Chapter 530: Upgrading the domain

Ethan calmly observed the colossal creature standing before him. Its body towered above the surrounding mountains like a living embodiment of destruction itself. Ancient scales covered its massive frame, while countless scars marked its body. Each scar carried the weight of countless battles fought over unimaginable lengths of time.

His eyes moved toward the creature’s status.

[Name: Primordial Behemoth]

[Level: 999]

[Title: Ruler of the Ancient Death Forest]

The beast’s enormous golden eyes fixed themselves upon Ethan.

"So, you are the new Lord?" it asked. It’s deep voice rolled across the forest like thunder. The very air trembled as the words echoed through the mountains.

Ethan simply smiled. "I am. And you are the ruler of this forest?"

The Primordial Behemoth stared at him for several moments. Its gaze contained curiosity, confusion, and a hint of disbelief.

"You are not afraid of me?" it asked. The creature could not understand Ethan’s reaction. Every living being that stood before it either trembled in fear or lowered their heads in submission. Even powerful rulers of kingdoms would become cautious when facing the supreme ruler of the Ancient Death Forest. Yet Ethan appeared completely relaxed.

"There is no reason for me to be afraid," Ethan replied calmly. "You are not worthy enough to inspire fear within me."

The atmosphere instantly became heavy. The surrounding space distorted slightly as an ancient pressure emerged from the giant beast.

"Oh?" Its voice became colder.

"You are merely a Level 200 Lord. I am the supreme ruler of the Ancient Death Forest. My name alone is enough to make kingdoms tremble. And yet you dare to tell me that I am not worthy?"

The mountains shook violently. Thousands of monsters throughout the forest immediately lowered their heads. The pressure alone was enough to crush most creatures into dust. However, Ethan merely shook his head. A faint smile remained on his face.

"Let us stop pretending." His calm voice cut through the pressure as though it did not exist. "You sensed the Tree of Infinity. You know perfectly well that I can erase your existence. So let us stop wasting time."

The beast’s eyes narrowed. Ethan continued speaking. "Do you wish to follow me? If you do, I will eventually take you into the true dimension. When the appropriate time arrives, I will remove the seal placed upon your bloodline."

The moment those words entered its ears, the Primordial Behemoth froze. A violent storm erupted within its heart. The creature had lived for countless ages. It had seen kingdoms rise and collapse. It had witnessed countless Lords perish. Yet for some reason, it could tell that Ethan was not lying. The confidence in his voice was absolute. The certainty in his eyes was unquestionable.

The beast remained silent for several moments. Finally, it spoke again. "The pressure I sensed earlier. What exactly was it?" A strange light appeared in its eyes. "Show it to me. Perhaps then I will consider your offer."

Ethan smiled. Without hesitation, he snapped his fingers. The Abyssal Sovereign Talent activated. Instantly, an invisible force descended upon the Primordial Behemoth. Space twisted. Reality folded. The enormous creature disappeared from the forest. A moment later, it appeared inside Ethan’s domain.

The Primordial Behemoth could have resisted. Its power was more than sufficient to oppose the transfer. However, it deliberately chose not to. Curiosity outweighed caution.

Ethan folded his arms. "Very well. Take a look." The space behind him trembled. Then reality itself seemed to split apart. The Tree of Infinity appeared.

Boom! The Primordial Behemoth’s pupils contracted violently. Its body froze. Its soul trembled. For the first time in countless years, genuine shock appeared in its eyes. The immense tree towered beyond comprehension. Its roots stretched into endless layers of existence. Its trunk pierced through realities. Its branches extended toward infinite horizons. Every leaf carried an indescribable aura.

The creature suddenly felt insignificant. Not weak. Not inferior. Insignificant. It felt as though its entire existence possessed less value than a single leaf upon the tree. Even a fragment of bark appeared more profound than dimensions themselves. The sensation was impossible to describe.

"What..." Its voice became hoarse. "What is this?"

Ethan looked at the giant tree.

"My law." The simple answer left the creature speechless.

Silence filled the domain. The Primordial Behemoth stared at the tree for a very long time. Eventually, it lowered its gaze. Then a strange expression appeared within its eyes. "Give me a name."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. The creature continued. "If you can truly grant me a name and afford the energy required for it, I will become your subordinate." Its gaze sharpened. "But if your energy is insufficient, you will die from exhaustion. Do you still believe yourself superior to me?"

Ethan chuckled softly. "Energy?" A smile appeared on his face. "That is all?"

