
His body was adorned with golden, crimson-tinged markings—a sign of his lineage from an ancient, noble phoenix clan.
Armin's gaze radiated authority and immense power as he looked toward the followers of the Scorpion Organization, the students and professors of Versalkin Academy, and his own companions.
Yet, this state did not last long; Yuta launched a strike at Armin's neck, causing him to lose consciousness. Shock filled everyone's eyes. Even "Scorpion of Shadow and Light" himself appeared bewildered, having failed to sense Yuta's presence at all.
What puzzled him even more was Yuta's own form; he resembled a dragon, with crimson-red hair and eyes to match, two horns sweeping backward—each twenty-three centimeters long—and three pairs of wings spanning forty-five meters.
Armin's body began to fade, transitioning into Yuta's personal spiritual realm.
Then, Yuta spoke, his voice cold and heavy with killing intent:
"The war is nearing its end. Reinforcements from Versalkin Academy, led by Duke Reinhardt de Molière, will arrive in twenty minutes."
Expressions of joy and confidence washed over everyone as they listened to Yuta Casiral. He descended toward the ground, reverting to his original form: long, white hair reaching down his back, and wide, ash-gray eyes.
---
Moments later, the war resumed its course—now joined by new combatants: Yuta Casiral, Gia Guilford, Gother MacTire, Nicholas, Christian, Kazuhiro, Leon, and Inuyasha.
Their arrival tipped the scales in favor of Versalkin Academy.
Yet, "Scorpion of Shadow and Light" and his remaining five lieutenants continued to slaughter students and professors without mercy. The outcome of the war remained uncertain; it was impossible to tell who would emerge victorious.
After all, war is war—and the victor is only revealed when it finally comes to an end.