Several hundred kilometers away, a young man, seemingly about 16 years old, stood on a slender, powerfully built frame. He had crimson hair, deep red eyes, and wore practical clothing in a dark crimson and black hue.
He sat upon a throne carved from stone atop a mountain thousands of kilometers long, surveying the world with the air of a ruler and a cool smile on his face.
"This world is truly beautiful. Its creator is Ji Yao Li, the Chief Guardian of the Tree. Existence is sacred," Christian's voice was calm as he stirred the crimson hair that had fallen across his face in the wind.
He rose from his throne with an air of absolute majesty and authority.
A deep sigh escaped his lips as he surveyed the world around him with a small smile.
Ringing... Ringing... Ringing... Ringing
Christian's expression shifted to one of annoyance as he pulled his phone from his pocket, his face irritated. [Phone]
[Call from Muhammad]
[Answer Call] [End Call]
Christian's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at his phone for a few seconds before he lightly pressed the answer button, snapping his fingers to connect the call directly to his ear without needing a headset.
"What do you want, younger brother Nicholas? Is there anything you need from me right now? I'm busy," Christian's voice was calm as he kicked a rock in front of him, throwing it out of bounds.
[I wanted to tell you that I, Kazuhiro, Leon, and Inuyasha are coming for you, and also, strange things are happening right now, as if the world is going a little shattered.] Nicholas's voice came from the phone, calm and composed.
"It seems that the next three years will be completely ablaze," Christian's voice held a hint of excitement as he turned towards it. He found a dragon the size of mountains, staring at him with a look full of murderous intent, power, and absolute might. But despite this, Christian completely ignored it, turning his gaze away. The mountain's edge bore an indifferent expression.
"Is Kazuhiro with you right now?" Christian's voice was calm as he walked towards the throne he had previously occupied and sat down as if it were his own.
The dragon's expression shifted to a fury so intense it shook the mountains that stretched for thousands of kilometers and caused the volcanoes upon them to erupt.
"This will be enough for me..." The dragon's voice was filled with sarcasm and confidence, then turned to shock as Christian remained unmoved, his expression as calm as ever.
[Yes, he and Leon are competing against each other in video games. They seem to be playing GTA 6. Why do you ask?] Nicholas's voice held a hint of surprise.
Christian quickly changed the subject.
"Since that's the case, tell them they're useless, lazy fools." Christian's voice was filled with sarcasm, and the sound coming from the phone changed from Nicholas's to Kazuhiro's cold, sharp voice.
[What did you say, you bastard?] [You want death for this staircase] Kazuhiro's voice held no anger or hatred, yet a faint smile appeared on Christian's face as he turned his gaze toward the dragon for a few seconds.
"Wait a moment, I'll do something and return."
[............]
Christian then rose from his throne, walking toward the dragon with steady steps, brimming with absolute power and authority.
A complex crimson-gold aura emanated from his body like a flame.
He picked up a small stone from the ground and carelessly hurled it at the dragon.
The dragon looked at Christian with a mocking expression.
"What is this fool doing? Does he want to fight me with a small stone? What an idiot! It seems my roar has driven him mad. I thought he was strong." The dragon's voice was a mixture of relief and mockery.
Despite this, Christian's expression remained unchanged as he hurled the stone directly at the dragon's head, unleashing an aura A tyrant from his arm
He launched a stone with a speed that transcended spacetime.
The dragon was unaware of anything as its head vanished from its body, and the normal worlds were obliterated by Christian's attack, in which he hadn't even used 1% of his power.
After Christian killed the dragon, leaving it as worthless trash, a light blue aura appeared on his hand. He began drawing the Mana Core, Sacred Aether, and the Datean Roots, which had transformed into a pill the size of a bison's head, from the dragon's body into his hand. He then shrunk the pill to the normal size of a polishing bead.
"When will you arrive?" Christian's voice was calm as he placed the Mana Core, Aether, and Soul Bead into his dimensional space.
[We'll be there in 30 minutes. Also, tell Yuta to prepare a place for us.] Kazuhiro's voice was calm as he pushed Nicholas, who had tried to take his phone from him without saying anything.
"Very good, then. Goodbye." Christian's voice was calm. He severed the connection even before hearing Kazuhiro's reply.
He fixed his gaze on the headless carcass of a dragon with a wicked smile.
He snapped his fingers at the dragon, transforming it into a spray of energy and drawing it into his own dimensional space.
"We'll have a superb feast with this dragon's flesh," Christian's voice was cold, laced with mockery for the dragon that, just seconds before, had acted with absolute power and danger, and now had become dinner.
In this world, there is no complete predator or prey; even prey can become a predator, devouring whoever it chooses to devour.
This is how existence unfolds, where you don't know who is controlled and who controls. This existential narrative struggle will never end as long as there is a writer writing and a reader reading. The story will never end; only its characters will change. There are no main characters or secondary characters in this world.
