My SSS-Rank Innate skill: Infinite Adaptation core

And the other can transform into a Divine Ice Phoenix... Nova thought, realizing just how fortunate he was to have them by his side.

Nova spent the journey chatting with both of his wives, and before they knew it, night had fallen. They stopped the carriage to have dinner, and Rieka stored a large supply of food inside her storage ring.

Although Nova could have easily stored everything himself in his inventory, she insisted on doing it, saying she wanted to take care of their food supplies. Naturally, Nova agreed with a smile.

After enjoying a peaceful dinner together,

they made sure to feed the two horses as well and decided to rest for the night before continuing their journey.

They had already covered more than half the distance, and there was no need to rush since the tournament was still more than three weeks away.

As the sun rose the next morning, they resumed their journey. However, after traveling only a few more miles, something completely unexpected happened.

The morning sun shone brightly across the clear sky, and the pleasant weather made the journey even more enjoyable. Bai Chen leisurely drove the carriage, humming a cheerful tune as the horses pulled it forward at a steady pace.

Suddenly—

The horses came to an abrupt halt.

An overwhelming pressure descended without warning, crushing Bai Chen and Carriage from all directions. It felt as though every bone in his body would shatter at any moment.

Cold sweat drenched his back as terror filled his eyes. Summoning every ounce of his strength, he forced himself to shout.

”Junior Brother Nova... quick, come out!”

His voice trembled with panic and fear, as if death itself was standing right before him.

...

A few moments earlier...

Inside the carriage, Nova was peacefully resting with his head on Rieka’s lap while she gently ran her fingers through his hair. Beside them, Asia quietly read a book, completely immersed in it.

She loved gaining knowledge, whether it was about the world or anything else. Without warning, the carriage came to a violent stop.

At the same instant, a terrifying pressure engulfed them, pressing down on their bodies so heavily that even breathing became difficult.

Nova’s eyes snapped open in alarm.

What... is happening? Before he could react, Liya’s panicked voice echoed inside his mind.

{Quickly take everyone and run if you don’t want them to die!}

Nova didn’t waste even a second questioning her. If Liya was this frightened, then whatever had appeared was far beyond anything he could possibly handle.

Just then, Bai Chen’s terrified shout reached his ears.

”Junior Brother Nova... quick, come out!”

”Cover your faces, quickly!” Nova immediately ordered.

Although they had no idea what was happening, both Rieka and Asia instantly obeyed. Even such a simple movement felt incredibly difficult under the crushing pressure, but they still managed to cover their faces.

The three of them hurried out of the carriage. The moment they stepped outside...

The sight before them froze everyone in place, sending shock through the depths of their souls. The once beautiful blue sky had completely vanished.

In its place was an endless abyss of darkness stretching across the heavens. Not a single ray of sunlight remained. As they looked around, every tree had withered into lifeless husks, and the land itself looked as though it had suffered a catastrophic disaster.

Yet none of that was what shocked them the most.

Far on the horizon stood endless hordes of demonic beasts alongside countless crimson-skinned creatures with towering horns protruding from their heads. Behind them was another massive army that appeared human.

Although the distance made it impossible to see them clearly, Nova’s Instinct Dominion allowed him to perceive the terrifying scene.

Liya’s frantic voice exploded in his mind.

{What are you doing?! Run! Quickly, or you’ll all die at any second!}

Nova didn’t hesitate.

”Bai Chen! Run!” he shouted.

The four of them immediately tried to flee, but after only a few steps—

Bang!

They slammed into an invisible barrier.

”What the fuck?!”

Nova’s expression changed drastically. He repeatedly punched the unseen wall with enough force to kill a peak Grandmaster, then unleashed both his demonic and chaotic energy and pushed it again.

Nothing happened. The invisible barrier didn’t even tremble nor did it leave a single scratch.

Liya’s voice echoed once more, this time filled with despair.

