Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Identity Revealed
Maintaining a regal composure, Neo replied,
"Is it truly so difficult to fathom, Lord Garrick? That a mere human could ascend to sit among you?"
"You all look at the vast cosmos and categorize power by the blood in one’s veins or the ancient lineage of their empire. You believe true strength is an inherited right. But humanity is vastly different. We are born weak, fragile, and incredibly short-lived. Yet, it is precisely that fragile mortality that births an unyielding ambition."
Neo set his goblet down.
"We do not rest on the laurels of our ancestors. We adapt. We survive. We synthesize the absolute truths of this universe, forging our own path to the apex through pure will and endless tribulation. A human does not wait for destiny to grant them power. We carve our own destiny out of the fabrics of reality."
He then turned to the Solar Saint, saying coldly:
"As for your bold accusation, Saint of the Sun, your divine senses severely deceive you. You claim to smell a demon in my presence, but you seem utterly blind to the true nature of the energy you worship."
[ Active Skill: Holy Aura (E) Activated ]
Upon activation, his figure began to radiate blinding holy energy.
It was so bright and pure that it bathed the entire VIP terrace in a warm, divine glow that forced the Kraken, King Vane, and Lord Garrick to instinctively raise their arms to shield their eyes from the intense brilliance.
The Solar Saint stood up all of sudden, looking completely shocked.
The light radiating from this young human was not just pure. It was incredibly dense, completely flawless, and carried the exact auric resonance of his highest-ranking Golden Paladins.
"This... I thought you’re a demon. But, such a flawless divine light... This cannot be faked. You’re not a demon.."
Neo snorted coldly. "Hmph, do not let your ancient prejudices cloud your judgment again. Now, shall we focus on the pressing matter of this trial investigation, or will you all continue to question my rightful place at this table?"
Just then,
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
The sounds of clapping were heard alongside the entry of a plain-suited elf with long, pointy ears.
The elf looked about six feet tall, handsome, and lean-built. He looked ordinary, until Neo noticed the way every faction leader was looking at him.
Fear and wariness.
"You have spoken well, Neo Godson. This Administrator is pleased."
Neo’s whole being shook with a jolt of alarm. He had not said a single thing about his real identity, but this elf revealed it so casually.
Just who was this?
Neo immediately sent a stress signal to Noir, telling her to be prepared.
"Sir Administrator, please catch the culprit and let us leave!" a faction leader said with urgency.
The Administrator simply gave a nod, then headed closer to Neo, while everyone began to murmur Neo’s real name.
Looking straight into Neo’s void-like eyes, he smiled dangerously.
"You are truly quite something, Neo Godson. To be able to rise from a backwater planet, compete with the elite powerhouses, and bear the mandate of a True Dominator. Simply mind-blowing!" he said in a tone as if he were impressed.
Neo, however, felt his bad premonition only growing stronger.
Meanwhile, the eyes of the Kraken, King Vane, Lord Garrick, and the Solar Saint narrowed after hearing the term "Dominator."
"A Dominator? He is so lucky," Garrick murmured in envy. "No wonder he is so different."
"Solar Saint, King Vane, it looks like you have another terrifying rival to conquer," the Kraken added, smiling mischievously.
Everyone started to look at Neo differently now.
If a Beyonder is one in a million, a Dominator is one in a million Beyonders.
A Dominator has the potential to reshape the current hierarchy of the universe.
It also means more challenges, more hardships, and more enemies.
But that is what makes a Dominator special.
King Vane of the Crimson Kings smiled like a predator.
"What rank are you at, Neo Godson? I do not want to conquer a domainless Dominator. That would simply be a waste of my energy."
Neo did not answer, but everyone was looking at him now.
The Administrator did not give Neo a chance to respond.
"He has not yet conquered a single territory. At present, his rank is at the very bottom of the Dominator hierarchy. He is entirely domainless."
The revelation brought a wave of mocking laughter.
"Ha ha, a domainless Dominator? Then he is nothing but a rare beast waiting to be slaughtered! What a complete joke." Lord Garrick bellowed, slamming his heavy fist onto the starlight jade table.
King Vane scoffed in absolute disdain, "How deeply disappointing. I thought I had found a worthy prey. Instead, it seems I am looking at a mere infant playing dress-up in an emperor’s clothes. Come find me when you actually own a star system, boy."
Even the Kraken chuckled darkly, shaking the cosmic wine in his glass.
"Boy, potential means nothing if you do not have the military power or the land to back it up."
Neo stayed clam and expressionless. In his mind, however, he was already calculating exactly how much Cosmic Force it would take to crush Lord Garrick’s throat.
Elena was angry at the insults thrown at her Emperor.
Before the mockery could continue, the Administrator raised a slender hand.
Pin drop silence ensued at once.
"That is quite enough, leaders. We are not here to discuss the future conquests of Neo Godson. We are here to address a severe anomaly that threatens the absolute foundation of the Gourd trial."
The Administrator turned his piercing gaze away from Neo and moved it coldly across the eighty powerful faction leaders.
"The safety mechanisms of the Trial World were completely bypassed. Hundreds of elite participants, including a Type 6 Inquisitor, were permanently erased from existence. There were no respawn triggers. There were no residual soul signatures left behind. They are truly dead."
Everyone turned serious, feeling how grave it was. It potentially meant Heavenly Gourd isn’t safe for going training anymore.
"This is an unprecedented breach of our absolute spatial laws. Therefore, the mocking ends now, and the official investigation begins. The doors to this banquet hall have been sealed. No one will leave this planet until I uncover exactly how this massacre occurred, and more importantly, who among you is hiding a power capable of defying the trial’s core matrix."
