believing that a mage would be capable of providing a zone for them as easily as handing out a piece of pie would be madness, had Kayden not had a reputation beyond the absurd. At that moment, all high-level mages knew his name and his strength. No one doubted that he was capable of such a feat.
A few days later, Han had negotiated with his entire organization. Kayden hadn’t expected them to accept, but in the end, he ate his words. There was probably a far greater reason for holding a zone than he had initially thought, and this lack of information made Han’s acceptance of his offer inevitable.
Kayden didn’t think he was doing something wrong in the end; this was an investment. Among all these predestined mages, there should be one or two capable of reaching ten rays and facing him head-on. It would be an investment for future training.
"We accept," Han said directly to Kayden. "We’ll make our promise with you. We already have a zone in mind that we want."
"Point the direction and release your control over space," Kayden instructed.
Han didn’t understand the last part but did as Kayden asked. Within seconds, he understood why. The path that had taken him days to travel with his treasures was now covered in mere minutes by Kayden—speed beyond anything he had ever witnessed before.
"There," Han pointed toward a golden planet. It resembled the planet they had visited for the Heaven’s Challenges, with perfectly manicured grass that was identical, but at the same time, it was a clear copy—nothing more than a cheap imitation in Kayden’s eyes.
The golden planet was a perfect replica, but it lacked soul. The grass, shimmering gold, covered the surface as if it were made of pure gold threads, but upon closer inspection, Kayden saw the falseness in its perfection. Each blade seemed like a static painting, devoid of any genuine life, as if the planet itself was a cheap copy, an imitation that couldn’t compare to the vibrant environments Kayden had encountered in other places. The atmosphere felt suspended, without the natural weight he felt in authentic worlds. There was no scent of earth or sound of wind—only the unsettling silence of something trying to be real, but failing at every detail.
The grandeur of the planet, however, couldn’t be ignored. Its golden surface reflected the light of a distant star, creating an almost mystical glow, as if the world was covered in a layer of pure gold. But beneath that surface, Kayden knew the essence of this place was empty. The structure of its mountains and oceans was too predictable, like a programmed construction, without any unpredictability or chaos. It was a place built to appear perfect to those who couldn’t see beyond its surface.
There were about 90 predestined mages on this planet. Kayden was surprised by this number; for them to be here, there had to be many more on other planets and zones. The laws of stones had truly grown to immense numbers and were no longer something rare. The balance of the universe was truly in rupture. Kayden pondered what was happening—why were they accelerating the development of this universe so much?
Kayden released his aura across the entire planet, and quickly, all 90 mages came to check who the invader was. The anger of having their planet invaded and pressured by an unknown aura quickly faded as they approached Kayden and saw the source of all the pressure. Not only that, but they also noticed how calm he was in the face of so many mages. This was not a threat; it was a summons.
Each of these wizards had a strength terribly strong for common wizards, in the past they would be at the absolute top of the entire mortal world second only to the gods, there would be no wizard capable of equaling them, but at that moment their strength was nothing more than something common without much specialty, in the past it would be enough for all the gods to fight tooth and nail to have them under their tutelage, but at that moment they were not even sought after by the leaders.
"Which of you is the leader?" Kayden scanned the crowd with his gaze. Everyone there was a strong mage, but none of them were terribly powerful—at least, most weren’t. There were three mages, beyond Han, who were worth something.
"We are a quartet, master," Han raised his voice, and as he pointed, the mages came forward to greet Kayden.
Han stepped forward, calling the three leaders with clear respect in his voice, despite his unwavering confidence. "These are the pillars, Kayden. Meet them: the Lord of Perdition, the Queen of Eternity, and the Prince of Storms."
The Lord of Perdition, the first leader, slightly inclined his head in greeting. His law was the Law of Absolute Annihilation, which granted him the power to erase not only worlds but the very essence of everything that existed. With a simple gesture, he could extinguish life, energy, and even the memory of anything he touched, as if he were the executor of the ultimate end. His smile was enigmatic, as if he knew that behind his serenity lay the ability to disintegrate anything real. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kayden. I see that you’re not a threat, but an opportunity." His voice was deep and imposing, carrying the weight of his power.
The Queen of Eternity, the second leader, gave a slight nod, her golden eyes reflecting ancient, infinite wisdom. Her law was the Law of Temporal Stasis, which gave her control over the flow of time, the ability to freeze, distort, or even manipulate the very fabric of time itself. Nothing moved in her space without her permission; even time bent to her will. With every word she spoke, an air of eternal stillness seemed to linger, as though the moment would never pass. "Kayden, your presence is intriguing," she said in a serene voice, but one carrying wisdom beyond common understanding. "I recognize the strength you carry."