The Tribunal was gone.
The heavens, once unshakable, were silent.
The storm had vanished.
The divine realm, a place untouched for eternity, was now ruins beneath his feet.
Ochieng stood alone.
No more chains.
No more fate.
Only him.
And yet, as he gazed at the shattered sky, a quiet whisper echoed through the void—
"Is this… truly the end?"
A flicker of something unknown stirred in his heart.
The battle was won.
But the war—
It had just begun.
---
A Descent to the Mortal World
The golden rift tore open, revealing the mortal realm below.
Cities, kingdoms, empires—
They continued on, unaware that their heavens had collapsed.
Ochieng closed his eyes.
It had been years since he last walked among mortals.
A world that once scorned him.
Mocked him.
Betrayed him.
And yet—
A smile tugged at his lips.
This time, things would be different.
With a single step, he descended.
---
BOOM!
His arrival was silent, yet the world trembled.
He had chosen his landing:
The most powerful empire in the mortal realm.
The Empire of Celestial Gold.
A land ruled by ancient families.
A land where wealth dictated power.
A land where the strong devoured the weak.
And within this empire—
A certain family held absolute authority.
The Zhao Clan.
A dynasty that had ruled for centuries.
Feared. Respected. Untouchable.
Until today.
The grand banquet hall of the Zhao Clan was alive with laughter.
Nobles, merchants, and warriors gathered, indulging in luxury.
At the highest seat sat Zhao Tianlong—the patriarch.
A man of immense power.
A man who had crushed countless rivals under his feet.
He raised his golden goblet.
"To the Zhao Clan! May our rule last ten thousand years!"
"To the Zhao Clan!" voices roared in response.
But as they drank—
The great doors of the hall swung open.
Step. Step. Step.
A single man walked in.
Clad in simple robes.
Dark hair. Piercing golden eyes.
An aura beyond mortal comprehension.
The crowd fell silent.
Zhao Tianlong narrowed his eyes.
"Who dares enter uninvited?"
The man looked at him.
And then—
He smiled.
"It's been a long time, Zhao Clan."
A chill ran through the hall.
For some reason—
They felt as if they were staring at death itself.
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