"Next... it is time to speak of *my* birth..."

With the arrival of the Iceflower Evil God Dragon, the scales of battle tilted subtly. No one could have predicted that humanity’s mightiest Godslayer would, at this final moment, grasp the ultimate truth and ascend to demigodhood.

As he spoke, the hunched old man’s dead-fish eyes blazed with intense light.

"Apsen—the undisputed strongest human alive!"

For the first time since the High God’s reign, another being had claimed the title of "god." Even the High God could not stay silent. He stepped forward, aligning himself with the human-Demon Kind alliance.

The scales instantly tipped in their favor. Yet at that moment, the Iceflower Evil God Dragon and Apsen forged a solemn pact:

"Throughout eternity, only one High God may exist. A god’s birth demands another’s death."

No one knew the pact’s terms. Only that afterward, the Iceflower Evil God Dragon stood beside Apsen. The Demon Princess—pregnant yet peerless in magic, her spatial arts godlike—joined them. Together, the three held back the High God’s alliance.

The High God retreated. The Iceflower Evil God Dragon, grievously wounded, vanished into the Frostbound Dragon Valley. Before disappearing, he breathed a wisp of dragon’s breath into the Princess’s womb. Meanwhile, Apsen—already battered beyond repair—spat seven mouthfuls of heartblood to forge seven giants. I was one of them. Each of us inherited a fragment of Apsen’s combat mastery. To this day, countless seek us, craving the Godslayer’s legacy..."

"What about me?! What am I?! I... I..."

Ryosuke clawed at his hair, desperate eyes fixed on the old man.

In his past life, he’d been an orphan, adopted and living an unremarkable existence.

*Was all that a lie?*

*Impossible!*

He couldn’t bear the thought. He could only beg Apsen with his gaze. His heart warred—doubt clashing with belief.

"Patience, child..." The old man’s voice softened. "After creating my kin, Apsen spent his final mouthful of heartblood on his wife’s unborn child—*you*. Then he left this world. For demigods, death is eternal. No rebirth awaits."

"Stop! Just stop! Enough!" Ryosuke roared.

Rain lashed down like bullets, stinging his skin.

"Ryosuke! My son! Listen!"

*My son...*

Those two words hammered his heart like a thousand-pound weight.

"This is a dream... like this morning. The ‘strongest Godslayer’... the pact... all a dream..." he muttered. "Heh..."

"Silence!" The old man slashed his hand through the air. Though meters apart, Ryosuke felt a phantom slap crack against his cheek. He crashed to the ground, blood welling from his lips.

Clutching his burning face, Ryosuke slowly lifted his head, stunned.

"My son!!! Before my time runs out... I beg you! Let me fulfill my final duty!" Two trails of tears carved paths down the old man’s weathered cheeks.

"Old man!" Ryosuke scrambled toward him.

"Stay back!" The elder bellowed.

Sima Liangjie froze.

"Listen..." The old man drew a deep breath. "Apsen granted us life—and a mission: protect you, help you escape. Your mother used the most forbidden spatial magic to send you to another world. The alliance tried to stop her. My kin fought desperately. Six brothers fell... but history’s greatest spatial mage completed her spell. It drained her life. She followed your father into death. I alone escaped... wandering the Origin Forest. Waiting. For a thousand years..."

"Our master—Apsen—left a prophecy: *‘Hide in the Origin Forest. After a millennium, destiny will bring him to you.’*" A faint smile touched the old man’s eyes, lost in memory.

"Honestly... when you stumbled in clutching a charred boar leg, I doubted you were the one. But your unnatural strength sparked hope. I followed you here. Then, in the Poison Fog Swamp... seeing your true face... I knew. You are the one I waited for! Apsen’s heir!" Tears streamed freely down his face.

"Sima Liangjie—*that* name isn’t yours. Your true name is..."

"*Hebrew Alexander Gomortis!*"

"Remember it well. Alexander—your father’s name. Gomortis—your mother’s. Hebrew... your birthright!"

When the old man cried his true name, Ryosuke’s fractured heart shattered completely.

In the downpour, the Iceflower Evil God Dragon wept like a child. No matter how he wiped his eyes, the tears wouldn’t stop.

"Do you hate them, Hebrew? Tell me—do you hate?!"

"I hate..."

"What do you hate?!"

"I hate Emperor Jemma the First! Why did he persecute my father?! I, Hebrew Alexander Gomortis, swear this: Jemma’s bloodline *will* pay! The empire you built—I, Hebrew Alexander Gomortis, will crush it with my own hands!"

The silver-haired youth’s roar tore through the storm. Even thunderclaps couldn’t drown out his voice.

"Good! *That’s* my son! That’s the spirit of House Alexander!" The old man’s eyes blazed with pride.

"Now... my final duty. I will impart all I know to you. Time is short. Let us begin."