WINI drew in a slow breath and began circulating energy from his left eye through the rest of his body, trying to smooth out the restless, burning sensation. With each cycle, the agitation eased a little, so he kept the circulation going.

  At the same time, Gonad was facing down an Ironhide Boar.

  Since there was only one beast, he decided to test WINI’s earlier “egg and omelet” theory. He tried to shape his Tidal Dominion into a thin thread, like WINI’s.

  The moment he attempted it, the “thread” collapsed into a sad little spray of water.

  He quickly glanced around. No one seemed to be watching.

  “Uff… good. No one saw that.”

  The Ironhide Boar snorted and charged.

  “Let’s finish you first,” Gonad muttered.

  He activated Tidal Dominion. Water surged outward in a circular field, swirling around the boar’s legs. As he watched the beast struggle, an idea struck him. He compressed the field inward, forcing all the pressure toward the center where the boar stood.

  The pressure spiked.

  The Ironhide Boar went still. Its body collapsed as the water pressure crushed its most sensitive organs from the inside.

  Gonad blinked.

  “I… created a new skill?”

  He checked his body and realized something else—because he had compressed the field, the spirit energy consumption had dropped sharply. Unfortunately, he had already burned through most of his reserves earlier by using Tidal Dominion without restraint.

  Still, this experiment told him something crucial: he had begun to grasp his soul’s nature. That was the second vital step toward completing his Awakening.

  “I actually made a new move,” he muttered, grinning.

  “And it even saves energy. Awesome.”

  Four ferocious rabbits burst from the brush, leaping at him from different directions.

  This time, he didn’t want to scare them off with a full Tidal Dominion.

  “Let’s try my new skill,” he said.

  “Since I don’t have much spirit energy left…”

  He focused on the beasts’ heads.

  “Tidal Dominion—mini version: Tidal Pressure.”

  Bubble-like rings of water snapped into place around the necks of two rabbits. They moved faster than his current control allowed, so he only managed to lock onto two. The pressure tightened; their heads twisted violently, blood spilling from their eyes, noses, and mouths. They dropped in less than three seconds.

  The remaining two rabbits pounced.

  Gonad cast Tidal Pressure again, barely catching one. It died the same brutal way. The last rabbit slipped through, claws raking across his cheek as he jerked aside. The cut stung, but his training at home had honed his reflexes enough to avoid a fatal strike.

  Without overthinking, he grabbed the beast mid-leap and snapped its neck.

  Breathing hard, he wiped the blood from his face.

  “I need better instincts and speed,” he muttered.

  “If I hadn’t trained so much at home, that could’ve gone bad.”

  Shrubs rustled behind WINI.

  Five ferocious rabbits charged straight toward the spot where he sat in meditation.

  Gonad didn’t have time to experiment anymore. He flung out the last of his remaining energy.

  A full-force Tidal Dominion erupted, instantly compressed into Tidal Pressure. All five beasts were caught in the crushing tide and died on the spot, blood seeping from every sensory organ.

  Gonad staggered. His spirit energy was completely drained.

  “Why are so many beasts coming this way?” he groaned.

  “I can’t handle more than two at once with what I’ve got left…”

  A low, sharp howl echoed from the same direction the rabbits had come from.

  Razor Wolves.

  Gonad realized the truth: the rabbits hadn’t been charging—they had been fleeing. Now their hunters had found him.

  “If I had a little more energy, I’d be fine,” he thought.

  “But right now…”

  He glanced at WINI, still kneeling with his eyes closed.

  “I have to protect him. He’s at a crucial point. I could probably fight two common-grade Razor Wolves hand-to-hand, but I don’t know how many are nearby—and I can’t let anything reach him.”

  He clenched his fists.

  “Ah, screw it. Let’s kill these two first.”

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  He moved to stand directly behind WINI, guarding his back, coating what little energy he had left onto his palms. His plan was simple: grab their heads and break their necks.

  The pair of Razor Wolves burst from the bushes, faster and heavier than the rabbits.

  “Too fast,” Gonad thought.

  “I’ll take the first hit, then use Tidal Pressure at maximum… I can at least kill one. The other might still get through…”

  He raised his left arm to block.

  One of the wolves shifted mid-leap, angling toward WINI instead.

  Gonad’s heart lurched. He twisted, reaching for its leg—

  “Flame Burst.”

  A flare of condensed fire streaked overhead and exploded against both wolves. The beasts were engulfed in flame, crashing to the ground and going still.

  Gonad spun toward the source of the attack.

  A figure stepped out between the trees—a tall, elegant girl with black hair, the tips tinged red. Leaves partially obscured her face, but the impression alone was enough.

  “Is that… a goddess?” he whispered.

  “What timing. I finally meet someone, but who—”

  She stepped closer, and recognition struck.

  “Wait… that’s the lioness’s sister,” he thought.

  “Harina’s sister. But right now she looks like… a goddess of fire. What if she’s here to eliminate us?”

  He unconsciously shifted into a defensive stance.

  “Calm down, Gonad,” Aarna said.

  “I’m not here to fight you. I was hunting a wolf pack, but these two broke away instead of charging at me like the others. I chased them and ended up here.”

  Her gaze moved past him.

  “What’s with him?” she asked.

  “Who’s that sitting behind you? …Wait. Is that Winay? Is he hurt?”

  A hint of panic crept into her voice as she looked at WINI.

  “Yes, it’s WINI,” Gonad said quickly.

