The atmosphere within the Great Arena of Aetheleon was thick enough to choke a common man. The thousands of spectators, from the lowliest laborers to the most arrogant of the high-nobility, sat in a silence that was rapidly souring into mockery.

  RaynAwakening Crystal

  In the high galleries, the ministers of the Human Kingdom—men whose power was measured in decades of cultivation and political blood-letting—began to exchange sneering glances. Minister Hekos

  "Behold!" Hekos laughed, the sound like dry leaves skittering over a grave. "The 'Earth-man.' The supposed grandson of our glorious Lord Beatrice. He stands there like a statue, as empty as a dry well. It seems the blood of the Chenwongo has been diluted into nothingness by that primitive planet. He is exactly like his mother—a beautiful vessel with no wine inside. A fraud. A 'Normal' posing as a prince."

  Rayn heard the words. In his old life as the "Cold King" of Shanghai, such an insult would have been met with a calculated strike against the speaker’s stock portfolio or a quiet acquisition of their debt. Here, Rayn didn't even blink. He didn't feel the tension. He was a man of logic, and logic dictated that if the crystal hadn't shattered his bones yet, the process was still ongoing.

  However, Jai

  "Brokk... Winston... look," Jai whispered, his voice tight. "The crystal isn't failing. It’s... resisting."

  "What do you mean, Jai?" James

  "Look at the base," Jai pointed.

  Slowly, the crystal began to shake. It wasn't the rhythmic vibration of a successful awakening; it was a violent, erratic shuddering, as if an invisible hand were trying to rip the stone out of the earth. The shaking spread from the crystal to the pedestal, and then, with the suddenness of a lightning strike, the entire arena began to rock. The massive stone pillars groaned, and the dust of centuries shook loose from the rafters.

  As the physical world around him descended into chaos, Rayn’s consciousness was violently yanked into the Crimson Land

  The scenery was identical to his previous vision—a sky of bruised red, an earth soaked in the ichor of fallen gods and monsters—but something had changed. The massive, terrifying cage of black-and-red iron was gone. It had been reduced to fine, obsidian dust that swirled in the hot wind.

  "King... finally, the cycle turns. Finally, you are back."

  The voice was not a sound; it was a physical force that vibrated in Rayn's marrow. He turned, his coat billowing in a wind that smelled of ancient fire. Standing behind him was a creature that defied the laws of biology.

  It was a Red Dragon

  "Who are you?" Rayn asked, his voice steady despite the primal instinct screaming at him to flee.

  "I am the First of the Bound," the dragon rumbled, its head lowering until its snout, large as a mountain, was mere feet from Rayn. "Billions of years ago, you were the architect of the Great Rebellion. You sealed me and my brothers within the Void to protect us from the Great Power. You hid the keys to our power within your will. For eons, I have waited in this crimson purgatory for a soul cold enough and strong enough to carry the burden of the King."

  Suddenly, a searing heat erupted on the back of Rayn's right hand. A new mark appeared—a crimson brand depicting a human holding a heavy sword, with the silhouette of a towering creature standing guard behind him. A matching mark ignited on the dragon's chest, glowing with the same fierce light.

  "You have regained the mark of the Sovereign of the Conqueror and also called you as Sovereign of the Beginning

  Rayn stared at the creature, his mind calculating the implications. "What power have I awakened?"

  "Look," the dragon whispered, its form beginning to blur.

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  In his mind's eye, Rayn saw his soul-core. It was a sun of impossible complexity. He saw the 18 elemental pathsPure WhiteCrimson BloodBlack and White

  "The elements are the tools of mortals," the dragon explained. "The White power is the Conqueror’s DecreeForbidden TrinityThe dragon’s eyes grew dim as the vision began to fade. "One final warning, Master. The boy you call Jai

  "Master... I am so happy to see you again... please... unseal me..."

  The vision snapped. Rayn was back in the arena, his hand still on the crystal. The shaking had reached a crescendo that threatened to collapse the stadium.

