Noah's consciousness returned slowly, like something dragging him upward from a deep, endless abyss where even time seemed to have stopped. His thoughts were scattered, fragmented, yet something lingered stubbornly within his mind—a memory that refused to fade no matter how hard he tried to grasp it.
"…What… was that…?" he muttered weakly.
A faint image surfaced again.
An infinity symbol—floating, watching, devouring everything around it.
His brows tightened as the fragments aligned slightly.
"An… infinity sign… hovering…?"
His breathing slowed, but confusion deepened instead of fading.
"And then… I… I was pushed back…"
Before he could process further, his senses expanded outward instinctively—and immediately locked onto a presence beside him.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Overwhelming.
Velzahar.
Noah jolted upright as if struck by lightning, his body reacting before his mind could catch up. Panic flashed across his face as he lowered his head instinctively, his voice rushed and uneven.
"S-Sorry, Lord Velzahar—I—"
"You don't need to apologize."
The interruption came calm—but absolute.
It silenced him instantly.
Velzahar stood there, unmoving, his gaze fixed on Noah with an intensity that felt like it could peel apart his very existence. There was no anger on his face… but something else was there.
Something heavier.
"And from now on…" Velzahar continued slowly, "you will call me Master."
Noah hesitated for the briefest moment before nodding.
"…Yes… Master."
A short silence followed.
Then—
"…Now tell me," Velzahar said, his tone lowering slightly, "what exactly did you do?"
Noah froze.
Velzahar raised his right hand calmly, as if demonstrating something simple. Ether began to gather above his palm—slowly forming into a small, condensed sphere.
But the moment it stabilized—
It shattered.
Dispersing instantly like dust in the wind.
Velzahar's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"…You didn't just train," he said quietly.
His voice grew heavier.
"You interfered with something far beyond your understanding."
Noah's throat went dry.
Velzahar looked at his empty palm before continuing.
"Ether is unstable now… and it's thinning across Eclovus."
A pause.
"The Universe has stripped away the Cosmic Energy from this world."
Those words didn't just land—
They crushed.
Noah's fingers tightened unconsciously.
He didn't need proof.
He had already heard the voice.
Already felt the change.
This… was his fault.
"M-Master… I…" his voice trembled, but the words refused to come out.
Guilt pressed down on him, heavier than any physical force he had ever experienced.
But Velzahar didn't press further.
Instead, he turned slightly, his tone shifting back to calm—as if the situation, no matter how catastrophic, did not shake him.
"…It's not irreversible."
Noah looked up slightly.
"There are ways to stabilize Ether," Velzahar continued. "But that isn't your concern right now."
His gaze sharpened.
"You… need to grow."
A pause.
"And you need to grow fast."
Noah's heart tightened.
"Because if this continues…" Velzahar added quietly, "there may not be enough Ether left in this world for you to rely on."
The implication was clear.
Time—
Was no longer on Noah's side.
"And once you reach Sapphire Rank…" Velzahar continued, his voice dropping slightly, "…I will send you somewhere."
Noah didn't ask.
He didn't need to.
Something about the way Velzahar said it—
Told him everything.
That place… wasn't meant for survival.
It was meant to break him.
"…I understand," Noah said quietly.
Velzahar nodded once.
"Good."
Then his presence shifted—becoming sharper, more focused.
"Listen carefully."
"We cultivate not just the body—but the mind, the will, and the heart."
His voice carried clarity now—firm, controlled, absolute.
"We break the limits of mortality, step beyond natural boundaries, and approach what people call 'immortality'…"
He paused briefly.
"…though that word is often misunderstood."
"You can still die," he added plainly. "Easily."
"The difference is simply… how far you've stepped beyond ordinary existence."
Noah listened without interruption.
"Your first step," Velzahar continued, "is to gather Ether into your heart."
"Not your mind."
"Not your body."
"Your heart."
"Recall the moment your Talent awakened," he added. "That feeling… that resonance."
"That is your path."
Noah's focus sharpened.
"Once gathered, compress it," Velzahar said. "Refine it. Push it to its limit."
"And store it within your heart."
His gaze deepened slightly.
"And remember—your foundation determines everything."
"The more Ether you compress now… the stronger your future will become."
Silence followed.
"…I understand, Master."
"Then begin."
Noah immediately sat down, crossing his legs into a lotus position. His breathing steadied as his senses expanded once more, reaching outward to grasp the Ether around him.
It was still there.
But weaker.
Dimmer.
Fading.
For a brief moment—he hesitated.
Then he focused.
His Will extended outward.
And instantly—
Something responded.
The Infinity symbol etched onto his chest—
Flickered.
Then ignited.
A faint, flowing rainbow light spread across it like liquid energy—and in the next moment—
The Ether around him surged.
Not gently.
Not gradually.
Violently.
It rushed toward him like a collapsing storm.
Velzahar's eyes narrowed.
"…What is this…?"
He could feel it clearly.
Noah wasn't gathering Ether.
He was devouring it.
Like a beast consuming everything in its reach.
And yet—
Noah didn't even seem aware of it.
Inside his mind, a panel appeared.
[Power: Infinity (Passive) ]
[A power that embodies both everything and nothing.]
[Effect: 1.Devours all forms of energy. Rapidly enhances the user's existence.
2.Creates an Invisible and unenterable, by infinitely dividing the space, making a barrier around user. No energy required.
3.???(Locked)
4.???(Locked)]
Noah stared at it briefly.
"…So this is what you do…"
Then he ignored it.
Right now—
There was only one goal.
Cultivation.
Ether surged into him relentlessly, flowing through his veins, flooding his body, before gathering deep within his heart.
Minutes passed.
Then an hour.
The cave—
Was empty.
Completely drained.
Yet—
His heart was only half full.
"…Not enough…"
Without conscious intent—
Infinity reacted again.
Ether from outside—
From the forest—
From the land itself—
Was dragged inward.
Velzahar exhaled slowly.
"…I should stop being surprised…"
Another hour passed.
Then—
Pain.
Noah's expression twisted as pressure built inside his chest.
"Ugh—!"
His heart—
Was full.
But he didn't stop.
Instead—
He compressed it.
Forced it inward.
Crushed it.
Until—
A core began to form.
At first, it was unstable.
Liquid.
Shifting.
But slowly—
It stabilized.
Solidified.
Pure white.
Everything he had gathered—
Refined into a single point.
Yet—
He continued.
More Ether.
More pressure.
More compression.
Until—
The color changed.
White—
To gold.
And in that moment—
A surge of energy erupted from his body.
Noah's senses expanded slowly.
His breathing was heavy—but controlled.
Velzahar stood before him.
Clapping.
"Impressive."
His tone was calm—but there was no hiding the acknowledgment within it.
"You reached Sapphire Rank… in two hours."
Noah remained silent, still processing everything.
But Velzahar's expression shifted once more.
Serious.
Cold.
"…Now your real training begins."
A pause.
"You will fight."
"You will suffer."
"You will learn to survive."
His gaze locked onto Noah.
"Or you will die."
Noah's heart tightened slightly.
"I am sending you to the 'Hell Dungeon'."
No preparation.
No warning.
Velzahar raised his hand slowly.
His fingers pressed together—
Then—
SNAP
Space distorted instantly.
"We'll meet again…"
A faint pause followed.
"…if you survive."
Noah's eyes widened.
"Wai—!"
Too late.
The world twisted.
His body blurred.
And in the next moment—
He vanished.