The road was long.
Dust rose beneath the wheels of the old carriage as it rolled through the narrow forest path. Trees stretched high on both sides, their branches blocking most of the sunlight. The world felt quiet, but not empty—like something was always watching from the shadows.
Phael sat inside the carriage, hands resting on his knees.
This was the first time he had ever left the village.
He did not feel nervous.
He felt… focused.
Across from him, Delyra sat with her arms folded, her eyes half-closed as if she were resting. But Phael knew better. She was always aware of everything around her.
"Is the academy far?" he asked.
"Two days by road," she replied without opening her eyes.
He nodded.
Silence returned.
Phael looked down at his hands. Beneath the skin, he could feel something stirring—warmth in his muscles, cool flow in his veins. His two koi had grown stronger over the past years. Not much, but enough for him to notice the difference.
He remembered the first beast core Delyra had given him.
A small one. Weak. Barely enough for even the lowest-level awakeners.
Yet when he had fed it to his powers, both koi had responded.
The red one had grown slightly larger. His body felt tougher, steadier.
The blue one had shone brighter. His thoughts had sharpened, his control improving.
That was when he had understood something important.
Strength was not given. It was built.
"Delyra," he said quietly.
She opened her eyes.
"If my parents were so powerful… why did they lose?"
Her gaze stayed on him for a moment before shifting to the road ahead.
"Because power alone is not enough," she said. "Not in a world ruled by clans and factions."
He frowned. "But if you're strong, shouldn't you be free?"
"That's what most people believe," she replied. "And that belief keeps them blind."
She turned back to him.
"There are those who do not care how strong you are. They care what you represent. What you threaten."
Phael thought of the words she had spoken the night before.
Your existence threatens an order that has ruled for thousands of years.
"So… I was dangerous just by being born?"
"Yes."
He was silent for a long time.
"I don't feel special," he finally said. "I just want to get stronger."
Delyra studied him.
"That is exactly what makes you dangerous."
They stopped at a small town before nightfall.
It was larger than Phael's village, filled with stone buildings, shops, and crowded streets. People walked openly with weapons at their sides. Some had visible beast traits—claws, scales, glowing eyes.
Awakened.
This was the world beyond his quiet home.
Delyra led him into an inn.
The air smelled of food, smoke, and sweat. Voices overlapped. Laughter. Arguments. Boasts of recent hunts.
At one table, a man slammed a beast core onto the wood.
"Three silver pieces," he said. "Royal-grade."
The merchant's eyes lit up.
Royal-grade.
Phael had only ever seen feral and refined cores.
So this was how the real world worked.
Delyra paid for a room and food, then sat across from him.
"From this point on," she said, "you must be careful."
"Careful of what?"
"Of who you show yourself to," she replied. "Your power is rare, but not unheard of. People will test you. Some will try to recruit you. Some will try to use you."
"And some will try to kill you," he said.
She did not deny it.
"What should I do?"
She looked at him steadily.
"Survive. Learn. Grow."
Her voice lowered.
"And never forget who you are… even if no one else knows."
The next morning, they reached the edge of the academy city.
Phael had never seen anything like it.
Tall white walls stretched across the horizon, carved with ancient symbols that glowed faintly in the light. Towers rose behind them, sharp and elegant. Streams of energy flowed through the air, visible even to his untrained eyes.
At the massive gates, hundreds of youths gathered.
Some wore noble clothes.
Some bore clan insignias.
Some stood alone, like him.
This was where the future of the world was shaped.
"The Academy of Ascension," Delyra said quietly.
Phael took a deep breath.
"So this is where everything begins."
They joined the crowd.
A tall man in dark armor stood before the gates. His presence alone pressed against Phael's chest like invisible weight.
Strong.
Very strong.
"Those who enter," the man announced, "will be tested. Talent is not enough. Background will not protect you. Only ability matters here."
The gates opened.
The crowd moved forward.
Delyra stopped walking.
Phael turned back.
"You're not coming?" he asked.
"No."
The word was simple, but final.
"This is your path now," she said. "I can no longer walk it for you."
He hesitated.
"What if I fail?"
Her eyes softened.
"Then you stand back up."
She placed a small, cold object in his palm.
A ring.
Black. Cracked. Familiar.
"This will protect you once," she said. "Only once. After that… you must rely on yourself."
He closed his fingers around it.
"I won't waste it."
"I know."
She stepped back.
"Go, Phael."
He bowed deeply.
Then he turned and walked through the gates.
The academy courtyard was massive.
Stone platforms floated in the air. Training fields stretched endlessly. Towers pierced the sky.
Groups of students stood in lines, waiting for instruction.
Phael took his place among them.
A woman with silver hair and sharp eyes stepped forward.
"I am Instructor Vale," she said. "You will undergo your first evaluation today. This will determine your initial ranking."
A murmur spread.
"Ranking?" someone whispered.
"In this academy," Vale continued, "strength decides everything. Your ranking determines your resources, your instructors, and your future."
She raised her hand.
"The first test is simple."
A large crystal rose from the ground.
"Touch it. It will measure your current level."
One by one, students stepped forward.
"Level 7."
"Level 12."
"Level 18."
Each number drew reactions.
When someone reached Level 20, the crowd gasped.
"Elite!"
Phael watched calmly.
He had never checked his exact level.
He only knew he was stronger than most of the hunters in his village.
His turn came.
He placed his hand on the crystal.
The surface glowed.
Red.
Blue.
The numbers appeared.
Level 15.
Whispers broke out.
"Two powers?"
"Rare…"
"Still not that high."
Phael withdrew his hand.
Not impressed.
Not disappointed.
Just… aware.
So this was where he stood.
Not at the top.
But far from the bottom.
The second test followed.
Combat.
Pairs were called.
Phael faced a boy taller than him, with thick arms and a heavy axe.
The boy grinned.
"Don't worry," he said. "I won't hurt you too badly."
Phael said nothing.
The signal sounded.
The boy charged.
Fast. Strong.
Phael stepped aside.
His body moved without thought.
Years of training guided him.
He struck once—clean, controlled.
The boy collapsed.
Silence followed.
Instructor Vale raised an eyebrow.
"That was… efficient."
Some students stared.
Some frowned.
Some smiled in interest.
Phael returned to his place.
Inside, his heart remained steady.
This is only the beginning.
That evening, he stood alone on a balcony overlooking the academy.
The sky was painted with fading light.
Somewhere far away… the Upper World waited.
He clenched his fist.
"I will reach it," he whispered.
Not for revenge.
Not for glory.
But for one simple reason.
So that no one could ever decide his existence for him again.