Several hours later...
A group of Anomaly Hunters silently moved through an ancient mountain range, their figures weaving between towering trees and steep cliffs while maintaining enough distance from one another to react instantly to any unforeseen danger.
The team consisted of nine people.
Four Saints.
Four Demi-Gods.
And one God Rank expert.
Compared to the combat units from a few days ago, the overall strength of this team was noticeably greater.
Walking at the very front was a middle-aged man with short brown hair and a weathered face marked by countless old scars, each one silently bearing witness to the countless battles he had survived throughout his long and arduous journey.
His name was Gareth Voss.
An Early God Rank cultivator.
Unlike many geniuses who had stepped into the God Rank through overwhelming talent, Gareth had climbed to his current position through nearly six centuries of relentless warfare, earning the respect of both allies and enemies alike for his calm judgment even amidst the most desperate situations.
Although his future potential was limited, very few people questioned the experience accumulated over those six hundred years.
Following behind him were the remaining members of the team.
There was the young Half-Elven swordsman Leon Hart, a Peak Demi-God who had joined the Transcendent Circle less than thirty years ago, eventually earning the qualifications required to be selected for the newly established Anomaly Hunter Unit.
Beside him was Mira Solis, a Saint Rank Half-Angel from the Heavenly Realm whose extraordinary healing abilities had secured her a place within the Anomaly Hunter Unit.
The remaining members were equally accomplished within their respective ranks, each personally selected by the three great organizations after undergoing rigorous screening.
None of them were weak, nor did any of them lacked experience.
Yet none of them realized...
That from the very moment they had entered the mountain range, countless pairs of eyes had already begun observing their every movement.
Far above the forest canopy, several Windfeather Birds quietly watched the team pass beneath them.
A Horned Squirrel climbed across the rough bark of a nearby tree.
A Moon-Tailed Rabbit peacefully nibbled on patches of spirit grass.
Even the tiny Mana Ants crawling beneath the fallen leaves appeared completely ordinary.
None of them attracted even the slightest suspicion.
Because none of them were ordinary beasts.
Every one of them had already fallen under Ash’s control, their vision continuously shared with him through the combined abilities of [Akashic Mind] and [Mind Sovereign] , allowing him to observe the entire team from every possible direction without exposing his own presence.
His attention eventually settled upon Gareth.
Early God Rank expert, he is around two thousand years old and judging from those scars alone, he’s undoubtedly an experienced veteran.
This won’t be an easy opponent... but that’s exactly what I wanted.
A weak opponent wouldn’t tell me where I truly stand.
Let’s see... just how strong my Domain really is and how powerful I actually am...
After silently making his decision, Ash withdrew his consciousness from the magical beasts before his Combat Clone quietly disappeared from tree trunk and appeared further in the path of that team.
The distance separating both sides rapidly shortened.
100 kilometers...
50 kilometers...
10 kilometers...
Only after Gareth and the others had finally stepped within the effective range of his Domain did Ash calmly muttered...
" Domain Expansion... "
For a brief instant...
The surrounding world seemed to become completely silent.
" Cradle of Endless Worlds. "
An invisible and incomprehensible ripple instantly spread throughout the surroundings with Ash as the center.
Unlike ordinary Domains that forcefully descended upon reality, Ash’s Domain quietly resonated with the surrounding space before instantly creating an independent space connected to reality, causing Gareth’s figure to disappear without leaving behind even the slightest spatial fluctuation.
Everything happened in less than an instant.
The abrupt disappearance of their leader caused the expressions of the remaining eight Anomaly Hunters to change dramatically as their eyes instinctively darted in every direction, their weapons immediately drawn while their senses spread across the surrounding mountain range in an attempt to locate the hidden enemy.
"What just happened?"
"Captain!"
"Where did he go?!"
Panic rapidly began spreading through the group.
Yet before anyone could make sense of the impossible scene unfolding before them...
A figure silently appeared several dozen meters away.
The moment their eyes landed upon him, every member of the Anomaly Hunter Unit unconsciously froze.
Standing before them was a humanoid figure with a slender, perfectly proportioned physique.
His skin was a deep violet-black with a subtle cosmic texture, while countless tiny golden lights continuously flickered across his body like distant stars.
Larger ancient looking symbols were naturally embedded across his hands, shoulders.
His hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes were pure white, carrying faint golden and rainbow hues that shimmered beneath the sunlight.
Most astonishing of all were his eyes.
Instead of white sclera, they contained constantly shifting colors surrounding a deep black pupil marked by ten spoke-like lines.
Despite his lean, almost delicate build, his body radiated an indescribable sense of perfection and overwhelming presence.
Silence descended in the surroundings.
None of the eight Anomaly Hunters uttered a single word as they stared at the unknown being standing before them, their minds instinctively trying to associate his appearance with every race they had ever learned about throughout their lives.
