He stayed with Sandy for quite some time until Sandy’s father called him back to do his chores.
The noise, laughter and the casual complaints- all of it slowly faded away as Sandy left.
Silence returned under the mango tree.
Rex remained seated under the tree without moving.
The wind passed gently through the leaves above him, casting shifting shadows across his face, but his expression… had already changed.
The warmth from before was gone replaced by bone-chilling coldness.
He lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes turning sharp and distant.
“The fake reputation that you gathered in society…” His voice was low and calm, but beneath that calmness, something violent was surging.
“I will trample it under my feet.” His fingers slowly clenched.
“I will make you… beg.” A faint tremor ran through his arm.
“Beg my father… to save your family from humiliation.” His breathing deepened.
“The amount of humiliation my mother suffered in that house…” His nails dug into his palm, “I will return it… a hundredfold.” A thin line of blood began to flow from his hand, dripping down slowly onto the ground.
But Rex didn’t react.
No pain was visible on his face.
Only a burning rage that refused to fade.
“This is my promise to you…” His voice dropped further.
“…made with blood.” The drops fell one by one into the soil.
He slowly lifted his gaze towards the sandbox.
Inside the Sandbox, under the blazing sky, beside a long and flowing river, a young man stood with his body covered in sweat.
His breathing was heavy and muscles trembled slightly from time to time.
Despite this, his eyes… remained sharp.
Amal.
At the age of fifteen, he had already reached the human limit of this world.
His physique had been tempered through relentless training.
His mind sharpened through strategy and command.
And his will… forged through pain.
Scars covered parts of his body- each one a mark of his growth.
Each one… proof of survival.
Not far from him, sitting on a massive boulder, was Saffa.
Silently watching with eyes fixed on him, like always.
For Rex, it had only been a short conversation with Sandy.
But within the sandbox- Ten years had passed.
Ten years of training, discipline, breaking and rebuilding.
Amal exhaled deeply as he completed his final set of training.
Before he could rest- “SIT.” Saffa’s deep voice rang out.
Amal immediately obeyed.
He sat down on the ground, his posture straight despite exhaustion.
Saffa looked at him.
His gaze indifferent as always, but this time deeper within him… there was recognition.
Recognition of his efforts under his teaching.
“You have reached the human limit of this world.” Amal remained silent.
“This concludes the task assigned to me by the Great One.” There was a brief silence.
“Soon… I will return.
When the Great One opens the path, it will be my cue to return.” Those words struck harder than any training.
Amal’s body stiffened slightly.
He knew this day would come from the very beginning.
But knowing it… and facing it… Were two different things.
“…I understand,” Amal said quietly.
But his voice… carried something else.
Saffa stood up slowly from the boulder.
His presence alone made the air feel heavier.
“You are now capable of leading humanity toward its destined path.” Amal clenched his fists slightly.
“…Am I truly ready?” Saffa’s expression didn’t change.
“You being ready… is irrelevant.” “You were never meant to depend on me.” His voice remained emotionless.
“I was never your teacher.” “I am merely a servant… executing the will of the Great One.” Amal lowered his head slightly.
His eyes shadowed.
“…Then answer me one thing.” Saffa didn’t respond.
But he didn’t stop him either.
“…Will I ever be able to walk the same path as you?” “To reach that level…to reach the supreme level.” “To surpass humanity itself?” For the first time- Saffa paused.
A brief silence followed.
Then- “You will walk your own path.” His tone was firm.
“You must break the human limit first… with your own strength.” “Not through external power.” A faint wind passed between them.
“As for the supreme stage…” Saffa looked toward the sky.
“…even I have not reached it yet.” Amal’s eyes widened slightly, disbelief clear on his face.
“I have only stepped into the first stage of potential and still looking to improve.” “And you…” He looked back at Amal.
“…have yet to reach even that.” The words were harsh but true.
Saffa turned away.
“…As someone who has trained you for ten years…” He stopped walking, “…I will give you one final piece of advice.” Amal raised his head.
