Somewhere in the world, an inconspicuous rift appeared out of the blue.
It began to radiate an eerie red, resembling the harbinger of a great disaster.
The glow of the rift intensified, reaching the sky, and the rift instantly expanded to a colossal size.
Its appearance was now similar to the gaping maw of a primordial beast, and from it an army with a domineering presence marched out.
The army was made up of Ancient Gods, numbering at least ten thousand.
Their eyes were like smoldering embers, making their plain, broad faces look intimidating. The blood-red skin over their steel-like muscles was marked with dark, jagged lines, resembling cracks running through the surface of a volcano.
The smallest among them stood well over 40 feet tall, while the tallest towered over the hundred-foot to three-hundred-foot-tall mountains in the surrounding area.
They had come to this world to determine whether it was worth looting. If it was, their first course of action would be to exterminate the inhabitants of this world. That way, they would face no problem or resistance while claiming all its riches and resources as their own.
Their leader, Grondar looked around, taking in the lush, green surroundings. The gleam in his eyes said he liked what he saw. He drew in a deep breath, and crisp, fresh air filled his lungs. Immediately, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
"This world is rich in resources, and the air here is clean. It will be a worthwhile plunder."
A taunt came from above, wiping the smile off his face.
"Stop dreaming. You gigantic morons aren't capable of taking a single valuable thing from this world. Heck, it'll be a miracle if any of you live to see another day now that I've decided to get rid of you!"
Grondar and the other ancient gods looked up and saw a person floating in the sky without any support.
It was a plainly dressed middle-aged man.
He had a handsome face and a sturdy physique, but his head was like a barren land, sporting not a single strand of hair, shining brightly under the sun.
His demeanor in the face of immense danger was noteworthy.
The ancient gods appeared formidable in every way and were capable of unleashing attacks comparable to a natural disaster at a moment's notice. However, despite facing thousands of them alone, the middle-aged man showed not an ounce of fear. Instead, he wore a laidback expression, as if it were a daily occurrence for him to face an army of otherworldly creatures and emerge victorious without a scratch.
"A mere human dares treat us with disdain!" Grondar felt utterly offended. He raised his hand and let out a command. "Fall!"
Immense pressure broke out from the void.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the sky before the unthinkable happened.
The sky of the human realm shattered and countless innocent lives were threatened.
"Cheap tricks!" the bald man snorted. He then exploded with irresistible might, punching upwards. His punch seemed extremely simple, but it was packed with overwhelming might.
Boom!
A pillar of formidable and domineering energy shot up from his fist. The pressure descending from the void was driven off, and the sky was mended back to its original awe-inspiring appearance. It all happened in the blink of an eye, leaving people throughout the human realm to wonder if the sky had really shattered just now.
The majority of the inhabitants of the human realm were simply unaware that someone was fighting for their survival!
"So strong?"
Thousands of Ancient Gods gaped, while Grondar's eyes widened beyond the size of saucers, threatening to pop out of their sockets.
The others could not comprehend the extent of the bald man's feat, but Grondar was fully aware of what had just transpired.
With that one move, the bald man had severed Grondar's connection to the domain of the Ancient Gods. He could no longer draw power from there. He could no longer display the might that had helped him remain uncontested for a millennium.
Grondar realized with growing dread that the bald man was as strong as he was.
'He is a Domain Lord. I can't afford to treat him with disdain, especially now that I can no longer display the power that makes me more special than other Ancient Gods.'
Grondar grew vigilant of the baldy.
"Who are you? I normally don't do this, but I will give you this honor because you are worthy of my respect."
Taking it as his last wish, the bald man decided to humor him.
"I am the Eternal Night Human Sovereign," Kevin said.
A glint of thoughtfulness flashed in Grondar's eyes.
"You hope to one day suppress evil in all directions?"
Kevin nodded. "Correct."
"Even righteous gods don't dare dream so big!" Grondar said scornfully.
"I dare do what gods don't," Kevin said.
