Chapter 2: The Little Monarch Awakens 👑⚔️🔥🌌
The sky was breaking.
Not metaphorically.
Not symbolically.
Actually breaking.
Purple lightning spread across the heavens like cracks in shattered glass.
Every flash illuminated the enormous black hand descending from beyond reality.
The sight alone was enough to make ordinary people collapse from fear.
Ye Xian was not ordinary.
But he was still terrified.
Ye Xian:
"Okay."
The hand continued descending.
Ye Xian:
"Okay."
Another crack split the sky.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Ye Xian:
"THIS IS NOT OKAY!"
The kneeling knights remained frozen in fear.
Even the Knight Captain trembled.
Blue flames flickered wildly inside his helmet.
Knight Captain:
"It has found him."
Ye Xian turned.
Ye Xian:
"Who found who?"
No answer.
The captain simply stared upward.
As though speaking about the creature itself was forbidden.
Or dangerous.
Or both.
The giant hand continued reaching downward.
Its fingers were larger than mountains.
Ancient symbols glowed across its dark skin.
Every symbol radiated an overwhelming aura.
The moment Ye Xian looked at them—
Pain exploded inside his skull.
AAAAAAAH!
He nearly collapsed.
Fragments of memories flashed before his eyes.
A battlefield stretching beyond the horizon.
Gods falling from the sky.
Stars exploding.
Entire worlds burning.
A black throne floating in endless space.
And seated upon it—
A man.
A king.
His face remained hidden beneath darkness.
Yet his presence dominated everything.
Every god.
Every monster.
Every army.
Everything bowed before him.
Then the vision disappeared.
Ye Xian stumbled backward.
His breathing became uneven.
Ye Xian:
"What… was that?"
The Knight Captain suddenly spoke.
Knight Captain:
"The memories are awakening."
Ye Xian blinked.
Ye Xian:
"The what now?"
Knight Captain slowly rose to his feet.
For the first time since appearing, he looked directly at Ye Xian.
Not as prey.
Not as an intruder.
But as someone important.
Someone worthy of respect.
Knight Captain:
"You carry his blood."
Ye Xian:
"I don't even know who 'he' is."
Knight Captain:
"The Last Monarch."
The words echoed throughout the courtyard.
Every knight lowered their heads even further.
As if speaking the title itself was sacred.
Ye Xian rubbed his temples.
Ye Xian:
"Can somebody please explain things in a way that doesn't sound like a fantasy novel?"
Nobody answered.
Because at that moment—
The hand finally touched the sky above the courtyard.
CRAAAAAAACK!
Reality shattered.
A massive hole opened in the air itself.
Darkness poured out.
Cold.
Ancient.
Hungry.
The Trial Realm trembled violently.
System notifications exploded before Ye Xian's eyes.
WARNING
Realm Integrity: 67%
Realm Integrity: 52%
Realm Integrity: 38%
Emergency Protocol Activated
Ye Xian stared.
Ye Xian:
"Those numbers seem bad."
Correction:
Those numbers are extremely bad.
Ye Xian pointed at the screen.
Ye Xian:
"Why are you suddenly sarcastic?!"
The System ignored him.
As usual.
Then a new message appeared.
Hidden Quest Triggered
Protect The Heir's Trial
Reward:
???
Failure:
Realm Destruction
Permanent Death
Ye Xian:
"Why is every failure death?!"
The System remained silent.
A moment later—
Something emerged from the crack.
Not the entire creature.
Just one eye.
A single eye larger than a city.
It opened slowly.
Watching.
Searching.
Looking directly at Ye Xian.
The pressure instantly multiplied.
BOOOOOOM!
Hundreds of marble pillars shattered.
The ground sank.
Several knights collapsed.
Ye Xian's knees nearly buckled.
Yet strangely—
He remained standing.
The eye noticed.
The giant creature paused.
Then a voice echoed across existence.
A voice so deep that it sounded like mountains grinding together.
"Found… you…"
Every knight flinched.
The Knight Captain actually stepped backward.
Ye Xian swallowed.
Ye Xian:
"Found me?"
The eye narrowed.
"Little… Monarch…"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Even the wind stopped.
Ye Xian's heart skipped a beat.
It knew him.
Or at least knew whatever a "Little Monarch" was.
