After the grand ceremony, Azren was shown to his allotted quarters. The room was vast, more luxurious than any common disciple's lodging, yet its silence felt strangely suffocating. Without a word, he dropped onto the bed, his black robe falling around him like a shroud.
Within moments, the weight of days past overcame him. He drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
---
Morning light spilled across the courtyards of Aiden Hall. The air shimmered faintly with refined Essentia, so dense that every breath was cultivation itself. Disciples were already awake, some meditating, some sparring, their voices sharp with ambition.
Azren stretched lazily, stepping out into the crisp air. His gray eyes scanned the open square, where a massive stone tablet stood proudly at the center. In glowing runes, names of the new initiates ranked by their trial points were etched for all to see.
Curious, Azren approached.
At the top, in bold gold script, shone:
1st Place – Max
2nd Place – Regia
3rd Place – Azren
Azren's gaze froze. For a moment, his calm demeanor cracked, surprise flashing across his sharp eyes.
"…Third?" He whispered under his breath, his lips curving faintly. "So… I'm not the only monster here."
He narrowed his eyes at the top two names.
"Max… Regia… who are they?"
Disciples nearby whispered in hushed tones, glancing nervously at the rankings.
"I heard Max didn't even break a sweat in the beast trial. They say his bloodline awakened on the first day—he crushed beasts like they were ants."
"And Regia… some say she's not even fully human. Her aura is terrifying—like staring into a storm. No wonder she took second."
Azren's jaw tightened as he listened. His fingers brushed the tablet, the faint blue glow reflecting in his gray eyes.
"So… there are many talented individuals here after all." His voice was calm, but a dangerous gleam lit his gaze. "Good. It wouldn't be worth it otherwise."
The morning wind tugged at his robe, carrying his words softly across the square. Around him, disciples who overheard shivered—not from his tone, but from the faint smile that curved his lips.
For the first time, Azren felt it—Aiden Hall was no longer just a place to hide. It was a crucible. And within it, titans awaited.
Azren's morning walk came to a halt as his eyes landed on a new stone table at the far end of the plaza. Unlike the ranking board for the fresh initiates, this one radiated with a deeper authority—it was the tablet of Aiden Hall's Top Students, names carved in glowing runes that every disciple revered or feared.
At the very top, one name burned brighter than the rest.
Aaya.
Azren's gray eyes sharpened, his expression hardening into a cold, dead stare. His lips moved slowly, his voice little more than a whisper carried by the wind.
"Aaya… we will meet soon."
With that vow lingering in the air, he turned away and continued his path.
Not far ahead stood the Essentia Training Platform, its runes glowing as waves of dense energy rolled outward. The cost was steep—two thousand points for a single session—but Azren did not hesitate.
At his approach, a blue-colored door appeared, and a puppet radiating the aura of Spirit Convergence stepped forward. With mechanical precision, it took his spirit tablet and deducted two thousand points, before allowing him entry.
Inside, Azren was transported into an arena unlike any other. The air was so thick with Essentia it was nearly visible, swirling like mist around him. As he sat cross-legged, preparing to cultivate, a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Hah! Finally—after all these years, I'm fully recovered! Two thousand points of pure Essentia… not bad, brat!"
Azren opened one eye, irritation flashing. "Kravon. Be silent."
But the soul only laughed, his presence filling Azren's sea of chi. "No, brat. I've been living inside you all this time, watching, analyzing. And now, I'll tell you what I've learned about you."
Azren's expression cooled, curiosity sparking behind his gray eyes. "…Then speak."
Kravon's spectral figure appeared, cloaked in wind. "Your dragon seal… it only absorbs the spiritual roots and essence of dragons. That's why it devoured mine. I was of the Wind Dragon's descent. When you slew the Water Dragon, its root too was absorbed. Together, they awakened your true spiritual root."
Azren's breath stilled. His chest tightened. "So that's why my root evolved…"
Kravon's voice turned bitter. "Yes. But because of that, I can never reclaim what I lost. I am nothing now but a remnant soul, bound to your sea of chi. I can't harm you, nor revive myself. In other words, I am your servant, whether I like it or not."