Grondar scoffed, "Baseless arrogance."
"Let me show you how wrong you are." Kevin pushed down with his finger and exclaimed, "Kneel for me!"
Upon the army below, an overwhelming pressure descended. Ten thousand ancient gods crumbled under the pressure almost immediately.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A total of twenty thousand knees touched the ground as ten thousand crimson titans kneeled against their will.
Only Grondar remained standing, but even he was not entirely immune to the palpable coercion exuded by the sole domain lord of the human realm. Like a cheap prostitute that was available 24/7, Grondar's back was bent!
An army that had ravaged and plundered countless domains since its conception a few thousand years ago was suppressed by the might of a mere human's finger. It was an overwhelming scene!
Grondar's face flushed red as he looked at the plight he and his army had found themselves in. He glared at Kevin and growled, "How dare you humiliate us like this!"
"I plan to do far worse."
Upon hearing Kevin's words, a sense of foreboding washed over Grondar, but he could do nothing to stop the human from making his next move, as he was still suppressed by the pressure Kevin was exuding.
Kevin snapped his fingers.
Countless cracks opened up across the surface of the world.
From within the cracks, lava could be seen surging upwards from the depths of the planet.
Shua***
Streams of lava burst out from the cracks, reaching thousands of feet high into the sky.
Kevin's eyes glowed with a strange light, and the temperature of each stream of lava increased sharply, becoming hotter than the sun.
Then, all the streams converged into one colossal river, which crashed down upon Grondar and his army.
Upon being devoured by the river of lava, Grondar's army melted away before they even had the chance to scream.
As for what had become of Grondar after he was consumed by the molten tide, Kevin couldn't determine it accurately, but he was certain he hadn't died. As for why he felt that way, it was because he could see something moving in the lava river, trying to break out of it. Kevin guessed that it was Grondar.
Plop!
A massive figure erupted from the lava river, sending waves of molten rock splashing in every direction.
It was Grondar, but his former glory was nowhere to be found.
Mere moments in the immensely hot lava river had melted more than half his body.
Kevin thought, 'His skin and flesh has melted away. Only his bones and internal organs remain, yet even in this state, his life force remains unbroken. The life of a domain lord is really hard to take.'
Tsk!
Kevin clicked his tongue before directing a gaze full of killing intent towards Grondar, who was glaring at him with bloodshot eyes.
"ETERNAL NIGHT HUMAN SOVEREIGN, I WILL PUT AN END TO YOU TODAY EVEN IF I HAVE TO FORFEIT MY LIFE!"
Grondar's roar produced shockwaves that demolished the nearby mountains as he surged toward the bald man in the sky with incredible speed.
"Your life is not enough to trade for mine. After all, you're weak," Kevin taunted as he raised a hand towards the sun.
World subduing palm!
In an instant, many planets in the same star system as the human realm plunged into darkness as he grasped the light meant for half a star system from the sun. His hand glowed brightly, its radiance illuminating the entire world of humans and blinding Grondar.
"Die knowing that the universe will be a better place without you."
Kevin teleported to Grondar before slapping him with a palm carrying power equivalent to 3.8 billion Tsar Bombs. With that, Grondar turned to dust, meeting his end.
With a swirl of his hand, Kevin gathered Grondar's ashes from the air and sprinkled them on a pearl that he took out of his inventory.
Chains made of archaic words sealed it.
These chains shattered as soon as they came in contact with the ashes of an ancient god.
Following that, a monotone voice rang in Kevin's ears.
[ The Heavenly Pearl has been unsealed ]
[ As you are the first one to come in contact with it after its seal was lifted, it has recognized you as its master ]
[ You have gained a special privilege ]
[ Upon death, a miracle will be bestowed ]
Kevin was originally from Earth. After dying an unjust death, he crossed over to the Human Realm with a golden finger and became the descendant of the Ashford family.
His golden finger was a system, and the voice that rang in his ears just now belonged to it.
