"Huuuh…"
Aaron exhaled, a slow breath leaving him as he noted the drain in his magic reserves.
Low.
Manageable.
—
He exited the Soul Space.
Waited.
—
Knock—
The sound cut through the room.
Aaron's eyes widened.
He moved quickly—pulling on a shirt before heading to the door.
—
He opened it.
And froze.
—
Standing outside were his… most cherished siblings.
Jorien.
And Lailah.
—
Disgust flickered across Aaron's face.
Jorien noticed.
Smirked.
Then raised two fingers—
And shoved Aaron back, hard.
"Move."
He stepped inside without waiting.
"Lailah, look at this," Jorien scoffed, glancing around."Does this look like royalty to you?"
Lailah let out a quiet snort as she entered behind him.
"Close the door, Aaron."
Her tone sharpened.
"No one needs to hear this."
—
Her aura flared.
Subtle—
But heavy.
Aaron's breath hitched slightly as the door shut behind them with a dull slam.
—
Jorien made himself comfortable.
He dropped into a chair—
Kicked his legs up onto the desk.
Thud.
—
"You know, Aaron…"
His voice turned cold.
"You were never supposed to be here."
A pause.
"You should've died a long time ago."
—
Aaron said nothing.
—
"But here you are."
Jorien leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing.
"Still alive."
Another pause.
"Doesn't matter."
A faint smile crept onto his lips.
"You awakened as something weak."
"Something… controllable."
—
Silence pressed into the room.
—
"So listen carefully."
His tone sharpened.
"When we tell you to do something—"
"You do it."
"Immediately."
A beat.
"Or…"
He leaned back again, casual.
"I bring Ronan."
A small chuckle.
"Or I will show you were you belong."
—
Something shifted.
—
Aaron's eyes darkened.
Then—
Crimson.
Like a forest set ablaze.
His pupils narrowed into slits.
—
The air changed.
—
His bloodline stirred.
Higher.
Far higher than theirs.
—
And suddenly—
They felt it.
—
Pressure.
Cold.
Predatory.
—
As if something had wrapped its claws around their throats—
Tightening.
Then—
Jorien moved.
Flames ignited along his hand as he lunged forward—
Grabbing Aaron by the collar.
—
Hiss—
Burning heat bit into his skin.
Aaron's body tensed.
—
"Don't you dare…" Jorien's voice dropped, sharp and cold,"try using that bloodline superiority on me."
His grip tightened.
"Learn this—no matter what you are…"
A pause.
"…you'll always remain the same."
—
He released him.
Abrupt.
—
Jorien turned and walked out without another glance.
Lailah followed in silence.
The door shut behind them.
—
Aaron stood still.
Pain lingered.
Faint.
Manageable.
—
Then—
A presence approached.
—
The door opened once more.
A woman stepped inside.
Her aura—
Familiar.
Undeniable.
Veyrath.
—
Aaron's eyes shifted.
Recognition came instantly.
From memory.
From feeling.
—
She had been there.
Before.
One of the few who had.
—
"Aaron…"
Her voice carried both exhaustion and quiet frustration.
"I'll never understand why they treat you like this…"
A soft exhale left her.
"…but don't worry."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"That won't be happening anymore."
—
Priscilia.
—
Better known as—
Preska.
—
A faint, dangerous reputation followed her.
A woman of overwhelming strength.
A wielder of Protection Magic.
And among those who knew—
She was called—
The Octopus
"Anyway—" Preska began, stepping closer, her tone softening,
"how have you been? And… you should probably get that treated."
Her gaze flicked to his wound.
Concern lingered there.
Before he could answer—
She pulled him into a hug.
—
"—Ghh—!"
The air left Aaron's lungs instantly.
"Pres… stop—" he forced out, voice strained,"you're going to kill me at this rate."
—
She laughed lightly.
But didn't let go immediately.
—
"And seriously," Aaron continued once she loosened her grip,"why aren't you in class? Don't you have better things to do?"
A small pause.
"…You're a junior, aren't you?"
—
She finally released him.
"Alright, alright."
A faint smile lingered on her lips.
"But I heard about your awakening…"
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"…didn't go very well, did it?"
She tilted her head, something playful flickering through her expression.
"So I brought you something."
—
Aaron waved it off.
"Yeah, yeah… the awakening."
His tone flattened.
"It doesn't really matter."
—
But it did.
Orion sat at Tier 3.0.
Jorien was at 4.5.
The gap wasn't small.
It wasn't even close.
—
"…Tch."
—
"Aww, don't make that face," Preska said, nudging him lightly."Come on, brother—don't sulk."
Then—
Her tone shifted.
Slightly teasing.
"And I heard something else…"
A grin formed.
"You've got connections with that Archduchess?"
—
Aaron groaned.
"Pres—stop."
His expression tightened.
"You're thinking in the wrong direction."
A pause.
"She just told me something. That's it."
—
"Mmhm."
She clearly didn't believe him.
—
"Whatever you say."
Preska shrugged, then reached forward.
"Here."
Her tone softened again.
"You'll need this."
—
From the bag she had been carrying—
Preska reached in.
Then pulled something out.
—
White light spilled into the room.
—
Aaron's eyes widened.
—
An Essence Magic Core.
Radiant.
Dense.
Alive with power.
—
Tier 10.5.
—
A Knight Tier core.
—
Adept Tier… 6.1 to 10.0.
Knight Tier… 10.1 to 12.0.
—
This—
Was far beyond him.
—
Preska smiled.
Her eyes glowed a sharp, neon white.
Her orange hair shifted softly around her shoulders, stirred by the faint surge of magic.
—
Then—
Pressure descended.
—
Knight's Words — Suppression.
—
"Only the best for my dear brother."
Her voice carried weight now.
Authority.
Power.
—
"And don't bother refusing."
A small, knowing smile.
"Alright—bye."
—
Flash—
She vanished.
Aaron's mouth fell open.
Wide enough—
You could've fit an egg in it.
—
For a moment—
He just stared.
—
Then—
His body trembled.
Excitement.
Disbelief.
Something sharper.
—
"As much as I'd love to refuse…" he muttered slowly.
A pause.
—
A grin spread across his face.
Too wide.
Too sharp.
—
"…humans don't throw away things that are free."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
Low.
Unstable.
—
"…right?"
—
Then—
A darker edge crept in.
"Jorien…"
His eyes gleamed faintly.
"…you're dead."
—
Without hesitation—
Aaron absorbed the core.
—
Heat surged through him instantly.
Violent.
Burning.
It spread across his body like wildfire—
—
Then—
It faded.
—
Replaced by something else.
Cool.
Steady.
Power settling into place.
—
Aaron's eyes opened.
—
———————————————
Aaron VeyrathTier Upgrade: 2.5 → 5.5
OrionTier Upgrade: 3.0 → 6.0
NullTier Upgrade: 2.8 → 5.0
———————————————
—
Ding—
—
(Pandora) — System Notice
System refinement complete.
Binding initiated: NPC / Player Totality System
—
Alert—
Players will arrive in:[300 Days | 10:05 Hours]
—
Prepare!
———————————————
—
Silence followed.
—
Something just changed in the very structure of everything down to where the €&@#*(€% reside
—
Who knows maybe it's...the…world itself....