Arius entered the house quietly but what he saw made him pause for a moment Before him in the living room they were all sitting waiting for his appearance Arlin Wang Raymos his sister Lina and his mother Yuna
He raised his eyebrows and looked at them saying in a low voice
– Why are you all gathered at this late hour of the night
Wang smiled slightly and said
– Arius where were you
Arius sighed coldly then answered
– I was training
Arlin shouted with anger mixed with astonishment
– Enough lying We know everything You went to that dimension to face your evil version and Iana didnt you
Arius looked at her indifferently saying
– No but what does that matter anyway
Lina interrupted in a sharp voice waving with slight nervousness
– Your life you idiot
Arius closed his eyes for a moment then looked at them deeply
– I had to fulfill my promise
Raymos sighed trying to convey his warning
– Listen to me we are all afraid for Yukari but you crossed the line in your recklessness
Arlin smiled sadly trying to absorb the situation
– You lost again didnt you
Arius looked at her with a deadly coldness
– I won
Everyone shrank in silent amazement while the question trembled on Arlins lips
– How did you win How did you defeat the immortal Iana
Arius opened his eyes with complete coldness and answered without any emotion
– There is no longer anything called Iana
He left no room for argument and turned toward his room saying
– I want to rest
He climbed the stairs with calm steps and closed the door behind him leaving everyone in a state of stunned silence wondering about his recent actions and his strange calmness which was unusual for the Arius known for his passion and dynamism
The next morning Arius woke up feeling an unusual heaviness as if his whole body was swaying between sleep and laziness He looked into the mirror in front of him and suddenly trembled falling to the ground from the horror of what he thought he saw He stared again but nothing was there He touched his face hair and eyes as if he saw them differently then realized it was all just illusions haunting him in the early morning
He dressed quietly and went downstairs where the family was sitting at the table Raymos Lina and his mother Yuna having breakfast Arius passed in front of them without stopping to eat something he had never done before which sparked everyone's astonishment especially Raymos
Raymos followed Arius silently wondering about his intentions until he reached the garden where Arius suddenly stopped He raised his palm and opened the system window summoning Dark from within him The creature appeared before Arius and bowed to him with a deep bow reflecting his complete obedience and absolute loyalty
Raymos stood behind one of the trees hiding watching the scene with great astonishment unable to understand the reason for this bow or the nature of the relationship between Arius and Dark His heart skipped a beat beyond curiosity while his eyes did not leave what Arius and the creature were doing which seemed like another embodiment of power and discipline
Raymos whispered to himself
– What does Arius intend to do And who is this creature bowing to him in this way
At that moment the air in the garden began to witness a strange presence a sense of awe surrounding the place as if the power of Arius and Dark together imposed a silent respect on everything around them
Arius looked at Dark with eyes full of awe and anticipation and commanded him in a firm voice
– Open one of those miniature worlds inside your body for me I want to enter myself
Dark responded immediately with a deep bow and absolute obedience opening a small portal but it was enough to swallow Arius who disappeared from his place before the eyes of Raymos who remained standing stunned unable to understand what had just happened
On another side Arius was standing inside a massive world beyond all imagination He smiled with amazement as he looked around the place was vast without limits as if it were an extension of imagination itself Darks cold voice filled the place
– Master I hope you like this world I made it specifically as you requested from me
Arius nodded his head with admiration and said in a calm but power-charged voice
– Yes this place is perfectly suitable for me for training development and experiments for everything
Arius stepped forward then asked Dark
– Tell me Dark what is the exact size of this place
Dark bowed again and answered in a steady and calm voice
– Master it has no limits The size of this place exceeds any constraints of time and space Everything here surpasses concepts of size mass and even the known laws of physics This is a world designed to be without restrictions
Arius smiled with great joy then gathered his energy and launched a massive energy strike at a large mass of the place The mass exploded and crumbled but it automatically regenerated in a moment which made Arius even more impressed
– This is wonderful Arius whispered to himself Here I will not have to restrain my power as I do in the real world This place is absolute freedom
He raised his head stared around and said in a deep voice
– This world reminds me of that room the system sent me to a long time ago
Arius sat for a moment catching his breath after his intense training then turned to Dark asking with curiosity and amazement
– How much time has passed here
Dark smiled a calm smile and said
– Master time here has no meaning No matter how much time you spend you will not feel the concept of time This place is so far from the real world that anyone trying to get out of it by flying at maximum speed without portals would need 10^33 years to get there without stopping
Arius was shocked by this massive number and wondered with wide eyes
– 10^33 years this is unbelievable
Dark nodded and continued
– This place is not within time or space as you know them If they tried to return they would end up in another world among infinite worlds This point is not just a world but part of a network that extends to infinity a place no one can reach
