A week passed inside the timeless stillness of the pocket dimension.
Kai's movements were sharp, methodical—flashes of black and red slicing through the air. Sweat dripped, but his breathing remained controlled. Every day, every hour, his control over the Blade of Dominance grew more terrifying.
Form Four. Form Five. Form Six.
Each form pushed his body further, refined his control over his bloodline and physique. Crimson occasionally watched from the shadows, silently impressed.
By the seventh day—
Boom.
The void within his dantian shattered and reformed, spiraling into a core of red-black energy.
[Breakthrough Achieved: Rank 3 – Core Realm (Early)]
Kai opened his eyes, and a subtle pulse of pressure distorted the very space around him.
He stood and stretched.
"…Time to go."
Crimson's tail wagged. "Master, I'm hungry."
Kai raised a brow. "So am I."
With a gesture, the pocket dimension shimmered. They stepped out into the dense forest outside Windy City—sunlight peeking through the canopy.
Crimson sniffed. "I smell meat."
Suddenly—
Crash!
The trees ahead split as a massive wild boar, its tusks like ivory daggers, thundered toward them. Late Rank 2 – Foundation Realm. It snorted and charged.
Crimson growled and stepped forward, ready to strike.
Kai held up a hand. "No, you're too big for this. You wil Scare it off instead go hide ".
Without hesitation, Crimson's form blurred—feathers erupted where fur once was, his body reshaping mid-leap.
In a breath, a crimson-eyed crow soared into the air, screeching above.
Kai, trembling with excitement, stepped forward.
"Time for a real test."
He stepped into the clearing, blade resting over his shoulder. The boar couldn't sense his cultivation—Kai suppressed it fully.
The boar screeched and charged.
Kai smirked. "Blade of Dominance: Form One – Dominance Slash."
In a flash—SHHHHK!
A crimson arc flashed through the air.
The boar froze mid-step, then its head fell cleanly, followed by its body splitting in half. The last thing it saw… was a thin blade gleaming like judgment.
Kai exhaled, smiling. "Still got it."
Soon after, fire crackled as meat roasted on a spit. The smell filled the forest. Crimson landed beside him, shifting back into his wolf form.
"Master, I see a city."
Kai turned his head. In the distance, walls loomed through the trees.
"Let's go."
After they finished their meal, they walked the dirt path toward Windy City.
When they arrived, two ordinary human guards manned the gates. Their armor was mismatched, and their eyes wary.
"Halt! Entry costs silver!"
Kai raised a brow, tossing a pouch of silver casually. The guards caught it, opened it… and paled.
"T-This is…" one stammered. "Y-You may enter, honored one!"
Kai, slightly confused, nodded. Crimson strutted behind him, tail swaying.
Inside, the city was lively—merchants, food stalls, children running barefoot. It was chaotic, noisy… and humble.
Kai scanned the area. No strong cultivators. Odd.
"Crimson," he murmured, "where are the martial artists?"
"Master… this world is different. Only a small number are born with the gift to cultivate."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Interesting…"
After a short walk, he arrived at an inn. The wooden sign read: Sleepy Wind Inn.
He paid for a room and spoke to the innkeeper.
"Where's the best restaurant here?"
The man smiled. "You want the Celeste on Wind—only place that serves real spirit beast meat and aged wine."
Kai nodded and left.
At Celeste on Wind, the restaurant's second floor was quiet and elegant. Kai sat at a window, Crimson resting at his side.
A waiter approached. "What can I get for you, young master?"
"Your best food. And your finest wine."
The waiter bowed and disappeared.
When he returned with food and drink, Kai sipped slowly, then asked, "What powers rule this city?"
The waiter blinked. "…You're not from around here, are you?"
Kai said nothing.
The waiter continued, "Windy City is run by four powers: the City Lord's Manor, the Lincoln Clan, the Finch Clan, and the Shadow Serpent Gang."
He leaned closer, whispering.
"The City Lord is a Rank 3 Core Realm cultivator. The clan heads are late Rank 2, and the gang has a mix of Rank 1 and 2 thugs. But no one dares challenge the City Lord."
Kai smirked.
So… I'm already stronger than most of this city's rulers. And I'm only twelve.
That night, Kai returned to his room.
He sat by the window, sipping tea, Crimson curled at his feet.
"So this is Windy City," he said to no one. "One of the weakest cities… in the Blue Sky Kingdom. And this is the Eastern Continent."
He looked up at the moon.
"Then let this be my beginning."
He stood, walked to the bed, and lay down.
His eyes closed. His mind quieted.
The world was vast. And he would conquer it.