Chapter 238

To escape this domain, Theo realized he needed to encompass space within the concept of the circle.

‘Wait… encompass space?’

A sudden thought flashed through Theo’s mind.

He already knew how to manipulate time—he had been actively using it in battles.

So, what if he could overlay time onto space and bind them together?

If space could change alongside the flow of time, perhaps he could exploit that.

‘Maybe not the entire domain, but within the boundaries I control…!’

Theo resolved to bring everything back to the circle.

Within the world Kyle had created, Theo carved out a domain he could claim as his own and shaped it into a circle.

[ activated, fusing a designated domain with your mental world.]

The moment he took action, a massive circular clock appeared beneath his feet.

The hands of the clock spun rapidly.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

And then—

‘Compress it!’

[ activated, accelerating your mental world.]

The Clockwork Array, which Theo had only used to rewind or slow time before, now moved forward at an astonishing speed.

The world around him began to distort.

Shapes lost their form, everything wavered, and trajectories twisted.

In this chaotic environment, Theo alone remained intact.

It felt as though he had leaped into a new realm beyond conventional spacetime.

At the end of this leap—

“You’ve arrived. Just as I expected.”

Kyle stood with his arms crossed, smiling.

‘So this is why I couldn’t perceive anything.’

The laws of time and space no longer applied here.

It was an entirely new spacetime dimension, one where recognizing another’s presence was inherently impossible.

‘Father was already here.’

Kyle had likely been standing in this spot all along, never once moving his feet.

He must have simply waited, watching patiently as Theo worked his way toward him.

“This is the world of light speed.”

Light speed?

Theo recalled a lesson he once learned from the Archmage of the Tower about the transmission of information in relation to time.

“This domain operates under entirely different rules. The immense pressure here prioritizes consciousness and the level of your soul rather than the physical body. Consider it a fault line between the mortal and celestial realms.”

Kyle tilted his head upward.

“Look above you.”

Theo followed suit and widened his eyes in shock.

A massive dome enveloped the world.

Countless stars embedded in its surface sparkled ominously, as though they might fall at any moment.

It was breathtakingly beautiful, yet somehow threatening.

“Do you see it?”

“What… is that?”

“The Pantheon.”

“!!”

“‘Pantheon’ doesn’t mean there are literally ten thousand gods. It just signifies that there are countless beings residing there.”

“I never imagined there were this many…”

At that moment—

Ding! Ding!

[The God of Causality hurriedly approaches your fault line.]

[The God of Curses takes an interest in you.]

[The God of Swordsmanship lets out a small exclamation of admiration.]

Messages flooded Theo’s vision.

All around him, countless gazes bore down like spotlights, as if he were being observed like an animal in a zoo.

He had felt this once before—on the top floor of the White Tower, under the scrutiny of the Pantheon.

“They’re noisy, aren’t they?”

“Yes… a bit overwhelming.”

“Of course. No matter how many cycles you compress, very few ever reach this point.”

Theo nodded solemnly.

“Every time I stand here, I can’t help but wonder—what’s so great about reaching that place?”

[The God of Causality sighs lightly.]

[Many gods grow angry at Kyle’s disrespectful remark.]

Theo dismissed the incoming messages before they could finish displaying.

He now had the ability to do that on his own.

“We attach far too much meaning to the title of ‘god.’ They’re nothing more than components of this world’s mechanism, puppets bound to serve. So why do people cling so desperately to the idea of joining them?”

The Mad Dragon Emperor, Hilda—n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Kyle clicked his tongue in irritation.

“The more often you enter this realm, the more temptations you’ll encounter. The Pantheon will try to lure you in with promises of immortality and legendary status. Meanwhile, the Outer Gods will tempt you with freedom from such obligations.”

“Sounds exhausting.”

“They’re desperate to recruit me. One of them in particular.”

Among the myriad gazes, one seemed especially fixated on both Theo and Kyle.

Its presence was intense, almost exasperated, as if frustrated by Kyle’s defiance.

Theo could guess who it belonged to.

“Whatever happens, don’t let yourself be swayed by their temptations. That’s what I wanted to tell you. In the end—”

“Everything returns to the circle.”

“You’re sounding like a monk now.”

Kyle smirked, a faint chuckle escaping him.

“That’s not quite what I’ve realized. But everyone has their own answers. If that’s yours, live by it. You know what I’m saying, right?”

Theo nodded heavily.

Kyle’s message was clear: no matter the temptation, stay true to your will, your insights, and your purpose.