Arius smiled with a hidden challenge and lifted himself upward flying at a massive speed staring in all directions but all he saw was void an absolute void without end
– What exists after this void Arius asked Dark in a low voice as if the answer might change something
Dark answered in a cold and calm voice
– Infinite void Master and the basis of everything is just a small point inside this void
Arius smiled coldly then pushed his energy to its maximum limits transforming into the Highsphere launching at an immeasurable speed He flew for continuous hours piercing through distances that cannot be imagined but when he asked about the distance covered Darks answer came to increase his astonishment
– Master you havent even moved a fraction of the points edge You havent reached anything yet
Arius trembled slightly stunned
– Even with my real speed which allows me to circle the Sixth World and Karmas massive world countless times even quadrillions of times in fractions of a second here I havent even moved an inch from the edge of this point
The sense of helplessness was increasing inside him but in his eyes there was no fear there was a silent challenge a will that knows no surrender and an insistence on understanding this world that transcends all constraints of time and space
Arius suddenly stopped in his place and turned his gaze toward Dark asking in a serious voice
– Tell me what is the nearest living creature to us right now
Dark looked at him bowed with respect and said in a calm voice
– Master the nearest living being is a very massive distance away from us We need about 10^35 light years to reach it
Arius trembled at the size of the number stunned by this incredible distance as he wondered
– What what kind of creature
Dark answered
– It is just a small ant Master
Arius paused for a moment and took a deep breath absorbing the complexity of all these matters in a world that exceeds all limits of logic then decided to stop for a bit and sat on the ground surrendering to his exhaustion to nap for a few hours
He woke up to a sudden notification from the system carrying a special mission for him Arius read with a shocked look Mission to breach a locked dungeon transporting you directly without acceptance there
He felt strange as the place he was transported to was very weird a huge palace in a region that did not resemble anything he had seen before Arius stood up ignited his faint energy to light up the place and began walking toward the bottom toward the heart of the palace as the system ordered him where the final boss awaited him
Arius was surprised after a period of walking by the lack of any attacks unlike all his previous dungeons which were full of monsters and random creatures After some steps he reached a massive iron door stunned by its enormous size
He opened the door cautiously and found himself before a complete royal hall spacious and empty except that its walls were decorated with drawings of people being killed at the hands of an unknown warrior On one of the walls an inscription was written saying
"Watch out do not give your back to anyone"
Arius felt something behind him and suddenly jumped away while the entire wall collapsed revealing before him a warrior glowing with massive energy wearing strange and luxurious steel armor
Arius stepped forward with amazement
– Strange is this the dungeon boss I feel a massive energy from him
In a flash the warrior attacked with extreme speed shocking Arius trying to stab him with his sword but he barely avoided the strike The warrior turned toward Arius and attacked him again with imaginary speed and the engagement between them began every strike creating a wave of energy that shook the entire hall
Suddenly the warrior pressed on Arius with amazing strength surpassing him in speed and agility making Arius feel astonished by the intensity of his opponents speed
Arius smiled internally and raised his energy to the maximum limit and the engagement began which became a wave force piercing the place between them every attack from them shaking the hall and every strike challenging the laws of space due to its extreme speed
The fight intensified between Arius and the warrior every strike shaking the entire royal hall After a period of violent engagement Arius said in a calm but sharp voice
– It is not fair that you have a weapon while I have nothing
The warrior suddenly stopped and threw his weapon away Arius was surprised by this action It seemed that his opponent showed a side of respect as if acknowledging Arius's strength
Suddenly the warrior attacked with extreme speed striking Arius with a powerful punch to his stomach making blood fly from the effect of the violent force causing Arius to collide with the wall and be thrown out of the palace
The warrior pursued him grabbed him by his head and began crushing him with force But Arius did not give up he decided to raise the challenge opening the transformation to Cypher doubling his power to 8 Sextillion
His golden aura glowed everywhere and he became able to break free from his grip then focused his strength on giving his opponent a powerful kick to the face which threw the warrior very far away
Arius stood on a massive hill breathing for a moment waiting for his opponent's return After a while the warrior returned summoned his sword and attacked him at maximum speed Arius tried to block his strikes and succeeded in restricting them with difficulty but every impact between his fingers and the sword shook the place and destroyed a certain range of the palace
Arius grew tired of the sword's constraints so he pressed with one finger shattering the sword into pieces After that he launched a powerful punch followed by an energy explosion using the Naisphere to evaporate everything around him in an instant
The energy exploded destroying the palace and the surrounding area completely and hit the warrior with severe exhaustion leaving Arius standing firmly ready for the next stage of the confrontation