The next moment, he looked directly at the creature. "From this day forward, your name shall be Asterion."

The instant those words fell, the world exploded with power.

Boom! The entire Ancient Death Forest shook. Mountains trembled. The earth cracked. Violent winds swept across countless kilometers. Thunder roared throughout the heavens. Immense energy erupted from Ethan’s body. An endless torrent of pure power surged toward the giant beast.

The phenomenon became visible throughout the surrounding kingdoms. Countless experts rushed into the skies. Kings stared toward the forest with alarm. Ancient formations activated. Everyone wondered what catastrophe was unfolding. Some feared the beginning of a beast tide. Others believed a hidden monster had awakened. Panic rapidly spread.

Inside the domain, however, Asterion was too shocked to care about any of it. The immense energy continuously poured into his body. His eyes widened. His breathing became heavy. The quality of the energy was unlike anything he had ever encountered. It was purer. Denser. Higher. "Impossible..." Asterion’s heart shook. "It feels as though this energy originates from a higher dimension."

Time passed slowly. The transformation continued without interruption. Ten hours later, the process finally reached completion.

ROAR! A terrifying roar erupted toward the heavens. The entire forest shook. Then Asterion’s gigantic body began shrinking. The colossal beast gradually transformed. Bones shifted. Muscles compressed. Ancient energy condensed. Eventually, a humanoid figure emerged. Two black horns extended from his head. His golden eyes still carried the majesty of the ruler of the forest.

Asterion immediately knelt. "My Lord." His voice contained genuine respect. "Thank you."

A notification appeared before Ethan.

[Ding! You have gained the loyalty of the Ruler of the Ancient Death Forest.]

[Ding! You have gained 100,000 Lord Points.]

Ethan blinked. Then he smiled. "That is quite a large number." He looked toward Asterion. "Asterion, bring every powerful creature within the forest. I will name them all."

Asterion immediately bowed. "As you command, my Lord." The next moment, he vanished.

Ethan returned to his domain. "It is time to strengthen this territory." His gaze swept across the land. "The current level can only accommodate subjects up to Level 100. That will not be enough."

"Evolve."

[Ding! You are attempting to upgrade your domain.]

[Required: 5,000 Lord Points.Continue?]

"Yes."

The domain barrier immediately expanded. The surrounding land began merging into his territory. The process continued rapidly. Forests. Mountains. Plains. Everything became part of Ethan’s domain. Eventually, the expansion stopped. The territory now covered 5,000 square kilometers.

The interface appeared.

[Name: Ethan Hunt’s Domain]

[Level: 2]

[Next Upgrade Requirement: 10,000 Lord Points]

[Subject Level Cap: 200]

[Subject Capacity: 2,000]

[Lord Points: 96,000]

Ethan nodded.

"Continue."

One upgrade followed another.

[Ding! 10,000 Lord Points consumed.]

[Ding! 20,000 Lord Points consumed.]

[Ding! 40,000 Lord Points consumed.]

The domain expanded repeatedly.

When everything finally settled, a new status window appeared.

[Name: Ethan Hunt’s Domain]

[Level: 5]

[Next upgrade: 80000 Lord Points]

[Subject Level Cap: 500]

[Subject Capacity: 16,000]

[Lord Points: 26,000]

The territory now covered forty thousand square kilometers. Although it was not massive by Grand Axiom standards, it was more than sufficient for Ethan’s current needs.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face. "Finally. I can bring out my strongest subordinates."

With a thought, he summoned the elites of Elysium. Three hundred Level 500 beings instantly appeared before him. The moment they saw Ethan, they knelt respectfully. "Greetings, Ancestor." Ethan had already explained everything beforehand. There was no need for lengthy discussions.

"From this moment onward, you shall become my subjects. Are you willing?"

The answer came immediately. "It is our honor, Ancestor."

The system responded.

[Ding! You have obtained 300 Level 500 subordinates.]

[Ding! Your level has increased from Level 200 to Level 201.5.]

The increase was small. Extremely small. However, Ethan was not disappointed. This was merely the beginning. Once he gathered enough powerful subjects, the accumulated gains would become enormous.

A few moments later, Ethan left the domain once more. He wanted to see how many creatures Asterion had gathered.

The instant he stepped outside, he froze. His eyes widened. An unbelievable sight greeted him. Thousands upon thousands of monsters stood in orderly rows before him. The line stretched far beyond the horizon. It continued over mountains. Across forests. Beyond rivers. It seemed endless. Every single creature present was above Level 500. And more were still arriving.