Mad God – Reborn

"You don't need to act like I'm crippled!" Anya chuckled as her daughter sat beside her bed, hand-feeding her.

"I'm not. I'm just taking care of my mother! There is nothing strange about it. Now say aaaah~!"

"You…" She smiled with warm, happy eyes, indulging her daughter's play. "What about your new disciple?"

"My clone is with her, overseeing her physical training. I'll need to adjust our training schedule, as she is clearly weaker when the sun is up."

"Is it that noticeable?"

"Not yet," Ren answered, shaking her head. "But as she gets stronger, it might turn into trouble. I need to address it before that happens."

"And your other two?"

"They are fine!" Ren laughed, "Yanda is getting ready to ascend; he just needs time. Lulu is close to the next level. I don't need to teach her much anymore at this stage. I only need to find an opportunity for her so she can catch back up to Yanda. I can focus on Ariana completely!"

"No wonder you accepted her." Anya smiled, "Your children are ready to leave the nest. This reminds me… Soon, I'll be fine enough to move around! It is time for Valen to come back home."

"Will we tell him what happened?" Ren asked, looking into her mother's eyes.

"Yes, but leave out some details. He only needs to know that I was attacked, but I am fine now. That is all."

"Mm, that is enough, true." She agreed, "Still, I'll warn the little rascal to be more reserved; you need to rest! A lot of it."

"Don't worry about me; the pills are already having an effect. I am recovering with great speed; soon, I'll be able to join your father at the department and help out with the paperwork."

"Take it easy, Mom... Please! Your cultivation is…" Ren said, her face sour.

"I know. It is damaged. But it's not like it's completely gone! I'll recover it step by step. It may take a few decades, but hey, time is one thing we have, right?" She caressed Ren's face while smiling at her.

"Why do I feel like you are reassuring me, yet I should be the one doing that?" Her daughter sighed, enjoying her touch.

"Because you are worrying about me, yet here I am, completely fine!" Anya laughed heartily. "Speaking about Xendar, is he following your disciples?"

"Mmm." Ren nodded. "I was contacted by him not long ago; he is coming back home with a prisoner."

"Oh? Already?"

"Yep! He took the armor you worked on for the past three years and field-tested it. Going by his words, it passed with flying colors!"

"I was so sure about that." She nodded with a proud expression. "It is tailor-made for your father, but the basic schematics can be adapted to other affinities, too... With that on, your father can match Outer Harmony, experts! With the prototype version, he could fight Dermitos for 4 rounds before finally losing. With the completed version, I am sure he could go for a tie, no matter how long the fight lasts. That perverted jerk is going to get some other type of meat beating very soon!" She grinned, just like her daughter does when fired up.

"Knowing father's talent, it won't be long before he catches up without the armor." Ren also giggled.

"We both would be happier if you were the first from our family to do so!" Anya said, looking at her daughter with an expectant smile.

"Me? I'm not ready." Ren said, shaking her head.

"Not ready? Some of your spells do provoke reactions from nature itself when you cast them. What is there not to be ready for?"

"That is one thing only, Mom!" She said, starting to explain her thoughts. "But that would be a forceful one. My goal is to step into the next stage just like Elder Dermitos did, not by taking control of nature's forces but by seamlessly integrating myself into it. Also, going by the Sect Head's explanation, I feel this is the right thing to do. He was a bit vague when I asked him about this. I think he wants me to figure it out for myself. This makes me think we HAVE TO figure this out ourselves, or the second stage will never happen. The road of controlling nature… I was thinking a lot and… It may pose difficulties in reaching the third stage of Harmony. I think the name for it is already telling. Follow the way that is its name; Harmony. So I'm not in a hurry! As you said, we have time."

"Mmm… I never looked at it like that." Anya said, tilting her head with a thinking expression.

"It's just my inner thoughts for now. I don't know if it is going to lead anywhere... We will see!" She put away the breakfast, stood up, helped her mother out of bed, took her to the bath, and cared for her for the rest of the morning.

…

….

…..

