The next morning, Zion woke before sunrise.
For the first time in days...
His body no longer screamed in protest when he sat up.
The pain was still there.
But it had become manageable.
He flexed his fingers, rolled his shoulders, and took a deep breath.
"...Much better."
Outside, dawn painted the sky in shades of crimson and gold.
The village remained quiet, with only a few early risers beginning their work.
Zion stepped outside and instinctively reached beneath his shirt.
He froze.
The Veil wasn't there.
His heart skipped a beat before he remembered everything that had happened the previous evening.
"It really became part of me..."
Closing his eyes, he focused inward.
For a brief instant...
He felt it.
Deep within his soul floated the ancient black Veil, motionless in an endless sea of darkness.
It no longer looked like an ordinary piece of cloth.
Countless faint silver runes drifted across its surface before fading away again.
It was sleeping.
Satisfied, Zion opened his eyes.
"So you really can't be stolen anymore."
A small smile crossed his face.
At least Granny Iya's final gift would never be lost.
---
After breakfast, Zion returned to the forge.
The three Starsteel ingots rested quietly on the workbench.
Morning sunlight reflected from their dark silver surfaces.
Even after seeing them yesterday...
They still felt extraordinary.
He reached out and picked one up.
Heavy.
Cold.
Powerful.
"...Not today."
He carefully placed it back down.
His current strength wasn't enough to forge Starsteel.
Trying now would only waste the precious material.
Instead, he picked up the refined iron bar he had created yesterday.
It looked ordinary.
But Zion knew it wasn't.
He struck it lightly against the anvil.
Ting...
The clear sound echoed through the workshop.
Ordinary iron couldn't produce such a pure tone.
"So Seam Sight really changes the quality."
His curiosity only deepened.
If it could improve common iron...
What could it do to Starsteel?
Or even rarer metals?
His thoughts drifted toward Captain Roran's words.
"The Academy will show you metals that make Starsteel look ordinary."
Zion couldn't even imagine such a thing.
---
A knock suddenly came from outside.
"Zion!"
Kellan's voice.
"You awake?"
"I've been awake."
"Good."
Kellan walked inside carrying a basket covered with cloth.
"I brought breakfast."
Zion looked at him.
"...I already ate."
Kellan sighed dramatically.
"I knew I should've come earlier."
He uncovered the basket anyway.
Warm meat pies.
Fresh bread.
And roasted fruit.
"I'll leave them here."
"Mira said you're still too skinny."
Zion looked down at himself.
"I'm injured."
"Exactly."
Kellan nodded.
"So your job is eating."
Zion laughed.
"I didn't know recovery came with orders."
"It does when the entire village is worried about you."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then Kellan's eyes landed on the Starsteel.
"...That's not iron."
"No."
"What is it?"
"I'm not sure."
Kellan blinked.
"You don't know?"
"Captain Roran called it Starsteel."
The moment the name left Zion's mouth...
Kellan's expression changed.
"I've heard that before."
"You have?"
"My father mentioned it once."
"He said only people from advanced planets can forge Starsteel weapons."
Zion looked at the ingots again.
"So even hearing its name is uncommon..."
Kellan nodded.
"Blue Star is isolated."
"We know almost nothing about the outside."
He paused before adding quietly,
"Maybe that's why the Academy exists."
Zion remained silent.
Perhaps...
The Academy wasn't simply a school.
Perhaps it was the bridge connecting forgotten worlds like Blue Star to the greater human civilization.
The thought lingered in his mind long after Kellan finished speaking.
---
The afternoon sun hung high above the village.
After Kellan left, Zion spent another hour cleaning the forge and organizing Granny Iya's old tools.
Each hammer had its own purpose.
Each chisel had been carefully maintained.
Even now, he could almost hear her voice.
"A blacksmith who cannot respect his tools will never earn the respect of metal."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"...I still have a long way to go."
Just then...
A loud voice echoed from outside.
"Zion!"
The village chief stood at the entrance of the smithy, leaning on his old wooden cane.
His wrinkled face carried the same gentle smile as always.
"I heard your forge is alive again."
Zion bowed respectfully.
"Chief Rowan."
"I'm feeling much better."
The old man nodded with satisfaction.
"I can see that."
His eyes wandered around the workshop before stopping on the Starsteel case.
For the briefest moment...
Something flickered across his face.
Surprise.
But it disappeared just as quickly.
"So..."
"Captain Roran has already visited you."
Zion blinked.
"You know about Starsteel?"
The old chief chuckled.
"A little."
