The air was still thick with the remnants of arcane energy. The Arcane Bazaar had yet to recover from the surge of power unleashed when Dominic reclaimed the Codex pages. The weight of that moment still lingered in the air, a reminder of what had just transpired.

  Yet, Dominic was already moving forward.

  He stepped toward the Supreme Archmage, Randolf Eldenhardt. The older mage gasped for breath; eyes wide with awe. He had heard tales, whispered rumors of the Great Magician’s return, but nothing had prepared him for the sheer force of presence that Dominic commanded.

  Even with only thirteen pages of the Codex of Creation, his power was unfathomable.

  Randolf, still kneeling, prostrated himself once more, his forehead pressing against the floor. He had never bowed to any king, any emperor—yet here he was, trembling before the one who had shaped the very fabric of Laoyon.

  Dominic stood near his head, golden eyes burning with intensity. He gazed down at the Supreme Archmage as if peering into the depths of his very soul.

  "Randolf."

  An unseen force lifted the Supreme Archmage into the air, weightless, as though fate itself had plucked him from the ground. He hovered for a moment, then slowly descended, landing with grace in front of Dominic.

  Randolf swallowed hard. "Y-Yes, my Lord."

  "Alright, Randolf, let’s make this easy." Dominic flashed a smirk, folding his arms. "Tell me everything you know, and I mean everything—starting from the day I created Laoyon."

  The Supreme Archmage hesitated, his breath uneven. Before he could answer—

  Dominic snapped his fingers.

  And time stopped.

  All at once, the world fell silent.

  The flickering candle flames, the floating runes, the levitating books—everything froze in place. The merchants and scholars in the Arcane Bazaar stood motionless, their voices cut off mid-sentence. Not a single breath, not a single heartbeat, not even the whisper of wind moved through the city.

  The only ones untouched by the stillness were Selva and the Archmages.

  And, of course—Arden and Leigh remained unaffected, standing as if nothing had changed.

  Dominic exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "Figures. Of course, I can't stop the Fool and the Star."

  Arden stretched, rolling his shoulders with a grin. "Neat trick, though. Almost had me there."

  Leigh tilted her head, studying the frozen city. “You just stopped an entire plane of existence.” Her voice was even, but her narrowed eyes betrayed something else—concern. “That’s… concerning.”

  Dominic ignored them, turning back to the Archmage. His golden eyes burned with a silent command.

  “Now—begin.”

  The Archmage inhaled deeply, steadying himself before he spoke. His voice carried the weight of history itself. "Fifty thousand years ago, when the Great Magician Arcana first created Laoyon… it was not yet a world of order. It was nothing but a vast, untamed land. A realm of beasts, chaos, and primal energy. There were no cities, no laws—only monstrous creatures that ruled without challenge."

  A ripple of magic stirred the chamber, the air thick with ancient echoes. "For centuries, this world remained untouched, forgotten. Even its creator, the Magician, left it to its own devices. But then... they arrived."

  The Archmage’s fingers tightened around his staff. "Two beings descended upon Laoyon, unlike any before them. One was a warrior unmatched, a woman of boundless will. The other was an enigma—an observer of fate, one who watched the flow of destiny with quiet amusement."

  Dominic's golden eyes flickered with a knowing glint. "Selvia," he murmured, almost to himself. "And Marlon."

  The Archmage nodded. "The woman possessed immense strength, battling against the ancient creatures of Laoyon. Meanwhile, the man wielded the power to control life itself. With a mere wave of his hand, he revived the fallen monsters—stronger, fiercer—forcing the woman to fight them again and again. Their battle raged on for years."

  The moment he uttered their abilities, Dominic knew without a doubt—it was them. The originator who dared Him, The Magician to create Laoyon solely to train Selvia, The Strength Arcana.

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  "The warrior saw a world drowning in chaos. She did not hesitate, She smiled with excitement. She threw herself into battle, her fists striking with the force of mountains. She faced the beasts alone, relentless and fearless, shattering the earth with every step. Where her feet landed, the land itself trembled. Where she struck, entire rivers changed course."

  Selva felt something familiar. A strange pull, like an echo in her blood—a resonance that made her heart pound as if it recognized a story she had never been told. But she shook the thought away, unaware of the truth buried deep within her lineage.

  Arden smirked, shaking his head. "That crazy woman…" he muttered.

  Dominic chuckled under his breath. “Sounds exactly like her. Always eager for a fight—especially against you, Arden. You remember how she’d pester you for a spar, like a storm that wouldn’t let up?”

  "Don't remind me." Arden sighed, shaking his head with a grin. "That woman never stopped. She never won, but she kept coming back for more. I really don't know what Marlon saw in her."

  The Archmage pressed on, his voice reverent. "For centuries, the monsters had never known defeat. But for the first time… they fell. Before Strength, they cowered. Before Strength, they ran. But she did not let them escape. She hunted. She fought. She broke them all."

