There was nothing but earth, not even bushes or small vegetation. There was simply nothing in this world. Where Kayden was, it was an enigma. Not that he could discern anything around him; he was in a state of mental dormancy. His soul was trying to recover, his mind was numb, yet it was trying. It was almost instinctive, the way he lived. His hunger for power was rooted so deeply within him that even in a nearly dead state — with less than half of his original soul — Kayden was still capable of continuing, of trying, of fighting for something. Time began to pass at a frightening speed. The cycles of sun and moon moved by, and small laws began to emerge in that world. This process was excruciatingly slow — in the blink of an eye, billions of years had passed without any change, neither in the world nor in Kayden. Everything was terribly the same. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵 Gradually, things began to change. The first shift came in the form of blades of grass sprouting in random places — the first sign of life. Some laws supported this creation: tiny, basic, and fundamental laws that would exist in any corner of existence. They possessed no complexity whatsoever. Over time, small drops began to fall from a colorless sky, forming puddles and then small lakes. The dry soil began to change, becoming darker, more alive. The intense cold gave way to a gentle warmth, and the heavy air began to move slowly, as if the world itself was learning how to breathe. Kayden’s body remained motionless, yet his eyes witnessed something new. The wind whispered through the grass, now growing in scattered patches, and the sunlight seemed brighter. The water reflected the sky’s glow, creating a fragile balance between heat and silence. A new cycle was beginning — this was literally the birth of a new world. The first tree appeared in that world. Its size was small, its strength minuscule. It died after a few years, but its fruits spread, and little by little, better ones began to grow — a process inherent to nature, a continuous improvement. It was a curious thing; often, the old generations were portrayed as superior to the new, but that made no sense. With each generation, something new emerged, something was pushed forward, little by little. Years turned into billions upon billions as everything in that world was built slowly. The laws became more complex; the forms of life began to evolve. The first to appear were fish. Their strength was low at first — the best barely reached the third mortal realm — but little by little, they improved. Colossal trees began to rise and die at the same time. Occasionally, superior trees and beasts appeared, but the ecosystem could not sustain them. There was not enough energy, not enough food; they died simply because they were too strong and unable to flee their environment. The seasons began to stabilize on that planet, allowing life forms to develop further. Kayden’s body was completely buried beneath the earth. Some trees began to grow near him. His body exuded energy, which slowly made him the center of that world. It was amusing to see how the snow came and went over his body with time. Time passed beyond his will; there was nothing he could do. In truth, he was not even aware of what was happening — Kayden was simply fighting a battle against himself. As time went on, the world began to stabilize. The seas spread, shaping continents and islands, while rivers calmly carved through the land. The vegetation grew denser, covering vast regions, and the once-opaque sky began to reflect soft colors with each sunrise. It was as though creation itself was finally beginning to understand its own rhythm. Animals started to walk on the surface — timid at first — but each generation brought something new: more strength, more instinct, more adaptation. The laws intertwined, forming an invisible balance that sustained everything. The world, once only silence and dust, now breathed, dreamed, and continued to grow without realizing that its center slept just beneath the earth. After tens of trillions of years... the first truly rational being was born. By coincidence — or perhaps not such a coincidence — it emerged from a species quite similar to humans. But instead of flesh and blood, it was made of wood and sap. Its movements were somewhat limited; it had no joints, and its body was deformed, shaped like the letter "T." It had no tongue and could not fight properly, spending its life hiding inside trees and evading larger predators. But... it was intelligent. Its eyes gleamed with knowledge, and a very useful ability was given to this being — it could enter trees and merge with them, traveling through their entire structure in the blink of an eye. The first of its kind lived alone for a long time... and died alone. Nature was cruel. It couldn’t surpass the second mortal level and was killed by random predators. But... It died right above Kayden. Its soul was caught by a sort of vortex — an area spanning dozens of meters around Kayden that prevented souls from resting. Not only that, but everything in this region became slightly above average. After a long time, that being was reborn. Along with it, others of its race began to emerge. This time, it was not alone. But it was the strongest, the oldest, and... the most adaptable. In nature, survival never favored the strongest — only the most adaptable. The one who could best adjust. Its race began to progress slowly. On the other side of the world, other beings began to emerge as well. New life forms appeared. In the oceans, the mages that were born were less intelligent but absurdly stronger — some even reaching the fourth mortal level. Their environment was far more challenging. Meanwhile... the first sentient being of this world continued to die under the same tree and return with the same memories. He brought this truth to his people and witnessed a kind of wisdom that only time itself could produce — a wisdom that began to blossom within their civilization.