Chapter 130 — "Return to the Palace of Nothingness"
Vael returned to the Palace of Nothingness as if nothing had happened—despite having just pushed Aeternus to the brink of internal atomic meltdown.
Death raised a hand, looking proud:
— You were too cool back there, Vael. I swear, if I'd had popcorn…
Nyxa floated in, arms crossed:
— What happened over there? We felt something… like a spike in cosmic tension.
Death chuckled:
— You should've seen the king's face.
The guy was PISSED.
I thought he was going to swallow the table.
Vael conjured a massive screen in the air, replaying the entire scene: the meeting, the table, the stares, the provocation, and Aeternus boiling like a divine pressure cooker.
Nyxa burst out laughing:
— You're truly a terrible being.
Wait…
So you manipulated me that day?
I thought I was following my own plan, and it turns out it was yours?
Vael smiled calmly:
— Exactly.
Valt (who happened to be passing by) laughed out loud:
— LOOK at his face!
If Aeternus could've blown you up, he would've done it without hesitation, I swear!
Nihil raised an eyebrow:
— Honestly, Vael… you could've asked me to handle the disappearances.
That idiot was too dumb to pull it off cleanly.
Nyxa turned so fast the Nothingness trembled:
— WHO are you calling an idiot?
Say it again, and I'll slice your existence.
Vael raised his hands, amused:
— Calm down.
Thanks to her, the plan worked perfectly.
No gaps.
Clues everywhere, incoherence, panic… magnificent.
Nyxa huffed:
— Pff. I was just young.
Otherwise you NEVER would've tricked me like that.
Death scratched his jaw:
— Oh yeah?
Because personally, I still wonder if you weren't dumber now than back then.
Nyxa:
— Keep talking and I'll rip out your ribs and turn them into a flute.
Death:
— Nice. At least we'd have a useful instrument in this palace.
Vael clapped his hands:
— Alright.
---
Back on Earth
After a bath (yes, even a primordial prince likes to smell good), Zarion materialized in front of Liora.
— Liora… Vael threatened me.
I genuinely thought I was going to die.
Liora rolled her eyes:
— That guy…
He only brings back bad memories.
Elyon stepped in:
— Calm down, Mom.
It's in the past.
And if I hadn't let myself be influenced, none of this would—
Liora cut him off:
— No.
Don't say that.
I made a mistake too.
I left my domain unguarded.
That's when everything spiraled.
---
Meanwhile, Valen was sitting outside, an apple in hand.
Miniature Elyonna, perched on his shoulder, shook her head.
— Now you understand why I hated Vael.
He's heartless.
Inhuman.
He treated me like a twig, even though I'm the Sword of Judgment!
And he killed based on his mood. I'm not imagining this, right? His MOOD.
Valen rolled his eyes:
— So my nightmares…
They were the gods he killed?
Elyonna nodded.
Liora arrived just then:
— Stop.
We're done talking about him.
Just hearing his name makes me want to punch someone.
---
Zarion took a breath.
— Liora…
About Ivan in the dungeon…
— Yes? Did you take care of it?
Zarion shrugged:
— I was going to.
But Vael showed up.
He looked at him for 0.1 seconds…
Then said:
> "He's too weak. I'm bored."
And erased him.
Valen smacked his forehead:
— Of course… Vael.
Elyonna growled:
— And they say I'm the cruel one!
---
Silence settled for a moment.
Everyone knew that what Vael had revealed in the Palace of Architects would leave scars.
And in the Nothingness, Vael slumped onto his throne:
— So. Who wants tea?
Nyxa:
— Did you poison the tea?
Vael:
— Maybe.
Death:
— I'll take some.
Chapter 131 — "The Awakening of the Blade: Nova's Story"
Zarion looked at Nova like one examines a rare artifact.
— Nova… I noticed you're using the Arts of the Void.
You have tremendous potential.
How did you awaken that art?
Nova lowered his head for a moment, as if rewinding his own life.
— I awakened my powers five years ago, when the portals appeared.
But… I had already been training for a long time.
Zarion raised an eyebrow:
— Training how?
Nova took a deep breath.
---
— Ever since I was young, my master taught me all his sword techniques.
It was hard.
Really hard.
We were just humans without powers… but a human can go far if his master is a demon with a stick, I swear.
Zarion burst out laughing:
— Ah, a proper old-school master.
Nova smiled shyly.
— Yeah. A grumpy old man.
He didn't have a son, so… he adopted me.
He said I had a talent you don't see anymore.
Me? I only saw his "educational slaps."
Even Zarion couldn't help but chuckle.
— I woke up early, did his shopping, laundry, cooking…
And after that, I was finally allowed to train.
That was my routine.
Every day.
For years.
Nova's face darkened.
— Then he started getting sick. Weaker by the day.
But he refused to stop.
He said, "I won't die until I've passed everything on."
