The black glow above the mountains disappeared before dawn.
Kael hadn't slept.
He sat beside the window of his dormitory, staring into the darkness while the system's final warning remained in his mind.
**Threat Level: Unmeasurable.**
That was the part he couldn't ignore.
The system had analyzed wolves.
Bandits.
Cultivators.
Even the academy's artifacts.
But this time, it couldn't measure the enemy at all.
Kael opened his status.
**[ETERNAL SOVEREIGN SYSTEM]**
**Host:** Kael Ardyn
**Level:** 4
**Cultivation:** Body Tempering Stage 2
**Strength:** 16
**Agility:** 15
**Vitality:** 14
**Spirit:** 11
**Skills:**
* Shadow Step — 16%
* Thunder Fist — 8%
* Dawnfire Sword Art — 42%
**Passive:** Sovereign Will
**Voidheart:** Fragmentary
**Sealed Soul:** 7%
Kael stared at the last line.
Seven percent.
Barely anything.
Yet even that tiny fragment had shown him memories that shouldn't have existed.
He clenched his fist.
"I need more."
A knock came at the door.
Kael immediately closed the system.
"Who?"
"It's me."
Lyra.
Kael opened the door.
Lyra stood outside wearing a dark cloak.
Her expression was unusually serious.
"You felt it too?" Kael asked.
She nodded.
"Something entered the mountains last night."
"Do you know what it is?"
"No."
She hesitated.
"But my family sent a message."
Kael's expression changed.
"What did they say?"
"They told me to leave Azure Wind immediately."
"Why?"
Lyra looked directly at him.
"They said someone has been asking about you."
Kael was silent.
"Who?"
"They don't know."
She lowered her voice.
"But whoever it is has already killed two scouts from my family's territory."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"So they're searching for me."
"Probably."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Kael looked toward the distant mountains.
"Then I'll find out."
Lyra sighed.
"I knew you'd say that."
The academy was unusually tense that morning.
Instructors patrolled the grounds.
Students were forbidden from leaving the inner compound.
Rumors spread quickly.
A powerful monster had appeared.
A forbidden cultivator had entered the region.
An ancient ruin had opened.
Nobody knew the truth.
Kael walked toward the training grounds.
He needed strength.
Answers could wait.
Strength couldn't.
Instructor Hale was already there.
"You're early."
"I want to train."
Hale nodded.
"Good."
He pointed toward a massive stone platform.
"Break it."
Kael walked toward it.
The stone was reinforced with spiritual energy.
Kael struck it.
**BOOM!**
A crack appeared.
The students nearby turned.
Kael attacked again.
**BOOM!**
The stone cracked further.
Again.
Again.
His fists became numb.
Sweat ran down his face.
The system appeared.
> **[Physical training detected.]**
>
> **[Strength +1]**
>
> **[Vitality +1]**
>
> **[Thunder Fist mastery: 11%]**
Kael continued.
Hours passed.
His body trembled from exhaustion.
Then something changed.
The Voidheart inside his chest pulsed.
A tiny black flame appeared.
Spiritual energy began gathering around him.
Kael immediately sat down.
He followed the breathing technique from class.
Inhale.
Exhale.
The energy entered his body.
His muscles tightened.
His bones began producing faint cracking sounds.
The barrier surrounding his cultivation shook.
**Crack.**
Kael's eyes opened.
Another crack.
Then—
**BOOM!**
A wave of energy spread across the training ground.
Several students stumbled backward.
Hale's eyes widened.
"Breakthrough?"
Kael slowly stood.
The system appeared.
> **[Cultivation breakthrough.]**
>
> **Body Tempering Stage 2 → Stage 3**
>
> **Strength +3**
>
> **Vitality +2**
>
> **Spirit +2**
Kael breathed slowly.
He could feel the difference.
His body was stronger.
His senses sharper.
His spiritual energy more concentrated.
He smiled.
"One step closer."
But the system wasn't finished.
> **[Special condition fulfilled.]**
>
> **Voidheart has reached 1% synchronization.**
>
> **New ability unlocked.**
Kael's eyes widened.
A new screen appeared.
> **[Void Sense]**
>
> Allows the host to perceive hidden energy, concealed formations, spatial distortions, and traces of Void Laws.
Kael looked around.
The world suddenly changed.
He could see faint lines of energy flowing beneath the academy.
Magical formations.
Spiritual currents.
And something else.
A dark thread extended from the mountains toward the academy.
Kael's smile disappeared.
"There's a connection."
Lyra approached.
"What do you see?"
Kael pointed toward the mountains.
"Something is connected to the academy."
Hale immediately became serious.
"Explain."
Kael closed his eyes.
"There's a formation underground."
Hale stared at him.
"How can you see that?"
Kael opened his eyes.
"I don't know."
The instructor didn't question him further.
"Show me."
They descended beneath the academy.
Hale led Kael and Lyra through a hidden staircase.
The deeper they went, the colder it became.
Ancient symbols covered the walls.
Kael's Void Sense became stronger.
Then they reached an enormous stone door.
A broken-star symbol was carved into it.
Kael froze.
"The same symbol."
Lyra looked at him.
"Your pendant?"
Kael nodded.
Hale's face became pale.
"You recognize this?"
"I've seen it before."
"Where?"
Kael touched the door.
The instant he did—
**BOOM!**
The entire underground chamber shook.
The Starfall Pendant flew from beneath his clothes and hovered in the air.
Black and silver light intertwined around it.
The stone door began opening.
Hale immediately stepped backward.
"Stop!"
Kael couldn't.
The door opened by itself.
Behind it was a vast underground chamber.
At its center stood a massive stone coffin.
Chains covered it.
Seven golden seals surrounded the coffin.
And something was breathing inside.
**Thump.**
**Thump.**
**Thump.**
Lyra's hand moved toward her sword.
"What is that?"
Kael didn't answer.
His system was flashing warnings.
> **[Ancient entity detected.]**
>
> **[Soul age: Unknown.]**
>
> **[Origin: Starborn Era.]**
>
> **[Warning: Do not break the seals.]**
Kael stared at the coffin.
Then a voice came from inside.
Weak.
Ancient.
Familiar.
"Kael..."
His blood ran cold.
The voice spoke again.
"I have been waiting..."
One of the golden seals cracked.
**CRACK.**
Hale shouted:
"Everyone get back!"
Another seal cracked.
**CRACK.**
Kael stepped forward.
Lyra grabbed his arm.
"Don't!"
Kael looked at her.
"That voice knows me."
"And that's exactly why you shouldn't approach it."
The third seal began to crack.
Then the entire academy shook.
Above them, alarms rang throughout the city.
A
massive black formation appeared in the sky.
Hale looked upward.
His face became terrified.
"It's here."
Kael looked at the coffin.
The voice whispered one final sentence.
**"They have found you."**
The fourth seal shattered.
And somewhere far beyond Azure Wind City, a man wearing a white celestial robe opened his eyes.
He looked toward the academy.
A faint smile appeared.
"After ten thousand years..."
"At last."
"The Starborn has awakened."
**To be continued...**