Silence. Then Azren's eyes opened fully, sharp and unyielding. "In that case… I'll free you when I'm strong enough to protect myself. Until then, you stay."
Kravon chuckled, though his tone carried reluctant respect. "Hah… as expected of you, brat. Fine. I'll wait."
The dragon seal burned faintly on Azren's shoulder, sealing their bond once more.
Azren slowly opened his eyes, the dense mist of Essentia fading as the training chamber's glow dimmed. His veins pulsed with power, his spiritual root humming in harmony with both wind and water. He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of strength ripple through his body.
He was only a single step away from the Veins of Flow.
"Haha…" His lips curled into a rare smile. "I'm going to make it happen."
---
Later, he walked toward the Mission Center—a towering hall carved from jade stone, bustling with disciples. Inside, rows of glowing crystal tablets floated mid-air, each one bearing missions from various departments of Aiden Hall.
Disciples crowded the room, muttering as they examined the tasks.
"Hunting missions… guard posts… escort duties…"
"Alchemy Hall missions are the most rewarding, but also the most dangerous."
Azren's gaze swept across the tablets until one in particular caught his eye.
[Mission: Retrieve the Cauldron of Chief Alchemist Orven]
Reward: 5,000 Spiritual Points
Difficulty: Extremely High
Azren's eyes narrowed as he read the details.
The cauldron had been stolen by a faction affiliated with the Earth Dragon Clan.
A spark lit in his chest. "Earth Dragon Clan… that means their spiritual root is nearby."
For a moment, his gray eyes gleamed coldly. The dragon seal on his shoulder pulsed faintly, as if answering his thoughts.
"If I can find and absorb the Earth Dragon's root… my path will evolve again."
He reached out, pressing his spirit tablet to the mission crystal. The tablet flared blue, marking his acceptance.
Gasps rose from the disciples around him.
"Did he just… take an Alchemy Hall mission!?"
"That one's insane! Even inner disciples avoid those. Five thousand points, yes—but it's certain death!"
"Who does he think he is?"
Azren ignored the voices. His robe swayed as he turned and walked out of the mission hall, his expression calm, his steps steady.
Kravon's voice echoed faintly in his sea of chi, half amused, half grave. "Brat, you're diving into a dragon's den already… but perhaps that's exactly where you belong."
As Azren turned to leave the mission hall, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Stop right there."
The atmosphere shifted. Disciples quickly stepped aside as an elder of Aiden Hall appeared in a flash of golden light. His long white beard swayed, his aura pressing down like a mountain. The hall instantly fell silent, no one daring to breathe too loudly.
The elder's sharp eyes locked on Azren.
"Azren… you cannot take this mission."
Azren's steps halted. Slowly, he turned, his gray eyes calm but unwavering. "And why not?"
The elder's expression hardened. "Because this task was already attempted. Another new disciple requested it, but he was rejected. The mission is far beyond the reach of newcomers. You may have done well in the trial, but that does not make you worthy of walking into the den of the Earth Dragon Clan."
Whispers rippled through the disciples around them.
"He rejected someone else already?"
"Who was the fool that tried before Azren?"
"Even the elders won't let new disciples touch this mission…"
Azren tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a faint, unreadable smile. "So… it's not about the mission, then. It's about me being 'new'."
The elder's brows furrowed at his tone. "Do not be arrogant. You are a seedling, not a tree. The academy will not waste resources on a reckless child chasing glory. Hand back the mission token."
For a moment, silence filled the hall.
Then Azren's voice, low and cold, broke it.
"…If another wasn't fit, then let him be rejected. But do not place me in the same shadow."
Gasps spread among the watching disciples. Even the elder's eyes flashed with anger at the defiance. But Azren did not waver—his spirit tablet still glowing with the accepted mission.
Deep within his sea of chi, Kravon's laughter echoed like thunder. "Hahaha! That's it, brat. Show them the pride of a dragon. You're no seedling—they just haven't seen the fire yet."
The elder's sharp eyes flickered, his voice lowering faintly as though reluctant to admit it.
"The one who was rejected… was Max. The top of the new disciples."
The hall rippled with gasps.
"What!? Max took this mission too?"
