The grand victory banquet hosted at the Grand Nexus Palace was an affair of blinding opulence. Suspended mid-air above the central spire of the capital, the palace's architectural marvel was a fusion of ancient elven mithril-weaving and high-tech energy fields. Golden chandeliers hummed with compressed mana, casting a warm glow over marble floors inlaid with astral constellations. Tables groaned under the weight of exotic fruits from the Spirit Realm, roasted wyvern meat, and centuries-old wines served in crystal goblets.
In this sea of high-ranking Federation military officials, ancient clan patriarchs, and starry-eyed prodigies, one individual stood at the absolute epicenter of attention—Sonu.
Standing on the central dais, Sonu accepted the victory rewards from the Federation High Commander himself. The grand prize was a spatial storage ring containing a high-grade Ancient Elemental Secret Realm Access Token, a hundred rare Mana Crystals, and millions in Federation currency credits. To Sonu, whose personal vault stored trillions in Spirit Coins and endless reserves of divine artifacts, the physical wealth was negligible. But the Secret Realm access—a key to untamed, ancient pockets of primordial mana—was a prize worth taking.
Sitting beside Sonu during the banquet was Sally, a woman of striking beauty and immaculate poise. As the daughter of a prominent merchant guild and the undisputed richest heiress in the city, her presence usually commanded instant respect. Her silken evening gown shimmered like a starry night, perfectly complementing her regal demeanor as she rested her hand possessively over Sonu's arm.
However, not everyone in the hall possessed the wisdom to read the room.
Stepping toward their private alcove was Julian Vance, a young scion from the prominent Vance Family—a lineage famous for managing several mid-tier rift entry keys and high-end magic equipment stores across the province. Julian was clad in an absurdly ostentatious robe lined with dragon-silk, wearing three different magic rings on each hand, every gemstone glowing with loud, unrefined mana. He had arrived late to the tournament finals and had only caught the tail end of the awards ceremony.
"Ah, the tournament champion," Julian drawled, twirling a glass of expensive crimson wine with a smirk that practically screamed arrogance. "A fine performance against students, I suppose. Though I must say, young man, winning a student competition is hardly the same as commanding real influence in the upper circles of the Federation."
The surrounding noise in the hall subtly dipped. Several academy instructors and military officers turned their heads, their expressions turning oddly complex as they watched Julian step into a pit he didn't even realize existed.
Julian turned his gaze toward Sally, his smirk widening. "Miss Sally, it surprises me to see a woman of your exquisite taste hanging around a mere academy cadet. A talented tamer, perhaps, but talent without backing, capital, and family heritage is just cheap labor for real lords. My family has just acquired exclusive rights to three Class-B spatial rifts outside the capital. If you were to partner with a real power—someone who can casually drop fifty million credits on a single expedition—your guild's expansion would be guaranteed."
Sally didn't even look up from her wine glass. She merely let out a soft, melodious laugh, resting her chin on her hand while looking at Sonu with amused eyes.
Sonu didn't get angry. He didn't even raise his voice. He simply took a sip of his drink and looked Julian up and down.
"Fifty million credits?" Sonu asked casually, his tone as light as a feather.
"Indeed," Julian sneered, puffing his chest out. "A sum a student like you won't see in three lifetimes. Unless, of course, you wish to sell me that little three-tailed fox beast of yours? I might be generous enough to throw in a mid-grade armor set for your effort."
Sonu faintly smiled. With a mere flick of his finger, he tapped his modified wrist device, activating a localized holographic projection bound to his personal currency ledger.
BZZZZT.
A brilliant gold hologram snapped into existence right above the table, visible to everyone in the surrounding fifty-meter radius.
The ledger displayed his linked liquid capital account converted directly to local Federation standards. The line of zeroes stretched so far across the holographic screen that it nearly clipped through the nearest marble pillar.
[ Available Balance: 500,000,000,000 Federation Credit]
The entire VIP section went dead silent.
Julian's smirk froze. The glass of wine in his hand began to tremble violently, spilling dark red droplets onto his dragon-silk robes. His eyes bulged out of his sockets as he stared at the multi-hundred-billion balance—a sum that surpassed the entire net worth of the Vance Family's combined assets across three generations by several hundred times over.
