Umbra sat beside Kai, her body tense but calm, guarding him in silence. Her eyes never left him. It had been nearly an hour since he touched the book, and though he hadn’t moved, he seemed stable. His mana was slowly recovering, pulsing faintly around him like a soft breeze. She sighed, her gaze softening. She hoped nothing would happen to him.

  ***

  In the white world of the Grimoire, Tenebria floated before the glowing ranking list. The name “Nameless” now sat at the very top. Six golden entries shimmered beneath it, their brilliance unmatched. She had hoped he might reach the top hundred, maybe even the top fifty if fate was kind. But fifth? And then first?

  It was beyond anything she had dared to dream.

  None of her previous chosen had come close. The best had barely scraped into the top hundred, and even that felt laughable now. This was their last chance to raise someone worthy. If Kai were to fall, if he were to be corrupted, twisted by power, she would end him before it was too late. And then she would let herself fade. Her purpose would end there.

  She didn’t care about survival. She only wanted one of her chosen to reach that realm. To bring hope.

  A memory surfaced. A single black tear rolled down her pale cheek.

  She wiped it away with a sigh, burying the pain deep within. She would wait for Kai to return. And when he did, she would reward him generously.

  ***

  Westland Continent – Crimson Wastes

  The one-horned demon roared, mana twisted around the whole territory.

  “Warchief, please calm down,” a wrinkled warlock whispered, bowing low. “It means nothing yet. He’s still a beginner; he probably stumbled upon some strong inheritance that made him stronger than others. This doesn’t mean that he will survive long enough to threaten our Union.”

  The demon’s rage simmered. He grunted. “You are right! This means nothing yet. Still send our spies to other continents, especially Eastsun; we cannot allow humans to gain another powerhouse. The D’Sa Vant clan is already a big enough problem.”

  He drank from a goblet of thick red liquid, eyes narrowing as he plotted his next move.

  ***

  Eastsun Continent – D’Sa Vant Clan Headquarters

  “Matriarch, urgent news!” A young, muscular girl burst through the doors. “Someone defeated the Founder’s shadow in the First Trial. She’s ranked sixth now, and the anonymous challenger is number one!”

  A red-haired woman sat behind a dark, ancient desk, papers scattered around her. One gray lock of hair covered her left eye. She looked up slowly, a smile tugging at her lips.

  “Why does it matter?” she said calmly. “If he’s an ally of humanity, we’ll welcome him.”

  Her eyes turned cold.

  “And if he’s an enemy… well, you know what happens to our enemies.”

  A chill ran down the girl’s spine. She knew exactly what that meant.

  ***

  Central Continent – Solarius Empire

  In a floating golden-white castle that radiated wealth and power, a golden-haired, elf-like young man sat in meditation. His eyes snapped open, glowing with divine light.

  He had seen it. Through the mana, he had witnessed the shift.

  Someone had stolen his mother’s first-place position.

  “No one tarnishes the name of Solarius,” he whispered. “We are the rightful rulers of Sacra. The mightiest of the Eldari race.”

  He clenched his fists. He couldn’t see who had done it; the Trial’s rules were strict. Only the challenger could choose to reveal their name or hide their identity.

  But that was fine. He had lived for tens of thousands of years. He could wait.

  ***

  In the trial’s reward chamber, Kai stood beside the old spirit, eyes wide with awe.

  “Since you’ve defeated a golden-ranked challenger’s shadow and broken the power record for beginner level,” the old man said, voice echoing with pride, “you may choose two rewards. I’ve gathered every type of technique, spell, and skill, even some strange inheritances. Normally, challengers pick channeling methods or elemental spells suited to their level. But you… You may choose anything. Even one of the six mythic techniques.”

  He paused, his gaze serious.

  “Choose wisely. This decision could shape your future.”

  Kai turned as countless bookshelves materialized, overflowing with scrolls and tomes. But his attention was drawn to six glowing cases at the front of the room, each containing a strange, floating object.

