"You think numbers will break me?" Zhao Tianyi, the Sovereign of Eternity, said, his voice echoing across the void that had now turned into a battlefield. His tone wasn't mocking—it was resigned, almost pitying. "Cowards. Not a single one of you dared to face me alone. Instead, you come like scavengers, hoping to feast on my bloodline."

He stood amidst the chaos, thousands of figures lay dead across the black expanse, a testament to his prowess, his figure unyielding against the gathering storm of more powerful enemies. Zhao Tianyi's dark, rune-etched armor glimmered with an ethereal glow, faint cracks snaking across its surface—evidence of the grueling hours he had already spent holding his ground. In his right hand, he held Eternia, a curved blade forged from the essence of stars, its edge shining with black light. Floating by his side was a semi-transparent spirit weapon, Tianmu, a shield that pulsed with protective energy, its runes flickering like a dying flame.

Across the torn battlefield, his adversaries gathered in clusters, their figures wreathed in magic and power. Leading them was Huo Liang, the Flame Warden, a huge man whose red armor shone like melted flames. He stepped forward, his great sword covered in fiery flames.

"Enough talk, Sovereign. Your reign ends today. That bloodline of yours is a curse upon the multiverse. It has tipped the balance for too long!"

"And what balance are you trying to protect, Huo Liang?" The Sovereign tilted his head. "The balance where you all kneel to mediocrity while greatness is hunted down? You don't fight for balance. You fight out of fear."

"Your reign ends today. You can't hold us all off forever. Surrender, and perhaps we'll make your death painless."

Zhao Tianyi laughed, a short, bitter sound. "Surrender? To you? The Flame Warden who burned entire civilizations to dust for refusing your rule? Spare me your hypocrisy, Huo Liang. None of you are here for balance or justice. You're here because you're afraid of what this bloodline represents."

Huo Liang's grip tightened on his sword. "You don't know what's good for you."

He lunged, his sword splitting the ground with a surge of flames. Zhao Tianyi moved with strange speed, Eternia meeting the strike in a clash that sent shockwaves rippling outward. Sparks and embers filled the air as their weapons ground against each other, magic erupting at the point of contact.

From the sidelines, a sharp voice shouted, "Now!"

It was Xu Ling, the Void Weaver, her dark cloak blowing backward as she cast a net of shining void energy toward Zhao Tianyi. The Sovereign's shield, Tianmu, snapped into position, absorbing the attack with a flash of light.

"You're predictable, Xu Ling," Zhao Tianyi said, twisting his blade to deflect Huo Liang's next swing. "I've seen that trick a thousand times."

"Then try this one!"

From above, an enormous warhammer flashed down, carried by Lei Kun, the Stormbreaker, his body covered in crackling lightning. Zhao Tianyi stepped aside at the last second, the hammer smashing into the ground with a deafening loudness. The impact created a crater, and a shockwave sent sparks flying in all directions.

"You swing like a drunk ox," Zhao Tianyi mocked, slashing Eternia upward. The blade sliced through Lei Kun's lightning shield, sending Lei Kun flying backward.

Zhao Tianyi barely had time to breathe before three winged figures swooped in, glowing arrows of divine light streaking toward him. His shield expanded, deflecting them, but one grazed his shoulder, leaving a burning wound. He winced, the pain sharp but manageable.

"You're slowing, Zhao Tianyi," Huo Liang taunted, stepping back as the others regrouped. "Even you can't last forever."

"Maybe not," Zhao Tianyi admitted, his breathing heavier. "But I can make you regret underestimating me."

He raised his free hand, the air around him distorting as he summoned a surge of raw chaos magic. With a sharp motion, he unleashed it in a massive wave. The ground heaved and split as arcs of energy tore through the enemy ranks, sending warriors sprawling.

Amid the chaos, Huo Liang roared, "Focus! He can't maintain this pace! Hit him from all sides!"

Lei Kun charged again, his hammer crackling with amplified lightning. Xu Ling conjured tendrils of void energy that lashed out like serpents, while Huo Liang flanked Zhao Tianyi with his fiery sword. From the skies, the celestial archers rained down relentless barrages of enchanted arrows.

Zhao Tianyi fought with precision. Eternia flashed as it deflected Lei Kun's hammer, the blade spinning in an arc to sever Xu Ling's void tendrils. His shield absorbed the brunt of the celestial arrows, though cracks began to spiderweb across its surface.

Still, the numbers were overwhelming.

A searing blade found its mark, slicing into Zhao Tianyi's side. He staggered but retaliated with a devastating strike, Eternia cleaving through the attacker's weapon and cutting them down. A barrage of void magic followed, slamming into his back and forcing him to one knee.

Huo Liang stood over him, flames engulfing his blade. "It's over, Sovereign. Your bloodline dies here."

Zhao Tianyi's golden eyes burned with defiance. "Over? No." His voice was low but resolute. "You've only ensured your own doom."

Huo Liang hesitated, but before he could react, Zhao Tianyi's body began to glow. The ground trembled as a surge of power radiated from him.

"Stop him!" Xu Ling shouted.

The warriors attacked as one, but it was too late. Zhao Tianyi unleashed his full might, a blinding explosion of energy that obliterated everything within miles. The battlefield was consumed in light, the screams of his enemies fading into silence.

Millennia Later

In a small hidden village surrounded by thick forests, a woman named Mei Xia walked through the woods, a woven basket in her hand. She was heavily pregnant, her face lined with exhaustion. Her husband had died in a raid from a neighboring, more powerful village, and now she struggled to survive, gathering what little food she could for herself and her unborn child.

She slowed as she came across a strange tree. Its bark shone faintly, and it had only one shiny gold-colored fruit, glowing softly in the dim light. She was scared at its strangeness; she had never seen such a fruit before, but her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten anything since the previous day. Reaching up, she plucked the fruit and bit into it.

The juice was hot, almost like fire, as it slid down her throat. Unknown to her, a single drop of golden liquid seeped from the fruit into her veins, its power awakening something ancient and forgotten.

Mei Xia's breath choked as heat spread through her body, settling in her womb. She clutched her belly, a sense of fear and anxiety washing over her.

Deep within, her unborn child stirred.