The prime suspect—and real murderer—of Lucas had already entered the portal leading to Nexus. He was expecting to arrive in a random expanse at any moment… but it didn't happen.
Evan, who had closed his eyes to avoid nausea during teleportation, sensed something was off. His body felt stuck—suspended. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
He felt light, almost weightless. Floating, in fact. He was drifting in a tunnel of pure darkness, endless and quiet.
"Huh? Where… where am I? Wasn't I supposed to be teleported into a random expanse?" Evan murmured, a sense of unease rising in his chest. The eerie stillness reminded him of the time he was momentarily trapped in the void—a terrifying memory.
"Hey, Arven… do you know what's happening?" Evan called out, voice tinged with nervousness.
"What is it, kid? Something wrong?" Arven replied calmly, still busy syncing with the system.
"I think I'm stuck here. Can you help me? I might end up dying in this place."
"Oh, come on," Arven sighed, clearly unbothered. "Do you really think I've got time for something so basic? Let the system handle it."
With a casual flick of his finger, a panel materialized in front of Evan. Its colour and design were unmistakable—it belonged to the Eternal Omniverse System.
─────────────────────────────
◆ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ◆
[Host has entered:
[Sub-realms detected within the current realm.]
[Please select a sub-realm to enter:]
1. Zeroth Expanse
2. First Expanse
3. Second Expanse
4. Third Expanse
5. Fourth Expanse
6. Fifth Expanse
7. Sixth Expanse
8. Seventh Expanse [🔒]
─────────────────────────────
"Huh… wait, I can actually choose now?" Evan blinked in surprise.
[Affirmative. Please select the sub-realm you wish to enter.]
"Why is the Seventh Expanse locked?"
[Access denied. Seventh Expanse becomes available at Tier 6.]
"Oh… got it. Haha, thanks I guess." Evan smiled weakly. "Then send me to the Zeroth Expanse."
[Selection confirmed. Transferring Host to Sub-realm: Zeroth Expanse.]
As the panel vanished, Evan's body jerked. He felt himself being pulled—like gravity had suddenly returned—and the next moment, he landed at the entrance of a wide hallway.
Dozens of people moved about, some going left, others right. Evan stood in the middle, taking in the surroundings. The atmosphere felt… lively.
He turned toward an older-looking man nearby and politely tapped his shoulder.
"Excuse me, sir. Can I ask which expanse this is?"
The man turned and chuckled warmly. "Ah, first time in the Zeroth Expanse, huh? Lucky you. It's a good starting point. If you're new, see that guide over there. First-time tours are free—but next time, you'll have to pay."
With a hearty laugh, the man rejoined his party of eight and walked off.
'What a cheerful guy… not many like that in the higher expanses,' Evan thought with a soft chuckle.
He glanced toward the guide but decided against asking for help. He preferred exploring on his own, as usual.
Following the crowd, he navigated his way through the corridor. After a short while, he emerged from the massive structure—which resembled a castle, though it didn't seem to belong to any Lord.
Curious about who governed this area, Evan explored further. After asking around and observing, he came to a conclusion: there was no ruling lord here. This territory was managed entirely by the system itself.
It functioned like a proper settlement, bustling with bars, inns, butcheries, guild posts, patrol guards, schools, and adventurer academies—like something straight out of a fantasy novel.
Nexus society, as Evan recalled from his readings, was divided into three main types of beings:
First were the Travelers/ Adventurers—people like him who entered the Nexus from other worlds via portals. Many different races existed, and humans were just one among many.
Second were the Natives—those born within the expanse. They lived like any normal population, capable of levelling up, evolving, and even ascending to higher expanses, though the process was often random.
Third were the Monsters—creatures that lived throughout the Nexus. Like the others, they could evolve, and some even reached the limits of their expanse, though only a few managed to transcend.
And that was just scratching the surface. The Nexus was too vast, too complex, to fully understand in a single lifetime—unless you were an immortal Tier 4 being or higher.
'Anyway, that's enough info-dumping for now,' Evan told himself. His first priority was finding a place to rest. It was already getting late.
