Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The Stage Was Set
Chapter 25: The Stage Was Set
Noah gritted his teeth, letting ice and lightning course freely through his body. His presence intensified. Frost formed at his feet, and tongues of silver and purple lightning crackled around him.
In his left hand, glacial frost coalesced. In his right, lightning surged, flickering dangerously.
He took a slow breath.
Then—
CLAP!
A resounding explosion of frost and lightning burst outward, tearing through the training ground. Everything in their path was either frozen solid or burned to ash.
Chunks of shattered rock rained down from the air. Some disintegrated instantly. But the rest—
Noah exhaled sharply.
He raised his hand, activating the second skill of his Sovereign of Ice—a power he had obtained at C-rank.
Immediately, ice lotuses bloomed across the training grounds, forming in the air, on the ground, and atop the remaining ice boulders.
Selene watched with a soft smile. Her son's talent in ice was nothing short of cheating. Even she couldn't replicate something like this instantly and easily.
And then—
"Explode."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A chain of icy detonations rippled through the field, consuming everything in a glacial storm. In seconds, the entire training ground was covered in a crystalline tundra.
Noah took a step back, his breathing heavier than before.
"That's enough."
Selene appeared before him, smiling. "I just wanted to see your progress. You have your test tomorrow—I had no intention of hurting you."
Noah narrowed his eyes. "That last attack of yours said otherwise."
Selene chuckled, shaking her head. "Please. I know my son's limits better than anyone. I was just teasing you."
Noah remained silent.
Then, her expression turned serious. "Are you ready? Did you awaken your Aura yet?"
Noah's lips curled into a smirk. "I'll do it today. I'm eager to see my options."
Selene grinned, crossing her arms. "Tsk. Everyone's fawning over that so-called Chosen One, without realizing how absurdly talented my son is."
Noah chuckled. "Isn't that better, Mother? They won't see it coming."
Selene's grin widened. "For sure."
Noah turned, heading toward his chambers. "I don't want any disturbances. I'll be awakening my Aura."
Selene nodded, watching his silhouette disappear into the hallway.
She sighed. Then, her gaze flicked to his shadow, and for the nth time, she felt an unreasonable jealousy.
If only I could be his shadow... with him always.
A voice echoed in her mind.
Luminara: You are creepy. Stop it.
Selene ignored her.
...
Noah's Chambers
Noah sat on the edge of his bed, eyes locked on the golden interface glowing before him.
{Do you wish to see your Aura options?}
"Yes."
{Analyzing achievements and chosen path...}
A few seconds passed. Then—
{You are a being who has tasted death and been reborn in another world.}
{Your mind is sharp, your courage commendable, and you are without mercy in achieving your goals.}
{You are someone people naturally follow.}
{Your shadow has evolved beyond expectations.}
{You are a being of Ice and Lightning.}
{TRULY EXCEPTIONAL!}
Then, the options appeared.
{Noah Weaverheart, choose one of the following Auras to continue your path:}
• Aura of Ice and Lightning
• Aura of Samsara
• Aura of the Trickster
• Aura of a Ruler
Noah's mind raced, weighing his choices.
But then—
{Your potential is limitless. You are Limitless.}
{Your title is in effect.}
{You are a being without limits. All Auras will be granted.}
{Congratulations, Noah Weaverheart.}
{You have acquired all four Auras.}
Noah's breath hitched.
His vision blurred, his body screamed in protest, veins burning with the clash of four conflicting auras. as his Auras flared to life—
One moment, he radiated an icy storm, frost and purple lightning crackling around him. The next, his Aura of Samsara twisted reality itself, embodying both life and death. Then, the Aura of the Trickster shimmered over him, making everything he did seem like an illusion, a trick within a trick.
Finally, the Aura of a Ruler descended. The sheer pressure could make the weak collapse.
Then—
Ding! Ding! Ding!
{You are the first in the world of Laeh to acquire four Auras.}
{You are already Limitless.}
{You have been granted the Aura of Limitlessness.}
Noah instantly sighed in relief.His Auras stabilized. The Aura of Limitlessness enveloped the others, hiding them within its infinite depths.
