Chapter 2: Return

Xenos stood in the vast emptiness of the void, his resolve unwavering.

Sumanth glanced at him. "Are you ready?"

Xenos smirked. "Since the day I was born."

Sumanth chuckled. "Haha... if you're still joking, I guess I can relax a little."

His expression turned serious. "Listen, once you travel to the past, the tower will enter a dormant state. We won't be able to reach you until you arrive."

Xenos nodded. "Understood."

The moment he spoke, his black eyes shifted, turning into a radiant purple-gold. His aura transformed, exuding an overwhelming presence. With his Void Gaze, he peered into the very fabric of existence, his eyes piercing through the abyss.

Watching from within the tower, Sumanth grinned. "Hah… he really is something. That aura—Immortal-Devilish Energy. The same presence that once struck terror into the True Universe and the Underworld alike… Haha."

As he spoke, the tower, following the command of the elders and the king, began to enter its dormant state.

Xenos then retrieved the Tear of Space-Time, a legendary karmic treasure of the Imperial Household. Long before the fall of humanity in the True Universe, it had been the sacred relic of the emperor, safeguarding the imperial bloodline. But after the extinction of the human race, the treasure was lost—until Xenos found it.

The Tear of Space-Time resembled a shimmering droplet, swirling with an overwhelming concentration of space-time laws. It had many uses, but its most powerful ability was time travel itself.

Holding the relic in his palm, Xenos activated its core technique. Instantly, it radiated an intense, blinding light.

A massive tunnel tore open before him, spiraling with the boundless energy of space and time.

As the vortex pulled him in, his form vanished into the abyss— And the tunnel collapsed behind him.

As Xenos traveled through the space-time tunnel, memories of his conversation with the elders resurfaced in his mind.

Elder Leo looked at him sternly. "Have you decided on the exact time period you want to travel to? Before you go, there are a few things you must understand."

"First," he continued, "choose a time when humanity's destiny is at its strongest—this will help shield you from external interference."

"Second, never travel to a time before your birth." His voice grew heavy. "Doing so could severely disrupt the timeline, leading to unpredictable consequences."

"Third, after reaching the past, you must establish a new identity and residence. Before anything else, cultivate the Nirvana Cultivation Technique. Since you were born on Earth, your soul mark is tied to the planet, meaning it won't reject you. When your cultivation resets and you become mortal, the laws of that era will perceive you as an ordinary being, preventing rejection."

"Fourth, after arriving, the tower will remain dormant for seven days before reactivating. Use that time wisely—gather all the necessary information."

"Fifth, wait until we can reestablish communication. Only then can we determine how to proceed."

Xenos nodded and stated firmly, "Elder, I wish to travel two years before the Space Gate eruption—January 1, 3038."

His gaze sharpened. "Humanity's destiny was at its peak then, and I have a strong feeling that valuable opportunities will present themselves."

The elders exchanged glances before nodding in approval.

Elder Athena turned to Elder Saladin. "Since Xenos is using the Tear of Space-Time, you, as a master blacksmith, should give him a rundown on its properties."

Elder Saladin stroked his beard and spoke in a deep voice. "Listen carefully, kid. When you activate the Tear of Space-Time, a brilliant white light will erupt, and the tunnel will pull you in."

"This tunnel is formed from the very fabric of space-time itself—it carries echoes of the past, present, and future."

His expression darkened slightly. "Do not get distracted by the images you see. The future is constantly changing. Focus only on your destination."

"As you near the designated time, the light surrounding you will anchor itself to that point in history, ensuring your safe arrival."

Elder Saladin leaned forward. "Since you'll be protected by this light, you won't need to worry about space storms or unstable time zones. However, if you encounter space-time fractures, remain calm."

His tone became firm. "Do not use your spiritual energy, aura, or—most importantly—your willpower. Let the light guide you."

Xenos absorbed every word, then nodded in understanding.

Elder Saladin smirked. "So, all in all, traveling to the past shouldn't be a problem—assuming you follow these instructions."

As Elder Saladin had described, the moment Xenos was pulled into the tunnel, he experienced countless visions. However, what he saw was far different from what he had expected.

Instead of witnessing his own past or the history of his universe alone, he saw the past of countless universes, intertwining like threads in a grand cosmic web. Scenes of civilizations rising and falling, celestial bodies forming and collapsing, and divine battles beyond comprehension flickered before him.

As he observed these chaotic glimpses, the tunnel suddenly branched out—splitting into multiple paths like the limbs of a great tree. The guiding light around him swiftly nudged him toward one of the smaller branches.

Now, in this new path, the visions began to narrow—showing only his universe. He continued watching as history unfolded before his eyes, yet the tunnel branched again, and once more, the guiding light directed him toward a smaller segment of the tunnel.

This process repeated multiple times. Each time the tunnel divided, the path grew narrower, the images more focused, and the past more specific—until, finally, Xenos reached the smallest branch of the tunnel.

Here, he saw his home universe in its entirety.

