Deep in dangerous and savage regions of the cosmos, a large ship of metal and mana traversed the treacherous endlessness. Powered by mana and intent, it attracted monsters and abominations from afar, hellbent on destroying any semblance of life.

The hordes upon hordes of monsters never faltered, producing an endless cycle of defense and respite. Yet the downtime never lasted more than a week, barely giving the bone-tired humans a chance to recover.

Unbeknown to both the humans and monsters, an incomprehensibly vast and profound gaze observed them from Monarch. The planet's name was coined by humans when their drone scouts spectacularly failed to measure even a fraction of the planet's size. Considered a miracle given form, Monarch was also the ultimate destination of this ship filled with volunteers.

Kassavin had been observing the little humans ever since their little scouts, drones as they were called, garnered his attention. The bipedal creatures had no idea that the drones had been teleported to Monarch on a whim and that the distance they needed to travel was far greater than they could ever afford to.

Yet the more Kassavin observed these delicate lifeforms, the more he liked them. Deep in space as they were, they were becoming increasingly aware of the fact that their chances of survival were slim. If they were so pressed for manpower already, things would undoubtedly be much worse at their destination. Yet they pursued the goal with unwavering determination, their course never faltering.

So many emotions packed in their little bodies, Kassavin observed before he decided to give them a helping hand.

With a thought, the humans were isolated from their surroundings. Panic reigned in the ship as the humans suddenly found themselves in impenetrable darkness. For several minutes they tensely waited for any danger but there was none.

The next few hours passed in uncomfortable silence. Tense as they were, the defenders didn't waste the chance to catch their breath and recover, prepared to face any trouble head-on.

Yet the darkness remained tranquil. No monsters attacked the ship and neither were there any inexplicable events. The humans, contrary to Kassavin's expectations, found themselves increasingly tense and fidgety in the never-ending darkness. The passage of days did nothing to soothe their nerves in such an inexplicable situation.

Deciding that any more downtime would be more harmful than helpful to the humans, he teleported them inside Monarch's atmosphere, above the only suitable destination.

Kassavin's actions were nothing short of a miracle to humans, yet they went entirely unnoticed by all but a select few. He had just teleported nearly a hundred thousand humans and their ship across a large swath of the universe which required an inconceivable amount of mana and effort.

He had casually done that with a thought.

Naturally, a few great beings could easily observe his efforts. One such Divinity requested to form a telepathic connection with Kassavin. He thought about it for a moment before getting ready to talk to a Godling who just refused to relax around him.

"Are you awake, Old One?" a soft, subservient thought reached his mind.

"I always am, Keeper of Souls," Kassavin replied. "You need not to hesitate when contacting me."

"I wouldn't dare disrupt your rest, my lord," Came the reply. Kassavin decided to ignore how stiff the Soul Shepherd was after that answer, just like he always did.

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Even if he had never demanded respect, Kassavin understood why other Divinities acted so timidly around him. Creatures below the fourth threshold would struggle to survive in his aura while only those near or above the fifth threshold could withstand it.

His passive aura, that is. Just the weight of his existence given form.

If he ever consciously released his aura, even Divine beings would find it supremely difficult to flee, let alone resist it. These Godlings were, after all, mere infants compared to him.

"Speak your mind."

"By your will. A soul has escaped," The Shepherd's excited answer reached him. No soul had escaped the fold in a long, long time.

Kassavin focused his perception downward into the domain of the Shepherd, which he usually refrained from. It was rude to pry into someone else's domain.

A human soul? That is unexpected.

Following that, he gazed upon a tiny blob of white light, gradually making its way to the surface. Attracted by the sudden arrival of the humans, the soul had forced its way through the fold and accomplished what had been deemed no longer possible for eons.

Unfortunately for the soul, its speed left a lot to be desired. The legendary Underworld was situated thousands of kilometers below the surface, with only its entrances present anywhere near the grounds where humans would land. It would take centuries for the soul to reach the humans. For Kassavin however, that period was negligible.

"The current warden is severely displeased." The Shepherd voiced his concerns. "He has always been too proud for his own good."

Kassavin shifted his focus to the huge ethereal boat sailing the river of reincarnation, specifically the Warden sitting on his usual throne. The look only lasted an instant yet the Warden was already convulsing on the ground, bleeding from all his orifices.

"No one will break the sacred rites. Make sure of that."

"Naturally, Old One. While I doubt the Soul Warden would dare go against the tradition, this will make sure he doesn't try any underhanded tactics. The rest depends on the fleeting soul when it inevitably returns."

The Underworld existed to protect the natural order of the world. Powerful souls often tried their hand at cheating death, yet they all failed to be acknowledged by the world. The first step to do so was to escape the fold by pure willpower, which everyone deemed the hardest part.

Normally, that would be true.

Unfortunately for the human soul, the second and final step required the escaped soul to prove themselves worthy of another chance. The moment any soul escaped the fold, a seed would be planted in it, urging them to return and demonstrate their worthiness. The Soul Warden would choose a champion for the soul to face, which would determine their fate. The only outcomes were victory or death, no in-between.

Kassavin and the Soul Shepherd pondered the case in front of them, and how there was only one outcome for the unlucky human. The current Soul Warden had an ego as big as he was strong, meaning he would take the soul's escape as a personal affront. There would be no champions for the human to fight, only the Soul Warden himself.

Kassavin turned his gaze to the small soul, so small and fickle in front of the titans witnessing its ascent. Only beings above the fifth threshold were allowed to sail the river of reincarnation, both to prevent their souls from dissolution and to possess the capability to fight the inconceivable horrors found in the depths.

Compared to them, the human soul looked like a harmless firefly amidst natural calamities. Yet it continued on, unwavering in its resolve to live on its own terms.

I bid you luck, little one. May your encounters be fruitful, and your preparations, sufficient.

****

The humans in the atmosphere prepared for their descent in the next few days. The destination was none other than the continent Kassavin had allowed the drones to scan. Not only was it one of the safest places on Monarch for the humans to challenge and thrive in, but it was also isolated from the rest of the planet.

The humans didn't possess the tools to even look at the other continents. At most, they would see a vast continent below them from the ship, surrounded by endless waters. Not because they actually lacked the tools, but because the distance between the continent below them and any other landmass was just too big for the tools to perceive.

Which was perhaps for the best, as a single glimpse of the creatures inhabiting the depths or the high peaks would utterly crush their spirits and resolve.

Just to improve their chances, Kassavin did them one last favor by mentally nudging a majestic dragon meditating on one of the peaks near him.

He looked on with pride as titanic wings spread unfurled to reveal the prone form of Granath, the fiercest adult of Kassavin's kind. Shimmering bright green scales covered his sinuous limbs, giving him a sleek and intimidating appearance.

A pulse of mana spread out from his soul, laying claim to the surrounding mana. The dragon's domain continued spreading out, covering dozens of kilometers around him before it finally stabilized. Long periods of compressed-domain meditation only affirmed to make it cover a larger area after every session. Granath didn't have to wait long before the Patriarch's orders reached him.

"Prevent any fourth threshold or higher beings from attacking the descending awakened."