  The air crackled as the tale unfolded. "Yet, as the woman waged war, the other… merely watched. The man did not fight. He did not interfere. He floated above it all, detached from the battle. He saw the paths of fate, the shifting tides of the world. He watched—almost as if enjoying the battles."

  Dominic smirked. "Of course, he did."

  The silence that followed carried the weight of fate itself. "The two Arcana did not leave Laoyon as they found it. They left their mark. With the woman's might and the man's fate, they shaped its destiny. Together, they created the first races. The first civilizations."

  Dominic leaned forward, intrigued. "Explain."

  The Archmage took a breath, his tone hushed, as if revealing something forbidden. "The man shaped the Humanoids—beings of discipline and will, those who could build and protect. On the other hand, he shaped the Demonic Creatures—beings of ambition and instinct, those who could grow and destroy. Leaving behind a message: 'Get stronger. Rule. Become the rulers of Laoyon.' And thus, the great division of Laoyon began."

  A ripple of unease passed through the gathered Archmages. As if bound by some unspoken law, they lowered their heads.

  "Humanoids—Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Lizardmen, and others—sought balance, crafting civilizations and laws."

  "Demonic Creatures—Demons, Hellhounds, Juggernauts—sought power, embracing destruction and hunger."

  Dominic’s expression remained unreadable. But deep within him, he now had a clear understanding of how civilization had begun.

  Leigh interrupted and asked the Archmage, "And what of humans?"

  The Archmage hesitated. Then, finally, he spoke.

  "The Humans of Laoyon did not exist at first. They came later. Born from an impossible union. The child of an Elf… and a Demon."

  Dominic’s golden eyes widened. "Oh, interesting, go on."

  The words struck deep, a forceful blow to something buried beneath centuries of forgotten knowledge.

  "The first human… was born of both order and chaos."

  The Archmage bowed his head.

  "And so, the humans became the bridge between two worlds. They fought alongside both Humanoids and Demonic Creatures, carving civilization from the ashes of war."

  Dominic exhaled slowly. The weight of fifty thousand years pressed upon him, the consequences of actions taken long before he—or even his current reincarnation—had walked this world.

  Dominic was now satisfied knowing how civilization started in Laoyon. But one thing still gnawed at his curiosity. "Randolf, how did you know about my existence? I don't recall leaving anything behind in a world made of wild beasts."

  Archmage Randolf Eldenhardt hesitated, his gaze lowering for a moment before he exhaled deeply. "Because, My Lord, the truth was never truly lost—only buried. Deep within the Grand Archives of Ravenloch, I uncovered an ancient relic—The Aetherion. It was hidden beyond mortal reach, sealed away by the Archmages before me, as if they feared what lay within."

  Dominic’s golden eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued—then widened slightly in sudden realization. "Wait a minute… The Aetherion? That sounds familiar."

  He leaned forward, rubbing his chin, as fragmented memories surfaced. "Marlon… that sneaky bastard. I did write a manual on how Laoyon functions, didn’t I?" He exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief. "And I gave it to him."

  Arden let out a short laugh. "So, you’re telling me that you forgot you left a whole divine instruction book behind?"

  Dominic groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Apparently so. No wonder they figured it out. Marlon must have left it behind after creating the Humanoids and Demons."

  Leigh crossed her arms, smirking. "You literally handed them the answers and still thought they wouldn’t find out?"

  "Okay fine." Dominic brushed it off with a wave of his hand. "More importantly, what about the remaining Pages of my Spellbook?" His tone shifted, more serious now.

  The Archmage cleared his throat, his expression grave. "A ship carrying one of the missing pages was ambushed by Quarions and Nokos near Okoy Island. The merchant crew was slaughtered, and their cargo lost to the depths. The last recorded sighting of the page suggests it was taken into the abyss—into Othis’ domain."

  Dominic arched a brow. "So, you're telling me that some glorified sea bandits accidentally got their hands on one of my spellbook pages and probably don’t even realize what they’re holding?"

  Randolf nodded solemnly. "It is likely that they offered the page as tribute to Othis, unaware of its true significance due to its indestructible properties. If that is the case, it now lies somewhere in his temple, forgotten—just waiting to be claimed once more."

  Arden grinned; his excitement barely contained. "Alright, looks like we're diving headfirst into an underwater treasure hunt. Let's go pay this Othis guy a visit."

  Leigh smirked. "You better hope Dominic has a spell to keep us from drowning."

  Dominic let out a short laugh. "Oh, don’t worry—I’ll make sure you all breathe just fine."

  Selva exhaled sharply, tightening the straps on her gear. She was as excited as ever—setting off on another adventure alongside her unpredictable mentor, the all-powerful creator of her world, and a Goddess she admired, despite her amnesia. Yet, she remained blissfully unaware of just how deeply her fate was entwined with their legacy.