  With a sound like the world's heart breaking, the Awakening Crystal exploded

  The shards didn't fly outward like shrapnel. They rose into the air, caught in a gravitational vortex around Rayn. There were 21 pieces

  18 piecesThe 19th piece

  The ministers and the nobility gaped in horror and awe. They could only see 19 shards. To their perception, the last two pieces were invisible—void-shards that existed beyond the visible spectrum. Only RaynRena

  Beatrice

  "The Conqueror..." she gasped, her voice trembling with a rare emotion. "It is the power of King DD

  She turned to the stunned crowd, her voice a thunderclap that silenced the screams of the ministers. "Do you see this? My grandson has not just awakened! He has inherited the mantle of the Epoch Walker:

  "

  Beatrice’s eyes were wet with tears. "This power belongs only to those whose will is strong enough to conquer the heavens! Rayn is the true descendant of the King of Kings!"

  The pressure coming from Rayn was now so intense that the ground beneath his feet began to disintegrate. A faint, red spirit—the ghost of the dragon from his vision—curled around his right arm before vanishing into the new mark on his hand and the mark also vanished like it was never existed in his hand. Only Jai, with his heightened perception, saw the dragon-spirit. He staggered back, his heart cold.

  Rena also see the dragon spirit went into rayn's mark and she laughs like she understood what was happening

  The arena floor finally gave way. The foundations had been turned to dust by the sheer volume of Qi. As the center of the stadium collapsed into the dark abyss of the lower palace levels, Beatrice blurred through the air with God-like speed. She caught Rayn in her arms just as his eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness.

  "I am proud of you, son," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You are the miracle I never dared to pray for."

  Rayn awoke hours later in the Sanctuary of the Moon

  As his eyes adjusted, he saw the faces of his family and friends. Jai, Brokk, Winston, James, and ZaynBeatriceRena

  "He's awake! The monster is awake!" James yelled, half-joking but mostly terrified.

  "Congratulations, Rayn," Winston said, bowing low. "18 elements. You've made the Dwarf Kingdom look like a village schoolhouse."

  Jai stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Rayn... the vision. When I awakened the power of Dominatrix, I saw her. I felt her will. You awakened the power of King DD—the 'Conqueror.' Did you see him? Was he... as the legends say? Did he look like a god among men?"

  Rayn looked at Jai. He remembered the Red Dragon’s warning: Rayn’s corporate mind immediately assessed the risk. If he told Jai he saw a dragon from a forbidden rebellion, the alliance between them would shatter. He needed Jai’s strength for now.

  "Yes," Rayn lied, his voice cold and convincing. "I saw King DD. He was... magnificent. His face was like a carved mountain, and his vortex was so powerful I could do nothing but kneel. He told me to carry his legacy with honor."

  Jai seemed to relax, but a flicker of doubt remained in his eyes. He nodded and led the team out of the room to allow Rayn to rest, though he walked with a slight hesitation he hadn't had before.

  The room cleared until only Rena

  "I knew you would do it," she whispered. "18 elements is a fine trick for the public. But the other three... the Conqueror, and the two strong powers. those are the ones that will truly make the stars tremble."

  Rayn’s heart nearly stopped. He looked at her, his mind reeling.

  Forgetful of the language barrier for a moment, Rayn spoke in his native tongue, his voice urgent. "Mother... who is my father? Truly? Where is he? I need to meet the man who left this power in my blood."

  Rena didn't look confused. She didn't tilt her head. Instead, she leaned in and replied in perfect, flawless English

  "You are going to see your father soon, Rayn. I am also waiting for his return. The war never going to start without the King. Rest now, my Conqueror.

  She kissed his forehead, her lips cold as ice, and glided out of the room before Rayn could say another word.

  Rayn sat alone in the dark, the 21 shards of his power humming in his veins. His mother spoke English. She saw the forbidden powers. And she was waiting for a King who was Rayn think dead.

  The "Cold King" of Earth was gone. In his place was something far more dangerous—a Sovereign with the blood of dragons and the secrets of a mother who was more than she seemed.