NOVPUBAlden sat alone in his hotel room in Lustra.
It had been a day since the attack at the ancient ruins.
After taking down the Advanced Apprentice Rank cultists, he hadn't encountered any other threats of that level.
He swiftly met up with Aziel and Cecilia.
Amyra and Nyx joined them soon as well. Both were safe and sound.
A few minutes after they met up, a sharp whistle rang.
A sharp signal rang through the air, after which the demon contractors began retreating.
Soon, Jeremy arrived and brought the situation under control.
Still, the damage was done.
Many students had died. The exact number was never released, even to them.
The only thing widely known was this: the attack had been targeting Imperial Princess Amyra.
As Alden scrolled through social media, the venom was impossible to miss.
Posts condemning her flooded the net, painting her as the reason for the tragedy.
It wasn't even her fault.
But the world didn't need facts. It needed a scapegoat.
And who better than a high-profile princess?
Alden shut the screen off and stared at the ceiling.
Fools.
He had chosen to remain in Lustra. Most of the other students had already returned to the academy, but he stayed behind—by choice.
There were two reasons.
First, he still had unfinished business.
Mark and Yuna. He had to bring them back with him.
But before that—there was something even more important.
He was at the peak of his current rank. Every stat had reached its limit.
His clash against the Advanced Apprentice was considered a small limit break, nudging him past a minor threshold.
His body was ready. His mana core had begun to ripple with instability.
He was standing at the edge of a breakthrough.
This breakthrough was important. Very much important, because it was going to awaken his light elemental core.
Normally, he would've pushed through right away, rushing with excitement.
But not this time.
He needed rest. To calm his mind.
So for the last twelve hours, he had done nothing but sleep.
And now, as the city outside moved on like nothing had happened, Alden remained still—preparing for what came next.
Just then–
His ManaSync vibrated. He had received a message.
It was from Cecilia.
—
Aziel has woken up. The healers examining him didn't find anything wrong. Still, he is asked to stay within the hospital for the next few days.
—-
As soon as he read through the message, an unseen pressure on Alden's shoulder was lifted.
Thankfully.
He sighed in relief.
After the battle with Dain, Aziel had gone unconscious.
Even after giving him multiple healing potions, there was no sign of him waking up.
Alden was concerned.
But when an experienced healer who had been bought by Jeremy examined him, they found nothing wrong.
They only said that his mind and body were under stress and he should wake up within a day or two.
Alden had seen it too.
Aziel had somehow broken through two minor realms. He was at the Initiate Beginner Rank, and he somehow reached the Advanced Rank.
Even Cecilia didn't know how he did it. But Alden felt it. Something he was familiar with—mana of a spirit.
Aziel had somehow formed a bond with a spirit.
He couldn't identify it, but the mana was gentle… radiant. Protective.
A guardian-type, perhaps?
But as long as his friend was safe, it didn't matter.
And most spirits weren't bad.
With that settled, I should start my breakthrough.
I don't think I can hold it back much longer.
Alden got up from his bed. There was no training room in this hotel, so he had no choice but to break through within his room.
But it was covered with isolation runes, so whatever happens inside won't be known by others.
He sat down cross-legged on the floor.
There was no particular reason for this pose. But it helped him concentrate.
The process to break through from Initiate Rank to Apprentice Rank was difficult…too difficult.
Especially since now he has to form another core. A light core.
First things first. He focused on his dantian, where his shadow core was situated.
The process was similar yet slightly different than before.
He focused on the ambient mana. He breathed in …then breathed out.
He followed the pattern for a few seconds.
It was just am-up.
Let's start now.
He breathed in again, but this time, he sucked the ambient mana inside the air.
As soon as the mana entered his body, he circulated it through his mana veins in the particular rotation given in his Mana Tome.
The mana was soon converted to shadow mana.
He channelled the changed mana into his Shadow core.
Then he breathed out, releasing white misty breath which contained the impure ambient mana which wasn't converted.
He repeated the process.
His goal was to fill his mana core completely.
Half an hour passed. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
His shadow core was almost filled to the brim.
A little more.
Just a little more.
He breathed in one more time. This time his breathing carried in even more ambient mana into his body.
He repeated the process and released the impure mana back out.
Finally done.
His shadow core was filled.
Now it's time to explode.
It's going to hurt.
But oh well, when does it not hurt?
He willed his mana within his shadow core to run wild.
The mana shifted and twisted within his core.
An unbelievable amount of pain spread throughout his body. If he were a normal person, he would've fainted by now.
But Alden didn't even flinch at this much.
Tch, try something better next time.
He even had time to mock the pain.
Finally with the last command.
Explode.
His mana core shattered like glass. The violent inky mana calmed down.
Alden condensed the mana to form a core. The remainder of the previous mana core was also integrated within his new core.
As a robust new core was formed. It was no longer transparent like before. Its walls were a light shade of black now.
Alden slightly opened his eyes.
First step done. He had officially entered the Apprentice Rank.
A few notifications flooded his eyes.
[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE BROKEN THROUGH TO APPRENTICE RANK]
[SUPREME ABILITY HAS RANKED UP TO E RANK]
But he ignored them for now.
His energy from the breakthrough was still within his body. If he didn't utilise it well, it would just go to waste.
So he was going to start forming his Light Core immediately.
With one core rebuilt and the other waiting to be born,
Alden closed his eyes again—this time, not to rest, but to rise.
