Silence fell.

The five exchanged glances, then looked at Apollo.

Although they didn't directly see his power, just by the aura they felt and the ability to bring them out of the Titanbone clan's ancestral land, they knew that he was extraordinary and might be beyond the level they could understand.

Iris Veyla, Kael, Sara, Brynn, Ceylin, and Riven looked at Apollo with different thoughts, while the other saved genius also felt surprised by Apollo's words.

The five remained silent for a long moment.

Each of them was thinking the same thing—joining him might change everything, but also, the Titanbone Clan will not forget what happened today.

Without powerful clans to shield them, they were exposed. Alone, they couldn't challenge the Titanbone Clan's wrath. And yet… this man, standing before them, had walked into the jaws of that ancient monstrosity and walked back out alive.

Iris's gaze swept over the others, then returned to Apollo. "If I stand alone, I'll eventually be crushed. If I stand with you… at least there's a chance." Her voice was calm, but her silver eyes burnt faintly. "I'll join you."

Kael crossed his arms, jaw tight. "I've lived my whole life under someone else's shadow. If joining you can make me stronger, I will join."

Sara's expression was cold and deadly like a snake, and she didn't say anything else and said directly, "I will join."

Brynn's emerald eyes narrowed slightly. "You are strong, very strong. So I will join you."

Ceylin said nothing at first—just stared at Apollo for a long time, as though trying to see through him. "I cannot figure you out, but for now I am willing to join."

One by one, they had chosen.

The air seemed to thicken—not with divine power, but with the weight of something beginning to take shape.

Apollo's lips curved faintly. "Good. Then from this moment on… you're no longer alone."

Other geniuses for a moment seemed to hesitate, as some among them wanted to join Apollo, as they were interested in him, but they knew it was impossible with their status in their clan.

"Okay then," Apollo said at last, his voice breaking the silence. "Let's leave."

With a flicker of will, the air before him twisted violently, tearing open into a jagged rift of shimmering void. The space tear pulsed like a living wound, its edges sparking with unstable light.

Without hesitation, Apollo stepped through. Thomas and the guardian followed close behind, and the five newly pledged geniuses moved in after them, vanishing into the swirling dark.

The tear sealed shut a moment later, leaving the others standing in uneasy silence—staring at the empty air where he had been, as if something far greater than themselves had just passed them by.

Irene looked at the closing space tear with different thoughts and then looked at the remaining geniuses.

"We also should leave and let our clan and power behind us know that this worshipping ceremony was a big sham."

And they also quickly made their way towards their respective clans.

Far away, in a modest border city, the space tore open again. Apollo emerged first, the guardian and Thomas at his side, followed by the five new recruits. Without fanfare, he led them down a quiet street and into a small, dimly lit restaurant. The warm scent of grilled meat and spiced broth filled the air, a strange contrast to the chaos they had just escaped.

They took a corner table, away from prying eyes.

All of them sat down, and then finally Apollo looked at the group with some hidden expectation.

Finally, the corner of his mouth curled into a faint smile.

"Now," he began, voice steady but carrying a subtle undercurrent of excitement, "since you've decided to join me… Let's give our organisation an appropriate name."

He let the words hang for a moment, watching their reactions.

"Something that will be remembered," he added, tapping the table lightly with a fingertip. "A name that will make even the old monsters hesitate when they hear it."

"Let's call it 'Immortal Order' – eternal, untouchable, unbound by time."

The words carried a quiet conviction, and the moment they were spoken, a ripple of something unspoken passed through the group—an image of an unshakeable force that would stand for eternity.

His eyes narrowed slightly, as if thinking about the name in his mind. Then, a faint smile touched his lips. It felt like a decent name, and he didn't need to think more.

Thomas sitting beside nodded, agreeing with the name, "It is a good name."

The five geniuses also nodded and felt it was a good name. But what they wanted to know was who Apollo actually was.

Could he be like those ancient unknown beings that suddenly awakened? Otherwise, it is not possible to be this strong and not known at all.

Apollo seems to see through their thoughts; his lips curved faintly.

"I'm not an old monster from some forgotten era," he said calmly. "If there's any difference between us, it's simply this—" his eyes sharpened slightly, "I'm not from the Northern Continent. I came from the East."

"Eastern continent!" Hearing this, they were a bit surprised but nodded in understanding why they had never heard of such a powerful figure because he wasn't from the northern continent.

It has only been a few years since travelling between continents became easier. But still it was surprising to see such a strong person. Not to mention, even though they cannot truly tell the age, they all had a feeling he might be younger than they expected.

"Alright," Apollo said, his tone shifting, pulling them back to the present. "Now let's talk about the structure of the Immortal Order and what it will stand for."

His gaze moved to Thomas. "We've already discussed the outline. I'm not going to waste my energy on the day-to-day—Thomas will handle that. It would be better for you to hear it directly from him.

Thomas inclined his head slightly, ready to speak, as the five new recruits gave him their full attention.