Noah was on his knees right now, because the damage he had just received had almost crushed his brain.

The monster looked in Noah's direction with its lazy eyes and then turned away, moving again toward that source of light.

It was not interested in Noah because it had something far more important to do.

It needed to go there and secure that supreme bloodline fruit.

The ruler would come out soon to eat that fruit and ascend.

Yes, it was a guard of the ruler of this forest.

Ten seconds later, Noah finally healed completely, but fear still lingered in his eyes.

"I need to know what is going on there."

But he had a bad feeling that the place was extremely dangerous.

"System, I want to buy two years worth of protection period for my empire."

[7.3 quintillion coins are required. Confirm?]

"Yes."

[Worldwide Announcement: For the next two years, the Earth Empire is under the protection of the system.]

All the native powerhouses were stunned into silence.

Because they knew how much wealth this required.

Even they did not possess such an enormous amount.

Yet somehow, that damn bastard managed to do it.

"The Earth Empire is safe. A supreme civilization is going to appear here soon."

There was no doubt about it. This civilization was different. They were becoming stronger almost every day.

....

In the forest, Noah decided to go there, but not as a human.

His physique was special, so he could copy the physique of a monster and enter safely.

"Metamorphosis."

He created the skill accordingly.

Noah had already killed many mythical-grade monsters. He took the form of a mythical lion and began walking forward.

His movements were majestic, just like a true lion. His bloodline, constitution, and every physical trait became identical to that mythical lion he had killed earlier.

Even so, he moved with extreme caution. He was heading toward an unknown place, and he suspected that the world-level monster he had seen earlier was also moving toward that location.

As he walked, he carefully observed his surroundings to see if any other monsters were heading in the same direction.

But he could not find a single monster nearby, not even a mythical one.

It was as if all the monsters had returned to their lairs and were forbidden from coming out during this time.

But Noah was not a monster, and the law of the jungle did not apply to him.

As he approached the area, Noah suddenly felt an existential crisis.

It felt as though if he took even one more step forward, he would be vaporized instantly.

And that feeling was correct.

The world-level monster had already created a domain surrounding this area, where anyone below world level would die instantly.

So Noah did not approach any further.

He knew he should not interfere here, yet his instincts screamed at him that if he left now, he would regret it later.

"What should I do? Maybe I should gamble and see what is there."

He created several drones and sent them flying into the sky to observe the situation.

He did not fly himself, because he was afraid the monster would notice him.

The drones he created were all nanometer-sized.

It was Noah's good luck that the monster was busy and did not scan the entire forest at that moment.

Through the drones, he saw a lake. In the middle of that lake was an island.

On the island stood a gigantic tree, and from it hung a single golden fruit.

Intense light radiated from that fruit.

"System, what is that fruit?"

[100 quintillion coins are deducted.]

[That fruit is called the supreme bloodline fruit. It can upgrade the potential cap of a monster and help it ascend to a higher domain.]

"Can it be eaten by humans?"

This time, the system did not respond.

"Is the system playing husband and wife with me? Why do I feel like it is showing emotions toward me?"

Noah felt frustrated.

But soon, his attention returned to the fruit.

That fruit could evolve the potential cap of a monster.

Then what about him?

What would happen if he somehow devoured it?

While he was planning his next move, the entire forest began to shake again.

This time, the shaking was accompanied by heavy thump thump sounds.

As if something enormous was moving across the ground.

Noah did not dare to scan again. He knew that whatever was approaching was definitely stronger than him.

"Another world-level beast? How many are there?"

Noah was deeply confused, but he did not move.

Soon, another monster appeared.

It was also a guard.

"His Majesty is about to come out. Is everything okay here?" the newcomer asked.

"Everything is fine here. We just need to wait for this tree to ripen now," the previous guard replied confidently.

"Very well then. I think it will ripen in two days. His Majesty will come here that day."

The last words of the two guards echoed faintly in Noah's ears.

Two days.

That was all the time left.

