Chapter 637: Killing List

Chapter 637: Killing List

Max stepped forward, his hand steady as he pressed it against the rune-inscribed panel. It pulsed once, then flickered with blue light. The screen before the official lit up with lines of data, confirming his identity, origin, and the clause under which he was entering the Middle Domain.

“Your authorization is valid for ten years, renewable based on continued service and merit,” the official said after a pause. “You are permitted to stay in the Middle Domain as a servant under Elias and Aria of the Black Tortoise Nation. Any violation of domain law or falsification of status will result in immediate capture or elimination.”

Max nodded. “Understood.”

The official gave him a look that was neither approving nor dismissive, just tired. “You may go.”

As they walked away, the eyes of the crowd followed them. Some sneered. Some were curious. Some ignored him completely. But Max felt the weight of all those gazes, all that quiet judgment—and it didn’t bother him at all.

He wasn’t here to impress anyone.

He was here to rise.

And this—this was just the first step.

After completing the authorization process, the trio left the grand hall, stepping into a vast open space surrounded by towering crystalline buildings and floating rune lanterns suspended in the air like silent watchers.

The clouds still loomed beneath them, forming a dense white sea that stretched endlessly, and the city’s floating platforms hovered gently on ancient runic formations glowing softly underfoot.

The breeze was crisp, tinged with dense energy, and the atmosphere buzzed with the presence of countless experts flying overhead, guards on patrol, and whispering citizens going about their lives in this midpoint between worlds.

Max glanced around as they walked, still processing the formal tone of the official and the flickering screen that had just granted him access to the Middle Domain.

His brows furrowed as he turned to Aria. “Alright… now that I’m authorized, what exactly does being a servant mean in the Middle Domain? I know what the records say, but I want to hear it from you.”

Aria paused and turned to face him fully, her tone calm but serious. “Being a servant, even in name, comes with obligations. Officially, you’re registered as a personal servant of Elias. That means you’re expected to travel with him, stay within his assigned region, and respond to his commands unless you’re dismissed or transferred. You don’t get to act as a free agent under this status. If you do, you’ll be labeled as a deserter.”

Max frowned. “So if I don’t follow Elias to the Black Tortoise Nation’s main family—?”

“You’ll be marked for death,” Aria interrupted without hesitation. “The Black Tortoise Nation won’t hesitate. Servants who abandon their post are considered a threat to the structure of obedience and hierarchy. They’ll send people after you—cold, methodical, and highly efficient killers.”

Max’s expression remained unreadable, his gaze steady and sharp, but deep inside, gears had already begun to turn. A flicker of thought danced in his eyes as he spoke, voice low and calm. “So what? Am I chained to Elias forever now?”

“There is a way out,” Aria replied, her tone cool and even as she slowly moved ahead, her steps echoing faintly against the stone path of the floating city.

She looked over her shoulder, her long hair catching the light breeze. “If you can join another force equal in strength and status to the Four God Nation, then even the Black Tortoise Nation will be forced to pull back. As long as you have a powerful enough background, rules can be bent. And if the background is strong enough—rules can be shattered entirely.”

Max arched an eyebrow, his curiosity sparked. “And which forces are at that level?”

She smiled faintly, that same composed look never leaving her face. “That wasn’t part of our deal, was it? But since you’re asking, I’ll give you a little insight. Aside from the Four God Nation, which stands at the absolute peak of power in Acaris, there are still a few first-class forces that can stand toe-to-toe with us, at least in specific areas.”

She paused a moment and then added, “Among them, the one that truly holds the title of the strongest first-class power in the Middle Domain… is the Great Ruler Empire. If you manage to join them, I believe even the Black Tortoise Nation would have to think twice before lifting a finger against you.”

Max gave no verbal reply, but a small nod showed that he’d taken in every word. His thoughts moved faster than lightning, weaving through possibilities and plans. The tension in the air coiled around him like a silent storm, but his heart was calm. Whether servant or free man, it didn’t matter. He had never intended to remain under anyone’s shadow for long.

He wasn’t afraid of the Black Tortoise Nation. Not even of being hunted. Because he had a plan. A clear, deliberate plan for his rise in the Middle Domain.

He remembered the small diary given to him by the Old Saintess—its contents hidden, precious, and dangerous. It contained information about the major forces of the Middle Domain. Every name. Every rumor. Every thread of power.

He would part ways with Elias and Aria soon. And once he did… he’d sit down and read that diary carefully.

Then, he’d choose one force.

The one he could trust the most.

A force that could protect him in shadows.

‘With my bloodline as a base, if I evolve all their bloodlines—the members of the Black Lotus Guild in the Middle Domain—then I can gain their trust easily,’ Max thought as he walked quietly behind Aria and Elias.

But he also knew deep down, he didn’t actually need their trust. His bloodline—Black Dragon Chaotic Bloodline—wasn’t just rare, it was supreme. Dominant. If he willed it, anyone with even a fragment of that bloodline would be forced to bow before him, whether they wanted to or not. Obedience wouldn’t be a matter of choice. It would be instinct. A compulsion buried deep in their very soul.

A small smile touched Max’s lips. “Let’s head to the Middle Domain then.”

Aria paused and turned slightly, raising an eyebrow. “You don’t look like someone concerned about being marked for death by one of the Four God Nations,” she said, her tone skeptical, her narrowed eyes studying him carefully.

Max gave a casual shrug. “If this is the safest path into the Middle Domain, compared to the suicide options of the Forsaken Wilds or the Abyssal Stair, then I’ll take it. It’s not ideal. But I’ve never needed perfection to move forward. There are some things I can’t control… so I’ll focus on the things I can.” His voice was calm, yet firm—like stone beneath flowing water.

He didn’t care about titles. Servant or master, noble or outlaw—it didn’t matter. The moment his fooy would land on the Middle Domain, the only thing that would matter to him was finding his big sister and ascend to the Divine Realm as soon as possible.

Aria took out her void shuttle without a word, its sleek obsidian frame humming faintly with power as it unfolded midair like a mechanical lotus blooming in reverse.

“Hop on,” she said, casting a glance over her shoulder. “Our next destination is the Middle Domain.”

Without hesitation, Elias stepped in and settled into his seat, while Max followed, his expression unreadable but his heart steady. As soon as the shuttle recognized their presence, it surged into motion, piercing upward through the endless expanse of white mist and broken clouds.

The sky above them stretched like a vast curtain, and with every passing second, the clouds below gave way, swirling and parting as though making way for something—or someone—important.

The air shimmered faintly, thick with the subtle presence of powerful runes and protective arrays, but the shuttle flew smoothly, its barrier shielding them from the crushing pressure that came with climbing the sky wall.

Minutes passed in silence, the world outside nothing but blinding white and hazy light, until finally, without warning or jolt, the shuttle slowed and came to a gentle halt.

The scenery shifted, and Max saw it for the first time—an endless realm stretching beyond the clouds, filled with floating islands, radiant skies, and mountain peaks so tall they pierced the heavens themselves. Energy hung thick in the air like golden mist, and even breathing felt more profound here. They had crossed the threshold. This… was the Middle Domain.

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!