  The old man smiled knowingly; he had arranged the six in front to awe challengers.

  “Of course. Everyone looks at these first. These are my most precious treasures, skills, and inheritances gathered throughout history. Only the top five have ever earned the right to choose one. Now, you join them.”

  He gestured to the first case. Inside, a bright red burning heart pulsed with fire.

  “The Fire Dragon Heart. Grants perfect affinity with fire element and access to draconic spells and innate abilities.”

  Kai’s heart raced. The ultimate gamer fantasy, fire dragon powers. But he sighed. It didn’t align with his current path; he couldn’t pick this.

  Next, a shimmering blue crystal floated gracefully.

  “Crystal Mana Vein. This technique transforms your mana channels into crystalline conduits. At mastery, you can channel immense mana without pain or risk of rupture.”

  The old man glanced at Kai.

  “This would help you use your final move without destroying your body.”

  Kai’s pulse quickened. He wanted it. Badly. But he held back, waiting to see the rest.

  In the central case, a mystical green leaf radiated bright life energy.

  “Oakwood, Root of All Life. Allows you to harvest life mana from the plants and world around you to achieve near-immortality and learn how to control wood mana. But it alters your appearance, bark-like skin, leaf-like hair. Worth it, perhaps, for eternal life.”

  Kai shook his head. If he reached Seraph level, he’d gain near-immortality anyway. He had no use for this ability.

  The fourth case held a deep blue water droplet.

  “The Siren’s Tear, lets a user learn how to master water mana to such a level that the one's body becomes one with water. Letting one change their body shape as they wish, even live underwater without the need for air.”

  “I can feel water mana on you, so this could also be useful to you, could help you fuse with your water mana further, strengthen your body.”

  Kai frowned. It sounded useful, but this was really not something he wished to train in. He felt as if he would become like a certain slime, so he ignored this one.

  The fifth case held a metallic silver droplet.

  “Metalmorph Body. One of the rarest techniques I’ve found. Your body becomes as strong as steel, and you can morph your limbs into weapons.”

  Kai’s eyes lit up. It looked incredible. He was thinking of getting this. But then he saw the sixth case.

  Inside floated a translucent seed, lightning crackling around it.

  Kai froze.

  “The Thunder Seed,” the old man said. “It grows above your core, absorbing lightning mana. Grants affinity with thunder, enhances speed, and lets you channel lightning through your body and weapons. Spellcasters can use it for high-level lightning spells as well.”

  “This one could also be useful to you, since you are a fighter and would gain a lot by using lightning mana.”

  Kai’s heart pounded. He felt on his own skin how powerful lightning had felt in combat.

  “Now pick, you can pick only one of the six, and then you can pick one skill from all the others.”

  Kai hesitated.

  “Wait, you said I could pick any two skills. Why only one from these?”

  The old man’s expression turned stern.

  “You’re still a beginner. Learning two ultra-advanced skills now would stunt your growth. Focus is key. One mythic skill. One standard skill. That’s the rule.”

  Kai sighed. He wanted both the Crystal Mana Vein and the Thunder Seed. But he knew he could strengthen his channels over time.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “I’ll take the Thunder Seed,” he said. “But I have a question. Are there trials for Knights and Mages, too? And what if I reach first place there?”

  The old man laughed.

  “Greedy boy. Yes, there are trials for Knights and Magi, as well. If you complete those trials, you can pick another reward, and if you reach the top five in those as well, you’ll earn another one of these six.”

  “If you live long enough to take the test, that is.” He sighed, his face saddened.

  “The outside world is already in chaos. You’re the first golden champion in a hundred thousand years, and you’re ranked number one. Emperors, warchiefs, and kings are probably going mad, trying to figure out who is taking the test now.”

  Kai blinked.

  “What, I’m a number one?!, I forgot to check the ranking before. What should I do now? Can I choose not to leave my name on the list?” he asked. He had a bad feeling about this.

  “You can choose to leave your name or an alias. We’ll do that later, don’t worry, your secrets are safe with me. But first, rewards!”

