The teacher stood before the classroom, waiting until everyone had settled down.
Teacher:
“Now that you understand the two objectives of this semester, there is one more thing you need to know.”
The students listened.
Teacher:
“You will form groups of three people and work together for the remainder of the semester.”
A few students immediately began looking around the classroom.
Teacher:
“The purpose is to learn from one another, perform experiments, and discover new ways to develop your Soul Grimoires and Soul Weapons.”
He continued.
Teacher:
“You will also be allowed to choose your own club name and use an available club room for your work.”
The moment the teacher finished speaking, almost everyone looked toward Nihil.
Several students were already preparing to ask him to join their group.
But before anyone could say a word—
Seraphina:
“Nihil!”
Mimi:
“Master!”
The two girls rushed toward him.
They reached Nihil before anyone else could.
Seraphina:
“Nihil, team up with us!”
Mimi immediately nodded.
Mimi:
“Yes!
I don’t want you to team up with anyone else for the entire remaining semester!”
Nihil looked at both of them.
He smiled.
Nihil:
“Yes.”
The two girls immediately looked happy.
Behind them, one student clicked his tongue.
Student:
“Tch.
Those girls again.”
He crossed his arms.
Student:
“Why can’t they leave him alone?
It’s like he’s a baby who can’t live without them.”
Nihil ignored the comment.
He looked toward Seraphina and Mimi.
Nihil:
“So, let’s start working.”
He thought for a moment.
Nihil:
“We’ll take a room on the west side.”
Mimi looked confused.
Mimi:
“Master, but that side is empty.”
She tilted her head.
Mimi:
“Why there?”
Nihil smiled.
Nihil:
“That’s the reason.”
Mimi and Seraphina looked at him.
Nihil:
“Crafting the book is easy.
I can probably craft mine in one day.”
Mimi’s eyes widened.
Nihil:
“And while you two were taking all that time deciding what to do, I performed some other experiments as well.”
Seraphina stared at him for a moment.
Then she sighed.
Seraphina:
“At this point, I’m not surprised.”
She shook her head.
Seraphina:
“Even if you told me you had already crafted it, I would have believed you.”
Nihil simply smiled.
The three of them gathered their belongings and began walking toward the western side of the Academy.
THE UTOPIANS
The western side of the Academy was almost completely abandoned.
Unlike the central parts of the school, there were barely any students there.
The corridors were quiet, and most of the rooms had remained unused for years.
Eventually, Nihil stopped in front of a large door.
He opened it.
Nihil:
“Here.”
Seraphina and Mimi entered the room.
It was spacious and completely empty, making it perfect for experiments.
Mimi looked around.
Then she suddenly turned toward Nihil.
Mimi:
“Now we need a name for our club!”
Nihil looked at her.
Mimi:
“Master, you choose.”
Nihil shook his head.
Nihil:
“Names mean nothing to me.”
He looked around the room.
Nihil:
“You can choose if you want.
I’m good without one.”
Seraphina smiled.
Seraphina:
“Then it’s going to be something cool.”
Mimi immediately began thinking.
After a few moments, she raised her head.
Mimi:
“Then what about…”
She smiled.
Mimi:
“Harbingers of Dawn?”
Seraphina considered the name.
Seraphina:
“I like ‘Harbingers.'”
She paused.
Seraphina:
“But Dawn is the title of the hero Nihil defeated.”
Mimi nodded.
She thought again.
Then her face brightened.
Mimi:
“Then what about Harbingers of Utopia?”
She smiled proudly.
Mimi:
“Or…
Utopians.”
Seraphina’s eyes lit up.
Seraphina:
“Yes!
Yes, I like it!”
She looked toward Nihil.
Seraphina:
“That’s final.
From today, the three of us are the Utopians.”
Seraphina turned toward Nihil.
Seraphina:
“Do you like it, Nihil?”
Nihil nodded.
Nihil:
“Yes.
That’s good.”
The name was decided.
The Utopians.
Their club had officially begun.
NIHIL’S SOUL GRIMOIRE
The moment the name was decided, Nihil began gathering materials.
Mimi watched him curiously.
He placed several unusual materials on the table.
Mimi stared at them one after another.
Mimi:
“What are you doing, Master?”
She pointed toward the first material.