{...It’s over...}

Her hopeless tone made Nova’s heart sink. He still had no idea what was happening, but he quickly turned to check on the others.

Bai Chen and Asia were struggling to breathe under the overwhelming pressure. Rieka was in an even worse state.

Her face had turned pale, and she looked as though she would collapse at any moment. She was the only one among them who had yet to reach the Grandmaster Realm.

The only reason she was still conscious was because her dormant bloodline was instinctively protecting her.

Nova clenched his fists.

Without hesitation, he pulled Rieka into his arms and enveloped her with his Demonic Dominion Aura. The pressure on her lessened slightly, allowing her to breathe a little easier.

But it was nowhere near enough.

”What the hell is going on, Liya?!” Nova asked frantically.

For the first time, Liya’s voice lacked its usual excitement and confidence. Instead, it sounded pale, heavy... almost hopeless.

{You are inside the domain of a powerhouse whose strength is not only above the Grandmaster Realm... but even above the realm that comes after it.}

Nova’s pupils shrank.

Disbelief and horror spread across his face as he muttered under his breath,

”...A power even beyond the realm after Grandmaster?”

He swallowed hard before asking,

”What realm is that?”

Liya remained silent for a brief moment before replying.

{Since you’re already facing it... I suppose there’s no point in hiding it anymore.}

Nova instinctively pulled Rieka closer. Although the crushing pressure weighed heavily on him, his powerful physique allowed him to endure it.

{The realm above the Grandmaster Realm is known as the King Realm. It spans from Level 1,000 to Level 5,000.}

Nova’s heart skipped a beat.

Liya continued.

{Above the King Realm lies the Emperor Realm... and the pressure you’re feeling right now belongs to an Emperor. Fortunately, it’s only a low-ranking Emperor’s aura...}

She paused for a moment before adding in a bitter voice,

{...Your luck is truly terrible. It seems that fortune teller was right after all.}

Nova stood frozen in disbelief.

He wasn’t even certain he could survive against someone in the King Realm, let alone an existence from the Emperor Realm—a realm that began beyond Level 5,000.

For a moment, he couldn’t help but feel that fate itself was playing a cruel joke on him.

”Why didn’t we sense it earlier?” Nova asked in disbelief.

Liya answered in the same solemn tone.

{That’s how domains work. You won’t sense their presence unless the domain’s owner allows you to. And once you enter one, escaping is impossible unless its creator permits it.}

Nova’s expression stiffened.

”You mean...”

{Yes. The moment you stepped into this domain, its owner already knew you were here.}

A brief silence followed before Liya continued.

{Domains are abilities that only powerhouses above the Emperor Realm can wield. A single domain can easily span hundreds of kilometers.}

Her voice grew even quieter.

{So... yes. It’s hopeless...}

”Doesn’t that mean Asia can use a domain as well?” Nova asked.

{It’s similar, but not the same, her ability is merely a prototype. At her current level, she can only create a domain within a fifty-meter radius, and compared to a true domain, it’s incredibly weak. Once she reaches the Grandmaster Realm, however, her domain should evolve into something far more powerful.}

Nova nodded in understanding, but his mind raced for a way out of their desperate situation.

Then, his eyes suddenly lit up.

The Spatial Teleportation Crystal!

He had already fused several Recall Crystals he had obtained from the dungeons he cleared over the past three years, evolving them into Spatial Teleportation Crystals.

They could now teleport multiple people at once over vast distances—even from one continent to another.

The only drawback was that he had never been to the imperial capital, so the farthest destination he could teleport to was Forstholme.

Without wasting another second, Nova quickly instructed everyone to get back into the carriage.

They immediately obeyed.

Standing outside, Nova gripped the carriage tightly with one hand while taking out the Spatial Teleportation Crystal with the other.

Just as he was about to activate it—

A thunderous voice echoed throughout the dark world, leaving Nova unable to move even a single finger.

”NO, YOU DON’T!”

**

Thanks for reading...