The moment Kael entered Starfall City—
The Hall of Echoes had been calling to him.
Not with sound.
Not with energy.
But with resonance.
A connection buried deep within the Origin Core itself.
⸻
Night had fallen.
The bustling streets of Starfall City remained alive with cultivators, merchants, and sect disciples from every corner of the northern territories.
Yet Kael stood before a place untouched by the city's excitement.
The Hall of Echoes.
Ancient.
Silent.
Forgotten.
⸻
The massive structure towered above the surrounding buildings.
Weathered stone walls bore scars from countless ages.
Most of the golden inscriptions had faded.
Many sections had collapsed entirely.
Yet despite its ruined appearance—
No one approached it.
As if the city itself respected its silence.
⸻
Kael looked toward Lyra.
"You aren't coming?"
Lyra shook her head.
"The Hall only responds to those it chooses."
Her gaze lingered on him.
"And right now…"
"It chose you."
⸻
The giant doors creaked open.
Without anyone touching them.
⸻
Kael stepped inside.
The doors closed behind him immediately.
BOOM.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
⸻
Darkness filled the interior.
Then—
The Ring of the First Pulse began glowing.
Golden light spread through the hall.
Ancient runes ignited one after another.
Thousands of them.
Stretching endlessly across walls, pillars, and ceilings.
⸻
The entire hall awakened.
⸻
Kael slowly walked forward.
His footsteps echoed through the vast chamber.
Then—
He froze.
⸻
Someone was standing ahead.
⸻
An old man.
Transparent.
Made entirely of golden light.
⸻
Not alive.
A spirit.
⸻
The old man's eyes slowly opened.
The moment they met Kael's—
The entire hall trembled.
⸻
"…An Origin Bearer."
The spirit's voice echoed across the chamber.
Ancient.
Powerful.
⸻
Kael remained calm.
"You know me?"
⸻
The spirit stared silently.
Then—
To Kael's surprise—
The old man bowed.
Deeply.
Respectfully.
⸻
"At last…"
The spirit whispered.
"One has returned."
⸻
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Returned?"
⸻
The spirit slowly straightened.
For the first time—
Emotion appeared on his face.
Relief.
⸻
"Ten thousand years."
The spirit said quietly.
"We waited ten thousand years."
⸻
The hall suddenly illuminated.
Images appeared around them.
Ancient memories.
⸻
Kael watched silently.
⸻
Golden cities.
Massive floating kingdoms.
Countless cultivators wielding Origin energy.
A civilization beyond imagination.
⸻
Then—
Darkness.
⸻
Void.
Endless.
Devouring.
⸻
The skies shattered.
Entire worlds collapsed.
Civilizations vanished.
The war began.
⸻
Kael's fists tightened unconsciously.
The scale was unimaginable.
⸻
The spirit spoke.
"The Void Wars nearly ended existence."
"Origin lost."
⸻
Silence filled the chamber.
⸻
Kael frowned.
"Lost?"
⸻
The spirit nodded.
⸻
"We sealed the Void."
"We sacrificed everything."
⸻
The images changed.
⸻
Thousands of Origin Bearers standing together.
Burning their lives away.
Creating enormous seals.
⸻
Then—
Nothing.
⸻
Only ruins remained.
⸻
The spirit looked directly into Kael's eyes.
⸻
"You are not merely another cultivator."
⸻
His voice became serious.
Heavy.
⸻
"You are the first Origin Bearer born after the Fall."
⸻
Kael remained silent.
⸻
The spirit continued.
⸻
"And because of that…"
"The future now depends on you."
⸻
Kael almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was absurd.
⸻
A year ago—
He was a servant disciple.
⸻
Now ancient spirits were telling him the future depended on him.
⸻
The spirit suddenly raised one hand.
Golden light gathered.
⸻
A small crystal appeared.
Floating.
Radiating pure Origin energy.
⸻
"The First Legacy."
⸻
Kael stared at it.
⸻
"What is it?"
⸻
The spirit smiled faintly.
⸻
"A gift left behind for the one who returned."
⸻
The crystal floated forward.
⸻
The moment Kael touched it—
BOOM!
⸻
The Origin Core erupted.
Golden light exploded throughout the hall.
⸻
Countless memories flooded into him.
Ancient techniques.
Origin knowledge.
Battle experience.
Understanding.
⸻
Pain.
Overwhelming pain.
⸻
Kael dropped to one knee.
⸻
The information pouring into him felt endless.
⸻
Yet he endured.
⸻
Minutes passed.
Then hours.
⸻
Eventually—
The light faded.
⸻
Kael slowly stood.
Breathing heavily.
Sweat covered his body.
⸻
But his eyes—
Had changed.
⸻
They now contained faint golden patterns hidden within their depths.
⸻
The spirit nodded slowly.
⸻
"You survived."
⸻
Most would have died.
⸻
Kael simply asked,
"What did I receive?"
⸻
The spirit smiled.
⸻
"Your first inheritance."
⸻
"Origin Art."
⸻
Before Kael could ask further—
The spirit suddenly looked toward the hall entrance.
⸻
His expression changed.
⸻
For the first time—
Fear appeared.
⸻
"They're here."
⸻
BOOM!
⸻
Outside the Hall of Echoes—
Explosions erupted across Starfall City.
⸻
Screams echoed through the night.
⸻
Void energy appeared.
⸻
Powerful.
Violent.
Murderous.
⸻
The Hollow Hunters had arrived.
⸻
Far above the city—
Five black-cloaked figures stood atop rooftops.
Their violet eyes glowing in the darkness.
⸻
One pointed directly toward the Hall of Echoes.
⸻
"Target confirmed."
⸻
Another slowly unsheathed a black blade.
⸻
"Kill the Origin Bearer."
⸻
And Starfall City—
Was about to become a battlefield.
⸻
Host: Kael Veyron
Realm: Origin Awakening Stage 2
Abilities:
• Origin Sense
• Origin Flash
• Origin Pulse
• Origin Perception
• Origin Resonance
• Origin Art (Locked — 0% Mastery)
Equipment:
• Ring of the First Pulse
• Azure Star Token
Special Status:
• First Legacy Acquired