The morning sun bathed the city of Aurora in a golden glow, its rays dancing off the towering buildings and bustling streets. Humans, elves, and beastfolk moved about, their expressions reflecting a myriad of emotions—some excited for the day ahead, others weary from early morning struggles. But within the White House, a different atmosphere loomed—one of unease and foreboding.
The emergency meeting had been called far sooner than anyone anticipated. The Apostle of the temple had delivered a message that shook them all to the core. The so-called "Heavenly Demon," a figure they believed long dead since the Great War thousands of years ago, had seemingly returned. And if that weren't troubling enough, mere hours prior, they had received intelligence about a certain enigmatic figure—Xandros Darkhaven. The coincidence was alarming.
A heavy silence settled over the room as the gathered awakeners wrestled with their thoughts. Then, suddenly—
"This can't be a coincidence, right? Just yesterday, we learned about this Xandros, and now the Apostle claims the Heavenly Demon has revived? This is bad. Really bad," Volkov's voice echoed through the tense air.
"But Xandros said he came from a divine kingdom," Francis, the merchant, interjected, his brow furrowed. "Does the Heavenly Demon have access to such a force?"
"You're right," Lena, the Storm Bringer, agreed. "None of his subordinates, as far as we know, possessed the ability to command such a force."
"But aren't you considering the possibility that he could hack into Gaia?" Eleanor added.
Their discussions grew more intense until Kane, the highest-ranked among them, finally spoke. "Regardless of speculation, we need to verify the truth ourselves. I'll personally attend the meeting with this individual."
"Really?" Four voices asked in unison, surprise evident.
"Yes. If he truly is the Heavenly Demon, we must be prepared. Inform the higher-ups as a precaution. Dulcan, bring 'that' device."
A frown settled on Dulcan's face, but he nodded. "Understood."
With that, their course of action was set. As the time for the meeting approached, Kane, Volkov, and Dulcan departed, leaving the others on standby in case things escalated.
--- ✦ ---
Meanwhile, in his residence, Xandros was already awake, fully aware of what was to come. He knew the White House had begun linking him to this Heavenly Demon figure. Not that he was particularly bothered—he had faced far worse misunderstandings in his many lifetimes.
Dressed in a simple yet impossibly refined outfit—compliments of Layla, who insisted he deserved only the best—he lounged on the couch. Elyria sat on his lap, munching on a bag of chips while Layla nestled beside him, both exuding an air of complete relaxation.
Then—
Ding Dong.
"Hehe~ Master, it seems our guests have arrived," Layla said with amusement.
Xandros sighed, already anticipating the hassle. Layla vanished in an instant, and he got up, making his way to the door.
As he opened it, he was met with three men—each radiating an oppressive aura, their expressions wary and cautious. However, their internal reactions were a different story.
"What the hell? How can someone look like this? This is too perfect! My eyes might bleed if I stare too much!" Dulcan thought, stunned.
"His aura is too profound… Is he really the Heavenly Demon?" Volkov pondered.
"My presence does not even faze him. Strange." Kane narrowed his eyes.
Xandros, unfazed by their scrutiny, greeted them with a polite smile. "You gentlemen must be from the organization. Please, come in."
They stepped inside, immediately noticing the young girl with draconic features casually enjoying her snack.
"A dragon?! What is a dragon doing here?!" They screamed internally but wisely held their tongues.
"Please, have a seat, sirs. Coffee or tea?" Xandros offered.
Dulcan nearly responded, but Kane's glare stopped him. "We're fine, thank you. We only have a few security-related questions, if you don't mind."
"Not at all. I'll be happy to comply," Xandros replied smoothly.
Kane wasted no time. "You didn't specify your race on your identification. Why is that? And what exactly are you?"
"Ah, that." Xandros shrugged. "There wasn't an option that fit, and I didn't see an 'Others' category, so I skipped it."
Kane and the others immediately exchanged glances. With a quick mental command, Kane instructed Dulcan, "Use the demon-sensing device."
Dulcan complied, discreetly activating the tool.
"So you aren't human," Kane continued, "and records indicate you're not from this planet either."
Xandros smirked. "No, I'm not human. But I am more human than humans. And yes, I'm not from this planet."
Volkov narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by more human than human?"
"I am a new race," Xandros said simply. "A Supreme Primordial Human."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"A new race? What the hell is a Supreme Primordial Human?! The highest evolution of humans we know is Celestial!"
Sensing their inner turmoil, Xandros decided to enlighten them.
"Here, I'll show you."
FWOOSH.
A radiant golden light erupted from his body, bathing the entire space in divine brilliance. A celestial crown hovered above his head, his presence alone shaking the very fabric of reality.