"Fifty million?" Sonu said softly, leaning forward. "That sounds like pocket change my managers use to tip the janitorial staff in my inner world."
Before Julian could even squeak out an apology, two heavy hands slammed down on his shoulders. A pair of fully armored Federation High Guards—who had been monitoring Sonu with absolute reverence—dragged Julian backward off his feet.
"Lord Vance," the guard captain said coldly, his voice echoing in the quiet hall. "You are disrupting the guest of honor. You will leave the hall immediately, and your family's rift licenses will undergo a mandatory tax audit starting tomorrow morning."
"W-Wait! Lord Sonu! I didn't know—" Julian shrieked as he was casually hauled away like trash, his face pale as a bedsheet while the surrounding nobles snickered and shook their heads at his utter stupidity.
Sally giggled softly, pressing her head against Sonu's shoulder. "You didn't have to ruin his entire family's evening, you know."
"He was loud," Sonu replied smoothly, standing up from his chair. "And I'm tired of speeches. Let's go."
Later that night, the noise of the capital faded away inside the ultra-luxurious penthouse suite of the Celestial Grand Hotel. Perched on the highest floor, the room featured floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking the glowing skyline of the floating city.
The air inside was warm, scented with rare jasmine oils and infused with soothing mana.
Sally shed her formal gown, her golden hair falling over her bare shoulders in loose waves. Away from the watchful eyes of the academy and the public, she showed her soft, deeply affectionate side only reserved for Sonu.
Sonu pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist as they sank into the massive, silk-draped bed. The night was filled with quiet intimacy, romantic whispers, and warm passion as the two enjoyed their uninterrupted private time together, leaving the pressures of the tournament far behind.
The next morning, Sonu returned to the academy grounds as if nothing had changed.
While the rest of the student body was still celebrating the tournament results or debating theoretical magic formulas in the lecture halls, Sonu completely bypassed the academic buildings. Theoretical lectures on beast biology and spatial matrices meant nothing to him. His immortal soul cultivation and Class 12 Mage mastery already transcended everything taught by the academy professors.
What actually interested Sonu was the practical experience of exploring Rifts—the dimensional portals scattered throughout the world.
To Sonu, entering a rift wasn't just a mission; it was a playground. The unique spatial fluctuations, exotic environments, and unpredictable beast mutations provided a rich tactical experience that would be invaluable when navigating the infinite worlds of the multiverse down the line.
For the next several days, Sonu frequented the academy's regulated portal grounds.
The academy portals were categorized as safe, low-risk dimensional pockets designed for cadet training. The environments varied wildly: dense subterranean fungal caverns, floating sky-islands wrapped in thunderclouds, and underwater ancient ruins.
With his colossal magic power flowing into his Tamer Seal, Sonu acted as a living catalyst for his contracted beasts. The rich, immortal-grade mana radiating from his body constantly nourished his pets, accelerating their growth and boosting their attributes far beyond normal limits.
Inside a Class-C Crystal Cavern portal, Sonu sat on a smooth rock, watching his team work.
The Void Fox darted through the cavern at blinding speeds, its 30,000 Speed turning it into a silver ghost as it practiced Blink to collect rare spatial crystals embedded in the high cavern ceiling. Meanwhile, the Gladehart ran through the crystal paths, its Passive Healing casting an emerald aura that refreshed the surrounding vegetation while its Speed Boost allowed it to effortlessly dodge falling stalactites.
Whenever a horde of subterranean crystal beasts attempted to swarm them, one of the Tyrant Trees would extend a single, massive root from the ground, its Poison and Vine skills crushing the threat in seconds without Sonu ever needing to lift a finger.
Any exotic beast or rare flora Sonu encountered inside these portals wasn't destroyed. Using his taming authority and spatial magic, he captured unique species—luminous mana-butterflies, deep-earth mineral tortoises, and ancient spirit plants—and transported them directly into his Inner World.
Inside his Inner World, the SSS-grade spiritual ecology, undying soil, and the vast ocean of Amrit provided an ideal paradise. The exotic beasts instantly adapted, enriching his world's natural ecosystem and transforming his personal domain into an even grander sanctuary.
