To the world, it was a half-year of terrifying "order." The chaos of the apocalypse had been quelled not by peace, but by an absolute, suffocating grip. The Royal flag now flew over every major city, and the name Ethan was no longer whispered; it was feared like a natural law. But deep within the jagged, desolate peaks of the Appalachian mountains, time moved differently.

In a damp, dimly lit cavern, three men lived like hunted animals. The Deacon, once a man of shadow and mystery, stood before a flickering holographic array, his face gaunt. Behind him, the Ancestors of Celestial and the Scavengers paced like caged tigers.

"How much longer, Deacon?" the Celestial Ancestor roared, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "We’ve been rotting in this hole for half a year! You promised a counterstrike. You promised that the ’Only One’ would return to restore the balance!"

"Patience," the Deacon murmured, his eyes bloodshot. "The resonance of the Matrix is shifting. I cannot rush the fundamental laws of—"

"Patience?!" the Scavenger Ancestor interrupted, slamming a fist into a stalagmite, shattering it into dust. "Patience for what? Everything is gone! Royal owns the air we breathe. They own the water, the mines, the satellites. The entire continent has been bent to its knees. Even the ’Only One’ was swatted from the sky like a fly, and you tell us to wait?"

He stepped closer, his killing intent flaring. "By the time you find your ’results,’ Ethan won’t just be a King; he’ll be the God of this world, and we’ll be nothing but historical footnotes."

The Deacon turned slowly, his expression hollow. "If you are so confident in your strength, the exit is right behind you. I am not holding you captive. Feel free to walk out and see how far you get before a Royal reaper finds your neck."

Both Ancestors froze, their faces twisting in a mixture of fury and impotence. They didn’t leave, not because they lacked the pride, but because they lacked the path.

A month ago, they had attempted a cautious incursion into the "mortal" world to gather intelligence. They had disguised their auras and traveled to a small outpost town, hoping to find a way to hijack a long-range transport to the Old Continent.

The experience had been a waking nightmare.

Every digital screen, every billboard, and every scrap of paper bore their likenesses. In the secular world, the bounty was 10 billion dollars each—enough to make even a saint turn into an assassin. But it was the hidden markets that truly terrified them. On the encrypted Royal networks, the price for information leading to their capture was 10 bottles of Advanced Healing Nectar.

"I saw a group of Gold-rank mercenaries yesterday," Daniel, the Scavenger Ancestor, whispered, his voice trembling. "They weren’t even looking for enemies. They were scanning every face with biometric sensors linked directly to Royal HQ. They looked at a beggar on the street with more intensity than a hawk. They want those bottles, Deacon. Even I... for a moment, I looked at you and thought about the reward."

"The control is absolute," the Celestial Ancestor added, staring at the floor. "We saw a civilian drone swarm over the valley. Thousands of them, equipped with spiritual resonance detectors. They aren’t just looking for us; they are ’cleaning’ the map. We can’t fly across the ocean. The Royal Navy has the perimeter locked down with laser arrays that can melt any airplane in seconds."

They were trapped in a cage that spanned three thousand miles. The realization was a slow poison. They were no longer part of the elite, they were nothing more than vermin hiding within the walls of a house that now belonged entirely to Ethan.

------------------

Far beyond the atmospheric dome that acted as a cage for Ethan’s world, a different reality existed. In a realm where spiritual energy was as common as oxygen, a mansion carved from solid gold and encrusted with sun-stones stood atop a floating peak.

The guards here didn’t wear the tactical gear; they wore ornate, high-level spiritual plate armor, their swords forged from star-iron. Their gazes were hollow and unmoving, the stares of warriors who had seen centuries of slaughter.

Inside the hall, a man with a broad, muscular frame and a perfectly trimmed beard sat on a throne of dragon-bone. He held a communication crystal in his hand, his eyes scanning the flickering data. As he read, a woman of breathtaking, lethal beauty—her curves accentuated by a gown of sheer silk—pressed her body against his back, her hands kneading his shoulders with ease.

The man set the crystal down and looked at the messenger kneeling on the floor. "Is this information verified?"

"Yes, my Lord Patriarch," the messenger replied, his forehead touching the cold gold floor. "We sent three reconnaissance teams. All the reports match." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"I see..." The Patriarch narrowed his eyes. "What could those idiots in that forgotten hole be after now?"

"We don’t know yet, my Lord. But we intercepted several couriers from the rival sects. After a... thorough interrogation, they revealed that the Union has sealed every exit and entrance to that cursed zone. It appears they’ve discovered something they want to keep for themselves."

The Patriarch stroked his beard. "If I remember correctly, the Laws of that place are restrictive. Nothing above a Full Spiritual Nucleus can enter without being shredded by the world-fire. The maximum capacity for safe entry is a Half-Step Nucleus, correct?"

"That is correct, Master. The other clans are already gathering their disciples and half-step warriors. They are preparing a massive, simultaneous incursion. Should we mobilize the legions?"

"No," the Patriarch said, a dark smirk forming. "This time, we are a step too late for a frontal assault. It would be a meaningless massacre. Let that old fool from the Northern Peaks send his hunting dogs first. We will take a different path..."

"Understood, Patriarch. We will follow your orders immediately. I assure you everything will be ready without a single delay."

After saying that, the guard stood up, bowing again, and hurried out of the room.