Meanwhile, in a mysterious place at the center of a realm untouched by time—where light bled from the fabric of existence and the air shimmered with sacred stillness—a glowing throne stood atop a platform carved from crystallized stardust.
Around it, golden pillars twisted toward infinity, their surfaces etched with divine scripts that whispered to themselves in a voice older than language.
The sky above held no sun, no stars—only vast celestial wheels turning in silence, casting light without warmth and shadows without source.
Upon that throne sat a young girl.
Her hair flowed like liquid silver, eyes carrying galaxies within their depths.
She wore a robe spun from dreamstuff, each thread glowing faintly with starlight, each fold catching memories the universe tried to forget. Though delicate in frame, the air around her bent with quiet reverence—as if the realm itself held its breath in her presence.
Her gaze remained serene, distant, until the silence broke.
"Princess," a soft voice said, echoing through the sacred hall.
A robed attendant stepped forward, head bowed. "It seems those mysterious names in the Primordial Youth's Ranking are rising again. They've taken rank five... and four."
A flicker of interest stirred in the girl's eyes—just enough to make the throne's glow shine a little brighter and the quiet around her feel even heavier.
She stared at the ranking that materialized on her platinum plaque and muttered to herself. "Strange. They're only at the peak of the Inferno Realm, and their age hasn't even reached a year. That kind of power... it sounds like a bluff."
But the ranking was crafted by the First Ancient God himself. Its descriptions couldn't possibly be fake.
"Interesting," she said with a faint smile, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
With her current strength in the Horizon Realm, she could kill opponents a full realm above her.
It was an achievement only the most monstrous talents could reach. But even then, crossing realms wasn't simple. The gap between each one was vast—almost like a mortal trying to strike down a god.
She was a rare exception. A top-tier genius whose abilities and comprehension bordered on the absurd.
Someone who could contend with those a realm above through sheer dominance.
And yet, now, two names appeared on the ranking. Both possessing combat power two realms above their own.
That alone shook her.
Her expression remained composed, but in her mind, she burned with curiosity. With a calm voice, she turned to her attendant and asked the question lingering in her thoughts.
"Do they have a background?" she asked, her voice calm yet laced with curiosity.
"I've asked the Elders to investigate those two names, but it seems they already know they can't deduce anything. It's likely those aren't even their real names. And with the Primordial Youths Ranking blocking any attempt to trace them, it makes sense. Still, it's not entirely impossible, is it? Do you have any news?"
Her attendant's expression remained emotionless, but she answered without delay. "There is a lead now, Princess. Your brother personally used his power to track them. We've confirmed they're located in the Human Realm."
At those words, the young girl's long lashes fluttered with excitement. She maintained her composure, glancing at her attendant with a serene expression.
"Is that so? Then show me."
Her voice was soft, but her anticipation was clear.
She had already noticed her attendant retrieving a wide, glass-like artifact from a storage pouch.
It was an artifact designed to peer across realms—capable of projecting a clear, living image of the Human Realm.
Her attendant began to assemble it with practiced ease, and within a minute, the device activated. A brilliant light surged upward, forming a massive screen of shimmering clarity.
The young girl gazed at the unfolding vision with a composed expression, though a flicker of anticipation stirred beneath her calm.
"Let's see how those two are growing," she murmured softly. "Humans with talent like that... it's unheard of. But I want to see it for myself."
The artifact adjusted its focus, shifting through layers of starlit atmosphere. As the clouds parted within the projection, the vision slowly stabilized—revealing the distant world of mortals.
The Human Realm emerged in clear, breathtaking detail, each corner unfolding like a vivid scene from a living tapestry.
—
Back to Ella.
Half an hour had passed, and she stopped moving.
Ding!
Ding!
[You have successfully obtained a new technique as a system reward.]
Technique Name: Void-Returning Shadow Concealment Art
Grade: Primordial
Type: Concealment Technique
Effect:
Conceals aura, breath, and karmic resonance.Erases all traces of cause and effect.Evades fate deduction and origin tracing.Effective even against enemies up to three realms higher.Renders the user completely undetectable to divine sense and spiritual insight.Movement becomes formless, like a shadow returning to the void.
Note: Continuous use consumes soul power over time.
Ding
[You have received +1000 Kneeling Points.]
Ding
[You have received +500 Kneeling Points.]
Ding
[You have received +100 Kneeling Points.]
Ding
[You have received +50 Kneeling Points.]
[Current Kneeling Points: 5,240]
– [Currently being reduced due to clone maintenance.]
Various system rewards rang in her mind, but she didn't have the time to care. She only glanced at the message for a moment before retracting her gaze.
Before her, the battlefield fell silent.
No screams.
No voices.
Only the steady crackle of scorched earth and the soft drip of blood from her fingertips.
