Robert observed the lingering resemblance in David's features but couldn't be certain. Still, the boy's demeanor spoke volumes. When Robert had suggested army protection, a flash of something dark—distrust, perhaps hatred—had flickered in David's eyes before being swiftly buried. Only someone at the peak of Immortality like Robert could have caught it.
He's been betrayed before, Robert mused, watching the direction David had left. By humans, no less. It's changed how he sees the world.
In the car, David weighed the offer. Binding himself to a military unit meant visibility, structure, and protection—but also scrutiny. The top brass might notice him, and attention was the last thing he needed. The benefits were negligible for someone with his resources and secrets. Low-profile survival and firsthand experience were his priorities.
The next day, within his villa's training chamber, David held the vial of Immortal King Dragon's blood. As he began circulating the divine art to absorb it, a crushing, life-threatening pressure descended—far more intense than anything he'd felt in the ancient blood pool.
Was the pool specially tempered to minimize pressure? he wondered, gritting his teeth. It made sense; that pool was a creation of an existence beyond True God, designed for refinement, not annihilation.
Just as the pressure became unbearable, the latent bloodline genes within his body stirred, actively reaching out to devour the dragon's blood. Power flooded his cells, strengthening his physique with each pulse.
He realized something else: when using the blood pool, the Law of Destruction had autonomously guided the process. Now, without that buffer, he was confronting the raw, unmediated power of the blood. It was why, despite using the best available resources, his bloodline gene level was stuck below 10,000. Albert had said he hadn't even used 1% of the monster blood's potential and wouldn't understand why until he reached the Universe Venerable realm.
On a desolate asteroid, a bald, hulking man—a peak 9th-Level Immortal—glowered at five subordinates.
"The fools!" he boomed, learning of his team's fate. "I ordered them to bring the artifact directly. Instead, they got greedy for a C-grade ship and were wiped out by some passerby." He slammed a fist on the console. "This 'David'… he has our ship. And the token."
"The token is the key to the Silent Abyss Secret Realm, Boss," another subordinate urged. "If we want to expand our power in this galactic sector, we need it. We should enter the battlefield ourselves. A Domain Realm brat is nothing to an Immortal."
The boss, known as Krag, pondered. "Fine. Mobilize our agents on the battlefield. Find David. But do not touch the Cooper family—it'll raise alarms. We move quietly. And prepare my ship; I'll handle this personally. The human associations can't know we're there."
Days later, David emerged from the agonizing refinement. His body thrummed with newfound power, but he needed to gauge its limits. Scouring his rings, he found no low-grade weapons—everything was A-rank or higher. Testing with those risked serious injury before the battlefield.
He remembered the pirate ship from rescuing Liam and Emma. Retrieving it from his inner world, he broke into its B-grade hull. Inside, he found mostly C and B-grade weapons, but also two exquisite B-grade swords—one black with a dark gold handle, the other crystal-white. Both were masterfully crafted from rare gemstones. Liam and Emma might appreciate these, he thought, setting them aside.
In the captain's lounge, a glint caught his eye: a simple, shiny D-grade dagger. Perfect.
Back in his training room, David conducted his test. The D-grade blade didn't leave a scratch. A C-grade sword was similarly ineffective. A B-grade weapon finally left faint white lines on his skin. But an A-grade sword, with just a light touch, drew blood. He smiled, applying a healing elixir. My physical defense is on par with a low-tier World Master. Good.
As he cleaned up, Liam called saying they were on their way. After a quick shower, David joined them downstairs where food was being laid out.
During the meal, he remembered the swords. He placed them on the table.
Emma's eyes lit up. "David, these are beautiful! Where did you find them?"
"On that pirate ship I looted after saving you two," he said casually. "Thought you might like them."
Liam picked up the black-and-gold sword, feeling its balance and the refined craftsmanship. "These aren't ordinary B-grade weapons… they feel almost alive. This is too generous."
"Consider it a thanks for the company," David said with a faint smile. "And for the auction tip. I have no use for them."
As they admired the gifts, none of them knew that the original owners of those swords were part of a far-reaching network—and that network was now actively hunting the young man sitting at the table, with an Immortal's gaze fixed firmly on his trail.
"Brother, these are too valuable. You should keep them. On the battlefield, you could trade them or use them to secure an alliance. They might be a great help to you."