  The old man grinned and touched the Thunder Seed’s case. A copy appeared in his hand.

  He floated towards Kai and pressed the seed into his forehead. Lightning surged through Kai’s body. The old man guided the mana, pouring in knowledge and insights gathered over centuries.

  The seed settled above Kai’s core, sparking gently.

  “The technique is easy to learn,” the old man said. “But to master it, you’ll need to be baptized in lightning. Again, and again. You will need to make your body one with lightning and thunder.”

  ***

  Umbra stirred. She felt Kai’s aura shift. Bolts of lightning danced around him, then vanished. Her spirit sense scanned his body, and there it was. A translucent seed, crackling with thunder, floating above his core.

  Her eyes smiled faintly.

  He found something inside the book, she thought. Something powerful.

  ***

  Kai felt incredible. The Thunder Seed pulsed gently above his core, and he could sense it even in his real body. The knowledge had settled, the technique mastered. He was ready.

  The old spirit floated nearby, smiling.

  “Now then, I can help you find another skill or technique. What are you looking for?”

  Kai hesitated.

  “Honestly… I’m not sure. The Thunder Seed will help with speed, which I’ve been lacking. I think I’d benefit from a ranged skill or ability. Ideally, a spell, but I don’t have a magic circle, so that’s probably not possible.”

  The old man chuckled.

  “Who says it’s impossible? I can help you condense a circle. It’s simple for me. Even if you lack talent, learning basic spells could be very useful.”

  He floated closer, eyes gleaming.

  “Do you allow me to scan your core? I’ll find the most suitable technique for you.”

  Kai hesitated. He feared the old man might discover his moonlight mana, the inheritance he hadn’t revealed. But something in the spirit’s voice felt genuine. Kai nodded. He decided to trust him.

  “Go ahead.”

  The old man extended his palm and scanned Kai’s core.

  What he saw stunned him.

  A pure white, densely condensed core, no wonder the boy could unleash such devastating attacks. Then, nestled inside, a small silver serpent coiled around a glowing white sword. The spirit’s eyes widened.

  A spiritual sword… and a spirit animal inside a human core? I’ve seen fighters raising spirit swords before, but only beasts would have a spirit in their cores, never humans.

  He scanned deeper and found two more elemental serpents orbiting the core, both water-based, one pure, the other poisonous. Their movements were slow, deliberate, ancient.

  The old man floated back, eyes wide with awe.

  “Boy… what in the nine hells are you? Are you a human… or a beast?”

  The old spirit floated in circles, clearly stumped but visibly excited.

  “I’m baffled. Please explain how you condensed your core.”

  His eyes sparkled with curiosity. He reminded Kai of Scry, a little, eccentric, but deeply passionate about knowledge.

  Kai hesitated, then spoke honestly, though he kept his origin a secret.

  “Actually… I didn’t condense a core myself. I was born without mana channels, so I couldn’t form one.”

  The old man’s eyes widened in disbelief.

  “Then how do you have a core at all?”

  He had heard of such people, born with deformed bodies, unable to use mana, destined to live ordinary lives.

  Kai continued.

  “So, I managed to kill a newly evolved spirit beast; it had only just condensed its core, and then I ate it. But before that, my body had undergone venom forging. The venom burrowed mana channels through my body, and once I absorbed the core, it reshaped those channels with mana into what I believe are regular ones. At least… I think they’re normal.”

  “Whaaaaat!?”

  The spirit spun in circles, muttering to himself, half in awe, half in disbelief.

  “This is incredible! A brand-new way to cure mana channel deformity! Some clans use venom forging to strengthen the body or access poison mana, but I’ve never heard of it creating new channels. And eating a brand-new core to mitigate the risk of core explosion? Brilliant!”

  He paused, then narrowed his eyes.

  “But how did you survive the spirit beast’s memories? A beast strong enough to form a core should be at least a hundred years old.”

  Kai nodded slowly.

