The gray mist of the Sefirot moved slowly around the broken pillars.
Adrian stood before the massive black throne, silently observing it.
The throne towered above him like an ancient monument. Its surface looked as if it had been carved from dark bones, and faint symbols covered every edge and corner.
Just standing near it made the air feel heavier.
Adrian crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"So this is the center of the Sefirot…"
Earlier, he had deliberately avoided sitting on it.
Something about the throne felt too mysterious.
Too dangerous.
But now that he had calmed down, curiosity slowly began to win.
"If this Sefirot belongs to me… then sitting on the throne shouldn't be a problem."
He took a slow step forward.
Then another.
The mist parted quietly as he approached the throne.
Soon Adrian stood directly in front of it.
Up close, the throne looked even more ancient.
The engravings on it were not simple decorations. They looked like fragments of forgotten rituals and mystical symbols.
Adrian hesitated for a moment.
Then he slowly turned around and sat down.
The moment his body touched the throne—
Boom.
The entire gray world trembled slightly.
A powerful wave of spiritual energy surged through Adrian's mind.
Countless faint whispers echoed in the mist.
But strangely, they didn't sound hostile.
Instead, they felt distant.
Like ancient echoes from a forgotten era.
Adrian tightened his grip on the armrests and forced himself to remain calm.
"Stay focused…"
After a few seconds, the chaotic sensation slowly settled.
Then something incredible happened.
Adrian's perspective suddenly changed.
He could see the entire gray world clearly.
The broken pillars.
The endless mist.
And the countless faint souls drifting silently in the distance.
It felt as if he had become the center of this domain.
Adrian's eyes widened slightly.
"So sitting on the throne gives me control…"
The feeling wasn't complete control.
Not yet.
But the connection between him and the Sefirot had clearly grown stronger.
At the same time, fragments of knowledge began surfacing in his mind.
Not memories.
More like instinctive understanding.
Knowledge about spirits.
Knowledge about soul energy.
And most importantly—
Knowledge about mystical materials.
Adrian slowly exhaled.
"I see…"
If he wanted to advance his pathway or perform rituals, he would need many different materials.
Spirit-attracting herbs.
Bones from powerful creatures.
Silver powder.
Ritual candles.
And various spiritual ingredients.
Fortunately, he was currently staying in a port city near Backlund.
Even ordinary shops might sell basic mystical materials used for rituals.
Adrian leaned back slightly on the throne.
"Good."
For the next few days, his goal was clear.
Gather as many ingredients as possible.
Prepare for future rituals.
And slowly digest the Spirit Master potion.
Adrian closed his eyes again.
The gray mist of the Sefirot gradually became calmer.
After a while, his consciousness slowly returned to the real world.
Adrian opened his eyes inside the hotel room.
The oil lamp on the table was still burning quietly.
Outside the window, the city was completely silent.
He stretched his arms slightly.
"…That was exhausting."
Even though he had only been sitting still, entering the Sefirot clearly consumed a lot of mental energy.
Adrian lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow I'll start looking for ingredients."
He still had some money left from the fallen noble's savings.
Not much.
But enough to buy basic materials.
If he was lucky, he might even find something useful for future potion rituals.