It was past noon when Ren stood beside one of the training fields, watching Ariana doing laps, one after another, for hours on end. By now, she was sweating all over her training clothes. She was wearing her top tied around her waist, letting her bare skin sweat as much as possible for extra cooling while she carried her spear, her grip slipping in a daze. It was hard to call what she was doing… running at all. People could walk faster, but it was no wonder, as she had been going at it since the early morning. Her eyes barely focused anymore; she just mechanically put one foot after another while doing her laps.

"Okay, you can stop!" Ren stepped forward, putting her hand on her shoulder as she passed her starting point for the 1000th time. As soon as Ren's hand touched her, she immediately went limp, falling into her embrace, passed out, yet still holding onto her spear. "Good job, good job..." Ren patted her sweaty back before picking her up.

"She looks like Wyland did yesterday." Leinor chuckled as he arrived not that long ago but remained silent until now.

"Did you carry him like this?" Ren teased, while her husband just laughed, nodding.

"Toobu kept at it better." He continued, while they walked towards Ariana's house.

"I thought he did not need physical reinforcement," Ren said, looking up at him.

"He does not, but he volunteered, so that he can motivate Wyland. He was doing it with him all the way."

"Good!" Ren said, her eyes flashing. "Don't let him lose himself later on. Keep him like this!" She warned her husband with a serious expression.

"I won't. Also, your father is back!" Leinor said, changing the topic.

"I know, I already sent 01 and 02 to help him out. If they can't help with the interrogation, I'll go too, but right now, I'm with Mom. It's relaxing; I don't want to ruin my day. Plus… I think Father alone is going to get every little detail. He won't take no for an answer."

"I can understand that…." Leinor smiled as he patted her head. "I am thinking of leaving the Sect for a few months, taking the two out for a harsh training exercise."

"Where to?"

"To Thunder Valley. I'd like to check up on their progress and also let my disciples experience something completely different from only cultivating inside the Sect."

"That is a good idea! I'll also travel with Ariana, but at first, I'll need to raise her up to the 4th stage at a minimum. I'll visit my little wild dogs outside and see how their new gang is coming along!"

"And you are going to bring Ariana with you?" He raised his eyebrows at her words.

"Exactly. She is sensitive towards negative feelings. It is going to be a trial by fire..." Ren explained as she looked down at the passed-out girl. "If I leave it to her, she is going to take her time and spend 5 to 6 years at each stage." She smiled softly. "I can't let her waste her best years to cultivate like that!"

…

….

…..

While Ren and Leinor were talking, the Skyshark just landed in the Elroth's capital city of Irgimith, established between multiple hills. They used them to grow a special kind of grape, nowhere else found on the continent, and to brew a one-of-a-kind wine. Its price made it only available to the richest, and now Kaipan used the money they hoarded from it to trade for all the raw resources the Immortal Wonders Sect asked for. The arriving airship brought a great spectacle amongst the people living there as it slowly approached the main castle in the middle of the city. It finally stopped right above it and carefully landed in the spacious garden.

"Welcome!" Werebor laughed, greeting them, opening his arms to hug his daughter, but she just cupped her hands.

"Father."

"Ugh… come on, just a hug?" He twitched his mouth, left hanging there before his guards and maids.

"We are now here on official business, Father," Lulu answered calmly, while Yanda just looked pityingly at Werebor before sending a voice transmission over to Lulu.

"Come on… he is your father!"

"You don't get it," Lulu answered. "He is doing this to win back my favor because I am showing more potential now. Before this, I was only a daughter who could be married off. In his eyes, I was just goofing around, trying to cultivate, only to piss him off, instead of being a good girl and marry into some noble's family… to establish a political hold on someone else… but right now, he changed his mind."

"Are you sure?" Yanda asked, but Lulu didn't answer.

"Okay, okay. I get it!" Werebor sighed, lowering his hands with a defeated look on his face.

"Where is Grandfather?" Lulu asked, looking around, but she couldn't see him anywhere.

"He was summoned by the Naulins. Just like all the Kings. They are now gathering in Rozex." Werebor answered as he led them inside the castle.