Two days until the ruler of this forest arrived and swallowed the golden fruit. Two days until a world-level existence broke its shackles and stepped into a higher domain. And two days for Noah to either leave quietly or do something that made insanity seem reasonable.

He remained hidden at the edge of the domain barrier, unmoving like a statue carved into the forest floor. Even breathing felt dangerous. The pressure of the domain was absolute.

It was not hostility.

It was law.

Anyone below world level who stepped inside would be erased instantly.

The mythical lion form trembled slightly, not from fear but from instinct. Every cell screamed that this place was forbidden.

Noah forced himself to calm down.

"Think. Panicking won't help."

He replayed everything he had seen.

The guards.

The fruit.

The ruler.

The lake and the island.

And most importantly, the system's silence when he asked whether humans could consume the supreme bloodline fruit.

That silence bothered him more than anything else.

The system was transactional. Cold. Mechanical.

It never hesitated to answer if the price was paid.

But this time, it had not even offered a price.

Which meant only one thing.

The answer itself carried consequences.

Noah slowly sat down and fell into deep thought.

If he left now, nothing would change for him immediately. The Earth Empire was protected. His cultivation was growing every day. He could return stronger in the future.

But regret had a way of turning into a heart demon.

On the morning of the third day, the domain barrier rippled.

Noah's eyes snapped open.

From the depths of the forest, a massive pressure rolled outward like a tidal wave.

Trees bent.

Mountains trembled.

The earth cracked open.

Then one figure stepped through the barrier.

It was an ape.

A gigantic ape with crimson fur that flowed like molten lava. Every step it took melted the ground beneath it. Magma dripped from its arms and evaporated before touching the soil. Its eyes glowed with ancient intelligence and boundless arrogance.

Behind it came three more monsters.

A horned serpent with scales like black steel.

A winged beast whose feathers could slice space.

And a massive turtle carrying a mountain on its shell.

Five world-level monsters in total.

The two original guards immediately lowered their heads.

"Welcome, Your Majesty."

The ape did not respond. Its gaze was fixed on the island at the center of the lake.

On the fruit.

The supreme bloodline fruit pulsed with golden light, fully ripe.

The aroma it released was no longer subtle.

It was intoxicating.

Even Noah, standing far outside the domain, felt his blood boil.

Every instinct screamed hunger.

"This pressure…" Noah whispered.

His heart pounded so loudly that he thought the monsters might hear it.

This was the strongest existence in the lower domain.

The ruler of the forest.

The ape raised one massive hand.

"Bring it."

One of the guards stepped forward and moved toward the island, carefully suppressing its aura so the fruit would not be disturbed.

Noah's breathing stopped.

This was it.

If he did nothing now, there would never be another chance.

He clenched his fists until blood seeped from his palms.

"I really have gone insane," he muttered.

In that instant, Noah made his decision.

The mythical lion form dissolved silently.

His body shrank, compressed, and vanished from the laws of perception.

He activated everything at once.

Concealment.

Dimensional distortion.

Existence suppression.

The guard's pupils shrank.

Before anyone could react, a tiny figure appeared out of nowhere and bit directly into the supreme bloodline fruit.

Crunch.

The sound echoed across the lake like thunder.

The golden fruit vanished.

The guard froze, its mind completely blank.

The ape's eyes widened.

For the first time in a hundred eons, disbelief appeared on its face.

Noah did not hesitate.

"Teleport!"

Nothing happened.

Space twisted violently, then locked.

The ape roared.

A wave of crimson law exploded outward, sealing the entire forest.

"You dare!" the ape thundered.

Noah felt his bones cracking.

His organs screamed.

Blood poured from his mouth as sheer pressure slammed him into the ground.

But inside his body, something else was happening.

The fruit dissolved into pure primordial energy.

And it rushed straight toward the lotus.

The lotus trembled.

Its petals unfurled violently, expanding far beyond their previous limits.

Each petal shone with blinding radiance as laws engraved themselves upon it without Noah's conscious control.

Time.

Space.

And all the elements he had partially comprehended.

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