"And they even rejected him!?"
"Then how could Azren possibly…"
But before the murmurs grew louder, a gentle yet commanding voice rang across the mission hall.
"Hall Chief… perhaps one may not be qualified, but if two of us go, surely that changes things, does it not?"
Every disciple turned as a beautiful figure in crimson robes stepped gracefully into view. Her long black hair trailed like silk, her presence sharp and dazzling, like fire wrapped in elegance.
Regia.
Her eyes, burning like rubies, locked onto the elder at the center of the hall. "If I accompany them, the risk is halved. There should be no problem."
The Hall Chief's faint smile lingered, but then his expression hardened.
"However…"
His aura erupted.
The mission hall shook violently, jade walls groaning as if the building itself might collapse. Disciples were thrown back, many coughing blood just from the pressure. Those who remained on their feet fell to their knees, trembling in terror.
Azren stood at the center of it all, the full weight of the Hall Chief's might crushing down on him. It was like standing beneath an endless mountain while drowning in the sea. His chest felt like it would cave in, his bones creaked, his vision blurred.
This… pressure… it's heavier than Erdi's… more terrifying than the Life Emperor herself!
The Hall Chief's voice boomed, calm yet merciless.
"You dare request this mission? Then prove it, Azren. Are you worthy?"
Azren's knees buckled, his body screaming to collapse. His sea of chi roared chaotically, the dragon seal burning against his skin.
Kravon's voice growled within him. "Brat, endure! This is nothing compared to the storms of dragons. If you fall here, you're not my master!"
Azren clenched his teeth, blood dripping from the corner of his lips. His gray eyes sharpened, blazing with defiance. Step by step, his spine straightened under the crushing force.
He lifted his head, staring directly into the Hall Chief's unfathomable eyes.
"I… am not weak." His voice was hoarse but unyielding. "And I will not… fall here."
The hall went silent.
For a long moment, the Hall Chief studied him. Then, with a faint flick of his sleeve, the oppressive aura vanished like smoke. Disciples gasped for air, collapsing in relief.
The Hall Chief's lips curved faintly. "Not bad. At least you didn't crumble." His gaze swept over Azren one last time, unreadable. "Perhaps you truly might be worth the risk."
Azren exhaled slowly, his robe drenched in sweat, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles bled. But his eyes never wavered.
So this is the true power of Aiden Hall's chief… I couldn't even see through him.
The crushing weight of the Hall Chief's aura faded into nothingness, leaving the mission hall trembling in silence. Disciples still gasped for air, their eyes wide with disbelief that Azren was still standing.
The Hall Chief's gaze lingered on him a moment longer before he finally spoke.
"Enough. You pass… barely."
Turning his eyes to the crowd, his voice carried absolute authority.
"Azren. Max. You two were the first to request this mission. Therefore, you will go. As for the rest—stay out of it."
The disciples erupted in whispers.
"Max and Azren together!?"
"That's suicide—or glory!"
"But why those two…?"
But before the noise grew, the Hall Chief shifted his gaze to the crimson-clad beauty who still stood proudly amidst the crowd.
"Regia," he said firmly, "if you wish, you may accompany them. But hear me well—you will receive no points. The reward belongs to the two who claimed it first."
The declaration silenced the entire hall.
Regia's ruby eyes flared, a storm flashing in her gaze. For a moment, her flawless face twisted with fury. "What…?"
But before her anger could spill further, Azren's calm voice broke the tension.
"She can have mine."
Every disciple froze.
Azren's gray eyes narrowed, his tone flat but resolute. "I don't need the points. I only need what lies within the Earth Dragon faction."
The hall buzzed with disbelief.
"Did he just… give away his points?"
"Impossible! Who refuses five thousand points!?"
"Is he mad!?"
Regia blinked, stunned for a heartbeat, then tilted her head. A slow smile curved across her lips, soft and dangerous all at once. "Hoh… interesting. You're full of surprises, aren't you?"
The Hall Chief studied Azren silently, his expression unreadable. For a faint moment, the corner of his lips twitched—whether in disapproval or faint amusement, none could tell.
This boy… his ambition isn't points. It's something far darker.