"The rules of this world are truly intriguing," Muria murmured as he slowly ascended the stairs, feeling the piercing gaze of the middle-aged man below. Though the man had seemed mild-mannered, his growing agitation was palpable as Muria lingered near his daughter.
Deciding to avoid unnecessary conflict, Muria retreated to Jiuli's room.
"This is tricky," Muria sighed, sprawling across Jiuli's bed. He had confirmed that Heloise, his childhood sparring partner, remained in deep slumber, her consciousness suppressed by the overwhelming rules of this vast world.
He had tried to awaken her, but to no avail. Ordinary methods were useless. More drastic measures would be required.
"Do I really have to push that little girl to the brink of death? That's just cruel," Muria muttered, rubbing his face.
His own consciousness had only awakened because his reincarnated body had faced extreme danger, triggering his memories to surface. To awaken Heloise, her reincarnated self would likely need to endure similar peril.
"How can I bring myself to harm such a young girl?" Muria shook his head. "Forget it. There's no rush. She has time to grow up. I'll arrange something then."
Muria had plenty of experience designing trials that pushed individuals to their limits without crossing the line into fatal danger. He was already brainstorming how to prepare Heloise's reincarnation for her eventual awakening.
As he pondered, his casually released mental energy swept across the region, delivering unexpected information that made even him sit upright in astonishment.
"Wait... Is this the world's center? Or a central nexus?" Muria muttered, his golden eyes glinting.
Jiuli's homeland was undergoing unprecedented upheaval. From a technological perspective, the discovery of one spatial gate to another world was extraordinary enough. But now, there were seventeen.
The sudden appearance of these gates had plunged Jiuli's homeland into chaos and unprecedented cooperation. For the first time in centuries, the region's nations had halted their conflicts, uniting to address the new existential threat posed by these gates.
The pressure from the outside world was too overwhelming. Forced to set aside internal disputes, humanity sought ways to safeguard their civilization while exploiting the newfound resources of these alien worlds to grow stronger.
But from Muria's perspective, the situation was far more significant.
He could see that seventeen regions of the cluster-world had been connected through a central hub, forming a unified whole. Previously, these regions had been entirely separate, each existing in isolation.
The implications were staggering. This was a vast area, equivalent to the union of eighteen worlds. Such a convergence was bound to birth powerful entities.
For those born in resource-scarce regions, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Individuals with immense potential who had been held back by their circumstances could now soar, realizing their true capabilities.
"This isn't the end. It's only the beginning," Muria concluded. "More spatial gates will likely appear, connecting this central hub to even more regions."
His expression turned grim. Such a dramatic shift couldn't be unrelated to the presence of beings like himself—epic-tier entities infiltrating the world.
Clearly, the world's immune system had activated.
"This means rivers of blood," Muria murmured. "When disparate groups are suddenly brought together, conflict is inevitable."
The need for resources and survival would drive wars, resulting in countless casualties. Some species might even face extinction, while others would rise, thriving amid the chaos.
"This convergence of worlds will create powerful individuals and civilizations," Muria predicted, his golden eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's exhilarating."
He imagined the grand conflicts that would unfold, involving gods, epic-tier beings, and perhaps even ancient primordial deities.
"Still, it's a nightmare for the ordinary folk."
Muria moved to the window, gazing at the seemingly peaceful cityscape outside. He knew the calm wouldn't last. When the world's convergence reached its peak, even the gods would struggle to stay uninvolved.
"As always, the weak have no say in their fate," Muria mused. "Their so-called peace is just a gift from the strong."
Suddenly, his expression shifted. "So soon?"
Without a sound, Muria vanished from Jiuli's room, drawn to an anomaly that piqued his interest.
In a nondescript skyscraper amid the steel jungle of the city, chaos reigned. Cries of anger, pleas, and sobbing filled the air.
Above the building, a blood-red magical array loomed—a complex hexagram pulsating with malevolent crimson light, exuding an aura of ominous foreboding.
The array's function matched its unsettling appearance. Waves of scarlet energy cascaded down, encasing the building in an intangible prison. The people inside were like caged animals, powerless to escape.
"Transcendence is awakening," Muria muttered, standing atop a nearby building. His black hair and golden eyes gleamed as he observed the array.
"Typically, stronger entities emerge later. Why is a fallen deity attempting to resurrect so early?"
His curiosity was piqued. As he watched the hexagram pulsate, Muria's lips curled into a smile. This world was becoming far more entertaining than he had anticipated.
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