The dark cave kept going on and on. 

Branze Steele led his platoon and was worried. The Signal Compasses had died, and all that was left was his elder brother’s compass.

They kept urging on quickly.

“Brother! Please be alright!” Branze kept repeating this thought again and again. He could only hope for the best ending.

Suddenly, a strange figure appeared in front of them.

It was a dark figure that stood in the shape of a man.

“A Shadow!” Branze was horrified when he saw it and immediately drew his sword.

“Lord Branze Steele! I am Avary Steele! A newly knighted vampire of the Steele family! Please hurry! Lord Aron and the others may not survive!” Avary immediately bowed.

The words that he said shocked the group of knights who suddenly stopped.

“Aron Steele? My brother would never mingle with the likes of darkness! If you claim to know my brother, prove it!” Aron Steele shouted back. The surrounding Mercenaries also took their position and glared hatefully at the shadow.

“Prove it? Lord Aron never said anything…” Avary suddenly panicked. He forgot to take any form of proof from Aron or Kyros about his new identity. 

The knights encircled the dark being they found before him. When this being claimed that he was a vampire, they began to be more cautious.

“Lord Aron has not granted me any form of proof! They are fighting with Char Vermilion Lizards and Golems as we speak! I was tasked to slay my former master, Lord Zid Blood Blade of the Blood Blade family.”

“Your former master? My brother managed to free you from a Dark Bond?”

“It wasn’t your brother. It was your son! Lord Kyros!”

“Son? I don’t have a son!” Branze roared.

“Oh! Right. The Knights did mention that in passing. Yes. Lord Aron adopted Lord Kyros on your behalf.”

Several mercenaries unsheathed their swords.

“What are you doing?” Branze roared at the mercenaries.

“Lord Branze. His claims sound like something your brother would do.” One mercenary mumbled.

“Right. He gave you a wife last time. Why not a son?” Another asked.

Branze’s mouth was wide open. He wanted to retort but couldn’t think of anything to say.

“My Lord, we must hurry! If you wish, you may bind me and tie me up. But we have to hasten towards Lord Aron and Lord Kyros! They are fighting about a hundred Char Vermilion Lizard!”

“Lord Branze. Let’s do as he suggested. I wouldn’t have believed him… but he did say something Lord Aron would do.” Another Mercenary urge.

“Fine! Men! Tie him up! Let’s hurry!” 

And so, the group made their preparations and ran faster than ever.

The Golem City was celebrating the return.

It looked like a parade of heroes. The number of creatures they slew would greatly replenish their ranks. The reports that the first golems gave have been confirmed. No golems died other than the golem that Kyros summoned, which was used as a rock.

The Iron Golems had sentience and could talk and have long reported back of the battle itself. Kyros’s strategy frustrated the golems at first, but then when the report came, it became all the more impressive.

The Golems followed a principal that was the exact opposite. This tactic was because the Golems could not afford to have their stronger warriors expend their life energy in battle. The Clay and the Rock Golems would be at the front, while the Iron Golems would be positioned at the back. And both the lizards and the golems would fight and wilt themselves off.

But Kyros’s risky arrangement brought more good than bad. The Iron Golems that fought could easily recover the energy from the number of lizards, lizardmen, and Swamp Man-Gators killed.

The group even killed several Dark Lizards, and a single one could already turn a Rock Golem into an Iron Golem and give them sentience.

The rejoicing continued, but one golem was not happy. Mardock couldn’t believe the success they brought. He believed that the lizards they killed could barely restore the expenditure of the Iron Golems. But seeing the dead bodies, he could easily calculate that the energy the Golem army spent would only be one-eighth of the energy they would gain.

Even Mardock couldn’t find a fault in the applied tactics with an energy supply of eight times their expenditure. He then realized why Stoph willingly expended his life.

And there was even another prize. Kyros could restore them of their energy and could offer the Prime Earth Core, which was the primary reason why the Golem King agreed!

Kyros finally stood up. Kyros only regained the strength to stand after drinking a lot of blood along the way. 

“As per our deal. No Golems died. But you nearly broke yours! You knew what Mardock would do, didn’t you?” Kyros spoke coldly.

The rejoicing suddenly died out at the challenge of Kyros.

Even Stoph, who was standing at the back, was horrified at Kyros’s challenge.

Mardock sneered. It seemed this boy was an idiot easily given to rage.

“I gave him a command which he followed. You cannot blame me for what actions Mardock does.” The Golem King frowned.

“Then the deal is off. Kill us if you will. But the Okto-Kefali Whelpling will awaken soon. The Lizard Lords will be united, and you and your city will burn!” Kyros laughed.

The grin of the Golem King froze.

“Wha-what did you say?!” The King shouted.