  “I don’t know. I experienced the serpent’s entire life, and I gained some of its skills. That’s how I learned mana channeling techniques, poison control, and how to focus mana on my legs for explosive movement.”

  The old man’s expression turned serious.

  “No wonder. It seems your soul is… special. Able to absorb beast souls and memories without going insane. That’s extremely rare. Going forward, keep this to yourself. All of it. If the wrong people find out, they’ll want to dissect you, body and soul.”

  Kai nodded.

  “My friend warned me about that. But I felt I could trust you.”

  The old man’s face softened.

  “You’re a good kid. Honest. I like that.”

  Then he tilted his head.

  “But how did you end up with three snake spirits? Did you eat more snakes?”

  He laughed.

  Kai smiled.

  “No. After I ate a Moonveil Soulberry, my soul evolved. I woke up with a three-headed serpent inside my core. It split into three parts afterward.”

  The old man froze.

  “You found a Moonveil Soulberry? That’s legendary! I’ve only read about it. It’s said to evolve the soul and enhance the core.”

  He went silent, thinking deeply.

  “I believe the core had a young snake spirit when you absorbed it. The Soulberry fused it with your own soul, creating a Hydra spirit. It then split into three to help you manage multiple mana types. I’ve heard of chimera souls before… some tribes merge their souls with spirit beasts to gain their traits. You may have done something similar, but more advanced.”

  He turned suddenly, eyes gleaming.

  “Okay. I think I know what to look for. Wait here.”

  The old man zipped off toward the endless rows of bookshelves, leaving Kai standing in stunned silence.

  After a while, the old man returned, carrying three scrolls, one of them ancient, its edges frayed and yellowed with time.

  “I found something,” he said, eyes gleaming. “Let’s see what fits you best.”

  He held up the first scroll.

  “This one contains the strongest Magus magic circle formation technique, Perfect Rotation. You’ll need to spend thirty days in complete stillness, absorbing massive amounts of mana. Then, carefully release that mana around your core, rotating it according to this formula. If done correctly, you’ll form a perfect magic circle. That should be enough for a swordfighter like you.”

  Kai nodded slowly. It sounded powerful and simple, but also time-consuming.

  The old man held up the second scroll.

  “This one’s darker. A forbidden technique. You must kill spellcasters and, before their circle disperses, use this absorption method to steal it. It’s risky; the circle could go haywire and destroy your core. But it’s fast. And with your soul strength, you should be able to control it before it destabilizes and make it your own.”

  Kai frowned. That felt… wrong.

  Then the old man unraveled the final scroll, the ancient one.

  “This… is something I found long ago, in the forbidden region of the Westland Continent. Back when I was alive. Yes, I wasn’t always the spirit of the Trials. The creator of this realm saved my soul and bound it here, letting me live on to teach the next generations.”

  He paused, reverent.

  “I discovered this scroll in a pocket dimension, a remnant of another time. Inside was a coffin, carved with a massive glyph of a serpent. When I opened it, this was all that remained.”

  He held up the scroll.

  “The technique is called Uroboros. You must absorb the spirits of beasts, fuse them with your own soul, and use that part of your soul to create a magic circle around your core. Each circle requires a stronger beast. After the ninth circle, you merge them all back into your soul and evolve into something greater. At least that’s what it says.”

  The old man’s eyes sparkled.

  “I’ve waited ages to see someone capable of using this. And now, you’ve already done the first part. You can use your two water serpents to form your first circle. Your water mana is perfectly balanced with poison; it should create something extraordinary.”

  Kai stood silent, conflicted.

  It felt… too perfect. Like fate had placed this scroll here just for him. But this technique had existed long before he was born. Who could have planned this?

  Then another thought struck him.

  He would have to fight and kill beasts and devour their souls.

  His stomach turned.

  He remembered the Royal Centipede, how it had consumed its own kin to evolve.

  In the Beastworld, and likely across Sacra, this was normal.

  Do anything to gain power.

  If I keep going down this path…, will I still be me? Or just another monster chasing power?

