Chapter 406: Rose’s troubles Ethan knew that from this moment onward, his path would no longer be smooth. The negative plane of existence felt strange to him. Not fragmented. Not layered. Not chaotic. It felt like a single, boundless world. An infinite domain whose very purpose seemed singular and absolute. Opposition. As if this plane did not exist to grow, evolve, or explore meaning, but solely to stand against the positive plane of existence. As if all laws, beings, and structures here had been forged for one reason alone, to counterbalance, to negate, to resist. Nothing else mattered. And that unsettled him. Right now, his evolution was incomplete. His golden cells were still undergoing transformation, restructuring themselves at a level that transcended conventional cultivation. He could feel it clearly. If interrupted now, the consequences would be severe. Yet his strength had already crossed into a terrifying realm. The realm of Eternal Sovereigns. Unless the Absolute Continuum Being of this plane, the one known as The Presence, personally interfered, there was no entity here that could truly threaten his existence. That realization led him to a decision. There was no point in hiding anymore. Dealing with endless low-level entities was inefficient. A waste of time and focus. If the true powers of this plane wished to act, they would come eventually. Hiding only delayed the inevitable. So Ethan chose the most direct path. He would reveal himself. He would make his stance clear. And he would force the powerful to acknowledge him. Ethan emerged from concealment. He appeared within the open void of the negative plane, where no stars shone and no spatial anchors existed. He sat cross-legged, his posture calm, his breathing steady, as if he were merely meditating in a quiet courtyard rather than at the heart of a hostile cosmic domain. This time, however, he held the Sword of Infinity in his hands. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, reality responded. A vast aura surged outward from his body. But it was not violent. It was not domineering. It was gentle. And that was what made it terrifying. This was the pressure of a Source Authority level existence, restrained to the utmost degree. A presence so refined that it did not seek to crush, yet made resistance meaningless. Lower level beings felt suffocating for a moment. They were not being attacked. They were simply unworthy of standing in this aura. Ethan did not care about them. If the true powers wished to respond, they would come. He closed his eyes and began to cultivate. Boom. A signal erupted across the central scanner systems of the negative plane. Alarms blared without end. [Unknown Source Authority Level Entity Detected] [Threat Level Unmeasurable] The systems descended into chaos. Within sealed domains and transcendent sanctuaries, Eternal Sovereigns from both the positive and negative planes froze. A Source Authority level being. Here. Without permission. Without announcement. Without alignment. "This is impossible," one Eternal Sovereign thought, his mind racing. "A Source Authority entering without authorization can instantly trigger an existential war." "Why would such an existence come here now?" another questioned. "This timing makes no sense." Fear spread silently. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶 None of them could understand what was happening. Contacting a Source Authority being was impossible. Communication flowed only one way. Only the Progenitors could reach down if they wished. No one, not even the supreme rulers of races, had the right to initiate contact. "This requires direct intervention," many concluded. "The Progenitors must act." Then Ethan heard a voice within his mind. It was calm. Ancient. Unmistakably vast. "May I ask what you are doing here without permission? Do you intend to start the war this early?" Ethan did not open his eyes. "Sorry for the trouble," he replied casually. "I will leave this place in three hundred and twenty days. I will not interfere with anyone unless they interfere with me." His voice carried no threat. No arrogance. Just certainty. For a moment, silence followed. Then the voice responded. "Very well. We will accept this explanation. But remember, if you break your promise, we are not afraid of war." Something felt off. Ethan sensed it immediately. Relief. That was what he felt from the other side. Why? A Source Authority level being, standing at the peak of existence, should not feel relieved by the words of peace from another Source Authority. Fear was understandable. Caution was logical. But relief? As if a stone was removed from their chest. That made no sense. Before he could contemplate further, another voice echoed throughout the plane. This one did not speak to individuals. It spoke to reality itself. "The Primordial Alliance is delivering it’s verdict. No being is permitted to approach Sector Eighty-Seven for one year. Any violation will result in immediate erasure of existence." The decree descended like an absolute law. Ethan opened his eyes briefly. They issued a direct decree. He felt a faint ripple of surprise, but it passed quickly. He closed his eyes again and fully retracted his aura, allowing the oppressive pressure to vanish as if it had never existed. The void returned to stillness. Ethan turned his focus inward. Golden cells shimmered within his body, each one resembling a miniature universe, constantly evolving, constantly rewriting their own internal laws. Time flowed. Far above, within the highest chamber of the Primordial Alliance, beings of Source Authority gathered around an ancient table forged before causality. "Our champion is not ready yet," one of them said quietly. "We need more time." "The positive particles are still rejecting him," another replied. "Forcing convergence now would be disastrous." "Our focus must remain on him," a third concluded. "Everything depends on his growth." Their discussion carried consequences that would reshape fate itself. Elsewhere. In the origin world of the Dragon Race. Rose sat in silent cultivation. Her aura was calm, cold, and profound, carrying the unmistakable presence of the Ice Dragon bloodline. Frost patterns formed and dissolved around her with each breath. Memories surfaced within her mind. She remembered her family. She remembered the people who were with her. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not remember where she originally came from. That emptiness troubled her. Zara’s Saint progression trial was approaching. If Zara failed, her fate would collapse into darkness, consumed by forces far beyond her control. Rose clenched her fingers slightly. She had to help. A knock sounded at the door at that point. "Sis, may I come in?" "Yes." The door opened, and a breathtakingly beautiful woman in her late twenties stepped inside. "Sis," Zara said, worry evident in her voice. "For the trial, I need my own champion. Do you have any ideas who it could be?" Rose’s expression darkened slightly. "If we cannot find anyone suitable, I will ask Ryan," she said softly. "It is unfortunate that I cannot participate personally." Zara nodded, but her worry remained. Rose herself was under immense pressure. After awakening the Ice Dragon bloodline and manifesting an Ice Domain capable of collapsing everything within its range, she had ascended to sainthood directly. Even the Ice Dragon Race acknowledged her strength and treated her potential with respect. Zara, on the other hand, possessed the Apocalypse Bloodline. One of the Ultimate One Hundred Original Bloodlines. A rarity that drew countless eyes. The Ice Dragon Race wanted to keep Zara, despite her not belonging to their lineage. So they allowed her to take the saint trial. But if she failed..... Rose had no true backing. She was the support for others, yet had no one supporting her. Marriage proposals from other races, endless schemes within the Ice Dragon Race, and political pressure from powerful factions were slowly wearing her down. Though Rose had already stepped into the Genesis Realm, it meant little to those watching her. They did not value her current strength. They valued her future. And the alliances she could bring. Even her master subtly pushed her toward marrying into a royal family of an Original Race, all for factional stability. "Do not worry," Rose said gently, forcing calm into her voice. "Focus on your training. The trial will be difficult, but you will endure." Zara nodded. Neither of them knew that far away, in a forbidden sector of the negative plane, a presence was quietly reshaping the fate of all of them.