When Kayden Heart's name was announced, a strange silence overtook the great elite of mages. Most common mages and those from other universes only recognized the name, but he had neither gained nor held any great relevance since the gods arrived in this universe. In fact, his name was only remembered because he was a Challenger of the Heavens.
Aside from that title, Kayden had not made a single appearance in the last 100 billion years, making his name forgotten by most mortals—though not by all. A small spark of fear appeared in the minds of those who knew his story, those who had witnessed this mage rise from absolute nothingness to the top.
"We will have a one-year break before the next phase of the event," the voice continued after all participants were revealed. "Rest well, and good luck to all." After that, all the mages were left floating freely, free to do as they pleased. Naturally, many of them approached Kayden.
"It's been a while, Kayden Heart." Atlas, as the strongest, was given priority out of respect. It was strange—though they were all enemies, respect for the strongest would always exist among those who reached the top. It was something natural and instinctive.
"You've grown a lot," Kayden merely commented before falling silent, lost in his thoughts. He wasn't particularly eager to converse with these people.
"I hope you've grown as well and have surpassed your apprentice for a worthy battle." Atlas was slightly nervous near Kayden. Even though an infinite amount of time had passed, he still felt like a child in Kayden's presence. Moreover, he couldn't gauge Kayden's level of power—he couldn't even sense Kayden's presence.
"Greetings, Master!" Han bowed, a rare display of respect and gratitude among mages of this caliber—true proof that Kayden's teachings had not failed in shaping this mage.
"You've grown a lot, Han. Your subordinate is truly impressive." Kayden was genuinely impressed by the strength of a divine-grade soul. Not only that, but he could feel that this soul was growing at an absolutely terrifying speed.
It wouldn't be long before this soul reached a point where it could practically overturn this universe on its own. But something was wrong. Gods were not supposed to have souls—at least not normal ones. Kayden could tell that Han had reached a crossroads in his path.
If his soul continued to grow in strength, it would likely shatter in a way Han would never be able to repair. All these factors had caused the mage to remain stagnant in his strength for tens of billions of years.
"Kayden." Felix suddenly appeared on Kayden's shoulder as if not a single day had passed since they had last spoken. Kayden didn't mind—his friendship with Felix would remain unchanged regardless of how much time passed.
"You've grown as well, Felix. The law you embedded within your body is exceptionally well-crafted." Kayden could see a law of Hunger and Gluttony residing within the beast. Not only that, but he was certain they were two fundamental laws that complemented each other perfectly.
It might seem foolish, but Felix was probably in the top five in terms of strength across this entire universe—at least, that was Kayden's current perspective. These were two immensely powerful laws, and they perfectly matched the cat's techniques. It was practically a flawless path.
"Where have you been all this time?" Felix was the only one unafraid to ask Kayden such a direct question.
"I was training in isolation." Kayden didn't elaborate further. Everyone was curious about his strength, but none could measure it precisely. Everyone here had enough life experience to understand that provoking Kayden was pointless—his mind was completely unshakable.
"In the end, only a few of us remain after everything." Felix commented, and Kayden nodded. The two had been together for an unfathomable length of time. This was, without a doubt, the oldest friendship Kayden had ever had.
"Have you seen anyone from Earth in all this time?" Felix shook his head in denial. The chances of finding someone from that period were ridiculously low. A single world had managed to produce three universal-level mages—Kayden, Felix, and Han. It was practically impossible for there to be more.
In truth, the fact that Earth had produced even three mages of this caliber was utterly terrifying. To be more precise, it was astonishing that even a galaxy had managed to produce three universal-tier mages. The probability was almost nonexistent.
"Time really did pass quickly," Kayden mused, his mind drifting through the thousands of memories he had accumulated in this universe. It was a strange sensation to see something he had always been a part of become nothing more than a memory. The universe itself was now just a recollection to him.
"Kayden." Achilles entered the conversation. "What have you become?" His every sense was screaming at him to stay away from Kayden. Whatever he was, it was beyond what Achilles' ability to manipulate fate could comprehend.
"I don't know." That was the only answer Kayden gave to any question about his power. And, in the end, it was the truth. Kayden didn't know exactly how vast he had become. But... he didn't have high hopes.
Time passed quickly. Kayden gave many insights during this period. At first, he only helped Felix and the mages he already knew, but over time, dozens of mages came to him seeking guidance. The funniest part was that a significant portion of the top 100 mages had never even heard of Kayden before. This made them skeptical at first, only to later be astonished that someone so wise had remained hidden for so long.
"Congratulations to all who have made it this far once again." The voice appeared in everyone's mind exactly one year after its last announcement. "By now, you all must know that this is the final battle of this universe." A display of civilizations rising and falling appeared at the center of the arena, showcasing the stories of kings and emperors. "Death is not a fear today, for all shall be revived."