“Never extend your hand…” Saffa’s voice lowered slightly.
“…toward something that still exists beyond reality.
Your grandfather, King Aren, was punished with his entire land for this same mistake.
Don’t repeat that.” In the novel, he was the saiyan ancestor, the mighty being who challenged the essence of potential itself and went beyond what others could comprehend.
His words were not said lightly.
He once forged a path for his entire race.
A deep silence followed.
Amal didn’t fully understand what he meant.
But he knew- Those words… would stay with him forever, probably the final advice from his teacher.
The next day- Saffa stood at the place where he first descended.
The platform, now known across the land as- ‘The Platform of Heaven’s Mercy’.
What was once an empty ground… had now become sacred.
An altar was built there.
The Great One’s Statue, Rex’s statue was the tallest, raised in a dignified posture.
On his right stood the statue of Saffa, looking like his strongest warrior.
The statue was perfect beyond words.
Offerings placed at the foot of the statue.
People gathered from across the empire.
Saffa sat at the center still and unmoving.
Outside the sandbox, Rex saw everything and when he saw that Saffa had sat down at the exact same place where he first descended, he understood that he was ready to return.
“Alice, start voice transmission and open the path to bring Saffa back.” Inside the sandbox, the sky suddenly darkened.
Clouds gathered and the atmosphere grew heavy.
And then- A beam of golden light pierced through the heavens, descending directly onto the platform.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
A golden staircase- Slowly formed and descended, each step radiating divine brilliance.
The air trembled, and then- A voice echoed across the entire world.
“Saffa…” Rex’s voice.
“Your mission in the lower world has been fulfilled.” The ground shook slightly.
“You may ascend…” “…and return to my side.” The moment those words fell- The entire world went silent.
Saffa opened his eyes and looked at the staircase.
He rose to his feet and looked at the golden staircase.
No hesitation and doubt could be seen on his face.
He stepped forward.
But a hand grabbed him from behind.
“…Don’t go.” Saffa stopped.
Behind him was Amal.
His eyes were red; tears flowed uncontrollably.
“…Do you really have to leave?” His voice trembled.
“…Can’t you stay?
Just a little longer…” “Or… forever…” Saffa slowly turned his expressionless face, just like when he first descended.
“Mortals…” His voice cold as ever.
“…should remain within their boundaries.” The words cut deeper than swords.
But he didn’t pull his hand away immediately.
For a brief moment- He looked at Amal.
And then- He freed himself without force, and stepped onto the golden staircase.
Below- The entire empire along with their king Archon looked with wide eyes.
Everyone kneeled with their heads lowered in respect, fear and reverence.
Amal stood still without kneeling.
Just watching silently, as his teacher of 10 years ascended.
His tears falling endlessly like a river stream.
Saffa continued ascending step by step.
With every step- His body grew larger.
His presence expanded.
Until- He was as tall as mountains.
Then- suddenly he turned into a golden light and disappeared.
His body dissolved into golden the brilliance mixing with the golden staircase.
The staircase remained for a few seconds even after disappearance.
Then slowly faded away.
Leaving behind a silent land.
That day- Was recorded in history.
And would later be celebrated across the land.
As- The Day of Ascension.
In the real world- A golden light appeared before Rex.
From within it- Saffa emerged.
Back to his original form and size.
But something was different.
For the first time- In ten years- Saffa smiled faintly.
He knelt down immediately.
“Your servant… Saffa…” His voice carried a hint of emotion.
“…has returned after completing his mission.” Rex looked at him quietly.
He noticed it, that subtle change.
“…You’ve changed,” Rex said.
Saffa lowered his head slightly.
“…Perhaps.” A brief pause.
“Spending time among mortals…” “…has no meaning.” But his tone- Contradicted his words.
Rex didn’t press further.
Instead- He smiled faintly.
“We both are mortals as well….” after a pause, he said, “at least for now.” Saffa was a little stunned but realized.
He turned his gaze slightly toward the invisible world.
“Because this…” His eyes narrowed.
“…is only the beginning.”