The Monarch-Chapter 520: Aquiles

"Impressive," Kayden had to admit, it was quite a remarkable sight. He could have done it much faster and in a far more extravagant way, but that didn’t diminish his appreciation for the achievements of others.

"Thank you, but that’s not even the best part," Felix said. However, he didn’t continue, as he... began to nap almost automatically. Kayden watched, astonished, as the cat disappeared into the shadows and then into a tear in space. The most remarkable thing was that he couldn’t sense the cat with his sixth sense—only its soul’s faint emanations gave any clue to its existence.

It was an extraordinary form of hibernation, undetectable by any conventional means. Kayden simply cultivated and waited beside the cat; he had nothing better to do, and he doubted anyone would come to investigate. Felix must have built a terrifying reputation during this period.

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Time flew by, and Kayden watched a decade pass in the blink of an eye. He focused solely on cultivation, growing stronger with each passing day. The sensation of power surging through him was intoxicating, a never-ending rush.

In the past, Kayden had heavily relied on the universe to propel his leaps in power. Every time he advanced his rays, he would receive a direct boost in strength. But now, everything was entirely in his hands. Kayden had no external crutches; it was all about his effort, and that was the best part. His path demanded improvement by his means, and his principles compelled him to adhere to this with unshakable discipline.

"I’m ready. We can go now," Felix said as he emerged from his slumber. The cat didn’t need that much sleep, but he wasn’t about to deny himself a few extra years of rest—it was simply beyond his control.

"You need to learn how to master your soul. That’s the only thing keeping your stealth from reaching the next level," Kayden remarked while the creature opened spatial gates with its mouth.

It was amusing how, with each gate, they would advance a few billion kilometers. Kayden couldn’t quite grasp how Felix managed it, but he was confident he would figure it out after observing for a while.

"I know, which is why I’ve been consuming planets. My soul resonates every time I ingest large quantities of matter, making it easier for me to perceive it," Felix explained, clearly making progress. He was merely adding the finishing touches to his cultivation to become a god.

The two of them traveled silently, covering trillions of kilometers. Kayden focused intently on Felix’s methods. It didn’t take him long to realize that the cat’s ability was tied to some additional law beyond spatial laws—most likely the laws of shadows.

Kayden could feel Felix leaping from shadow to shadow. The impressive part was that these shadows were separated by utterly absurd distances. It seemed that Felix could sense them by entering the space between the void and reality. It was truly a remarkable ability, though Kayden knew it wasn’t something he would be able—or even willing—to learn anytime soon.

Eventually, Felix found another planet in just a few days. His sensitivity to his surroundings far surpassed Kayden’s, likely due to the laws he had mastered. This realization made Kayden appreciate the potential of other laws. However, he also understood that he would need to carefully consider how to integrate such principles into his path and life.

"Why don’t you just devour random planets?" Kayden asked, curious as to why Felix seemed to take his time.

"I first need to harmonize with the planet—to feel its unique mana, the quality of its space, and all of its distinct attributes. Only then can I consume it and digest everything in hibernation. I devour planets to learn from them; they don’t give me anything directly," Felix explained, and Kayden understood the reasoning behind his approach.

Kayden found an isolated spot and stood as still as a statue for several years. Occasionally, Felix would appear to chat with him, but other than those rare moments, there was little else happening. Kayden continued to cultivate in solitude, avoiding any unnecessary actions.

From time to time, mages would come to investigate the planet and his presence, but no ordinary mage could even detect his shadow.

"Oops." Kayden heard someone slip and sit down a few meters away from him. It was a mere mortal with no cultivation—a rare occurrence in this universe. Yet something about this person was peculiar. Despite his lack of cultivation, his strength seemed on par with a fifth-realm mage.

Kayden opened his eyes and observed the teenager sitting before him. He hadn’t even noticed this individual with his spiritual sense. The boy emitted no energy whatsoever, resembling an inanimate object. Kayden dismissed the mortal’s presence, having already exerted pressure over several kilometers to ensure no living being would willingly approach him.

"What are you doing in such an isolated place?" the mortal asked. It was a simple question, but Kayden’s sharp gaze searched the boy’s eyes, looking for any hint that he might be more than he appeared.

Nothing. The boy had a completely normal soul, normal eyes, and a normal body. Something about the situation was irritably off, though Kayden couldn’t immediately discern what. It only took a few seconds for an idea to form.

"Thoth?" Kayden asked, almost certain of his conclusion.

"You know that demon too? Fortunately, I am not him," the man replied with a sincere smile, his soul resonating in harmony with his words.

"Who are you? You have ten minutes to explain yourself, or I will kill you," Kayden stated without a shred of compassion or interest in making new acquaintances.

"My name is Achilles. I am a soul from another universe that reincarnated in this one. You should be able to sense that my strength is unusual," the teenager confessed, yielding to the weight of Kayden’s threat, especially after looking into those dark eyes that seemed to embody an absolute abyss.

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"How did you find me, and what do you want from me?" Kayden asked, unimpressed by Achilles’ words. Though they were truthful, the boy’s power was far from remarkable in Kayden’s eyes. It wasn’t worth his time to learn anything new from him.