The ancient chamber trembled.
Dust fell from the ceiling as several deep impacts echoed through the underground passage.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Aether stood beside the lake, his expression calm.
But his senses were different now.
After reaching Origin Awakening — Stage 2, the Origin Energy surrounding him felt much clearer. He could sense the faint fluctuations traveling through the walls.
Something was approaching.
Not one creature.
Several.
Nyx moved closer to Aether, her golden eyes fixed on the entrance.
Lyra summoned faint sparks of lightning around her fingers.
"How many?"
Aether closed his eyes for a moment and focused on the energy signatures.
"Seven."
The Guardian nodded.
"Six are approaching through the passage."
Aether opened his eyes.
"And the seventh?"
The Guardian's golden eyes shifted toward the ceiling.
"Already inside."
Aether's expression changed slightly.
He looked upward.
Nothing was there.
Then a calm woman's voice came from above.
"Good."
A figure stepped out of the darkness and landed silently on a stone platform.
She wore a dark cloak that moved slightly in the cold air. Long silver hair fell over her shoulders, and her pale gray eyes immediately settled on Aether.
The system activated.
[Origin Analysis activated.]
[Target detected.]
[Species: Human]
[Origin Cultivation: Unable to determine.]
[Ability: Unknown]
[Physique: Unknown]
[Potential: Unknown]
[Warning: Target is actively suppressing information.]
Aether's gaze sharpened.
The woman smiled faintly.
"So you're Aether Draven."
Aether didn't answer.
Instead, he asked,
"Who are you?"
The woman smiled.
"You don't need to know."
"Then you don't need to know my name."
The woman's smile disappeared.
Lyra almost smiled.
Nyx gave a quiet growl.
The woman looked toward Nyx.
"There it is."
Her eyes became noticeably more interested.
"The Origin Beast."
Before Aether could respond, the entrance exploded inward.
Six figures walked through the dust.
All of them wore dark gray armor with silver markings.
Aether immediately counted them.
Six.
Combined with the woman above—
Seven.
The Guardian had been right.
The first cultivator carried a massive axe.
The second held a long spear.
The third had two curved blades.
The remaining three carried different weapons.
Aether's Origin Analysis activated again.
[Target detected.]
[Species: Human]
[Origin Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 5]
[Ability: Steel Manipulation]
[Potential: B]
[Threat Level: Moderate]
His gaze shifted.
[Origin Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 4]
[Ability: Wind Manipulation]
[Potential: B]
[Threat Level: Moderate]
Another.
[Origin Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 6]
[Ability: Beast Strength]
[Potential: A]
[Threat Level: High]
The remaining three were weaker.
Stage 3.
Stage 4.
Stage 5.
Aether looked back at the silver-haired woman.
She was still standing above them.
She wasn't part of the six.
She was clearly their leader—or at least the strongest presence among them.
The Guardian's voice echoed through the chamber.
"Leave."
The woman looked toward the enormous creature.
"You are still protecting him?"
"I protect this Origin Zone."
"No."
Her gaze returned to Aether.
"You protect him."
The Guardian's golden eyes narrowed.
The woman raised one hand.
A strange black mark appeared on her palm.
The ancient symbols around the chamber immediately began flickering.
Aether felt the Origin Energy beneath his feet change.
His expression hardened.
"You're interfering with the Origin Zone."
"Correct."
"Why?"
"Because this place has been sealed for centuries."
She looked toward the glowing lake.
"And now the seal has begun opening."
Aether glanced at the Guardian.
The creature remained silent.
That silence told Aether enough.
There was information the Guardian hadn't told him.
The woman noticed his expression.
"You've realized it."
Aether looked back at her.
"You know something about this place."
"I know more than you."
She raised her hand again.
The six armored cultivators immediately spread out.
Lyra stepped beside Aether.
"Looks like they're not here to talk."
Aether tightened his grip around his weapon.
"No."
His eyes moved across the chamber.
"They're here to take something."
The woman's gaze shifted toward Nyx.
"Not something."
"Someone."
Nyx's golden eyes narrowed.
The woman suddenly moved.
She appeared beside Nyx almost instantly.
Aether reacted.
His body moved before he could think.
He stepped between them.
Clang!
A black blade appeared in the woman's hand.
Aether blocked it with his metal rod.
The impact forced him backward several meters.
His feet carved lines across the stone floor.
Aether looked down at his weapon.
A thin crack had appeared across the metal.
The woman's expression changed slightly.
"Stage 2."
She looked at him with renewed interest.
"And you blocked that?"
Aether didn't answer.
His Origin Adaptation reacted.
[Origin Adaptation responding to unknown energy.]
[Adaptation Progress: 11% → 12%]
Aether felt the unfamiliar energy entering his body through the impact.