He asked around for inn recommendations, and although he got a few suggestions, one inn was mentioned the most—popular, albeit a little pricey.
Luckily, someone gave him a map of the central district, helping him navigate the bustling town.
He followed the directions and reached his destination—a large, busy inn filled with the sounds of laughter, clinking mugs, and chatter.
'Still lively… reminds me of the upper expanses,' Evan thought as he stepped inside.
Looking around the main hall, he didn't see any reception desk, so he walked toward the bar, where a bartender was serving drinks.
"Excuse me, can I book a room here?"
The bartender raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Kid, is this your first time here?"
"Yeah… is something wrong?"
"Plenty." The man laughed louder. "What you just asked shouldn't come from someone who's been here before. This area is the dining hall—the reception's past that door with the big sign above it. Didn't you see it?"
The bartender's voice was loud enough for others nearby to hear. The entire hall erupted in laughter.
"Oh… sorry. I guess I got too caught up exploring…" Evan muttered, flustered. He quickly excused himself and made his way out, cheeks burning.
He could still hear the laughter behind him.
'Shit… made myself look like a clown the moment I arrived. Great first impression, Evan,' he groaned internally, vowing to stay more alert.
This time, he actually read the sign before stepping through the door into the main lobby. There, several adventurers were checking in and out. He approached the reception, where a lady and a man were assisting customers.
"Hello sir, what can I do for you?" the lady asked with a kind smile.
"Um… I'm new to the Zeroth Expanse. Just arrived. Could I get a room for one person?"
She nodded and checked availability. "Yes, we have plenty of rooms. A single room is 8 Bronze Coins. With two meals, it's 10 Bronze. Do you have the money? If not, you can head to the Adventurers' Guild to register and exchange materials for coins. I can hold your room key until you return."
"Oh, no worries. I've got coins on me," Evan replied, fishing them out.
He handed her 9 Bronze Coins and requested one night's stay with a single meal, delivered to his room.
"No need for extra payment on the delivery—it's complimentary for first-time guests," the receptionist said with a smile, handing him the room key.
Evan thanked her and headed up the stairs. His room was on the second floor—Room 215.
It didn't take him long to find it. The room was modest, with a bed, table, and chair. A single window beside the bed offered a view of the street outside, where the nightlife was just beginning.
Evan lay on the bed—it wasn't especially comfortable, but it matched the price.
As he waited for his meal, he opened his status panel. No major changes—still Level 70. His stats were stable, and most of his class skills had peaked for now.
He checked on Arven, wondering if he was done with the system sync—but Arven snapped at him for interrupting again, causing another delay.
"Fine, fine. I'll stop bothering you…" Evan muttered, deciding to wait patiently.
Soon, a knock came at the door.
Evan opened it, dagger hidden in hand, only to find a teenage boy standing there with a tray of food.
"Um… hello, sir. I'm Theo. Here's your food."
"Oh, thanks. I was waiting for that," Evan said, putting the dagger away and accepting the tray.
"Sorry for the delay. I was helping out in the kitchen… It won't happen again, I promise!" the boy bowed repeatedly, clearly nervous.
"It's fine. No big deal." Evan reached into his pocket and handed him a Bronze Coin. "Here's a tip—but don't tell anyone, alright?"
"Oh no, sir! I can't take that! If Madam finds out, I'll be punished!"
"Then just say you ran an errand for me and got paid for that. Simple."
Theo hesitated… then nodded. "Thank you, sir!" he said with a bright smile before hurrying off.
'Heh… same kind of expression as me. Nervous and awkward. But this reflex to grab my weapon at every knock—that'll be a problem someday…' Evan sighed.
He set the tray down, finally ready to eat.
The meal wasn't majestic but good as it contained two loaves of bread, a meat soup and a roasted potato with a sweet cream above it.
After finishing the meal, he put aside the tray and went to bed for a quick rest but it became a proper rest as he fell into sweet dreams.
Early in the morning, Evan was still fast asleep, wrapped in a pleasant dream—until a sudden, hard slap landed across his face.
