Aurora stood there with tears in her eyes, clearly expecting the situation to tilt in her favor. She even added a slight sniff at the end for extra effect, just in case the performance needed enhancement.

"Grandpa, he is bullying me," she said, trying to sound as pitiful as possible.

Alexander slowly lifted his cup and took a calm sip of tea. He did not rush. He did not react. He looked like a man who had seen this exact drama a thousand times before and had already grown tired of it centuries ago.

The silence stretched.

Aurora blinked.

"Grandpa?" she tried again, a bit less confident this time.

Alexander finally placed his cup down.

"Aurora," he said, "if you are done acting, you may now return to reality."

The entire garden went quiet.

Aurora froze. "I am not acting."

Alexander looked at her, completely unconvinced.

"You attacked him first, used all your abilities, lost, and now you are crying," he said plainly. "This is not bullying. This is poor decision making."

Merlin turned his face slightly, clearly hiding a smile.

Alex sat there calmly, watching everything like he had just bought a ticket to a comedy show.

Aurora pointed at him. "He said he would spank me!"

Alexander paused for a moment and looked at Alex.

Alex shrugged. "She was being annoying."

"...That is not a strong defense," Alexander replied.

Aurora immediately nodded. "Exactly!"

Alexander raised a finger. "However, it is still better than yours."

Aurora’s brain stopped working for a second.

"...What?"

Alexander continued as if explaining something very basic. "You escalated the situation first. He responded. You lost. Then you cried. There is a pattern here, and it is not in your favor."

One of the maids coughed quietly. Another one suddenly became very focused on a flower in her hand.

Aurora’s face turned red again. "This is unfair!"

Alexander nodded. "Yes. Life often is. Today it simply chose you."

Alex leaned back slightly, clearly enjoying this more than he should.

Aurora clenched her fists. "I want a rematch!"

"No," Alexander said immediately.

"Why not?"

"Because you will lose again," he replied calmly. "Probably faster."

Merlin this time did not even try to hide it. He let out a quiet chuckle.

Aurora looked personally betrayed by the universe.

Alexander tapped the table lightly. "Now apologize."

Aurora stared at him like she had just been told to jump into a volcano.

"...Do I have to?"

"Yes."

She turned toward Alex with a look that clearly promised future revenge.

"...Sorry," she muttered.

"I cannot hear you," Alexander added.

Aurora closed her eyes, clearly suffering. "I said sorry."

Alex nodded once. "Good. Character development."

Aurora looked like she wanted to erase him from existence.

But she didn’t say anything else. She stood there with her head slightly lowered, her apology still lingering in the air. She did not speak again.

Alexander leaned back in his seat, his gaze settling on Alex with a more focused seriousness now that the distraction had ended.

"Now," he said calmly, "tell me everything properly."

Alex did not waste time. He explained the seal, the overwhelming pressure it emitted, and the reaction of everyone who had witnessed it. He described how even Merlin had been forced to his knees under its presence. Finally, he spoke the name.

"The Chaos Clan."

Alexander listened without interrupting. His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of his chair as he processed the information.

When Alex finished, a brief silence followed.

"Chaos Clan, huh?" Alexander said after a moment, his tone thoughtful but not particularly concerned. "Never heard of it. It does not belong to our multiverse. Maybe I will ask some other ones."

Alex nodded once. He had expected as much. If even someone like Alexander did not recognize the name, then the situation was more complicated than he had initially assumed.

"Master," Alex said, "do you have any proper device that can fasten time in a literal sense, not perspective-based training?"

Alexander glanced at him, his eyes showing a trace of approval.

"You are thinking correctly," he replied. "Yes, such a device exists."

Alex leaned forward slightly.

"However," Alexander continued, "it is not something I can freely grant you access to. It is the family heirloom of the Silvera clan. I do not control it."

Alex frowned slightly. "You do not control it?"

Alexander shook his head.

"All of my ancestors reside within it. It is not merely a tool. It is a domain. A place where time flows differently in a true sense, not just perception. To use it, I would need their permission."