  He wanted to stay human for as long as he could.

  If he had to take souls, it would only be from the vilest, the most monstrous. And even then… he wasn’t sure, he had the heart to do it.

  But for now, creating the first circle should be enough.

  The old spirit summoned mana from the scroll, forming a glowing magic circle in mid-air. With practiced ease, he condensed it and pressed it into Kai’s brow.

  Kai’s eyes widened as the knowledge flooded his mind; the technique was instantly learned.

  “Go on,” the spirit urged, eyes gleaming. “I want to see you create the circle.”

  Kai closed his eyes, reviewing the technique carefully. He used his spirit sense to separate his water and poison mana, forming two glyphs according to the scroll's instructions, one light blue, the other a deep, almost greenish blue. Both radiated ancient power.

  He guided the glyphs toward his serpents, preparing to fuse them.

  But then something unexpected happened.

  His silver serpent, the one that represented him, opened its mouth and devoured the glyphs.

  Kai gasped.

  Then, without warning, it opened its jaw wider and swallowed both elemental serpents as well.

  Kai’s body trembled. This wasn’t in the scroll. He pulled his spirit sense back in panic.

  The changes weren’t just spiritual; they were happening in the real world, too. He could feel it. The two serpents were gone.

  “I… I managed to create the glyphs,” Kai said, voice shaky.

  “Excellent!” the old man began, but Kai cut in.

  “But then my silver serpent ate the glyphs… and then the other two snakes. What do I do now?”

  The old man’s mouth dropped open. He stared for a long moment before muttering:

  “What in the nine hells is wrong with your body? If I were alive, I’d be dead from stress! Oh, holy gods, why have you sent this crazy bastard my way?”

  He floated in frantic circles, cursing under his breath. This boy had shattered his worldview more times than he could count.

  Suddenly, Kai screamed and collapsed to his knees.

  The old man rushed forward, pouring mana into Kai’s mind to stabilize him.

  “Focus on your core! Something’s happening, I can feel it!”

  Kai gritted his teeth and forced his awareness inward.

  His silver serpent had emerged from the core, now twice its original size, towering over it. Kai’s heart pounded.

  Then, the serpent opened its maw and spat out a glowing ring of light. It descended around the core, forming a radiant circle, half light blue, half dark blue, shaped like two serpents eating each other's tails.

  The circle now radiated ancient energy, the same one that the glyphs radiated. The serpents were no longer separate entities; they had fused into a single, ancient construct.

  Kai felt his affinity with water deepen. His venomous blood pulsed with new potency. His mana flowed more smoothly, more intuitively. The circle and core were now one.

  He sensed it would be easier than ever to summon his quasi-aura skill.

  The silver serpent returned to the core, coiled around the sword, and closed its eyes.

  Kai exhaled, trembling.

  “It’s done. The silver serpent created the circle using the glyphs and the other serpents. I didn’t do anything; it acted on instinct. That was… painful. My mind nearly collapsed. Thank you, senior, for your assistance.”

  The old man stared at him, still stunned.

  “You bastard. I thought I’d just killed the most promising challenger in a million years. Nine hells! Let me see that circle!”

  He placed his palm over Kai’s core region. His eyes widened.

  “This… this circle is more perfect than my own first circle. And I was considered a genius in my time. Good gods, boy, this technique is incredible. You’ll need to learn some basic water spells to use the circle properly, but after that… your potential is limitless. In both magic and combat.”

  Kai bowed slightly.

  “I’m truly grateful. You’ve helped me more than I can express.”

  “No need to thank me,” the old man said, smiling. “It’s my job, and my pleasure, to teach. And I have also seen something extraordinary today. I should be the one thanking you! But now, unfortunately, you will have to go; you’ve stayed long enough in this realm. I hope we meet again. And next time, I’ll use the strongest test I’ve got on you, you monster.”

  He laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the chamber as Kai’s body faded from the trial realm.

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  New chapters drop every day, so stay tuned and join Kai and Umbra on their journey through Sacra.

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