"AAAH—!"He shot up with a scream, instincts kicking in as he gripped his dagger, ready to attack.
But it wasn't a stranger.
Standing there, looking both guilty and serious, was none other than Arven.
"W-What the hell, Arven?! Why would you wake me up like that?" Evan shouted groggily, rubbing his cheek with a scowl.
Arven crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. "Dumb kid. First, lower your voice. Second, while I'm working hard to restore your system, you're here sleeping like a rock. Do you think this is a game? I'm not doing this for fun!"
Evan blinked, finally fully awake as Arven continued, "The system is done authorizing. It needs you now."
Evan's eyes widened. He turned toward his interface—and sure enough, the previously locked and chained display was gone. In its place, system panels began to flicker alive.
[Ding! A new host has been detected within the system mainframe.]
[Initiating Divine Relic compatibility check. Please do not move during the process.][Loading... 1%... 6%... 11%... 25%... 41%... 59%... 83%... 99%... 100%.]
[Divine Relic scan complete. Host recognized.]
[System connection stabilized.]
[Host functions successfully linked.]
[Ding! A minor subsystem administrator has been detected within the host. Would you like to sever its link and devour the subsystem to gain control over its core? Yes/No.]
"Wait, what? No—I didn't mean to do anything like that!" Evan quickly replied, confused.
[Ding! Acknowledged. The system will leave the minor subsystem intact as per your choice. It is not essential for system optimization.]
[Host preference confirmed. Constructing ideal system structure.]
[Ding! Would you like to copy the subsystem's mainframe to remodel your system layout? Yes/No.]
"If it's just copying, that's fine," Evan nodded cautiously.
As soon as he agreed, several new panels blinked into existence before him—sleek, clean, and unfamiliar.
======
[Eternal Omni-Verse System]
[Status]
[Inventory]
[Quest]
[Shop 🔒]
======
"…Wait, where's the rest of it?" Evan muttered. "What happened to all the other menus? Arven, did you mess with something again?"
Arven scratched the back of his head, giving an awkward shrug. "Technically, no. The system is still booting and recalibrating most of its deeper functions. This is all I could unlock for now. You'll just have to wait a little longer."
Then he added with a smirk, "But trust me—you won't even need the rest for a while. Just open up your Status panel for now. Take a look at yourself."
Evan sighed, not entirely convinced. A part of him felt betrayed… but another part knew that having something was better than nothing.
So he opened the Status screen.
And what he saw next left him speechless.
=======
[Status]
◇ Name: Evan Windstone
◇ Race: Human (100%)
◇ Age: 18 (+723)
◇ Title: The Limit Breaker, Holder of the Monarch Physique, Returnee (Second Time), Transmigrator (Third Time), Legacy Holder of the Forgotten Being
◇ Tier: 0, Mortal
◇ Soul Grade: Bronze
◇ Level: 70 [ 7,522 / 87,500]
◇ Bounded Item: Mask of concealment (Ephemeral Rank) {Stage 0}
◇ Legacy: Wraith-bound Mantle of the Forgotten <0%>
◇ Physique: Death Monarch
◇ Talents:
Plunder (Quasi God), Infinite Evolution & Enchantment (Supreme, Mutated), Supreme Adaptation (Supreme), Transcendent Body (Transcendent) [🔒], Replica of Halo of Luck Goddesses (Quasi-God) [🔒], Gravitic Vein (A), Reaper's Frenzy (D), Draconic Insight (SSS Rank) [🔒], Radiant Sanctum (S Rank)