"It only works when I die? That's all it does? It's useless to me. I'm a Domain Lord who can live as long as the sun and moon, for Christ's sake!"
He had toiled for many years to unseal the Heavenly Pearl, but it turned out to be as useless as a brick for him. Kevin felt genuinely disappointed
He put it away.
Just then, a sharp pain tore through his senses.
He looked down and saw a sword sticking out of his stomach. He had been stabbed in the back!
Who did it?
It couldn't be someone average. It had to be an assassin infinitely close to stepping into the Domain Lord level, otherwise, he would have been able to sense it coming, and the ambush would have failed.
There was only one such person in the entire human realm, and it was his wife of over 300 years.
Kevin didn't want to believe it, but as he turned around with great difficulty, a familiar face fell into his sight.
'Shadow Queen...'
The Shadow Queen was the second strongest expert in the human realm, excluding Kevin. Her expertise lay in assassination, and even Domain Lords weren't entirely safe from her.
'It's really her.'
Kevin's heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
Betrayal from loved ones was always the most painful, and this was the woman he had cherished for hundreds of years. Yet, she had so cruelly betrayed him. His pain couldn't be explained in words.
"Why?" he asked hoarsely.
She replied coldly, "In your death lies my success."
The human realm could only have one Domain Lord. This meant that unless Kevin died, no one else in the human realm would be able to ascend to the Domain Lord level. Anyone below that level couldn't be considered immortal. They couldn't live longer than a few thousand years, nor could they freely travel through the stars.
For a few decades now, the Shadow Queen had been harboring the belief that Kevin was the wall she must break down to attain greater power.
This thought had taken deep roots in her mind.
So, when an opportunity presented itself, she didn't hesitate to seal his fate.
He had fought against an entire army of ancient gods led by a Domain Lord. Although it didn't show on his face, he had deeply exhausted himself.
"I am such a fool for not seeing your true colors earlier. You are a lizard that deserves to be slapped to death. Allow me to correct my mistake with my own hands."
Kevin's fist shattered the sound barrier as it barreled toward the Shadow Queen. His love for her had never been fake, but she had done something unforgivable, and he was going to make her pay for it with her life.
She attempted to slip back into the Shadows.
If she escaped there, Kevin wouldn't be able to harm even a single hair on her body.
Kevin had clearly anticipated it as an intense pressure exuded from him and descended upon Shadow Queen, locking her in place. His attack hit the mark, and she was blown to smithereens. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, but he forced them back.
Kevin pushed the sword out and tossed it to the ground. A gaping wound was left in his stomach, but he wasn't worried about it. He could easily heal it by drawing on the power of his domain, which was the very world he stood upon. However, when he tried to do so, his expression turned grim.
His connection with the human realm had been cut off!
He tried other methods to save his life, but they didn't work either!
Around a hundred people appeared around him.
Kevin recognized them, having met them in the past.
They were the top experts of the human realm.
Kevin did not think they came with good intentions and looked at them warily. "Why are you here?"
"Naturally, because I invited them to deal with you."
Kevin's eyebrow shot up in surprise.
This voice, he was so familiar with it that he wouldn't forget it even in his dreams.
The Shadow Queen was alive.
She stepped out of the crowd and smiled at him sweetly.
"Or do you think I am foolish enough to plot your death without adequate support, Dear?"
"Don't call me that, you disgusting wench. How are you still alive?"
"I don't think you have the luxury to worry about that."
"What do you mean by that?'
"You have been struck by the Life Severing Sword. It is a weapon that, in theory, can even slay an immortal. According to my calculations, you will die before the day ends."
She wasn't bluffing.
A great sense of weakness enveloped Kevin, and he aged rapidly.
Wrinkles appeared beneath his eyes, his skin sagged, and his back hunched. He already had a shiny head, so there were no changes there. From a dashing middle-aged man, he suddenly looked like an elderly person with one foot in the grave in mere seconds.
He was withering away like a flower in the dead of winter.
This was the magic of the immortal treasure, the Life Severing Sword, and it left the top experts of the human realm awed.
