Scott dragged himself out of bed the next morning with a groan.
His body still felt heavy, his head slightly spinning from the previous night, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, something else took over—
Excitement.
Relief.
Anticipation.
"I'm finally going to become a Veilborn…" he muttered, rubbing his eyes as a faint smile crept onto his face.
Today was the day.
The day he had trained for.
The day everything would change.
But Scott wasn't in a hurry.
Unlike most people who rushed to open their Celestial Gate the moment they woke up, he had already made up his mind—
He would wait.
Until evening.
There was something about that time… something calmer, quieter. It felt right.
More controlled.
More… him.
Just as he stretched his arms and prepared to head out—
A soft mechanical voice echoed through the room.
"Strange presence detected. Unknown visitor at the gate. Accept or deny entry?"
Scott frowned slightly.
"…Strange?"
A holographic projection flickered to life in front of him.
A familiar face appeared.
Scott's expression immediately darkened.
"…Rylan?"
He let out a slow breath and rubbed his forehead. "Accept," he said sluggishly.
Of all people…
That guy really had the nerve to show up here.
After last night.
Scott's irritation rose slightly, but he kept it under control. There was no point getting worked up over it.
Still…
Why was he here?
Rylan didn't just visit people casually. And definitely not someone like Scott—someone who lived far outside his usual circle.
Scott stepped out, walking toward the gate.
The countryside was quiet as always.
The wind moved gently through the fields, and the massive gate stood tall in the distance, its surface shimmering faintly with embedded technology.
And just in front of it—
Rylan.
Waving like nothing had happened.
"Scott! Over here!" he called out, his voice carrying a strange mix of excitement and nervousness.
Scott slowed his steps as he approached, his eyes narrowing slightly.
It was still strange seeing him here.
Rylan wasn't just some ordinary student.
He came from a different planet entirely—one owned by his family.
A private planet.
That alone spoke volumes about how powerful and wealthy his background was.
Compared to him…
Scott was just… normal.
Or at least, that's what most people would think.
"What do you want?" Scott asked calmly as he stopped a few steps away.
Rylan grinned awkwardly. "Straight to the point, huh…"
Then, without wasting time, he pulled something out.
A small vial.
It shimmered faintly in the morning light.
"Take a look at this," Rylan said, holding it out.
Scott took it, inspecting it carefully.
The substance inside was strange—
Semi-liquid.
Semi-transparent.
Almost like it existed between two states.
It had no smell.
No visible impurities.
Yet it gave off a faint, unnatural presence.
Scott's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Supergene fluid."
Rylan's grin widened. "Exactly."
"So?" Scott said flatly, handing it back. "What do you want me to do with it?"
He already knew what it was.
Everyone did.
Supergene fluid wasn't something ordinary people could get their hands on. It was expensive. Rare. Reserved for elites.
Rylan crossed his arms proudly. "It's produced by my family."
Scott said nothing.
"That means," Rylan continued, leaning forward slightly, "I can give it to whoever I want."
Still silence.
Rylan's expression turned serious. "If you use it before your Ascension… your body will be strengthened. Your foundation will improve. You'll be stronger than a normal Veilborn—even before you open your Gate."
Scott's gaze didn't change.
"Thanks," he said calmly. "But no."
Rylan blinked. "What?"
"I'm not taking it," Scott said, his voice steady. "I'll pass my trial with my own strength."
The words were simple.
Firm.
Final.
Rylan's smile froze.
For a moment, it felt like his heart had skipped a beat.
"Hey… Scott…" he said, trying to recover. "Don't rush your decision. This is good stuff. I wouldn't bring it all the way here for nothing."
Scott turned slightly.
"I've already decided."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
No doubt.
Just quiet confidence.
And something else.
Something Rylan couldn't quite understand.
Scott began to walk away.
Rylan stood there for a second, his jaw tightening.
I shouldn't have made him drink… he thought bitterly.
Then suddenly—
"Wait!"
Scott didn't stop, but he slowed slightly.
Rylan hurried after him.
"How about this," he said quickly. "Come with me to Cyris Prime."
Scott paused.
"…Why?"
"There's space there," Rylan said, his voice more serious now. "A lot of it. Perfect for opening a Celestial Gate."
Scott remained silent, listening.
Rylan continued, "You know how it works. Once your trial begins, the Gate stays open. Anyone nearby can interfere. It's risky to do it in crowded areas."
Scott knew that.
Choosing where to open your Gate wasn't simple.
It could determine everything.
"There are facilities," Rylan added, "but they're expensive… and controlled."
Scott turned his head slightly.
"And this place?"
"It's my family's planet," Rylan replied quickly. "You won't need a ticket. No restrictions."
Silence.
The wind passed between them.
Scott thought for a moment.
Then—
"…Alright."
Rylan blinked.
"What?"
"Let's go," Scott said simply, turning back toward him.
Rylan stared at him for a second before breaking into a grin. "Finally."
Scott made a quick call to his mother.
After a brief explanation—and a pause that felt longer than it should have—he got permission.
Not that she sounded entirely pleased.
But she didn't stop him.
That was enough.
Rylan's spacecraft was waiting not far from the gate.
It was compact.
Sleek.
Modern.
Designed for speed rather than comfort.
"Not bad," Scott muttered as he stepped inside.
"It's just a small one," Rylan replied casually, taking the pilot's seat.
The ship could carry up to four people.
No more.
The doors sealed shut, and within moments, the engines hummed to life.
The ship lifted slowly at first.
Then—
It shot upward.
Breaking through the atmosphere in seconds.
Scott glanced out the window.
Stars stretched across the void.
Then suddenly—
Everything shifted.
The ship blurred.
Space itself seemed to fold.
Hyperspace jump.
Then another.
And another.
Seamless.
Continuous.
Scott's eyes widened slightly.
"…That's fast."
Most ships couldn't do that.
Hyperspace jumps required cooldown time. Energy stabilization. Precision.
But this one—
It flowed like water.
"Yeah," Rylan said with a small smirk. "It's nothing special."
Scott didn't respond.
But inwardly—
He knew that was a lie.
Not long after—
They arrived.
"Cyris Prime," Rylan announced.
From above, the planet was breathtaking.
Its surface shimmered with soft hues of blue and silver, its atmosphere glowing faintly like a living thing.
But as they descended—
Scott noticed something else.
The land wasn't perfectly round.
It had an unusual shape.
Slightly elliptical.
Like it had been… engineered.
"…Strange," Scott muttered.
The ship landed smoothly at a docking station.
People moved around them—workers, travelers, guards.
Everything felt organized.
Controlled.
Efficient.
"This way," Rylan said after handling their clearance.
Scott followed.
They walked through a series of corridors, each one larger than the last.
The atmosphere grew quieter.
Heavier.
More focused.
Eventually—
They stopped.
Before them stood a massive structure.
A hall.
Its doors towered above them, etched with patterns that seemed almost alive.
Scott felt it immediately.
A faint pressure.
Subtle, but undeniable.
This place…
Was different.
Rylan glanced at him.
"This is it."
Scott said nothing.
But his eyes sharpened.
Because deep down—
He knew.
This was where everything would begin.