The ruined city of Elaris fell silent.
Thousands of black-armored warriors stood between Kael and the palace.
At the top of the stairs, the man wearing the dark crown watched him with an amused expression.
Kael couldn't take his eyes off him.
He looked almost identical.
Same face.
Same silver eyes.
Even the same faint smile.
But Kael could feel the difference.
The stranger's presence was cold.
Empty.
Artificial.
Kael's system confirmed it.
> **[Target Analysis]**
>
> **Designation:** False Sovereign
> **Cultivation:** Soul Transformation — Peak
> **Sovereign Authority:** 41%
> **Threat Level:** Extreme
>
> **Warning:** Target possesses fragments of Host's original memories.
Kael's expression hardened.
"How?"
The False Sovereign smiled.
"You want to know how I became you?"
He descended the stairs.
"I didn't."
He touched his chest.
"I became what remained after you were erased."
Kael frowned.
"Explain."
The stranger laughed.
"You really remember nothing."
Seraphine stepped forward.
"Enough."
The False Sovereign looked at her.
"Still protecting him?"
"Always."
For the first time, his smile disappeared.
"You should have died with him."
Seraphine's eyes became cold.
"And you should never have existed."
The tension between them was immediate.
Kael looked at Seraphine.
"You knew him."
She nodded.
"I knew the experiment."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Experiment?"
The False Sovereign answered for her.
"Ten thousand years ago, Heaven couldn't kill you."
"So they created me."
Kael stared at him.
"A vessel."
"Exactly."
The stranger smiled.
"They copied your bloodline, your memories, your authority."
He spread his arms.
"And when your soul was sealed..."
"I took your throne."
Kael's grip tightened around his sword.
"So you ruled in my name."
"Yes."
"And destroyed my reputation."
"Yes."
"Why?"
The False Sovereign's expression became strangely calm.
"Because the world needed a villain."
He pointed toward the ruined city.
"After you disappeared, Heaven needed someone to blame for the destruction."
"And I gave them that."
Kael looked at the broken buildings.
"You destroyed Elaris."
"I saved Elaris."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
The False Sovereign continued.
"The celestial army came to erase this city."
"I stopped them."
"Then I ruled from your throne."
Kael was silent.
The story didn't fit.
If the False Sovereign truly wanted power, why protect Elaris?
Something was missing.
The system suddenly appeared.
> **[Contradiction detected.]**
>
> **[Target's statement contains partial truth.]**
>
> **[Memory corruption detected.]**
Kael smiled.
"So you're lying."
The False Sovereign's expression changed.
"Careful."
"You aren't the one who stole my throne."
Kael raised his sword.
"Someone made you sit on it."
The stranger's eyes darkened.
For the first time, Kael saw anger.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Then prove me wrong."
The False Sovereign raised his hand.
The black-armored warriors attacked.
"Kill them."
Thousands charged.
Lyra stepped forward.
"Kael!"
"I'll handle him."
Lyra looked at the approaching army.
"You can't fight him alone."
Kael smiled.
"I won't be alone."
Seraphine drew her weapon.
Lyra stood beside her.
"We'll handle the soldiers."
Kael nodded.
"Don't die."
Lyra smiled.
"Same to you."
The battlefield exploded.
Lyra moved like lightning.
Her Dawnfire Sword Art erupted into golden flames.
**BOOM!**
Three warriors were thrown backward.
Seraphine moved beside her.
Unlike Lyra's bright swordsmanship, Seraphine's technique was silent and precise.
One strike.
One enemy fell.
Lyra glanced at her.
"You're very strong."
Seraphine smiled.
"So are you."
"How strong were you when you knew Kael before?"
Seraphine's expression changed.
"Strong enough to stand beside him."
Lyra looked at her.
"And now?"
Seraphine glanced toward Kael.
"Now I'm trying to make sure he survives long enough to remember me."
Kael faced the False Sovereign.
Neither moved.
Then the stranger vanished.
**BOOM!**
Their swords collided.
Kael was pushed backward.
He stopped after several meters.
The system appeared.
> **[Opponent strength exceeds current physical parameters.]**
Kael smiled.
