The abyss of the Tomb of the Forgotten Gods stretched endlessly as the Gore Sovereign continued his descent. The oppressive darkness seemed infinite, but suddenly, his expression shifted drastically. A wave of cosmic energy surged around him, its presence alien and overwhelming. Gore Sovereign instinctively unleashed his own power in an attempt to suppress it, but his efforts were futile. No matter how much he tried, the cosmic energy only grew stronger, wrapping around him like an unrelenting vice.
His voice roared through the abyss, a defiant scream, but it faded as the energy dragged him in a certain direction. His cries were swallowed by the darkness as he disappeared into the depths.
Meanwhile, Xuan Li stirred from unconsciousness, his body still aching from the immense strain of his earlier battle. As his vision cleared, he saw a familiar figure—his master, Veldris, standing before him in his spiritual form.
"Master?" Xuan Li struggled to his feet, clutching his sword. "Why did you suddenly appear?"
Veldris' calm yet imposing gaze fell upon his disciple. "It seems someone has infiltrated this area."
Xuan Li, despite his exhaustion, immediately stood straight, his grip on his sword tightening. "Master, I'll—"
Before he could finish, Veldris raised a hand, silencing him. "Do not concern yourself. This entire space is under my influence. I've already caught the intruder."
As if on cue, a loud crash echoed through the tomb. A figure, wrapped in cosmic energy, slammed into the ground with a force that cracked the barren earth. Xuan Li's eyes widened as the cosmic bindings unraveled to reveal the Gore Sovereign.
The figure, his face twisted in anger and disbelief, struggled to his feet. His blood-red eyes locked onto Veldris' spiritual form and Xuan Li. "Who... are you?" he muttered, his voice heavy with strain.
Xuan Li, though drained, raised his sword and replied coldly, "The same question applies to you. Who are you, and why are you here?"
The Gore Sovereign smirked, a mocking glint in his eyes. "Hah... You don't know me? It seems the new generation has truly forgotten who I am."
Xuan Li's aura surged as he infused his blade with his energy. "Stop your rambling and answer me immediately."
The Gore Sovereign sneered. "A mere warrior dares to threaten me? If not for these accursed bindings, you would have been reduced to a pile of dust by now."
Xuan Li's glare hardened, but before he could act, Veldris' calm voice resonated through the chamber. "I sense malice emanating from this lesser being."
The words struck Gore Sovereign like a blade. His blood-red eyes flared with fury as veins bulged across his forehead. "Lesser being?" he snarled. "You dare call me, the left hand of the Supreme King, a lesser being?"
The atmosphere shifted violently as the Gore Sovereign's aura exploded. The ground trembled, and the surrounding air grew thick with a murderous, bloody energy. Xuan Li, already exhausted, struggled to breathe under the crushing pressure. His mind raced. What kind of being possesses such overwhelming malice and aura?
The Gore Sovereign's voice was cold and menacing as he addressed Veldris. "You, a mere spiritual form, dare to mock me? You have no qualifications to even speak of the Supreme King, let alone stand in his presence."
But Veldris remained unfazed. His gaze briefly shifted to Xuan Li, who was visibly struggling under the oppressive aura that saturated the area. Xuan Li's breaths came in short, pained gasps as his knees threatened to buckle under the weight of the bloody energy suffocating him. Yet, Veldris' expression remained composed, almost serene, as though the malice radiating from the Gore Sovereign was but a mild breeze.
A flicker of something eternal ignited within Veldris' eyes—a flame that burned like the birth of stars, as if the vast universe itself resided within his gaze. He raised a single hand, his movements deliberate yet casual, and with an almost imperceptible gesture, he released a fraction of his aura. It was a fragment so small that it should have been negligible, yet it held the weight of infinity.
The bloody aura dominating the area dissolved instantly, like ink washed away in a flood of starlight. The atmosphere shifted, becoming impossibly still. The Gore Sovereign's eyes widened in horror as his senses screamed in protest. The world around him began to warp and change, the oppressive abyss giving way to a sight that left him breathless.
In an instant, the Gore Sovereign found himself standing in an endless, boundless cosmos. Stars burned brightly in every direction, their light fierce yet distant, illuminating the infinite expanse. Galaxies swirled like ethereal maelstroms, their spiraling arms stretching into eternity. Nebulae shimmered in hues of crimson, azure, and gold, their ethereal beauty contrasting sharply with the overwhelming vastness.
The silence was deafening, broken only by the faint hum of celestial energy resonating through the expanse. The Gore Sovereign turned frantically, his once-proud demeanor stripped away as he realized the sheer scale of the cosmos surrounding him. His once-indomitable aura, a force that could drive entire armies to madness, felt like a fleeting ember in the presence of a boundless inferno.
