The death of the Chaos Destroyer seemed to ring silence through the chaotic void as peace returned once again.

However, the Hero who ended it all lay motionless in the void, as if lifeless.

Having no concept of time, he floated endlessly, detached from the world.

Falling into an eternal sleep, the world continued to exist without his presence.

---

Meanwhile, in the Planar Chaos Region, prosperity continued to advance.

With the Chaos Destroyer no longer a threat, they quickly suppressed the endless tide of dark beasts, using them for growth.

Yet, despite this apparent prosperity, there was an underlying sense of melancholy among all beings.

Though they knew that their Hero had not truly died, seeing him not return and fade from the memories of most, they suddenly understood the cruelty of the world.

Even the Hero who once held the hopes and beliefs of everyone could be forgotten by time. If that was the case, then what of them?

Were they not more insignificant than dust, which could at least last longer?

Of course, not everyone had forgotten their Hero, Maximus Shadowcrest.

All the Archons, Overlords, Dimensional Emperors, and Apex Sovereigns who remained uncorrupted by time still remembered that mighty figure clearly.

More importantly, they had not stopped searching!

Led by the Shadowcrest Family, most of the Archons and Overlords scoured every inch of the endless chaos without pause.

Though they remained silent, they knew that the pillar which had once held the sky was still brimming with vitality.

They just needed to wait, be patient, keep looking, keep believing, and keep persisting.

One day, or someday, the sun would rise again, dazzling everyone with its appearance.

---

Soon, after hundreds of millions of years, billions of years, and tens of epochs had passed, the silent, endless chaos began to tremble.

Maximus, who had been sleeping until now, suddenly opened his eyes.

With no time to reminisce, he hurriedly controlled the overwhelming power that threatened to burst from his body.

Nurtured by the Myriad Essence he had absorbed from the Chaos Destroyer, his core of origin finally broke through, beginning to merge with the chaos itself.

Transitioning from an ordinary creature to a Chaos Being, Maximus began to reign in his power, preventing it from spiraling out of control.

Drawing from his path of law, physique, spirit, will, and every power he had mastered, Maximus started to harness everything to fuel his evolution.

Fortunately, during this time, nurtured by the Myriad Chaos, his flawed foundation was restored to perfection and even surpassed its previous state.

With no flaws or blemishes, his being began to merge seamlessly with the void.

After his core of origin, his three primordial physiques followed suit.

First, the Myriad Physique, containing the powers of all beings in the Planar Chaos Region. Then, the Plane Source Physique, capable of producing and replicating all forms of energy. And finally, the True Path, containing every fate and path within chaos!

Ascending into the Physique of Chaos, they underwent sublimation, becoming more perfect and flawless.

Erasing any shortcomings, empowering every advantage, and ascending to a peak previously unattainable, Maximus felt his body ready to explode with power!

From the omniscient might of his Myriad of Maxim, to the omnipotence of the Myriad Physique and Plane Source Physique, to the omnipresence of his True Path Physique!

Sublimating all of it into one, what followed was the transformation of his spirit and will.

From a mortal creature to a being of chaos, Maximus' entire existence began to transcend to a magnitude never seen before.

Becoming invulnerable, all-pervading, endless, and eternal, Maximus' spirit and will ascended to a dimension fundamentally different from that of ordinary creatures.

---

Soon, with his core of origin, physique, path, spirit, and will all transitioning to chaos, Maximus completed his evolution.

Calming his raging strength, he finally had the time to look around.

"You all…"

Attracted by the commotion he had caused, his family, friends, subordinates, and all beings who believed in him stood rooted, gazing at him in surprise and delight.

"Maximus…"

"Husband…"

"Father…"

"Grandfather…"

"Great-grandfather…"

"Your Majesty!"

"Hero…"

"Maximus Shadowcrest…"

As they called his name, their disbelief began to fade, and the reality of the situation grew clearer.

"I'm back…"

Looking at everyone's beaming smiles, Maximus' lips curled into a grin.

Although he had been unconscious the entire time, Maximus could estimate how much time had passed based on the flow of chaos.

Seeing their fatigue and faces covered in the dust of time, he could only imagine the immense effort they had put into searching for him.

Especially his wives, his children, and all his family; looking at their tear-filled eyes, filled with joy, Maximus couldn't help but feel guilty.

To defeat the Chaos Destroyer, Maximus had truly given it his all.

If not for the Myriad Essence he had extracted after, he might not even be alive right now.

"I'm sorry, I made you worry…"

"You don't have to blame yourself. The important thing is you're alive~"

Jumping into his arms, his wives gazed at him with love and affection.

Throughout these tens of epochs, they hadn't stopped thinking about Maximus for even a moment.

Although they knew he was alive through their connection to their origin, they had no idea of his condition.

Whether he was lost, weakened, trapped, or even vanished into an entirely different chaos region.

Yet, holding on to hope, to the fate they shared, they continued searching, waiting for the day they would reunite.

Soon, after giving each of his wives the warmth of his embrace, Maximus turned toward his children.

"How have you been while I was gone? Are you doing okay?" he asked, like a father who had just returned from a long journey.

"Father!~"

Jumping into his embrace, they cried like abandoned children, finally finding their father, who still wanted them.

Although they had grown old, built careers, and started their own families, the childlike innocence in their hearts remained whenever they were with their father.

"Don't cry, I'm here…"

Comforting each of his children, he turned toward his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

"Little ones, your grandfather is back! Why don't you shower me with hugs and kisses?" Maximus lightened the mood.

"Grandfather!" "Great-grandfather~"

Yearning for the pillar who had taken the family to greater heights and protected them from the surrounding darkness, the joy in their hearts began to overflow.

Soon, after comforting everyone in his family, Maximus turned to the others.

"Let's go back home…"

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