Being stuck in the vast expanse of darkness that was the void, Kranos found it difficult to think clearly. However, he pressed forward, relying solely on his unyielding will.

Step by step, he clawed his way forward, slowly releasing the haunting thoughts of loneliness that had wrapped around him like chains.

It wasn't easy. Any other person trapped in the void for so long would have lost their sanity or succumbed to despair. But Kranos held on, believing that with time, he would eventually escape.

His eyes slowly opened, revealing the vast stretch of endless darkness that spread out before him like an ocean of shadow.

A faint smile curled on his lips as he felt the pressure radiating from his own body.

He had finally entered the Time Monarch Realm.

A mysterious field surrounded him, one that pulsed with ancient energy. Kranos could sense that through this field, he now had full control over the various time abilities he had painstakingly comprehended throughout his journey.

Joy surged through him. Without hesitation, he closed his eyes again, diving into his mental space to begin the transformation. He would now destroy his time palace and reconstruct it as a complete domain.

Only god incarnates were said to be capable of such a feat. Yet he, a Monarch, had grasped it.

The realization filled him with overwhelming satisfaction.

…

Far beyond the void, the outside world was anything but calm. Celestial phenomena erupted across the sky, divine lights flashing in a spectrum of colors, storms of energy spiraling out of control. These signs appeared the moment Kranos successfully stepped into the Time Monarch Realm, using the unique method he had developed for himself.

In a distant realm, a middle-aged man stood atop a floating mountain. He possessed an ethereal aura and a calm, ageless expression. His brown hair fluttered slightly in the wind as he gazed into the distance.

In his eyes, space itself appeared to ripple and stretch thin.

Beside him stood a beautiful woman with a teasing smile. Her expression held amusement and affection as she watched her husband observe the sky.

"Our son is truly troublesome," Raphael said with a sigh. "Not only is he a time cultivator, but he also triggers divine revelations like it's nothing."

The woman chuckled softly. "I told you not to marry me if you didn't want the entire divine realms and even the higher worlds to be in unrest."

Raphael turned to her with a look of mock astonishment. "Wife, when did you learn to joke like that? If I hadn't married you, would our son be this talented? He is able to comprehend the path of time with terrifying ease."

Annabelle blushed slightly before her expression turned serious. "This is the second time he's done something like this. If you send one of your disciples to speak to the Immortal Heavenly Dao, I fear it won't respond. You need to go yourself and beat some sense into it."

Raphael let out a light laugh and nodded. "Wife, you're absolutely right. Give me a few seconds. I won't allow anyone or anything to interfere with our son's breakthrough."

As he finished speaking, Raphael turned to the space before him and extended his hands. With a swift movement, he tore open the fabric of space itself.

The space before him shattered like glass, revealing a swirling void. Within the rift, an enormous eye stared back at him. It radiated light in every color imaginable, exuding a dreadful, ancient pressure.

Raphael gave Annabelle a sideways glance, then turned toward the eye that now trembled slightly in fear. It could sense the terrifying power that stood before it.

"Eye of the Immortal Heavenly Dao," Raphael said, his voice resonating deeply, "let us have a little chat."

His laughter echoed throughout the void, refusing to fade away.

…

Unaware of the storm he had stirred and of the actions taken by his parents' true bodies, Kranos continued to cultivate, his body absorbing waves of time essence.

Moments later, he fully stepped into the Time Monarch Realm.

As the process completed, the system interface materialized before him, its radiant light flashing with a new message.

[Congratulations on stepping into the Time Monarch Realm after successfully modifying the Monarch-level cultivation technique. You have earned the right to transcend time and space and comprehend a technique from a time cultivator of a forgotten era.]

Kranos's heart surged with excitement. What sort of ability would he learn this time?

Previously, merely observing a time cultivator had granted him the knowledge to absorb time points from others.

Before he could think further, space twisted around him and his surroundings changed.

He appeared in a tranquil courtyard surrounded by tall trees swaying gently in the wind. The faint scent of blooming lotus flowers lingered in the air.