◇ Class:
Necromancer (SS+), Mage (E), Weapon Master (F-), Blacksmith (B+) [🔒], Alchemist (S-) [🔒], Rune Enchanter (S+) [🔒]
◆ HP: 13,240 (Regen: 66.20/min)
◆ MP: 19,330 (Regen: 96.65/min)
◆ Strength (STR): 96 {+12 Red} (67↑)
◆ Agility (AGL): 61 {+12 Red} (81↑)
◆ Vitality (VIT): 24 {+13 Red} (47↑)
◆ Intelligence (INT): 33 {+19 Red} (134↑)
◆ Endurance (END): 55 {+10 Red} (23↑)
◆ Stamina (STA): 04 {+10 Red} (66↑)
◆ Spirit (SPT): 20 {+4 Red} (60↑)
◆ Unassigned Stats: 00 (0↑)
◆ Attack Power:3,068.4 (Physical, {STR+AGL} *1.2) | 2,899.5 (Elemental, INT*1.5)
◆ Defense:2059+160 ({END+STA} 1)
◆ Storage Summon:2,613/4,200
--> 852 × Normal Summons
--> 349 × Elite Summons
--> 2 × Mid-Boss Summon
◆ Hidden Stats:
Luck: ? (Self) + 542 (Plundered)
Willpower: 91
Perception: 52
Charisma: 67
◆ Abilities:
➤ Elemental Manipulation (SSS), True Dragon Body (SSS) [🔒]
◆ Skills
Passive: Low-Grade Poison Resistance (Lv.5), Blade of the Tempest (Lv.21), Heat Rampage (Lv.19)
Active: Shadow Leap (Lv.21), Phantom Bond – Zephoros (Lv.?), Leap (Lv.23), Mighty Roar (Lv.22), Meteor Dash (Lv.17), Seismic Rupture (Lv.4), Camouflage (Lv.11), Blaze Heal (Lv.16)
◆ Class Skills
Necromancer (SS):
Raise Undead (Lv.63), Necro Heal (Lv.72), Undead Storage (Lv.Max), Death Bolt (Lv.50), Bone Armor (Lv.41), Undead Summoning (Lv.22), Death March (Passive) (Lv.37), Dark Veil (Lv.25), Bone Cage (Lv.38), Corrupting Touch (Special, Active), Dark Art Mastery (Lv.Max, Active/Passive)
Mage (E):
Arcane Bolt (Lv.Max), Mana Shield (Lv.Max), Magical Focus (Passive) (Lv.Max), Spark (Lv.Max), Elemental Affinity (Passive) (Lv.Max), Ice Spike (Lv.Max)
Weapon Master (F):
Weapon Mastery (Passive) (Lv.Max), Power Slash (Lv.Max), Quick Swap (Lv.Max), Basic Battle Instinct (Lv.Max), Dual Wielding (Passive) (Lv.Max), Combat Eye (Special, Passive)
[GodRelic]
ArvenType: Hybrid-Type (Support/Defense/Offense)
Rank: Absolute
Stats per Level: None (Devour Destined ones to gain)
Abilities:
1. [Absolute Rank] {Stage 0}
→ Scans a wide area to detect Destined Ones, hidden treasures, and fate-based opportunities.
→ Range, clarity, and detection strength increase based on Destined Ones slain.
2.
→ Locks all space and dimensional movement within a radius.
→ Prevents teleportation, void escape, and soul fragmentation from leaving the sealed area.
3.
→ Upon killing a Destined One, receive insight into the future opportunities they could've gained by the slained one.
→ These fate remnants help guide the user toward parallel fortune routes.
4.
→ User's fate becomes undetectable to anyone below Tier 9.
→ When near Destined Ones, grants stat boosts based on their fate tier.
5.
→ Devours the luck of slain Destined Ones.
→ Increases drop rate, critical rate, and opportunity alignment. Gains stackable passive fortune.
6.
→ Increase host defence by 50% when equipped. (Active)
→ Doubles soul defence and grants passive resistance to illusions and mental attacks. (Passive)
→ Creates a Soul Ward that blocks 1 fatal blow every 12 hours. (Passive)
7.
→ Increase host damage by 50% when equipped. (Active)
→ Doubles soul damage and boosts attack speed by 20%. (Passive)
→ Attacks inflict "Mark of Finality," reducing enemy healing and soul regen. (Active)
8.
→ Every 500 souls condensed into the soul weapon form a Soul Core (limit: 3 cores).
→ Each core can unleash a burst attack at x5 attack power.
→ Limit will increase with relic evolution.
