Aurelius waited 12 years for his father to return from leading history's greatest war; what he got was a subordinate of his father's, telling him that the war was over, but his father was dead. Four years later, having mastered the fundamentals of essence by himself, Aurelius leaves his remote and empty life behind with nothing but the potential to be the strongest human being the world has ever seen. As he treads the unfamiliar landscape, he makes friends, amasses wealth, and helps people. However, he inevitably makes enemies, suffers losses, and bit by bit becomes something else entirely.  New chapters on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. What to expect: -Moderate pace-Unique magic system-Character-driven narrative-Lots of action-A strong to stronger progression-A complex plot full of twists-Philosophical and psychological exploration Phase 1: Gilded / Chapters: 1–66 / CompletePhase 2: The liveD / Chapters: 67–X / Ongoing