Chapter Sixty-Five: The Ruler Organization's Emergency Meeting

Komora Island lies hidden in a secret region of the Pacific, spanning several hundred miles. Shrouded year-round in thick mist and treacherous whirlpools, it remains utterly unknown to the outside world. A century ago, an Esper stumbled upon its shores, and from that moment, the island found its master. Today, that Esper has become the renowned “God King,” and the organization he founded, “Dominion,” is famous across the globe—a force to be reckoned with. The island, now serving as their headquarters, has earned a new name: the Divine Isle.

The Divine Isle enjoys a mild climate, with perpetual spring, mountains and lakes, and a vast central plain. Upon this plain rises a colossal fortress, magnificent and imposing, replete with intricate defenses and bristling with weaponry. Thousands of fierce soldiers are stationed here—altogether, it is a country in miniature. In truth, Divine Isle surpasses most small nations by many orders of magnitude.

On this particular day, the guards on the island watched with deferential anticipation as one distinguished guest after another arrived, their awe mounting. For the first time in memory, all ten of the “Gods”—from God One to God Ten—had gathered together. Clearly, something momentous was afoot.

Deep within the castle, in a grand meeting chamber, ten massive thrones of carved stone formed a circle. Soon, each seat was filled.

Upon the central throne, facing the great doors, sat a silver-haired giant, arcs of lightning flickering about him. His gaze swept the assembly before settling on a bald man. His voice thundered: “Now that everyone is here, God Nine, you invoked the God Summons to gather us from across the world. What has happened?”

God Nine inclined his head respectfully. “God One, your insight is as keen as ever. Only a matter of great importance could warrant the God Summons; otherwise, the God King would mete out divine punishment.”

“What is it?” God One pressed.

“Fifteen days ago, God Eighteen and God Twenty-Two went to China on a mission. Both failed and perished. Using my crime-tracing ability, I discovered the culprits: the National Guardian Manor and the Chinese military, along with a mysterious young Grandmaster named Jiang An. As per protocol, I placed a bounty on him and added him to the kill list.”

“You reported this to me before,” God One rumbled. “No one who offends Dominion escapes retribution. Has something changed?”

“Yes,” God Nine replied. “I set a deadly trap, sending God Thirteen and God Fifteen, as well as Blood Moon’s Skullcracker and Snakepit’s Mamba Serpent—a team of four—to China to eliminate him. The result? He was unharmed, while all four of our operatives were killed.”

“That team comprised both close-combat powerhouses and stealthy attackers. They all died? Has China produced a Grandmaster of the Third Realm?” asked a flame-haired man, fire glimmering faintly from his eyes and ears.

“God Three, it’s not what you think,” God Nine replied. “All four attacked Jiang An together. He’s only twenty-seven years old! There were no traps, no hidden masters, no army—just him. He single-handedly destroyed four top-tier fighters!”

“Twenty-seven years old? Impossible!” God Three exclaimed, incredulous.

“It’s true—the data is precise. I witnessed the entire battle through the eyes of my Spirit Hawk,” God Nine insisted.

At this, God One’s expression shifted. He turned to a woman and said, “God Six, you know what to do.”

God Six, a strikingly sensual woman of about thirty, possessed heterochromatic eyes—one blue, one green—lending her an uncanny aura. She nodded, meeting God Nine’s gaze. He relaxed his mind.

“Everyone, close your eyes. God Six will project God Nine’s memories in her illusion world,” God One announced, closing his eyes first. The others followed suit.

A minute later, all opened their eyes.

“This man is formidable,” God One said gravely. “God Three, how does his fire compare to yours?”

“I am a Grandmaster of the Third Realm—he’s not my equal. Who in the world surpasses me in controlling fire?” God Three boasted.

“God Seven, how do his fists measure up to yours?” God One asked a hulking, gorilla-like man.

God Seven considered before replying, “I may be slightly inferior.”

“God Six, how does his psychic attack compare to yours?” God One inquired.

God Six smiled faintly. “Judging by the scenes in God Nine’s memory, he is not my equal.”

“What if he possessed all your abilities combined?” God One smiled, though none could discern his thoughts.

A heavy silence fell, each recalling the adversary’s youth—a sobering realization.

Espers differ from martial Grandmasters. The former wield innate gifts, their power determined by what they awaken to and their mastery of it, regardless of age. A child could, upon awakening, easily defeat an elderly Esper, for such abilities are difficult to advance. Martial artists, by contrast, follow disciplines forged through generations, ascending step by step, their superhuman prowess coming only after years of arduous training—most achieving Grandmaster status in middle age, yet benefitting from a clear path and guidance from predecessors. Espers, however, are often alone in their gifts. Take God One—he commands lightning, but for further progress, he must grope in the dark. After decades, he has achieved the Third Realm and a place on the God Rankings, but martial Grandmasters still outnumber him at the top.

Most of the strong believe that a structured cultivation system is the true path, regarding Espers as mere upstarts—a view Dominion would never admit. Although they recruit martial artists from around the globe, Espers remain their core strength. Among those present, only Espers can ascend to the highest ranks.

Jiang An, at twenty-seven, is both a martial and arcane Grandmaster. His future is dazzling—anyone can see it.

“Kill him! Before he advances any further, assemble our strongest team!” declared a white-haired, legless elder beside God One.

This was God Two.

“That young man’s combat strength is already close to the Third Realm. We could send one Third Realm Grandmaster to defeat him, but if he escapes on his own turf, the odds of capturing him are slim. For safety, two would be best. But deploying two of our top masters? That’s overkill. We have other bases to oversee, and other pressing matters. Also, two top experts sneaking into China? The old monsters at the National Guardian Manor would be delighted, and would surely attack us,” God One reasoned.

“God One, I understand. My proposal is to send several of our strongest Second Realm Grandmasters. We now know his abilities and can prepare accordingly. Among us, God Four and God Seven alone could outlast him,” God Two smiled.

At these words, pride flickered in everyone’s eyes. In Dominion, the first ten “Gods” are the high command; the rest are merely full members. Among them, God One, God Two, and God Three are Third Realm Grandmasters, forming the organization’s highest council and deciding most affairs.

God One pondered, then said, “The Divine Path Assembly is just a year away. We are still unprepared in many areas. Before the God King entered seclusion, he emphasized the Assembly as our top priority. Thus, I do not favor making a great show of force now, stirring up trouble. God Four is on the verge of breaking into the Third Realm and should focus on his cultivation. Still, this man must die—else Dominion’s prestige will be forfeit. Therefore, I propose we once more borrow a blade to do the deed!”

At the mention of the God King, none dared object. God Nine’s eyes brightened as he grasped God One’s meaning. “You mean to raise the bounty?”

“Exactly. Raise the bounty to five hundred million US dollars! Promote his fame to the utmost! Doesn’t China say, ‘There is no first in literature, but there is no second in martial prowess’? The higher we raise him, the harder he’ll fall. First, Joshua of the American Concord will be jealous, and other geniuses as well. Add this: anyone who kills his family will also receive a reward. That should whet many appetites. If he survives a year, we’ll deal with him ourselves at the Divine Path Assembly.”

“As you command!” God Nine replied loudly.

God One nodded. “The meeting is adjourned. Go about your duties. God Two, come with me to Europe. Those aberrants are adept at escape—no wonder they’ve battled the Radiant Church for two millennia. I’ll need your abilities.”

“Of course. All for the God King’s great cause!”

(To be continued)