Chapter 601: Return to the castle

His three daughters stared at him in absolute shock, then at the devastation below, then back at him.

Julian simply smiled and said, "Let’s go."

With a gesture, reality shifted once more. The harsh world of Arenath vanished, replaced by the comfortable void, and then they were back in the peaceful gardens of their mountain home.

All three daughters stood in silence for a long moment, their minds still reeling from what they’d witnessed.

Finally, Seraphine broke the silence, her voice small and uncertain in a way Julian had never heard from his usually confident daughter. "Father... what realm are you actually in?"

Julian began walking along the garden path. "I’m near the beginning of God Realm," he explained. "Early God Realm, to be specific, though my foundation is still being consolidated."

"Early God Realm," Lyanna repeated, her mind trying to comprehend. "And you just... you destroyed hundreds of warriors with a snap of your fingers. If that’s

early

God Realm, what can higher levels do?"

"Anything," Julian said casually.

Cassandra was studying her father with new eyes, reassessing everything she thought she knew. "But there’s something else, isn’t there? It wasn’t just your power. You didn’t even defend yourself. You barely tried."

Julian’s smile widened, pleased by her observation. "Very perceptive, Cassandra. You’re right. The reason those attacks had no meaning, the reason I could defeat them so easily—it’s not just because I’m stronger, though I am. It’s because this is

my

world."

All three daughters stopped walking, staring at him.

"What do you mean?" Seraphine asked carefully.

"The Throne of Gods—this entire realm, everything in it, every law that governs it—I created it all," Julian explained. "And when you create a world, you forge a fundamental connection to it. The world itself recognizes me as its maker. So when I’m here, in my own creation, the world itself protects me. It’s not something I consciously do—it’s automatic."

"The world... protects you?" Lyanna’s voice was filled with wonder and confusion.

"Let me demonstrate," Julian said. He turned to face Seraphine directly. "Seraphine, attack me."

Seraphine’s eyes widened. "What? Father, I can’t—"

"Attack me," Julian repeated, his tone firm. "Use your full power. Don’t hold back. I want your sisters to understand."

Seraphine hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of attacking her father. But the command was clear, and she had learned to trust Julian’s instructions even when they seemed strange.

She took a deep breath, centering herself. Her mana flared, energy swirling around her in golden streams. It gathered in her hands, condensing until she held a sphere of pure golden lightning that crackled with devastating power.

"Father, are you sure?" she asked one more time, giving him a chance to change his mind.

"I’m sure," Julian confirmed, standing relaxed, his hands at his sides. "Give me everything you have."

Seraphine hardened her expression, made a decision, and attacked.

The sphere of lightning exploded forward, transforming into a massive bolt that tore through the air with a sound like reality screaming. The power was immense—easily enough to kill thousands of Grand Mage.

It struck Julian directly in the chest.

And Julian didn’t move.

He didn’t raise a hand to defend. Didn’t summon a barrier. He simply stood there, completely still, as the devastating attack hit him full force.

The golden lightning enveloped him completely, the energy so bright that it was painful to look at directly. The ground beneath his feet cracked from the residual power. The air sizzled and popped. The sheer force should have at least pushed him backward, even if it somehow didn’t harm him, but Julian remained absolutely motionless, as if the attack didn’t exist.

Cassandra gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Father! Do something! This is Seraphine’s full power!"

Lyanna looked torn between wanting to help and knowing she shouldn’t interfere. "Father!"

But Julian didn’t react at all. He stood there, serene and unmoving, while the lightning raged around him.

Then, in the next moment, the attack simply disappeared.

Just... gone.

The golden lightning vanished as if it had never existed. There was no explosion, no residual energy, no marks on the ground or Julian’s clothing. The devastating attack that could have leveled a mountain had been erased from reality without leaving a trace.

Julian stood exactly as he had been—hands at his sides, posture relaxed, not a hair out of place. He smiled gently at his three shocked daughters.

"Do you see?" he asked calmly. "I didn’t do anything. I didn’t defend myself or counter the attack. The world did it for me."

Seraphine was staring at her hands, then at her father, her expression a mixture of awe and something close to fear.

"I felt it," she said quietly. "The moment my attack was about to hit you, I felt... something. Like some force had rejected my attack."

"That’s..." Lyanna struggled for words. "That’s an incredible advantage. You’re essentially invincible here."

"Within my own realm, yes," Julian agreed. He looked at his three daughters, who were still processing everything they’d witnessed and learned.

"Okay, too much training for today," he decided. "Each of you go and rest. Process what you’ve seen. We’ll continue tomorrow."

He paused, then added, "I’ll be in the bathing chambers if anyone needs me. I could use some time to relax after our... expedition."

With that, he simply turned and walked away toward one of the main castle buildings.

Meanwhile, Seraphine, Cassandra, and Lyanna stood there for a moment, watching him retreat down the garden path. His figure gradually grew smaller, finally disappearing through one of the grand archways.

"Father sure is powerful, right?" Seraphine said, breaking the silence. Her voice carried genuine admiration and awe. "I mean, we knew he was the Creator, but seeing it demonstrated like that..."

Cassandra nodded slowly. "Yes, he sure is."

"Makes our own accomplishments feel small," Lyanna admitted. "I’ve spent decades training, mastering combat techniques, reaching Early Demi-God realm. And he could probably end me with a thought."

"He wouldn’t though," Cassandra said firmly. "That’s the difference. He has the power to destroy casually but chooses not to. That’s what makes him worthy of that power."