"Oh? Is it already time?" Yanda and Lulu looked at each other.

"Yes. I just hope your new home is ready for it." Werebor nodded as he looked at her daughter while they walked forward.

"The question is," Lulu chuckled, "Are THEY ready?"

...

....

......

Hundreds of kilometers away, in the middle of a grassy plain, stood a solitary plateau. It was the handiwork of Zelig if the fables could be believed. As the tale went, when he reached Harmony, his tribulation was so overwhelming that he needed to release his energies to not explode and wipe out all life on the continent. That is why he used the excess energy to raise up a giant piece of land, forming the Plateau of Harmony. Of course, there is no telling whether this was true. What one can be sure of is that the plateau with a majestic city built right on it exists. And that it was called Rozex.

The only way to reach Rozex was either by flying or going around the long-winded, serpentine, snaking upwards around the plateau. It was built and is overseen by the Naulins at every meter of it. Their home was always seen as an impregnable fortress. Throughout the city's history, it was never conquered. Armies could not reach it, and even if flying experts tried to assault the city from above, they only met their deaths. Especially after Zelig became a Harmony expert.

At the present day, the city itself has only around half a million people. In contrast, most capital cities neared a million souls. Yet... It was one of the strongest cities. If someone looked down from the sky, they could see that the city was designed as a perfect circle, partitioned into different zones, with layer upon layer, just like an onion, as the city's poorest people could only live on the outskirts. Then, as you walked further and further in, more and more luxurious buildings appeared, owned by influential people inside the Kingdom.

At the center, it had five huge spires reaching towards the sky, forming a smaller circle in the middle of the city. The Naulin family tree had many branches, but the five main bloodlines were the only ones that truly counted. Those towers were their homes... All of them occupied one spire and one slice of the city, dividing it effectively into five 'pies.' The five families were the ones who could give a King to the throne and did so in the past. Always. They all could trace their lineage back to Zelig himself, and in their eyes, everyone else was not worthy of the name Naulin. Those offshoot lines could live only outside the spire and couldn't enter it unless invited. And... More than that... Everyone, living on those five towers, knew that somewhere inside this city, Zelig was there... Maybe watching. Hiding. Evaluating. Or he was cultivating in seclusion. Or maybe living amongst them, without them ever realizing it. The thought of a chance to meet someone in his realm, maybe even catching his eye and being accepted as a disciple, was something that every person living within the five branches had dreamed about.

At the center of the city stood the Naulin's parliament building, surrounded by the five spires. Usually, it served to choose the next King amongst the five bloodlines, but now a different gathering was held inside of it. The leaders of the ten kingdoms were sitting inside, side by side, facing a golden throne placed directly before them. There were nine Kings and one Queen present. Nobody dared to speak up against the arrangement, as even Rudrick sat amongst the kings... He was looking forward with a calm expression because the one who sat on the throne was none other than... The legendary Zelig. He looked like a charming young man, someone who was only in his early twenties, younger than anyone else present.

He looked over the gathered kings with a confident smile, letting them take in his presence. Most of them were not even born when he was already forming alliances with their ancestors...

As for Zelig himself, he wore a white robe adorned with amethyst trim. He had shoulder-length, slightly wavy, white hair, while around his head, he wore a golden circlet. His violet eyes, the hallmark of his bloodline, shone brightly as he looked over the rest of the kings before him.

"I called you all here because of an important decision I made," Zelig finally said, making the rest immediately tense up and listen to his words. "As you all know by now, in the past years, a place appeared, calling itself the first Sect, the Immortal Wonders Sect. Some of you even started to interact with them." He looked directly at Kaipan, who shuddered but tried to keep up a calm front. "I am not blaming you." Zelig smiled after a short pause. "Their goods traveled far and wide within our alliance, bringing benefit to everyone present. But don't over-rely on them! It is a clever trap, and who knows what their hidden motives are. There is no free lunch in this world!"

"Exactly," Rudrick spoke up, looking at Kaipan. While he was smiling, his eyes were anything but friendly. "You should be careful, King Kaipan, to not burn yourself as you inch closer and closer to the fire."