The warrior emerged from under the rubble hot breaths rising from his glowing body He raised his head toward the destroyed palace then let out a massive roar that shook the earth as if it were about to explode
At that moment Arius felt a deadly chill a sense of awe he had never known before A sharp killing intent crept into his veins like a knife making him swallow hard
The warrior began to ignite more and more and his energy rose crazily The system suddenly appeared and issued a stark warning
Warning Power rising rapidly 10 Septillion 30 Septillion 60 Septillion 75 Septillion
Arius's eyes widened in shock and he cried out to himself
– His level is massive This is not possible
The warrior did not give him time to think he rushed with a terrifying speed that cannot be measured and struck Arius with a deadly punch that shattered his bones completely and threw him away at a speed that made the horizon disappear from before his eyes until he fell screaming from the intensity of the pain
Arius writhed on the ground with difficulty trying to stand up but he felt his body collapsing Then he called out with a hoarse voice
– Dark block him
Dark appeared from nowhere his dark body shining with a gloomy glow and he rushed directly toward the glowing monster Space exploded around them as they collided at a speed exceeding the eyes perception
The warrior raised his massive light sword and struck Dark with a blow that tore half his body and evaporated it in an instant But Dark smiled a faint smile and his body reconstructed itself immediately thanks to his absolute immortality
The fight ignited between them again with every strike a full range of the vanished palace was destroyed and with every collision the earth split under their feet
While Dark was fighting fiercely Arius sat panting his body trembling with pain he pulled out with difficulty a healing potion from his system and raised it to his lips drinking it all at once He felt the heat spread inside him his broken bones began to knit and his blood returned to flow strongly
Arius muttered in an angry voice while watching the conflict
– This boss is not like any dungeon I have faced before He is a true monster
Arius stood up after his healing was complete his eyes sparking with determination He rushed at massive speed toward the clash arena to find that the warrior did not just settle for fighting Dark but skillfully distracted him and created a duplicate version of his power that temporarily crushed Dark
Arius appeared in the heart of the battle to find himself in a dual confrontation the original and the duplicate both blazing with terrifying energy
But suddenly
Arius opened his eyes wide and a sweeping blue glow erupted from his body covering the entire arena and scattering the enemies His body glowed like a dormant volcano that was finally released He had transformed into the Highsphere
The original warrior stood silent for a moment the coldness of his eyes hiding behind it an unprecedented brutality then he disappeared in a flash to appear directly behind Arius intending to crush his head
But Arius caught his fist with one hand and said with deadly coldness
– Didnt you warn me before not to turn my back
Then his fist launched like a thunderbolt landing on the warriors face and throwing him far away through the rubble
Arius disappeared from his place in the next moment to appear in the path his opponent was being thrown in catching him by the head before he completed his flight
He leaned forward and butted him with a force that shook the entire space then followed it with a direct kick that pierced his stomach and this whole world shook from the intensity of the collision
The warrior fell to the ground losing consciousness or so it seemed
Arius stood over him looking coldly and said
– Enough playing I know this is just a shadow do not exhaust me with tricks
And as soon as he finished his words the place was split again for the real warrior to appear from his hiding place his energy roaring like a storm He did not leave Arius time but pounced on him directly
Arius smiled for a short moment then rushed in turn and the real engagement began
Their fists collided their kicks exchanged until the place began to tear in every direction from the intensity of the impact In a moment they exchanged two direct punches to the face a massive energy wave exploded breaking entire ranges around them as if the world itself was no longer able to bear their presence
Arius retreated slightly then made his decision
He would not keep anything in his pocket
He rushed with a speed exceeding logic leaving behind lines of light until he seemed to be piercing space itself
The warrior prepared to block but he did not expect Arius to catch him with massive force and rush with him through the arena like a mad meteor causing the two to collide with the dungeon walls The whole place shook and the solid boundaries surrounding the world cracked
The warrior tried to return the blow but Arius raised his hand and released a suffocating golden field
– Void Field
In an instant all the warriors energies went out His abilities his speed even his combat aura vanished He was nothing but a helpless body before Arius
Arius raised his energy to the maximum limit and the place inside the field exploded in a destructive vortex like no other
Arius rose high in the air his eyes following the scene coldly He knew the strike left no chance for survival And when the dust cleared he saw the warrior a lifeless corpse on the ground without movement
Arius descended slowly and then the system screen popped up before him
Mission accomplished successfully
Level up → LV 51
New skill acquired Eyes of Aroza
Arius read the details of the ability
– Eyes that read and copy the opponents abilities temporarily for now Skill rank B
And if it rises to S the copying will be permanent
Arius smiled a faint smile A skill like this might change all the upcoming battle balances
A glowing portal opened in the void a return passage to reality
And before he left he looked at the warriors corpse lying on the ground He extended his hand and summoned the Ally Origin technique
