I stepped outside.
Fresh air rushed against my skin—
Cool.
Gentle.
Almost soothing.
It should have calmed me.
Instead—
It irritated me.
---
A faint unease lingered beneath my thoughts.
Subtle.
Persistent.
Like something scratching at the back of my mind.
Trying to get out.
---
"…What is this feeling?" I muttered under my breath.
I couldn't place it.
And that made it worse.
---
Footsteps followed behind me.
My brother stepped out shortly after.
"Velzahar… what's wrong with you today?" he asked, his tone cautious.
Concerned.
---
I turned to face him slowly.
"Nothing."
My voice came out flat.
Too flat.
---
He paused.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Studying me.
---
"…You've been off since morning," he said carefully.
"Your energy… your presence… it's different."
---
I said nothing.
---
He hesitated.
Like he wasn't sure if he should continue.
But he did.
---
"…Your pupils just flashed red."
---
Silence.
---
"…Are you sure nothing's wrong?" he pressed.
"Are you angry? At someone? At something?"
"You can tell me."
---
His voice softened.
"You can take a break from training. Or go for treatment—"
---
"I said nothing is wrong."
---
My voice snapped.
Sharpened.
---
And for a brief moment—
---
My vision tinged red.
---
Not imagined.
Not subtle.
---
Real.
---
BOOM—
A faint pressure burst from my body.
Small.
But violent.
---
My brother froze.
---
"…Velzahar…"
---
I turned away.
---
"Drop it."
---
Then—
BOOM!!!
---
I blasted off the ground.
---
The air split behind me as I accelerated forward.
Wind tearing past my body.
Speed rising.
---
But my thoughts—
Were louder.
---
"…Control it."
---
My father's words echoed again.
---
What does that mean?
---
My fists clenched mid-flight.
---
And these eyes…
---
Red.
---
That wasn't normal.
---
"…What's happening to me?"
---
Behind me—
Another explosion.
---
BOOM!!!
---
My brother followed.
His aura flaring white, dense and stable.
He closed the distance quickly.
---
"Velzahar!"
---
He matched my speed.
Floating beside me.
---
"…Sorry to push," he said, voice lower now, more serious.
"But this isn't normal."
---
I didn't respond.
---
"…Even Dad reacted."
---
That made my eyes narrow slightly.
---
"He told you to 'control it.'"
---
A pause.
---
"…Control what?"
---
Silence.
---
I could feel it again.
That irritation.
Growing.
---
"…Can I help?" he asked.
---
I exhaled sharply.
---
"It's nothing."
---
Still—
I didn't look at him.
---
He opened his mouth again—
Then stopped.
---
The words didn't come out.
---
He noticed.
---
Every time he pressed—
My aura shifted.
---
My eyes—
Flashed red.
---
Longer.
More frequent.
---
"…Alright," he finally said.
Resigning.
---
But his guard didn't drop.
---
Not even slightly.
---
We continued flying in silence.
---
Until—
---
The training grounds came into view.
---
I slowed.
Landing smoothly.
---
My breathing steady.
---
My pupils—
Back to black.
---
For now.
---
I walked inside without a word.
---
The gravity chamber was already active.
Most of the group had arrived.
---
I moved to a corner.
Sat down cross-legged.
Closed my eyes.
---
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
---
Calm it.
---
Suppress it.
---
I focused inward.
---
But—
---
Something resisted.
---
Like a beast refusing to be caged.
---
"…Stay down."
---
The thought came instinctively.
Cold.
Controlled.
---
And slowly—
---
The irritation faded.
---
Not gone.
---
But… quieter.
---
Twenty minutes passed.
---
Then—
---
I felt it.
---
A presence.
---
Caelion.
---
My eyes opened instantly.
---
And in that moment—
Something felt wrong.
---
I scanned the room.
---
Counted.
---
One.
Two.
Three…
---
Twenty-one.
---
My eyes narrowed.
---
We were supposed to be twenty.
---
Including Caelion—
That should make twenty-one.
---
But right now—
---
There were twenty-one…
Before he even stepped in.
---
"…Strange."
---
The door opened.
---
Caelion walked in casually.
Like nothing was off.
---
But I noticed.
---
And someone else did too.
---
A faint shift in the room.
Subtle tension.
---
He walked to the center.
Turned toward us.
---
"Seems everyone's here," he said with a light smile.
---
Too light.
---
"Sorry for being late."
---
No one responded.
---
"Good morning. How's everyone feeling?"
---
Still—
Silence.
---
He smiled wider.
---
"Good."
---
SNAP—
---
Chairs appeared instantly.
Arranged neatly.
---
No one sat.
---
Not immediately.
---
Everyone remained standing.
Watching.
---
Waiting.
---
Caelion sat first.
Elevated position.
Eyes scanning.
---
"Please," he said casually.
"Have a seat."
---
But something about his smile—
---
Was off.
---
Calculated.
---
Testing.
---
I glanced at the chair.
Sensed it.
---
No immediate danger.
---
Worst case—
A trap.
---
"…Fine."
---
I sat.
---
The others followed.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
---
The room settled.
---
Then—
---
Caelion leaned forward slightly.
---
"Let's begin today with something… important."
---
His tone shifted.
---
Not playful anymore.
---
Serious.
---
"Education."
---
A pause.
---
"Today's topic…"
---
His eyes swept across us.
---
Then stopped—
On me.
---
Just for a second.
---
"…The Path to Godhood."
---
The room changed instantly.
---
Curiosity replaced tension.
---
Focus sharpened.
---
Even I leaned slightly forward.
---
This—
Was important.
---
"Before that," Caelion continued,
"we need to talk about cultivation."
---
A simple word.
---
But heavy.
---
"Power doesn't come from strength alone," he said calmly.
"It comes from understanding how to grow it."
---
He raised a finger.
---
"There are different paths."
---
"Energy cultivation."
"Body cultivation."
"Law comprehension."
---
"Most of you…"
---
He smiled faintly.
---
"…are doing all three."
---
A pause.
---
"But not correctly."
---
Silence.
---
"Energy cultivation strengthens your output."
"Body cultivation strengthens your vessel."
"Law comprehension defines your authority."
---
He leaned back.
---
"Neglect one…"
---
His eyes hardened slightly.
---
"…and you limit everything."
---
I listened closely.
---
Because now—
It made sense.
---
My body.
My recent changes.
---
"…Body cultivation…" I thought quietly.
---
The pain.
The transformation.
The hunger.
---
It wasn't random.
---
It was necessary.
---
But incomplete.
---
"Now," Caelion continued,
"the path to Godhood…"
---
His voice dropped slightly.
---
"…is the balance of all three."
---
Silence filled the chamber.
---
Heavy.
---
Meaningful.
---
"Too much power…"
---
"…and your body breaks."
---
"Too much body…"
---
"…and your growth slows."
---
"Too much law…"
---
"…and you collapse under your own authority."
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
He smiled.
---
"…Or worse."
---
Something about that smile—
---
Sent a chill down my spine.
---
"…Worse?" someone muttered.
---
Caelion didn't answer.
---
Instead—
---
His eyes shifted.
---
Back to me.
---
"…Some of you," he said slowly,
"are already walking dangerous paths."
---
My pupils flickered.
---
Red.
---
Just for a moment.
---
But this time—
---
I felt it.
---
Not irritation.
---
Not emotion.
---
Something else.
---
Something…
Watching back.
---
And Caelion saw it.
---
His smile deepened.
---
"…Good."