In the center sat an old man, seemingly unbothered by the world. His long white hair flowed gently in the breeze, and his eyes remained shut as he meditated.

Kranos hovered nearby, unseen. The old man had not noticed his presence, nor did he react to the spatial fluctuation.

The wind rustled the trees again, casting dancing shadows on the stone tiles.

Kranos waited, but nothing happened.

After what felt like an eternity, footsteps echoed softly as a middle-aged woman stepped into the courtyard. Her face was pale, her eyes swollen from crying.

"Father," she cried out, "my daughter just called me. She's trapped in the Forbidden Ocean. She's about to be erased. Please, you must help her!"

Her voice cracked with desperation. She did not care that the old man was deep in cultivation. She cried out loudly, her voice raw with emotion.

The old man furrowed his brow, clearly annoyed. Yet, upon hearing her sobs, he slowly opened his eyes.

"I told you not to disturb me while I am cultivating," he said in a calm, gentle voice. "There are many things I still need to comprehend. You know the path of time is far more difficult than most."

The woman bowed slightly, wiping tears from her cheeks. She muttered under her breath, "But you're the only one I know who can traverse space and time. You can recall any place you've been to and return there instantly. The Forbidden Ocean is too far. I fear my daughter will die before I can reach her."

The old man let out a deep sigh, then vanished.

Kranos's eyes widened as he followed the scene.

They appeared before the Forbidden Ocean. A monstrous beast loomed over the clouds, its body so vast it seemed to block out the sun. Its scales glimmered with malevolent energy.

A young woman stood before it, trembling. Her face was pale, her breathing ragged.

The beast stared at her with mockery in its gaze. It clearly could have killed her at any moment, yet it chose to toy with her instead.

Suddenly, the wind shifted. The very fabric of space cracked open.

The old man appeared before the girl.

"Granddaughter, you must stop venturing into forbidden lands. You make your mother worry far too much."

His voice was stern, but not harsh.

The young woman's expression shifted from terror to joy.

"Grandfather!" she cried out. Her voice was full of relief. With him here, she knew she was saved.

She rushed forward, then pointed at the beast.

"Grandfather, this creature was bullying me."

The sky beast sneered and turned toward the old man.

"Who are you, old one? To enter the Forbidden Ocean uninvited... your strength is decent, but not impressive. Bow before me and I might let you leave with your life."

The old man patted his granddaughter's head and stepped forward.

"A creature that has lived so long should have learned manners by now. Perhaps the Fifth Calamity will teach you some."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a swirling gate of energy opened. Within it, an image of a horrific calamity played out in his mind, warping the space around him.

The beast's expression twisted into horror.

"No. Not the Fifth Calamity!" it screamed, but before it could escape, the vortex pulled it in.

Kranos's body stiffened.

The word calamity struck a deep fear into his core.

He turned toward the dimensional rift the old man had summoned. Inside, time seemed to freeze, and Kranos could not breathe.

From the other side, he saw a red eyeball. It was larger than a universe, and it pulsed with ancient malice.

A crushing wave of despair slammed into him.

Before he could react, the vision shattered like fragile glass, and he returned to the real world.

But his heart remained unsettled.

What had he just seen?

Though it was just an eyeball, Kranos was certain it belonged to a creature. A living calamity.

Only now did he truly understand.

Calamities were not natural disasters.

They were living beings.

Entities of such scale and horror that they could destroy worlds by simply appearing.

He had barely survived looking at the Fifth Calamity. What of the others?

What kind of monstrous entity held the rank of First?

Kranos felt his mind spin, the weight of the truth pressing against his chest.

For a brief moment, he feared Kathryn had been right.

Perhaps he should not have killed her. Maybe she really was meant to stop the calamities from arriving.

Countless thoughts swirled through his mind. But he shook them off.

He was not strong enough now, but he would do everything in his power to grow stronger before the calamities descended upon the world.

With determination burning in his eyes, Kranos turned to the system screen now flashing with light.

He stared at the newly comprehended time skill, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, his heart felt light again.

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