The black gate closed behind him.
Silently.
As if the world outside no longer mattered.
The room within was vast—far larger than it should have been.
Dark… but not empty.
At the center—
floated a massive circular sphere.
Not solid.
Not entirely liquid.
It pulsed.
Slowly.
Like a heartbeat.
Azriah's gaze fixed on it.
'So this is it.'
Asta stepped in behind him, her presence calm as ever.
"This chamber," she began, "is built upon the core of a god."
Azriah didn't turn.
But his thoughts sharpened.
'A god's core.'
Not metaphor.
Not symbolism.
Literal.
"It creates its own divinity," she continued. "A controlled environment. One that simulates the necessary conditions for awakening."
'So it forces evolution.'
Asta walked forward, her eyes on the sphere.
"Most awaken much later," she said. "After years of exposure. After growth."
A brief pause.
"But you—"
Her gaze shifted slightly toward him.
"—will be among the first batch to awaken before the age of eighteen."
No pride in her tone.
No warmth.
Just fact.
Azriah stepped forward.
'So I'm early.'
Which meant—
'Higher expectations.'
Or—
'Higher risk.'
The sphere pulsed again.
Stronger this time.
'It's reacting.'
Asta stopped beside it.
"Place your hands on it."
Azriah didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward.
Raised both hands—
and pressed them against the surface.
For a moment—
nothing happened.
Then—
everything did.
The sphere shuddered.
A low hum filled the room.
Deep.
Resonant.
The air thickened instantly.
'Mana.'
Not ambient.
Not passive.
'Condensed.'
It leaked out from the sphere—
no—
it poured.
Like mist at first.
Then like currents.
Coiling.
Twisting.
Wrapping around him.
His body tensed.
'This is—'
Too much.
Way too much.
The mana tightened around him like chains.
Then—
it pulled.
A sharp, violent force gripped his chest.
His breath hitched.
Then—
vanished.
'—!'
Air.
Gone.
Not blocked—
removed.
His lungs strained.
His body reacted instantly—
but there was nothing to draw in.
'It's taking—'
No.
Not taking.
Replacing.
The mana surged inward.
Forcing its way into him.
Through his skin.
Through his veins.
Through everything.
Pain exploded.
Not sharp—
but suffocating.
Overwhelming.
'Ten… seconds…?'
No—
Longer.
Much longer.
Time blurred.
His thoughts fractured—
but didn't break.
'Endure.'
That was the only thing left.
No resistance.
No struggle.
Just—
'Endure.'
The pressure increased.
The mana coiled tighter.
Forced deeper.
Toward a single point.
His chest burned.
Right side.
Near his heart.
'There—'
Something formed.
Not physical.
Not entirely.
A core.
His core.
The mana surged one final time—
then—
collapsed inward.
Silence.
His breath returned violently.
Air rushed back into his lungs as he staggered slightly.
Ten minutes.
It had lasted ten minutes.
But it felt—
far longer.
The sphere dimmed.
The pressure vanished.
The room returned to stillness.
Azriah slowly removed his hands.
His body felt… different.
Heavier.
Yet lighter.
Unfamiliar—
yet his.
Asta watched him carefully.
Then—
"You've awakened," she said simply.
No celebration.
No praise.
Just confirmation.
Azriah steadied his breathing.
'So this is…'
His gaze lowered slightly.
'Power.'
Asta turned.
"Get some rest," she said. "We'll be departing soon."
He glanced at her.
"Departing?"
"For the Antioch estate."
A pause.
Then—
"Your home."
The word lingered.
But Azriah didn't respond.
He simply followed.
The carriage was quiet.
The motion steady.
The outside world… distant.
Inside—
not so much.
That was excessive.
Sham's voice echoed immediately.
No delay.
No restraint.
Do you have any idea what you just absorbed?
Azriah leaned back slightly, eyes half-closed.
'Enough.'
Enough? Sham almost scoffed. That was not "enough." That was absurd.
'You talk too much.'
And you don't talk enough. A terrible combination.
A brief pause.
Then—
That core— Sham continued, tone sharper now, —it wasn't stable. Not fully. And yet you—
He stopped.
Just for a second.
…Interesting.
Azriah didn't respond.
'You're surprised.'
I am… reconsidering my expectations.
'Lower them.'
No. Higher.
A short silence followed.
Then—
Azriah spoke again.
'What changed.'
Sham didn't answer immediately.
Unusual.
Then—
his voice returned.
Quieter.
More serious.
You did.
A pause.
Or rather… what you are.
Azriah's thoughts sharpened slightly.
'Explain.'
A longer silence this time.
Then—
You should be careful.
That—
was unexpected.
'That's vague.'
It's intentional.
A pause.
Then—
Sham continued.
The power you just awakened…
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then—
It is not something the gods favor.
Azriah's eyes opened slightly.
'…Meaning.'
Another pause.
Then—
clear.
Direct.
You are inherently the bane of the gods.
Silence filled the carriage.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Azriah didn't react outwardly.
Didn't tense.
Didn't question immediately.
Instead—
his thoughts settled.
Calm.
Cold.
'And?'
A brief pause.
Then—
a low chuckle.
…Good.
Sham sounded almost pleased.
Then you may actually survive this world.
Azriah closed his eyes again.
The carriage continued forward.
Toward the Antioch estate.
Toward a life that wasn't his—
yet now belonged to him.
And far above—
unseen—
something shifted.