As the crowd of powerful cultivators, guild representatives, and family elders arrived, their eyes swept across the area—and then faltered.
Silence fell over the gathering.
The lake before them gleamed under the moonlight, yet no trace of Kairo or the source of the disturbance was visible.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, their anticipation curdling into frustration.
One by one, disappointed, they began to turn away.
But beneath the surface, hidden under the rippling waters, Kairo had ventured too far.
The currents enveloped him, deeper than he had intended, pressing against his limbs and chest. His heart pounded—not from fear, but from the sudden surge of uncontrolled energy.
The moment his body penetrated the deepest layer of the lake, the ancient formation reacted.
It resonated, awakened by Kairo's inadvertent intrusion.
The waters trembled violently, sending shockwaves across the surface, and from the depths, a growl erupted—a sound that had not echoed for millennia.
The lake quivered as the ancient dragon stirred, scales shimmering in iridescent blue and gold beneath the water.
Its eyes—crimson, burning with a fury older than human history—flared open.
Steam hissed from its gills as it rose, each movement sending waves crashing across the shore.
Which human dares awaken me? the dragon's voice thundered, resonating directly into Kairo's mind.
I have slept for tens of millions of years, and yet… you, a mere child, have dared to disturb my rest?
Kairo froze, the sheer magnitude of the being before him stealing his breath.
Divine beasts were the stuff of legends, whispered about in hushed tones by even the most powerful immortals.
They were untamable, incomprehensibly strong, and completely autonomous.
To stand before one—alive—was almost unheard of.
His mind raced. In his teachings, Kairo had heard of six ranks of beasts in the world:
1st Wild beast – common, relatively weak, often used as initial training targets for young cultivators.
2nd Fierce Beasts – stronger, occasionally tamed, but dangerous for novices.
3rd Demon Beasts – intelligent, capable of reasoning, negotiation, even deception. Few dared approach them alone.
4th Wild Demon Beasts – similar to demon beasts, yet more aggressive and impossible to fully tame. One alone could destroy a kingdom.
5th Saint Beasts – legendary, almost mythical. Few ever glimpsed one; impossible to capture or kill even for multiple immortals combined.
6th Divine Beasts – the apex, an enigma even among the Saint Beasts. Their existence was mostly theoretical, whispered in the scrolls of ancient civilizations. A single divine beast could devastate the mortal world—and even leave immortal realms trembling. None alive could claim to have subdued one.
And now, Kairo's eyes widened as he realized the truth—the dragon before him was not a demon, nor a saint. It was a Divine Beast, the rarest and deadliest of all.
Its power radiated with a weight that bent the air and made the very water vibrate with fury.
Its gaze locked onto him, and even without moving, it exuded an aura that could crush mountains.
Kairo's heart remained steady, but his mind raced.
This is no ordinary beast… its power dwarfs even my Nascent Soul strength.
If this being fully awakens, it could lay waste to kingdoms, perhaps even challenge immortals themselves.
Yet beneath the awe, a spark of excitement ignited. Kairo's lips curled into a faint, dark smile.
So this is the Divine Beast… the very thing spoken of in whispers across the realms.
If I can control this, harness even a fraction of its power, the tournament, the world… nothing will stand in my way.
The dragon roared again, its voice like thunder cracking across the heavens, and Kairo felt the raw, untamed energy wash over him.
The lake churned violently, the water boiling with the heat of its awakening, and in that moment, Kairo understood—the true trial had only just begun.