Mimi:
“Are those dragon wings?”
Then she noticed another material.
Mimi:
“Is that really Elven hair?”
She pointed again.
Mimi:
“And is that beast skin?”
Her eyes eventually landed on a knife.
Mimi:
“And what’s up with the knife?”
Nihil didn’t answer immediately.
He had already arranged the materials.
He carefully prepared them before beginning the creation process.
Then he used the knife to make a small cut across his palm.
A few drops of blood fell onto the gathered materials.
He then began channeling his LE into them.
The materials started responding.
A faint light spread across the table.
The energy gathered together, weaving the different materials into a single form.
Within mere seconds, a book appeared.
It was beautiful.
Its cover possessed an intricate design, and its pages were filled with extraordinarily precise handwriting.
The three stared at it.
Nihil picked up the newly created book.
This was his Soul Grimoire.
Its name was—
EXISTENCE
The book contained knowledge concerning the systems that existed throughout the world.
And the moment it was completed…
Something changed.
Across the entire Academy, the air suddenly became tense.
Students stopped what they were doing.
Teachers paused in the middle of their work.
For a brief moment, the entire Academy seemed to feel something that none of them could explain.
Yet no one understood what had happened.
No one knew what had just been created.
Inside the club room, Seraphina and Mimi simply stood there, staring at Nihil’s Soul Grimoire.
Mimi remained silent for several seconds.
Then she finally spoke.
Mimi:
“Master…”
Nihil looked toward her.
Mimi:
“You already crafted a book?”
She stared at it.
Mimi:
“And it’s that beautiful?”
Her expression was filled with disbelief.
Mimi:
“I’ve never seen anything like this.”
She looked at the book again.
Mimi:
“I can guarantee that even in the future, I’ll probably never see a book as beautiful as this one.”
She looked at the pages.
Then her expression suddenly changed.
Seraphina:
“Wait.”
Nihil looked at her.
Seraphina:
“It mentions Horin as well.”
Her eyes widened with curiosity.
Seraphina:
“Let me read it.”
Before she could take the book, Nihil calmly moved it away.
Nihil:
“Don’t you want to create your own?”
Seraphina stopped.
Nihil looked between both girls.
Nihil:
“Do it faster.”
He smiled.
Nihil:
“Otherwise, we’ll have to craft the Soul Weapons as well.”
Mimi immediately nodded.
Mimi:
“Yes!”
Seraphina nodded as well.
Seraphina:
“Yes.
We’ll try as fast as we can.”
The two girls immediately began gathering their own materials.
Nihil watched them with a small smile.
The Utopians had officially begun their first experiment.
And while Seraphina and Mimi struggled to create their Soul Grimoires…
Nihil had already moved on to what came next.
Seraphina and Mimi immediately began gathering materials for their own Soul Grimoires.
The club room became filled with books, materials, notes, and magical diagrams.
Mimi carefully arranged several pieces of material across the table.
Mimi:
“This one goes here…”
She paused.
Mimi:
“No…
maybe here.”
Seraphina looked over.
Seraphina:
“You’re doing it wrong.”
Mimi:
“How do you know?”
Seraphina:
“Because I read the instructions.”
Mimi:
“I read them too!”
Seraphina:
“Then why are you holding the material upside down?”
Mimi looked down.
She was, in fact, holding it upside down.
Mimi:
“…Oh.”
Seraphina sighed.
Meanwhile, Nihil had already stopped watching them.
He walked toward another table.
Several different materials were placed there.
He selected a few of them and began examining their properties.
Seraphina noticed.
Seraphina:
“Nihil, what are you doing?”
Nihil:
“Something else.”
Seraphina:
“You’re supposed to be making your Soul Weapon.”
Nihil:
“I know.”
He continued working.
Nihil:
“But I thought of another possibility.”
Seraphina stared at him.
Seraphina:
“Another possibility?”
Nihil:
“Yes.”
Mimi looked over as well.
Mimi:
“Master, are you making another experiment?”
Nihil:
“Yes.”
Mimi:
“Of course you are…”
Nihil continued combining the materials.
He carefully controlled his LE.
Unlike the creation of his Soul Grimoire, this experiment required something different.
He altered the structure of the materials.
Compressed them.
Reconstructed them.
