Chapter 19 – Unknown
Zane stood in the center of the room, the purple mist still coiling around him like a living entity, yet his mind was far away from the chaos it had just caused. Notifications flickered in his vision—messages from the system—but he ignored them.
His focus was solely on the overwhelming sensation that surged through his veins.
The feeling was indescribable. It wasn't just strength—it was liberation. His muscles throbbed in rhythm with the flow of energy coursing through him, as if the very blood in his body had been replaced with liquid fire. His bones no longer felt like brittle cages—they were steel now, or something even stronger. Each breath brought clarity, each movement sparked something dormant inside him.
It was as if every part of him that had ever been restricted, suffocated, or held back was suddenly… free.
'I didn't know life could feel like this,' he thought in silent awe. 'It's like my body was never mine until now.'
He had heard stories about Core Energy before. Tales of men and women ascending to greatness, of impossible feats achieved by those lucky enough to awaken. But he'd always assumed they were exaggerations. Half-truths twisted by pride and the thirst for glory. Now, though… now he knew they were true. If anything, they hadn't done it justice.
Zane clenched his fists slowly, watching as the purple mist pulsed and shimmered around his arms like a protective shell.
'So this is Core Energy. No wonder it's feared. No wonder it's worshiped.'
Fiora stood off to the side, brushing dust off her uniform with shaky hands, her gaze locked warily on the boy who should've been lying unconscious—or dead—just moments ago. There was a deep furrow between her brows, and her body remained tense, coiled like a spring. Her instincts screamed danger, even if her mind tried to rationalize it.
"Doc," she said tightly, not taking her eyes off Zane. "What is happening here? I want an answer. Now."
The doctor, still visibly shaken, pushed his cracked glasses up his nose and nodded. "I… I wish I could give you one." He glanced at Zane, and even though the boy wasn't looking at him, the man still flinched. "His core was completely dormant. I monitored it closely. There was no sign of awakening even after two full minutes. And then—" he swallowed hard, "—it just erupted. No warning. No gradual build-up. Just… boom."
He spread his hands in a helpless gesture, but they trembled too much to make it convincing. The shock from the hit still coursed through his body, rattling his bones.
"Assess his talent," Fiora ordered. "I want to know what kind of potential we're dealing with."
The doctor nodded again, perhaps a bit too quickly. "Y-yes, right away." His voice cracked from the strain.
Even as she gave the command, Fiora's own thoughts were in turmoil. 'Talent? What kind of talent manifests like this? Even the highest ranks… even the S-Talents don't do this. There's no record of something like this happening. So what is he?'
The doctor stepped forward hesitantly, standing just a foot or two from Zane. He cleared his throat and did his best to sound professional. "I'm going to place my hand on your chest," he said, forcing a small smile. "This is a standard procedure. It allows me to sense the color and density of your core. That's how we determine your talent ranking."
Zane's head tilted slightly, his crimson eyes gleaming with a strange calm. "You need to touch me to assess it?"
"Yes. Don't worry—it's painless. At least… it's supposed to be."
Zane nodded once. "Very well."
The doctor reached out slowly, sweat beading on his forehead. Even from a distance, he could feel the oppressive presence of Core Energy radiating from the boy. It was like standing beside an open furnace—one that growled with the promise of destruction.
Still, he pressed on.
His palm touched Zane's chest.
And then he screamed.
"AAAGHH!!"
The doctor stumbled back violently, his hand jerking away as if it had been scorched. He collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony, clutching his palm like it had been dipped in molten steel.
"Doctor!" Fiora rushed to him, kneeling beside him with wide eyes. "What happened?!"
"My hand—agh—it burned!" he cried, teeth clenched in pain.
She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand toward her. Her eyes widened in disbelief. The center of his palm was a raw, blistering red—an angry burn that looked fresh and vicious.
"What in the God's name…" she breathed.
Her heart was hammering now, cold dread creeping up her spine. This wasn't just power—this was something else. Something entirely beyond her understanding.
She looked up slowly, her gaze settling on Zane once more.
He hadn't moved. Not an inch. The purple aura still danced around him, thick and alive, like smoke from another world. His eyes met hers, and for the first time in years, Fiora felt her body instinctively brace itself—not from duty, but from fear.
"Hey, kid…" she called softly, the words heavy in her throat. "Who are you, really?"
Zane blinked. "Who am I?"
"Yes." She swallowed. "You're not normal. Not even close. I've seen all kinds of awakenings. This… this isn't one of them. So I'll ask again. What are you? It is in your best interest to give me a clear answer. Now."
Zane studied her for a moment, his gaze piercing and unreadable. Then, a faint smirk tugged at the edge of his lips.
"Don't you think that's a dumb question?"
She flinched slightly, taken aback.
"I am who I am. You know my name. You know where I come from. Introducing myself again won't change anything." His voice was calm, but there was a coldness in it that hadn't been there before.
The doctor, still clutching his hand, looked up in despair. "Miss Fiora… I can't assess his talent. I physically can't. His energy burned me the moment I touched him! I felt a shock run through my entire body! As if I touched electricity!"
Fiora glanced at him, then back at Zane. Her breath caught in her throat.
It wasn't just that his energy was overwhelming. It was pure. Far too pure. She had felt it the moment the explosion occurred—the refined, flaw-free quality of the Core Energy emanating from his body.
"His energy…" she murmured aloud, almost to herself. "It's too clean. There's no corruption, no instability. It's… perfect."
Perfect. A word she never thought she'd use to describe a human core.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Not a soul in the room dared to speak. Even the guards who had rushed to restrain Zane moments earlier now stood frozen, unsure if they were looking at a person… or something else entirely.
Fiora's mind raced.
'I was going to keep this to myself. I thought I could delay the report, bury the details… But this… this is bigger than I imagined. If anyone else finds out—if they find out—he'll be captured. Studied. Dissected like a lab rat.'
She looked at Zane again, at the strange calmness in his eyes. That otherworldly aura. The sheer presence he commanded.
'No one would spare him. Not the factions. Not the Central Cathedral. A being with energy beyond S-Rank? They'll never let him live free. Not a chance in hell.' She clenched her teeth.
And for the first time since she'd joined the Delegation Division, Fiora hesitated.
What she chose to do next might very well decide Zane's future. Whether he would walk out of this room with a chance at freedom… or become a secret that never saw the light of day.
And somehow, in that moment of silence, they both knew it.