In a distant corner of the universe, within the grand chambers of a celestial palace, two of the most powerful beings in existence stood in silence. The air was thick with tension, an eerie contrast to the golden glow of the room’s ethereal architecture.

  A man paced at the edge of a lavish bed, his expression clouded with worry. Beads of sweat—no, not sweat, but pure, condensed mana—dripped from his forehead, each drop potent enough to fuel the wars of empires. He muttered under his breath, scanning the room with anxious glances.

  “Nocthy, come here and relax. They won’t find out.”

  The voice was soft yet commanding. He stopped pacing and turned to face the woman resting on the bed. Her beauty was incomprehensible—otherworldly. One look and even the most disciplined mind would fall into a trance.

  His gaze softened as he sat beside her, his hand instinctively resting on her stomach.

  “I’m not worried about them,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m worried about Him.”

  The woman’s grip tightened around his hand, her eyes darkening. “This… this shouldn’t even be possible. Our very existence defies balance, yet here he is—growing inside me. The impossible turned real.”

  Nocthy inhaled sharply, trying to steady himself. “Thia, how long until he is born?” He hesitated. “We cannot keep him here. Nowhere is safe. The moment he takes his first breath, He will know. And He will come.”

  Thia’s eyes flashed with determination. “No! I refuse to let our son die before he even has a chance to live. I will do whatever it takes to keep him safe—even if it costs me my life.”

  Nocthy’s jaw clenched. “I don’t want that either. There’s only one way. We must send him far beyond the reach of our universe, to a place so remote that even our bloodline’s tether cannot be traced. Only then can we hope to sever His sight.”

  Thia’s breath hitched. “Nocthy… what are you planning?”

  “I will give him my eternity ring.” His voice was resolute. “It will mask his bloodline. But I cannot leave with you—He would notice. You must go alone. Find a place where he can be raised safely, somewhere he can grow strong. And when he is born, you must obstruct his fate. Do not name him. His true name will remain sealed within my ring until he is ready to claim it. Let his new family choose a name for him.”

  Thia bit her lip, her hands trembling as she fastened her garments. “What name will you give him?”

  A rare smile flickered across Nocthy’s face. “Maliketh Zoras’Zorath.”

  Thia gasped, then let out a small, shaky laugh. “You actually picked a decent name. For once, your naming sense isn’t awful. Let’s hope Zoras does it justice, or he might bring shame upon his poor father.”

  The moment of levity shattered in an instant.

  A suffocating force pressed upon the palace, warping space itself. The walls trembled. The golden glow dimmed to an ominous black.

  Nocthy’s expression darkened. “Damn it... He’s here! Thia, get into my ring—NOW!”

  Thia swayed, her face pale, barely able to stand under the crushing weight of the presence that had just arrived. Before she could react, Nocthy swiped his hand, pulling her into his ring, erasing every trace of her existence from the room.

  A deafening silence followed. Then—

  THUMMMMMMMMMM.

  The palace quaked before falling into absolute stillness. A figure stepped into the chamber. Cloaked in shadow, he was an abyss in the shape of a man. His mere presence warped reality, the world itself rejecting his existence—yet he stood there, unchallenged, undeniable.

  A voice, soft as a whisper yet carrying the weight of oblivion, pierced the silence.

  ["Nocth’Zaroth."]

  The sound alone forced Nocthy to his knees, his body betraying him in the presence of the one entity who could command his submission.

  “Yes, Founder,” he replied, forcing the words past clenched teeth.

  ["It is time. My useless son has broken through. We proceed with the plan."]

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  Nocthy kept his head lowered. “Yes, Founder. I will gather the others and prepare immediately.”

  When he finally dared to look up, the presence was gone. The palace remained, but it felt emptier, its very essence hollowed out.

  Nocthy exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “Bloody hell... I almost lost control there.”

  He reached for the ring, feeling Thia’s faint presence within.

  “Are you okay?”

  A whisper echoed from the ring. “I am. But Nocthy, you must be even more careful now. If He grows suspicious—”

  “I know,” Nocthy interrupted. “Listen to me. You must move swiftly. The invasion of your sister’s realm has begun. Go to Xal’s universe and stay hidden. I will do what I can to protect her.”

  Thia hesitated, then whispered, “I understand. But I will return. Nocthy... take care of yourself.”

  With that, she vanished—carried far away to a place beyond the reach of gods and titans.

  99 Years Later

  In a remote corner of the universe, far beyond the reach of celestial conflicts, a small blue star rotated in quiet solitude. The world below was peaceful, untouched by the chaos of the greater realms. This place would do.

  Floating in the vast void, Thia placed her hands on her stomach, feeling the growing life within. A wistful sigh escaped her lips.

