Authorâs Note:
This Chapter contains information crucial for future arcs. I apologize if it becomes a bit dense, but I promise it will be vital for all upcoming storylines.
--------------
The Amethyst King, a figure of staggering, arrogant beauty, leaned back against the phantom throne.
"After I built it, I sent it to roam the universe, searching for a descendant," the Amethyst King said. His voice was a baritone rumble, a sound that should have been silenced by millennia, yet felt vibrantly alive in the temporal sanctuary. "But I knew many would be hunting me, scouring the cosmos for my treasures. Perhaps it seems impossible to you, but I had too many enemies across the entire universe. Maybe itâs because Iâm too handsome, or maybe itâs because I screwed their wives, mothers, grandmothers, daughters... details, details."
Ethan stared at the apparition, the man who was both his ancestor and a cosmic-level lunatic. A single thought echoed in his mind What kind of madman is my ancestor? said Ethan in his mind.
The Amethyst King chuckled, a deep, self-satisfied sound. "My security protocols were meticulously calculated," the Amethyst King said. "I programmed the launch to happen 100 years later. The goal was for the situation to have cooled down a bit... to let the celestial dust settle. But it seems it wasnât a mere 100 years, was it?"
His gaze drifted past Ethan, fixed on something only he could see, perhaps a ripple of spacetime itself.
"According to the beaconâs logs, it was 100,000 years," the Amethyst King said, his tone shifting from light mockery to a chilling gravity. "A hundred millennia. Yet, with the sheer number of children I sired across the universe, my lineage shouldnât have been destroyed in such a relatively short period... unless that bastard actively hunted them down to destroy my bloodline while searching for me."
A flicker of genuine rage, pure and blinding like a supernova, crossed the Kingâs face.
"Itâs not impossible, considering that accursed bitch, was with him, helping him," the Amethyst King said, the name a snarl of cosmic hatred. "If thatâs the case, then it is no wonder my beacon searched for you in the most remote corners of the universe. That bastard couldnât have possibly tracked you this far."
The King paused, examining Ethan with the keen, judgmental eye of an artist assessing a promising but unfinished sculpture.
"But well... you donât look bad," the Amethyst King said, his smile returning, albeit with a predatory edge. "You inherited my innate beauty and you have a good physique. Itâs missing details here and there, a little refinement on the edges, but my dear Systemâthe one I created to exploit your full potentialâIâm sure it will fine-tune your details to perfection."
"Any questions?" the Amethyst King asked, a smirk playing on his lips, enjoying the shock heâd inflicted.
The sheer weight of the informationâthe 100,000-year time jump, the cosmic war, the ruthless hunt for his bloodline by a vengeful queen and some unknown "bastard"âslammed into Ethan. His mind spun, unable to process the scale of the legacy he had just inherited. He was stunned by the revelation and could not articulate a single word.
"Well, since you donât have any, then itâs time for us to say goodbye," the Amethyst King said, beginning to dissolve around the edges, his amethyst armor shimmering like heat haze. "This is only a temporary clone, and it wonât last much longer. So, Iâm glad to have met you, my son... make your father proud."
The Kingâs dissolving form pointed a final, imperious finger at Ethan.
"Screw all creation," the Amethyst King commanded. "Make every race in the universe your bitch, and fill them all with our glorious seed so they may bear fruits as beautiful as us! Go!"
The finality in the command, coupled with its utterly insane nature, finally broke through Ethanâs mental paralysis. The thought of this man vanishing, taking all the answers with him, was unbearable.
"Wait... STOP!" Ethan screamed. The sound cracked the perfect silence of the chamber. "Donât go! I have too many questions!"
The Kingâs fading form paused, the dissolution process halting. The King looked amused.
"I thought you didnât want to talk," the Amethyst King said.
"I was too impacted by everything you revealed," Ethan said, running a hand through his hair, trying to anchor himself in the surreal reality. "I couldnât even put my head in order."
"Okay, okay, donât despair," the Amethyst King said, the cosmic patience of an eternal being momentarily asserted. "There is still time."
It was at this crucial moment that the Loli, his Systemâs Avatar, intervened, her voice sharp with a sudden, anxious urgency.
"But Master, shouldnât we hide him?" the Loli said, her huge, innocent eyes darting nervously toward the unseen walls of the cave. "If they discover us, we would be annihilated!"
The Amethyst Kingâs temporal clone smiled, a slow, terrifying curve of the lips that held the assurance of a god.
"I know what worries you, little one, and it could happen," the Amethyst King said, dismissing her fear with a flick of his dissolving wrist. "But this is a temporal sanctuary that I created. As long as that bastard hasnât reached the rank of Demigod or figured out how to hunt and invade temporal rifts, it is impossible for him to know what happened here."
The Kingâs words carried the weight of universal law. The Loliâs tension immediately eased.
"I understand, Master," the Loli said, nodding once, crisply. "Then speak, little one. We will answer you."
The Loli then puffed out her chest, crossing her tiny arms in an attitude of superior confidence, like a seasoned drill sergeant addressing a new, bewildered recruit.
Ethan watched the miniature avatar, who was now adopting the posture of a supreme commander. The sudden absurdity, after the heavy talk of annihilation and 100,000-year hunts, was overwhelming. A loud burst of laughter exploded from Ethan, shattering the intense atmosphere of the temporal sanctuary.
"Hahahaha! You!" Ethan said, pointing an accusing, trembling finger at the Loli. "You look like a furious little grape!"
The Loli immediately dropped her imposing stance, her arms falling to her sides, and a perfect, dramatic pout of disgust appeared on her face.