The forest reacted before any conscious creature could grasp what was happening.
Instinctive animals—birds, predators, even the ancient forest watchers—fled. The ground trembled subtly, as if the earth itself recognized something unnamable being born within it.
It wasn't just light: it was a presence. At the center of this upheaval, Orion's figure was wrapped in a halo of incandescent energy.
Inside that blazing epicenter, his body was being rebuilt by forces beyond any mortal classification. Cosmic energy—pure and raw—flowed through his veins as if it had always belonged to him. The internal structures sustaining his existence collapsed and rebirthed in frenzied cycles. Bones lengthened and hardened; muscles adjusted with absolute precision; his former skin, dry and aged, fragmented into gray dust, revealing new layers—perfect and immaculate.
There was no pain—only an overwhelming sense of being filled with something that should never have been contained.
When the radiance finally faded, what remained was a man shaped not by nature, but by something beyond it. His features were symmetrical, almost unreal, sculpted with a harmony that defied traditional human forms. His hair, now a deep, flowing crimson, cascaded like molten fire down to his heels. His eyes, crystalline blue and ever-shifting, reflected both sky and abyss, hues shifting as light touched his face. His skin, smooth and pale as celestial marble, radiated a soft, ethereal glow—as if absorbing and reflecting the moon's very essence.
Hovering before him, an energy surface took shape—polished like still water. Orion observed himself. He recognized traces of the man he once was: now young, intense, eternal. Solitude etched his face—and in his eyes, a weight contrasting his apparent youth. The weight of five decades lived, fought, endured. Introspection drew a faint smile from him. A gesture so simple, yet absent for years.
As if the universe answered this silent acceptance, a metallic chime echoed through reality's layers around him.
『Transformation complete. Raise cultivation level?』
"Yes. Now." His voice rang clear, unwavering. He was ready.
『Ascension initiated. Cosmic ether convergence underway...』
The world quivered faintly. A silent sequence of stages unfolded within him—like invisible steps forming one by one beneath his feet. Not just elevating his existence, but redefining what it meant to exist.
Core Formation...
Eternal Palace...
Path Sage...
Transcendent King...
Great Emperor...
Celestial Immortal...
Primordial God...
Void King...
∞
An incomprehensible torrent of energy washed over him—dense, pure, boundless. He felt the fabric of his being expand beyond flesh. Stars became dust motes dancing in his bloodstream. Galaxies spun like cells in his organs. Each breath was a cosmic motion. Each thought, a miniature Big Bang. Reality felt malleable—even fragile. As if, with a gesture, he could shatter mountains, evaporate oceans, or etch new destinies onto ancient stones. He floated effortlessly, as if the ground had become optional.
From above, the forest resembled a living diorama. He saw energy patterns threading through every leaf, every being. The forest pulsed with life... but he was now beyond ordinary life. Yet he understood the peril. He was an anomaly—and had to ensure his mere presence didn't destroy what shouldn't be destroyed.
With that thought, he flew. Hours later, in a clearing shielded by untouched wilderness, he found it—a secluded paradise. A crystalline river flowed calmly, mirroring the sky. Rare flowers breathed near-forgotten fragrances. Millennia-old trees formed natural vaults—cathedrals shaped by eternity.
Orion alighted softly at the clearing's heart and closed his eyes. When he opened them, reality answered. Golden wood sprouted from the earth. It wove itself into elegant, silent patterns—shaping pillars and walls without nails or tools. A curved roof emerged, adorned with ancient sigils. Within seconds, a house was born. Orion touched one wall, feeling a bond form.
"This shall be my sanctuary."
『Existential analysis: Host lacks life purpose』
The notification was calm, yet firm. Orion frowned.
『Suggestions:
➤ Subsystem: Eternal Empire—Transcendent civilization foundation
➤ Subsystem: Eternal Sect—Immortal cultivator lineage』
The proposal sounded like an invitation to greatness—and a reminder of the void he sought to fill. He sat by the riverbank. Water lapped gently at his feet—cool, comforting. Memories surfaced: Celestia. War. Mistakes. The nation he failed to save. Those he'd lost.
"An empire..." he murmured. "Something I control. Something eternal. Something that won't perish like all I've built." He gazed through the canopy at the sky.
Then he spoke—as if addressing an invisible old friend.
"Activate the system. Display my status. Just like Celestia's games."
『Processing... Status subsystem activated』
『DING』
Before Orion, lines of light wove into a floating panel. As if the universe had chosen to frame his new nature through an interface shaped by his youth's memories.
『Character Record』
Name: Orion Oliveira
Title: Guardian of Eternity
Body: Eternal Primordial Chaos
Eyes: Chaos Eternity
Soul: Chaos Soul
Spiritual Root: Primordial Root
Cultivation: ∞
Tao: ∞
Attributes:
Strength: ∞
Agility: ∞
Endurance: ∞
Wisdom: ∞
Charisma: ∞
Luck: ∞
Primary Abilities:
Space-Time Manipulation
Reality Creation
Soul Reading
Divine Transcendence
Conscious Omnipresence
Supreme Technique: Path of Divine Ether
Orion stared at the panel for long seconds. Not pride—awe. Such vastness condensed into human form felt both glorious and absurd.
"So this is what it feels like... beyond?" The whisper escaped him, almost unconscious. No more weaknesses. No limits. Yet the absence of weakness didn't mean absence of challenge—and he knew it. Power was a foundation, not a throne.
He rose slowly. The surroundings still pulsed with his presence's resonance—as if the world were learning to endure him. Despite his new essence, there were comforts he wouldn't forsake. He entered the newly revealed house. The wooden floor gleamed with a vivid hue, smooth underfoot. He sat on a bed—simple yet unnervingly comfortable, molded to fit him perfectly. He lay down. Sleep was unnecessary now, he knew. Yet it was an emotional relic—a tether to the life he'd once had. He closed his eyes. Peace claimed his mind in seconds.
Dawn arrived silently.
The first sunbeam found Orion on the veranda, watching the breeze's subtle dance through the trees. His eyes mirrored the sky—but not an ordinary sky. They mirrored the vastness behind the veil of the visible world. He inhaled deeply. The air tasted of crisp morning. Birds sang. A distant creature roared. All was in balance.
"Best sleep since Sirius IV," he murmured, remembering.
He stepped inside. Without a word, he wished for breakfast—and it materialized. A rustic plate held golden eggs, lightly toasted crisp bread, vibrant exotic fruits. Beside it, a cup of fragrant coffee steamed, warming the air. He savored each bite with unhurried attention. Each mouthful revived memories—of earth, childhood, battles, loss, laughter.
When finished, he leaned back in the wooden chair and gazed at the treeline horizon.
"It's time to begin." His voice was steady, unhesitating. He was at peace—but not at rest. A purpose had to be chosen. An empire to be built. Not by others' hands—but by his will.