The morning after Ashora’s awakening, Ashora had barely finished preparing himself when a firm knock echoed through the room.

  Before he could respond, the doors opened.

  Standing at the entrance was Grandmaster Aratha.

  Ashora’s eyes widened in surprise. He immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully, placing his right hand over his chest.

  “Grandmaster… welcome. How come you are here? You should have called for me if you wished to say anything.”

  Aratha’s sharp yet calm gaze rested upon him. There was pride in his eyes,

  “I heard,” the Grandmaster said, his voice steady, “that you have awakened.”

  Ashora straightened and nodded. “Yes, Grandmaster.”

  For a brief moment, silence filled the chamber. Then Aratha stepped closer.

  “Ashora, now that you have completed your awakening, it is time for you to begin the true training of a royal heir. Your sister, who awakened much earlier, began her education at the age of seven. It is only fitting that you do the same.”

  The words carried weight. The pressure of being a royal heir

  Ashora did not hesitate.

  “I understand, Grandmaster.”

  A faint smile touched Aratha’s lips. “Good. From tomorrow, we begin. Meet me in my chamber at seven in morning.”

  “I will be there,” Ashora replied without delay.

  As the Grandmaster departed, Ashora remained standing in the quiet room, his heart racing— with excitement.

  Until now, the only teachings he had received were the family’s sword arts and sparring sessions with Ikshita. Those battles had been fierce, competitive,

  But this…

  This is different.

  A slow smile spread across his face.

  “I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he murmured to himself.

  The next morning, the palace corridors felt different to Ashora—as if each step he took carried him closer to his destiny.

  He stood before the towering doors of Grandmaster Aratha’s chamber.

  Drawing a steady breath, he announced, “Grandmaster, I am here.”

  For a moment, there was silence.

  Then—

  Thad. Thad.

  The massive gates opened from within.

  “Come in,” Aratha’s voice called.

  Excitement surged through Ashora as he stepped inside. The chamber was vast, lined with scrolls, weapons, and ancient tomes. The air itself felt heavier, filled with knowledge and discipline.

  The moment he saw Aratha, Ashora immediately placed his hand over his chest and bowed slightly in respect.

  Before Aratha could speak, the sound of light footsteps echoed behind him.

  Ashora turned.

  Ikshita walked into the chamber.

  His brows lifted in surprise. “Grandmaster… Ikshita is also receiving education with me?”

  Aratha nodded. “Yes. She will continue her education alongside you.”

  For a brief second, Ashora noticed the faint smile forming on Ikshita’s face

  Her heart was clearly overjoyed.

  Ashora stepped closer to her, a playful grin forming on his lips.

  “Well then,” he said lightly, “you won’t be able to say I had an advantage over you when you lose to me in the future.”

  Ikshita’s expression immediately shifted into a frown. Her eyes narrowed.

  “We’ll see who loses,” she replied, clearly annoyed—but unable to hide the competitive spark in her voice.

  Aratha observed the two silently, his sharp eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction.

  Good, he thought.

  Rivalry forged strength.

  “Enough,” he said firmly.

  Time flowed

  Under Grandmaster Aratha’s strict, the days turned into months, and months into years. Dawn after dawn, Ashora and Ikshita trained until their muscles trembled and their breaths burned in their lungs. They practiced sword forms until their palms blistered. They meditated until their minds sharpened like honed steel. They studied history, strategy, energy control,

  Three years passed.

  Three years of giving nothing less than their absolute all.

  On a calm afternoon, the two sat cross-legged before Aratha in the training field.

  Aratha stood before them,

  “Today,” he began, his voice deep and measured, “your education under me is complete.”

  Ashora’s spine straightened instantly. Ikshita’s eyes sharpened.

  “But,” Aratha continued, “to truly complete it, you must pass one final test.”

  Ashora’s lips curved into a faint, eager smile. “Grandmaster, I am ready for any test you give me.”

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  Ikshita remained silent—but the spark in her eyes revealed she felt the same.

  Aratha’s gaze shifted between them.

  “The test is simple,” he said. “You must clear an Abyss Gate.”

  Then Aratha looked directly at Ashora. “Tell me—what is an Abyss Gate?”

  Ashora inhaled calmly. A faint smile appeared on his face as he began to speak, his voice steady and confident.

  “Three thousand years ago, a cosmic explosion occurred in the vastness of space. Its impact reached the planet Prigaia. For ten days, there was no night—only endless daylight. Two suns burned in the sky, scorching the world beneath.”

  “On the eleventh day, Abyss Portals appeared across all seven continents. From them emerged otherworldly beings—creatures unlike anything known. They threatened every form of life on Prigaia.”

  “At that time, all seven continents united. Every living species fought together and pushed the invaders back.

  He paused before continuing.

  “In those early years, only the otherworldly beings could freely pass through the portals. Aside from dragons, Fifth-Stage and above Awakeners, Fifth-Tier Sei Warriors, and Eighth-Stage Mages, no one could withstand the crushing pressure of space within the gates.”

  “Entering all of them to eliminate the monsters directly was nearly impossible.” for a handful of warriors.

  “For nearly a century, the people of Prigaia suffered.”

  “Then, Ninth-Class Mage with dragons and 5th,6th and 7th stage Awakeners. Together, they created a device—one that allowed Sei users, Res wielders, and Awakeners below Level Five to enter the portals safely.”

  “By killing the monsters inside before they could fully emerge, the threat could be contained. And now Once a gate is cleared, mages seal it for one month.”

  “That is why all Abyss Gates are under the supervision of the Magic Towers.”

  Ashora’s voice grew firmer.

  “Today, the portals are classified into seven levels, each indicating the strength of the monsters residing within.”