Unfortunately, Ye Xian still had no idea.
The creature began forcing itself through the crack.
The sky screamed.
Reality bent.
The Trial Realm could not withstand its presence.
The System immediately responded.
Thousands of blue runes erupted from the ground.
Ancient symbols covered every pillar.
Every wall.
Every crystal.
The entire realm activated.
For the first time since arriving—
The ancient ruins came alive.
The floating crystals blazed like miniature suns.
Columns of light shot upward.
Chains made of pure energy wrapped around the giant hand.
The creature roared.
The sound shook the heavens.
Yet despite the realm's resistance—
The hand continued moving.
Slowly.
Relentlessly.
As though nothing in existence could truly stop it.
Knight Captain:
"It is too strong."
Another knight whispered.
Knight:
"The seals are failing."
A third knight lowered his head.
Knight:
"The Trial Realm will fall."
Ye Xian listened.
Then looked around.
Then looked at the giant hand.
Then looked back at the knights.
Ye Xian:
"So basically…"
He pointed upward.
Ye Xian:
"That thing is about to destroy everything?"
Knight Captain:
"Correct."
Ye Xian:
"And all of us die if that happens?"
Knight Captain:
"Correct."
Ye Xian:
"And nobody has a plan?"
The knights remained silent.
Ye Xian sighed.
Ye Xian:
"I hate being the main character."
Suddenly—
The headache returned.
Stronger than before.
Ye Xian grabbed his head.
Dark energy surged around him.
The temperature plummeted.
The shadows beneath the pillars began moving.
Not naturally.
Not normally.
They were crawling.
Gathering.
Answering a call.
His call.
Though he wasn't consciously making one.
The knights noticed immediately.
Several gasped.
The Knight Captain dropped to one knee.
Knight Captain:
"The Monarch's Authority…"
The darkness flowed toward Ye Xian like rivers.
His eyes briefly flashed crimson.
Then gold.
Then crimson again.
Memories flooded his mind.
Not complete memories.
Pieces.
Fragments.
A father teaching his son.
A king smiling.
A throne room filled with laughter.
A promise.
A farewell.
Then one final sentence.
"My son."
"Never kneel."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Power erupted from Ye Xian's body.
The entire courtyard shook.
Every shadow within sight rushed toward him.
The darkness formed a massive cloak behind his back.
Like enormous wings.
For a brief moment—
He no longer looked like an ordinary student.
He looked like royalty.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
Absolute.
The giant eye in the sky widened.
For the first time—
It seemed surprised.
Then a new notification appeared.
Hidden Bloodline Detected
Monarch Bloodline: Activated
Synchronization Rate:
1%
Ye Xian blinked.
The darkness instantly vanished.
The cloak disappeared.
The pressure faded.
Everything returned to normal.
Ye Xian looked around.
Ye Xian:
"…One percent?"
A pause.
Ye Xian:
"Seriously?"
The System responded immediately.
Yes.
Ye Xian:
"Wow."
Ye Xian:
"Thank you for your emotional support."
The System wisely chose not to answer.
Above them—
The giant hand suddenly stopped moving.
The eye continued staring at Ye Xian.
As though reconsidering something.
Then, unexpectedly—
The creature began retreating.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
The crack in the sky started closing.
Purple lightning faded.
Reality stabilized.
The Trial Realm stopped shaking.
Everyone watched in disbelief.
Even the Knight Captain seemed shocked.
Knight Captain:
"It withdrew…"
The eye remained visible until the very last second.
Watching Ye Xian.
Waiting.
Promising.
Then the crack sealed shut.
Silence returned.
The danger was gone.
For now.
A final notification appeared before Ye Xian.
World-Ending Threat Repelled
Contribution:
99%
Reward Granted
Ding!
Level Up!
Level 2 → Level 5
New Title Obtained:
The Little Monarch
Ye Xian stared at the screen.
Then at the terrified knights.
Then at the title.
Then at the sky.
Ye Xian:
"…I have a very bad feeling about this."
Far beyond the Trial Realm.
Far beyond worlds.
Far beyond stars.
Something ancient opened its eyes.
And smiled.
To Be Continued…
Next Chapter: The King's Shadow 🖤👑⚔️🔥🌌