In a universe filled with countless races, from mythical dragons and phoenixes to lowly goblins and trolls, there existed the Origin Planet, the most important world in the Origin Universe.
Blessed by its proximity to the Origin Star, which is the life source of the entire universe. It's a planet where only those with powerful backgrounds or individuals with great strength could reside.
Inside a small yet luxurious villa, the anguished cries of a woman echoed through the halls. An extraordinarily beautiful woman with a bloated belly was lying in the bed. She was in the midst of childbirth, and tears could be seen in the corner of her eyes.
She has golden hair that reaches her waist, blue reptilian eyes that are mesmerizing and terrifying at the same time, two curved golden horns upon her head, and faint shimmering scales across her skin.
She was, without question, a dragonborn. The maids of the villa were walking around her in a hurry, doing everything they could to assist in the painful process of childbirth.
Outside the chamber, a tall, broad-shouldered man with white hair and striking features paced back and forth, anxiety etched all over his face.
He was none other than the woman's husband and the father of the soon-to-be-born child. His fists clenched in anxiety as he walked.
He looked out of the window and sighed; for some reason, the weather had been worsening for hours. Dark clouds churned violently above the villa. Thunder rumbled in the distance. An uneasy feeling settled deep within his chest.
Suddenly there was disturbing silence; not a single sound came. What followed was a child's cry.
The man became happy, and a small smile formed on his face, but before he could enter the room to see the child, he felt something else.
The moment the baby was born, the entire Origin Universe trembled.
Mountains split apart. Oceans roared. Storms erupted without warning. Natural calamities swept across countless worlds.
Even the neighboring universes connected to the Origin Universe felt the disturbance. Even the void surrounding the multiverse shook a little, as if acknowledging the birth of an anomaly.
Above the Origin Planet, the sky shattered like broken glass.
A colossal vision appeared, an asura holding a sword. An image of the multiverse also appeared in front of it. The vision was so terrific that it could bring nightmares for even seasoned warriors.
The image loomed over the planet, visible to every living being. Even the powerful figures in distant universes witnessed it through projection crystals.
And the asura didn't stand silent; he raised the sword and cleaved through the image of the multiverse itself. Realities fractured. Stars imploded. Entire realms collapsed into nothingness.
Then the vision vanished. Leaving dread over everyone's heart. Suddenly a voice echoed from the heavens; it sounded very ancient with a little mechanical tone to it.
"When the Bearer of the Primordial Weapon draws his first breath, the unseen clock of total destruction shall begin its count. Whether the multiverse is fated to perish in his shadow or be reborn through his fire, only the passage of time shall unveil the truth."
Silence followed.
Then space began to tear open all around the villa.
Rifts split the air, and various figures stepped through one after another. Their expressions varied from sickness, greed, and hatred, but one thing was common: none carried goodwill.
The white-haired man stepped outside and faced them calmly. "I presume you're not here to congratulate me on becoming a father."
"Hand over the child," one of them said coldly. "He cannot be allowed to live. You heard the prophecy yourself. He will be the destruction of us all. We can't risk the lives of trillions and trillions of people for one child. It's better to pluck a thorn while it's still small."
The man's eyes hardened.
"It's actually very funny to hear you cultist trash talk about what's good for the universe."
"First, I don't care about your prophecy. Second, even if it's true, I still don't care. He is my son. And I will protect him with everything I have."
A tall figure stepped forward. "You and your wife may be the strongest duo in the multiverse, but we have numbers. And your wife is weakened from childbirth."
"We already sealed the space around this place, so you cannot escape or call for help. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. I would hate to kill two strong people like you in times like..."
A blade flashed.
His words ended in a wet gargle as steel tore through his throat. Blood sprayed into the air in a crimson arc. His head rolled across the ground, eyes still wide with shock at what happened.
"You talk too much," the white-haired man said coldly.
"Kill them!" someone screamed. "Kill the parents and that cursed child!"
The battle erupted instantly.
Explosions of energy shattered the earth. Blades clashed with deafening force. The man moved like a storm, his sword carving through flesh and bone. Limbs were severed. Blood drenched the once pristine courtyard.
