Chapter 23: The Return of the Immortal Emperor Part 1: The Forgotten Emperor Awakens The Primordial Sky Domain trembled. Golden storms covered the entire battlefield. The Primordial Garuda's true form filled the sky. Every single movement carried the pressure of an ancient existence. Adrian stood below the enormous golden wings. The Void Sovereign Skyblade remained in his hand. But his breathing had become heavier. The sword domain around him was unstable. The endless pressure from the first ancestor of the Garuda bloodline was forcing him backward. A golden claw descended. Adrian raised his sword. CLANG! The impact shook the entire domain. His body was pushed through the sky. The sword intent around him scattered. Another attack followed. A golden wing swept across the battlefield. BOOM! Adrian blocked again. But this time... His feet sank into the golden sky beneath him. The Primordial Garuda did not give him time to recover. Countless ancient feathers transformed into golden blades. They covered every direction. Adrian moved. His sword flashed. One feather. Ten feathers. Hundreds of feathers. But the number continued increasing. The pressure continued rising. The Void Sovereign Skyblade trembled. Adrian looked at the sword. Then slowly lowered it. For a moment... The battlefield became quiet. The Primordial Garuda stopped. Adrian's eyes became distant. Not because he lost consciousness. But because something buried deep inside his soul had awakened. Fragments of another era appeared. A battlefield beyond countless stars. A throne above the heavens. Millions of beings lowering their heads. A figure standing alone above the endless universe. The Immortal Emperor. His former self. His former peak. The memories returned. Not as another person. Not as another existence. But as the countless experiences that had always belonged to him. The battles. The victories. The techniques. The countless years spent standing at the highest realm. Adrian opened his eyes. The pressure around him changed. The Primordial Garuda felt it immediately. The person before it was still Adrian. But something ancient had awakened within him. Adrian raised his sword. The Void Sovereign Skyblade released a deep vibration. A technique from an ancient era appeared in his mind. One that had once shaken entire star regions. "Celestial Emperor Sword Art." "First Form..." "Heaven Splitting Slash." The sword moved. No explosion. No unnecessary display. Only a single slash. A silver line crossed the golden sky. The endless golden feathers were divided. The ancient storm was cut apart. The Primordial Garuda's eyes narrowed. The slash continued forward. It struck the golden wings. BOOM! The entire Primordial Sky Domain shook. Outside the domain... The Celestial Golden Sky Citadel trembled violently. The three ancient elders looked toward the battlefield. Their expressions changed. The pressure had completely changed. Inside the domain... Adrian continued forward. The memories of the Immortal Emperor did not make him arrogant. They reminded him. Of the power he once possessed. Of the techniques he had created. Of the countless enemies who had fallen before his sword. The Void Sovereign Skyblade moved again. "Nine Heavens Immortal Blade." The second strike descended. Nine layers of sword light appeared. Each layer carried enough power to destroy mountains. The Primordial Garuda blocked with its wings. The first layer shattered. The second. The third. But the remaining sword lights continued. The ancient being was forced backward. The golden sky behind it cracked. The battle between the first Garuda and the former Immortal Emperor shook the entire floating city. The Celestial Golden Sky Citadel could no longer endure. Ancient towers collapsed. The protective formations broke apart. The golden city that had existed for countless years began falling. The Garuda warriors panicked. The elders immediately understood. The battle had reached a level where the entire city could no longer survive. The Garuda Ancestor looked toward the civilians below. Children. Women. The injured. Those who had never participated in the battle. His expression changed. "Open the evacuation gates." The remaining Garuda warriors immediately moved. The massive gates beneath the city opened. The non-combatants were moved away from the battlefield. The children were carried. The women followed the evacuation paths. The elders protected their retreat. No one wanted the innocent to be buried beneath the ruins. Above them... Adrian floated silently. The memories of the Immortal Emperor continued merging with his current understanding. His power increased. But his control remained. He looked at the collapsing Celestial Golden Sky Citadel. Then at the escaping civilians. He did not stop them. After the last groups left the city... Adrian turned back toward the ancient fortress. The Void Sovereign Skyblade rose. The remaining golden formations activated. The Primordial Garuda prepared another attack. But Adrian had already entered another state. A state remembered from the era when his name shook the heavens. The sword descended. "Celestial Emperor Sword Art." "Second Form..." "Starfall Judgment." The heavens turned silver. Countless sword lights appeared above the Celestial Golden Sky Citadel. The ancient floating city trembled. The final defense of the Garuda homeland began collapsing under the power of an Emperor from a forgotten era.