Every creature in this life story is a main character in its own life story and a secondary character in the lives of others.
Christian's expression turned eerily calm as he gazed blankly at the bright sun and the blue sky.
"Life and death, existence is strange and incomprehensible. If life is the greatest achievement of any creature, then what is death? Failure? Or a transition from a stage whose existence was unknown? Death is something unknown, beyond the comprehension of limited minds. That's why they see it as failure and pride only according to their own self-interest." Christian's voice was calm as he vanished from his place as if he had never been there.
At the AcademyIn the middle of the night, Yuta and Gia sat at the tables of the cafeteria in Panama, looking at each other with a mixture of calm and an inexplicable feeling that wasn't related to love or any other kind of emotion.
"Congratulations, you've reached the pinnacle of humankind, Rank XXX++, a novice ruler, and you now possess the strength of a Holy Ruler-rank fighter," Yuta's voice was calm as he looked at Gia, who was drinking cranberry and peach juice while looking at him with a defeated expression. She hadn't done anything to put Yuta in a difficult position, and although they seemed evenly matched, she knew she hadn't used her full power. Yuta, in turn, didn't use any of his own power; he simply dodged her attacks and used wind and fire magic throughout the fight.
"Thank you, Yuta Cassiral. Thank you. You made me realize how weak I am, yet at the same time, I don't feel any sadness or despair. Truly, losing today is better for me than any victory I've had."
"Victory "Very good, but it's like a sweet poison that keeps me in my place. Loss, on the other hand, is like a bitter honey that makes me search for sweet honey, which is absolute power. Today's loss is a lesson among hundreds of lessons in this life, both beautiful and ugly."
"Yet, the bitterness of loss is unbearable..." Jia stopped speaking because tears began to fall silently from her eyes, without any sobbing or sign of crying.
The tears flowing from her eyes were filled with despair and sorrow, the only proof that she was crying. On the other side, signs of sadness appeared on Yuta's face for an inexplicable reason, as if his body was reacting to Jia's sadness for a strange reason. His sadness wasn't by choice, but rather for something greater.
"I don't like a humiliating loss. Even though the fight ended in a draw with our losses, I was the true loser. In the fight, I couldn't suppress you even once, while you managed to do so throughout the entire fight. Although it wasn't apparent, you prevented me from using my true power throughout the fight."
"Thank you, Yuta, truly, from the bottom of my heart." "The depths of my being have taught me a lesson I will never forget," Jiah's voice was a mixture of sadness, despair, happiness, joy, and contentment as she looked towards Yuta, who had a beautiful smile on his face as he held her hands.
A slight look of shock crossed Jiah's face as she looked at Yuta, then she pulled her hands away and left without looking back.
Yuta watched her leave the cafeteria with a faint smile.
"Jiah, what an admirable girl! It's not the right time for her to know the truth yet. I'm truly sorry..." Yuta's voice was calm and full of satisfaction.
He left the cafeteria with steady steps, ignoring the stares directed at him for holding Jiah's hand and making her leave in a way that made her look embarrassed.
After several minutes, Yuta took out his phone to make a call.
[Christian ⚖️🌐]
[Call] [Message] [Video]
He Yuta pressed the call button with a calm expression, then held the phone to his ear, his expression as cold as ice.
Ring… Ring… Ring… Ring…
____________________________
Writer's Note
🌐: Symbol represents system
⚖️: Symbol represents balance
__________________________
The phone continued ringing for several seconds before Christian answered.
"How are you, Yassin? Did you do what I asked you to do?" Yuta's voice was calm as he spoke to Christian through the phone.
[Yes, I brought the etheric mana core and a soul pill made from the roots of a Boundless-rank dragon, as you requested.] Christian's voice was calm and indifferent to the task, which he considered trivial.
[Where are you now? I've arrived in Luxembourg City, and my companions will be here in a few minutes.] Christian's voice was punctuated by the usual lively market noise.
"I'm still at the academy. Gowther and I will head to you. You can go to the Ain Sultan café, okay?" Yuta's voice was calm as usual as he wandered through the academy's corridors to meet Gowther, who was waiting for him at the academy gate.
"We're coming."
[Okay, hurry up, you lazy fool.]
Ignoring Christian's words, Yuta ended the call and headed towards Gowther.
"Let's go. I haven't seen them in ages. After all, they're the last people with a connection to our previous world, right, Yuta or Boutaleb? Hahahaha." Gowther's voice was a mixture of calm and cold sarcasm.
"You're right, Isaac. Then we should hurry." Yuta's voice was calm, almost interested in what Gowther had said earlier. They headed towards the meeting place without saying anything unnecessary.
This wasn't an expected meeting, an ordinary one. It was a meeting between giants and true talents in this path, known as the Path of the Ruler.