Adrian materialized in the safe zone of the third level.
The shift was immediate; unlike the previous levels, this one wasn't empty. Warriors filled the space, some sparring in open courtyards, others meditating beneath glowing pillars that pulsed with concentrated mana. Groups huddled around formations, debating technique. Laughter echoed from a corner where someone had just lost a bet.
Adrian blinked, surprised. The other levels had been desolate, endless trials of solitude. But here, it felt like… life.
A few cultivators noticed him and whispered.
"New arrival?"
"Another one that would be stuck here like us."
"Poor bastard. Wonder how long till he realizes there's no easy way out."
None recognized him. None could imagine that the quiet man standing before them had completed what took others millennia in less than ten years.
Adrian ignored the stares and began walking, scanning the area for familiar faces.
He already knew their appearances. He'd seen the visuals of the First War on Earth from Sentinel. He crossed multiple rooms in the safe zone, and finally, he saw them.
Across a sparring ground, two figures fought. Selric's space essence rippled outward, blades of distorted space slicing arcs around him. Orin countered with gravity essence, bending trajectories mid-flight, pulling and twisting momentum itself until the spatial cuts collapsed inward.
The others watched from the sidelines, shouting encouragement.
"Stop holding back, Selric!"
"Orin, your left anchor's drifting again!"
Max leaned against a pillar, grinning like a man watching his favorite show. Elliot sat cross-legged nearby, sharpening a blade with slow strokes. Ilyas stood silent, observing with unreadable eyes.
For a moment, Adrian simply stood there.
He had expected something different. Weariness, perhaps. The kind of hollow exhaustion that came from millennia of isolation. But instead, he saw them lively, laughing, alive in a way that defied the weight of two thousand years.
Their laughter, their energy, it was as though the burden had been lifted from their shoulders entirely.
What Adrian did not know was that the six Celestials here had been suffering before. They had lived centuries in fear that Earth no longer existed, that humanity had vanished into dust while they remained trapped in this endless test.
They did not even know about the time dilation at that time.
Only after Gary's return had everything changed. He'd told them the truth, about the time dilation, about Earth's safety, and about Adrian, a descendant who had not only survived, but risen.
That revelation had been a sudden boost in morale. They discovered that only a few months had passed outside, that their descendant from Earth had entered the galaxy and even created such a powerful clan. It took away all the worries and burdens they'd carried until now and made them enjoy their life for the first time since they'd left Earth.
Adrian stepped forward.
"Elders."
His voice carried softly through the chamber.
The sparring stopped, and all six turned toward Adrian.
At first, silence.
Other than Gary, no one knew the actual appearance of Adrian. But they weren't dumb. They could guess. In this third level, there was no one who called them elders.
Gary spoke first, confirming their guess, "Impossible…" His voice cracked slightly.
"It's just been a decade. How did you clear two levels this fast?"
He knew what Adrian was capable of. He had read the messages, seen the footage, watched recordings of the demon fleet's erasure. But still, the reality defied every expectation.
Max barked a laugh and slapped Selric's shoulder.
"Why are you all surprised? The kid turned the galaxy upside down in months!"
Selric didn't laugh. His gaze lingered on Adrian, "Gary said you were strong. But this…"
He trailed off, shaking his head.
Elliot stood, sliding his blade into its sheath, "Two levels. Ten years. That's absurdity."
Orin smirked darkly, "Figures. We spent millennia bleeding, and our descendant just waltzes in and finishes in a decade. How humiliating."
Elliot barked a laugh, "You're just mad because he's better looking."
Ilyas said nothing, but his eyes gleamed, approval in silence.
Gary chuckled, shaking his head, still processing the impossibility standing before him.
Adrian bowed deeply, "It's an honor to meet you all in person."
For a second, no one spoke.
Then, as if a dam broke, warmth replaced awe.
Selric stepped forward, eyes soft, "You carry Earth's will differently… but it's the same flame."
Max grinned broadly, pulling Adrian into a half-hug that nearly lifted him off the ground.
"And that flame burns bright, boy. Brighter than any of us ever dreamed."
He released Adrian with a hearty slap on the shoulder.
"I was worried Earth stopped producing lunatics after us."
Adrian smiled faintly, "You set a high bar."
"Damn right we did," Max said.
Elliot circled around Adrian, "You don't look like someone who just spent ten years fighting beasts nonstop."