  “Hmph, this place isn’t so bad,” she mused as she descended through the planet’s atmosphere, scanning for a suitable place to give birth.

  She chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Ninety-nine years since I left your father, and you're still making me sigh like he does. You’re not even born yet, and I already know you two will be alike.”

  The humid plains stretched endlessly before her as she landed. Her gaze swept across the landscape, taking in a simple, struggling village in the distance.

  Her expression hardened as she saw them—the desperate villagers, their meager defenses crumbling under the attack of wild beasts. A man, barely clinging to life, cried out in agony while others fought in vain.

  “Perfect,” she murmured, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “This is exactly the kind of place Nocthy would approve of. Remote, desolate... and just dangerous enough to help Zoras grow.”

  In an instant, she vanished and reappeared at the village’s broken gates. The moment her presence graced the battlefield, everything froze. The beasts, the warriors, even the wind itself seemed to halt in reverence.

  “Oops!” Thia giggled. “Forgot to suppress myself. Got too excited.”

  With a casual wave of her hand, the rampaging creatures disintegrated into nothingness. As silence fell over the stunned villagers, Thia turned toward them, smiling as though she hadn’t just erased an entire threat from existence.

  Gasps rippled through the crowd.

  “An immortal...!”

  “I thought they were only legends...!”

  The wary guards hesitated, their wooden pikes trembling as they aimed them at her. Thia ignored the weapons entirely, instead peering into the village, searching for someone with authority.

  An elderly woman, leaning on a wooden cane, hobbled toward her. “Lower your weapons, you fools! Can’t you see she’s pregnant? And she just saved us all!”

  The men flinched, quickly lowering their spears and bowing their heads in apology. Thia smiled warmly and, in an instant, appeared beside the elder.

  “Hello there, Granny,” she said cheerfully.

  The old woman turned her head, meeting Thia’s gaze with wise, knowing eyes. “Thank you for saving my little village, Lady Immortal. You may call this old woman Granny Mei.”

  Thia gently took the elder’s arm, helping her stand straighter. “Granny Mei, please, no need for formalities. Just call me Lori. And actually... I came here with a favor to ask. But let’s get you seated first.”

  Granny Mei nodded. “Thank you, Madam Lori.”

  As the villagers ushered them inside, Thia casually waved her hand. In an instant, all traces of the battle disappeared. The beast corpses vanished, the blood-stained ground was cleansed, and the broken walls were repaired. More than that, every villager—whether wounded in battle or suffering from illness—was fully healed. A stunned silence fell over the settlement before erupting into cries of joy and gratitude.

  “So, in short,” Thia said, cradling a warm cup of tea, “my son will be born next year, and I would like you all to care for him as your own. My husband and I cannot raise him. The moment he is born, I must leave. And as for his name… that will be up to you, Granny Mei.”

  Granny Mei frowned, setting her cup down. “Lady Lori, if I may ask... are you certain about this? Wouldn’t it be better for him to grow up somewhere safer, somewhere with stronger guardians?”

  Thia’s gaze drifted to the ceiling—or perhaps beyond it. “Because of who we are, this is the safest choice. That’s all I can say, Granny Mei. Any more, and it could bring danger to you all.”

  The old woman nodded solemnly. “I understand, Lady Lori. But... if I may ask one more thing. Are you at the legendary Essence Condensation stage? This old one once witnessed a Qi Awakening immortal, but never one with power like yours.”

  Thia nearly choked on her tea. “Essence Condensation...? Pfft!”

  She barely stopped herself from bursting into laughter. “Uh, yes. Yes, I am at Essence Condensation,” she said quickly, clearing her throat.

  The villagers’ awe deepened. Murmurs of reverence spread among them, their gazes filled with wonder.

  She looked back at Granny Mei and the gathered villagers. “I’ll be in your care for the next year. Please take care of me and my son in the future.”

  Thia stood and bowed deeply.

  One year later.

  A baby’s first cry resounded across the world. The moment his voice rang out, the heavens trembled. Natural disasters surged across distant lands. But here, within the little village, all was still.

  Far away, in another universe, two of the multiverse’s strongest beings stirred.

  A man, deep in meditation, opened his eyes—pure green light flickering within them. “My son... welcome to the World of Chaos.”

  And in the darkest reaches of the void, where no light could exist, a throne loomed in the emptiness. Upon it sat a being beyond comprehension.

  ["@#*&@, WHO DARES!?"]

  Back in the humble village, a tear slid down Thia’s cheek as she kissed her newborn’s forehead.

  “Goodbye, my son. Grow strong, and live well. Mommy will miss you.”

  With one final bow to the villagers, she turned and vanished, leaving behind only a single, glistening tear on the ground.