After what felt like an eternity of witnessing countless space storms and unstable time zones, Xenos finally reached his designated time—January 1, 3038.

As he arrived, the surrounding light latched onto the tunnel like glue, merging with the timeline itself. Slowly, the light enveloped him, pulling him into the past.

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Earth, January 1, 3038

Central Region – Hyderabad City

Xenos stood in the middle of a bustling street, watching people come and go. The city was familiar, yet everything felt strangely foreign. The world had changed in ways he could barely recognize.

A wave of nostalgia and dissonance washed over him. This was the past, yet for him, it was a future that had already collapsed.

Shaking off his thoughts, he focused on his next steps.

First, he hypnotized the president of the government, fabricating an official identity card to seamlessly blend into society. Then, he manipulated various bank presidents, instructing them to transfer a single dollar from every bank account in the system into his own—making him an instant billionaire without triggering any alarms. Finally, he purchased a house, ensuring he had a stable base of operations.

With the essentials taken care of, Xenos activated his virtual watch, a cutting-edge device that stored historical recordsand real-time news updates.

Global History Timeline

[Year 2100 – World War III erupts, leading to catastrophic destruction. The global population drops from 10 billion to 8 billion due to war, famine, and nuclear fallout.]

[Year 2150 – A unified world government, The Federation, is established, bringing an end to national conflicts and centralizing power.]

[Year 2500 – Renewable energy becomes the dominant power source, drastically reducing pollution and restoring Earth's ecosystem.]

[Year 2800 – Humanity officially reaches Tier 1 Civilization Status, harnessing planetary energy to sustain advanced technological growth.]

[Year 3000 – Virtual reality reaches its peak, merging with daily life. Digital consciousness transfer experiments begin.]

[Year 3010 – Geologists discover a sudden shift in tectonic plates. Studies predict that Earth's continents may eventually merge into a single supercontinent.]

[Year 3020 – The continents begin drifting faster than ever before, causing widespread panic. People fear this could be the onset of an apocalypse.]

[Year 3030 – The first Space Gates appear worldwide, coinciding with the final continental fusion. Five great mountains rise, forming natural barriers that divide the new landmass into five major regions.]

[Year 3033 – A mysterious phenomenon causes wild animals to mutate, growing larger and more aggressive. These creatures claim the great mountains as their new territories.]

[Year 3035 – In response to the growing monster threat, twelve ancient martial families emerge from hiding, reintroducing the lost art of cultivation to protect humanity.]

[Year 3037 – Martial arts transcend normal human limitations—fighters can shatter boulders with a single punch and even defy gravity. The world is no longer the same.]

[Year 3038 (Present Day) – The world stands on the brink of a new era, unknowingly walking toward an impending disaster.]

After reading through the historical records, Xenos fell into deep thought.

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January 11, 3038

Central Region – Corinth Province, Hazel Forest

A woman ran deeper into the forest, her breath ragged, her eyes filled with sheer terror. Behind her, something monstrous pursued her—a hideous wolf-like creature, its red eyes burning with malice, its body grotesquely fused with a dark, writhing slug-like parasite that pulsed and twitched beneath its fur.

She stumbled. The uneven ground gave way beneath her feet, sending her tumbling down a small slope. Pain shot through her as she hit the ground, her body bruised from the fall.

Groaning, she struggled to stand. But as she looked up, her blood ran cold.

The wolf abomination was approaching, its steps slow and deliberate, savoring her impending demise.

Fear paralyzed her. Her body refused to move.

Then—footsteps.

A new sound cut through the eerie silence of the forest, coming from behind her. Someone was approaching.

Her mind screamed at her to look, to see who it was—but she was too afraid to turn around. Before she could react, the wolf lunged, its monstrous maw opening to tear into her flesh.

She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable.

Then—a sharp sound.

A flash of silver.

A blade cut clean through the beast, slicing it into pieces before it could even reach her.

The woman felt a warm liquid splatter against her skin. Slowly, she cracked open her eyes. The wolf abomination was dead, its twitching remains sprawled on the ground.

A deep voice murmured, "Parasites... They're weak, but they turn mortals into mindless creatures of destruction."

Her breath hitched. Turning her gaze toward the voice, she saw a man standing nearby.

He was tall—at least six feet—with an aura of quiet confidence. His golden-purple eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, his fair skin flawless, his features sharp and strikingly handsome.

For a moment, she forgot to breathe.

Then, his voice pulled her back to reality.

"Girl, you can open your eyes now."

She blinked, her mind still reeling.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice calm, almost amused.

Snapping out of her daze, she nodded hastily. "Y-Yes... I'm fine... Thank you for saving me."

Then, hesitantly, she asked, "Who... who are you?"

The man regarded her for a second before replying, "Xenos."

Her heart pounded. His name felt important, though she didn't know why.

Swallowing, she introduced herself. "Areum. Han Areum."

[This meeting between Xenos and Han Areum would later be recorded as the turning point in human history—the moment that changed the fate of an entire race and led to the salvation of humanity from the brink of extinction.]