"Stand up, young one," said the old man sitting, his eyes closed, yet they seemed to see through everything in the world.
Dante's body trembled slightly before he rose quickly, remaining completely silent.
The tall man standing glanced calmly at Tyler before advancing and grabbing him by the collar.
"This brat?! This kid is the one you chose?! I do not accept it! I do not accept it! My granddaughter Viviane is still too young!" he shouted.
As he shook Tyler, the old man did nothing, merely watching him with a sigh.
"Little Tu, calm yourself," said the elder, still seated.
Then, calmly, the old man stood. His eyes opened, and a storm appeared in the small space: thunder, hurricanes, and tsunamis seemed to form around them, disappearing the instant they appeared.
Dante could feel it — his voice vanished, and a sheer terror gripped him for a fraction of a second.
Clack.
A snap echoed as the old man straightened. Dante blinked — and he was already standing before him, staring.
His index finger lightly touched Dante's forehead, and all of the young man's information was revealed.
His mind was inconsistent, confused, fragmented: scattered memories, a distorted view of the world and powers, his age, name, and perception of people.
"You…"
"You are almost like a robot," said the old man calmly.
"Your mind is fragmented and confused. You only follow what you feel or think is right."
"This is… very curious," the old man continued, returning to his original position.
Tu Sheng and Tyler's gazes turned toward him, curious about the interaction with the ancient ancestor.
"Everyone knows me as Ancestor Hai. I am the leader of the sixth generation," said the old man, introducing himself.
"Hum, hum."
The tall man coughed twice before speaking:
"My name is Tu Sheng. However, you must call me Great Master. I am the leader of the seventh generation."
"Greetings, Ancestor Hai. Greetings, Great Master."
Dante greeted them, imitating the old Tyler.
"Little Ty, tell me the reason for your visit. No beating around the bush," said the old man, looking at Tyler.
"Yes, Ancestor. I came so that Dante could pass through the final phase of mana initialization: the nourishment of mana."
The old man raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
"Tyler, it wasn't necessary for you to come all the way here for this," commented the ancestor, curious.
"Yes, but I believe Dante has the capacity to enter the Forbidden Realm of Battle, and for that, I wish for him to undertake a hunt to the death."
Tu Sheng's eyes widened slightly, but the ancestor seemed unfazed.
"Are you sure? This is an extremely risky path. It has level benefits, but the chances of victory are low. Moreover, the Forbidden Realm might not be ideal for Dante."
"I understand, Ancestor, but Dante has memories of a previous martial art. Furthermore, as the future leader of the village, entering the Forbidden Realm will be a unique experience."
While they spoke, Dante felt confused. What was this Forbidden Realm of Battle? He had no idea, yet a feeling of anxiety and excitement quietly grew inside him.
"Brat, what do you think?" Tu Sheng's voice cut through the air, reaching Dante.
"I… honestly don't know what it is," the young man replied.
"Something dangerous, but primordial for your cultivation," the ancestor explained.
Suddenly, the ancestor stopped speaking to Tyler and faced Dante.
"Young one, the Forbidden Realm is reached by killing a superior-level being. This brings an essential benefit to cultivation: besides a title granted by the heavens, you will be able to perform dual mana initialization, creating a more stable and robust foundation.
The danger is evident. You will have to kill a level 1 beast, using only your strength, with no external help. And then… do you wish for this?"
Dante paused for a few seconds, but without acting foolishly, he replied:
"Yes. I wish for it."