A thousand years later, in the Etherium Academy Podium Stand.
Dozens of individuals stood on the podium, gazing at the trillions of students watching them in admiration.
Among them were Nero and Mira, the fastest students to ever graduate from the Academy.
"What a bunch of monsters!" Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire
"Is it possible to graduate in a thousand years? Is this a joke?"
"No, those two are different. One had an SSS-class overall talent, while the other had SSS-class comprehension and will."
"Tsk, even then—a thousand years? Is this even real?"
To graduate from the Etherium Academy, there was only one criterion: possessing the ability or power comparable to an apex sovereign.
A thousand years to achieve such power was considered impossible by any standard.
The Etherium Realm was unlike other dimensions, where, with enough resources, one could become a god overnight.
Here, the lower one's realm and age, the slower one's progress.
At a hundred years old, one could, at most, reach the Tier 3 Realm.
At a thousand years old, the highest limit was the Tier 7 Realm.
This means that graduating within a thousand years was generally impossible.
Unfortunately, geniuses were destined to break rules and conventions.
Nero, at Tier 6 realm, had perfect control over the Essence of the Law of Water Element.
That's right, not just the basic element, nor the basic law, but the very essence of the law.
With Nero's control, he could bring down any number of Tier 9 apex sovereigns as long as he had enough energy.
Mira was even more astonishing. At the peak of the Tier 7 realm, she was already certified as a 9th-grade alchemist.
A 9th-grade alchemist! One of the major professions not just in the Etherium Realm but across the entire Aeon Plane.
Becoming a 9th-grade alchemist was even harder than advancing to the Tier 9 realm.
With such extraordinary ability and knowledge, even though Mira rarely displayed her power, many Tier 9 apex sovereigns were willing to bow to her.
Looking at the two legendary figures standing on the podium, the students could only watch in envy.
Meanwhile, as the current headmaster conducted the ceremony, Nero couldn't help but sigh.
"I can finally leave this place…"
After spending a thousand years in the academy, Nero was exposed to so many imperfections that he became numb to them.
Although it was somewhat enjoyable with Mira's company, he had started to miss his family.
Having not returned home in decades, Nash felt a little nostalgic.
As his strength increased, he became busier and busier, never having a moment to rest.
It wasn't that he enjoyed working. In fact, he would have preferred to do nothing and lie down until he became a peak powerhouse.
Unfortunately, his damn physique was like a curse.
With his father's support, his heavenly-grade physique had evolved into a dimensional-grade one.
This leap in power made the imperfections he encountered even more apparent.
If he didn't fix them, Nero felt like he would go insane.
Thus, for a thousand years, Nero barely slept, copying and studying knowledge every moment to find solutions to these imperfections.
Fortunately, as his strength increased, copying knowledge became easier.
With a single sweep of his consciousness, he could copy thousands upon thousands of books in an instant.
Unfortunately, the solutions didn't come automatically.
Nero had to identify each imperfection, consult the Heavenly System, and implement the necessary corrections.
This exhausting work completely changed the academy's image.
Every place Nero passed was renovated, books with discrepancies were corrected, and anything that fell into his hands was perfected.
Finally, after the headmaster's long speech, the ceremony proceeded.
The graduates began vowing loyalty to the Etherium Realm, promising to contribute to its prosperity and become representatives of the new generation.
Under the auspicious atmosphere, the world itself celebrated, congratulating all the students who had graduated.
Tired of the cumbersome ceremony, Nero slumped in his house, exhausted.
"Didn't you say you were eager to come home?" Mira asked, seeing Nero lying listlessly.
"Let me rest for a while…"
A thousand years of work had finally caught up to him.
The exhaustion, the pressure, the burden—now that he was about to leave this place, instead of feeling happy, he only felt tired.
Looking around his house, filled with traces of his work, suffering, and sorrow, Nero couldn't help but sigh.
However, when his gaze landed on Mira, all of it seemed to dissipate, transforming his negative experiences into memories of joy, adventure, and incredible growth.
"What do you plan to do, Mira?" Nero asked expectantly.
From childhood to adulthood, he had finally understood his brothers' teasing and wisdom.
Feeling he and Mira were destined, Nero began to put in effort not just to deepen their friendship but to go beyond.
Unfortunately, Mira was like an ocean; no matter how many ripples his actions caused, they never affected its vast integrity.
Although they were closer than ever, the distance between them seemed to be wider.
"I don't know…" Mira shook her head at Nero's question.
In truth, Mira had never known what to do in life.
One day, she had been dragged into a test, and before she knew it, she had spent a thousand years at the academy.
Like a leaf carried by the breeze, she had simply lived her life to the best of her ability.
"Then how about coming home with me?" Nero asked nervously.
"What for?" Mira looked puzzled.
"Hmm—Take a vacation or whatever. I'm sure my sisters miss you too."
"Oh, okay. I miss Lily and the others as well…"
Excited, Nero and Mira quickly packed their bags and boarded the teleportation station to the Astral Continent.
Arriving at the familiar castle, Nero couldn't help but sigh.
"Your castle is as grand as ever."
"Hahaha, my father spent all his money on this."
His father seemed addicted to building. Every time he obtained a new gadget or treasure, he would incorporate it into the castle.
Suddenly, as Nero laughed at his father, the man himself seemed to hear his whisper and teleported beside him.
"Father!" Nero smiled, playing dumb.
"You brat, you haven't come home in decades!" Maximus scolded, relieved to see Nero finally return.
Although they could teleport to the Etherium Academy in an instant, they didn't want to disturb him.
"I didn't want to bother you guys."
"Then why didn't you even invite us to your graduation?" Maximus asked angrily.
Since he didn't consider his graduation important, he completely forgot to inform his family.
"You kid!" Maximus was speechless.
Even he had forgotten about Nero's graduation.
If not for his wives reminding him earlier, he wouldn't have even known such an event was taking place.
Fortunately, they had arrived just in time to watch Nero graduate with high honors.
Looking at the two, Maximus could only sigh and bring them to meet his wives.
"It's up to you to comfort your mothers…"