A silver light periodically growing and shrinking in the middle of nowhere, ripples of space jumped around erratically.

A loud explosion shaking Limbo's Inner Territory, two guards blocking the entrance to the Core Territory watched said silver light flash by from time to time.

"That kid is doing quite well..."

"Indeed. He's already a Chaos Immortal. How long has he been training here?"

"No idea, maybe a few billion years..."

"Probably." Nodding, the guard munched on snacks while talking to his friend.

"Last time he came here, he was quite shocked."

"Well yeah, we're guards, but not just any guards."

"We protect the stupid gate leading to the Core Territory, and so from the orders of high placed people."

"Exactly! Of course we wouldn't be at the Chaos Archetype Realm only."

"Do you think he can do it?"

His munching halted, one guard curiously glanced at the other.

"Do what?"

"??"

"Get that recommendation letter of course! How did you cultivate so far with your pea sized brain?"

"Shut it! I'm smart, it's just... I don't care about the situation here. Why do you even bother? I just don't get it."

"Why wouldn't I? This kid is gonna challenge Monarch Lu. There is no other way around it. Even if he wanted to strategically go for Julia Fellav instead, his repressed anger wouldn't allow him to."

"True... so? Who do you think is going to win?"

Smirking, the guard parted his lips.

"You already know."

"I do?" Raising a brow, the other guard narrowed his eyes.

"I don't... and you do not either! Stop trying to be mysterious, you've got no fucking clue either!"

Being suddenly exposed, the other guard chuckled awkwardly.

"Well, we'll see in a bit. Look, he's already long gone."

.

.

.

His eyes calm, his heart fiery, Alexander roamed the inner Territory's void like a shark on enhancing drugs. His bloodthirst was through the roof and his cultivation submerging his surroundings became clearer.

Thanks to his newly obtained stealth technique and far distance away from his nemesis, Valtos did not come look for him during his secluded cultivation and training sessions.

However now... his cultivation did not need to be hidden anymore. Even his subconscious showed unrestrained wildness. In the first place, with the distance between them, he did not even think the technique to be useful.

'Unless those guards interfere...'

'The Ninth Martial Dynasty will be crawling down to my feet!'

Inner Territory, The Dark Wall.

Within the reflective black walls of a castle atop a bigger wall, Valtos.

'Mmmh~'

'The staff is overworked in those areas... so if I allocate-'

His peerless gaze evading a stack of paper in front of him, it locked itself to his right, past a window.

Parting his lips, a specific command was given to someone.

Nearing the Dark Wall, Alexander could already see it from afar. And while his commotion was not hidden, seeing a white light approach him gave him newfound curiosity.

'This is...'

Stopping, Alexander saw the opposing party do the same.

"Lei Diesto!"

"Alexander!"

A staring contest ensuing, the two men wondered why the other interfered with their life goals.

"Why are you here? Why are you still inside here? Valtos is treating us like dogs, and I'm about to change that, so go away." Waving his hand as if dismissing a slave, Alexander noticed Lei Diesto's complicated expression.

"..." Blowing some air from his nostrils, Alexander vanished.

"Huh-" A sudden punch arriving from behind, Lei Diesto could not evade it, only hearing a few words before the world turned black.

"Unfortunate. I initially thought we would be travelling a bit more together back then, as it would be safer... but I have found my path, while you didn't."

The second stage Earth Transcending Realm Lei Diesto blown to pieces, his soul was extinguished on the spot.

Resuming his flight without a shred of care for him, Alexander was only a few seconds away from blowing into Valtos' current location.

Valtos himself aware of this fact, he looked on, lacking a sense of fear. Standing up from his chair, the wall to his right burst apart, a silver hand near the side of his face.

"I guess..."

"This is where I fall..."

"Long live the Ninth Martial Dynasty!!" His Origin Core set figuratively ablaze, Valtos' internal structure overworked itself without limitations, putting an enormous strain on himself.

A left hand of silver smashing onto the side of his face, catching it as well, Valtos had his skull along his ragdoll of a body sent smashing into the opposite wall.

"Hmm?" Carefully watching Valtos, Alexander audibly scoffed.

"Did you think I'd let you?" Happily laughing, his right hand, as if a slithery snake, pierced Valtos' stomach.

"Urgh!" Universal blood dripping from his seven orifices, Valtos also felt his soul tremble.

"This is a quick death, so be glad. I still have stuff to do, so I have no time to deal you a proper punishment. Don't you believe this place to be a good burial ground for you?"

Shivering incessantly, Valtos chuckled amidst his blood chocking him slowly.

"The..."

"Long live the-" His vision turning dark, Valtos only felt something heavy touch his face before his senses became clouded.

His right knee bloodied, Alexander smashed Valtos' skull on it a few times more before finally letting it go, Valtos' limp body and dark red Life Wheel falling over.

Looking into his right hand, Valtos' Dantian.

'I wonder...'

Putting it close to his mouth, Alexander let it glide upon his tongue.

'How tasty an Origin Core will be...'

His teeth finding the bead, it was suddenly cracked open like a delicious candy. Juices of space and dimensions a thrill to his taste buds.

