Echo’s eyes swept over the room, his gaze meeting each of the Judges one by one.
None of them could hold it for more than a second.
They were rulers.
They were the strongest.
But in this moment
They felt like
prey.
And Echo?
He was the
hunter.
The Crimson-Eyed Woman’s Reaction
Then
Laughter.
It was
soft at first.
Then it
grew.
All eyes turned toward the
crimson-eyed woman.
Unlike the others, she wasn’t afraid.
She was
smiling.
"Ah... I see now," she murmured, standing up from her seat.
Her fingers traced the air,
sparks of power dancing
at her fingertips.
"This isn’t normal power. This isn’t even evolution."
She licked her lips,
excitement flashing
in her gaze.
"This... is something entirely new."
She took a step forward.
"You, Echo... You fascinate me."
The other Judges flinched.
"Veyna, don’t—" the old man in golden robes started.
But she ignored him.
She took another step forward, her aura
rising like a tidal wave.
Her power
wasn’t just Celestial Energy.
It was
ancient. Refined. Lethal.
"You killed six Celestial Masters without lifting a finger."
She smiled wider.
"But what happens when you face someone
who won’t fall so easily?
"
The air in the room grew
heavy.
The walls of the Hall
shook.
Echo didn’t respond.
He simply watched her.
And then
He took a
single step forward.
The instant his foot touched the ground
The floor beneath him
cracked.
No
It
disintegrated.
A wave of pure
force
erupted from him, shattering the carefully inscribed runes on the floor.
The
Hall of Judges
a place that had stood for
thousands of years
Trembled.
The old man in golden robes
staggered back.
Gorath, the bald warrior,
clenched his fists, sweat dripping down his face.
And Veyna?
She
grinned.
"Oh... I really like you."
And then
She
vanished.
BOOM!
She reappeared behind Echo, her palm
already aimed for his skull.
But the moment her attack was about to land
Her eyes widened.
Because Echo...
Was gone.
Veyna’s instincts screamed, and she twisted her body
Just in time to see
a shadow appear above her.
Echo was
there.
No movement. No wasted energy.
He had simply
appeared.
And his foot was coming down toward her.
She raised both arms
BOOM!
The impact sent a
shockwave
tearing through the Hall.
The walls cracked. The air distorted.
The force alone sent every other Judge
stumbling backward.
But Veyna?
She
held her ground.
Her feet
dug into the floor.
She grinned, despite the blood trickling from her lip.
"
Finally... someone interesting.
"
But then
Her grin faltered.
Because suddenly
Her vision
blurred.
Her
legs gave out.
She collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath.
What...?!
Her arms
the same arms that had withstood gods
were
trembling.
No.
Not trembling.
Like they were about to
break apart.
And standing before her
Was Echo
Unmoving.
Unbothered.
Unmatched.
The old man in golden robes spoke, his voice hoarse.
"Enough."
Veyna, still struggling to breathe, looked up at him in shock.
"But "
"I said
enough.
"
For the first time, there was
no authority in his voice.
There was
fear.
He turned to Echo
"...You have proven your point."
A long silence followed.
Then
Echo tilted his head slightly.
"Have I?"
The old man clenched his fists.
"We... are not your enemies."
A desperate attempt.
But Echo
already knew the truth.
These men, these Judges, these rulers of power
They didn’t want peace.
They wanted
control.
And Eiko?
He wasn’t something they could control.
Echo looked around the room one last time.
At the shattered floor.
At the broken warriors.
At the terrified rulers.
And then, he spoke.
"You sent your strongest."
His voice was cold. Unfeeling.
"They fell."
He turned toward the exit.
"So if you send another... Just remember."
He glanced back.
"There won’t be anyone left to send after them."
And with that
He
walked away.
Leaving behind only
fear.
Echo walked through the grand halls of the
Judges’ Palace
, his footsteps echoing in the silence.
He had defeated their strongest.
He had shattered their illusions of control.
But he hadn’t come for power.
He hadn’t come for revenge.
He had come for
one answer.
An answer that no one had ever found.
Echo had heard the stories
countless times.
The legends spoke of
five worlds of energy.
The First World:
Mortal Power.
Strength, speed, and endurance—the foundation of all warriors.
The Second World:
Spiritual Awakening.
The moment one connected to the flow of energy.
The Third World:
Celestial Energy.
The power to manipulate the forces of nature.
The Fourth World:
Divine Ascension.
The pinnacle of human strength—where only the greatest stood.
And then...
The
Fifth World.
The ultimate realm.
The peak of existence.
But
no one had ever reached it.
Not in the thousands of years of recorded history.
Not a single soul.
It was as if the
path had been erased.
As if the
truth had been buried.
A Question That Shook the World
E
Eiko walked through the grand halls of the
Judges’ Palace
, his footsteps echoing in the silence.
He had defeated their strongest.
He had shattered their illusions of control.
But he hadn’t come for power.
He hadn’t come for revenge.
He had come for
one answer.
An answer that no one had ever found.
Echo had heard the stories
countless times.
The legends spoke of
five worlds of energy.
The First World:
Mortal Power.
Strength, speed, and endurance—the foundation of all warriors.
The Second World:
Spiritual Awakening.
The moment one connected to the flow of energy.
The Third World:
Celestial Energy.
The power to manipulate the forces of nature.
The Fourth World:
Divine Ascension.
The pinnacle of human strength—where only the greatest stood.
And then...
The
Fifth World.
The ultimate realm.
The peak of existence.
But
no one had ever reached it.
Not in the thousands of years of recorded history.
Not a single soul.
It was as if the
path had been erased.
As if the
truth had been buried.
stopped.
Before him stood
the Grand Judge.
The old man in golden robes.
The ruler of rulers.
The last surviving voice of the ancient order.
And for the first time
The old man spoke
without arrogance.
Without pride.
Without power.
"You shouldn’t be asking that question."
His voice was
low.
But the weight of his words
filled the room.
o stopped.
Before him stood
the Grand Judge.
The old man in golden robes.
The ruler of rulers.
The last surviving voice of the ancient order.
And for the first time
The old man spoke
without arrogance.
Without pride.
Without power.
"You shouldn’t be asking that question."
His voice was
low.
But the weight of his words
filled the room.