Thomas's eyes widened as he felt the warm, potent energy settle within him. His chest tightened—not from fear, but from the weight of the trust Apollo had just placed in him. He bowed his head slightly, voice low but firm.

"…I'll make sure this gift isn't wasted."

After he also left, leaving Apollo and his guardian alone in the small restaurant.

Apollo looked in the sky, seemed to be lost in his thoughts, and after a moment of silence, they also disappeared.

At this moment the northern continent was in chaos as the surviving genius returned to their previous clan and directly told them about the Titanbone Clan's conspiracy.

Fury spread like wildfire. One by one, the great clans and sects mobilised, summoning their elites and rallying their forces. Soon, powerful contingents were marching straight toward the Titanbone Clan's territory, their intent unmistakable.

Such actions did not remain hidden from the other clans of the northern continent, but they did nothing. All of them were eager to watch the show and see what would happen next.

With great fanfare, the assembled forces of the clans marched toward the Titanbone Clan. Eventually, they arrived while the worshipping ceremony was still in full swing, as most of those present had yet to receive the news.

The major army seemed to march forward, and immediately the large crowd in the Titanbone clan were shocked.

While the outside world was in chaos, deep within the ancestral land, a few mysterious and extremely powerful groups of elders of the Titanbone clan were having an important meeting.

The air trembled when one of them finally spoke, his voice like rolling thunder.

"Damn! Who was the bastard? How dare he mess with the ceremony?"

His eyes burnt with a cold, murderous light. "Do they have a death wish… or are they simply ignorant of the cost?"

Another figure spoke, "No matter what, it must be someone extraordinary; otherwise, it cannot leave the ancestral land safely, taking others."

A second figure, calmer yet carrying a dangerous edge, nodded.

"Yes, Third… You are right. But remember—this intruder escaped, Father. Even in his slumber, Father's will is enough to crush most ancient clan patriarchs. Only the strongest… the truly peerless… could survive that."

The words hung in the air like a death sentence, the weight of the implication making the already heavy atmosphere feel suffocating.

"Enough," the central figure's voice cut through the chamber like a blade, silencing the murmurs instantly. His gaze swept across the gathered elders, and the oppressive weight of his authority pressed down on them.

"Now is not the time for idle speculation. What matters… is deciding the fate of those so-called geniuses who dared to escape. And the people from their clan who just came to our clan."

The subtle growl in his tone made it clear—whatever was coming would not be mercy.

"What is there to think? Do they really think by joining forces they can do anything to us? Those trash from this era needed to know what real strength is about." The person who had spoken first said with a domineering aura that he didn't care about others' clans.

"But there is the Valtara family," the leader interjected, his tone measured but carrying the weight of caution. "You know they are not so easily provoked. Their mind tricks are the most troublesome; even with our strength, it wouldn't be easy."

At the mention of that name, the air in the chamber seemed to grow heavier. The other elders fell into a tense silence, their earlier bravado cooling. None had expected the geniuses to slip past the ancestral land's boundaries—much less under circumstances that could draw the Valteras into the fray.

"Just as they were troubled, a cold and emotionless voice echoed in the room. "I already take care of it; they will be no trouble."

Hearing this, their expression changed, and immediately they kneeled. "We apologise for disturbing you… Father."

Apollo at that time had already left the northern continent and was in the middle of nowhere in the boundless sea of Rion that is like an abyss covering more than half of Rion's area.

As before, he travelled its endless waters toward different continents;at that time, he already felt it—an elusive, unfathomable power woven into the very currents.

It wasn't simple by any means; it was akin to the legendary power of Chaos, brimming with countless forces, yet subtly different… less omnipresent, but no less profound. It whispered of ancient secrets buried far beneath the waves.

If the four continents are filled with secrets, it wouldn't be surprising for the boundless sea to contain its own secret.

But Apollo hadn't come here to uncover those secrets—not yet. His purpose was more practical. He was here to locate and claim a few key islands, the ones that would serve as the core zones for the secret realm he planned to open for his organisation.

He was going to find some good islands, as the boundless sea of Rion has countless islands, many uninhabited, while some are filled with minerals and precious ores or treasures. They would be perfect for his secret realm.

With his keen senses guiding him, Apollo spent an entire day flying across the endless waters, surveying one island after another. By the time the sun dipped toward the horizon, he had chosen six in total—one for each hall of his Immortal Order, and a grand central island for the main hall itself.

Six islands. Six halls. Six pillars support the weight of the entire organisation.

The first he found lay cloaked in eternal shadow. Towering cliffs jutted high enough to hide the sun. Even the wind here was hushed, as though wary of waking what slumbered beneath the canopy.

Not only that, but it was also filled with unique ore that seemed to distort its presence; even for him, it felt tricky. He could feel a labyrinth of caverns running deep under its surface—perfect for assassins, spies, and silent killers. He named it the Island of Shadows, home to the 'Hall of Shadows'.