  Aratha nodded slowly.

  “Correct.”

  The single word carried approval.

  “The test for both of you,” Aratha declared, “is to clear a Level three Abyss Portal within one hour.”

  For a split second, Ashora’s heart pounded louder in his ears.

  Then excitement surged through him like wildfire.

  Ikshita’s lips curved upward. Her competitive spirit ignited instantly.

  She turned toward Ashora. “Whoever kills more monsters will be considered the stronger one.”

  Ashora’s eyes gleamed.

  “Oh? Is that so?” he replied, his grin widening. “Fine. But don’t cry later when you lose.”

  Ikshita’s smirk deepened, confidence radiating from her.

  “We’ll see who cries,” she said calmly. “And who laughs.”

  Grandmaster Aratha calls.

  “Leona.”

  Moments later, she appeared before them.

  Leona was no longer the young lady. She now stood as a fully grown woman—her presence commanding, her beauty almost ethereal. Her pitch-black hair flowed down her back like a midnight river, and her skin, fair as polished jade, seemed to glow under the light. Yet it was not merely her beauty that drew attention.

  It was the quiet strength in her eyes.

  The charm of a warrior could not be hidden.

  Over the past three years, she had trained alongside Ashora and Ikshita, guiding them. She was ashora big sister but was also a mentor to both of them.Aarath spoke calmly, “Leona will be your supervisor during this test. She will accompany you as your guard—but she will not interfere unless your lives are in danger.”

  Ashora, Ikshita, and Leona bowed together.

  “As you wish, Grandmaster.”

  The next morning, the sky stretched wide and blue above the kingdom.

  Ashora rode at the front, mounted upon his horse, steel armor gleaming under the sun. A sword rested at his waist, Behind him Leona and Ikshita, both clad in full armor,only their eyes can be seen.

  Ashora’s heart burned with excitement.

  This would be his first real battle.

  Until now, he had grown within palace walls—trained, prepared, educated—but never truly tested by the cruelty of the world. He did not yet understand the weight of real bloodshed.

  Soon, the Abyss Portal came into view.

  It loomed like a tear in space itself, swirling with distorted light and shadow. Before it stood three mages of the blue tower wearing blue robe.

  Ashora dismounted and approached them confidently, presenting the pass granted for entry.

  The mages, unaware of his identity, examined the seal carefully.

  “You may enter,” one of them said, stepping aside.

  Without another word, the three walked toward the portal.

  The moment they crossed its threshold, the world shifted.

  There is no sky inside the Abyss but they can see clearly in the dark.

  Leona glanced at the watch on her wrist and starts the timer.

  “You have one hour,” she said calmly. “Your time starts now.”

  Excitement surged within Ashora as he stepped forward beside Ikshita.

  But only moments later, that excitement shattered.

  Ahead of them was a horde of goblins—small, grotesque creatures with twisted faces and jagged teeth. Among them stood goblin mages,.

  But it wasn’t their appearance that froze him.

  It was what they were doing.

  The goblins were devouring a human body.

  The sound of tearing flesh echoed faintly in the air.

  Ashora’s stomach churned violently. His mouth trembled as nausea rose within him. For a moment, he felt as though he might vomit.

  He glanced at Ikshita.

  She looked just as shaken.

  The thrill of battle that had filled his heart moments ago turned into something else.

  Rage.

  The urge to kill the goblins hardened into unwavering determination.

  Ashora stepped forward.

  Ikshita remained frozen for a heartbeat longer, the gruesome scene making her feel like vomiting.

  With a sharp motion, Ashora unsheathed his sword.

  From within his Sei Core, yellow energy surged outward, coating the blade in radiant light.

  “Meadres Family Sword Technique… Form Two.”

  He stepped forward and brought his sword down in a vertical slash.

  A goblin split cleanly in half before it even understood what had happened.

  The others shrieked and dropped the human remains, charging toward him in fury.

  Ashora raised two fingers before him.

  Particles of yellow light began to gather in front of his hand, glowing brighter with each passing second.

  “Photon Blade.”

  In an instant, the condensed streaks of light shot forward—piercing through five goblin heads at once.

  They collapsed where they stood, blood spraying into the darkened air.

  Ikshita snapped back to her senses.

  With a swift motion, she unsheathed her sword, activating her own Sei Core. Yellow energy enveloped her blade as she rushed toward a group of goblins approaching from the side.

  With each slash, a goblin fell.

  Ashora sheathed his sword suddenly.

  he vanished.To the goblins, he became nothing but a blur—moving in all four directions at once, faster than their eyes could track.

  As he dash in all directions, he left behind tiny white particles onto the ground in all four directions.

  In a blink, he returned to his original position.

  He raised his hand.

  “Photon Blast.”

  With a flick of his fingers, the white particles detonated simultaneously.

  A loud explosion shook the area.

  More than thirty goblins were torn apart—reduced to scattered flesh and shattered bone.

  Leona watched from a distance.

  A faint smile touched her lips.

  She felt proud—not merely of his strength, but of his composure. Even after witnessing such horror, he had not faltered.

  Ikshita soon finished the remaining goblins on her side.

  Ashora approached what remained of the human body—the upper half lying motionless upon the ground.

  “I don’t know who you are,” he said quietly, “but as a fellow human, I respect your courage.”

  As if responding to his words, the ground beneath the body slowly shifted and swallowed it, making it one with the land of the Abyss.

  Ashora noticed a scarf lying nearby, stained but intact.

  He picked it up gently.

  “I will return this to your family.”

  For a moment, silence surrounded them.

  Then—

  The time limit.

  Ashora’s eyes sharpened.

  He turned to Ikshita.

  “We need to speed up,” he said. “Or we fail the test.”