Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me Chapter 798: The Unknown Guest

Daniel sat beneath a tree, sunlight warming his face, its glow reflecting in his impassive eyes.

Opposite him stood the ancient librarian, the very same unremarkable custodian of the Holy Palace library usually indistinguishable from any other man nearing his end.

His plain gray robe fluttered in the gentle breeze, and his gnarled staff scraped softly against the earth. Yet, the most peculiar aspect wasn't his appearance or his serene smile.

Instead, it was the tree's apparent acceptance of him. The massive roots had shifted, parting effortlessly and without apprehension, as if by their own will.

It was as though the old man's presence had always been an intrinsic part of this sacred spot.

Daniel’s gaze sharpened momentarily. He detected no Qi from the old man, no ripple of power, no oppressive aura – virtually nothing.

And that absence was the most unnerving element of the situation.

Having attained his current cultivation level, even the most minuscule life forms appeared like beacons in the surrounding darkness.

He could perceive the ebb and flow of Qi, the subtle vibrations of a soul, and even the precarious stability of the laws governing a being.

But this elder was utterly devoid, as if he occupied no space at all.

Perhaps he existed on a plane beyond Daniel’s current sensory perception.

The old man’s gaze calmly traversed the colossal roots before settling upon the fruit.

The fruit had swelled to nearly the size of a human head, its translucent skin traced with golden veins. With every pulse, the very air seemed to thrum momentarily.

A quiet smile graced the old man’s lips.

"It has grown remarkably fast." His voice was tranquil, yet the simple statement imbued the surrounding atmosphere with a palpable weight.

He spoke of the fruit as if he possessed intrinsic knowledge of its nature and purpose.

Daniel, however, maintained a stoic expression.

"Who are you?" he inquired, his voice low.

The old man let out a soft chuckle, devoid of mockery, akin to someone amused by a novel query.

"Names hold little significance." Then, without seeking leave, he advanced a few steps closer.

At that instant, the tree’s immense roots stirred, not in aggression, but seemingly in acknowledgment of his approach.

Concurrently, the nascent core within Daniel’s inner world quivered. Fleeting fissures of light fractured its surface before vanishing just as swiftly.

Aware of this reaction, Daniel experienced a genuine flicker of curiosity for the first time.

This elder, inexplicably, resonated with the tree. Not as a master, nor as a companion, but undeniably not as an adversary.

It was as if the tree recognized him on a fundamental level.

"It is not yet complete." The old man halted before the fruit, observing it in silent contemplation for several seconds.

His gaze then gradually shifted to Daniel, seeming to pierce the depths of his being, delving into the core within his spiritual landscape.

"But it nears its culmination."

A chilling breeze snaked through the branches. His words carried an ambiguity: did he refer to the fruit, or to Daniel himself?

"Do you possess knowledge of this tree?" Daniel questioned, his demeanor unchanged.

He surmised that this elder, much like himself, preferred to withhold his identity. However, given his apparent connection to the tree, this presented a valuable opportunity for enlightenment.

The old man paused, his ancient yet profound eyes drifting over the massive roots.

"More than I ought to." And without elaboration, he refocused his attention on Daniel.

"You are forging something perilous."

Daniel remained silent, absorbing his words. It was evident the elder alluded to the core residing within his inner world.

"Not perilous for this world, but for your own existence."

"Power invariably carries risk." Daniel remained composed, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"No." The old man gently shook his head.

"The power you cultivate... it blurs the line between the known and the unknown." His eyes deepened with an uncharacteristic intensity.

The air thickened perceptibly for a moment.

Daniel offered no retort. He understood the elder's implication. He was subtly warning that those beings who reign at the zenith of power across all realms tolerate the familiar.

But the unknown? They obliterate it. And what he was endeavoring to create could very well fall into that category.

He couldn't ascertain if other deities had discovered avenues to attain divine power beyond divine fruits. However, upon reflection, what if they had not? What if their attempts had ended in failure?

Therefore, if his ambition succeeded, would that not render him a target for every deity?

"They will act soon." The old man abruptly glanced towards the darkening sky.

"They?" Daniel inquired softly, though he harbored a strong suspicion of his interlocutor's meaning.

The pressing questions remained: how did this elder possess such knowledge? What was his true nature? And now that he was aware of the core, did he pose a threat?

"Those who dread what they cannot comprehend." The old man skirted a direct answer, bestowing only a faint smile.

The identity of the person he was referring to remained unclear, as no names were specified.

Daniel observed the old man for a few moments in silence. Curiously, the elder displayed no fear of him, nor any inclination to attack. Instead, he stood before Daniel with a peculiar composure, much like someone who had long anticipated such an encounter.

The old man made to depart quietly but paused before leaving.

"Once your core awakens, there is absolutely no turning back."

"It is regrettable that this world met its demise... but such events are in the past." He then added,

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

"Had there been someone like you to safeguard this tree back then, perhaps this world would not have been destroyed." The old man's gaze drifted into the distance.

Daniel remained silent for several seconds.

"Are you what is known as a Half Step-Divine?" he inquired softly.

Yet, almost instantly, he reconsidered his question.

"No..." His gaze grew more profound.

"You must be something that surpasses a Half Step-Divine."

"A genuine divine entity."

The old man simply smiled, offering neither confirmation nor denial. This tranquil silence held more weight than any spoken word could.

Daniel fell into quiet contemplation. Elisira had indeed spoken of Half Step-Divines, but nothing about true divine beings had ever been mentioned.

He had previously presumed that Half Step-Divines represented the pinnacle of power within this world, and that true divine beings were akin to the gods themselves.

However, upon reflection, in this world, even entities on the level of gods were referred to as 'gods'.

So then, what constituted these true divine beings? Were they beings inferior to actual gods, yet considerably more powerful than Half Step-Divines?

And if such entities existed, why had they remained hidden? Why was Elisira unaware of them? Why were they absent from this world's established power hierarchy?

Alternatively, perhaps only a single one remained, and that individual had chosen to conceal themselves.

But for what reason?

"Do not dwell on it too much." The old man appeared to sense Daniel's thoughts.

"Have you recuperated adequately these past few days?" he then asked, looking into the distance.

More than five days had elapsed since the confrontation with Walterk.

"I was growing rather bored." Daniel offered a faint smile.

The old man let out a quiet chuckle, a sound that seemed to echo the passage of millennia.

"Then that is good." His gaze then settled upon the fruit.

"You should endeavor to complete that fruit swiftly." For the first time, a discernible seriousness tinged his voice.

"Otherwise... you shall be unable to oppose that particular being."

"What being—" Daniel attempted to inquire.

But abruptly, he fell silent, for the old man had vanished. There was no sound of footsteps, no ripple of mana, not even a faint trace of his departure. It was as if he had never been present at all.

The immense roots settled once more, the wind ceased its movement, and the desolate ruins were re-immersed in profound silence.

Daniel gazed at the empty space before him, motionless, for several seconds.

For the first time in a considerable period, even his mind was enveloped in a deep, profound stillness.

"...Just what was that old man?"