Elias had barely taken ten steps from the core chamber when reality twisted.
Not the natural dimensional shifts of the palace's architecture. This was forced. Artificial. The spatial framework around him buckled under external pressure, warping into configurations that violated the palace's original design.
His quantum senses flared immediately. Hostile intent. Multiple sources. Powerful.
And familiar.
The Hierarchy.
Twelve figures materialized from dimensional folds, surrounding him in a perfect sphere formation. Each one a Sovereign, their auras radiating power levels ranging from 90% to 96% Infinity Law comprehension.
And at the formation's apex, slightly above and ahead of the others, stood their leader.
Peak Sovereign. 98% Infinity Law. Male, appearing middle-aged with sharp features and eyes that calculated probabilities like a machine. His battle robes were unmarked—no sect insignia, no personal styling, just pure functional black that absorbed light.