Then infused them with his LE.
Minutes passed.
Seraphina and Mimi continued struggling with their grimoires.
Then—
A faint violet light appeared on Nihil’s table.
Seraphina looked up.
“What is that?”
The light intensified.
The materials collapsed inward.
Energy gathered into a single point.
And finally—
A violet gemstone appeared in Nihil’s hand.
It was perfectly smooth.
No cracks.
No imperfections.
The gemstone seemed to contain something moving inside it.
Nihil examined it.
Nihil:
“Interesting.”
At that moment, Mimi finally lifted her own book.
Mimi:
“Master!”
Nihil turned.
Mimi held her newly completed Soul Grimoire proudly.
Mimi:
“I did it!”
Seraphina also looked toward her.
Her own Soul Grimoire was beginning to take shape.
Nihil looked at Mimi’s book.
Nihil:
“That’s a pretty book.”
Mimi smiled.
Mimi:
“Really?”
Nihil:
“Yes.”
Seraphina looked between them.
Seraphina:
“How did you finish before me?”
Mimi immediately smiled proudly.
Mimi:
“Because I’ve been with Master since my birth.”
Seraphina narrowed her eyes.
Seraphina:
“That’s not fair.”
Mimi laughed.
But Seraphina suddenly noticed the violet gemstone in Nihil’s hand.
Seraphina:
“More importantly…”
She pointed toward it.
Seraphina:
“What is that, Nihil?”
Nihil looked at the gemstone.
Nihil:
“I don’t know.”
He turned it slightly beneath the light.
Nihil:
“It doesn’t have a name yet.”
Seraphina became curious.
Seraphina:
“Then what does it do?”
Nihil:
“Let’s find out.”
Nihil opened his Soul Grimoire.
The pages moved by themselves.
He searched through the newly created information.
Then he stopped.
An entirely new page had appeared.
VIOLET GEM
Nihil read the description.
Nihil:
“The violet gem allows Life Energy to be stored within its structure.”
Seraphina leaned closer.
Nihil:
“However…”
He continued reading.
Nihil:
“The gem must be integrated with the user’s heart.”
Mimi’s ears immediately rose.
Mimi:
“Really?”
Nihil:
“Yes.”
Mimi:
“Then we can store more LE than our bodies normally allow?”
Nihil nodded.
Nihil:
“Apparently.”
Seraphina looked at the gemstone.
Seraphina:
“But how much can it store?”
Nihil turned another page.
His eyes moved across the text.
For the first time, he paused.
Nihil:
“Interesting.”
Seraphina:
“What?”
Nihil:
“It doesn’t give a limit.”
Mimi stared.
Mimi:
“No limit?”
Nihil:
“That’s what it says.”
He looked around the room.
His eyes landed on a small plant.
Nihil picked it up.
Seraphina:
“What are you doing?”
Nihil:
He brought the violet gem near the plant.
The gemstone reacted.
A faint violet glow spread across the plant.
The leaves slowly withered.
Its life energy was drawn away.
The energy entered the gemstone.
The plant became completely lifeless.
Mimi stared at it.
Mimi:
“It took the plant’s LE…”
Nihil:
“Yes.”
He examined the gemstone again.
The violet glow remained.
Then Nihil looked toward his own chest.
Seraphina:
“Nihil…”
She immediately understood what he was about to do.
Seraphina:
“Wait.”
Nihil placed the gemstone against his chest.
The gemstone disappeared beneath his skin.
His body remained completely still.
The violet light spread through his chest.
Then it vanished.
The gem had become part of him.
Nihil opened EXISTENCE again.
A new page appeared.
NIHIL’S HEART
The three stared at the page.
Nihil read it.
Nihil:
“Integrated storage system.”
He continued.
Nihil:
“Life Energy storage: infinite.”
Silence.
Seraphina’s eyes widened.
Seraphina:
“Infinite?”
Nihil:
“Apparently.”
Mimi looked at Nihil.
Mimi:
“Master…”
Nihil:
“Yes?”
Mimi:
“You just created something completely insane.”
Nihil looked at the page.
Nihil:
“Perhaps.”
Seraphina slowly approached him.
Seraphina:
“We need to give it a name.”
Nihil looked at her.