The nearby Golems raged, but the King suddenly shouted.

“Quiet!” The hall was suddenly silenced from their hateful roars.

Kyros smirked. His assumptions were correct. 

“I have done you a great favor! And the workings of Fate and Destiny have whispered the truth in my ears. The eight-headed monster that could devour planets has awakened. Your pitiful men of Golems will die!”

“How did you know of that monster?!”

“Because only I can kill that monster! Only I can slay Eugene!” 

“Eu-Eugene?! You know its True Name?!” 

“Who do you think I am? I am Kyros Soter Vasilius Tyrannos Kyriachos Steele! True Master of this Nephilim Sealing Mountain!” Kyros shouted.

[Oration activated.]

After learning of the existence of Eugene, the Lizard Lords, and learning of the truth of the Nephilim Sealing Mountain, Kyros was more certain that the entire mountain was related to the seal. The items inside the mountain had all the monsters and the needed items to upgrade the temple.

And through that, Kyros knew that it would still be related to him. Kyros immediately mentioned the existence of Eugene to startle the Golem King.

The Golem King was stunned. His mouth kept shaking. For the first time since the centuries passed, he had finally felt a strange fear. He heard the names of the most powerful beings that worked together to craft this mighty temple.

“There is a way to know if what you claim is true.” The King finally mumbled.

“The Earth Core here is more than just an Earth Core. It is the testament and the legacy of the beings that built this temple. You claim to be the owner of this mountain, then prove it! Stand before the Earth Core and claim it! If you are wrong, the Earth Core will kill you! If you are right, then I will do more than just spare you. I will name you to be an overseer of Golems. You will have the authority to rule the golems next to me!” The Golem King declared.

Stoph and Mardock were shocked at Kyros’s declaration.

“Oh? So if I do prove myself, you will allow me to decree the death of Mardock?” Kyros challenged.

“YOU-!”

“Mardock! If he can claim the Earth Core, then you have nearly caused the death of the Awaited One’s family.” The King warned.

Mardock froze. To think that the King would say such claims!

“Kyros! I cannot allow you to decree his True Death. Mardock, Stoph, and two other Jewel Golems that are asleep have an Earth Core of their own. But if you are the Awaited One, and you have realized the weight of what Mardock is and still want to kill him, then you may destroy his body, but leave his core!” The King decreed.

Mardock’s expression was extremely ugly as he heard this. While he would still be alive, the powerful body that he has developed over the centuries that passed would be lost.

Kyros smiled and looked at Mardock as if confident that he would win.

Without hesitation, Kyros marched towards the area where the large glowing orb stood and radiated with immense Earth Energy.

Mardock looked in fear. He kept hoping that this arrogant man would die. But the closer Kyros moved to the orb, the more certain he was of losing his cultivated body.

Kyros approached and touched the large orb that descended the moment the Golem King waved his hand.

The moment Kyros touched it, a bright light exploded out.

It was as if a thousand beings of immense power and might appeared.

Kyros found himself standing on a large platform, and beings of great power from all over the Cosmos looked at him in the platform.

“He who has broken forward is here.” A voice announced, and all the beings looked at the Kyros. By some mystery, Kyros felt that he was so small. Compared to these beings, he appeared to be much smaller than a speck of dust.

And yet, these gigantic beings were so many that thousand upon thousand stood by. 

Kyros’s vision began to spin. He saw a great battle unfolding. Gods and Fallen and a host of strange beings were there and were fighting each other.

The scene was so chaotic that Kyros couldn’t tell who was on which side. Gods fought against gods. Fallen fought Fallen. And the throng of beings from all races fought in the great heavens.

And then the sound of a thousand voices was heard. The roaring multitude spoke in unison.

“I am the Alpha, and I shall face the Omega.”

“I am Beginning, and I shall battle to the End.”

“Awaken O Nephilim, and conquer Forward!”

“Awaken O Nephilim, and preserve Today.”

“Arise and challenge what is to Be.”

“Arise and challenge what is to Come.”

“Arise and fight alongside the Beginning.”

“Arise and fight to end the End.”

“Arise and claim True Eternity.”

“I am the Alpha and shall be the Omega.”

“I am the Beginning, and I shall be the End.”

The vision immediately disappeared.

Kyros was on his knees the moment he regained consciousness.

The vision seemed like a few seconds, but Kyros felt as though as he has lived through thousands of years.

Kyros stood up and marveled at what he saw. But then he realized he was back at the Golem City.

All the Golems were now kneeling. Kyros didn’t know when they knelt and turned to the Golem King.

The Golem King remained standing, and a small black and white orb appeared on his hand.

“Hail Kyros Soter Vasilius Tyrannos Kyriachos Steele! The Cornerstone of the City!” The Golem King declared.