He swallowed hard before continuing, his tone more respectful now.

"A Genesis Rune forms when the universe is about to give birth to a new resource. It could be anything—a planet, a star, an entire solar system, a galaxy, a black hole, even a new realm or a new law itself.

No one ever knows for sure what it will be, but one thing is certain, it's something new, raw, and unclaimed. And that's exactly why every powerful being and race in existence wants it for themselves."

He paused for a moment, looking down at his trembling hands. "My lord… that's why Vaelix Ranthor is coming. For the Rune itself."

"So the marking on the map is the place where the Rune is?" I asked.

He nodded quickly.

"That's our best guess, based on the research we've done since arriving in this area almost a year ago. The marked region is where we managed to narrow it down. But I have to admit, I'm surprised you have this map. We don't use this version anymore. I'm not sure why the Feran you got it from was still carrying it."

I ignored that part and focused on what mattered. "How confident are the Ferans that it's really a Genesis Rune? And what kind of benefits does it bring?"

A faint smile appeared on his face. "We're around seventy percent sure that it's a Genesis Rune. As for the benefits… there are many. I can explain them to you—"

I raised a hand to stop him and stood up. "Just wait here for a few minutes."

Pointing a finger upward, I focused my Essence and melted the layer of ice above us. Steam hissed softly as water dripped down the walls.

With a quick motion, I carved out a hole in the roof and leapt through it, landing silently on the second floor.

I stepped into the room.

The Feran on that floor lounged in a reclined chair, a book, Tonight We Do It Again, open across his lap. He was frozen solid from neck to toes, only the thin film of ice over his face hiding the calm expression he'd been wearing.

I walked forward and snapped my fingers. The ice on his face melted like frost at sunrise. He gasped, sucked a sharp breath, and his eyes locked onto me. He scanned the torn hole in the roof, the frozen room, then back to me with a slow, careful stare.

"Who are you?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

My perception blinked and the words came into view: [Dijet Ranthor — Level 282]

"Oh. A Ranthor," I said, surprised.

I stepped back to the hole in the roof and looked down at Anjee. "Hey Anjee, I found a Ranthor here. Want revenge for all the bullying you suffered?"

Anjee's face changed from shock to pure horror.

I turned back to Dijet and let the accusation sit in the air.

"Hey, man. I heard from Anjee that your people don't treat outsiders with respect."

Dijet looked uncertain, caught between the surprise of the situation. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again.

I sighed, annoyed, and snapped my fingers. The left arm encased in ice turned brittle, broke clean, and dripped into a pile of cubes on the floor.

Dijet screamed—a long, raw sound that cut through the frozen hush. I stood and waited until the scream thinned and all his methods of trying to free himself were exhausted.

After a full minute, he breathed like a man returned from drowning.

"Good," I said, and pulled the map from my ring. I laid it between us and explained the situation—the map, the mark, Anjee's story, everything he had told me.

When I finished, I watched Dijet's face. He was quiet, eyes darting, jaw tight.

"He is lying. Totally lying," He said flatly, pointing down. "He's a scheming bastard with no backbone. He lies through his teeth."

"How dare you, Dijet?" Anjee's voice rang up from below, furious. "You are the schemer! Your whole family is a bunch of pigs who play in the mud, dirty whores!"

"Anjee!" Dijet shouted, his fury boiling up. "Do you understand who you are talking to? I am a Ranthor. Mind your tongue."

"Mind my ass, you weakling. If you have guts, fight me," Anjee answered, voice hard as ice.

"Do you understand what you are doing? You are turning your back on your own people for an outsider and a human. Once this news reaches back home your entire family, down to the newborns, will be killed," Dijet said through gritted teeth.

Anjee laughed, loud and bitter. "You dumbfuck and how will the news reach back home? Do you think you can free yourself from this situation? HAHAHAHA."

Dijet snapped his head toward me. "Whoever you are, you need to understand who you are dealing with. The Ferans are the second‑strongest race in this galaxy. No matter where you hide, we will hunt you down to the last human if we have to."

I nodded. "Okay. As you say." Then I snapped my fingers. His left leg shattered into neat cubes and fell away.

Another round of screams filled the room. Anjee and I stood and waited without speaking.

Slowly, Dijet's breathing steadied. He fought to control the pain, heavy breaths raking his chest.

"Yes," I said finally. "So I asked you some questions, right? All you need to do is answer them."

He glared at me, hatred burning in his eyes, and then finally spoke.

"We found something at the location marked on the map. We're not sure what it is, but it's definitely not a Genesis Rune like that traitor below is saying."

From beneath us, Anjee's angry voice echoed through the ice. "Liar! If it's not a Genesis Rune, then why would they send a Transcendent here? And why would they hide it from the other races especially the Nagas?"

Dijet almost screamed in reply, his voice cracking from both rage and pain. "How would I know why they're hiding it or why they're sending a Transcendent? But what I'm saying is the truth!"

He struggled against the ice, his body shaking.

"The Genesis Rune is nothing but the fantasy of that fool. He can't stand that his weak family isn't the one leading the Tiger Clan, so he makes up these stupid stories about secrets and betrayal, dreams of overthrowing us like some hero from a legend. He's pathetic!"

I stayed quiet and watched them both.

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