For centuries, only a few people knew that Earth was secretly protected by seven extremely powerful warriors. Their identities were hidden from the public, and even many high-ranking officials within the Starfall Covenant knew very little about them. These warriors stood silently in the shadows, acting as the final line of defense against cosmic threats that ordinary humans could never imagine.
They were known across hidden circles as The Seven Hidden Guardians of Earth.
Atlas Volkov — Void Monarch Level 8 (Late Stage)
Liang Shen — Void Monarch Level 8
Arjun Dev Singh — Void Monarch Level 8
Eleanor Carteris — Void Monarch Level 7
Azrael Ben-Kohen — Void Monarch Level 7
Ra-Khepri Pharaoh — Void Monarch Level 7
Valtherion Draven — ??? (Cultivation Level Unknown)
Among the seven guardians, the seventh was the most mysterious of all.
Very few people had ever seen Valtherion Draven, and even fewer understood the true extent of his power. The man often dressed in crimson robes, his long hair twisted like burning flames. Most of the time he remained silent, watching the world from the shadows while events unfolded across the Solar System.
Some believed he was simply another guardian protecting Earth.
Others believed he was something far more dangerous.
But one thing was certain.
If the day ever came when Valtherion Draven stepped onto the battlefield, it would mean that the fate of Earth itself was at stake.
Meanwhile, Earth itself was preparing for one of its most important events.
Only thirty-seven days remained before the tournament that could change the destiny of entire families. A tournament that would reveal the strongest young warriors of the new generation.
The tournament was officially known as the Starfall Ascension Tournament.
It was the most important competition for young warriors on Earth. Organized by the Starfall Covenant Council, the tournament took place once every fifteen years. Its purpose was simple but powerful—to determine which families, academies, and rising geniuses would dominate the next generation of Earth's defenders.
Young warriors with extraordinary potential could even earn the chance to become official members or partners of the Starfall Covenant, gaining access to knowledge and resources beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators.
For the declining Adarkwah-Yadom family, this tournament could change everything.
Fifteen days later, on a quiet night beneath the stars, something unexpected happened.
Valtherion Draven suddenly felt a disturbance within his spirit.
Closing his eyes, he entered deep meditation. His consciousness drifted inward, traveling through the depths of his spiritual world.
And then he realized something astonishing.
It was time.
Time for him to break through into the legendary realm of the Cosmic Emperor.
For a very long time, Valtherion had already reached the late stage of the Void Monarch realm, but he had deliberately delayed his breakthrough. Instead, he spent decades studying deeper universal laws—particularly the Law of Beasts and the Law of Fire.
As a close-combat fighter, his combat ability was extraordinary.
His fighting style consisted of 70% close-combat mastery and 30% telekinetic control, making him one of the rare geniuses capable of balancing both paths.
But breaking into the Cosmic Emperor realm was never easy.
This stage represented the boundary between mortal life and true cosmic existence.
A warrior who successfully stepped into the Cosmic Emperor realm would become immortal.
They would no longer age.
They would no longer die naturally.
Only destruction of the soul or repeated defeat by stronger enemies could end their existence.
In the eyes of ordinary beings, such a warrior was almost like a living god.
Inside his spiritual world, Valtherion saw a strange landscape.
An endless dark ocean stretched before him, while countless stars floated above like distant lights in the sky. At the center of this spiritual universe was a small glowing sphere of light.
At first it looked no larger than a candle flame.
But as he approached it, the light expanded until it resembled a miniature sun.
This was the Core of Immortality.
However, reaching it was not simple.
A transparent barrier blocked his path.
Valtherion gathered immense energy and struck the barrier with a powerful blow.
The barrier trembled… but did not break.
Without hesitation he unleashed one of his most refined techniques.
Silent Killer.
This technique had been perfected to its eighth absolute level, consuming enormous divine energy. When the attack struck the barrier, a crack finally appeared—but it quickly repaired itself.
Valtherion narrowed his eyes.
Then he unleashed his three strongest techniques in succession.
Fallen Star Beast.
Phantom Strike.
Devour the Universe.
Each technique consumed terrifying amounts of energy. Even for someone of his level, using them continuously was extremely dangerous.
But this time, the barrier could no longer endure.
With a thunderous explosion, the barrier shattered.
The brilliant light beyond it flooded his spiritual world.
What was once a dark universe instantly transformed into a radiant cosmic ocean filled with stars.
Valtherion had broken through.
After 159 years, Earth had finally gained its first Cosmic Emperor.
But the transformation did not stop there.
When his energy finally stabilized, Valtherion realized something shocking.
He had not only entered the Cosmic Emperor realm.
He had advanced directly to Cosmic Emperor Stage 2.
The immense power released during his breakthrough created a massive shockwave that spread across the entire Starfall Covenant headquarters.
Four days passed before the energy fully settled.
But just moments after the shockwave faded, Valtherion sensed something strange.
A spatial disturbance had appeared somewhere on Earth.
Without hesitation, he teleported toward the location.
What he saw shocked even him.
A crack had formed in space itself.
Within seconds, the crack expanded and transformed into a teleportation gateway.
This was impossible.
The cosmic laws protecting the Milky Way Galaxy prevented outsiders from teleporting directly into the Solar System.
Yet right now, before their very eyes…
A gateway from outside the galaxy was opening on Earth.
At that same moment, the AI system MAIZE inside the Starfall Covenant headquarters began sounding emergency alarms.
But the warning revealed something even more troubling.
The teleportation gateway was not the only threat.
MAIZE had detected another group of intruders already inside the Solar System.
According to the AI's calculations, the alien fleet approaching from deep space would reach Earth in approximately five to six years, traveling at fifty times the speed of light.
Which meant only one thing.
Earth was about to face two different threats at the same time.
One invasion from inside the Solar System.
And another from deep space.
Standing before the glowing portal, Valtherion Draven stared silently into the swirling cosmic energy.
For the first time in centuries, a faint smile appeared on his face.
The long era of peace on Earth…
Was finally coming to an end.