Zarion:
— Sounds stubborn.
— You have no idea…
At ten years old, he passed away.
I gave him a funeral.
No one came.
I was his only family.
He left me his sword and his fortune.
And I trained like crazy.
To be worthy of him.
---
Nova clenched his fist.
— The day the portals appeared, I was fifteen.
I had trained so much that I could perceive the micro-movements in an opponent's muscles before the attack even began. I could read intentions in the tension of their bodies.
- My hearing: I could hear heartbeats, armor friction, held breaths from dozens of meters away. I could locate a scream in a battlefield full of noise.
- My sense of touch: I could feel vibrations in the ground, shifts in air pressure. I could detect a presence behind me without turning around.
- My reaction time: my brain processed information so fast the world sometimes felt slowed down around me. I didn't dodge — I predicted.
On TV, guns and rifles did nothing.
So I thought, "Alright. My turn."
Zarion winced:
— You were fifteen, seriously?
— Yeah.
I took the old man's sword.
And I left.
He continued:
— The military was fighting. Doing what they could.
I arrived, they told me "don't go."
I jumped onto a car and sliced a monster in half.
They were stunned.
Zarion:
— Understandably.
— I told them I'd save the survivors.
They let me through.
With my senses pushed to the extreme, I heard a woman scream.
I rushed in. I cut through everything in my path.
Corpses everywhere… it was hell.
---
— I found the woman.
One move: lightning strike.
The monster was shredded into a thousand pieces.
She was trembling.
I asked if she could run.
She was slowing me down…
So I threw her over my shoulder and kept going.
Zarion:
— You did that at fifteen…
— Yeah.
I dropped her off with the survivors.
Then I cleared the path.
I moved so fast they only saw a trail behind me.
He gritted his teeth.
— And then… I heard a scream.
A scream that chilled my blood.
For the first time, I felt danger.
But I had no choice — someone was out there.
He looked at the ground.
— What I saw…
A gigantic monster.
Scaly skin.
Looked like a wingless dragon.
Its mere presence shattered walls.
Zarion:
— Oh… that one.
— Yeah.
I rushed in. Saved the person.
Then attacked.
My sword struck, but it blocked.
One hit…
And it sent me flying.
I caught myself with my blade.
I used Spectral Acceleration…
My remanations attacked from all sides.
But nothing got through.
He swallowed.
— I was out of breath.
So I gave it everything I had: Twilight Strike.
I sliced the monster in two.
Zarion:
— Not bad.
— I sheathed my sword, thought it was over.
And then…
A foot.
Just a foot.
It sent me flying into a wall like a rag doll.
Zarion nodded:
— Ah yes, it had two hearts. Most people don't know that.
Nova continued, voice trembling:
— I was bleeding.
Broken ribs.
Broken arm.
Couldn't move.
My vision was blurry.
I thought, "This is the end."
A heavy silence fell.
Then Zarion said calmly:
— And that's when… you awakened.
Nova's gaze shimmered.
— Yes.
Exactly at that moment.
Chapter 132 — The Legacy of the Void
Nova continued.
Everyone around him listened in silence — even Vael, which was already a miracle.
— In that critical moment… I saw a figure standing in the void.
A place completely black… and yet I could see him perfectly.
White hair, calm gaze… he looked like he didn't belong to this world.
In the Palace of Nothingness, Vael, Valt, Nyxa, Nihil, and Death watched the events unfold on a massive screen.
Nyxa burst out laughing.
Nyxa:
— Someone making a dramatic entrance and handing powers to a human? You sure that wasn't Vael in cosplay?
Vael stared at her.
Vael:
— If it were me, he'd be dead just for looking at me too long.
Nova added:
He spoke to me.
— Human… I've been watching you for a long time. Your persistence, your will… I've decided to grant you my powers.
I was half-crushed against a wall, bleeding, my arm twisted like a twig, but I still managed to say:
— Why? You're surprisingly generous for a guy floating in the void.
He smiled faintly.
— Because you protect these humans without hesitation, even though you don't know them — even at the cost of your life.
I'm destined to disappear… and you're dying too.
So I'll pass on my powers and memories, to live on through you.
— But your body is too weak to handle everything. So I'll only give you a portion.
Nihil burst out laughing.
Nihil:
— Basically: "Here, take 10% of me. The other 90% is DLC later."
Even Vael chuckled quietly.
Zarion raised an eyebrow.
— So even then, they called you fragile?
Nova winced.
— Well… yeah, kinda.
Then he continued:
— When I opened my eyes again, I could see… mana in the air. Like glowing threads — I could see everything. The flow of the void, movements before they happened.
I felt a power I'd never known. My wounds were gone. I was breathing like nothing had happened.
The monster felt the pressure… it was like a predator had just opened its eyes.
I smiled and said:
— The roles are reversed now.
And then… like muscle memory, techniques I'd never learned awakened on their own.
