"Arkas, when he was a kid, was very ambitious. He still is. The only difference now is that he can no longer achieve his dreams himself."
I tore my gaze away from the shifting shadows and looked at Edgar. His expression was unreadable, but there was something distant in his eyes.
"As a child, Arkas wasn't the most talented among the Rayleigh family youths.
Being a royal family member meant expectations were sky-high, but he failed to meet them.
Not because he lacked the attitude or discipline, he was hardworking, determined but because he was too straightforward. Too stubborn. He had strong opinions and never hesitated to voice them.
That made enemies. Powerful ones. He stepped on too many toes, questioned too many decisions, and in the end, it cost him. He was expelled from Elite Unit 01 after repeatedly disobeying orders.
But despite his faults, one thing remained unchanged, his dedication to growing stronger. More than that, he wanted this world to grow strong, strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with the great worlds of our galaxy. That dream never faded."
Edgar paused, studying me. Then he leaned back slightly.
"And I can see that he sees himself in you."
I frowned, but before I could say anything, Edgar continued.
"Right now, as we speak, he's out there arguing, maybe even fighting, to get a staff for you. The best-augmented staff the Empire has to offer."
That caught me off guard. I hadn't expected Arkas to go that far for me.
Edgar must have noticed my surprise because he shook his head.
"Don't overthink it. That's just the kind of man he is."
He exhaled, his tone shifting slightly, becoming more deliberate.
"But that's not why I'm here."
He met my gaze.
"I have two things to ask you. First, have you made up your mind about taking that mission? And second…" He paused for a beat. "More of a personal question. Why do you want to grow strong? What is it that you desire?"
I took a moment to think over Edgar's questions.
The first one was easy.
I had already made up my mind about the mission, that was why I spent the entire night trying to master the fire sphere. I wouldn't have pushed myself that hard if I had any doubts.
But the second question….that was something I had too many answers for.
I wanted to be the strongest. I liked standing at the top. That position always gave me a sense of satisfaction. The feeling of others watching my back, chasing after me, trying to reach the place I had already conquered, it thrilled me.
I wanted to grow strong because I had to.
My parents' souls had been taken by the Eternals. If they were still salvageable, I would bring them back. If not…then I would take revenge.
I wanted to grow strong for my grandmother, the woman who single-handedly raised me. I wanted her to be proud, to see that all her efforts weren't wasted. Maybe, just maybe, if I reached far enough, she would feel at peace, even if just a little.
A flood of thoughts rushed through my mind, but I forced them down, keeping them under control.
I exhaled and answered.
"I've already decided. I'm going on the mission, Edgar. The second transformation the Ferans can provide, I want it."
Edgar nodded, his gaze sharp.
"You understand the risks, don't you?
There's only a fifty percent chance you'll make it out alive. Arkas believes they won't dare kill you, but nothing in this world is guaranteed.
Once they capture you, anything can happen. They might cripple you, sell you as a slave, or worse end you right there."
I clenched my fists, my voice steady.
"I know the dangers. And I have no hesitation. I've always believed that nothing great can be achieved without taking insane risks."
Edgar smiled, a glint of approval in his eyes.
"Good. Now, your reason? The real reason you want this strength so badly?"
I stood up, rolling my shoulders. I had many reasons. But it all came down to one thing.
I was human and I was greedy.
I met Edgar's gaze, my voice steady.
"Because I want to have it all. I want peace, but I also want chaos, just enough to keep life from ever becoming dull.
I want no enemies, yet I want some, just so I can crush them.
I want vengeance, but I also want to live freely and enjoy the life I fight for.
I want to walk my own path, but I also want others to chase after me.
I want to protect, but I also want to destroy.
And if I'm not the strongest, how can I have it all? That would be nothing more than a fool's dream."
Silence stretched between us as Edgar held my gaze. His expression was unreadable, his usual smirk nowhere to be found.
Then, finally, he stood up. The swirling shadows around him faded as he walked forward and placed a firm hand on my shoulder.
"I like you kid. Having greed in today's world is important, very important." he said, his voice carrying a tone I hadn't heard before.
"But I'll need you to prove it to me."
Before I could respond, the world around me twisted. Darkness swallowed everything, an endless void stretching in all directions. My body tensed, instincts screaming at me to react, but just as quickly as it came, the darkness vanished.
I blinked.
I was no longer in my room.
The familiar walls of the training chamber surrounded me once more, the air thick with the lingering heat of my earlier attempts with the fire sphere.
Edgar stood a few feet away, arms crossed.
"I've been watching you train," he said casually, as if he hadn't just teleported me across the base like it was nothing and the casual admittance of the fact that he spied on me.
"At the pace you're going, it'll take you at least five or six more days before the system even acknowledges that technique as a skill."
He tilted his head slightly.
"There's something you need to understand.
What you're trying to do, manipulating raw fire without a skill, is something most people don't even attempt until after level fifty.
They rely on system-given skills for this, and only after their second class evolution do they start thinking about doing it on their own. You're trying to bypass that process entirely."
He took a step closer.
"So if you really want to have it all, you need to push yourself harder. What you're doing right now isn't enough."
My eyes narrowed.
This was the second time today that someone told me I wasn't working hard enough.
First Arkas, when he questioned why I was delaying choosing my class. Now Edgar, telling me I wasn't training properly.
And honestly?
I didn't like that.
Edgar ignored my reaction and spoke.
"I know you're tired and exhausted, but I'm a busy man, I don't have time for you to recover."
He waved his hand. As soon as he did, shadows surged outward, swallowing the entire room in a rolling wave of darkness.
Within seconds, a massive dome formed around me, stretching to seal every inch of space.
The air grew heavier, denser. The lights outside the dome faded, leaving only a dim, eerie glow inside. I could still see, but something felt off, like the very flow of energy around me had shifted.
Edgar's voice echoed from beyond the dome.
"Welcome to your new training, Billion. Here's how it works."
His tone was calm and steady, but I didn't miss the underlying threat in his words.
"This dome will begin to shrink over time. The smaller it gets, the denser the darkness becomes, and the harder it will be for you to move fire.
And that's not all."
Suddenly, a sharp beam of light sliced through the darkness, passing inches from my face. I barely had time to react before another shot from a different angle. Heat seared past my skin, forcing me to jerk back.
"While you struggle against the dark, these light beams will keep you moving. They won't kill you, but they'll burn. And the smaller the dome, the stronger the beams."
I exhaled sharply.
Edgar continued.
"There's only one way out of this dome. Break it. If you can't, you'll either be crushed by the darkness or pierced by the light. Your choice."
A third beam stabbed toward my shoulder, and I barely twisted away in time.
Edgar's voice echoed, a whisper fading into the void.
"Can the fire in your heart endure the endless darkness of the future, Billion?"
[Click on the Author's note to read.]