Darulunina’s eyes lit up. She waved the group over, stepping politely aside to let the Wolf Empire’s nobles pass first.
"Vermin only learn respect when the lash teaches them the might of the Wolf Empire."
The imperial guards strutted arrogantly across the suspension bridge, while Darulunina, Nuhachit, and the others exchanged mischievous grins. Without delay, they scrambled up onto the bridge’s chains, knives flashing as they hacked furiously at the links.
They might not have undergone the awakening ritual yet, but Fireborn children were born hunters. Their physical stats were far beyond a normal player’s starting attributes in other Infinite Dimensions worlds. Sparks sprayed with every strike, the whole bridge creaking like a construction site under siege.
"What the hell? Why isn’t it even leaving a mark?"
Nuhachit stared down dumbfounded after hacking for ages, only to see the chain utterly unscathed.
Orson narrowed his eyes and pulled up the bridge’s details. His brows lifted in surprise.
[Divine Relic: Pathlock of the Lone God]
Even though its divine power had long been stripped by the Exile Domain, the item’s absurdly massive HP pool remained intact, making it impossibly durable.
A divine relic—used just as a bridge to the Sacred Mountain?
Orson drew in a sharp breath. Just how powerful had the Sunforge World been a thousand years ago?
"Foolish children... sigh."
A soft voice drifted from one of the ornate palanquins. A delicate girl with snow-pale skin and flawless features pulled back the curtain, her expression tinged with pity.
Then another face emerged from the same carriage.
A boy with jet-black hair and eerie twin-pupiled eyes, dark violet and unsettling.
"The Twin Heirs of the Wolf Empire..." Darulunina whispered in shock.
At Orson’s questioning look, she hurriedly explained: it was said that years ago, a divine consort of the empire had given birth to twins—one male, one female—but they shared a single body. Some called them a curse, others a miracle. Their story spread across the entire world.
The girl’s name was Estrella. The boy’s was Caelum.
Prophets of the Wolf Empire had foretold: if the twins survived their awakening, they would possess the power to rule the Sunforge World itself. That prophecy was why the empire dared not openly oppose the rebels—they were betting their future on the twins as saviors.
Orson frowned and tried to peek at their stats.
[Hidden by Relic Effect]
His eyes narrowed. Relics? In this cursed world where items were supposedly useless?
"You are the leader of the Firevenom tribe?" Caelum’s raspy voice cut the air. His gaze swept Orson up and down, heavy with condescension.
Orson stiffened slightly. His Phantomcraft illusion had disguised him as a Fireborn, but the Firevenom totem mark remained. Some kind of magical sigil—permanent, inerasable.
He said nothing, only signaling the kids to stop sawing at the chains.
"You should kneel and follow me," Caelum declared coldly, violet pupils burning. "Join me on the path to ascension."
Orson’s voice was flat, almost bored. He had no interest in the Wolf Empire’s power struggles. To him, their "rebellions" were just children squabbling over toys. All he cared about was reaching the Sacred Mountain, completing the awakening, grinding to max level, and finding a way out of this world.
"Another coward, stripped of spirit. How pathetic... Fireborn adventurers, trapped and pitiful."
Estrella’s tone dripped with disdain.
"My husband isn’t yours to mock!" Darulunina snapped furiously. "If he raised a hand, none of you would be standing!"
"Watch your mouth, whelp! How dare you offend a princess of the Wolf Empire!"
The same captain who’d whipped Nuhachit earlier dismounted with a snarl, iron whip snapping.
"You think hitting kids makes you strong? Once I’ve awakened, you’ll be the first I come for!" Darulunina said bravely—though she immediately ducked behind Orson.
"Yeah, same here!" the other kids chorused, stacking up behind him like a human barricade.
Orson’s tone was glacial as he pointed lazily at Nuhachit.
"What?! I’ll die!" the boy yelped.
"You dare tell us to strike our captain?" another guard jeered. "The Firevenom are nothing but vagabonds. You’re filth."
The twins remained silent, eyes gleaming with curiosity. They clearly wanted to see how Orson would react—whether he truly had no fight left in him.
Orson’s lips curved faintly. He lifted the Supreme Arcane Blade and flicked a finger.
A chaos orb detonated. In the blink of an eye, the level-80 guard was gone—half his body erased, the rest collapsing to the ground before being consumed in searing crimson flame.
The entire Wolf entourage froze. The twins went white, staring at him as if death itself had spoken. The last time they’d felt such dread was standing before the so-called Godmaster.
Orson lowered the blade. Nuhachit stood slack-jawed, frozen.
Darulunina smacked him on the head. "What are you waiting for? He beat you—pay him back the same way!"
The captain’s legs trembled. He stood rooted like stone. Nuhachit, emboldened, snatched the whip and jumped up, flailing wildly.
"Whip me, huh? Let’s see how you like it, bastard!"
The strikes barely hurt the man’s thick hide, but the humiliation was worse than blood. He flushed, lips curling as rage surged—
Until Orson pressed the arcane blade against his brow.
"My word is law. Know your place."
"Holy crap, his skin’s tough!" Nuhachit panted, but his grin was wide. At least the Firevenom kids had reclaimed their pride, and then some.
Around them, travelers whispered in awe.
"The Wolf Empire’s guard, humiliated ?"
"Don’t mess with them. Best keep your distance."
Even Estrella’s haughty sneer had vanished. She trembled, pale as paper. Caelum’s twin pupils shone with naked fear.
"Godadventurer..." he whispered. "An SSS-tier Chaos Sovereign... since when did the Sunforge World harbor someone like him?"
By nightfall, Orson’s group had reached the base of the Sacred Mountain of Ascension.
The mountain loomed beyond words—its waist already piercing the clouds, radiating awe-inspiring majesty.
"Look at all the people!" Darulunina gasped. Fires glimmered, crowds bustling everywhere. A city sprawled at the mountain’s base, overflowing with Fireborn youths come for the ritual, and adventurers desperate to advance their strength.
To Orson, it looked lively. But beneath the surface, he could see the truth: it was the splendor of a civilization in decline, clinging to its last ritual of power.
Exhausted from the journey, they found an inn at the base city to rest.
Bored, Orson dug out a deck of Earth playing cards. Soon the kids were hooked.
"All in! You gonna call or what?" Darulunina grinned fiercely.
"That’s not how betting works—" Nuhachit sputtered.
"I said all in!" she snapped.
"Bomb! Four queens!" Nuhachit crowed.
Coins clattered across the table as the room filled with yelling and laughter.
A knock cut through the chaos.
The door swung open. The kids leapt to their feet, eyes narrowed. It was the same captain from earlier.
"What, you want another beating?" Nuhachit growled.
The man smiled stiffly, bowing slightly. "My apologies... I come with a message. The Wolf Empire’s twins request an audience. Will you grant them the honor?"