I took the blade the old man had given me.
I coated it in energy.
And before the monster could understand,
I sliced it into pieces.
Zarion nodded.
— Yep, classic. Monsters never like surprises.
Nova continued:
— After that, I jumped onto another monster's head… crushed its skull with a single kick.
Zarion burst out laughing.
— There it is! That's when you started showing off. You were way too far above them.
— That's not true! said Nova.
— It is, confirmed Zarion without hesitation.
Nova sighed.
— Anyway. I saved whoever I could that day.
Zarion frowned.
— But… you said he gave you his memories and powers, right?
— Yeah, but I think he sealed them. Like, for me to unlock later.
I feel there's a lot more… but like he said, at the time, my body would've exploded.
Zarion crossed his arms.
— Interesting. So the guy put a countdown in your head.
— Yeah… a paid DLC I can't activate yet.
Zarion snorted.
— And the Void Arts — how did you create them?
Nova smiled, proud:
— I created my 15 techniques myself.
But I could combine the old man's style with the Void techniques… I know I could.
But out of respect for him… I don't.
He taught me everything, literally until his death.
So I keep the styles separate.
Zarion placed a hand on his shoulder.
— You don't look it, but… you're a good kid, Nova.
— Yeah, I know, replied Nova with a bored look.
— But you were still a show-off, added Zarion.
— … You're annoying.
Zarion burst out laughing.
Nyxa:
— He became ultra stylish, saved a bunch of people, and then started flexing.
Nova:
— Okay fine… I saved everyone I could that day.
But I still feel like part of that power… is sleeping inside me.
Zarion:
— It's not "sleeping."
It's a power that's waiting.
Someone like him doesn't grant a legacy by accident.
You haven't yet realized what you're carrying.
Everyone turned toward him.
Zarion narrowed his eyes.
Zarion:
— And I have a feeling… he's not the only being from the Void watching you.
A chill swept through the room.
Chapter 133 — Those Who Know and Those Who Shouldn't
Zarion kept observing Nova as if analyzing every cell in his body.
— So… the white-haired guy. He REALLY didn't give you his name?
Nova sighed.
— No. He just said, "I'm destined to disappear. You don't need to know my name."
At the time, I was half-dead, so I didn't push it.
Zarion raised a finger, scholarly.
— Mysterious entities love pretending to be deep. When really, a name costs nothing.
— Well, apparently it did for him, replied Nova.
Zarion crossed his arms.
— Or maybe it's more complicated than you think.
He said he was about to disappear… so someone probably dealt him massive damage.
Nova nodded.
— Which means… something or someone crushed him. Literally.
— Exactly. But at least you got overpowered thanks to his gift.
I thought all of you awakened your abilities the same way…
Nova thought for a moment.
— I think it's more complex.
I inherited someone's power.
The other humans probably awakened naturally because of the catastrophe.
Valen, sitting in a corner, raised his hand like a disruptive student.
— Who cares, bro? Why are you ONLY talking about the white-haired guy?
Look at me! I've got long white hair! Maybe it was me, huh?
Zarion shot him a glare.
— Stop rambling…
But now that I think about it… it could've been an incarnation of Vael.
Nova raised his hands, rejecting the idea.
— Don't push it! Vael's incarnations and avatars are all… insane.
They act based on their mood.
Except maybe Valen… he's just a functional clown.
— Functional??? Valen choked.
Miniature Elyonna, floating beside Valen, replied dryly:
— Don't get excited. You're not that different from them.
Just a little less dangerous.
But only a little.
Valen opened his mouth, shocked.
— What?? I'm a good guy! I—
Naël entered, arms crossed.
— Yeah well, looks like you forgot what you did 16 years ago.
Valen froze instantly.
— Me? I didn't do anything.
Everyone looked at him with the same expression:
"Lie detected."
Liora raised her hand.
— Enough. We're not digging up the past.
Zarion tilted his head slightly.
— Wait… did you say 16 years ago?
Impossible.
Humans started awakening 5 years ago.
And according to Lya, Valen was the first awakened, self-proclaimed "strongest human alive," "divine hunter," and I quote: "my name will be carved into history."
Valen coughed loudly, embarrassed.
— W–Well… I was young, that's all.
Liora sighed.
— There's some truth to that… but not all of it.
Many things were… let's say, rewritten.
Not erased from reality like you might think, no…
But buried.
By powerful people. Very powerful.
Lya popped her head out of the ground, eyes wide.
— Wait… what?
No one told me anything!
Liora crossed her arms, looking serious.
— That's normal.
Only a few people know what really happened that day.
And if there's one thing you need to understand, it's this:
She paused, looked at each of them, then added:
— What happened 16 years ago… should never have happened.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Valen, meanwhile, looked away and whistled.
— So… when do we eat?
Elyonna smacked him on the back of the head.
— Shut up, Valen.