Alex moved steadily through the forest, his steps light, his presence nonexistent. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The tournament field was vast, stretching across an artificially created realm that mimicked a wild, untamed world. Towering trees clawed at the sky, their canopies forming an almost unbroken ceiling of green. Dense undergrowth made navigation difficult for most participants, but Alex walked as if he had lived there all his life.

There were exactly 13,463 contestants in this tournament. The number had bothered him earlier. At first, he had assumed that this meant there were only that many multiversal worlds participating. That conclusion had felt small. Limiting.

So he had asked his master. The answer he received had changed his perspective entirely. These 13,463 multiverses were not all that existed. They were merely a cluster. A single alliance. A fragment floating within what his master had described as an endless, chaotic sea. That sea contained countless other clusters, countless other multiverses, possibly even structures beyond comprehension. No one truly knew how many existed. Even beings at the level of Supremes had only scratched the surface.

Alex had already encountered individuals whose strength defied logic, but even so, he understood something clearly. Creation itself was a mystery. A vast, layered mystery. And he intended to uncover it, piece by piece.

His thoughts shifted. Right now, speculation about the infinite was less important than the opportunity in front of him. Today, he had a very specific plan.

Every single participant here was a genius. Not just ordinary geniuses either. These were individuals blessed with Genesis-grade talents, the highest tier recognized within their known systems. Each one represented an extraordinary accumulation of potential, resources, and luck. Which made them perfect targets.

Alex’s lips curved slightly. He intended to copy all of their talents. Not one. Not a few. All of them. If things went well, he might even acquire multiple talents of the same category and begin experimenting with fusion or evolution. The idea had been forming in his mind for some time now. What if he could create something beyond Chaos-grade? Something that surpassed even the known classifications. The thought alone was enough to sharpen his focus.

"Hey, System," Alex said quietly as he continued moving. "The Angel of Creation made you. Does that mean he stands at the absolute peak of existence? Are you limited by him?"

This question had been bothering him for a while. If the system’s ceiling was defined by its creator, then Alex’s own growth might eventually hit a hard limit. And he did not like limits. Not even hypothetical ones.

[Ding! The system is no longer affiliated with the Angel of Creation. It is now the sole property of the host, Alex Moriarty.] The response came instantly. [As for higher realms, they may exist. However, at present, my upper limit corresponds to the level of the Angel of Creation. If the host can acquire a superior energy source, the system can evolve in unpredictable ways.]

Alex nodded slowly. That answer was acceptable. There might be higher peaks, but no one knew for certain. Which meant that, for now, his goal was clear. Reach the highest known point. And then break it.

His figure blurred slightly. He activated his Ultimate Veil talent. Immediately, his presence vanished completely. Even if someone stood directly in front of him, they would sense nothing. No aura. No fluctuation. No disturbance. To make things worse for everyone else, he layered invisibility on top of that. Now he was not only undetectable but also completely unseen. It was excessive. And very effective.

Outside the realm, the viewing platform was filled with Supremes. Massive projection screens displayed countless scenes from within the forest. Battles, ambushes, alliances, betrayals. Everything was visible. Or at least, it was supposed to be.

"Wait," one of the Supremes frowned. "Where is the participant from the 635th multiverse? He entered the realm, correct?"

Another Supreme narrowed his eyes. "I cannot sense him at all."

A third one turned sharply toward Alexander. "Alexander, what did you do? Did you give him your Origin Source for camouflage? That violates the rules."

The surrounding Supremes immediately focused on him. Alexander blinked once. Then his expression turned strange. Even he could not locate his disciple. And now these old fools were accusing him.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Alexander snapped. "He is not even at the Planetary Realm. If he came into direct contact with Origin Energy from a Multiversal Supreme, he would be crushed instantly. Use your brains for once."

The group fell silent. That made sense. Their accusation had been baseless.

"Then how is he hidden from all of us?" one of them asked cautiously.

Alexander let out a slow breath. "If I knew, do you think I would be standing here listening to your stupidity?" His irritation was genuine. Then, after a brief pause, he muttered under his breath. "That boy is becoming too mysterious." Despite his words, a faint hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes.

He turned his attention back to the screens. On one of them, a battle was unfolding. Six participants. Two groups. They were fighting with full intensity. Energy blasts tore through the forest, uprooting ancient trees. Shockwaves cracked the ground. Weapons clashed, techniques collided, and the surrounding environment was being systematically destroyed. It was the kind of fight expected from top-tier geniuses.

