NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1219: Crownbearers
"You have done it." Old Man First's voice carried both pride and disbelief as he studied the sight before him.
"Remarkable," he continued, nodding slowly. "Now that the clone has merged with the flow of time, it can safely comprehend the concept of time without being affected by the law of causality. But listen carefully, Max. This comes with a strict condition."
He turned his gaze to Max, his expression growing solemn. "You must never allow this clone to touch any other concept. Not even the faintest trace of one. The moment you do, the law of causality will strike it without mercy. It will tear apart the balance you have created, and the backlash could destroy both you and the clone entirely. Keep this in mind at all times."
Max nodded without hesitation. "Understood."
The connection between his bodies was still strange but wondrous. Through the clone's senses, he could feel the rhythm of time itself—slow, vast, and endless, yet flowing through him like a current. His awareness stretched far beyond the boundaries of the physical world. The clone's perception was sharper, calmer, and infinitely more attuned to the pulse of time.
He closed his eyes briefly, allowing the feeling to sink in. The energy that surrounded his clone resonated perfectly with the temporal laws scattered across the universe. He could feel it—the affinity was immense, far greater than he had anticipated.
'I can sense it so clearly,' Max thought quietly to himself. 'This body... it was born from the flow of time itself. My affinity for the concept of time has already reached the same level as my affinity for space.'
He opened his eyes again, his voice calm and certain. "I am going to start comprehending the concept of time here," he said to Old Man First. "Since the clone was created by merging with the flow of time, it should be much easier for me to grasp the first level concept quickly."
Old Man First smiled faintly and gave a single approving nod. "Good. Follow that instinct. The sooner you establish the first connection with the flow of time, the more stable your Chrono Genesis will become."
Hearing that, Max directed his consciousness toward the clone. The figure that was his second self slowly floated down, settling cross-legged upon a faintly glowing surface made of crystallized temporal energy. His aura began to calm, and the chaotic fluctuations around the newly-formed body gradually faded into a steady rhythm.
Through their shared link, Max could feel his clone's focus sharpening. The presence of time itself seemed to answer, responding faintly like an ancient river acknowledging its offspring.
But as Max watched through the eyes of both bodies, a sudden thought crossed his mind—an idea that made him pause. His clone was still connected to him. That meant he could control where it was, where it trained, and even where it existed.
He raised his right hand slightly, gathering a small amount of spatial energy around his palm. A subtle ripple passed through the void, distorting the very fabric of space for a brief moment.
Old Man First, sensing the fluctuation, turned toward him.
Before the old man could speak, Max's clone—who was sitting in stillness vanished without a sound.
The rippling space stilled. The faint light of the planet dimmed. The clone was gone.
Old Man First frowned slightly, his brows lifting in curiosity. "Where did you take it?" he asked. There was neither anger nor alarm in his tone, only genuine interest.
Max lowered his hand and turned his gaze toward the vast expanse of stars surrounding them. "The most suitable place," he replied calmly. He put away his clone in the Dimension of Time. Probably the most suitable place for the clone to comprehend the concept of time.
Old Man First raised his brows slightly, clearly intrigued by Max's words, but he chose not to pry further. His calm gaze lingered on Max for a few seconds before he finally spoke. "When are you planning to ascend to the Divine Realm?"
Max thought for a moment before answering. "About that..." He paused, his tone steady but serious. "There are still some very important matters I must deal with in my world before I ascend. Once I settle those, I'll head to the Divine Realm as soon as possible."
Old Man First nodded, showing no sign of disapproval. He understood that Max was not someone who could be bound by anyone's expectations. "Very well," he said slowly. "Take your time. The path of ascension is not something that should be rushed, and besides, I know I cannot force someone like you. Your fate has already diverged far beyond the ordinary. Even the Divine Realm may not yet be ready for your arrival."
Max smiled faintly but did not reply. He understood that the old man's words were not empty praise but an acknowledgment of his unusual destiny.
After a brief silence, Max's expression turned serious. His gaze fixed on Old Man First. "There's something I wanted to ask you," he said solemnly.
Old Man First tilted his head slightly. "What is it?"
Max hesitated for a second, then asked, "How do you kill an immortal?"
The old man's brows furrowed immediately. "Kill an immortal?" he repeated, his tone carrying both surprise and curiosity. "What kind of immortal are we talking about? And more importantly, how would such a being even appear in a mortal world like yours?"
Max didn't hesitate. He began explaining everything in detail—Mark's existence, the corruption of his essence, the dark energy that sustained him beyond death, and the way he seemed to exist outside the natural laws that governed life and soul.
Throughout the explanation, Old Man First listened in silence. His face remained composed, but his eyes reflected a growing sense of gravity. By the time Max finished, the old man's expression had turned solemn.
"I see. So, you are talking about the crownbearer of your world." Old Man First nodded calmly. "Though it's sad to hear that your crownbearer has gone evil."
"Crownbearer?" Max tilted his head slightly, his voice calm but curious. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Old Man First clasped his hands behind his back and turned toward the star-strewn void. His tone was serene but carried an unmistakable depth that seemed to echo across the endless expanse.
"You must understand something, Max," he began slowly. "Your mortal realm—the world you call home—is only a single speck within an incomprehensibly vast universe. Compared to the great expanse beyond, your world is no more than a grain of dust floating in the ocean of stars. And within this ocean exist countless beings far beyond mortal comprehension. Some of them possess power so immense that with a mere thought, they could reduce your entire planet to rubble."
He looked back at Max, his expression steady. "To protect these small and fragile mortal worlds, the universe gave birth to crowns—artifacts of pure creation energy, formed from the balance of existence itself. Each crown represents the will of a mortal world. When the time comes, that crown chooses a bearer, someone worthy enough to uphold the balance and protect their world from the cosmic threats beyond the stars. The one who wears the crown gains unimaginable strength—power that rivals gods, the ability to reshape reality, and immortality that transcends even death. These beings are called Crownbearers."