"The battlefield remembers every scream… now remember me—Incarnate: War's Grave!"
The air around them stilled, and then a golden aura burst to life around Vairon. A ripple of shimmering light spread through the space behind him, as if a drop of light had fallen into the void. A suffocating pressure descended upon the world, wrapped in the radiance of his golden glow.
'H-He's summoning his Incarnate?! W-Wait—what the hell? WHAT IS THAT?!'
Kaelira's thoughts erupted in confusion before shifting into horrified awe.
An Incarnate was the embodiment of all that a cultivator was—their will, soul, and dao. It was both weapon and mirror, the most powerful manifestation of their existence. Yet it carried great risk, especially for those below the Soul Expansion realm. Being in the Core Formation stage at such a young age already set them apart from their peers, but their connection to their Incarnates was what truly defined their potential.
Every Incarnate was unique—a reflection of its creator's true self. Greed, desire, ambition, faith—whatever burned within their hearts would shape its form. To wield that power, however, a cultivator needed true understanding of themselves and their dao path.
That was why awakening an Incarnate so early was considered nearly impossible. Many cultivators spent decades in meditation before finding the clarity to awaken theirs. To rush the process risked creating a false Incarnate, crippling one's cultivation forever. Damage to one's Incarnate meant damage to their soul itself—an incurable, living death.
But that wasn't what terrified Kaelira.
She knew how dire their situation was, yet she had never imagined Vairon would reveal this much power—let alone this kind of secret.
'That's… an Apex Incarnate?! He has one too?!'
Her thoughts trembled.
'He's manifested a divine will…'
Apex Incarnates—the pinnacle of all incarnations. Legends claimed they were myths, too rare for mortals to ever witness. Awakening an Incarnate made one a genius. Awakening an Apex Incarnate made one something else entirely.
A god in the making.
Once a cultivator awakened an Apex Incarnate, no one else could ever replicate it. It was bound to their soul alone—an exclusive right to a fragment of divinity. Those blessed with it were destined to ascend beyond mortal bounds. They were not merely prodigies; they were aberrations.
"…Goddamn monster…"
As the golden aura dimmed, Kaelira's eyes widened, the image forever seared into her heart.
Vairon's figure emerged from the light—now clad in majestic golden armor from neck to foot. The armor shimmered with divine brilliance, exuding both sanctity and menace. His broad chest showed through the front opening, while dragon-carved bracers gleamed at his wrists. A crystal-like gem rested between his brows, complementing the flecks of gold now scattered through his emerald eyes like stars.
His presence had transformed. Sharp. Cold. Overwhelming.
The air thickened, bending beneath his aura. Even breathing became a task.
Seeing him like this, Kaelira's heartbeat faltered. Her signature crazed smile began to distort her features.
'I… I want to fight him. I want to ruin him, make him submit to me.'
Before she could fall further into her slightly concerning delusions, Vairon turned his head slightly to glance at her over his shoulder and finally spoke.
"I'll get you the time you need. Don't fail me, woman." His voice sounded distant, like it came from another time entirely.
Kaelira felt a shudder travel up her spine as her face distorted further.
"Worry about yourself, stone-face~. Don't die too soon. This princess needs her rematch after all~."
Remembering their first "greeting" when they appeared within the secret realm, Vairon's mouth twitched imperceptibly before he refocused his attention on the sinister beast before him. The serpent hadn't moved at all—still coiled in the same position as it flicked its tar-like tongue toward them. Though now, a glimmer of weariness could be seen in its eyes.
But this wasn't enough for Vairon. Weariness and caution were not enough. He wanted to see fear. He wanted the creature before him to see the inevitability of its death and cower in his presence. Though he was a quiet, soft-spoken man, Vairon had a fierce pride instilled in him by his parents. The words of his father rang clearly in his ears:
If something stands against you, break it. If something offers a challenge, exceed it. But if someone looks down on you… tear them down in every conceivable way. Teach them to beg, to kneel and cower. Show them the meaning of futility.
"Armory."
Wheng—
A dull noise resounded in the vicinity, and under the gaze of his captivated audience, nine golden portals appeared in the rippling space behind Vairon. From them, various weapons emerged in golden luster—all aimed directly at the beast opposing him.
The serpent's previous nonchalant vibe completely disappeared, replaced by a bloodthirsty, ravenous aura as its hood flared out fully. It seemed to realize that the prey before it was no longer as pathetic as before. Seeing this, Vairon's eyes slowly closed as his presence grew increasingly oppressive.
When his eyes reopened, his pupils were completely golden, illuminating the surroundings. He began to slowly walk toward the serpent as it rose to its full height of seven meters, as if sensing the impending clash. He stopped about ten meters from the beast and looked up into its menacing glare with his own impassive expression. Silence reigned for a few moments before Vairon spoke, his voice laced with ancient arrogance.
"Your head is too high… kneel."
"GROARRRRRRR!"
RUMBLE, RUMBLE
Explosions tore through the air. Fierce winds whipped around as screams and cries of battle rang out. No one saw this coming. No one expected this thing to appear. All they could do was run—run for their lives as the inevitable chased after them. Mere moments ago, all the cultivators within the ruins had been searching for opportunities and treasures, growing stronger from the resources available within the numerous chambers of the dilapidated palace. Until moments ago, they were all transported into a vast open plain.
It held a serene beauty and tranquility that seemed to ease the soul, lulling them into peace and comfort—until the first scream tore through the assembly of cultivators. Thousands of heads whipped around toward the source, only to witness a sight that would be seared into their memories forever.
A young woman was held in the hands of a massive ape-like beast, its four crimson eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement as it began to crush her body. Blood poured from every orifice as its grip tightened. They all stood frozen as the girl screamed and struggled to free herself. Her eyes grew redder as the vessels burst one after another. Her face, once pale, turned crimson from panic and exertion, before darkening to purple as the air left her lungs.
"P-PLEASE! SAVE ME! S-S-SAVE ME! I DON'T W-WANNA DIEEEE!"
Her hysterical pleas were quickly joined by the snapping and cracking of every bone in her petite frame. Her cries turned to choked gargles as blood filled her throat.
As the ape squeezed tighter still, it turned its gaze to the mass of cultivators before it, a cunning light flashing in its eyes as it held the girl aloft so they could witness every morbid detail.
As the girl's cries reached a new pitch, her eyes bulged before bursting, blood spilling from the empty sockets. She finally fell silent, her life or death unknown. Noticing its toy was now unresponsive, the ape shook her body a few times before flinging it over its shoulder.
The broken body flew through the air and struck a tree with a sickening splat. The others gradually snapped out of their horrified trance. No one knew who started it, but within seconds tens of thousands of attacks rained down on the ape from above.
But their despair had only begun.