Chapter 16
A few days passed.
During that time, Lucas remained in the Lotus Clan, seemingly idle to those around him—but beneath the surface, he was immersed in relentless training and careful experimentation.
His focus was razor-sharp, diving deep into the mysteries of his own existence.
He'd made a fascinating discovery.
A division—perhaps a natural law—that split the essence of life into three fundamental forces:
The Body, which governed his physical energy—his strength, speed, and resilience.
The Spirit, which dealt with Soul Essence—the energy of one's inner self.
The Mind, which held Mental Energy—willpower.
Lucas understood the physical aspect well.
It was the most tangible.
He could feel it in his training, in every muscle and strike.
But Soul Essence and Mental Energy... those were still a puzzle.
A distant, shimmering shore he hadn't yet reached—but could see on the horizon.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Sky City...
A monumental event was underway within the towering Citadel of Light—the seat of the Sky King's power.
Inside a sealed chamber beneath the palace, where the very air shimmered with concentrated mana, a woman lay on an ornate bed of silverwood.
Her breaths came heavy and uneven, sweat dripping down her forehead as her body convulsed with labor pains.
Her long black hair stuck to her face, and her obsidian eyes, usually calm and fierce, were filled with pain.
This was Amy, she was the mother of the future protagonist.
A woman of strength and resilience who was now on the brink of delivering a child into a world saturated with tension.
Standing near the crystal-paneled window, with arms crossed and face stoic, was the Sky King himself.
His presence filled the room, towering with golden hair that shimmered like sunlight and blood-red eyes that pierced through illusions.
His power was suffocating, yet his gaze was steady—not on the mother, but on the massive formation glowing beneath the chamber.
The ancient seal.
Moments later, a second man entered.
Though smaller in stature, his presence was equally sharp. Brown hair.
Piercing blue eyes.
The air around him quivered, as if struggling to contain his strength.
Logan, Commander of the Moon Class Elites and Amy's husband.
He bowed with respect, then walked forward, concern written across his face. "Sky King," he began, his voice calm but urgent. "Is the seal stable?"
The Sky King didn't turn. "It is. For now. But we are preparing to break it."
Logan's brows furrowed. "You're breaking the seal now? Won't the Dragon go berserk?"
The Sky King finally turned his gaze toward him, his tone as calm as ever. "That Tier 9 Mana Beast has been sealed for over 200 years. Our ancestors ensured its wrath was suppressed. Do not let fear cloud your judgment."
Logan lowered his head. "Of course. Forgive me."
"Good," the King said, his voice steely. "Then stay quiet. The birth is beginning."
Above the palace, on the spire's rooftop, a figure stood alone—his silhouette blending into the distorted space around him.
A man in a white cloak.
His face hidden beneath a porcelain mask marked with an intricate four-leaf clover in his eyes.
He stood at the edge, watching the magic formations glow beneath the palace.
"So," he whispered, voice void of emotion, "my calculations were right. What a beautiful surprise."
An illusory figure emerged beside him—faint, transparent, and humanoid in shape.
"Why do you care so much?" it asked, its voice echoing like a broken wind chime.
The masked man responded without turning. "Because before I destroy this world... I want this city and this empire to scream. I want their suffering to become music." He tilted his head.
"Don't you enjoy a good performance?"
The illusion simply shook its head, unconvinced. "They're breaking the seal."
"Perfect," the masked man murmured, raising a hand.
He chanted softly, barely audible.
"Space Spell: Mana Chaos."
Underground, the reaction was immediate.
The very air trembled as the mana in the room turned wild and violent.
The magical seal—an ancient formation glowing with thousands of runes—began to flicker.
The Sealing Team stumbled back, clutching their heads as uncontrolled mana surged from the ground like a tidal wave.
Amy screamed as her child began to emerge.
The Sky King turned sharply. "Something's wrong."
Logan's eyes widened. "Is it the Dragon?"
"No," the Sky King growled. "This is something else. Space manipulation. Someone's distorting the surrounding mana."
With his mastery of Light, he could sense the ripple in the space as it was somewhat part of Light.
"Find him!" he barked. "Logan, now! Before the seal—"
But he was too late.
The moment the child slipped from Amy's body, a pulse erupted. Not a scream. Not a cry.
A pulse of pure mana, so dense and overwhelming that it ripped upward like a beam of divine judgment.
The explosion shattered the chamber's ceiling, tore through the palace, and split the sky.
Every person with mana in their body—from commoners to the elite—froze as they felt the weight of an ancient being rise from the depths.
The Tier 9 Dragon was awakening.
Its head burst through the underground like a mountain being born.
Massive, scaled, and crowned with horns that crackled with arcane energy.
Three hundred meters tall.
Its roar wasn't sound—it was force, shaking every building and every soul in Sky City.
The masked man watched with a grin behind his mask.
"Magnificent," he whispered. Then, in a blink, he vanished.
He reappeared—standing on the Dragon's head.
The beast opened its massive eyes and locked onto the figure. Its voice echoed in ancient, guttural tones. "Clover Clan…?"
The masked man nodded. "Yes."
But before the dragon could unleash its wrath, the man's eyes flared—no longer three leaves. Now only Four.
The Dragon's eyes dulled.
{Illusion Spell: Control.}
"You will destroy the city," the masked man commanded, his voice laced with power. "Rip it apart—"
CRACK!
A flash of blue. A blur. And then—
BAM!
A foot collided with his face.
The masked man spiraled through the air, crashing into a tower, coughing under his breath. "Tch... What a surprise."
He touched his cheek and felt the seal placed on it.
From the air, Logan descended like a meteor, his body blazing with mana, his fists wrapped in mana.
"You bastard!" Logan growled.
BAM.
His fist connected again.