Far beyond the known universe — beyond the solar system, the nine realms, and even existence itself — floated a colossal black cube, suspended in a void of swirling nebulae and silent starlight.
This was the prison of The One — the being sealed away by Fantasy itself.
The vast cube loomed like a monument to dread. Its edges shimmered faintly with runes of containment, and beneath its shadow, an eerie city stretched endlessly — lifeless, yet thrumming faintly with power.
Dark cocoons hung from floating pylons, pulsating like eggs waiting to hatch, each one a promise of evil yet to be born.
"Looks like everything is going according to plan," a deep, echoing voice murmured from within the citadel. "Everything will soon be complete."
The One rose from his obsidian throne, his form half-solid, half-smoke, his eyes burning like twin stars of void.
He walked toward a massive balcony overlooking the empty city below — a kingdom of silence.
"Due to the time-constraint rule of inexisting entities," he muttered, voice laced with irritation, "my soldiers can't be born properly. It took a lot of mana to manifest even two of them."
The law he spoke of — the time constraint rule of inexisting entities — was one of the universe's oldest and most complex rules.
It stated that beings not yet created by the flow of Fantasy could not truly exist.
Because of this, The One's creations — the Celestials — were unnatural anomalies.
Even when he remade Munar, he could not restore him to full power.
It was only through sheer will and massive mana expenditure that Munar existed at all.
Still, The One had discovered a loophole — the closer he drew to the day of his own creation, the stronger he became.
Slowly, painfully, his power grew, allowing him to craft more Celestials each passing cycle.
"Soon… soon, Fantasy," The One growled, his voice dark with fury. "I will be released from this cursed prison. And when I am free… you will suffer a thousand times more than before."
A phantom image of Fantasy appeared before him — a radiant figure of light and calm. Snarling, The One slashed through it with a single sweep of his hand.
The illusion's head fell away, and the mere air pressure of his swing howled across the hall like a storm, crashing against the barrier of the cube with a thunderous boom.
The seal did not even ripple.
"Fucking annoying seal," he grumbled, turning back toward his throne, his misty form fading into the darkness.
Back in Avarice, sunlight spilled through Jayden's window, painting his room in warm gold.
Fresh from a bath, Jayden was drying his hair when his sister's voice echoed from the staircase below, warning him that his parents were 'busy'.
Without hesitation, he leapt out the window — landing gracefully and shooting into the sky toward Ren's house.
As the wind rushed past him, he noticed something strange.
The seal he had removed was back in his body. The effects of the mana pills had faded — revealing that they had been fake.
Original mana pills permanently expanded a person's core, but while the artificial boost was gone, Jayden realized something: his mana core had stretched so much during the previous night that it left a permanent increase.
His lips curved into a grin. "Guess that's a win."
He arrived at Ren's house faster than ever — flying instead of walking, Xelvicar floating loyally beside him. But his grin faltered when Ren's parents told him Ren had stayed at Nadia's house overnight.
"Of course he did, that's my guy." Jayden muttered, smirking as teenage thoughts filled his mind.
He took off again, flying through the sky and on seeing Nadia's window, glided straight toward Nadia's window.
Inside Nadia's room, the air smelled faintly of flowers and polished wood.
Nadia sat on her bed chatting with Ren when they suddenly sensed Jayden's mana signature speeding toward them.
"I can bet what he's thinking about now," Ren sighed.
"No need," Nadia smirked. "I already know."
Her eyes glimmered mischievously. "Hey, Ren, can you perform a mana swipe?"
Ren caught on instantly and grinned. "Yes, obviously. Let's do it."
Outside, Jayden was seconds from her window when he spotted a flicker — blue and green light weaving together. He realized what it was a heartbeat too late.
A combined mana blast roared toward him.
"Xelvicar!" he shouted.
The blade beside him spun forward, expanding midair and slamming into the blast with a metallic clang!
The explosion of light sent a shockwave through the air as Jayden crashed through the window, tumbling right into both of them.
"Haha! Attacks like that can't work on me!" he laughed, springing to his feet — only to trip immediately and fall flat on his face.
"But those can," Nadia giggled, brushing dust from her skirt as the small puddle she formed on the floor tripped Jayden.
"Yeah, yeah, very funny," Jayden muttered, standing again.
He pointed at them suspiciously. "More importantly, what were you two doing yesterday?"
"Sleeping," they both replied flatly.
"Together?" he pressed, narrowing his eyes.
"No, but why does it matter to you? Did you want to sleep with me?" Nadia teased, stepping closer, her voice soft as silk.
Jayden's cheeks flared red. "Don't even try that with me, Nadia! I know what you're doing — and I'm in love with someone else!"
Nadia burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
"Relax! Ren watched over me yesterday and slept by the bedside chair while you were at home, sleeping like a log."
"Yeah, sleeping like a log," Jayden echoed with an awkward laugh.
"i guess you didn't sleep too well either, well storytime." Ren said as dragging both Nadia and Jayden, he brought them to the ground.
