Cayan sucked in a sharp, painful breath, his wound screaming in protest, but he barely noticed! The pinnacle of Dominators! Ninth-Rank! Invincible! One of the ten supreme beings standing atop five million years of history! An entire epoch had passed since the era of the last God-King—the God-Forger King! He was… a Transgressor? And stood before him now? (Even if just a willful echo?)
The immense shock blanked his mind, stripping him of thought.
After a moment of stunned silence, Cayan remembered the protective film and his stabilized wound. "It was you… you saved me? This shield, my injuries…"
"Indeed," the God-Forger King's will acknowledged indifferently). "Sensing the awakening of a cognate soul resonance, I intervened to halt your final slide into oblivion. Without it, you would be dead once more."
"My deepest gratitude, Your Majesty, for saving my life!" Cayan struggled to bow, agony flaring, making him grimace. The debt was immense—not just life, but a glimmer of hope for survival in this terrifying world.
"Rise," the figure gestured slightly (though without substance), a gentle force supporting Cayan. "What remains here is but a fading wisp of my will, soon to dissipate."
As he spoke, the main light composing the figure wavered, and the original smaller sphere separated) out. With its separation, the God-Forger King's will grew noticeably dimmer, thinner, as if on the verge of vanishing.
The separated sphere floated slowly towards Cayan, hovering before his eyes. Peering closely, Cayan saw that at its core swam an incredibly tiny, indescribably complex and precise transparent worm (an Entropy Worm), its form etched with countless minute, star-like Law-glyphs.
"This is my final creation," the King's will spoke, its voice fainter yet more solemn, "forged late in my life, incorporating my ultimate mastery of the Refining Path and comprehension of the world's Laws. It offers no direct combat prowess. Instead, it provides unparalleled aid on the path of 'Refining' and 'Ascending' Entropy Worms."
Cayan held his breath, listening intently. He knew 'Refining' was the process of taming wild Entropy Worms for a Dominator's use, and 'Ascending' was the arduous, high-risk process of raising a Worm's Rank. These were undoubtedly the most critical and difficult aspects of a Dominator's journey!
The will continued: "This Entropy Worm is named—'Eyes of the Ten Thousand Laws.' It possesses a unique trait: Growth. It will advance as its host advances. At your current First-Rank, it will allow you to perceive the refining and ascension pathways of First-Rank Worms, vastly improving success rates, and grant a faint sense of direction towards high-quality Worms or areas rich in Law-traces. When you reach Second-Rank, it will ascend alongside you, and so forth."
A Growth-type Entropy Worm! Cayan's heart hammered. From Cayan's memories, he knew a Worm's Rank was usually fixed. Worms that grew with their master were incredibly rare, priceless! The appearance of one could spark bloody wars!
"However," the will's tone shifted, "this Worm was only Ascended by me to the Fifth Rank. This means it can only accompany you to the level of a Fifth-Rank Dominator. Should you seek the methods for its further Ascension, or seek other Worms of the 'Ten Thousand Laws' Path, you must journey to the legacy ground I left behind. Once fused, you will sense its general direction."
Cayan felt a twinge of anxiety amidst his excitement: "Your Majesty, an entire epoch has passed… Your legacy ground… could it not have…" He didn't dare finish, but the meaning was clear: Could anything survive the ravages of such time?
The God-Forger King's will emitted a soft chuckle, tinged with weary amusement. "A God-King? Hah… Even those who reached the Ninth Rank, claiming mastery over Laws, ultimately could not withstand time's erosion, nor escape the final destiny) of Entropic End. My main consciousness perished long ago. Most of my arrangements have likely faded away. But this wisp of will and this initial legacy were set precisely to await an 'Anomaly' such as you… and I. Whether you can find the remnants of my inheritance, and how far you ultimately walk, depends on you alone."
Cayan was silent, deeply shaken). So even the apex beings of this world were not eternal, still subject to time and that ultimate fate of "Entropic End." It gave him a darker understanding of this world's power system and its inherent cruelty.
"I understand," Cayan nodded gravely, his gaze returning to the hovering 'Eyes of the Ten Thousand Laws,' brimming with infinite knowledge and potential. It was hope. A key to power. A heavy responsibility.
"Good," the King's will seemed satisfied, growing more ephemeral. "Then, accept it. I anticipate your future achievements. Perhaps… you will walk a different path."
Suddenly, Cayan remembered the original owner's greatest despair. He spoke urgently, voice bitter with inherited frustration: "Your Majesty! Wait! My Source Core… this body's Dominator aptitude… it's only the lowest grade! 'D-Class,' Lower Tier! Minimal Source Force reserves! Pitiful growth potential! I… I fear I will disappoint your expectations!" This was the root of the original Cayan's dissipation and self-loathing.
Instead of disappointment, the God-Forger King's will responded with a hint of wry, knowing laughter, as if hearing an old, familiar joke.
"Hahaha… Aptitude? D-Class?" The light figure shook its head. "Child, one's ultimate achievements are never dictated by initial aptitude. If that were true, how did this old man, who also started from humble origins with poor aptitude, ever climb step by step to the Ninth Rank?"
Cayan's head snapped up, eyes blazing with incredulous) hope. The God-Forger King… had poor aptitude too?
"Remember," the King's voice held an inspiring force, "external aptitude may dictate the speed of your start, but the strength within—your will, your choices, your perseverance—that is what truly determines how far you walk! Do not let external measures bind your spirit!"
He paused, and the figure's hand (a mere suggestion of one) seemed to point towards Cayan's brow. "Furthermore, oftentimes when fate closes one door, it opens another. I can sense it… your soul, merged with this world's Laws, has sparked a strange affinity… an affinity for the 'Sands of Chronos' Path. A rare and potent attunement. This is your opportunity. It may compensate for the deficiency of your Source Core."
"Sands of Chronos Path?" Cayan was bewildered); Cayan's memories held no record of it.
"More, you must discover for yourself. My time is spent…" The King's will grew faint as a guttering candle, its voice barely a whisper. "Remember… after I fade, fuse the 'Eyes of the Ten Thousand Laws' with your Source Core immediately! It will sustain your vitality for a time and begin altering your visual nerves. Otherwise, your wounds will soon claim your second life…"
The figure's gaze (or the sensation of one) fell upon the four brigands pinned to the floor, their eyes filled with ultimate terror and silent pleading.
"Finally… let me clear some vermin from your path… and reclaim a paltry) interest for this place's true master…"
There was no movement, no flash of energy. The frozen terror in Barton's eyes solidified. Then, their bodies—clothes, flesh, bone—began to disintegrate, crumbling into the finest dust, vanishing into nothingness. No trace remained.
It was as effortless as wiping away four insignificant motes of dust.
This done, the wisp of will that was the God-Forger King seemed to expend its last vestige of power. It offered Cayan a final, blurry yet infinitely encouraging smile, then dissolved completely into motes of light, fading into the chamber's air as if it had never been.
The chamber was suddenly silent once more. Only Cayan remained, grievously wounded, chest bloodied, and the sphere containing the God-King's legacy—the Entropy Worm called 'Eyes of the Ten Thousand Laws'—hovering before him.
Silence reclaimed the ancient room, broken only by Cayan's ragged, pained breaths and the quiet, promising glow of the sphere.
Cayan stared fixedly at the Worm. There was no hesitation. Instinct for survival, thirst for power, and the King's final command drove him. He struggled, lifting a heavy arm, mustering every ounce of strength, reaching out towards the light…