Chapter 57 – The Return of the Monarch
The world had not known peace for decades. Dungeons still opened across continents, monsters rampaged unchecked, and nations fought over shattered resources.
Then the sky broke.
A rift of black and gold split through the heavens, expanding across the atmosphere like a second sun made of shadows. The System's voice rang through every human mind simultaneously:
> [System Announcement: Entity "Hayden – Supreme Shadow Monarch" has descended.]
[Origin: Multiversal Domain Confirmed.]
[Earth Status: Under Ascension Protocol.]
People fell silent. Hunters looked skyward. Governments froze. The entire world turned its eyes upward.
From the rift descended Hayden, wrapped in layers of living shadow that shimmered like galaxies, eyes glowing with divine calm. Beside him floated Selene, her light forming a halo across the horizon.
Behind them came The Talking Shadow Army endless, disciplined, and alive. Their black armor rippled like liquid night, each one speaking softly, reverently, their voices forming a chorus.
> "The Monarch has returned."
"Our home… the birthplace of our master."
"Peace will come. The Monarch decrees it."
Above the oceans, Shadow Dragons soared, wings the size of storms, their scales reflecting light and void alike. Each dragon's voice shook the clouds.
> "The Supreme Shadow Monarch commands peace."
"No blade shall rise against the world he calls home."
The World Kneels
When Hayden landed, the earth itself stilled. The air turned silent, the winds bowed. His aura didn't destroy it purified. Corrupted mana was cleansed, dungeons sealed themselves shut, monsters disintegrated peacefully into dust.
The world's hunters stared in disbelief.
The "Weakest Hunter of All Mankind" now stood as the being the System itself bowed to.
Selene's voice echoed beside him, serene and steady.
"Your presence alone restores balance."
Hayden's eyes softened. "Earth gave me my first defeat… and my first purpose. It deserves peace, not punishment."
> [System Update: Earth Under Protection of the Omega+++ Monarch]
[All Dungeons Neutralized | All Monster Activity Ceased]
[Mana Density Stabilized | Global Balance Restored]
The Monarch's Decree
Hayden raised his hand. A soft surge of shadow energy spread across continents gentle, warm, protective. The soldiers of his army bowed, and even the dragons knelt in midair.
> "No more hunger. No more fear. No more war," Hayden declared.
"Let the world rest beneath the shadow that protects, not destroys."
Every government broadcast froze. Every guild leader listened. And in that moment, the System itself manifested across every screen, repeating his words.
> [Global Command Confirmed: Peace Enforcement Active]
[By the Will of the Monarch]
Selene looked at him, her blue eyes reflecting his shadowed aura. "You became what the world needed most balance between light and dark."
Hayden turned to her, his faint smile carrying both exhaustion and warmth. "And you… became the reason I didn't lose myself."
Aftermath: The Monarch's Era
For the first time in history, every dungeon closed.
No monsters roamed. No hunter fought. The world entered The Monarch's Era an age where shadows watched over humanity.
> [System Notification: Title "Guardian of Worlds" Acquired]
[Divine Authority: Active | Shadow Peace Protocol Permanent]
[Next Task: Reconstruct Civilization | Restore Hope]
The Talking Shadow Army rebuilt cities in silence, guided by Hayden's will. The Shadow Dragons purified corrupted lands. Children looked up at the skies not with fear but awe.
And at the center of it all stood Hayden, the man once called weak. The Monarch who had conquered creation, returned home not to rule through fear, but through peace.
Selene took his hand. "You've become their myth and their miracle."
Hayden's voice was soft, echoing through the twilight. "Then let them dream in peace… beneath the shadow that guards them."