This was the most vivid ssage Ery had ever received from Khaos.
Unlike the fragnted impressions and obscure sensations of the past, this vision carried structure, continuity, and intent, allowing him to extract a asure of understanding rather than re speculation.
The shadowed figure he had witnessed was most likely Khaos itself—the so-called Lord of Shadow and Space—while the staff it wielded, more specifically, the black crystal on its crown, could only be the Primordial Wisp.
If that assumption was correct, then the presence that had been communicating with him all this ti was not the entirety of that primordial being, but also the remnant will of its forr master, a powerful existence whose authority extended across both darkness and space, and whose capabilities far exceeded the limits of a single realm.
Ery had studied what little information existed regarding other realms, though such knowledge remained scarce and limited; there were, however, undeniable traces of their existence.
The Cosmic Palace itself stood as one of the clearest examples, its construction attributed to a fusion of craftsmanship and technologies originating from a machine race that originated from another realm. There were also scattered records of other realms—the realm of the crystal race, the giant race, the spirit race—as well as worlds not unlike the Magus realm or Tartarus, where civilizations were dominated by humans or elven races.
Yet despite these fragnts of knowledge, one fact remained consistent.
The ability to traverse between realms was not sothing fully understood.
If it had been, the Karat faction's expedition would not have ended in such a catastrophic disaster. Their loss alone was proof that even powerful factions lacked the ans to safely cross those boundaries. And yet, what Ery had just witnessed was not theory—it was evidence. The figure in the vision had moved freely through the fractured expanse, crossing not only space but realms themselves, using pathways that should not have been accessible.
That realization forced Ery to reconsider the scale of what he was dealing with.
Such a capability could not belong to an ordinary existence. Perhaps soone among the Supre Emperors or the Four Sovereigns possessed similar knowledge—but even that remained uncertain.
Which ant Khaos might exist at a level equal to—or even beyond—them.
That realization brought another thought to mind.
From what he had seen, this powerful figure most likely did not originate from the Magus realm at all. It did not match any of the Emperor statues that stood in the Supre Halls of the Cosmic Palace.
Who is this Khaos, really?
For a brief mont, Ery considered consulting his master, seeking clarity from the Stellar Beast Emperor.
But that thought quickly gave way to hesitation.
The last ti the Stellar Beast Emperor had visited his inner domain, he had ntioned the power hidden in his mountain—briefly, and without elaboration. At the ti, Ery had not given it much thought, but now that mory returned with new weight.
Why had his master said so little?
Khaos indeed possessed power tied to the Primordial Wisp. Along with authority over both space and shadow, it was entirely plausible that such an existence could conceal itself deliberately, even from beings of imnse perception. If that were the case, then the existence he had just encountered might not only rival the Supre Emperors—it might stand beyond them entirely.
That implication lingered in his mind, heavy and unresolved, prompting a rare mont of caution.
After weighing the thought carefully, Ery chose restraint.
He would not raise the matter with his master—not yet. Until he understood more, asking the wrong question might expose sothing that was ant to remain hidden, or worse, place him in a position he was not prepared to face.
What the vision had made clear, however, was its intent.
He was ant to gather all four Khaos gates—the four shattered fragnts of the Primordial Wisp. That directive was unmistakable, yet beyond that singular purpose, everything else remained uncertain. The identity of the mysterious figure, the true nature of Khaos, and most importantly, the reason behind collecting those fragnts—all of it remained obscured.
The more he considered it, the more unlikely it seed that the shattering of the Primordial Wisp had been accidental. Each fragnt had been left with a guardian, and each guardian was bound to a system designed to seek out a host—a Khaos seed—guiding that individual toward growth, strength, and ultimately, sothing greater. Such a structure was far too deliberate to be the result of chance.
It was a design.
A continuation of will.
Which inevitably led to a question that Ery could not ignore: if all four fragnts were gathered and unified, would the one who accomplished it beco the true champion of Khaos… or sothing more?
Would he beco the new master?
The thought lingered for only a mont before Ery shook his head slightly, unwilling to accept such a conclusion without deeper understanding. There was no clear evidence that Khaos had perished. On the contrary, the will behind the fragnts was still active, still guiding, still shaping events. That alone suggested continuity rather than absence.
A more troubling possibility erged.
Each gate might not simply contain power, but fragnts of Khaos itself—pieces of its soul or consciousness preserved within the system. If that were true, then gathering all four would not create sothing new, but restore what had once existed.
And that possibility made the decision far more complex.
Ery exhaled slowly, allowing the weight of the thought to settle.
Khaos had undeniably been the source of much of his strength. It had guided his developnt, granted him abilities beyond his original path, and on several occasions had saved his life from certain death. Yet none of that guaranteed trust. It could just as easily be a form of self-preservation—avoiding mutual destruction while maintaining mutual benefit.
He was no longer the naïve cultivator who would accept power without question or consequence.
At the sa ti, he could not ignore the benefits that lay before him. Each Khaos guardian had strengthened him significantly, refining his Path of Balance and allowing him to harmonize opposing forces in ways few others could achieve. A fourth guardian would undoubtedly push him further, bringing his cultivation closer to a level he needs to face his enemy and protect his friends.
Still, power alone was not enough to justify blind obedience.
Ery let out a deep sigh and decided to set this dilemma aside for now.
He lifted his gaze, shifting his attention away from the crystal and toward the vast expanse of Khaos space surrounding him. The floating landmass stretched endlessly, while countless waypoints shimred across the sky like threads weaving together distant regions.
Slowly, his focus returned to the stone table.
The star map glowed steadily beneath the hovering crystal, its imnse structure reflecting a universe far larger and more complex than anything he had previously grasped.
He studied it in silence for a mont before speaking, his tone calm yet carrying a quiet edge of curiosity.
Previously, the combination of two Khaos gates alone had already granted him trendous power—the ability to create Khaos seeds and traverse waypoints through them. His eyes narrowed slightly as the thought continued.
"I wonder what kind of power I'll gain this ti."
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