"I've lived longer than most people on Blue Star."
"I've heard more stories than you'd imagine."
He slowly sat down on a nearby stool.
"Come."
"I think it's time I told you something."
---
Zion quietly sat opposite him.
The old man looked toward the open sky before speaking.
"Blue Star wasn't always this isolated."
Zion frowned.
"It wasn't?"
The chief shook his head.
"Thousands of years ago..."
"Ships from other planets visited regularly."
"They traded."
"They exchanged knowledge."
"They recruited talented youths."
"But over time..."
"The routes became quieter."
"Eventually..."
"They stopped altogether."
Zion listened in silence.
"Why?"
"No one knows for certain."
"Some say the nearby Star Gates collapsed."
"Others believe powerful beasts destroyed the routes."
"There are even those who claim an ancient war changed everything."
The chief smiled.
"But stories become unreliable after enough generations."
---
He pointed toward the sky.
"Do you know why we still have no advanced technology?"
Zion slowly shook his head.
"I've always wondered."
The old man nodded.
"The Galactic Human Alliance has a policy."
"They do not interfere with the natural development of young worlds."
"If a planet cannot produce enough Awakeners to protect advanced technology..."
"That technology becomes a disaster."
Zion thought about it.
If ordinary villagers possessed weapons capable of destroying mountains...
Or machines they couldn't maintain...
Chaos would surely follow.
"It makes sense."
"It does."
"So worlds like Blue Star continue developing naturally."
"The Academy serves as our bridge."
"It discovers talented youths..."
"...and introduces them to the wider universe."
---
The old chief reached into his robe.
He carefully unfolded an old piece of faded cloth.
Inside rested a dull silver bracelet.
Its surface was covered in tiny runes unlike anything Zion had ever seen.
"This..."
"...is called a Nexus Bracelet."
Zion leaned forward curiously.
"It doesn't look special."
The chief laughed.
"Because it has no power left."
"The energy crystal inside dried up decades ago."
He gently ran a finger across its surface.
"When active..."
"It could project maps."
"Store information."
"Translate unknown languages."
"Record battles."
"Send messages across planets."
Zion's eyes widened.
"...A bracelet can do all that?"
"And much more."
"The newest models are said to possess intelligent spirits."
"They assist their owners with cultivation..."
"Monitor injuries..."
"Even manage personal storage spaces."
Zion stared at the lifeless bracelet.
It sounded almost impossible.
The old chief smiled.
"You'll receive one after entering the Academy."
"It will become your closest companion."
---
For several moments...
Neither of them spoke.
Zion looked toward the endless blue sky.
Beyond those clouds...
Countless worlds existed.
People crossed the stars as easily as traveling between villages.
Children his own age wielded unimaginable strength.
Technology and cultivation existed side by side.
Blue Star truly was only a tiny corner of a much greater universe.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed...
He felt excited.
His blood stirred.
His heart beat faster.
"I want to see it."
The old chief smiled knowingly.
"I expected you'd say that."
---
As the old man slowly rose to leave, he stopped at the doorway.
"There is one last piece of advice."
Zion looked up.
"When you reach the Academy..."
"Never underestimate anyone."
"The smiling boy beside you today..."
"...may belong to a lineage older than Blue Star's recorded history."
"The quiet girl reading a book..."
"...may possess enough strength to split a mountain with one finger."
He smiled.
"But remember this as well."
"They all began by taking a single step."
His gaze settled on Zion.
"So don't be intimidated."
"Simply keep walking."
With those final words...
The village chief disappeared down the road.
Zion stood quietly in the doorway.
The evening breeze brushed against his face.
He looked toward the horizon where the sky met the earth.
A few weeks ago...
His greatest dream had been becoming the finest blacksmith on Blue Star.
Now...
That dream had become far too small.
Far beyond the sky...
A universe of endless possibilities was waiting.
And soon...
He would step into it
---
The village gradually settled into silence as evening descended.
One by one, lights flickered to life inside the small houses scattered throughout Blue Star Village.
Smoke curled lazily from chimneys.
Children returned home after a day of playing.
The cheerful laughter that had filled the streets slowly faded into peaceful quiet.
Standing outside the smithy, Zion gazed at the countless stars decorating the night sky.
For as long as he could remember...
He had looked up at those same stars.
But tonight...
They felt different.
Before, they had simply been beautiful lights in the darkness.
Now...
Each one might be another world.
Another civilization.
Another beginning.
"...How many people are looking at this same sky?"
His quiet voice disappeared into the night.
