Realm Lord

The glow of Arthur’s phone screen illuminated his face in the darkened hotel room as he scrolled through article after article, each new piece of information about Cara Lenning hitting him like a revelation. The digital clock in the corner of his screen showed the late hour, but sleep was the furthest thing from his mind as he devoured every detail about his former classmate’s meteoric rise to fame.

Cara Lenning, now known throughout the world by the nickname ’Lightbringer,’ had entered the second realm on August 26, 3036—the exact same day as Arthur. Just like Arthur, she had been transported to a distant, undiscovered area of the second realm, a place teeming with powerful monsters. The parallels between their experiences were unsettling, yet the outcomes couldn’t have been more different.

Unlike Arthur, who had struggled and fought alongside Aziel and the others just to survive, Cara had made it back in a single month. And she had done it completely alone, without the support system that had kept Arthur alive through his darkest moments. The thought of surviving that nightmare realm solo seemed impossible to Arthur, yet she had emerged victorious in just thirty days.

As Arthur continued reading, the pieces of her incredible story began to fall into place. It seemed that Cara had been gifted with light-based powers, abilities that, much like Arthur’s dark powers, had never been documented before in the history of the chosen. The rarity of her abilities alone would have made her noteworthy, but it was their practical application that had truly set her apart from every other chosen one.

Apparently her light powers worked as a direct counter to the void creatures and corruption. Where other chosen ones had to rely on brute force, strategy, and often sheer luck to combat these nightmare entities, Cara’s abilities gave her a distinct advantage.

But her remarkable survival and unique abilities were only part of what had made her a household name. The fact that she had managed to start her own guild as a chosen—something that should have been bureaucratically impossible—had sent shockwaves through the established order. Guild formation required extensive government approval, backing from existing power structures, and much more. Yet somehow, Cara had cut through all that red tape and established the Golden Hearts guild while still maintaining her rank one chosen status.

Her popularity had skyrocketed not just because of these incredible achievements, but because of how she chose to use her newfound power and influence. Unlike most chosen ones who focused primarily on advancing through the realms to increase their personal strength and status, Cara spent the majority of her time on Earth actively combating gate outbreaks. While other chosen ones trained in the second realm, grinding their way toward filling their cores, or even simply doing nothing at all, Cara was out in the field, putting her life on the line to protect ordinary citizens from the monsters that spilled out of gates.

Arthur shook his head in amazement as he read testimonial after testimonial from people whose lives she had saved. Entire families spoke of how the Lightbringer had appeared just when all hope seemed lost, her radiant powers driving back creatures that had seemed unstoppable. The reports painted a picture of someone who had chosen to be a true hero rather than simply pursuing personal advancement.

The articles went on to explain that if Cara had chosen to spend her time in the second realm rather than fighting off gate outbreaks, she would have filled her core even faster than she already had. The implication was staggering—she was already operating at a level that surpassed most chosen ones, and she was doing it while deliberately handicapping her own advancement to help others.

Her recent triumphs, particularly her efforts in District 3, had cemented her status as what the media affectionately called "the golden puppy of the public." She had become possibly one of the most beloved of chosen today, her combination of incredible power and genuine heroism capturing the imagination of people around the world.

Perhaps most remarkably of all, multiple experts and former chosen ones had stated on record that Cara was quite possibly the strongest rank one chosen in history. Some commentators even suggested that her current abilities surpassed those of the legendary Fire Lord back when he had been a chosen himself—a comparison that would have seemed impossible two years ago.