They all chuckled together, the tension easing as childhood warmth filled the air again.
Jayden nodded, cracking a grin. "Sure, but let's snack while I tell it."
He conjured small glowing snacks — the same ones he'd eaten in his dream with Fantasy — and passed them around.
Nadia's room filled with the soft scent of sweet mana and laughter as Jayden began to tell his story. Both listened intently until he finished.
Ren jumped up, mouth full of snacks. "Your father is pretty cool," he mumbled through crumbs. "Only Luke Reginald would beat his son just to make him stronger."
"You kurnt get srunger awone! Lwets gwo wain!" he shouted, still chewing.
"Cant you just chew first." Nadia said in mock disgust.
Jayden laughed. "That's the spirit! We're winning the competition this year — easily!"
The mages had barely clinched the last tournament; this time, they wanted domination.
"Xelvicar, carry Nadia — let's go!"
"Wait, wha—?!"
Before she could finish, the sword scooped her up and shot through the window.
Jayden and Ren dove after her, the wind roaring in their ears.
Jayden plummeted headfirst toward the ground, grinning wildly before shooting upward again in a fiery burst.
Ren whistled midair. "Okay, that was cool — I can't lie!"
"Why do I wish you'd landed on your head," Nadia muttered with a tired sigh.
They raced toward the fields — Nadia in the lead, Ren close behind, Jayden trailing.
Seeing Nadia win, he smiled a mischievous plan as a light bulb switched on in his head.
"Xelvicar, stop!" Jayden commanded suddenly, halting midair.
"Seriously?" Nadia called back. "Now you're just being petty!"
"But it's not only you who's been training,"
she added, eyes sparkling. She leapt off the sword and began falling — but droplets of water formed beneath her feet, freezing into small ice skates.
She glided smoothly through the air, skating on conjured streams of water that curved ahead of her, propelling her gracefully to the ground.
Jayden's eyes widened. "Okay… that was just too slick. Sorry, Ren — hope you brought money for lunch!"
Cracks of light formed around Jayden's arms as he soared forward, landing beside Nadia in a streak of lightning.
The wind rippled across the training fields as the three stood ready.
Jayden stood between them, eyes glowing faintly.
"Alright," he said, voice calm. "Both of you attack me with everything you've got. This'll train your mana output — and my reaction speed."
Normally, they would've hesitated, but today their excitement burned too hot for fear.
"Let's go—"
Before Jayden could finish, five ice shards flew toward him. He flipped forward, dodging them, but Ren was already beside him, slashing out four mana strikes.
Jayden blocked each one with his bare hands, sparks of blue energy bursting at every impact.
"Let's go!" Jayden shouted again, breaking into a sprint.
Ren's legs morphed into a cheetah's as he gave chase, lightning-fast.
An ice wall erupted in front of Jayden, exploding outward into a storm of icicles.
He twisted away — only to spot seven water blades racing toward him from the right, and Ren to his left, hands transformed into porcupine spikes, firing needles like a machine gun.
Flames flared around Jayden's palm as he spun, creating a ring of fire that burned everything to ash. But as he landed, the melted water froze again around his legs, locking him in place.
"Tch—"
With a burst of force, he shattered the ice — but a tentacle of water whipped out, coiling around him and flinging him into the air.
While airborne, he sensed more mana attacks converging.
"Flashstep!"
He vanished midair, reappearing behind Ren. The latter spun instantly, firing a barrage of spikes — but Jayden's hands moved with impossible speed, copying the white mana technique he'd once seen, deflecting each needle in a blur.
"Ice Surge!"
Nadia's shout rang out as a massive ice geyser erupted beneath Jayden, blasting him upward into the sky.
"Keep going!" he roared from above, eyes glowing white. "Eyes of the gods!"
He could feel it — the thrill, the rush.
Yesterday's fight with his father had shown him the truth: experience was the greatest teacher.
He wasn't training them — they were all getting stronger together.
"The power of the strongest one… presses down on you!"
An overwhelming aura of pressure dropped from the sky, forcing Ren and Nadia to their knees.
Jayden's eyes burned with determination.
"Let's finish this. Dodge it — if you can!"
Dozens of flame orbs materialized around him, glowing like mini suns.
They rained down toward his friends in a fiery storm.
"Nadia, now!" Ren yelled.
"Ice Hexagon!"
A massive, crystalline barrier unfolded, its six sides glowing as it absorbed the brunt of the blasts.
Ren countered the remaining ones with rapid-fire mana slashes, dispersing the rest in flashes of blue and gold.
When the light faded, the two collapsed, panting and drenched in sweat.
"You guys did amazing," Jayden said, landing softly beside them, his tone warm with pride.
"Thanks, but remember… we're not you," Ren panted. "We don't have infinite mana."
Nadia formed cups from water and ice, handing one to Ren before sipping her own.
Jayden laughed quietly and lay back on the cool grass beside them, eyes tracing the drifting clouds.
"We'll all get stronger together," he whispered. "I swear it."