Now, anyone looking at him would see... nothing. Just a calm, ordinary boy.
Yet, Noah had ascended to A-rank.
He stood, glancing around the room—completely wrecked by the outburst of energy. Then, he walked to the window, his usual spot, and gazed out at the estate.
"...Ester." His voice was quiet. "Do you think I'm ready?"
A voice answered from the shadows.
'You are more than ready, Master.'
Noah smiled.
...
Elsewhere...
The Slums
In the filth-ridden alleyways of a decaying city, a boy no older than 15 crouched over a corpse, blood pooling beneath him. His blue hair was streaked with crimson. His eyes—deep, endless voids—stared at the Apex Academy card in his hand.
A slow, eerie smile crept onto his face. His Aura, dark and corrosive, whispered of death.
"To the Academy, then," he murmured.
Behind him, the corpse twitched.
Then, it stood.
Not as a man, but as undead.
...
The Mountains
A girl knelt before a grave, her orange hair and eyes glowing in the sun. A sword rested on her back.
"Master," she said, her voice sharp as a blade. "Since your death, I have trained without rest. I never once stepped beyond the mountains."
She clenched her fists.
"But today, I leave. I will enter the Academy, as you wished. And I will not disappoint you."
Her Aura surged—razor-sharp, like an unsheathed sword.
She turned away.
"To the Academy."
...
The Shadowbounds Estate
Nathan Shadowbound stared at his son. "Are you ready, Eric?"
The young man lounged lazily, dark hair and eyes veiled in shadowy mist. "Ugh, do I have to go? Can't I just train here?"
Nathan's eye twitched.
"Eric, you're my heir. Stop being lazy." His voice darkened. "There are two monsters who will also go to the Academy—both with SSS-rank talent. Don't you want to compete?"
Eric blinked, looking at his father as if looking at a fool. Then, he yawned. "You just called them monsters. I'm just SS-rank talent holder. What's the point?"
Veins popped on Nathan's forehead.
"What a coincidence, my dear son. I was just about to help you evolve your Aura into Intent."
Eric paled.
"Wait. Father. Let's talk—"
BOOM!
"DAMN YOU, OLD MAN! I'M TELLING MOTHER!"
Nathan smirked.
...
The Bloodheart Family
Inside an ocean of blood, two women floated.
One—older, in her thirties. The other—no older than fifteen.
Both had crimson eyes and deep red hair. On their foreheads, a single drop of blood marked them as Bloodheart Royals.
The older woman spoke. "Did you pack everything? You depart tomorrow."
"I did." The young girl grinned—a mad grin, sharp and bloodthirsty. "I can't wait."
Her mother smiled. "I assume you're eager to meet the SSS-ranked monsters. Especially Elijah?"
The girl scoffed. "Elijah?" She snickered. "He's a fool. He reached B-rank and made sure the entire world knew."
The older woman's smile softened. "He's the Chosen One. He has no choice but to display his strength."
Then, her expression darkened. "But do not underestimate him."
"I know, Mother." The girl's lips curled. "But for some reason... I'm more interested in Noah."
She tilted her head.
"My battle instincts tell me... he's more dangerous than Elijah."
Her bloodthirsty grin widened.
"This Academy will be fun."
...
The Church of Light
Elijah stared at his quest notification.
The one that read:
He burst into laughter.
"This is absurd!"
Even after his power-up, even after stepping into A-rank and awakening Aura, the quest difficulty hadn't changed.
That meant—
Noah had awakened his Aura too.
Elijah grinned, eyes burning with excitement.
"I can't wait to meet you."
...
The dawn of Apex Academy loomed on the horizon.
One by one, the titans of the new era stepped forward—monsters in human form, each destined to carve their own legend.
The world did not know it yet, but soon... it would tremble.
—End of Chapter 25—
—End of Volume 1: The Reincarnator—
A/N:
The end of the first volume.
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