"Good."
He activated Sovereign Domain.
Black energy spread around him.
The False Sovereign's eyes widened.
"You awakened it already?"
"Apparently."
Kael disappeared.
**CLANG!**
The False Sovereign blocked.
Kael attacked again.
**CLANG!**
Again.
**CLANG!**
The stranger suddenly counterattacked.
A black sword pierced through Kael's shoulder.
Blood spilled.
Lyra shouted from across the battlefield.
"Kael!"
Kael looked down.
Then at the blade.
The False Sovereign smiled.
"You're still too weak."
Kael grabbed the sword with his bare hand.
"Maybe."
He looked directly into the stranger's eyes.
"But you're making one mistake."
"What?"
Kael smiled.
"You're fighting the version of me that just woke up."
Black energy erupted from his body.
The sword shattered.
Kael punched the False Sovereign in the chest.
**BOOOOOOM!**
The stranger flew through the palace gates.
Kael followed.
Inside the palace was a throne room covered in ancient murals.
At the center stood the dark throne.
Kael stopped.
He felt something.
The throne recognized him.
The system appeared.
> **[Sovereign Throne detected.]**
>
> **[Original owner: Kael Ardyn.]**
>
> **[Authority compatibility: 58%.]**
>
> **[Reclaim throne?]**
Kael stared at the throne.
"Yes."
The throne exploded with silver light.
The False Sovereign stood slowly.
"You cannot take it."
Kael walked toward the throne.
"Why?"
"Because I have ruled for ten thousand years."
Kael placed his hand on the throne.
"Then you've had your turn."
The palace shook.
The False Sovereign screamed.
"NO!"
A wave of black energy erupted from him.
He attacked.
Kael turned.
Their fists collided.
**BOOM!**
The False Sovereign's arm cracked.
Kael struck again.
**BOOM!**
His chest armor shattered.
The stranger fell to one knee.
Kael stood before him.
The system flashed.
> **[Sovereign Authority reclaimed: 12%.]**
>
> **[Host synchronization: 18% → 31%.]**
Kael suddenly grabbed his head.
A flood of memories entered his mind.
A battlefield.
Seraphine crying.
Eclipse roaring.
The Celestial Court attacking.
And finally—
Kael himself standing before seven celestial gods.
He heard his own voice:
**"If I die, seal my memories."**
Seraphine shouted:
**"Why?"**
Kael answered:
**"Because they'll search my soul."**
Then he looked at her.
**"But they'll never search for what I hid inside Eclipse."**
The memory ended.
Kael's eyes widened.
He understood.
The Abyssal Heart wasn't simply his companion.
It was a vault.
A living vault containing something Heaven desperately wanted.
The system appeared.
> **[Major Memory Restored.]**
>
> **[Eclipse was entrusted with the Sovereign's final secret.]**
>
> **[Secret remains inaccessible.]**
>
> **Required Sovereign Authority: 50%**
Kael looked toward the False Sovereign.
"You're not the one who stole my throne."
The stranger looked up.
"What?"
Kael's expression became cold.
"You were protecting something."
The False Sovereign froze.
Kael stepped closer.
"Who gave you the throne?"
The stranger remained silent.
Kael raised his sword.
"Tell me."
The False Sovereign smiled.
Then suddenly—
a golden spear pierced his chest.
**THUD.**
Kael's eyes widened.
The False Sovereign looked down at the spear.
A golden portal opened behind him.
A voice echoed through the throne room.
**"The experiment has served its purpose."**
Seraphine rushed inside.
"No!"
Kael turned toward the portal.
The same
celestial aura from the Heavenly Executor surrounded it.
But this presence was even stronger.
A figure began stepping through.
Golden armor.
Seven wings.
A crown of light.
The False Sovereign coughed blood.
"Run..."
Kael stared at the approaching figure.
The stranger whispered:
"That's the real enemy."
The golden figure stepped fully into the throne room.
His eyes locked onto Kael.
And he smiled.
**"Welcome back, Eternal Sovereign."**
**"This time, I won't make the mistake of letting you survive."**
**To be continued...**