One attacker was split from shoulder to waist, his organs spilling onto the stone floor. Another had his skull crushed beneath a single devastating punch.
But there were too many.
Spells rained down like meteors. Blades pierced his flesh and blood ran down his arms, yet he did not fall.
Several intruders slipped past him and stormed into the villa. Screams echoed as maids were slaughtered where they stood. Bodies collapsed in pools of blood, lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling.
When they reached the room where the child lay, a suffocating, murderous aura exploded outward.
The mother had lost her sanity. Her beautiful visage was gone, and a murderous look appeared on her face.
Her blue reptilian eyes glowed with fury. Though weakened, her dragon blood boiled violently inside her body.
She tore through the intruders with her bare hands. One man's chest caved in as she punched straight through him, ripping out his heart in a spray of blood.
Another had his spine snapped and was thrown across the room like broken trash. Walls cracked under the force of her power.
She could not transform into her dragon form in her weakened state, but even without it, she was a nightmare.
Still, it was not enough.
An old man, without making any sound, silently emerged from the shadows near the child. Before anyone could react, he pressed his withered hand forward.
Dark energy seeped into the baby's body like ink spreading through water.
By the time the parents noticed, the deed was already done. They instantly appeared beside the child, but the old man had already vanished without a trace.
One of the remaining intruders, bloodied yet grinning, mocked them. "What are you going to do now?"
For the first time, the parents truly looked at their son. The man's expression softened despite the blood covering him.
"He's beautiful… just like you. I only hope this isn't the last time I see him."
The mother gently caressed the baby's cheek, her hands trembling; the murderous aura she had earlier was completely replaced by motherly love.
"You'll come find Mommy one day, won't you?"
They kissed their child at the same time, on each of his cheeks. The father quickly drew a glowing rune on the baby's forehead.
"Stop them!" someone shouted. "He's trying to teleport the child!"
Energy surged violently through the room. Before anyone could reach them, the baby vanished in a flash of light.
Silence fell.
Only blood and broken bodies remained.
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Earth
Oblivious to all of this, a young man around the age of 25 sat by the shore of the beach and thought about his lackluster life.
His name is Ethan Hart.
Same story for all the middle class born, but poor did not mean unloved. His parents loved him to the core; he was their everything.
Ethan still vividly remembers those days, eating together at a small table, laughing over trivial things. He remembered the warmth of home, not because it was large or comfortable, but because it was filled with people who cared.
Then, one day, it all collapsed. Parents died in an accident, and he became an orphan. Now, after so many years, I'm still alone. He had no one to care about and no one who would care about him.
If this were a movie, he thought bitterly, this would be the scene where sad music plays and the audience understands how pathetic the main character is.
Just then he heard a scream of a woman; he searched for the voice and saw a small child slowly sinking in the sea.
Without thinking, he ran towards the boy and dove into the sea. He saved the boy, but he felt something pulling him deep into the water. His leg caught in an old ship's rope buried beneath the sand.
He kicked violently, twisting his body, clawing at the rope with numbing fingers. But the waves were relentless, slamming into him again and again, pulling him deeper.
As his strength drained, a memory surfaced in his mind.
"Dad," he asked, confused, "why are you giving him your blood?" His father smiled tiredly. "Because he needs it."
Ethan frowned. His small mind worked hard. "Then… why don't other people give him blood? Why does it have to be you?"
His father knelt down, meeting Ethan's eyes. His voice was calm and steady. "Listen, Ethan," he said. "Helping one person won't change the whole world."
Ethan's face fell slightly. "But," his father continued, placing a warm hand on his shoulder, "it can change the world for that person."
Ethan turned, looking toward his mother, who stood nearby, kindness written all over her face.
"Mom," he asked softly, "is what Dad said true?"
She smiled and walked closer, brushing his hair gently. "Yes, Ethan," she said. "When you help someone in need, someone will help you when you are in need."
Her words were gentle.
Back in the sea,
Ethan's chest tightened painfully; water filled his lungs.
His limbs felt heavy and unresponsive.
"Dad… Mom…" he thought weakly. "Then why…why did that someone never come for me?"