Then suddenly, everything stopped. All six froze mid-action. Their bodies locked in place. Their expressions changed instantly. Confusion. Then fear. Their eyes darted around wildly. They could not move. They could not speak. They could only look.

Slap. Suddenly a sharp sound echoed. Then another. Slap. Slap. Slap. One by one, each of them was struck across the face. No attacker was visible. No presence could be detected. Yet the blows were real. Before they could even process what was happening, their space rings vanished. Their combat suits were stripped away in an instant.

Moments later, six so-called supreme geniuses stood there in near-naked humiliation, their faces red, their eyes wide with disbelief. They had been robbed. Completely. And they did not even know by whom.

Outside, the Supremes stared at the screen. Alexander’s lips twitched. "Is that him?" he thought, his expression turning increasingly strange.

Inside the forest, chaos began to spread. Participants started losing everything. It happened randomly. Without warning. One moment they were moving cautiously, the next moment they were frozen in place, slapped repeatedly, and stripped of all valuables. No one could see the attacker. No one could sense him. Panic spread like wildfire.

The situation became even more absurd when a pattern emerged. Female participants were not stripped. They were spared the worst of it. But they were not completely safe either. They still lost their space rings. And, for some reason, they received a single cheek pinch before the invisible attacker disappeared. The humiliation was universal.

Outside, the Supremes were no longer calm. "Alexander you damn bastard!" one of them roared. "What exactly did you give that little bastard? At this rate, every participant will be eliminated while also losing their lifetime accumulation of resources! This is disgraceful! This is robbery!"

The complaints came from all directions. Alexander’s face twitched violently. He was trying very hard not to laugh. Very hard. His shoulders trembled slightly. His lips pressed tightly together. If he lost control now, he was fairly certain these old monsters would beat him into the ground.

"I did nothing," he said, forcing a straight face. Inside, however, he was already losing the battle.

The audience was no better. Countless prodigies from various Supreme academies watched in stunned silence. They had expected intense competition. Glorious battles. Dramatic rivalries. Instead, they were witnessing something else entirely. A shameless individual was dominating the entire event. And he was doing it in the most ridiculous way possible.

Two days passed. The forest had become a nightmare.

Alex stood calmly on a valley ridge, looking down at the terrain below. He began counting. Space rings. Artifacts. Seals. Various rare items. His gains were substantial. More than substantial. He had effectively looted a significant number of the tournament participants. And most importantly, he had collected all the seals. Every single one.

A satisfied expression appeared on his face. Then, suddenly, he raised his voice. "Listen up!" His voice spread across the area, amplified through controlled energy. "If you want a seal, come to the giant tree in the central valley. There will be a free-for-all battle. The top nine will receive nine seals from me."

The announcement echoed throughout the forest. Participants froze. Then their expressions changed. Confusion. Shock. Then rage. Within minutes, people began gathering. They came from all directions. Half-dressed. Some barely maintaining dignity. Others still furious from earlier encounters. But all of them had one thing in common. They wanted revenge. And they wanted seals.

The battlefield formed quickly. What followed was both comical and intense. Geniuses, many of whom were still missing proper equipment, clashed with everything they had. Despite their ridiculous appearances, their strength remained formidable. Energy surged. Techniques collided. The ground trembled under the force of their attacks.

Alex finally revealed himself. He sat comfortably on a raised rock. In his hand was a bucket of popcorn. He wore a pair of colorful goggles. He looked completely relaxed. Like a spectator at a casual show.

"Interesting," he murmured as he watched the chaos unfold. Then he paused. "Oops." He had revealed himself. Or perhaps he had done it intentionally. It was hard to tell.

Either way, the effect was immediate. The moment the participants saw him, everything clicked. All the humiliation. All the confusion. All the anger. It surged back at once. Their eyes turned red. Veins bulged. Killing intent erupted like a storm.

"That’s him!" "Catch that bastard!" "I don’t care about the rewards anymore!" "I will tear him apart!" Their roars shook the valley.

Energy gathered rapidly. Dozens of ultimate techniques began forming simultaneously. The air grew heavy. The ground cracked under pressure. Every single one of them focused on Alex. Their target was clear. Their intent was absolute. They were going to erase him. Completely.

Alex looked at them. Then he casually tossed a piece of popcorn into his mouth.