Just as Caine prepared to move forward with his plan, a sudden thought struck him, halting him in place. Waves of enlightenment washed over him, submerging his entire being.

From the presence of the first God, light came. From the fury of the first Dragon, fire burned. From the breath of the first Gryphon, storms raged. From the hiss of the first Serpent, sin proliferated. And from the cry of the first Phoenix, life and death bloomed.

Beast Progenitors were not merely embodiments of the elements or affinities, at least not in the way most beings comprehended them. No, Beast Progenitors were the creators—the originators—of these elements themselves.

Dragons were not born from fire; they birthed it. Dragons existed long before fire. Beast Progenitors were progenitors in the most literal sense.

Caine's already heretical idea suddenly evolved into something even more audacious. His smile deepened as the madness of his plan unfolded in his mind. If he could succeed, this would surpass the creation of his bones and flesh—a feat that had already defied reason.

He exhaled slowly, his breath measured and deliberate. Then he inhaled sharply, holding it for a moment before releasing it again, his focus sharpening with each controlled cycle.

His intent flared to life, manifesting within the dark expanse of his mind. It took form as golden chains that lashed out, binding the 3,800 majestic entities that loomed around him. The chains constricted, subduing the powerful beasts and reducing them into tiny orbs of translucent white qi.

With a low growl, Caine made a single, decisive motion, and the orbs were transported into his Bond Space.

His mind hummed with razor-sharp clarity as his intent bloomed. What he was attempting to do was unprecedented—and dangerously complex.

Using his perfect comprehension of the 3,800 intents, Caine planned to condense an equal number of stars. Each star would be a flawless, physical manifestation of his comprehension—a construct akin to the rings he had previously forged.

But that was just the beginning.@@novelbin@@

These stars would act as anchors, allowing him to forcefully comprehend the higher root intent tied to each one. Once the higher intent was mastered, he would refine the star further, linking it to its corresponding bubble.

For instance, Caine would condense a fire star based on his perfect comprehension of fire intent. Using the star as an anchor, he would delve deeper into the root of that intent—Dragon Intent. By fully comprehending Dragon Intent, his mastery of fire would deepen, surpassing even the perfection he had achieved. This would create a harmonious connection between Dragon and Fire Intents, stabilizing the star and amplifying its power to unimaginable levels.

Finally, he would tether the dragon-contained bubble to the star, completing the cycle.

The dragons within the bubbles were formed from the countless dragon bloodlines distilled within the sea of blood he sat upon, representing the purest essence of their respective intents. Through this method, Caine would not simply wield these powers—he would birth a true dragon egg, created entirely from pure will and intent.

This was akin to forging a human child from the beating heart of a god—an act both miraculous and terrifying. And yet, even this was only the first step in Caine's grand plan.

The potential benefits were staggering.

Beyond achieving a depth of comprehension in fire and Dragon Intent that even dragons themselves might never have attained, Caine would gain a new Bond Egg of unparalleled caliber. Most crucially, his Blood Qi would mutate, eliminating the need to consume the blood of lesser beasts.

Indeed, Caine was attempting to force 3,800 simultaneous mutations in his Blood Qi.

RUMBLE!

The dark expanse he had been trapped in was now empty, its vastness devoid of the once-menacing entities. Only Caine remained, seated in absolute stillness.

For a fleeting moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, cloaked in an unnatural silence. Then it shattered.

Caine's eyes snapped open, and with a roar of raw power, he shattered the illusion of the void and returned to reality.

"[CONDENSE.]"

His voice reverberated like the command of a god, carrying the unshakable might of a titan and the authority of an emperor. The effects were immediate.

WHOOOOOOOSH!

Within his Bond Space, countless stars of every color and type ignited into existence.

They condensed rapidly before expanding and soaring upward, arranging themselves into a vast, intricate constellation.

The insights flooding into Caine's mind were overwhelming, almost unbearable in their intensity. His jaw tightened, his gaze sharpened, and he held himself steady, refusing to falter.

He needed this. If he was to seize the throne of the alliance, he required strength that was undeniable, divine, and absolute. This was his path—to become Perfect. Unrivaled. Absolute.

BOOOOOOOOM! BOOM! BOOOM!

The sea of blood beneath him surged upward, funneled directly into his Bond Space. The torrent flowed into the five eggs nestled within, each of which had been growing steadily but far too slowly for his liking.

The eggs trembled violently, greedily absorbing the blood as though they had been waiting for this exact moment. Like the stars above, they expanded, their growth accelerating until they began to approach the size of their destined forms.

Caine allowed himself a shaky exhale, releasing the tension in his mind and letting the flood of insights flow more freely. The depth of comprehension he was gaining was dizzying. Each affinity he had mastered deepened even further, reaching realms beyond perfection.

Simultaneously, he monitored the changes within his body. His Blood Qi, already potent, was undergoing a profound transformation.

The influence of the stars in his Bond Space took root within him, granting him unimaginable power.

But just as he began to revel in his newfound strength, he froze.

His body—completely still. Not by his own will, but by the will of another.

A mischievous chuckle echoed through the air, breaking the stillness. From the distance, a stream of darkness surged forward, piercing through Caine's chest with ruthless precision.

"Perfect," the voice murmured.