  “No, he’s not hurt. See—no scratches. He’s just stabilizing his energy circulation for some reason.”

  “Did he suffer backlash while fighting?” she pressed.

  “I don’t think so,” Gonad replied.

  “He said he was fine—just feeling some restlessness inside his body. So I’m guarding him.”

  Aarna studied Gonad’s pale face and ragged breathing.

  “You’re exhausted already. I’ll support you until he’s done. Why don’t you rest and recover some energy?”

  Gonad hesitated, then nodded.

  “Alright. I’ll try to recover a bit. Thank you.”

  He sank down nearby, focusing on slow, steady breathing.

  Aarna stepped closer to WINI, observing his expression and aura. She tried to analyze what might be wrong—but before she could think further, a group of Ironhide Boars thundered toward them.

  It didn’t take long.

  Condensed flame arrows formed at her fingertips and shot out one after another, drilling into the weak points beneath their armor. Eleven Ironhide Boars fell in quick succession. She used minimal spirit energy each time; her reserves remained comfortably high.

  Inside his meditative state, WINI had been circulating energy for nearly thirty minutes.

  “What’s going on?” he thought.

  “The moment I stop circulating, the restlessness comes back. Do I really have no choice but to ask her for help…? But I’m in the Trial Grounds. Can she even hear me?”

  Without realizing it, he whispered a name.

  “Ayaril…”

  Only Aarna’s ears caught the faint sound, but she assumed he was reciting some kind of circulation mantra.

  Inside WINI’s mind, a voice responded.

  What is it, Winay? Why are you calling me? Did something happen?

  WINI jolted internally. How are you speaking inside my mind?

  “Don’t speak out,” Ayaril said calmly.

  “You can speak to me directly. First, let me analyze your body. Keep your eyes closed and continue circulating normally.”

  She swept through his body with invisible senses and found nothing physically wrong.

  “Now,” she continued, “move your spirit energy into the vessels and cells in your brain connected to your vocal cords. Then speak.”

  WINI followed her instructions.

  “Okay… after that?”

  “Now you can talk to me using the same path,” Ayaril said.

  “So—what happened?”

  “I can’t open my left eye,” WINI replied.

  “There’s this restlessness in my left eye and the entire right side of my body.”

  “I see,” Ayaril said.

  “Aarya specifically told me not to analyze your soul, so I didn’t. But this restlessness… it’s because of your left eye, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. It started when I was on the Awakening altar.”

  “Then it makes sense,” Ayaril said after examining his eye.

  “Because this world’s energy is thin, your eye is awakening late.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s nothing to worry about. You know how to apply soul energy to your spirit energy, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Condense your energy in your core, mix it with your soul force, and guide it into your left eye.”

  WINI followed her instructions. The moment the energy entered his eye, the burning vanished.

  “The restlessness is gone,” he said.

  “But… did my eye go blind?”

  “Focus,” Ayaril said.

  “Sharpen your sight and circulate that same condensed energy through your entire body.”

  WINI obeyed. The darkness lifted—and something new unfolded.

  “Ayaril,” he whispered,

  “I can feel the energy around my body… more clearly than before.”

  “And more than that,” she replied.

  “If you focus.”

  “Then what was wrong with my eye?”

  “Nothing was wrong,” Ayaril said.

  “Your Void Eye awakened. It’s the same type as my own. For some reason, only your left eye awakened first.”

  “Wait—you have these eyes too?”

  “Did you forget who I am already?” she said, amused.

  “Any being that can communicate with void energy has the chance to awaken such eyes. Divine spirits like me are born with them.”

  She paused.

  “That’s enough explanation. You can manage from here.”

  “Wait,” WINI said quickly.

  “You still haven’t told me what’s special about this Void Eye.”

  “You already discovered one ability—sensing the surrounding space. The rest will come with growth. Don’t rush it.”

  “The technique I’m using now—this whispering—feels different from yours,” WINI said.

  “Is this the normal method cultivators use?”

  “Yes,” Ayaril replied.

  “That’s the basic Whispering Technique. Anyone can learn it. What I use is Void Whispering, which only void-energy holders can perform. You can handle the basic form for now; the higher locks can wait.”

  WINI sulked slightly.

  “So you’re not going to teach me those?”

  “You’ll understand them once you reach the Ascension realm,” she said gently.

  “And you won’t see me again for a long time. Aarya only asked me to watch over you until your Awakening was complete. From what I see, you’re one step away now.”

  “Can’t you stay until I reach Ascension?”

  “I’m your mother’s divine spirit, not yours,” Ayaril replied.

  “And I’m heading on a very important mission, far from here. It will take many years.”

  WINI fell silent.

  “Okay… but if you entered the Trial Grounds, won’t the school panic?”

  “Do you think I’m a mindless mythic beast?” she said lightly.

  “No one here can detect me. At most, they’ll notice minor fluctuations in the array. I’m speaking to you from the void—only you can hear me.”

  A faint warmth brushed his mind, like a farewell touch.

  “Take care, Winay.”

  “You too,” he replied softly.

  “Thanks for the guidance.”

  The presence faded.

  WINI exhaled slowly.

  “First, I’ll meditate for a few minutes and restore my spirit energy,” he thought.

  “Gonad is still fighting outside. I can’t stay like this forever.”

  He sank deeper into cultivation, drawing in what little aura the Trial Grounds offered. Outside, Gonad and Aarna stood guard—unaware that behind closed eyes, one of WINI’s had already stepped half a realm closer to the void.