Inside his mouth, as if a mere piece of food, Valtos' entire lifetime's work.

His hand a drifting cloud, Alexander also snatched pieces of red light particles slowly fading away.

'I can't eat without a drink!' Even though it was not a drink, Alexander did not mind, putting the disappearing shards of Valtos' Life Wheel inside his mouth, reducing them to nothing but worthless nutrition.

Ignoring the wails of dimensions shattered from his sharp teeth, Alexander looked toward a distant place.

'Next is Monarch Lu!'

.

.

.

Near the Inner Territory's middle, floating above the void and surrounded by countless structures, a giant castle of old gold.

And, within it, past the main gates, beyond the core area, another set of doors atop a few stairs.

Before these doors, a small, luxurious reception. A fountain surrounded by perfectly chiseled pavement and cut bushes. A few trees decorating it with splendor.

Yet, these bushes lacked their light green color, now tainted in many different others.

Alexander, rooted in place while facing the closed doors of gold, had a few humanoid figures at his feet.

"You... won't..." A breath of life vanishing from a man of silver locks, Velkio, the Sixth King, perished. But he did not go alone, his good friend Pezio, the Fifth King, right next to him.

Coldly staring down near a rectangular pot of marble, Alexander watched on as the Third King, Sunos, stared back at him.

Dripping from his sunny mouth was fiery blood as if lava, his back slouched against the pot.

Coughing and chocking aloud, Sunos failed to keep his eyes high, their luster fading.

A single palm shaped depression visible upon his chest, Sunos followed his fellow Kings.

Harrumphing, Alexander awaited no longer, putting his right palm onto one of the giant doors of gold. His gaze determined, Alexander ignored a feeling inside his chest.

A rumble echoing, the hall within was left for him to witness.

A vaulted ceiling high up above, a giant hall of white and gold overcame his senses.

Far upfront, above a few dozen steps, a man of long, straight blonde hair seated upon a throne of gold as well.

Clearly unfazed from Alexander's earlier display of force, Monarch Lu watched on.

"Young man..."

"Are you not afraid of death? Why come here so wantonly?"

"..." Veins showing themselves around his face, Alexander opened his mouth in annoyance.

"I wonder why? Maybe because I need a stupid recommendation letter?"

Narrowing his eyes, Monarch Lu pressed on.

"Understandable. But why me? Am I so weak in your eyes? And why did you need to go so far? Why not ask for one instead?"

Frowning from Monarch Lu's words and opposite expression, Alexander parted his lips once again.

"Because Valtos pissed me off for so long, and you are his master. Might as well come here and not waste a thousand years to reach the Frozen Dream Sect. I also know the area quite well. Everything led me to come here in the end."

"..."

"I understand." Slowly rising from his throne, Monarch Lu's vibrant Life Wheel was set ablaze in a fire of green luster, infusing life and power within himself.

"Then... there is nothing more to say."

Leisurely raising his right forearm, Alexander blocked a sudden punch from a teleporting Monarch.

'?!' His casual expression vanishing, Alexander felt his entire arm go numb.

'Are you kidding me!? That was a casual punch! From a man one major realm below!' Feeling his suspicions show their true meaning, Alexander counterattacked with a left fist.

"Ha!" Smirking, Monarch Lu easily caught Alexander's fist with his right hand.

"Alexander I believe? I remember Valtos talk about you. Sorry but... this Lu is no pushover either!" A golden aura bursting out from his body, Monarch Lu's domain expanded against Alexander's own.

Gritting his teeth, Alexander released his very own as well, a silver domain colliding against the golden one.

Such a display of force in close quarter forced the hall to shiver and the minds to quiver.

'This hall...' His eyes drifting about, Alexander's Divine Sense could not fathom the materials present everywhere his vision could peer.

Noticing his facial expression, Monarch Lu chuckled.

"Little one, this Lu's castle is no ordinary place..."

"In here, even someone at the Chaos Archetype Realm's summit won't be able to do anything!"

A loud rumble reverberating, the golden doors suddenly closed shut behind Alexander.

"To dare come fight this Lu... your courage is commendable!!"

Raising his right knee, Alexander's leg blocked a sudden left punch aimed at his chest.

'Was... What...' Unable to process how such an outcome could present itself, Alexander only had one thing to blame.

'My shitty luck again!!'

To end up fighting someone strong enough to battle a whole major realm above... Alexander was not feeling so great.

Bending his neck left, Alexander avoided two golden lasers coming off from Monarch Lu's eyes.

Pissed off, Alexander did the same, two silver lasers hoping to rob Monarch Lu of his life.

A portal appearing before the beams could hit him, the lasers were teleported behind Alexander, who ended up returning the favor.

"I get it, so stop playing." Waving his hand, the redirected beams of silver light were dissipated from Monarch Lu's wave.

Watching Monarch Lu's right leg disappear from the knee down, Alexander raised his right arm upward, blocking a teleporting kick.

This duel already showing itself to be extremely difficult, even while one entire major realm above, Alexander felt doom crawl closer.

'...'

'This isn't going to be as easy as I hoped...'