The moment they stepped through the distortion, the forest swallowed the sky. Towering blackened trees stretched endlessly in every direction, their roots coiling like the bodies of ancient serpents. The air itself felt heavy, so dense with mana that breathing felt like pulling through water.
"Where are we?" Kyle asked quietly.
"The Ruins of Arayana Forest," Umbra replied without turning back.
Kyle frowned. "Couldn't we have trained in your domain? What's the point of coming all this way?"
Umbra stopped. "Ruins are soaked in mana denser than any constructed space. This one is filled with the residual mana of a dragon that once ruled this land."
Kyle stiffened. "The dragon's energy is still here?"
"The ruin absorbed it over centuries. What you feel now isn't even one percent of what that dragon once radiated."
With each step forward, pressure crushed down harder on Kyle's body. His breathing became labored, his muscles screamed, his bones trembled and after sometime, his legs finally gave out. He collapsed onto one knee, unable to rise.
"For the next four weeks, you will survive here alone," Umbra said calmly. A sword slid out from a dark portal and landed beside Kyle. "You'll need this."
Then Umbra vanished.
Kyle was left alone in a forest that crushed even the act of standing. He laughed bitterly. "You really just left me here to die, huh…" Unable to move, he set the sword beside him and began to meditate—the only thing he could still do.
Three days passed before Kyle could move even an inch. His body shook violently as he forced himself upright. Slowly, painfully, he began to adapt. He climbed trees for fruit, hunted what little wildlife he could find, and each night he meditated beneath the crushing presence of the ruin.
One day, while leaping between the trees, he stumbled upon an ogre's den. He hid within the underbrush to observe, but before he could react, an axe ripped through the air toward his head. He barely escaped.
Later, as his breathing steadied, realization struck him. My aura… that's how it noticed me. He remembered how Umbra had stood behind him days earlier without being detected at all. That night, Kyle entered meditation not to strengthen his body but to erase his presence.
Four days passed.
When he opened his eyes again, birds landed beside him without fear.
He returned to the ogre's den. The ogre did not react. I finally did it… Kyle turned to leave...
"…You noticed didn't you?."
The forest exploded.
The ogre appeared behind him in a blur of raw bloodlust, one axe already flying. Kyle barely dodged as the second axe came down in a murderous arc. He parried and countered with a kick only for the ogre to scoff it off and drive its foot into his gut, launching him through a tree.
Kyle rose, blood dripping from his lips. "…Enough."
Mana surged through his entire body.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
The ogre's head dropped before its body even realized it was dead. Kyle stood over the corpse, breathing slowly. "That was a great fight. If not for you… I wouldn't have been able to test that last mo..." Suddenly the air collapsed. Kyle froze. His instincts were telling him to RUN, But he also knew that if he were to move he'd die. He turned around to see who was radiating such level of Killing intent and there stood a man with hair as white as snow, his icy blue eyes fixed in a piercing stare. A blade as black as night rested in his hand, and when he spoke, his voice was calm, firm and still deadly. " Are you the one who killed my experiment?" Kyle couldn't even speak his very presence radiated death.
"Well then I guess I'll have to kill you." Said The mysterious White haired man as he drew his blade. On the other side Umbra suddenly had the Urge to check up on Kyle so he checked his crystal ball. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS GUY DOING HERE!" yelled Umbra as he was shocked to see that man standing there.
Back at the Duke's estate, Zach trained without rest. Sweat poured down his body as he fought with The Marshal, forcing his physical limits past their breaking point. The Marshal met every one of his attacks, dodging, countering, testing him in different ways.
"How far will you go?" she snarled.
Then suddenly time slowed down. Everything around him had disappeared. It was only him, the Marshal and lines... faint, silver paths that traced through the Marshal's figure. Through the air. Through the ground. His body moves on its own, gliding along the lines, blade whispering through the air. Clashing with the Marshal. She notices He's in eternal flow and smirks.
Zach upon seeing that smile, noticed that moving on pure instinct is not enough he needed more. All of a sudden his mana increased rapidly like a raging storm as it flared crazily. Suddenly, Mana flooded his blade.
"Mana Art: North Star!"
A blinding explosion tore across the training grounds. When the dust finally settled, Zach lay unconscious, both wooden blades shattered. The Marshal stood over him, laughing hysterically.
"That's my student!" Declared The Marshal. As The Duke clapped slowly, unable to hide the pride on his face. "This calls for a Celebration." said the Duke proudly as he walks away merrily. The Marshal tells the Knights to carry Zach to his room.
The Duke's mansion had not been this alive in years.
Silk-draped banners fluttered along the marble walls, mana lamps cast warm gold light across the ballroom, and nobles from every corner of the kingdom gathered in glittering clusters. Laughter, music, and hushed whispers blended into an elegant hum befitting a celebration of prodigies.
Zachary Oriana, the kingdom's rising star stood at the center of attention, dressed in formal white and gold. Every noble wanted a word with him after news of his breakthrough shook the capital.
But the night was only just beginning.
A sudden shift swept across the hall as the doors opened a second time.
Cedric Landergrey strode in, cloak draped behind him, mana rising faintly from his body like shimmering gold embers. Despite being younger and from a lesser house, his presence carried weight.
Gasps followed him.
"That's Cedric… the boy who also awakened the Divine attribute."
"He's gotten even stronger, you can feel his aura."
Cedric scanned the room until his eyes landed on Zach.
His steps quickened.
"Zach," he greeted, voice steady but brimming with competitive fire.
Zach grinned. "Cedric. You've changed."
Cedric let his mana flare in a surge of golden pressure. It wasn't hostile, just confident, proud.
"I had to," he said. "Can't let you two run miles ahead."
Zach responded by releasing his own aura. Silver mana crackled around him, drawing gasps from nearby nobles.
"Then catch up," he said with a smirk.
Their rivalry lit the room like twin stars colliding.
But before they could continue,
"Zachary."
The voice slid into their conversation like silk.
A silver-haired girl approached, her steps light as snow, her noble aura unmistakable. Cedric instantly stiffened, posture snapping straight.
Zach exhaled. "Princess Olivia…"
She smiled gently. "I'm glad to see both of you well."
Cedric opened his mouth… and promptly folded.
"Y-Y-Your Highness…!"
His face flushed so fast that Zach nearly burst out laughing.
Olivia giggled softly behind her hand. "Cedric Landergrey, correct? The Golden Boy?"
Cedric almost combusted on the spot.
The three had a chat for sometime and eventually The princess left. Little did they know, this party was going to get a whole lot more eventful.