The scene unfolded under the ancient tree, its gnarled trunk twisted and weathered by centuries of existence. Sparse leaves clung to its branches, a stark contrast to the ever-present calm of the forest around them. The air was still, the soft rustling of the few leaves above them a gentle whisper. Zhuo and Zane sat beneath its shadow, the ground around them littered with fallen leaves, creating a carpet of autumn hues.
Zane, after a long silence, fidgeted nervously. He looked at Zhuo, his eyes wide with curiosity, but he hesitated. His gaze flickered to the ground and back at Zhuo, struggling with the words he wanted to say. Finally, with a small tremor in his voice, he asked, "Hey… hey, bro, which realm are you at now?!"
Zhuo, who had been resting his head against the rough bark of the tree, froze for a moment. His eyes shifted, narrowing slightly, as he considered Zane's question. 'I'm fucked again,' Zhuo thought bitterly. He had no clue what the current realms were like in this world. All he knew was the vague concept from his memories of countless worlds—none of which seemed to match the one he was in now. He cursed inwardly. How had he forgotten? He had been so distracted by everything else.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead. He wanted to ask Zane for clarification, but that would seem odd, wouldn't it? How could he let on that he didn't know something so basic? He was about to break into a cold sweat when a thought struck him. Zhuo smirked, an idea forming in his mind. He straightened up, a look of mock seriousness crossing his face, and said, "Zane, before I tell you my realm, what do you really know about the realms?"
Zane blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in Zhuo's tone. He hesitated for a moment, then shrugged as he tried to recall what he knew. "Hhaa… what do I know about realms? Well, to be honest, not much... but there are a few things I can tell you."
He cleared his throat and began to explain, his voice carrying a mix of enthusiasm and uncertainty. "You have your novice realm, which is just the start, right? Then there's the Adept realm, where you begin to harness your skills properly, and then the Master realm, which is like the next big leap. I've heard of the Grandmaster realm too, though… it's kind of a legendary thing, like… the peak, right? Some people say that once you hit Grandmaster, you're basically untouchable."
Zhuo listened attentively, nodding as Zane spoke. Inside, though, he was quietly making sense of the words. 'So, there are only four realms known to humans now? I remember there being seven, though… what happened?' He was deep in thought, his brows furrowed as he mulled over the information. The mention of the Grandmaster realm being 'legendary' was interesting. 'So, a step above Master, huh?' he pondered.
Zane, sensing the weight of Zhuo's silence, asked again, "So, bro, which realm are you at now?"
Zhuo blinked, a part of him surprised by the question, and then his expression shifted. He took a moment to think and then, with a slow exhale, replied, "Hmm, you could say I'm about to break through to the Master realm. I'm currently at five-star Adept."
Zane's eyes widened, his shock evident for a moment, but then, as if accepting it without question, he relaxed. "Ah, no surprise there. You took on a whole horde of monsters by yourself. You must be really strong."
A quiet, somber air fell over Zane, and Zhuo noticed the shift in his mood immediately. Zane's gaze dropped to the ground, his expression darker now. He seemed to be lost in thought, and Zhuo's sharp eyes caught the subtle change.
Zane's voice broke the silence, quiet and tinged with guilt. "So... you can't use mana, right?"
Zhuo, noticing the weight in Zane's words, studied him for a moment. Zane seemed genuinely troubled, his hands clenched tight in his lap, fingers twitching restlessly. Zhuo was silent for a beat longer than necessary, and then, in a tone that was surprisingly soft, he answered, "It's not that you can't use mana. There's something blocking it, something interfering with it. I can feel a flicker of mana inside your body."
Zane's mouth hung open slightly, his eyes widening further, and he couldn't help but stutter in disbelief. "Bro, are you... are you serious?"
Zhuo met his gaze, his own expression unreadable. "Yes. You do have mana, but something is stopping you from accessing it. Whatever it is, it's in there. You just can't use it."
Zane, his heart skipping a beat, leaned forward, his voice filled with a desperate edge. "How is that possible? I've asked so many experienced alchemists. Even consulted Grandmaster-level alchemists... none of them could figure out what was wrong with me." His hands began to shake, but he couldn't look away from Zhuo. "How did you know?"
Zhuo tilted his head slightly, staring off into the distance. "I don't know how I know. Maybe you can believe me... or not. It's up to you." He stood up slowly, brushing the dust off his clothes, making it clear he wasn't offering any more answers.
But just as Zhuo took a step away, Zane's voice rang out behind him, frantic with hope. "Wait! If you know what's wrong, you know how to fix it, right? You can cure it, right?"
Zhuo paused, his back still to Zane as he stared out into the distance. A slow smile crept onto his face, one that was hard to read. He turned back, eyes gleaming with a subtle, calculating look. "Of course I know how to fix it. Probably only I know how. But… it won't be cheap."
Zane's face brightened, but Zhuo's words carried a weight that immediately set him on edge. Zhuo waved his hand dismissively as he started walking toward the rift in the distance, his thoughts whirling with possibilities. 'At first, I thought Zane and I were in the same position—unable to use mana, destined to live in the shadows. But now... looking closer at him, I see something different. He has mana, but it's being suppressed, poisoned by something not of this world... from the cosmos itself. How did it get into his body? I can remove it easily enough, but... I might gain something more from him.'
A grin spread across Zhuo's face as he continued walking. Zane, who was following behind, barely noticed the shift in Zhuo's demeanor. The hope in his chest bloomed brighter with each step, unaware that the man who promised to help him might not be as benevolent as he seemed.