Chapter 507: Strongest Geniuses Under The Heavens

“I have some unfinished matters I need to take care of in the tower,” Max said to Klaus, his voice calm but resolute.

Then, after a brief pause of thought, he added, “If by chance the Citadel descends before I return, crush this.” He handed Klaus what appeared to be a random beast core, but it was anything but ordinary.

The core pulsed faintly, laced with Max’s own Green Soul Stage soul force—dense, potent, and bound to him on a spiritual level. The moment it was crushed, no matter where he was, he would know.

Klaus accepted it with a solemn nod and stored it away with utmost care, fully understanding the weight behind such a gesture.

“Do you know if Lucas is in the Valora Continent?” Max asked suddenly, his tone more curious than urgent.

Klaus shook his head. “He disappeared after you left him in that state. Most likely returned to the Lost Continent.”

Max nodded slowly, accepting the answer without comment. His gaze then drifted to the tallest tower in the Hidden City, its spire rising high into the fading sky. “I’ll be going, then,” he said, and without another word, his figure blurred into motion, shooting toward the tower like a comet.

Klaus watched his silhouette disappear into the sky, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Did you sense it?” he murmured to the Old Saintess beside him. “That overwhelming mana… dense, silent, but still leaking from his body unconsciously. It felt like standing near the eye of a storm that hasn’t begun to spin.”

The Old Saintess nodded, her ancient eyes reflecting a quiet awe. “I sensed it too,” she said. “Even in the Middle Domain, such monstrous potential is rare. His genius… it’s frightening.”

Klaus glanced at her. “How do you think he’ll compare to the geniuses from the Four God Nation?” he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

The Old Saintess fell silent for a moment, then spoke solemnly. “That’s hard to say. No genius in Acaris has ever matched the prodigies born in the Four God Nations. Not even those from the Middle Domain. The geniuses from the Four God Nations are called the strongest geniuses under the heavens for a reason.”

Her voice was calm, but reverent. “Right now, the Four God Nations stand where Black Dragon Palace once stood—untouchable. No power beneath the stars can rival them. So unless Max faces their geniuses directly in battle… we won’t know for sure. But if anyone can stand among them, it might just be him.”

“Strongest geniuses under the heavens…” Klaus mused hearing this.

***

Max arrived before the tower silently and entered inside without anyone noticing.

At last, he reached the very top of the tower, a place that hadn’t changed since the last time he stood there. Black tiles covered the entire circular platform, smooth and polished like obsidian, reflecting faint traces of the mana in the air.

At the center of it stood the familiar pillar—slender, ancient, and etched with glowing patterns. It was the same spot where he had once gained the Dragon Scales Transformation ability, a place that had marked the beginning of evolution of bloodlines of all the members of the Black Lotus guild.

As he approached, a voice echoed into the space, gentle yet laced with amusement. “You are here.”

Max turned his head slightly and saw it again—the parrot spirit, its vibrant feathers glinting with spiritual energy as it appeared from the void.

Max didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “Am I eligible for the True Inheritance now or not?” he asked plainly, his voice calm but expectant.

The parrot tilted its head, eyes glinting with approval. “You certainly are,” it said with a satisfied nod. “You’ve come far.”

A small smile tugged at Max’s lips. “Then I’m ready.”

His voice held a quiet eagerness, not the excitement of someone chasing power, but the yearning of someone seeking curiosity—seeking the world. He was ready to leave this small corner of existence and step into something greater.

So far, his knowledge had been limited—confined to this single planet, Acaris.

Even though fragments of his childhood memories had returned, they offered nothing more than a hazy glimpse of the tragedy that had forced him to this world.

He still didn’t know what existed beyond, didn’t know where he came from, or why.

But he had pieced together one truth: his Big Sister, Freya, had tampered with his memories before leaving him behind. Blob had confirmed it through Witch of the North.

And this would be his first time going over to a new world.

The Parrot Spirit studied Max closely, its glowing eyes flickering with ancient intelligence as it floated lazily in the air. “Your bloodline concentration…” it murmured, “is far beyond the standard. It’s nothing like the typical Black Dragon Palace bloodline that lingers in the Lower Domain. Yours is at least one level higher than a Source Bloodline—rare, refined, and dangerously potent.”

The Spirit’s tone deepened. “But understand this: the trial you’re about to face will be adjusted accordingly. The stronger the bloodline, the harsher the trial.”

Max’s brows furrowed. “Trial?” he asked, voice tight with concern.

The Parrot Spirit nodded solemnly. “It is one of the unbreakable rules of the Inheritance Tower. No one—regardless of bloodline, strength, or lineage—can bypass it. To even be eligible for the True Inheritance, one must first prove themselves in battle. That is why I told you to return only when your strength had reached the peak of Seeker Rank. With your current abilities, you should be able to handle it.”

Then, the spirit added flatly, “Just so you’re aware… defeat means death.”

Max didn’t flinch. He met the Spirit’s gaze, his voice steady. “I’m ready.” He had faced enough life-threatening moments to know fear wasn’t useful now. If the trial was tuned to match the peak of Seeker Rank, then he had absolute confidence in clearing it.

“Good,” the Parrot Spirit said with a sharp glint in its eyes. “Then it shall be as you wish.”

Its small form suddenly soared upwards, climbing a hundred feet into the air, casting a spiritual radiance across the dark-tiled floor below. As its voice echoed like a solemn decree, a massive translucent screen appeared before Max, glowing with golden runes and swirling mists.

“Trial Challenger Number 4089—Max Morgan,” the Spirit declared, its voice now amplified with mystical authority. “In this trial, you must face the heroic souls of the Black Dragon Palace. They were once the most formidable geniuses to ever walk its halls—warriors who themselves once stood where you now stand, on the brink of the True Inheritance.”

He added. “Their strength, skills, and bloodlines have been perfectly preserved within the Tower’s memory matrix. And now… they will return in full force, recreated in the exact form they held during their own trials. Defeat them, and you will earn the right to trial of True Inheritance. Fail… and your soul will be extinguished alongside your body.”

The wind howled within the chamber as the screen shimmered, and the words the the parrot spoke recorded into the golden translucent screen before him.

As the spirit stopped speaking, the world around Max vanished. He found himself standing on white tiles now stretching endlessly into the void.

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