Clone Ascension

President Hale wasn’t just the president of Dongli University.

He was a Saint‑tier sovereign, Dongli’s guardian, and one of the most respected evolutionary scientists in the region.

So when Evan learned Hale would be joining the delegation, everything clicked.

With a Saint‑tier titan accompanying them, their safety was guaranteed.

Four evolutionary scientists had been invited to the exchange.

Aside from Wendy, the other three were all over sixty—veterans with decades of research behind them.

Each brought a student along.

Their “students,” however, were well‑known researchers in their forties.

Only Wendy brought a freshman.

Evan.

He scanned the group—every face belonged to someone influential in Dongli’s academic world.

He greeted them politely, and they responded with warmth.

Everyone knew who he was.

Everyone had heard the stories.

Together, they headed to Dongping Airport and boarded the plane.

⭐ Crossing the Border

The aircraft crossed into the Sovereign Nation’s airspace and soon descended toward a checkpoint airport.

Everyone disembarked for identity verification.

“All flights entering the Sovereign Nation from the Six Nations must stop here,” Wendy explained.

“They confirm identities and entry permits before allowing anyone to proceed.”

“And if a plane doesn’t stop?” Evan asked.

“It gets shot down.”

Fair enough.

Their documents were in order, and they passed without issue.

The plane took off again, heading toward their true destination.

Evan pressed his forehead to the window.

“Where are we landing?”

President Hale answered:

“The Sovereign Nation rotates hosting duties among its top academies.

This year’s Evolutionary Science Exchange is at Linhua Royal Academy.”

Evan blinked.

Of all places.

He and FangBro had clashed with students from that academy in Thousand‑Shadow Tomb…

and fed them to spiders.

What were the odds?

President Hale added:

“The Sovereign Nation is not like the Six Nations.

It is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

Be cautious.”

Evan nodded, gazing down at the sprawling cities below.

Even from the sky, the difference was obvious.

Every city was as large and prosperous as a capital.

The Sovereign Nation was a fortress of civilization in a world surrounded by beasts.

How had they built all this?

How did they protect not only themselves but also the Six Nations beneath them?

⭐ A History Lesson at 30,000 Feet

With nothing to do on the plane, Evan pestered Wendy for stories about the Sovereign Nation.

She barely finished the first sentence before the three elderly scientists jumped in, eager to share their knowledge.

They spoke of legends, battles, and the rise of humanity’s greatest hero—

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

⭐ Alexander Linwood

Founder of the Sovereign Nation.

The man ancient records called “Linhua.”

Evan had known only the basics.

Now he learned the full story.

After the Evolution Era began, humanity lagged behind.

They lost territory after territory, retreating again and again.

Six hundred years ago, the Six Nations were squeezed into a single region—

what would later be called Linhua Continent.

Saint‑tier evolvers had just begun to appear, barely holding the line.

But the Six Nations were divided, constantly bickering over land and resources.

They never united, even with extinction looming.

Then Alexander Linwood appeared.

A young transcendent evolver who traveled the Six Nations, gathering followers with sheer charisma and overwhelming strength.

No one knew which nation he came from.

It didn’t matter.

After becoming Saint‑tier, he left the Six Nations entirely and founded the Linwood Legion.

For a hundred years, they fought beasts relentlessly, growing stronger through battle and the spoils of war.

Alexander Linwood became the first human to reach:

Saint‑tier Sovereign

Saint‑tier Supreme

Saint‑tier Legend

Six evolutions.

A living myth.

He founded the Sovereign Nation and unified the Six Nations without shedding a drop of human blood.

They accepted willingly.

Because he never interfered with their internal affairs.

Because he never took a single inch of their land.

Because every piece of Sovereign Nation territory had been carved out of beast‑infested wilderness by his own hands.

While the world shrank, he expanded.

When he completed his sixth evolution, he ventured alone into the deepest beast territory.

He returned days later and declared:

“The Evolution War is over.”

Humanity entered an age of peace.

President Hale sighed.

“We live in peace because of Linwood’s shadow.”

Another scientist added:

“Sadly, he passed away three years after the war ended. Old injuries, they say.”

President Hale shook his head.

“Or he ascended to a higher realm. A man who evolved six times wouldn’t die from old wounds.”

Another elder nodded.

“And a new Saint‑tier Legend appeared shortly after. It felt like a passing of the torch.”

“Let’s hope that’s true.”

⭐ Arrival at Linhua Royal Academy

The plane landed.

A teacher from Linhua Royal Academy greeted them and arranged rooms at a luxury hotel nearby.

His attitude was polite—

but Evan sensed the subtle arrogance beneath the surface.

He was respectful only to President Hale.

Evan wasn’t surprised.

People from the Sovereign Nation were notoriously proud, and students from the Royal Academy were the worst of the bunch.

After resting briefly, Evan and Wendy went out to explore.

It was their first time in the Sovereign Nation.

They weren’t going to waste it.

The academy sat in a bustling district.

They wandered through streets filled with shops, food stalls, and vendors selling souvenirs.

But what stood out most was the culture of strength.

Everywhere Evan looked, he saw:

Gyms for evolvers

Combat arenas

Shops selling evolutionary materials

Training centers

Live‑combat rooms with captured beasts

In the Sovereign Nation, even students fought real beasts for training—

signing waivers acknowledging the risk of death.

Evan couldn’t deny it.

This was why the Sovereign Nation was strong.

Their hunger for power was woven into their culture.

He felt his own fighting spirit stir.

He wanted to test himself.

Badly.

But the beast‑combat rooms were expensive, and killing a beast meant paying a massive compensation fee.

Not worth it.

The evolver‑versus‑evolver combat arenas, however…

Perfect.

“Come on, Wendy,” Evan said, eyes gleaming.

“Let’s check this place out.”

He dragged her into the largest, most luxurious combat hall.

⭐ The Arena

The hall was enormous—twenty‑plus arenas, each surrounded by roaring crowds.

Shouts, cheers, and conversations blended into a chaotic storm of noise.

Evan’s attention snapped to one particular platform.

Two fighters clashed fiercely.

One wore the uniform of Linhua Royal Academy.

The other…

Had a cloth tied around his head.

Evan’s eyes narrowed.

A cloth on the head.

A proud stance.

A certain swagger.

A student from the Desert United Kingdom.

Just like Evan, he must have come with his elders to broaden his horizons during the exchange.

But he was losing.

Badly.