Within a week, the low-tier academy portals could no longer offer any challenge or novel experience. They were simply too weak, clearing in a matter of minutes.
Sonu set his sights on the wild frontier: the Wilderness Portals located outside the city borders.
Unlike the heavily controlled, sanitized academy portals, the wilderness rifts were regulated directly by the Federation Military. These were unstable, high-risk dimensional tears opening into uncharted territories, teeming with wild boss-level monsters, ancient ruins, and high-grade bloodline beasts. Anyone could enter as long as they met the strict level and battle-rank requirements enforced by the military outposts.
Sonu didn't intend to go alone this time.
He brought Sally with him. As his wife and the wealthiest heiress in the region, Sally had zero obligation to follow the mundane academy curriculum or work for administrative credits. Under Sonu's guidance, she could freely focus on leveling up her own capabilities, exploring dangerous frontiers, and fully adapting to her unique talent in real combat conditions.
Standing at the edge of the city's massive armored southern wall, Sonu looked out toward the distant, jagged horizon where red and purple spatial light tore through the clouds.
Beside him, Sally adjusted her sleek, enchanted light armor, her eyes shining with excitement as she held Sonu's hand.
"Ready to see what real rifts look like?" Sonu asked with a calm smile.
Sally smiled back, her grip tightening on his hand. "With you? Anywhere."
Together, they stepped past the military checkpoint and walked straight toward the chaotic glow of the unmapped wilderness.
Status Panel: SonuHost Name: Sonu (Means: Handsome)
Age: 18 Years
Current World: Marvel Universe (#2637) / Federation Academy Realm
Game Level: Level 9 (Genesis World experience)
System: Shop System (Functions: Sell, Purchase, Lottery)
Money & WealthSpirit Coins: Trillions in storage (Infinite Currency)
Shop Points: Multi-millions
USD (Earth/Marvel): $500 Billion+ (1 Spirit Coin = $500 USD)
Official Currency: Rainbow Coins (Bound as the official currency of the Genesis World)
Cultivation & Power LevelsCultivation (Energy/Spiritual): Immortal Peak Level
Body Cultivation: True Immortal Level (Indestructible body / Overload peak)
Soul / Spirit Cultivation: True Immortal Level (Immortal soul / Lord peak)
Mage Level: Class 12 (Tyrant Level)
Active Tamed BeastsGladehart (Level 50) — HP: 100,000 | SPD: 7,000 | Mid-Level Support
Tyrant Tree #1 (Level 150) — HP: 2,000,000 | DEF: 10,000 | Tank / Domain Control
Tyrant Tree #2 (Level 150) — HP: 2,000,000 | DEF: 10,000 | Tank / Domain Control
World Tree Sapling (Level 85) — HP: 1,000,000 | Mana Regen: +1,000/sec | Tamer Seal Anchor
Void Fox (Level 40) — HP: 20,000 | SPD: 30,000 | Spatial Law Bloodline (3/9 Tails)
Talents & Unique Abilities$\times$100 (S-Rank): Multiplies the contents of any opened treasure chest by 100.
Fusion (A-Rank): Combines two or more items into superior products.
Gamer's Body: Allows direct physical transportation into games with all equipped gear.
Divine Scan: Locates hidden items, treasure chests, and threats across vast distances/universes.
Gender Blender Skill (SSS-Rank): Ensures all recruits from recruitment facilities are female.
Key Possessions & AssetsInner / Small World: Created via the World Seed; contains an independent solar system, SSS-grade spiritual ecology, and an ocean of Amrit.
Key Divine Artifacts: Akshaya Patra, God Destroyer, Amrit, Sect Creation Token.
Vehicles & Structures: The Ring (45km-radius halo-ring space habitat), Flying City, Rainbow Phoenix Divine Mount.
Factions & Territories: Rainbow Empire, Midgard Mansion.
Inner Circle & SubordinatesCompanions / Wives: Sol, Ariel, Lake, Ember, Angel, Luna, Rose, Pepper Potts, Sally.
Key Commanders / AIs: Nexus, Lily, Aria, Bella.
Offspring: Sonia (Daughter with Pepper Potts).