TREMOR!
Before they could react, Kane, Volkov, and Dulcan found themselves on their knees, their bodies instinctively bowing. The sheer reverence his existence commanded left no room for resistance.
THUD!
And just as quickly, the transformation ceased.
The oppressive divinity faded, reality returned to normal, and the three men sat up, drenched in sweat, their minds still reeling.
Even Xandros was mildly surprised. I barely used a fraction of my power, yet the entire world trembled? He made a mental note to avoid unnecessary transformations in the future.
"Um… Are you guys okay?" he asked with genuine concern.
The three snapped back to their senses, utterly shaken. Even Kane, with all his experience, had felt an overwhelming fear. But more importantly, the demon-sensing device hadn't reacted at all.
"Oh, we're fine, Sir Xandros," Kane managed, steadying his voice.
"Sorry about that. I shouldn't have transformed," Xandros admitted.
"You did nothing wrong," Volkov reassured him.
They continued their questioning, but it became more of a formality at that point. It wasn't long before they reached the conclusion that Xandros wasn't their supposed Heavenly Demon.
As they prepared to leave, Kane, still feeling the weight of what he had just experienced, forced a stiff smile. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Xandros. We hope you enjoy our world… and your vacation."
Vacation.
That word made them feel ridiculous. They had suspected this being of being a world-ending threat, only to learn he was here for leisure.
Xandros led them to the door. "Have a nice day, gentlemen."
As the door shut behind them, Xandros let out a sigh of relief.
"Finally, they're gone."
Layla reappeared, smirking. "Fufu~ Master, that was hilarious to watch."
Elyria nodded while munching. "Yeah, they looked so scared."
Xandros plopped onto the couch, exhaling. "Let's hope they don't bother me again."
Outside, Kane and his team stood in silence, still shaken.
"...We need to report this," Kane finally said.
Dulcan and Volkov nodded. There was no doubt.
Xandros Darkhaven was not a simple existence.
--- ✦ ---
As Kane, Volkov, and Dulcan left the apartment complex, the weight of what they had just experienced hung heavy over them. The streets of Aurora were as lively as ever, but their minds were elsewhere.
"That wasn't just power," Volkov muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "That was something else entirely."
Kane, still composed but visibly shaken, responded, "He didn't even do anything aggressive. That was just... his presence."
Dulcan gulped. "If he wanted to, he could have turned this entire city to dust without lifting a finger."
They stopped at a secluded alleyway, making sure no one was within earshot. Kane activated his communicator, sending an encrypted message straight to the higher-ups.
Kane:Subject 'Xandros Darkhaven' is confirmed to be a non-hostile entity. However, his power is beyond any classification we have. Further monitoring is advised, but provocation is strongly discouraged. Awaiting further orders.
A few seconds later, a reply came through.
???:Understood. Continue passive observation. Do not engage unless necessary. Further analysis required. Return to HQ for debriefing.
Kane exhaled and turned to the others. "Let's head back. We'll have to figure out how to handle this carefully."
--- ✦ ---
Meanwhile, inside the apartment, Xandros reclined on the couch, rubbing his temples. "That was more annoying than I expected."
Layla, leaning on his shoulder, chuckled. "Fufu~ They looked like deer caught in headlights. Especially that Dulcan guy."
Elyria, still munching on her chips, tilted her head. "Master, are they gonna bother us again?"
"Probably," Xandros sighed. "They won't do anything reckless, but they'll keep tabs on me."
Layla smirked. "You could have just told them to scram."
Xandros shook his head. "No need. This world isn't worth turning into enemies just yet."
Layla gave him a playful poke. "So what now, Master? You still wanna go sightseeing?"
He leaned back, thinking for a moment. "Yeah. We're still on vacation, after all. Might as well enjoy it."
Elyria perked up. "Ooh! Can we go to the floating gardens? I heard they have golden apple trees!"
Xandros smiled. "Sure. But first—let's grab some real food. All you've done today is eat chips."
Elyria pouted. "Chips are real food."
Layla giggled. "Alright, alright, let's go eat, I should also finish my daily quests. Then, sightseeing."
"Let me check in for today
Ding!
[Clone skill obtained: Grants master the ability to clone oneself with the clone able to use 100% of the master's power.]
Xandros smirked. Now this could be fun.
With his new ability and a day of exploration ahead, he was finally ready to enjoy his long-awaited vacation.
--- ✦ ---
Hey guys. So the aura that Xandros released wasn't based on strength, it was just the world and the people in it, respecting his presence subconsciously. I hope that clears out any doubt.
Please vote with power stones. Thank you all ❤️.