After two intense days of soul tempering, Orin's eyes snapped open. For an instant, the world blazed with such clarity that it felt as though a sun had ignited behind his eyes. His chest rose sharply, dragging in a breath that scorched down his throat like liquid fire. The air rushed into his lungs and hammered through his bones, every breath alive with an unfamiliar vibration.
The bitter flavor of scorched earth clung to his tongue, mingling with the metallic bite of lightning that still lingered in the storm. Beneath it came the damp musk of the rain-soaked ground. Each thread of aroma separated itself, as though the world had shed its shroud and thrust its secrets into his nose.
For a long moment, Orin lay perfectly still, his mind struggling to reconcile this sharpened awareness with the memory of silence and numbness. The storm that had raged endlessly above no longer crashed as a wall of indistinct noise. It unfolded before him as an orchestra of violence and detail. He could still hear the colossal thunderheads rolling like drums across the heavens, but underneath them whispered countless smaller sounds. The slow drip of water sliding from a splintered branch, the hiss of rain sizzling into steam against the hot stones, the gritty scrape of ash shifting under the weight of the wind.
He was still feeling his transformation when a voice, dripping with amused mockery, cut through the storm.
"Enjoying the view, are we?" Valerius' voice pulled Orin abruptly from his self-absorption. "Though I must say, your current outfit leaves little to the imagination."
Orin blinked as his eyes darted down. He was stark naked. A flush of shame spread across his face. He quickly crossed his arms, trying to cover himself, acutely aware of the amused gaze fixed on him.
Valerius chuckled. "Modesty, after all that? Quite charming, I suppose." With a flick of his wrist, a dark, strangely shimmering dressing robe materialized from thin air, arcing through the stormy air. It landed with a soft rustle at Orin's feet. "Here. Get dressed. You look like you've just wrestled a pack of wild boars and lost your dignity in the process."
Orin stared at the robe. It was made of a dark, almost iridescent fabric that seemed to absorb the light. It looked incredibly ancient, the kind of attire seen in antique shops or ancient dramas. It felt almost alive, humming faintly with a subtle energy. He picked it up, a strange sense of unfamiliarity washing over him. 'If I wear this, I'd look utterly ridiculous. Like I have just walked off the set of some historical fantasy show.'
Valerius' amusement vanished. A sharp edge entered his eyes, and he growled with genuine irritation. "Brat, don't just stand there gawking at it like a brain-addled ape! That is a Celestial Dress, hand-stitched by the finest weavers from a realm where your 'planet' is barely a speck of dust! This single robe is worth more than every scrap of metal and dirt on your entire world combined." Only Valerius knew the immense difficulty he'd faced acquiring this robe.
Orin flinched, genuinely startled by the sudden shift in tone.
Valerius' irritation seemed to stem from genuine offense. "This robe is a defensive weapon, not just a fancy drape. It will protect you and absorb attacks even from those at the Grade 9 Aura Transformation Stage."
Orin, still reeling from the sudden lecture, finally processed the words. "A-Aura Transformation Stage?" he stammered, his mind grasping for understanding of this new, impossible concept. "What... what is that?"
Valerius chuckled, a hint of his original amusement returning, but with a sharper edge. "Curiosity kills the cat. You'll get to know everything when it's time for that. First, get dressed. Unless," he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, "you've suddenly developed a taste for roaming around naked in the middle of a thunderstorm?"
Orin's face burned crimson again. He quickly pulled the ancient robe around him. 'As he did, he was sure he looked like an utter cartoon character.
"Apart from being a defensive marvel, this robe has another specialty. You just have to imagine the outfit you want to wear, and it will transform into it." Valerius informed him.
Orin hesitated. 'It'll change to anything I want? What if I accidentally think of something dumb… like a girl's—'
Too late.
Poof!
Before Orin could stop his mind, the dark robe vanished, replaced by a vibrant pink top and a frilly short skirt that barely covered his thighs. The storm-lashed cliff and the apocalypse around them all faded from Orin's awareness, replaced by a wave of absolute horror. His face, already red, turned a shade that rivaled the pink fabric.
Valerius erupted into mad, unhinged laughter, the sound echoing off the cliff face, louder than the thunder. "Hahahahaha! I knew it! I knew you had sissy thoughts lurking in that little head of yours, you crossdresser!" He clutched his stomach, tears streaming from his eyes from the force of his mirth. "Even after all that tempering, some things never change!"
Even Uncle Moe, usually an immovable statue of stoicism, let out a deep, rumbling chuckle, his shoulders shaking slightly.
Orin, utterly mortified, clenched his fists. The power that surged through him and the new clarity of mind were all forgotten in the face of this unparalleled humiliation. He furiously imagined something else.
Poof!
The pink top and skirt vanished, replaced by a perfectly fitted, dark black hoodie and a pair of comfortable jeans. Orin slumped with relief, though the heat still burned in his cheeks. He glared at Valerius, who was still wheezing with laughter.
"About that Aura Transformation Stage..." He tried to change the topic. But Valerius ignored him and kept laughing.
'Why aren't you telling him about the aura tiers, Master?' Inquired Uncle Moe via soul transmission.
'Now's not the time, Uncle. Firstly, I need to test his endurance.' Valerius' laughter died down, though a mirthful glint remained in his eyes.
He ended the voice transmission and waved a dismissive hand, chains rattling faintly. "All these things can wait, Orin. Important, yes, but not as important as what truly drives you." His gaze sharpened, turning cold and piercing. "Your revenge. That cannot wait."
He continued, his voice taking on a serious, almost commanding tone. "Listen closely. You don't have your aura awakened yet. But I have helped you with your body tempering. Currently, your body is at the foundation stage of Silver Physique. To give you the context, your body is no longer fragile. You have absorbed centuries of knowledge and skills. You can dominate this pathetic world with a single hand." His eyes burning with ancient fire bore into Orin. "Now go and take your revenge. Before the fire of your hatred cools."
Before Orin could even open his mouth to protest, to voice his doubts, he saw Valerius wave his hand. A sudden powerful gust of wind roared to life, hitting Orin with the impact of a physical blow. He gasped, and his feet left the ground, the air around him screaming as he was flung backward, a human projectile. It was like being launched from a giant slingshot or a missile. He saw the world spin, the forest shrinking beneath him, and the endless, lightning-racked sky above.