Chapter 11: Echoes of Severed Unity
Two months passed.
In that span, the winds of time seemed to carve new edges into Vaibhav and Alicia's resolve.
Under Lin Xuan's unyielding supervision, they trained — day and night — within the quiet storm of the Severed Heaven Pavilion.
The faint hum of spiritual arrays echoed through the valley as both of them clashed, bled, and evolved.
Every strike they threw carried the weight of sleepless nights and bruised persistence.
Their movements now carried rhythm — not the wild flailing of novices, but the tempered grace of martial practitioners.
Vaibhav's stance had become grounded, fluid, his breath syncing with the pulse of the earth itself. His eyes, once uncertain, now gleamed with quiet intensity — the spark of a warrior who had glimpsed the true path.
Alicia, on the other hand, moved like flowing silk. Each motion of her slender frame was precise — her footwork sharp, her strikes refined, her expression unreadable. Her long silver hair flowed behind her like a ribbon of moonlight each time she moved.
They had learned many martial arts and countless survival skills — but more importantly, they were chosen to learn something no one else had ever been taught before.
The Scriptures of Severed Unity.
A mysterious art crafted by Lin Xuan himself — a scripture that defied the laws of attributes and elements.
It was neither bound by fire nor frost, neither light nor shadow.
It resonated directly with the user's consciousness — reflecting their will.
And at its core… it held a dangerous truth — the power to mirror.
Techniques, energies, even the rhythm of an opponent's soul could be copied, replicated, and turned against them.
But only if the wielder's heart remained unshaken.
During these months, Lin Xuan had also forged them spatial watches — sleek black bands inscribed with faint silver runes.
With a flick, the watches projected a glowing holographic map — threads of blue and red light forming the vast expanse of the Nexus Realms.
Safe zones shimmered in green; danger zones pulsed crimson.
Each device could also teleport its wearer across planetary anchors — a safety tether against the unknown.
"These will keep you alive," Lin Xuan said. "The watches can locate every Prime Nexus world, scan fluctuations, and even teleport… but only once per week. Use it wisely."
When their training cycle ended, Lin Xuan stood before them, his long coat swaying under the breeze. His gaze was calm, almost fatherly.
> "First," he said, voice steady, "we have to register you both as Nexus Evolvers."
The trio arrived at a colossal, metallic structure — its surface rippling with golden energy.
Inside, towering holograms flickered with countless names and rankings — the records of those who had dared to evolve under the Nexus' laws.
A mechanical voice greeted them as they stepped before the Evolver Strength Test Machine.
Lin Xuan turned to his students.
> "Don't use your full power. Just forty percent. Understand?"
Vaibhav smirked, rolling his shoulders.
Alicia gave a silent nod, her hand tightening into a fist.
Vaibhav went first — his posture firm, his breath calm.
When his punch landed, the machine roared with energy.
A digital tremor rippled across the hall as a robotic voice echoed:
> "—Strength Points: 43—"
Alicia stepped forward next. Her stance was narrower, her eyes sharp.
She exhaled softly — fwoosh — and her fist shot forward like lightning.
A clear impact resounded, the air shimmering.
> "—Strength Points: 36—"
Observers murmured in surprise. Two unknowns, both registering in the thirties range — that was no small feat.
Their names shimmered onto the Nexus registry as the system accepted them as official Evolvers.
Later, as the evening sun cast amber streaks across the sky, Lin Xuan and Prabhat drove through the quiet roads back toward the Pavilion.
Prabhat leaned back in the passenger seat, arms folded.
> "Master… is it okay to leave Vaibhi and Alicia like that?"
Lin Xuan's expression didn't change.
> "They're not kids anymore. They're adults now."
Prabhat sighed.
> "No, I mean… leaving them with Shin-Chan?"
For the first time, Lin Xuan's lips twitched into something between a smile and a grimace.
> "Yes… that kid is definitely annoying. But he can take care of them."
Prabhat chuckled.
> "But I still can't believe you bowed before Professor Hiroshi and Professor Akari just to make him your disciple."
Lin Xuan's lips curved faintly. "Because I couldn't let such talent go to waste. He would've reached Jovaryn Apotheosis alone— without guidance. He found his Origin Path just seven months after becoming my disciple. His comedic combat style — the Art of Distraction and Deception — is fascinating, even to me. Even I couldn't pull off such feat at that age. And his mimicking ability… it will grow even stronger with the Scriptures of Severed Unity."
Anika's voice chimed from the driver seat, calm yet teasing.
> "That boy is talented, yes. But he's still too annoying."
Lin Xuan smirked.
Anika continued.
> "Darling, don't think you're not talented yourself. If that didn't happen to us—"
She interrupted, folding her arms.
> "By the way, why the hell am I the one driving the car?"
Lin Xuan leaned his head back.
> "Stop calling me darling. And you're driving so that you won't annoy me. Besides, if that didn't happen to us… I wouldn't have my family."
For a moment, silence filled the car — the weight of shared history lingering between them.
Scene Shift — Ignis Prime.
The portal gate shimmered like molten glass, and two figures stepped through.
Vaibhav and Alicia emerged, the light washing over their figures.
Before them stretched the endless crimson fields of Ignis Prime, one of the Six Prime Worlds — alive, fiery, and breathing with Genesis energy. The sky blazed in streaks of orange and gold, and the ground pulsed faintly beneath their boots.
And there — waiting with his hands in his pockets, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips — stood Shinosuke Nohara.
His brown eyes glimmered with mischief, his spiky hair slightly tousled by the wind.
Despite his playful air, there was a faint aura of pressure around him — controlled power, masked behind an easy smile.
> "Yo! Took you two long enough," Shin-Chan said, waving lazily. "I was about to nap again before you finally showed up."
Alicia sighed softly.
Vaibhav chuckled under his breath.
For the first time in months… the air felt lighter.
The three of them stood together under the burning sky of Ignis Prime — unaware that this was the calm before a storm that would shake the very foundations of the Genesis Nexus.