His physique began analyzing it.
He smiled faintly.
"Thanks."
The woman frowned.
"For what?"
Aether raised his weapon.
"Information."
He had learned three things.
She was extremely fast.
Her weapon contained a strange energy.
And her attacks weren't designed to kill him.
They were designed to test him.
Aether looked toward the six cultivators.
"Lyra."
"I'm ready."
"Stay near Nyx."
Lyra nodded.
The first attacker charged.
The Stage 5 Steel Manipulator raised his hand.
Every piece of metal inside the chamber began shaking.
Aether immediately understood.
He wasn't controlling his weapon.
He was controlling the environment.
Metal fragments shot toward Aether from every direction.
Aether stepped forward.
One.
Two.
Three.
He avoided the first wave.
The fourth fragment passed beside his cheek.
The fifth was caught by his hand.
Aether turned it around.
Then threw it.
The metal fragment struck the attacker's shoulder.
The man staggered.
Aether followed.
He crossed the distance before the man could react.
Bang!
Aether struck him directly in the chest.
The cultivator flew backward and crashed into the wall.
[+8 Origin Points]
[Origin Points: 120/150]
Aether glanced at the system.
"Good."
A second attacker appeared behind him.
Lyra's lightning struck first.
Crack!
The attacker was thrown sideways.
Lyra stood between him and Nyx.
"You're not getting past me."
Lightning gathered around her arm.
The attacker stared at her.
"She's only Stage 1."
Lyra smiled.
"That doesn't mean I'm weak."
A bolt of lightning exploded across the chamber.
Meanwhile, Aether faced the Stage 6 cultivator.
The man's body expanded.
Muscles grew beneath his armor.
His eyes turned crimson.
[Ability detected: Beast Strength.]
[Physique detected: Savage Beast Physique.]
He charged.
Aether raised his metal rod.
The fist collided with it.
Boom!
Aether was pushed backward.
His arms trembled.
The man was physically stronger.
Aether immediately adjusted his stance.
The second punch came.
Aether moved sideways.
The fist missed.
Aether struck the man's ribs.
The attack barely moved him.
"Too durable."
The man grinned.
"Now you understand the difference between Stage 2 and Stage 6."
Aether looked at him calmly.
"Actually..."
He stepped forward.
"...I understand your weakness."
The man's smile vanished.
Aether had noticed something.
Every time the man strengthened his body, his Origin Energy concentrated around his chest.
Aether waited.
The man attacked again.
Aether dodged.
The next strike.
He dodged again.
The third.
Aether stepped inside his range.
His metal rod struck the exact point beneath the man's ribs.
The man's body suddenly froze.
His Origin Energy circulation broke.
Aether struck again.
Boom!
The Stage 6 cultivator collapsed.
[+15 Origin Points]
[Origin Points: 135/150]
The silver-haired woman watched silently.
Her eyes narrowed.
Aether turned toward her.
"You've been watching the whole time."
She didn't deny it.
"I wanted to see what kind of person the Origin Heir was."
"And?"
She smiled.
"I haven't decided yet."
The Guardian suddenly roared.
The entire chamber shook.
"Enough!"
Golden energy erupted from its body.
The six cultivators were instantly forced backward.
Even the silver-haired woman took several steps back.
The Guardian's enormous body moved between Aether and the intruders.
"You have violated the Origin Zone."
The woman looked at it.
"And you have awakened the Origin Heir."
The Guardian's expression became cold.
"Leave."
She stared at Aether one last time.
"We'll meet again."
Aether watched her carefully.
"You still haven't told me your name."
The woman smiled.
"You'll learn it soon enough."
A black spatial gate appeared behind her.
Before stepping through, she looked at Nyx.
Then at Aether.
"The next time we meet, I won't be testing you."
The gate closed.
The six remaining cultivators disappeared with her.
The chamber finally became quiet.
Aether looked at the empty space where they had vanished.
Lyra walked toward him.
"That went well."
Aether looked at the cracked metal rod in his hand.
"Define well."
Lyra laughed softly.
At that moment, the system appeared again.
[Battle analysis complete.]
[Origin Adaptation: 12%]
[Origin Points: 135/150]
[Next Breakthrough Requirement: 150]
Aether stared at the number.
"Only fifteen more."
The Guardian looked toward the sealed entrance.
"Do not become careless."
Aether turned toward it.
"Because they'll come back?"
"No."
The Guardian's voice became unusually serious.
"Because they were not the only ones who noticed your breakthrough."
Aether's expression hardened.
The Guardian looked toward the ceiling.
"Something else has awakened."
Deep beneath the chamber—
something opened its eyes.
And this time, even the Guardian felt fear.