"I recovered in the safe zone before coming here," Adrian replied.
They spoke briefly of Earth, of how it was thriving now. For the six Celestials, this carried centuries of meaning. Their home was finally safe.
Gary's throat tightened.
"We left Earth because we thought we were its last hope. That if we didn't go, humanity would die in the dark."
"You were right," Adrian said quietly. "Without your guidance, Earth wouldn't have survived long enough to build the Origin Clan."
Selric exhaled slowly.
"Then it wasn't for nothing."
"No," Adrian said. "It wasn't."
"I'm planning to move it to the Origin Capital," Adrian said. "But since I got the message from Elder Gary, I came here first."
For a while, they simply listened as Adrian spoke, about the academy, the rise of Defenders. He then talked about the Origin clan, the knowledge spheres, the Origin Capital and its formation, the trade agreements, and everything.
Max grinned wider with every sentence.
Others simply listened, smiling, nodding, proud.
Then, after a few moments, Adrian said, "You've been stuck here too long. It's time I bring you back."
Selric tilted his head slightly, "How do you plan to do that?"
Adrian looked thoughtful as he considered the structure's rules. "I don't know yet. What conditions did the spirit give you?"
Selric answered, "To leave, we must either ascend to Stellar or clear up to the third level."
Adrian's eyes brightened, "So only one more level."
Orin smirked, "Simple? No. You've not seen what lies ahead, Adrian."
"The first two levels were more about endurance against time and combat foundations. But the third level is different."
"How different?"
Selric replied this time, "Its environment was the reason Gary broke through to Stellar."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "Environment?"
Selric gestured toward the archway leading into the trial zone. "The void inside the third level itself is different. Ruined stars, fragments of collapsed suns, floating fields of essence storms, frozen star fragments, cracked space fields."
Elliot chimed in from the side, "Just existing there drains us. One moment we are surrounded by fire, the next we would be freezing solid."
"The environment of the third level itself is harder for any SSS-rank to survive," Selric continued. "And then there are the essence beasts. Not just fire and ice, here, we've seen beasts made of gravity and shadow essence."
Max snorted. "Bastards that bend light around themselves. Can't see them until they're already ripping through your chest."
Selric continued, "But there's more. Within the third level, there are places, what we call phenomenon zones. Each one manifests a truth of a particular essence concept. If one could comprehend from it, they could ascend."
"That's how this idiot broke through." Max pointed at Gary with a grin. "We had to shield him from beasts for years while he comprehended inside one of those zones."
Gary laughed, "You're just jealous we didn't find one for you."
The others chuckled. Selric added, "We've found only a few phenomenon zones. And not every element's here. We searched for a water phenomenon for Max. It doesn't seem to be on this floor."
Adrian understood immediately. He could picture what they meant by phenomenon places; it should be similar to the fire formation he'd seen back in the Drakenholt clan, showing the truth of concepts. But here, the zones were surrounded by essence beasts, making comprehension nearly impossible without protection.
He thought quickly.
If he could clear those beasts and comprehend the concepts himself, he could create knowledge spheres and distribute them, giving the Celestials the comprehension they needed without risking their lives.
It was a plan that could work.
But from what he'd heard, there were limited phenomenon places. Not every affinity was represented here, which left out Max, who seemed to use water essence.
Perhaps it was located in higher levels? If so, he needed to find a way to take Max with him to a higher floor. Just clearing the third level would free Max from this place, but Adrian wanted to help them ascend.
After his brief thoughts, he replied finally, "Elders, can you show me where these places are located inside the trial zone? I have a plan."
Gary's eyes gleamed. "A plan, huh?"
They could already guess his plan.
Ilyas spoke for the first time, "You intend to clear the beasts and comprehend for us."
Adrian nodded. "If I can create spheres containing those truths, you won't need to risk yourselves."
Max let out a bark of laughter, slapping his knee. "Kid walks in here and solves our centuries-long problem in ten seconds. I love it."
Orin shook his head, though his smirk remained. "You really are Earth's descendant. Same reckless confidence."
Selric studied Adrian for a long moment, "Alright, come. We'll take you there."
The Celestials laughed as they gathered their gear.
One by one, they followed Selric toward the archway leading into the third level's trial zone.
They'd spent centuries surviving this place. But for the first time, they weren't walking in uncertainty.
They were walking with hope.
The descendant of Earth had come. And he carried not just their blood, but the legacy of their world.