The Glorious Evolution

The following Boundless afternoon, Levi accompanied Jojo to House Zen.

Sati received them near the entrance and introduced their guest to several Runehoof Kin.

Jojo’s usual teasing had disappeared; the Runehoof Kin’s territory was her dream home, like all the pictures she’d seen in the Monk-related books she read.

The mountains, the drifting clouds, the people dressed in monk robes... everything radiated a serenity that could put even the most troubled mind in the universe at ease, allowing one to meditate without a single burden weighing on them.

It was everything she had wanted.

Seeing that she loved it here, Levi left Jojo with Sati... then he accompanied Brahmin to the former Targon estate and opened his territorial interface.

His new Omnipotence level gave him finer control over entry permissions and access to more extensive concealment... after reviewing the coverage and recurring charges, he bought the upgrade without hesitation, even when an additional five hundred thousand credits were sucked from his bank account in an instant.

With this purchased package, contractors and workers received temporary access to designated worksites, while permissions to enter a warehouse wouldn’t allow them into private buildings... only their own designated residence and permitted locations.

It was as if Levi wasn’t housing them in his territory as his own people... but mere workers, whose jobs were to run his businesses within the territory premises.

Levi knew that no one would complain about the arrangement since it ensured they remained in a safe place with their families and still earned a monthly salary.

Next, a pale ripple passed along the borders and vanished... The Administration’s inspection confirmed that the field now blocked external sight and spiritual observation.

It didn’t matter their rank or social status... no one was allowed in or to peek through the borders... the benefits of purchasing one of the most expensive security packages under the Administration.

”No one would go this far for a mere barony... but this isn’t a simple barony.” Brahim smiled, satisfied with the secured borders.

”It should discourage the ones watching from the borders...” Levi remarked.

He had noticed that his territory and Brahmin’s were surrounded by dozens of concealed spiritual auras... just watching, and waiting for any slight opening.

A gift from Rook Candle.

Levi knew that there should be many others who had better concealment techniques that erased their existence even from his detection skills... he had no intention of testing their bounty hunting skills.

Soon, he moved on to the first butchery and preservation orders.

Several inherited warehouses could be converted, although their existing arrays weren’t suitable for Leviathan materials.

Those buildings would handle the initial operations; Jasmine’s territory remained outside the work orders until his warehouses were outscaled.

For the park, he commissioned a preliminary design using an anonymous terrain survey, service requirements, and the dimensions of the proposed exhibits.

The designer’s first reply asked him to confirm the measurements.

Levi checked them before responding.

’They are correct. Allow additional clearance for transport and installation.’

Once the revised requirements were acknowledged, he paid the deposit and returned to the transport proposals.

While these two were working hard on launching their business, Rain lowered the instrument he had been using to observe the estate... Its surface showed the same blank field as his own senses.

”Anything?” Fang asked, bored.

”Nothing worth staying for.”

Rain opened their master’s latest order.

They were to return.

”Let’s go... we are being summoned.”

”Finally... anything is better than this.”

...

The Hound was already standing before Bishop Na’thir’s throne when Rain and Fang reached the Inverse Sanctum.

Above them, a recording of the Board’s final battle came to a halt.

Na’thir had repeated it enough.

The Bishop still lacked a satisfactory confirmation that the Celestial was genuinely Levi. Waiting for one, however, would only give Levi more time... Bishop Na’thir had no plans to allow it.

”So, can you get inside?”

”Nope... he has closed off everything under Nocturn’s Administration authority,” Fang replied. ”The new protection also blocks our observation... even the workers require permission to enter.”

”He seems to have plans on starting a Barony,” Rain added.

Na’thir dismissed the recording.

If the boy intended to establish himself there, watching an inaccessible estate would accomplish nothing... worse, he realized that Levi’s pockets were quite deep to afford such security, which meant that, if he decided to turtle inside his territory, no one could do anything about it.

”Return to Heliodor’s region... I want you to turn it upside down... so much that not a single bug will dare sleep in peace for as long as that boy remains in hiding!” Bishop Na’thir ordered coldly, his patience finally expiring.

Fang’s interest returned at once.

”What about the High Chancellor?”

”He cannot be everywhere.”

”And Dominic?” Rain asked solemnly.

The Hound turned toward him... He had experienced the difference between himself and Earth’s strongest Daywalker; another encounter under the same conditions would end no better.

After all, both Rain and Fang were at Tier 5 Evolution Stage, while the Hound was at Tier 6 first stage... Dominic? Radiant Daywalker! (Tier 7)

Bishop Na’thir had no one under him without a link to the Duskbound Order who could handle Dominic.

”You don’t have to worry about him... I will leave him too occupied to care about Heliodor’s region.” Bishop Na’thir added, ”Withdraw when necessary... I don’t want you to fight them or get caught up...Hire Tier 4 mercenaries under your names if you must, and abuse their region until the news reaches the brat.”

They weren’t being sent to conquer the region... Intermittent attacks would exhaust its defenders and ensure that Levi kept receiving so much bad news he wouldn’t dare sit idly while his home was being ruined because of him.

Bishop Na’thir didn’t know if it would work for sure or not, but it was a better solution than waiting for him to drop his guard in the Boundless Expanse.

After seeing the Celestial use a Dominion to defeat Akira, his mind was made up to end this once and for all, regardless of what it took... whether Levi was the Celestial or not, he no longer cared.

Bishop Na’thir found himself spending too much of his day concerned about the situation surrounding Levi... the bounty, the Celestial’s identity, the treasured eyes, and such.

Instead of investing his time in other important matters, this little bug kept buzzing next to his ear nonstop for the past months.

And he had enough.

”Make sure the boy comes home one way or another.” Bishop Na’thir added, his voice laced with venom.

”With pleasure.” Fang grinned sinisterly.

***

One Week Later... Heliodor’s region.

The afternoon sun shone over Heliodor’s capital, gleaming against glass rooftops and the windows of passing vehicles.

On the outskirts, an electrical distribution station occupied a guarded compound separated from the nearest residential blocks by a service road and open ground.

The afternoon shift had been quiet. Two Daywalker guards stood at the entrance, with no vehicles waiting to be checked and another hour before their replacements arrived.

The older man opened a shop listing on his display... then closed it with a look of disgust.

”Growth Totems went up again.”

”Didn’t you buy some last week?”

”I wanted to buy some last week. There’s a difference.”

”How much?”

He reopened the listing and turned it toward his colleague.

For a few seconds, the younger guard said nothing.

”Same grade?”

”Same grade. Same shop. I asked whether they’d made a mistake, and the seller told me to buy now before the next increase.”

”Try the one near the Training Center.”

”More expensive.”

”The little shop behind it?”

”Out of stock.”

”Well... sunlight’s still free,” he joked.

The older guard gave him an unimpressed look.

”So is your advice. Neither is getting me to the next stage anytime soon.”

His colleague laughed.

”I’m buying some after payday. We could put our orders together and ask for a discount.”

”From that thief?”

”Do you want me to ask or not?”

”Fine. But if he thinks I’m paying...”

A white flash erupted behind them.

BOOOOOM!!

The explosion swallowed both guards before either could turn, engulfing their post and the rest of the station in a blinding wave of light.

The station’s walls hurtled across the service road. Vehicles overturned, windows burst, and a burning section of the gate smashed through a maintenance shed!

Then, the protective LED lights across the capital went out.

Inside enclosed stairwells, windowless storerooms, and service passages where sunlight couldn’t reach, entire rows of synthetic lamps died together.

Beep! Beep!..

Within seconds, emergency alarms sounded across the affected districts.

”Blackout response! Start the darkness count!!”