None matched.
...What race is this...?
Impossible... I’ve never seen, nor even read about such a race before...
Those symbols... they’re naturally embedded into his body...? Is this some body enhancement technique...?
Why does it feel as though... every instinct in my body is telling me not to look directly into those eyes...?
Captain disappeared... and then this unknown being appeared... don’t tell me...
Ash quietly observed every subtle change in their expressions.
The disappearance of their leader has already thrown their minds into confusion, and my true appearance has only deepened that confusion further. Their attention is completely fixed on me, their thoughts are unstable, and this is undoubtedly the easiest moment to invade their minds.
But to be even more careful... I will use ’that’ ability too...
Suddenly, crimson sparks silently gathered above Ash’s head before converging into an ancient crown.
[Dread Monarch — Crown of Dominion]
A black crown hovered above him, its jagged edges resembling countless upward-pointing blades, while thin crimson veins spread across its surface like flowing lava. Ancient golden runes quietly shimmered between those veins, appearing and disappearing as though they possessed a life of their own.
════════
[Crown of Dominion]
An ancient crown embodying the absolute authority of a Monarch. While active, weaker beings instinctively find it difficult to resist the user’s commands, while those of equal or greater strength are continuously subjected to the overwhelming presence of its bearer.
════════
The very moment the crown completely materialized, an overwhelming pressure erupted from Ash’s body like an invisible tsunami, silently sweeping across the entire region as the surrounding Mana instantly became sluggish, the air itself grew incomparably heavy, and every living being within its range instinctively felt as though an invisible ruler had descended upon the world.
Every member of the Anomaly Hunter Unit instinctively widened their eyes.
The pressure was simply too overwhelming.
It wasn’t merely pressing against their bodies.
It was pressing against their minds and their Souls.
Ash’s expression remained completely indifferent as his gaze slowly swept across the eight struggling cultivators before calmly opening his mouth.
"Kneel."
The instant that single word echoed throughout the forest, the invisible pressure descended with several times greater intensity, as though the crown itself had acknowledged the command and transformed it into an undeniable law.
Boom.
The four Saints collapsed first.
Their knees violently smashed into the shattered ground before both hands instinctively followed, their entire bodies trembling uncontrollably as though an invisible mountain had been placed upon their backs, leaving them unable to raise either their heads or their eyes.
The four Demi-Gods struggled with everything they had.
Mana erupted wildly from their bodies.
Their muscles swelled.
Veins bulged across their foreheads.
Every ounce of strength they possessed was poured into resisting the invisible authority pressing down upon them, yet all of it proved utterly meaningless as one after another their legs buckled beneath them before both knees crashed heavily against the earth, their hands following shortly afterward despite every desperate attempt to remain standing.
Impossible... why can’t I stand...?
This isn’t Aura... it isn’t Bloodline suppression... and it definitely isn’t killing intent... then what exactly is forcing my body to submit...?
Move... damn it... move...!
Why... why does it feel as though disobeying that single word is a crime against existence itself...?
Ash quietly watched the scene unfold before him.
So this is the true effect of the Crown of Dominion. The authority carried by the crown alone is enough to overwhelm both their bodies and their will, making resistance little more than a meaningless struggle. Although they are significantly weaker than me, the effect is still far greater than I initially expected.
It was his first time using this ability and the ability did not disappoint him at all.
His figure silently vanished into a blur.
Before anyone could even comprehend what had happened, he was already standing amidst the kneeling cultivators.
His hands smoothly transformed as flesh shifted and condensed into razor-sharp crimson blades before flashing through the air with terrifying precision, each strike deliberately avoiding the vital organs while inflicting wounds severe enough to rob every one of them of the ability to resist.
Fresh blood quietly stained the mountain path.
Not a single scream escaped their lips.
Not a single person managed to retaliate.
Ash calmly extended a finger toward each of them, allowing a tiny strand of his energy to silently enter their bodies before concealing itself deep within their hearts.
With a gentle wave of his hand, the surrounding space rippled as all eight heavily wounded cultivators disappeared into Akashic Archive.
The instant they arrived inside...
The strands of energy hidden within their hearts erupted simultaneously.
-BOOM!!!
Eight hearts exploded apart almost at the same instant, instantly ending their lives before any of them had the opportunity to regain consciousness.
Another wave of Ash’s hand followed.
Dense Life Energy silently spread throughout the surrounding forest, erasing every trace of blood, repairing the damaged vegetation, and restoring the disturbed surroundings to their original state as though no battle had ever taken place there.
Satisfied with the result, the combat clone quietly disappeared from the mountain range, returning to its original assignment as though nothing had happened.
Meanwhile...
Inside the Cradle of Endless Worlds , another combat clone had already begun its first battle against a God Rank cultivator.
****
A/N : Check discord if you want the image of Ash with crown on his head.