---
A cool breeze swept through the village.
Without warning...
A strange warmth spread from deep within Zion's soul.
He blinked.
"The Veil?"
Closing his eyes, he focused inward.
Within the endless darkness of his Soul Sea, the ancient Veil floated silently.
Unlike before...
Faint silver symbols drifted across its surface.
One after another.
Each symbol appeared for only a heartbeat before vanishing.
They were beautiful.
Ancient.
Completely impossible to understand.
Just as Zion tried to look closer...
One of the symbols suddenly shone brighter.
An ancient voice echoed through his soul.
"Synchronization complete."
"Primary Seal stabilized."
"Awaiting further qualification."
The voice disappeared.
Zion stood frozen.
"...What was that?"
Silence returned.
The symbols faded.
The Veil became motionless once more.
Zion slowly opened his eyes.
His breathing had become uneven.
"...Synchronization?"
He understood nothing.
Yet...
One thing was clear.
The Veil wasn't simply protecting itself.
It was waiting.
Waiting for him to become strong enough.
---
The following morning...
The peaceful atmosphere of the village was shattered.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
The ancient bronze bell at the center of the village rang three times.
Its deep sound echoed across every street.
Doors flew open.
Villagers stepped outside in confusion.
"What happened?"
"Why ring the emergency bell?"
"Did beasts attack?"
Even Zion hurried toward the village square.
Within minutes...
Nearly everyone had gathered.
The village chief stood beside the notice board.
His expression was unusually serious.
Beside him...
Captain Roran folded his arms quietly.
Neither of them spoke immediately.
The silence itself made everyone nervous.
Finally...
The village chief raised his voice.
"A message has arrived from the Azure Star System Academy."
The crowd immediately erupted.
"The Academy?"
"Already?"
"I thought the Selection was still weeks away!"
The chief lifted one hand.
Silence returned.
"The Selection date has not changed."
"However..."
His eyes swept across every young face present.
"The Academy has announced that an Observation Team has already entered Blue Star."
Murmurs spread like wildfire.
"Observation Team?"
"What does that mean?"
Captain Roran stepped forward.
"It means exactly what it sounds like."
"The Academy has already begun evaluating candidates."
"They may be merchants."
"They may be travelers."
"They may be hunters."
"They may even be standing beside you."
A heavy silence descended.
Several villagers instinctively looked around.
One young hunter nervously scratched his head.
"You mean..."
"They've been watching us this whole time?"
Captain Roran nodded.
"They always do."
"They don't only judge talent."
"They judge character."
"They observe how you treat others."
"How you react under pressure."
"What choices you make when no one is watching."
Zion suddenly remembered the group of young Awakeners he had helped in the forest.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"So..."
"That wasn't a coincidence."
Captain Roran noticed the thoughtful look on Zion's face but said nothing.
Instead, he continued,
"From this day onward..."
"Assume every action matters."
The words struck every young Awakener present.
Some immediately straightened their posture.
Others looked visibly nervous.
Only Zion remained calm.
If the Academy had truly been watching...
Then pretending to be someone else would be meaningless.
Granny Iya had always taught him the same lesson.
"Character isn't something you wear."
"It's who you are when no one is looking."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I'll just be myself."
Captain Roran caught that smile.
For the first time...
He gave a barely noticeable nod.
---
Far above Blue Star...
Hidden beyond the atmosphere...
A sleek silver vessel drifted silently through space.
Inside the observation room...
Several figures dressed in silver Academy uniforms watched countless holographic screens.
One screen showed a young noble defeating beasts with overwhelming strength.
Another displayed a girl calmly studying beneath a waterfall.
A third showed Zion standing quietly among the villagers.
One examiner adjusted his glasses.
"Candidate Z-117."
"Potential evaluation?"
The silver-haired woman looked at Zion's projection.
"Combat ability..."
"Average."
"Potential..."
"Outstanding."
Another examiner frowned.
"No elemental affinity has manifested yet."
She nodded.
"Record him for continued observation."
"Yes, Examiner."
The silver vessel silently disappeared into the darkness of space.
_ _ _
Back inside the smithy...
Zion stood before the cracked sword resting against the wall.
His fingers slowly wrapped around the worn hilt.
The blade had carried him through life.
It had survived the Impossible Trial.
Now...
It deserved a second life.
He looked toward the forge.
The flames burned steadily.
A determined smile spread across his face.
"Tomorrow..."
"...we begin again."
As though answering his thoughts...
The cracked blade released an almost imperceptible hum.