I looked at him.
Confusion clear on my face.
---
"…Authority?"
---
What was he talking about?
---
My body had returned to normal.
Blue eyes.
White irises.
Human form.
---
Only my tail betrayed me—
Flickering behind me,
Restless.
Excited.
---
The battle…
Still echoed in my blood.
---
Around us—
Chaos moved.
---
Trainees who could still stand fled the chamber.
Those who couldn't—
Were dragged out.
---
The smell of burnt metal still lingered.
---
Silence followed them.
---
Then—
---
Caelion spoke.
---
"I have to report this… to the Patriarch."
---
His voice was low.
Firm.
---
But his eyes—
---
Held something new.
---
Not just interest.
---
Not just calculation.
---
Fear.
---
Our gazes locked.
---
Neither of us moved.
---
A silent exchange.
---
A question.
A warning.
---
Then—
---
The moment broke.
---
A familiar blue screen appeared before me.
---
> [User Info]
Name: Velzahar
Race: Blue-Eyed White Tiger
Pure Beast Blood: 100%
Accessible Power: 50%
Threat Classification: ???
---
> [System Notice]
Good job, Master 👍😊
---
"…What?"
---
Emojis?
---
I stared at it.
Confused.
---
Before I could process—
---
"What is your name?"
---
Caelion's voice cut in.
---
I blinked.
---
"…Velzahar."
---
The answer came instinctively.
---
He gave a small nod.
---
Then turned.
---
And walked away.
---
No more words.
---
No more smiles.
---
Only silence.
---
The nanomachines had already begun restoring the chamber.
Metal reformed.
Walls sealed.
Cracks vanished.
---
As if nothing had happened.
---
But something had.
---
Something irreversible.
---
I closed my eyes briefly.
Then asked—
---
System…
---
What just happened?
---
And why did my accessible power jump to fifty percent?
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
> Reply:
Increase due to Host's comprehension…
---
"Comprehension of what?"
---
I cut it off.
---
The system paused.
---
Longer this time.
---
Then—
---
> Authority.
---
My eyes opened slowly.
---
"…Authority?"
---
More questions.
No answers.
---
I exhaled slowly.
Trying to steady my thoughts.
---
"What is an Authority?"
---
Silence.
---
The training ground felt emptier than before.
---
Even the air seemed to wait.
---
One second.
Two.
Five.
Ten—
---
Then—
---
The system responded.
---
Not like before.
---
Not mechanical.
---
Measured.
---
Deliberate.
---
> An Authority… is a law.
---
A pause.
---
> A self-made law.
---
Another pause.
---
> A law that breaks all other laws.
---
My brows furrowed.
---
"…What?"
---
But the system continued.
---
> A law that proves laws.
A law that breaks laws.
A law that declares—
Strength… is law.
---
The words hung in the air.
---
Heavy.
---
Unsettling.
---
> The Law Above Laws.
The one that defines them…
The one that shatters them…
The one that proves—
Strength is the only truth.
---
I stared at the screen.
---
Blankly.
---
Like a child staring at something far beyond understanding.
---
"…System."
---
My voice was flat.
---
"What are you saying?"
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
> …You will understand when the time is right 😅
---
I facepalmed.
---
"…Unbelievable."
---
I exhaled slowly.
---
"Then explain this—"
---
"Why did my accessible power jump to fifty percent?"
---
"And what do you mean by 'good job'?"
---
This time—
---
The system responded instantly.
---
> Power increase due to partial comprehension of Authority.
---
> You have begun to define your own law.
---
I frowned.
---
"My own… law?"
---
> Yes.
---
> Fifty percent of your bloodline power is now fully yours.
> Under your control.
> No risk of berserk.
---
My eyes narrowed slightly.
---
"…So that loss of control before…"
---
> Will not occur at this level again.
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
> Warning:
The remaining fifty percent will be over a thousand times more difficult to comprehend.
---
I let out a quiet breath.
---
Of course it would be.
---
Nothing about this was simple.
---
I looked at my hands.
---
Opened them.
Closed them.
---
"…I feel… normal."
---
Too normal.
---
After that level of power—
---
I felt nothing.
---
No instability.
No backlash.
---
Only control.
---
Absolute control.
---
> CONGRATULATIONS
Authority acknowledged.
---
"…Acknowledged?"
---
That word again.
---
Authority.
---
It was starting to irritate me.
---
I shook my head slightly.
---
"…I'll figure it out later."
---
There was no point forcing it.
---
Not now.
---
Not like this.
---
I dismissed the system screen.
---
The training ground—
---
Fully restored.
---
Not a single trace remained.
---
As if the destruction earlier…
---
Never existed.
---
"…Impressive."
---
I gave a slight nod.
---
Then turned toward the exit.
---
Each step steady.
---
Controlled.
---
But inside—
---
Something had changed.
---
Something fundamental.
---
I reached the door.
---
Placed my hand on it.
---
Paused.
---
For a moment—
---
I didn't know why.
---
Then—
---
I pushed it open.
---
And froze.
---
Outside—
---
Silence.
---
Too much silence.
---
Dozens of people stood there.
---
Not trainees.
---
Not staff.
---
---
Elders.
---
High-ranking figures.
---
All of them—
---
Waiting.
---
Watching.
---
For me.
---
At the center—
---
An old man stepped forward.
---
His presence alone—
---
Heavier than the entire chamber before.
---
His eyes locked onto mine.
---
Sharp.
---
Ancient.
---
Unyielding.
---
"…So."
---
His voice echoed softly.
---
"But carried weight beyond measure."
---
"You're the one…"
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
"…who touched Authority."