[Royal Palace – Morning Light]
Soft beams of dawn painted the palace in gold.
Servants moved carefully through the hallways, whispering greetings and setting tables.
Inside the Queen's private chamber, Althea sat by the window, a light blanket over her knees.
And in her arms, wrapped in the finest silk, slept Arden — a tiny, perfect miracle.
His small chest rose and fell with quiet breaths, his soft black hair glistening faintly under the sun.
King Darius sat nearby, sharpening his sword out of habit, but his eyes kept drifting toward his wife and newborn.
It was an unfamiliar feeling for the mighty king — a heart swelling so painfully with love that he almost couldn't breathe.
"He's... beautiful," Darius murmured.
Althea smiled, her fingers gently brushing Arden's tiny hand.
"And strong."
Darius chuckled. "Strong? He's smaller than a loaf of bread."
Althea just smiled, whispering, "Stronger than you know."
---
[Inside Arden's Mind – Phantom Nexus]
Though his body slept, Arden's mind raced through Phantom Nexus — his hidden digital world.
The Great Tree now towered into infinity, its roots burrowed across the dreamscape, pulling in the stray fragments of lost power.
Beneath its branches stood his clones — Nova, Umbra, and dozens more, kneeling in formation.
> [Current Phantom Energy: 67,000 Units]
[Current Host EXP: 112,320]
[System Notification: Summoning Protocols Available!]
Arden focused.
A new menu unfolded before him — intricate, ancient, beautiful.
> [True Summon: Soulbound Entities]
Create unique beings bound to you, capable of growing independently.
Cost: 50,000 Phantom Energy + 30,000 EXP
Warning: Soulbound Entities cannot be recreated once destroyed.
Benefits: Gain loyalty beyond death, memories shareable across dimensions.
A tiny smile tugged at Arden's lips.
It was time.
Beneath the Great Tree, Arden lifted a spectral hand.
The ground rippled.
Starlight gathered at his fingertips.
He imagined a guardian — swift as the wind, bright as the stars, as gentle to loved ones as Arden himself... and as merciless as death to his enemies.
A girl.
No — a weapon wrapped in kindness.
The energy answered.
From the core of Phantom Nexus rose a form — a slender figure in silver-white armor, long silver hair cascading behind her.
Her eyes opened — brilliant violet, filled with infinite loyalty.
She knelt before Arden, hand over heart.
> [Soulbound Entity Created: Astra]
Title: First Star of Phantom Nexus
Skills:
Starpierce (Long-range annihilation beam)
Guardian's Will (Protect Host at all costs)
Phantom Gate (Summon clones from Phantom Nexus instantly)
She smiled at him — no words needed.
Arden returned the smile.
Family.
Another family he would protect.
---
[Real World ]
Althea gently cradled Arden in her arms.
Suddenly, his tiny hand twitched — just a little.
Althea gasped, looking at Darius. "He moved!"
Darius dropped his sword, leaping to his feet.
They laughed together, a soft, warm sound that filled the room.
Arden, half-asleep, felt their emotions through the bond he maintained secretly.
Warmth.
Safety.
Love.
He vowed in that quiet moment: No matter how strong I become, no matter how vast the multiverse grows — this feeling will always be home.
---
[In the Depths of the Multiverse ]
Far beyond their world, in a dark starless void, something shifted.
A being older than galaxies stirred.
System Report:
[Unknown Entity Detected]
[Anomaly: Phantom Nexus Expansion]
[Target: Arden (Unconfirmed Threat Level)]
Golden eyes snapped open.
"Another...?" the entity whispered.
"No. Something worse."
It rose, its body made of stitched timelines and shattered memories.
> [Designation Updated: Destroy Arden Before Maturation.]
The first hunter had been released.
The multiverse would soon know the terror that one child could inspire.
And some would stop at nothing to end him.
[Back at the Palace ]
Later that evening, Darius returned with a small wooden toy carved from the royal forests — a tiny phoenix, wings stretched wide.
He offered it awkwardly to Althea.
"I made it for him," he mumbled.
Althea's eyes softened. "You made this?"
"I... tried."
She laughed — full, joyful, ringing like bells.
Together, they placed the phoenix near Arden's crib.
Tiny Arden stirred, eyes fluttering open for a moment.
And then — just for a second — a sparkle of starlight flickered through his gaze.
Neither parent saw it.
But Astra, standing invisibly in the shadows of the room, smiled.
She would be there always — unseen, guarding, loving.
---
[Phantom Nexus Expansion - Notification]
> [System Update!]
New Feature Unlocked:
Phantom Forge: Craft dimensional weapons and armors.
Phantom Archives: Store harvested memories and skills for future use.
World Expansion Bonus: +15% Growth Rate.
Arden's world grew.
His destiny tightened around him.
But for now — in this tiny, golden, safe moment — he was simply Arden.
A newborn.
A son.
A dreamer.
Tomorrow, he would shake the stars.
But tonight, he slept in his mother's arms.