Inside the metal container converted into an interrogation room, a strange tension lingered in the air. Saint 13, draped in his gleaming armor and surrounded by an aura of mystery, maintained his confident tone and perfectly straight posture. He fixed Kenzo with that calm, almost calculating intensity.
Behind the mask, a glint of amusement finally surfaced. A laugh. Muffled, metallic , but genuine.
– « So you know the Fourth Prince Solenyra… That's good. Especially if you're the only one he gave his full name and title to. »
There was nothing mocking in that laughter. It carried an unusual note of relief.
– « A colleague of mine is handling him. Given that he's a prince, within the hour he'll be taken directly to the Royal Academy. I will bring him here at once. »
Kenzo, surprised by the shift in attitude from the man he had imagined cold and distant, tilted his head slightly.
– « You're willing… to help me? »
Saint 13 slowly turned his head toward him, his gaze still hidden behind the steel mask. There was no heavy silence this time—only a pause, charged with meaning.
– « As I told you, I am always pleased to see someone from the outer walls given a chance. And you, lucky boy, happen to know Prince Solenyra. That is not insignificant… So yes. I want you to live. »
He left the room without another word. His metallic footsteps echoed down the corridor, leaving Kenzo alone in the sterile space.
The white walls, bright and oppressive, began to weigh on his mind. The harsh light irritated his tired eyes. But that was not what troubled him most.
The lid.
Yes, the lid. The one on the metal box placed in the corner of the room. That was where Saint 13 had left what Kenzo assumed was the Heart of a Void Creature. He had not taken the tray with him.
And the smell… subtle, but so tempting.
Kenzo clenched his fists. He could not lose control. Not this time. He remembered too clearly what had happened at the end of his first test—when, after biting into the Warden's Heart, he had lost everything. His body. His consciousness. All swallowed by nothingness.
– « I really hope that was just a first-time side effect… » he muttered to himself.
He inhaled deeply, trying to suppress the insidious craving coiling inside him. He needed to distract himself. Do something. Anything.
He closed his eyes, extended his hand before him, and focused.
A translucent sphere slowly formed, summoned by his will—his Orb of Revelation. Until now, it had always seemed empty. But this time… something had changed.
Two lights revolved at its center. One pure white, radiant. The other deep violet, dark as endless night. Their slow orbit formed a strange, almost unsettling balance.
– « That must be my Awakened Prana… and my Corrupted Prana, » he thought, fascinated. « I'll need to avoid summoning this in front of people… »
Driven by curiosity, he reached out and touched the orb. A surge coursed through his entire body. He closed his eyes.
And then he saw it.
His status.
Here is your current Status:
Name: Kenzo
Rank: Unconscious
Physical Awakening: [Serpent+]
Awakened Prana: [2/800]
Heart: Awakened
Corrupted Prana: [6/1000]
Power: None, please ingest a Power
Blessing: [Touched by the Unique], [The Last Born]Gift: Chimera+
A shiver ran through him.
It felt so intuitive. No need to wait for another test. He finally had a glimpse of his potential.
The orb dissolved between his fingers, fading into the air.
The metallic sound of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. Saint 13 was returning. And he was not alone.
Behind him walked a young man with sun-kissed skin and curly black hair, dressed in immaculate white garments. A bright smile lit his face as he stepped quickly toward Kenzo.
Kenzo's eyes widened.
– « You've got to be kidding me… Is it just me, or did he grow again? »
Since the end of the first test, Kenzo himself had grown, now standing at 1.78 meters. But Yareth had already been around 1.80 before the test. Now he looked closer to 1.85, effortlessly. Almost as tall as Saint 13, armor aside.
– « Kenzo! I knew you would succeed… I'm glad to see you, my friend. »
Those words. Those simple words struck him directly in the chest.
No one had ever welcomed him like that. No one, except perhaps his mother, had ever truly been glad to see him. Even though he considered Yareth and William close companions, this was the first time someone had openly declared it.
My friend.
He lowered his head, hiding a faint smile.
– « Believe me, it was anything but pleasant… Next time, warn me about what's waiting on the other side. But… I'm glad to see you alive too. »
Yareth's golden eyes seemed to glow at those words.
– « Lord Saint 13 explained your situation. Don't worry, I'll handle everything. But you'll need to follow me now. »
– « Huh? Follow you? Where? »
– « To the Royal Academy. I don't know if you're aware, but if we don't participate in the second test within four years… we die. The Academy prepares us for it. And you'll learn a great deal there. »
The idea felt unreal. An academy? What kind of place could that be?
Saint 13 stepped forward.
– « Awakened Kenzo. There are several academies in the world that allow the Awakened to prepare for the second test. Unfortunately, for those from the outer walls, tuition, equipment, even daily life costs are far too high. It took me three years before I could attempt my second test. And that was not due to a lack of talent. »
He paused, his tone more deliberate.
– « You have the fortune of someone willing to support you. Seize it. »
A chill ran down Kenzo's spine. Coming from Saint 13, those words carried weight. He did not want to waste this opportunity.
But he was not naïve. Nothing in this world was free.
He turned toward Yareth, narrowing his eyes.
– « Yareth… tell me. What do you want in return? »
The prince let out a light laugh.
– « Haha… still sharp, aren't you? It's going to be a complicated task, and I'll need reliable allies to accomplish it. I can't tell you everything yet… but you'll always have a choice. I won't force you. »
Two debts.
Kenzo knew it. He now owed Yareth twice. The first time, for saving him during the kidnapping, when the driver had tried to strangle him. The second… for this new chance. This open door to the Royal Academy.
A reunion, yes.
But more than that…
The beginning of future troubles.