The mountain trembled.
The ancient eyes beneath the chamber opened completely.
For a moment, Kael couldn't move.
Not because he was afraid.
Because he recognized the feeling.
The same overwhelming presence he had sensed beyond the Abyss.
The first darkness.
The first enemy.
**Veyra.**
His mother stepped forward.
"Kael, stay behind me."
Kael shook his head.
"No."
She looked at him.
"You don't understand what you're facing."
"Then I'll learn."
Kael drew his sword.
Seraphine and Lyra moved beside him.
Eclipse's body expanded, black energy gathering around its claws.
A deep laugh echoed through the chamber.
**"Still reckless."**
The stone floor split.
A gigantic figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
Veyra looked humanoid, but his body seemed to be made from shadows and fragments of stars.
Six black horns curved backward from his head.
His eyes were silver.
His face was strangely calm.
Kael's system tried to analyze him.
> **[Analysis failed.]**
>
> **[Target exists beyond system parameters.]**
>
> **[Attempting secondary analysis...]**
>
> **[Failure.]**
Kael lowered the system window.
"You're Veyra."
The Primordial smiled.
"And you are the child who inherited everything."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"You know me."
"I knew you before you were born."
Veyra looked toward Kael's mother.
"And she knows exactly why."
Kael turned.
"Mother?"
She remained silent.
Veyra laughed.
"She never told you."
"Told me what?"
"Who your father was."
Kael's expression hardened.
"Tell me."
Veyra pointed toward the ceiling.
"Your father was the first being to rebel against the Primordials."
Kael frowned.
"And?"
"He defeated them."
Silence.
"All of them?"
"Almost."
Veyra smiled.
"Except me."
Kael looked at his mother.
"Who was he?"
She finally answered.
"His name was **Aren**."
Kael froze.
The name triggered a memory.
A man standing beside him.
Black hair.
Silver eyes.
A sword across his back.
A warm smile.
*"One day, Kael, you'll become stronger than me."*
The memory vanished.
Kael whispered:
"He's dead."
His mother didn't answer.
Veyra did.
"No."
Kael looked at him.
"Your father is alive."
The chamber went silent.
Kael's heart raced.
"Where?"
Veyra smiled.
"Inside me."
Kael's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Your father defeated the Primordials."
"But he couldn't destroy me."
"So he sacrificed his soul."
Veyra touched his chest.
"Now his soul sleeps inside mine."
Kael tightened his grip.
"You're lying."
"Perhaps."
Veyra smiled.
"But you can discover the truth yourself."
He opened his hand.
A small silver flame appeared.
Kael recognized the aura instantly.
His father's.
His mother covered her mouth.
"No..."
Veyra looked at Kael.
"Come."
"Take your father's soul."
"And in exchange..."
He smiled.
"I'll take yours."
Kael's Sovereign Aura exploded.
"No deal."
Veyra laughed.
"Good."
"Then let's fight."
The chamber exploded.
### Sovereign vs Primordial
Kael disappeared.
**BOOM!**
He appeared before Veyra and struck.
Veyra blocked with one hand.
The impact shattered the mountain.
Kael attacked again.
And again.
Veyra didn't move.
Then he flicked his finger.
Kael flew backward.
Seraphine caught him before he hit the wall.
"Kael!"
"I'm fine."
He stood.
The system appeared.
> **[Damage received: Minimal.]**
>
> **[Enemy physical strength exceeds current parameters.]**
>
> **[Recommendation: Use Sovereign Authority.]**
Kael smiled.
"Finally."
He activated **Void Dominion**.
Black-and-silver energy covered the chamber.
Veyra's smile disappeared.
"That technique."
"You remember it?"
"I taught it to your father."
Kael's eyes widened.
Veyra attacked.
The two collided.
**BOOOOOOM!**
The mountain cracked from top to bottom.
Lyra and Seraphine struggled to maintain their balance.
Eclipse transformed completely.
The small creature became a gigantic black beast.
**"MASTER!"**
Kael looked toward him.
"Eclipse!"
**"Use me!"**
Kael understood.
Eclipse opened his jaws.
A black sphere appeared between them.
Kael placed his sword inside it.
The sphere compressed.
Then—
**BOOM!**
A black-and-silver blade formed.
The system appeared.
> **[Combined technique detected.]**
>
> ### **Sovereign Eclipse**
>
> **Power:** Unknown
>
> **Effect:** Can damage Primordial entities.
>
> **Warning:** Excessive use may destabilize Eclipse.
Kael raised the weapon.
Veyra's expression finally became serious.
"You shouldn't possess that power yet."
Kael smiled.
"Too late."
He swung.
A black-and-silver crescent crossed the chamber.
Veyra blocked it.
The attack pushed him backward.
For the first time—
**blood appeared on Veyra's hand.**
Everyone froze.
Veyra looked at the blood.
Then laughed.
"Excellent."
His six horns began glowing.
"Now I know you really are Aren's son."
Kael's expression changed.
"Why?"
Veyra smiled.
"Because only your father ever made me bleed."
The mountain began collapsing.
Kael's mother shouted:
"Everyone out!"
Kael looked at Veyra.
"We're not finished."
Veyra's body began dissolving into darkness.
"Not yet."
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"Come to the **Primordial Realm**."
"I'll show you the truth about your father."
"And the reason your mother created the Abyss."
Veyra disappeared.
The mountain fell silent.
Kael stood amid the destruction.
His mother walked toward him.
"Kael..."
He turned.
"You're coming with us."
She looked surprised.
"Where?"
"To the Primordial Realm."
She shook her head.
"No."
Kael frowned.
"Why?"
"Because that's where your father died."
Kael's eyes hardened.
"Then that's exactly where I'm going."
He looked toward the darkness where Veyra had vanished.
"I'm going to find out what happened to him."
Eclipse returned to his small form.
**"And I'm coming."**
Lyra smiled.
"Obviously."
Seraphine nodded.
"Where you go, I go."
Kael looked at the three of them.
Then at his mother.
She finally sighed.
"Then I'll take you there."
She raised her hand.
A massive silver portal appeared.
Beyond it was a strange world filled with floating continents and ancient stars.
Kael stepped toward it.
His system displayed a new quest:
> **[WORLD QUEST UNLOCKED]**
>
> ### **The Primordial Realm**
>
> **Objective:** Discover the truth about Aren.
>
> **Secondary Objective:** Find the origin of the Abyss.
>
> **Hidden Objective:** Unknown.
>
> **Reward:** Unknown.
>
> **Failure:** Soul destruction.
Kael smiled.
"Let's go."
And together, they stepped through the portal.
Far beyond the Primordial Realm, Veyra opened his eyes.
He whispered:
**"Come home, little Sovereign."**
**To be continued...**