"I know, King Rudrick." He replied. "Don't worry, I am a careful person. I would not risk my Kingdom for quick monetary gains. It is nothing more than an exchange of goods and not the exchange of influence."

"Really? As I heard, your granddaughter joined this so-called… Sect." The man, sitting next to Rudrick, suddenly interjected. He wore a blue military uniform adorned with shining medals and golden stripes, looking like a general who had just stepped out of a painting. He had shiny, short black hair combed backward and a thick black mustache. His blue eyes were piercing right into Kaipan's soul, but he just returned his gaze with contempt.

"It was her decision. But I can see why you would have a problem with this, King Frode. Your Nervadask kingdom has yet to allow its women to say 'no.' Or am I out of the loop, and you finally let them make their own decisions?"

"Insolence!" Frode stood up, but a sudden, violent force made him sit back immediately as Zelig simply looked at him.

"Stop," Zelig said with a commanding tone. It also shut up Kaipain, who felt like someone had stepped on his chest. "We are not here to bicker! Also, it is just a girl; it doesn't matter. As far as I am concerned, King Kaipan's grandsons are more capable cultivators." He raised his hand, dispersing his own pressure on the two before continuing. "I'd welcome them."

His last words made the rest look around; some knew what he was talking about, and some wore confused, lost expressions.

"Let me explain." Zelig continued, "That Sect we talked about is nothing more than the newest ploy of my old friend, Aerthus. He came back stronger than before, but I am also not the same!" He smiled confidently. "He hid himself until he thought he was stronger than me... Hah! It is nothing more than a facade, so he can play around! He got bored with his Empire, that is all. We can't let him execute whatever plan he has, so I decided to counter it in its infancy. Hereby, I proudly announce the establishment of Heaven's Gate!

"Heaven's Gate…?" Everyone repeated as Rudrick stood up, bowing towards Zelig before speaking, turning towards the rest.

"Yes. This is so everyone who joins can be proud of their talent. They have crossed Heaven's Gate and stepped into a place where infinite possibilities are awaiting them! It is a Sect where we gather talented people from around the world and give them a chance to reach the same height as our Sect Master, Zelig! He decided to bless those who are worthy and bestow his knowledge on them." He explained to the others in a proud voice. "Of course, our Sect won't just consist of us, but we are going to make up the core of it, as Sect Leader and Grand Master. We are going to establish the world's most prominent cultivation hub!"

"Exactly." Zelig continued. "I called you all here because we need to discuss and lay down the foundations and decide where to establish our Heaven's Gate." He looked into each and every one of their eyes. "Everybody is going to benefit from it; your families are only going to get stronger from it. It is time to pool our resources and strength together because HE is back… and back with force!" Zelig said with strong conviction, putting his hand behind his back as he stood up. "This time, it won't be the Empire or our Kingdoms fighting the war. Times have changed, and now, instead of ordering armies, the battles are going to be decided by cultivators alone. So we can't fall behind! I don't intend to back down… Do you?"

His question echoed strongly in the room, and only after a few seconds did King Frode stand up, cupping his hands.

"No! This war is ours to win, Sect Master!"

"I agree." Rudrick smiled, doing the same, and soon everyone stood up, including Kaipan, cupping their hands.

Deep inside, the King of the Elroth kingdom was worried that this was going to throw his own long-term plans into the trash. Not to mention, sensing the power coming from Zelig, he quickly claimed his ambitions to the throne of the Naulins. He had never before felt something like this… Not even from Aerthus. The latter was as if he was not even there when they met. Zelig? He was dominating the room with his eyes alone.

"Good, good! Your ancestors would be proud of you all!" Zelig laughed. "Come… friends! It is time to write history!" He clapped, summoning maids and servants, bringing in a giant table with a detailed map on it, places already marked and named on its surface.

It seemed Zelig had already planned out where he was going to build his… their Heaven's Gate. As the spots circled, the faces of two people changed for a brief moment. The King of the Enjin, Takaya, and the other was Rudrick himself…