Without that conviction, he’d be reduced to nothing more than a pawn in the battles between the Pantheon and the Outer Gods.

“I have a question, Father.”

“What is it?”

“The transcendent beings I’ve known all seemed to operate outside the usual frameworks. How many people have reached this point?”

“Hmm.”

Kyle scratched his cheek as though unsure.

“Everyone I’ve met here ended up dead.”

“…”

A very Kyle-like answer.

Theo laughed quietly, gripping the Dragon Fang Blade tightly.

“I assume I won’t be joining them.”

“No matter how reckless I am, I wouldn’t go that far with my own son.”

Kyle lifted his sword as well, a crooked grin forming on his lips.

“Though, it might hurt quite a bit.”

“!!”

“Now, let’s see if you can keep up with me for real this time.”

Whoosh!

Kyle swung his sword violently.

One strike.

It was a single slash.

And yet—

Theo felt the world around him change once more.

***

“What happened?”

“They’re both gone! But where…?”

As the audience reeled from Theo’s sudden disappearance, chaos erupted in the stands.

“It seems…”

“…he’s entered Big Brother’s domain. He figured it out and went straight there.”

Julius, the Black Dragon, and the Maehwa Palace Lord exchanged glances before chuckling softly.

They understood exactly where Theo had gone—to the realm where Kyle awaited.

They also knew just how grueling and merciless that world could be.

Even for those who had reached the pinnacle of martial prowess, ascending from that fault line to the Pantheon itself was an entirely different challenge.

It was a realm tantalizingly close yet eternally out of reach.

Perhaps that was why Hilda, unable to endure the wait, had resorted to the forbidden Sublimation Ritual as a shortcut.

Even among them, there were some who might have faltered if not for Kyle’s guidance…

All they could do now was hope Theo wouldn’t succumb to the same temptations the Pantheon offered.

“They’re coming.”

At the Maehwa Palace Lord’s remark, Julius and the Black Dragon turned their gazes skyward.

Boom!

A deafening roar shook the entirety of the Fourth Arena.

“L-look over there!”

“Up there! The sky… it’s cracking!”

Pointing fingers and panicked shouts erupted as fractures spread across the heavens above.

Boom! Boom! BOOM!

The tremors grew in intensity, shaking the arena like the world itself was on the verge of collapse.

Finally, with an explosive burst, the cracks shattered, and Theo plummeted to the ground.

“Haa… haa… haa…”

Theo was a wreck.

His once pristine clothing was now in tatters, covered in dirt and blood. His body bore no part untouched by wounds.

Even the metallic tang of blood in his mouth seemed to tell the story of his grueling battle against Kyle.

Moments later, Kyle landed gently behind him, completely unscathed.

Not a single breath of his was uneven, prompting murmurs of awe and resignation among the Nine Dragons.

Kyle was, as ever, a force apart.

But—

‘No, something’s different.’

The Maehwa Palace Lord, who had spent years by Kyle’s side as both a sworn sibling and a spouse, noticed something subtle and unsettling.

‘What’s changed? His attire? No, it’s the same. His breathing? Not that either…’

It was an imperceptible shift, one only someone who knew him intimately could discern.

When the realization struck, she stifled a gasp.

‘His mana… it’s unstable!’

She forced herself to suppress the shock threatening to escape her lips.

Kyle’s mana flow, once thought limitless, was wavering.

A man capable of commanding the very streams of natural mana at will, one who could ascend at any moment, now showed signs of internal damage.

Such an injury was far more significant than any external wound.

Though Theo’s body was battered beyond recognition, who else could have pushed Kyle to this extent?

At that moment, Kyle turned toward her briefly.

A soft, knowing smile curved his lips—a silent request to keep this between them.

“…”

The Maehwa Palace Lord nodded subtly.

It was a wordless exchange, one only two who shared a deep bond could understand.

‘He’s proud. He’s glad to have forged a worthy successor before his departure.’

Suppressing the lump in her throat, she said nothing.

“I believe this is sufficient.”

Kyle clasped his hands behind his back and looked down at Theo.

“You’ve defeated all the dragons and reached this domain where I reside. You’ve earned the title Heavenly Dragon (Cheonryong).”

Theo couldn’t help but feel that his father seemed like someone ready to leave.

“You are fully deserving of the name.”

With those cryptic words, Kyle turned away.

“I hereby declare the completion of all promotion trials!”

“Waaaah!”

Cheers erupted from every corner of the arena.

Heavenly Dragon.

In that moment, Theo’s new moniker was etched deeply into the hearts of all who witnessed it.