Seraphina:
“This gemstone shouldn’t just be called a violet gem.”
She thought for a moment.
Then smiled.
Seraphina:
“This should be known as…”
Seraphina:
“Nihil’s Heart.”
Mimi’s eyes lit up.
Mimi:
“Nihil’s Heart…”
She smiled.
Mimi:
“I like it!”
Nihil remained silent for a moment.
Then he nodded.
Nihil:
“Fine.”
NIHIL’S HEART
The name entered the pages of EXISTENCE.
And with that, history gained a new artifact.
An artifact capable of storing an apparently limitless amount of Life Energy.
Seraphina suddenly looked at Nihil with realization.
Seraphina:
“Nihil…”
Nihil:
“Yes?”
Seraphina:
“Can you make another one?”
Mimi immediately asked the same question.
Mimi:
“Master, can you craft more?”
Nihil smiled.
Nihil:
“Yes.”
He looked toward the materials.
Nihil:
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Seraphina’s expression became serious.
Seraphina:
“Nihil, do you understand what you’ve created?”
Nihil:
“An artifact that stores LE.”
Seraphina:
“No.”
She shook her head.
Seraphina:
“You’ve created something that could change human history.”
Nihil looked at her.
Seraphina:
“If the gem really allows unlimited LE storage…”
She paused.
Seraphina:
“Then humans could overcome one of the greatest limitations of Genesis.”
Mimi looked between them.
Mimi:
“You mean…”
Seraphina:
“Yes.”
She stared at Nihil.
Seraphina:
“Humans may be able to reach a state that was previously considered impossible.”
Nihil simply looked at the gemstone.
Nihil:
“Then I’ll make more.”
THE DISCOVERY
The news could not remain inside the club room.
Nihil presented both his Soul Grimoire and Nihil’s Heart to the academy.
Researchers examined the artifact.
Healers examined it.
Scholars examined it.
Magicians examined it.
Everyone reached the same conclusion.
The artifact was real.
And its potential was enormous.
The name Nihil’s Heart quickly spread beyond the academy.
First through Augustus.
Then through the human kingdoms.
Then through the other nations of Elysara.
Guilds began sending representatives.
Nobles requested demonstrations.
Researchers demanded explanations.
Merchants offered enormous sums.
And eventually, Nihil reached an agreement with a major guild.
The guild would distribute the artifacts.
Nihil would continue producing them.
Each Nihil’s Heart would be sold for an extraordinary price.
1,000,000 GOLD COINS
Yet people continued buying them.
They were willing to pay almost anything for the possibility of overcoming the natural limits placed upon mortal life.
The demand became enormous.
Kingdoms purchased them.
Nobles purchased them.
Guilds purchased them.
Powerful families purchased them.
Even dragons began taking notice.
Gold had always been one of the greatest weaknesses of dragonkind.
And Nihil possessed something dragons valued.
More gold than they could comfortably imagine.
Before long, members of powerful dragon clans began accepting contracts with Nihil.
Workers.
Carriage operators.
Guards.
Messengers.
Even members of noble dragon families began offering their services.
Money had achieved what armies could not.
It had attracted dragons.
And Nihil’s wealth continued growing.
He was still only twelve years old.
Yet his name had already become associated with three things.
The Prodigy of Augustus.
The Perfect Human.
Nihil’s Heart.
And soon, another title would begin spreading across Elysara.
The Monster of Augustus.
(BACK IN LIBRARY)
The library was quiet.
The curious student slowly closed the historical record.
The lazy student stared at the cover.
Lazy Student:
“He was twelve.”
Curious Student:
“Yes.”
Lazy Student:
“Twelve years old…”
He looked at the enormous stack of records beside them.
Lazy Student:
“And he was already making artifacts worth a million gold coins?”
Curious Student:
“Apparently.”
Lazy Student:
“Was there anything this kid couldn’t do?”
The curious student smiled.
Curious Student:
“That’s what I want to find out.”
He opened the next historical volume.
Lazy Student:
“We’re still reading?”
Curious Student:
“Obviously.”
The lazy student sighed.
Lazy Student:
“I knew I shouldn’t have come to the library.”
The curious student turned the page.
Another chapter of the ancient history of Elysara waited beneath the dust of billions of years.
And the story of Nihil Mora continued.