The One King

Six months after Abaddon opened its gates to recruitment, the city was no longer the same as it had been on the day of its arrival.

During those six months, countless cultivators from all over the mortal world had flooded into the territory of the Supreme Council Clan. Humans, beasts, celestial races, demi-humans, strange creatures that most inhabitants of the world had never seen before, and cultivators from completely different cultures and backgrounds had gathered beneath a single banner.

By then, the number of recruits had already surpassed tens of thousands.

The streets of Abaddon had become a unique sight.

A wolf-like creature could be seen walking beside a human, a four-armed warrior arguing with a tall elf, cultivators of different races discussing trade regulations, while enormous beasts moved through streets specifically designed for gigantic species.

Yet bringing so many different races together in one place was far from easy.

With differences in customs, cultures, and laws that each race had grown accustomed to, conflicts inevitably began to emerge.

In one district, a fight broke out between a group of humans and beasts over a dispute concerning a shop.

In another district, a cultivator attempted to impose the ancient laws of his clan upon the residents.

In another incident, a recruit assaulted a cultivator from another race, believing that the strength of his clan gave him the right to do whatever he pleased.

But Abaddon was not a city without laws.

From the very beginning, Daria had established a strict system to govern both the city and the clan, and her will extended throughout every street, building, and district within Abaddon.

Almost nothing could happen without her knowing about it.

When a violation occurred, the punishment was determined according to the severity of the crime.

Some offenders were put on trial.

Others were imprisoned, had their possessions confiscated, or were sentenced to forced labor.

As for the most serious crimes that threatened the security of the clan, their punishment was far more severe.

There was even existential erasure.

It was not merely death.

It was the complete erasure of one's existence, leaving behind no trace that could ever be found.

The residents of Abaddon quickly understood the message.

Strength alone did not grant anyone the right to violate the laws of the clan.

At first, some recruits arrived believing that the Supreme Council Clan was nothing more than an elaborate display of power.

They looked at the enormous city and assumed that behind those massive walls was nothing but an empty shell.

One recruit had even said during his first few days:

"A city this enormous, yet I barely see any guards."

His companion laughed.

"Perhaps everything we've heard about the Supreme Council Clan is nothing but an exaggeration."

But after only a few days, their perception changed completely.

Abaddon was not an empty city.

Every corner was organized.

Every gate was monitored.

Every district was governed by a precise system.

Even the smallest disputes were dealt with swiftly.

And as time passed, a sense of order began to settle into the hearts of the residents.

No one dared to challenge the laws of the clan simply because they were powerful.

Everyone in Abaddon eventually learned one simple rule:

Inside this city, everyone obeys the law.

Whether human or beast.

Whether an Immortal or a Spiritual cultivator.

Whether an unknown individual or a member of one of the world's great clans.

Even forces that were accustomed to imposing their authority upon their own territories began treating Abaddon with caution.

At the same time, recruitment never stopped.

Instead, the number of applicants continued to increase day after day.

As news of the city spread, new cultivators appeared before its gates.

Some came seeking opportunity.

Others came seeking protection.

And some came because they had realized that the Supreme Council Clan might become one of the greatest rising powers in the mortal world.

But not everyone arrived with good intentions.

There was always a group of fools who believed they could personally test the strength of Abaddon.

On one occasion, a group of cultivators approached the city walls.

Their leader was an Immortal King.

One of his followers asked nervously:

"My lord, are you certain we should do this? This is Abaddon."

The man laughed.

"It's just a newly established city."

He looked toward the walls.

"Let's see how powerful it really is."

But before they could cross the forbidden boundary...

Dozens of cannons appeared along Abaddon's walls.

Their barrels began glowing with dense spiritual energy.

The Immortal King's expression changed.

"Retreat!"

But it was already too late.

The cannons fired.

The sky filled with successive explosions.

The group could not even get close to the walls.

From that day onward, the incident became a warning to anyone considering testing the authority of the Supreme Council Clan.

Even some Immortal Kings who attempted to violate the city's authority found themselves facing Abaddon's defensive army.

The army consisted of one thousand Immortals of every level and was commanded by an officer at the Divine Ascension Realm.

Thus, the world discovered that the city which had initially appeared to be nothing more than a symbol of power was actually a fortress capable of dealing with major forces.

The world's perception of the Supreme Council Clan began to change.

It was no longer merely a mysterious clan that had suddenly appeared.

It had become a genuine power.

A power that had to be taken seriously.

In the Central Continent, the major powers began holding secret meetings to study Abaddon.

Elsewhere, elders began speaking of Azrael Netherval as one of the most dangerous figures to have appeared in the world during the last several thousand years.

As for the Heavenly Council and the Central Empire...

Their interest in the Supreme Council Clan reached an entirely new level.

Spies were dispatched.

Their orders were clear:

Determine the number of core members within the clan.

Determine their cultivation levels.

Determine their races.

Determine their appearances.

And most importantly...

Obtain a portrait of Azrael Netherval.

But every spy who attempted to infiltrate Abaddon disappeared.

One after another.

Not a single group returned with information.

No image was delivered.

Not even a final message arrived.

After several attempts, the Heavenly Council began to realize that the problem was not the skill of their spies.

Abaddon itself had known of their presence from the moment they entered its territory.

And after another month...

An official envoy from the Heavenly Council arrived at Abaddon.

He carried an invitation sealed with the council's emblem.

He entered the city under heavy security and walked through its majestic streets until he finally reached the Sovereign Castle.

