7. Ylseia. Innate Creature

Deep within the Infinite Continent, hundreds of thousands of kilometers above, lay what seemed to be an unprecedented technological marvel—or simply a unique and extremely grand natural phenomenon. Hundreds of colossal islands, each the size of planet Earth or even larger, silently floated in the air.

These islands were arranged in a circular formation, with the smaller ones positioned on the outer edges, gradually increasing in size as they neared the center.

Hundreds of golden palaces sprawled across these islands, each radiating power and majesty beyond what any mortal could imagine. Thousands of people, all dressed in golden robes, moved constantly, each occupied with their own affairs.

On the central island, comparable in size to more than ten normal planets, the scene was vastly different from the others. This place was mostly deserted, the only sounds being the whistle of the wind and the grazing of the magical beasts that inhabited this celestial land. A privilege few could attain, as even the residents of the other floating islands would gladly give their lives for the chance to set foot here, even once.

In this place, a spatial fluctuation appeared, and Jennifer, known as the Phoenix Goddess on her home planet, materialized. She didn't hesitate for a second and immediately flew toward a specific location.

A few minutes later, a lake the size of a small country came into view. A small island, though still the size of multiple cities, sat at the center of the body of water. In the middle of this island stood a massive tree, tens of thousands of meters tall, radiating an aura of vitality so intense that even a powerhouse of SS- rank like her felt her physical strength skyrocketing just by being near it.

She approached the tree with a tense expression. As she did, the gazes of dozens of magical beasts around the lake turned toward her. For a moment, they wondered how such a weak being had made it to this place, but upon realizing who she was, all they could feel was envy before averting their eyes.

At the top of the tree was a small palace, formed from the very branches of the tree itself, as if they had naturally grown into that shape to achieve this particular design.

Jennifer stood outside the palace, uncertain whether to enter or not. But the decision wasn't hers to make—a powerful force enveloped her, and in the next instant, she found herself inside an incredibly spacious hall. A pressure weighed on her chest, and when she looked down, she found a small figure clinging to her, rubbing her head against Jennifer's ample chest.

"Hello, Ylseia. It's been a while," Jennifer whispered.

Ylseia froze. Her body evaporated at a speed Jennifer couldn't even begin to comprehend, and when she reappeared, she was seated on a wooden throne in the center of the hall, wearing an arrogant expression.

"Hmph, you dare show up here after disappearing for nine years? If it weren't for the fact that your soul signature is still intact, I would have thought something had happened to you," she said with slight annoyance. For a being like her, nine years felt like the blink of an eye—completely insignificant. Yet, she was still upset over her friend's disappearance during that time.

Jennifer's face tensed as memories of the past years flooded her mind. Deep down, she hesitated to tell Ylseia what had happened, fearing that her friend might look down on her.

"Something happened," she finally admitted. She needed help, and her pride was insignificant compared to her duty as a mother. "Something horrible."

She began to recount everything that had happened over the past nine years—absolutely everything. From how she had been cursed with a love spell and forced to endure all kinds of humiliations (except for sex, as the curse's side effect rendered its bearer impotent), to the moment she threw her own eight-year-old son into what was essentially an open-air prison ruled by the law of the strong, leaving him to die.

By the time she finished, tears streamed down her face. The weight of her reality and the actions of the past years were crushing her. She had not allowed her true emotions to surface in front of her daughter—she couldn't. After everything they had been through, she had to be strong so that Anna wouldn't fall apart.

But now, in front of the only person she truly considered a friend, someone immeasurably stronger than her, she broke down. The tears poured from her eyes, and she sobbed like a small child. The once-venerated Phoenix Goddess, worshiped by all on her home planet, now looked like a pitiful, wounded girl.

Ylseia stared at her friend, stunned. She had no idea how to handle this situation.

One might think that a being as powerful as Ylseia should be immensely experienced and knowledgeable, having endured thousands of years of trials, suffering, pain, humiliation, and constant learning to reach her current state, granting her the wisdom to handle any kind of situation.

Well, that wasn't true in her case.

She was neither human nor a member of any race. She was an innate creature, born from heaven and earth—a fusion of unimaginable amounts of energy and concepts that had accidentally given rise to a life form. From the moment of her birth, she possessed enough power to stand at the pinnacle of the Infinite Continent.

For tens of thousands of years, she was worshiped and revered as a goddess. Legions of people inhabited the islands around her and proclaimed themselves her followers, obeying her every command. She never had to do anything—she was born with the brightest golden spoon in history.

And life… felt boring. Really boring.

That was why she descended to the surface and set out to explore the Infinite Continent. But that presented no challenge at all. Everywhere she went, the creatures either knelt in worship or trembled in fear. There was never anyone she could truly communicate with.

That was until one day when she rescued a young D-rank human from being devoured by a swarm of monsters. She thought the human would kneel or tremble in fear like every other being she had encountered. But that human did something no one else had ever done.

She… invited her to eat.

She took the monsters' bodies, made a meat soup, set up a small campfire, and offered Ylseia a bowl.

As an innate creature, Ylseia had never needed to eat. Even the highest-grade spiritual treasures were unworthy of touching her lips. But curiosity about this unfamiliar situation overtook her.

Before she knew it, she found herself chatting happily with the human. It was the most memorable experience of her life. And it didn't end there. After that, she visited the human more often, even offering to grant her power—she could have elevated her strength to SSS-rank in an instant if she wished.

But the human refused. And then, she said a phrase that would be engraved in Ylseia's soul forever. With a bright smile, she said:

"That wouldn't be right. If there are no challenges, what's the point of living?"

Those words left a mark on Ylseia and inspired her to explore and learn things she had never known before. That human became the most important person in her life.

And now, that person she cherished so deeply was standing in front of her—completely broken, crying inconsolably.