The body began to move and slowly transformed into a dark form light blue glowing lines covered his entire body The aura that emanated from him was not like any ordinary energy soldier it was dominated by a completely different prestige
The new warrior knelt before Arius silently and the system registered his name immediately
New follower registered Rainos
Current soldier count 2
Arius felt an overwhelming satisfaction He was no longer alone
He turned toward the glowing portal and stepped with confident steps back to the garden he entered from his eyes still glowing with the brilliance of upcoming challenges
After Arius came out of the portal and returned to the garden he felt overwhelming satisfaction as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders The aura around him faded bit by bit until it disappeared completely
Raymos stepped toward him with quick steps his eyes shining with questioning
– Where were you Arius And why are your clothes torn in this way
Arius stopped for a bit stared at him silently then answered him in a cold tone
– I was nearby no more
Raymos raised his eyebrows in disapproval and began examining the torn clothes and the wounds that had not fully healed yet
– Nearby Are you mocking me These are not fleeting scratches These are traces of deadly strikes and your clothes are torn as if you came out of a war not a stroll
Arius folded his arms silently his eyes shining with a strange coldness
– Is this all you have for questions Raymos
But Raymos did not back down rather he narrowed his eyes and said sternly
– Do not evade I did not lose sight of you for a moment You disappeared suddenly just one minute ago then you returned as if you had not moved However you say you were away for a long time Do you think I am unaware
Ariuss heart trembled for a moment then he realized the matter quickly So time inside the dungeons runs completely differently from reality He smiled a faint smile and said with subtle irony
– Perhaps I was trying something so I tore my clothes during that Nothing worth worrying about believe me
Raymos approached another step and grabbed Ariuss shoulder firmly his voice full of doubt
– Enough deception Arius I am not a fool I saw with my own eyes there was something strange bowing to you before you disappeared What is its story And who is he
Arius froze for seconds and remembered the appearance of Dark before entering the dungeon He realized immediately that Raymos was not mistaken in what he saw
He turned his head slowly and looked directly into his eyes
– I think you were imagining
Then he freed his shoulder from his grip quietly and turned toward the house He did not add a single word
He opened the door and entered his steps silent but charged with weight He went up to his room and closed the door behind him then began changing his torn clothes while his eyes stared at his reflection in the mirror a reflection that no longer resembled that boy who was there days ago
With nightfall Arius went down to the table where everyone gathered for dinner He sat quietly but his eyes met Raymos's sharp gaze which was watching him like a hawk Arius was confused for a moment but he quickly pulled himself together and turned his face toward the dishes
Yuna broke the silence with her warm voice
– Young men how was your day
Arius smiled a faint smile and said
– My day was normal mother I did nothing except that I learned something new I liked
Raymos raised his eyebrows and replied with clear malice
– As for me aunt I spent my time watching the birds and studying their strange behavior today
Lina laughed hitting the table lightly
– Arius is learning And Raymos is watching birds What is this Am I in a parallel world You havent opened a book since you were little Arius and you Raymos you do nothing but training and fighting What has happened to you both
Arius laughed quietly and answered
– These days I am discovering things I did not know about myself matters that change my view of everything
Dinner ended on this mystery and each of them went up to his room to surrender to sleep
The next morning Arius woke up to the sound of strange footsteps downstairs He went down from his room and found Arlin and Wang sitting waiting for him
He opened his eyes with amazement
– Arlin Wang I havent seen you for a while
Arlin smiled and said
– And you no longer come to my planet to train as was your habit Arius
He laughed lightly while turning his gaze away
– Lately I have no mood for training
Wang looked at him intently and said sternly
– Your mood is bad this is clear on you What is happening
Arius sighed and a sad smile was drawn on his lips
– A matter regarding a promise I made before a promise I could not fulfill to Yukari And this weighs on me
Wang exchanged his look with a serious tone
– I know this feeling well and I understand what you are going through
Then he added
– We came today to take Raymos with us for training So what do you think about accompanying us as well
Arius shook his head refusing
– No I have what occupies me currently There is another place I must go to
Arlin looked at him with surprise but they accepted his decision and left with Raymos Arius remained standing at the threshold watching them as they moved away his eyes hiding something bigger than just being busy
Lina approached him and said while folding her arms
– Brother lately you have become strange You no longer care about training or fighting as you always did
He turned his face toward her and smiled quietly
– Because I decided to give my time to you and to all the family I have long neglected you and my mother because of the constant fighting and travel It is time for me to compensate for that
Lina froze for a moment then smiled warmly and hugged him tightly saying
– Even though you do nothing but play and I am the one who always bears the work I appreciate this from you Arius
Arius remained silent exchanging the hug while his eyes reflected the coldness and shrewdness of a man hiding behind him a sea of secrets .