"Have you heard? This timeâs recruitment assessment for the Great Ruler Empire is being led by Princess Lyra herself," one of the young men whispered, clearly trying to sound casual but unable to hide the excitement in his tone.
"Yeah, I heard theyâre getting desperate," his companion replied with a frown.
"Desperate?" the first man scoffed. "You kidding me? Theyâre the strongest first-class force in the Middle Domain. What could they possibly be desperate about?"
"The Divine Mandate Grand Tournament," the second said, lowering his voice further. "For the past few sessions, none of their geniuses have made it into the top ten. Itâs becoming an embarrassment. If it happens again this time... it might threaten their standing among the other major powers."
Max chewed slowly, his expression unchanged, but his mind was already racing. âSeems like I picked the perfect time to arrive,â he thought, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he took another bite.
Although Max had no idea what the Divine Mandate Grand Tournament truly wasâsince there was no mention of it in the diary the Old Saintess had given himâhe could still tell from the hushed tension in that restaurant conversation that it was something massive.
If even a power as overwhelming as the Great Ruler Empire was feeling desperate about it, then it had to be far more than a simple contest. It must be the kind of tournament that could sway influence and status across the entire Middle Domain.
After finishing his meal, Max stepped out into the bustling streets of Windless City. The roads shimmered with energy, and the storefronts buzzed with activity.
He stopped by one of the many tech stores and picked up a new holowatch, a sleek, dark-gray model embedded with spiritual circuits and connected to the Middle Domainâs information network.
His old holowatch from the Lower Domain was completely obsolete hereâno signal, no sync, and no connection to anything of use.
Once that was done, he booked a room at a nearby hotelâan elegant building with spirit-inscribed walls and mana-powered elevators. The receptionist greeted him with practiced politeness, and within minutes, Max was finally in his room. The bed looked divine, but the first thing he did was head straight for the bathroom.
He had spent a full week trekking through monster-infested forests and then another three frenzied weeks flying through endless small regions just to reach the Stormwind Region. His body was sticky, sore, and layered in the wear of wilderness travel. The hot shower that followed was nothing short of a blessing.
After drying off and dressing in a fresh set of blue shirt unbuttoned and a white t-shit underneath he bought earlier, Max finally sank into the plush hotel sofa.
He tapped his new holowatch, syncing it with the cityâs local network. As the holographic interface projected before his eyes, he swiftly navigated through recent news and announcements.
His gaze paused when he found what he was looking forâdetails about the recruitment assessment of the Great Ruler Empire. "Thereâs still a week left," Max muttered under his breath, leaning back and letting his eyes close for a moment.
For the first time in weeks, he could finally rest without the pressure of beasts or endless travel.
âHow should I find you?â The thought echoed quietly in Maxâs heart as he leaned back on the hotel sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.
His mind slowly drifted back to his older sisterâthe person he was determined to reunite with no matter what. But now, sitting here in the heart of the Middle Domain, that goal felt overwhelmingly distant.
There were thousands of regions scattered across this colossal world, and each one, according to the diary, was larger than the entire Lower Domain. The scale was incomprehensible, and it made Max feel like a speck lost in an ocean. Finding his sister under such circumstances felt like searching for a single grain of sand in an endless desert.
Just when despair was about to creep into his heart, something suddenly clicked in his mindâan idea flashed through the darkness like lightning splitting the sky.
"I just have to become popular enough!" he muttered out loud, eyes widening as his heartbeat quickened. If his sister ever heard the name âMax Morganâ rising in the Middle Domain, she would know, she would know he was in the Middle Domain. She had to know.
After all, it was she who had told him to use the name âMorganâ instead of Voidwalker before she left. If he could make that name echo loudly enough, then even across regions, she would hear it.
But Max wasnât delusionalâhe knew fame in the Middle Domain wasnât something easily earned. This place was massive. Even becoming well-known in two or three regions meant little; most people wouldnât even bat an eye. If he wanted to reach her, he had to do moreâmuch more.
"I have to find a way to become famous," he whispered with a firm resolve burning in his chest.
If he could make the name Max Morgan climb to the peak of the Middle Domain, if his story could spread far and wide across these thousands of lands, then she would come. She had to come. She would come.
And until that day, Max would make sure his name was carved into the bones of this world.
But the question still remained in Maxâs mindâHow? How was he supposed to become famous in a world where he was a complete nobody? The idea sounded right in theory, but execution? That was the impossible part.
Just as he sank deeper into his thoughts, a soft Knock! Knock! echoed from the door. Max blinked, sitting up on instinct. His brows furrowed slightly. He had just arrived in the Middle Domain, hadnât made any acquaintances yet, and hadnât registered himself anywhere publicly. So, who could possibly be looking for him?
Pushing himself up from the couch, Max walked toward the door with cautious steps. His senses sharpenedâThree Dimensional Body scanning for traps, movement, hidden figures. Nothing. He opened the door.
There, standing under the soft hallway light, was a young woman with long, flowing violet hair. She looked about his age, maybe a bit younger, but what stood out the most were her eyes. Sharp, deep, and disturbingly familiar. She wore a light veil that hid her lips and nose, but her gaze was unwavering as it met Maxâs.
It struck something in him. A faint memory. A trace of a feeling. âWhere have I seen those eyes...?â he thought. But shaking his head inwardly, Max reasoned it must be a trick of the mind. He didnât know anyone in the Middle Domain. Mustâve been someone similar from the Lower Domain.
"How can I help you?" he asked calmly, though a thin layer of tension coated his words.
The girl looked at him without blinking, her expression unreadable. Then, she nodded slowly, as if confirming something to herself. "As expected of the genius chosen by me. You didnât disappoint me."
Maxâs eyes narrowed immediately. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.
The girlâs eyes crinkled behind the veil as if smiling. "Donât you know me, Max Morgan? Have you forgotten me after all this time?"
That name. His name. His full name. Spoken by a stranger in a place where no one shouldâve known it. A shiver ran down his spine. Max took a step back, his tone sharpening. "Who are you, lady?"
The silence that followed felt thick, deliberate. Then, the girl gently raised her hand and tugged down her veil.
Maxâs breath caught in his throat. Her face was delicate and beautiful, ethereal even, but that wasnât what struck him. It was the sheer familiarity of it.
Like a puzzle piece that finally locked into place. His heart skipped a beat. Because in that moment, he knewâhe knewâthis was no stranger. Because he had seen that face before.