Kevin never knew that the Shadow Queen owned such a treasure.
How did she get it?
The Magic King continued from where the Shadow Queen left off, "We just need to keep you from running away until then, and you will naturally succumb to your injuries. Then, we will get everything we wish for."
They wished for his treasures and secrets.
He rose through the ranks too quickly and became the strongest expert of the human realm in only a few hundred years, which should have been impossible if he wasn't hiding some kind of shocking secret.
"And it isn't going to be hard. Your connection with the world has been severed. You can't display the true might of a domain lord. You are one foot in the grave and you have to face all of us alone. There's no hope of you escaping this situation alive."
With those words, the Magic Emperor greatly boosted the morale of his side.
Kevin looked at them in disappointment.
"There is not a single one among you who hasn't benefited from the countless sacrifices I have made to secure our world from external threats. Yet you are plotting against me and wishing for my death. Have you no shame?!"
The Martial King smiled broadly.
"What do you think?"
They wouldn't have agreed to the proposal of his wife if they had some honor. So they were indeed shameless!
Kevin threw his head back and laughed maniacally.
The betrayers thought he had gone crazy from the shock of betrayal, unaware of his inner turmoil.
He had tirelessly safeguarded the human realm for hundreds of years, fending off invaders from all sides and ensuring no harm came to its inhabitants. He did so without expecting or demanding anything in return. Yet, he was rewarded with betrayal.
All the top powerhouses of the human realm had turned against him, including his partner of over 300 years. How laughable and miserable was that?
Bitterness seeped into his laughter as he realized
His goodness has become his undoing.
It sounded too absurd to be true. But it was happening to him. So it couldn't have been more real.
The laugher stopped and profound words rang in the air.
"The heart of a person who is clearly in love with you can change with time. The people who are indebted to you won't hesitate to betray you if enough benefits are involved. In this world, can anyone be trusted?
"I realize now the world is inherently cruel. It doesn't deserve a belevelonent ruler. It deserve a tyrant who rules with an iron fist."
Kevin's demeanor changed completely.
If he had been bright like the sun before, now he was like a blood-drenched sword, radiating intense madness and a thirst for blood!
A mad demon that the world could only fear was born!
Some experts shivered, some gulped, and others looked at him warily. He was clearly close to death, but why did it feel like he could still cut their heads off whenever he wished?
He glared at the people present and spoke,
"My life and treasures aren't as easy to obtain as you think. If you want them, be prepared to lose your life."
Under his sharp gaze, almost everyone flinched back.
Immediately, Kevin flew away.
It seemed like he had no intention of fighting to his death.
The betrayers gawked as if someone had shoved cow dung down their throats.
"He's running away? Am I seeing things?"
"No, you're not!"
"Has he lost the pride of a sovereign? How can he run away after acting like he's going to take us all on and fight to his last breath?"
"Shameless!"
"In the face of death, even an epitome expert acts like a coward!"
"Quick, chase after him! otherwise, he might hide his treasures somewhere and we will never be able to find them."
Countless people took to the air, chasing after Kevin.
But this was exactly what he wanted.
Since his fate was sealed, he was going to bring them down with him.
When their momentum reached its peak, he suddenly changed the course of his flight and shot toward the people chasing after him.
"What is he doing?"
"Has he realized resistance is futile and given up on living?"
They didn't realize his plan until it was too late.
As he closed in on them, his body swelled rapidly.
"Oh no, he's planning to self-destruct. Quickly, move away from him!"
However, they had been chasing after him at full speed, making it impossible for them to change course and fly away from him on such short notice.
"Too late," Kevin smirked.
Boom!
The explosion produced by his self-destruction killed all his enemies. From the haughty Shadow Queen to the shameless Martial King, he dragged them all down with him!
[ You have died, triggering the effect of the Heavenly Pearl ]
[ A great miracle has been bestowed on you ]
[ Your fate has been reversed on a greater scale ]
[ You have regressed ]