She stood at the center of a crater shaped by raw power, her body wrapped in abyssal black flames.
Her breath was slow and cold.
No enemies remained.
Only broken remnants scattered around her.
Yet her eyes stayed focused, untouched by calm or mercy.
Because she knew it wasn't finished.
Her clone was nearing its limit. The signs were clear. Cracks spread along her chest and arms. Her legs held firm, but a faint tremble had begun. The destructive essence, once fueled by her rage, had started to consume her instead.
She had thirty minutes left. At most.
But she didn't retreat.
She lifted her hand and caught a falling ash between her fingers.
The air changed.
From the battlefield's edge, one of the guardians stepped forward. He dropped to one knee, unsure if he should speak. His lips parted, ready to say something.
Ella turned toward him, and he froze.
That single glance said more than any words could.
The Witch of Calamity swallowed, her voice uneasy. "Her aura... it's still climbing."
She watched with wide eyes. "No… what's happening? There's a crimson horn on her head."
Mary stared as well, equally stunned.
But Ella didn't spare it a glance.
Her mind was already elsewhere, focused on something far beyond appearances.
Above, storm clouds slowly began to swirl.
Their movement wasn't natural.
Ella didn't react. Her divine sense extended outward, beyond the battlefield's ruins, into layers of space no mortal could perceive.
She wasn't looking for treasure.
She wasn't seeking survivors.
She was searching for something deeper.
Ella was looking for his origin.
So she closed her eyes, seeking to uncover the reason behind the Dark Emperor's endless resurrection.
Her divine sense, already attuned to the chaotic spaces she had shattered, stretched further now, capable of perceiving up to twenty thousand miles. It continued to extend as she poured more of her boundless destructive essence into it.
At that moment, Ella appeared emotionless. Her eyes, now a deep, lifeless red, reflected the price she had paid. Though it was only her clone that had been used, the effects were painfully real.
Her emotions were stripped away in exchange for power—yet because it was just a clone, her true body remained unaffected.
Even so, her experience had deepened her focus to an extreme degree.
She had subconsciously divided her thoughts into two distinct entities. One was dedicated to bringing the Dark Emperor to his knees.
The other accelerated her planning, allowing her thoughts to race thousands of times faster.
Such an accomplishment was profound—beyond the grasp of most geniuses.
When Ella opened her eyes, she immediately began trying various methods, already knowing what to do. Her thoughts moved faster than ever, sharpening her focus.
With determination, she poured destructive essence into her hands, enveloping them with an abyssal black aura that crackled with danger, distorting the space it touched.
Without hesitation, Ella grabbed the fabric of space—and twisted it.
The very core of the Obsidian Grave Continent trembled as space shattered around her, emitting destructive flames that enveloped the cracks.
Crack…
Crack…
With each tear, the very fabric of reality quaked, sending waves of distortion through the air.
Moments later, a trembling voice echoed from the fractured space.
"You... you brat. You just won't let me rest. You even found me hiding in the gaps between space."
The Dark Emperor's tone was laced with disbelief and fury.
Once again, destructive essence was tearing apart Ella's clone. Still, he hadn't dared to show himself earlier.
Her kneeling technique had left him deeply shaken. She hadn't used a trace of energy, yet he was left completely immobile. Not even the simplest divine technique could be summoned.
It had confused him then, and now that she had managed to find and destroy him even in hiding, it had ignited his wrath.
He had no choice now but to treat her as a true threat.
In an instant, he resurrected far away—beyond the reach of her perception. He had taken the time to analyze the range of her abilities.
Though confined to his current cultivation realm, his true strength was forcefully suppressed. Even while limited to the power of the Tenebris Realm, he remained bound by the heavy laws pressing down across the battlefield
If not for those limitations, Ella would have been wiped out long ago.
But now, he had distance, a clearer understanding of her reach, and an environment finally tilted in his favor.
Before he could act on his plans, he noticed the crowd of powerhouses in the Human Realm. All eyes turned in a single direction—drawn to where Ella stood.
He followed their line of sight and froze at the scene unfolding before him.
Ella stood with a frown, her eyes locked on the sky above. Blood mist swirled in the air, and from that crimson haze, limbs, veins, and bones began to materialize.
They took the form of a young girl—radiantly beautiful—with golden blonde hair, long lashes, and a face that closely resembled Ella's.
She wore a red battle dress that shimmered with graceful power, descending slowly with half-lidded eyes. But unlike Ella's usual coldness, her presence radiated a completely different aura.
It stirred the crowd.
The Dark Emperor's face grew darker, his instincts screaming danger.
All around, the onlookers stared in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.
Even Mary was stunned.
She blinked and muttered under her breath, "What is this adorable creature? She's nothing like that cold goddess who butchered the Dark Emperor... but she has the same face."
Her heart skipped.
Then she smiled.
"This is getting interesting."