Alex’s brows drew together.

"Ancestors?" he asked. "Are you not the strongest being?"

Alexander let out a quiet laugh, not mocking, but genuine.

"I am one of the strongest within this multiverse," he said. "That is all."

He leaned back slightly, his tone turning more reflective.

"My father, his father, and those before them have already surpassed this level. They have stepped beyond the boundaries of this multiverse. They are attempting to ascend to a higher realm."

Alex felt a subtle tension build in his chest. Even Alexander, who ruled over more than a hundred universes, was only a part of something larger.

Alexander continued.

"The Tower once chose our founding ancestor and sent him to the upper realm. Since then, the lineage has continued to progress. What you see here is only a fragment of a much larger structure."

Alex remained silent for a moment, absorbing the weight of those words.

Then he spoke.

"How can I obtain their permission?"

Alexander did not hesitate.

"You will need to win the Grand Multiversal Tournament," he said calmly.

Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"A tournament," he repeated.

"Yes," Alexander replied. "It is held across countless multiverses. Only the most capable individuals are allowed to participate, and only one stands at the top."

"And if I win?" Alex asked.

"Then you will gain the right to be acknowledged," Alexander said. "At that point, my ancestors may allow you to enter the heirloom domain."

"May," Alex repeated quietly.

Alexander nodded.

"They do not grant access lightly."

Alex exhaled slowly. There was no frustration in his expression, only determination.

"I understand."

Alexander studied him for a brief moment, then nodded.

"Before you think about the tournament," he said, "you need to strengthen your foundation. Your telekinesis is powerful, but it lacks refinement."

Alex did not deny it.

"I know," he said.

Alexander raised his hand slightly. A faint glow gathered in his palm, condensing into a thin scroll that emitted a subtle but ancient aura.

"This technique is suited for you," he said.

He handed the scroll to Alex.

"Primordial Soul Core."

The moment Alex took it, he felt a faint vibration run through his fingers. It was not aggressive, but it carried depth. The kind of depth that suggested complexity far beyond ordinary techniques.

"If you can master this," Alexander continued, "your strength will ascend to a completely different level. Your telekinesis will no longer be crude force. It will become an extension of your very existence."

Alex looked down at the scroll.

"I will master it," he said.

Alexander gave a small nod.

"Good," he replied. "Merlin will guide you through the process."

Merlin stepped forward slightly.

"I will ensure that he does not waste time," he said.

Alexander allowed himself a faint smile.

"That would be ideal."

The discussion ended there. There was nothing more to say at the moment.

Alex stood up and bowed slightly.

"Thank you, Master."

Merlin inclined his head as well.

Without further delay, the space around them shifted.

In the next moment, Alex and Merlin appeared in a vast courtyard. The ground was smooth and polished, stretching outward in all directions. The air was dense with energy, far more concentrated than anything found on Earth.

Alex took a slow breath, adjusting to the environment.

"This place..." he murmured.

"It has been prepared for your training," Merlin said. "You will not be disturbed here."

Alex nodded.

He looked down at the scroll in his hand and slowly opened it.

The moment it unfurled, a stream of information surged into his mind.

"Primordial Soul Core."

It was not just a technique. It was a complete system of cultivation centered around the soul.

The first layer required him to perceive his soul directly.

Not as an abstract concept, but as a tangible existence.

Once he could do that, he would shape it.

The shape would not be arbitrary. It would be determined by his personality, his will, and his core nature.

That shape would then act as a core, allowing him to control his telekinetic power with far greater precision.

The deeper the layer, the stronger the connection.

There were nine layers in total.

Each one more difficult than the last.

And according to the final description, reaching the ninth layer would allow the practitioner to enter what was referred to as meta reality through their soul.

Alex closed his eyes slowly.

"This is not simple," he said.

Merlin nodded.

"It is not meant to be," he replied. "Most would fail at the first step."

Alex sat down in the center of the courtyard.