9-16. Locked(Unlocks as host devours the destined ones.)
=======
"What the hell is this...?"Evan's voice trembled as his eyes scanned the screen. "Are you seriously telling me I've had this much going on in my body… and I didn't even know?!"
He stared at the panels in disbelief—his hands slightly shaking as the system revealed a staggering amount of detail about his existence.
"Yes," Arven replied calmly. "That old, trash-tier system of yours couldn't reveal everything. But this system? This one sees everything. Even the hidden layers of your being—my legacy, my relic's abilities, the sealed information, the buried potential—it's all there now."
He pointed to various sections of the screen that highlighted long-concealed truths.
"It's incredible, sure," Evan muttered, still in awe. "But damn… this is too much. This system screen is longer than the status I had even when I was a demigod. It's overwhelming."
Indeed, the Eternal Omni-Verse System was tracking every single detail. From his original reincarnations to his transmigration into Ceruleth, from soul fragments to obscure body states—it was all laid bare.
But Evan's attention quickly shifted. He wasn't just here to marvel at system data. There was something more important.
"Alright, Talent," Evan said, eyes narrowing. "Can you finally evolve my stuff now, or what? If this system can't do it, then I don't know what can."
[
[
"…Excuse me?" Evan shouted, eyebrows twitching. "What the hell did you just say?!"
There was no response. The system fell completely silent, clearly ignoring his outrage after that casual roast.
"Tch. I swear, I'm going to find that candidate one day and ask how he kept his sanity using this sarcastic system…" Evan muttered under his breath.
Still, with Arven's earlier advice echoing in his mind, he moved forward.
"Fine. Let's do this."
Evan reached for the panel and selected the option he'd been saving for the right moment.
[
[
[
He clenched his fists as the system began to hum with activity.
Whatever came next... would change everything.
[
1. Undead Monarch
Requirements:
→ Fuse 10 cores of Undead-attributed Emperor Rank Entities
→ 160,000 EEP
Focus:
Necrotic Control, Undead Summoning, Corpse Weaponry, Bonecraft
Bonus Privilege:
+25 Vitality / +15 Strength / +10 Endurance / +5 Corpse Affinity
Hidden Stat Unlocked: Corpse Affinity
Exclusive Trait – Throne of Bone: Gain +35% to all stats when standing on bone terrain or undead fields.
Additional Traits:
Raise undead generals with personalities and instincts
Command entire undead armies using Bone Crown
Rebuild your body mid-battle using corpse essence
High resistance to plagues and soul erosion
2. Soul Monarch
Requirements:
→ Sacrifice 100,000 living souls
→ 120,000 EEP
Focus:
Soul Manipulation, Ghost Creation, Spirit Chains, Memory Theft
Bonus Privilege:
+35 Intelligence / +20 Spirit / +10 Agility / +6 Soul Dominance
Hidden Stat Unlocked: Soul Dominance
Exclusive Trait – Soul Bypass: Soul attacks ignore 50% of enemy soul defence
Additional Traits:
Disintegrates enemy souls with shadow-based attacks
Absorb memories/skills from devoured souls
Curse a target's fate using a victim's soul
Create soul-based artifacts and seals
3. Nether Monarch
Requirements:
→ Refine a Netherworld Core
→ Possess a Fragment of Tier 8 Death Law
→ 150,000 EEP
Focus:
Personal Realm Creation, Death Law Amplification, Soul Trapping
Bonus Privilege:
+40 Intelligence / +25 Endurance / +15 Spirit / +8 Realm Control
Hidden Stat Unlocked: Realm Control
Exclusive Trait – Netherworld Anchor: Domain becomes semi-permanent and persists across dimensions unless shattered by stronger laws
Additional Traits:
Create a personal Netherworld realm that devours life and energy
Enhance Death abilities within the Netherworld
Suppress resurrection and spiritual healing inside the realm
Slain enemies become realm-bound shades
4. Void Death Monarch
Requirements:
→ Destroy a full Soul World
→ Inherit a Void-Death Sin Core or Fragment
→ 180,000 EEP
Focus:
Anti-Life Energy, Void Corruption, Spatial Death, Soul Collapse
Bonus Privilege:
+50 Intelligence / +25 Agility / +25 Spirit / +10 Null Factor
Hidden Stat Unlocked: Null Factor
Exclusive Trait – Void Emperor's Presence: Passive 10-meter aura where enemy skills cost 2x more to activate
Additional Traits:
Attacks erase enemies from existence
Generate anti-life fields that nullify regen, resurrection, and skills
Immunity to karma, prophecy, soul-detection, and fate threads
Tap into the Concept of Nullification
5. Death Monarch (I) [Hidden Path]
Requirements:
→ Devour a Tier 2 Death-Attributed Lord Core
→ Accumulate 70,000 EEP
→ Must resist fate and avoid being chosen by other evolution lines
Focus:
Death Energy, Necrotic Energy, Soul (Locked), Life (Locked), Darkness (Locked), Void (Locked), Shadow (Locked), Space (Locked), Time (Locked), Null (Locked), Nether (Locked), Fate & Destiny (Locked)
Bonus Privilege:
+20 to all stats
Traits:
Forms a unique, evolving Death Physique tied to destructive abstract forces
Unlocks new Domains and talents at each stage
Grants potential control over multiple Laws
Awards Body Talent with each physique evolution stage]
When the results appeared, Evan's jaw dropped again. After reviewing them carefully, he looked at Arven, conflicted.
"Hey… can you help me decide between the top four? You've seen way more than me, so you probably have better judgment."
Arven raised an eyebrow. "Why are you even asking me? This is your evolution."
"Because I'm clueless about these things," Evan shot back. "The fifth one's out of the question. It looks like a sealed nightmare. So you're all I've got."
Arven sighed, giving the system panel one last glance before nodding. "Alright then, here's what I think:
Undead Monarch—that's the simplest one. It's rooted in your Necromancer class and your strength-type build. But it's short-term. At best, you'll hit Tier 7 or maybe Tier 8. After that, you'll stagnate. It's not worth it.
Soul Monarch—now this one is dangerous. It's powerful and ruthless, great for combat. But it's too one-dimensional. You'll become heavily reliant on soul manipulation and lose flexibility. That could cap you at early Tier 9, maybe less.
Nether Monarch—honestly? This one's a gem. It allows you to build your own domain and even begin forming a divine realm. Multiple enlightenment chances… high dominance potential. But its requirements are brutal. You'd probably need to hit Tier 8 first just to begin meeting them, which makes it risky if you want consistent growth.
Void Death Monarch—this one… is terrifying. And brilliant. It's aggressive, sharp, and potent. Two of the strongest elements aligned—Void and Death. And while the requirements are steep, they're within reach. With luck and timing, we can find that Sin Core. It's a real contender.
But now… let me see this fifth one you keep brushing off."
Evan paused, hesitating.
"I really think the fourth one suits me better," he said, trying to change the subject. "Let's just skip the fifth—"
"Wait a damn minute—" Arven's voice hardened as his gaze fell on the hidden path. "Did you actually try to hide this from me?!"
Evan stepped back as the relic's aura flared.
"Do you even understand what this means? This path isn't like the others—it's alive, constantly growing. It holds twelve domains—twelve, Evan! Death, Soul, Time, Space, even Fate. You're not just evolving—you're becoming a walking calamity."
"But… the bonuses are so low. Just +20 to all stats? Compare that to the other ones," Evan muttered defensively.
"You're thinking too small!" Arven barked. "That's just the first layer! This path is built differently—it grows layer by layer, evolving with every milestone. Each layer gives you new talents, new elemental domains, and total integration with destructive forces. The others stop. This one doesn't."
Evan blinked, stunned.
"Damn… okay, fine! If you're so sure, then I'll do it!" he said, clicking the fifth path with a sigh of resignation. "There, it's done. Now leave me alone."
Arven groaned, rubbing his forehead as Evan wandered off again to explore the rest of the system like a sulking brat.
--To Be Continued...