Amid the groans and chaos, I did not move. Instead, my intent slid to my storage ring, I withdrew the Barnacle-Eyed Compass. Its surface was crusted with strange growths, as though dredged up from the bottom of some forgotten ocean, yet the single lidless barnacle eye in its center twitched open the moment it tasted my aura. I breathed once. Then released my Kingly Intent into it. The compass shuddered. The eye snapped wide, its lid of shell cracking, veins of light bursting out.
Strange glyphs surfaced across its frame as though burned there by my king level intent. The needle inside spun madly, searching, then locked toward the ring of towering statues encircling Inheritance Plaza. My gaze followed it. Not at random. Not the to the Sirens or Beast lords, not to the draconic sovereigns, not to the divine-lord effigies.
And for the first time, I understood the statues were not merely ornamental—they were silent promises. Each one a monument of power bequeathed by emperors, kings, sovereigns who had once walked this land. The one that the needle of my compass trembled toward was…
I moved slowly through the myriad of statues, each one massive, each one a testament to centuries of mastery and conquest. My steps were measured, almost reverent, though my senses hummed with excitement. The Barnacle-Eyed Compass tingled in my palm, the single eye twitching like it could see into the future.
With each step, I felt the residual qi of the past sovereigns—some cold, some burning with fury, some serene as though they were merely waiting. Then, suddenly, the compass quivered violently, its needle snapping toward one particular statue. The compass was pointing directly toward a single towering figure. My eyes followed the direction, and my breath caught. There, bathed in ethereal light, stood a beautiful youthful figure, serene and radiant.
It was the statue of the Eternal Firefly King. Hundreds of tiny motes of luminescent light swirled around him, like captured stars, dancing in silent patterns. His gaze was steady, almost alive, and I felt an inexplicable pull—an affinity that tugged at my chest, my dantian, my very soul. My heart pounded. I had walked among emperors, lords, and conquerors, yet this one… this youth...called to me.
The air around the statue shimmered as if it sensed my presence. The compass's barnacle eye stared directly at it, glowing a deeper azure than before. For the first time, I understood: this Inheritance was not just about power. It was about legacy, destiny, and a path toward eternity. A shiver ran down my spine as I stepped closer, knowing that accepting this Inheritance would change everything. I whispered under my breath, almost to myself, "This… this is mine."
The Eternal Firefly King seemed to pulse in response, tiny lights spiraling faster, and I felt the first stirrings of a connection unlike any I had ever experienced.
It was no longer just about tokens or battle—it was about a resonance deep in my being, calling me toward the path of true immortality.
Advertisement