When he entered the meeting hall...

Azrael was already there.

Gaya stood beside him.

Several kings were also present.

But the envoy could not see their faces.

Their features were obscured by a strange phenomenon.

They were not wearing helmets or masks.

There was no curtain separating them from him.

Yet whenever he tried to focus on their faces, he felt a mysterious force interfering with his perception and preventing him from seeing them clearly.

He could determine the shapes of their bodies and their positions, but he could not see their features.

He attempted to use his spiritual sense.

It failed.

He tried again.

A chill suddenly ran through his body.

It was as though an invisible force was telling him clearly:

Do not look.

The envoy swallowed nervously before bowing.

"Greetings to the ruler of the Supreme Council Clan."

Silence filled the hall.

Then Azrael's calm voice came from the shadows.

"Speak."

The envoy produced the invitation.

"I am an official envoy of the Heavenly Council. I have come to deliver an official invitation to the Supreme Council Clan."

One of the kings spoke from within the shadows.

"An invitation?"

"Yes."

The envoy unrolled the invitation.

"Two months from now, the Heavenly Council will hold the All-Races Tournament. Young talents from the various powers and races of the mortal world will participate."

Another king spoke.

"And of course, the council wishes to learn the level of our clan's talents."

The envoy hesitated.

"The council hopes that the Supreme Council Clan will participate."

Another king said:

"That is not the only reason."

The envoy did not answer.

Azrael said:

"They want the ruler of the clan to appear before the world."

The envoy became slightly flustered.

"The tournament brings together the greatest young talents. It is only natural that the council would be interested in the participation of a newly emerged power such as the Supreme Council Clan."

Azrael looked at the invitation.

"I understand."

He paused.

"We will participate."

The envoy immediately raised his head.

"You accept the invitation?"

"Yes."

Azrael continued:

"Send us all the details concerning the tournament."

The envoy bowed.

"As you command."

As he prepared to leave, he unconsciously glanced toward Azrael.

But he still could not see his face.

Nor Gaya's.

Nor the faces of the kings.

He left the hall carrying the invitation he had brought, but he did not leave with even a single image of the people he had met.

Thus, the Heavenly Council had achieved only half of its objective.

The other half...

It still did not know whether Azrael himself would appear at the tournament.

Later, atop one of the highest towers of the Sovereign Castle, two figures stood together.

One was a man.

The other was a woman.

The man was Azrael.

The woman was Gaya.

Abaddon stretched out before them for an enormous distance.

Hundreds of streets.

Towers.

Markets.

Residential districts.

Training grounds.

And tens of thousands of cultivators who had become part of the city.

Gaya gazed at the scene for a long time.

Then she turned her eyes toward Azrael.

"How do you feel now that you rule a magnificent city containing tens of thousands of cultivators?"

Azrael did not turn toward her.

He continued looking at Abaddon.

Then he replied indifferently:

"Gaya, my goal is not to rule a city."

He paused.

"Nor a continent."

Then he raised his eyes toward the sky.

"Nor even an entire world."

Gaya looked at him with interest.

Azrael continued, his voice carrying a trace of arrogance:

"My goal is everything."

His words fell into silence for a moment.

Then he said:

"When everything and everyone existing within this infinite existence submits to me..."

His words paused.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Only then will I feel complete."

Upon hearing this, Gaya smiled.

She was not truly surprised.

She already knew Azrael would say something like this.

She said:

"I knew you would say something like that."

Azrael turned toward her.

"Did you expect me to be satisfied with ruling Abaddon?"

Gaya laughed softly.

"No."

Then she looked at the city again.

"But I think I'm beginning to understand the difference between you and everyone else."

Azrael asked:

"And what is that?"

She looked at him.

"Most rulers want to possess the world."

Then she looked directly into his eyes.

"You, on the other hand, seem to want to possess everything that can possibly exist."

Azrael did not answer.

He merely gave a faint smile.

Then, suddenly, he spoke again.

"Oh, and one more thing."

Gaya turned toward him.

"What?"

Azrael said:

"You will participate in the All-Races Tournament."

Gaya's eyes widened slightly.

"Me?"

"Yes."

He continued:

"I have asked Daria to select four of the clan's finest young talents, all under the age of thirty, to participate alongside you."

Gaya looked at him.

"Four others?"

"Yes."

Then he added:

"You will be their captain."

Gaya smiled.

"Do you trust me that much?"

Azrael answered without hesitation:

"If I did not trust you, I would not have asked you to lead them."

Gaya was silent for a moment.

Then she asked:

"What exactly do you want from me?"

Azrael looked toward Abaddon.

"I want you to show the world what the Supreme Council Clan has produced."

Then he turned toward her.

"Lead them well."

He added:

"And make sure no one forgets the name of the clan."

Gaya smiled confidently.

"I will."

Azrael said:

"Bring glory to the clan."

Gaya nodded.

"We will."

At that moment, Abaddon was entering the first true era of its existence.

Tens of thousands of cultivators stood beneath a single banner.

An Immortal army guarded its walls.

Daria managed every aspect of the city with absolute precision.

And the entire world watched it from afar.

As for the All-Races Tournament...

For the Supreme Council Clan, it would not merely be a competition.

It would be the first time the clan's young talents stepped onto the world's stage openly.

And Gaya was about to carry the banner of the Supreme Council Clan before every major power.

But she did not yet know that the tournament would grant her more than glory...

It would also lead her to people from her past and open the doors to long-buried family secrets that had remained closed for many years.

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