Liam, who had few genuine friends growing up—most sought his family's influence—truly valued David. His concern was sincere; on the battlefield, every additional edge could mean survival.
David was deeply touched by Liam's selflessness. But to him, B-Grade weapons were the weakest in his inventory, far outclassed by the SSS-Grade artifacts he possessed. He had initially considered giving them S-Grade weapons but realized they couldn't wield them yet. These swords were perfect.
"Don't worry about me. Focus on recognizing your laws as soon as possible—it's critical for building a strong foundation. Once you do, I have another gift that will suit you even better."
They finally accepted the swords, each feeling an inexplicable resonance with their chosen blade.
Five days had passed since David fully digested the Immortal King Dragon's blood. He spent the time mastering his sudden surge in power; new strength required meticulous control to be fully utilized.
Today, he would depart for the battlefield with Liam's parents.
After a farewell dinner at the Myers estate—where Liam and Emma bid him a heartfelt goodbye, unsure when they'd meet again—David boarded Robert's personal S-Grade spacecraft at the port.
The ship's interior surprised him. It was warmly furnished, resembling a comfortable home more than a warship.
"We spend months, sometimes years, in transit or lying low during operations," Robert explained, noticing David's curious glance. "When you can't afford to be detected, you learn to make the ship a livable space. Constant cultivation gets monotonous."
Robert then shifted the topic. "The battlefield you've heard about and the reality are two different things. It's not a secret realm—it's a full universe in itself, with many such battlefields linked across realities. How much do you actually know about our universe?"
"Not much beyond the basics," David admitted. "I wasn't… extensively educated."
Robert nodded, assuming it was a protective measure by David's supposed hidden lineage. "Our human alliance controls roughly a thousand universes. That includes smaller races who've sworn fealty to us for protection, as they lack Universe Masters to defend themselves. That's the law of the cosmos: be strong, or find a strong patron. Many races who failed to do so are now extinct.
"The battlefields are one reason weaker races still survive. They're also places of opportunity—where a World Master might find a treasure to break through to Immortality, or where small races offer tributes to powerful ones in exchange for shelter."
David listened, his expression neutral. The principle was the same everywhere: strength was the only true currency.
Sensing David's darkening mood, Robert switched to practicalities. "We're heading to a logistical planet near the Galactic Empire, which gates into Battlefield No. 5. There are nine known major battlefields. This one is the fourth most dangerous, spanning about 3.3 million light-years. The war there has raged for over a trillion years—immortals are patient.
"Our race maintains over two hundred bases within it. You'll be introduced to the contribution point system upon entry; it's how you exchange merits for resources."
A question surfaced in David's mind. "If Immortals and lower-realm cultivators share the same zones, isn't that a slaughter?"
"Generally, high-realm experts won't bother with low-realm fighters," Robert said. "The contribution for killing a Domain Realm warrior isn't worth an A-Grade sword. Why would a peak Immortal like me bother?" His tone turned grave. "However, if a foreign race places a high bounty on a human genius—even a Domain Realm one—then Immortals, even Generals, might hunt them. So, always conceal your true appearance and abilities. Trust no one, not even fellow humans. Greed transcends race."
As he finished speaking, the ship arrived at the logistical planet. Security was exponentially tighter than in the Galactic Empire. At the center of the planet lay a colossal platform, where hundreds of thousands queued before a shimmering spatial portal.
David understood: for journeys spanning billions of light-years, even SSS-Grade ships were too slow. These portals, utilizing profound spatial laws, were the only practical way to reach distant battlefields. They also served as a security checkpoint, weeding out infiltrators before they could enter warzones.
Robert and Sophie led the way. David followed, observing the crowd. Most were Domain Realm or World Masters, with a smattering of higher-realm experts whose auras he dared not probe. The air was thick with determination and desperation—for many, the battlefield was the only path to advancement.
The queue moved efficiently. When their turn came, Robert stated their destination base number. David felt the intricate spatial laws of the portal activate, a teleportation on a scale only Immortal Kings could replicate individually. He tried to grasp its principles, but the transition was instant.
A gust of dry, metallic wind hit his face. The roar of distant engines and a faint, ozone-like scent filled the air.
A robotic voice announced flatly:
"Welcome to Base No. 14."