A presence—a gaze—descended upon him. It was distant yet all-encompassing, like an unblinking eye watching from the farthest reaches of the universe. It pierced through every layer of his being, past his flesh, bones, and spirit, to the very essence of his soul. It laid bare every thought, every fear, every fragment of his existence.
The Gore Sovereign's legs buckled, and he fell to his knees. His body trembled uncontrollably as cold sweat drenched him. His mouth opened, but no words came out—only a cracked, strangled scream that echoed endlessly through the void.
For the first time in centuries, the Gore Sovereign felt fear. It was not the fear of death or defeat, but something far deeper, something primal and absolute. It was the terror of standing before eternity itself, of realizing his own insignificance in the face of an existence so vast and powerful that it defied comprehension.
He clawed at the empty space around him, gasping for breath that would not come. The cosmos stretched endlessly, its sheer scale pressing down on him, suffocating him in its infinite embrace. He screamed again, louder, as if trying to shatter the silence, but the sound only echoed back at him, reinforcing his isolation.
And then, as suddenly as it began, it ended.
The Gore Sovereign collapsed to the ground, his body limp and drained of all strength. The vast cosmos faded, and he found himself back in the abyss of the Tomb of the Forgotten Gods the familiar oppressive darkness of the abyss. The towering figure of Veldris remained before him, and to his side stood Xuan Li, still gripping his sword tightly.
The Gore Sovereign's breaths came in ragged heaves as he struggled to lift his head. The memory of the boundless cosmos lingered in his mind, a vivid reminder of his insignificance. Slowly, he pushed himself to his knees, his body shaking from both exhaustion and fear.
"Who… what are you?" he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. His gaze remained fixed on Veldris, who stood motionless, his expression unreadable.
Xuan Li, despite his own fatigue, couldn't hide his shock. The once-dominant Gore Sovereign, who had exuded an aura of untouchable power, now knelt like a broken man. The scene before him was almost surreal.
The Gore Sovereign bowed his head deeply, his voice trembling. "Great one… I have been blind, arrogant. I dared to stand against a force beyond my comprehension. My life is forfeit. Let my death atone for my offense."
With shaking hands, he reached into his robes and retrieved a small, ornate dagger. Its blade gleamed ominously, etched with runes that glowed faintly in the dim light of the tomb. He raised the dagger to his throat, prepared to end his life.
Before he could make the final motion, the blade froze mid-air, held by an invisible force. The cosmic energy radiating from Veldris pulsed softly, its mere presence enough to render the Gore Sovereign motionless.
"Your life," Veldris said, his voice calm yet absolute, "is not yours to take. If you seek absolution, it will not be found in death. Redemption lies in what you choose to do with the time you have left."
The Gore Sovereign's hands trembled, the dagger slipping from his grasp and clattering to the ground. His head remained bowed as he whispered, "I… I understand."
Xuan Li watched the exchange in silence, his mind racing. Master's power is unfathomable… Even a being as terrifying as the Gore Sovereign is brought to his knees with nothing more than a gesture. What is the true extent of his strength?
Veldris turned his gaze to Xuan Li. "Stand tall, my disciple. What you witnessed here today is a lesson: true strength is not about domination but the ability to command respect through the vastness of one's existence."
Xuan Li nodded, though his heart still pounded from the sheer magnitude of what he had witnessed.
The Gore Sovereign, still kneeling, dared to lift his gaze slightly. "What would you have me do, great one?"
Veldris' eyes burned like twin stars as he replied, "You will serve a purpose greater than your own. Swear your loyalty to this boy—my disciple—and prove that your existence can still hold meaning."
The Gore Sovereign turned to Xuan Li, his expression a mixture of shame and newfound resolve. Bowing deeply, he said, "I, Gore Sovereign, pledge my allegiance to you, young warrior. May my strength serve to honor the will of your master."
Xuan Li's grip on his sword tightened as he stared at the kneeling figure. "If you are truly sincere," he said after a moment, "then rise. But know this: betrayal will not be tolerated."
The Gore Sovereign nodded solemnly and stood, though the weight of what had just transpired remained heavy on his shoulders.
Veldris' presence seemed to grow fainter, his spiritual form beginning to dissolve into the air. "Disciple., the path ahead is fraught with challenges. Learn from this encounter. Grow stronger—not just in power, but in wisdom."
As his master's form faded, Xuan Li's resolve hardened. The abyss still held many secrets, and now, with an unexpected ally at his side, he prepared to face whatever lay ahead.