"I'll kill this boy before you kill me," the beast hissed, its long claws poised just above Micheal's heart.
"You dare threaten me?" Akira's voice was low, laced with a fury that made the air tremble.
In a flash, the beast lunged, its claw slashing through Micheal's chest. It pierced flesh but never reached his heart—its arm now suspended unnaturally, disconnected from its body. Akira's axe swung with precision, severing the beast's limb before it could complete its deadly strike.
Before Akira could react further, the beast vanished through a stealthy portal, leaving no trace behind.
"Don't worry," Akira said, lifting the unconscious Micheal with effortless strength. "I've called a Master-ranked Mystic to guard the rift entrance. He'll be safe." With a powerful arc, Akira's axe shattered the barrier sealing the cave, transforming the exit rift into a pristine, white mirror-like portal.
"You're safe now," he continued, eyes scanning for the others. "I'll come back for them." He moved toward Axel who was also now unconscious, intending to lift him as well—but a surge of chaotic energy erupted from Axel's body, so intense it forced Akira to step back.
"Please, take Micheal to the Mystic outside," Akira pleaded with Mira, handing the unconscious boy into her care. The Guardian-class man had already fled the cave, leaving Akira little choice but to entrust the task to her.
Turning his attention back to Axel, Akira's gaze sharpened. The energy radiating from him was unlike anything he'd ever encountered. "There's only one form that can withstand this," he murmured.
"Perfect Manifestation: First Form—Edict of Ophitigris: World Denial."
Three forms existed in Akira's "Perfect Manifestation," each a testament to complete mastery over Ophitigris. The first, World Denial, granted absolute invulnerability to all energy—without exception. Energy could neither detect, influence, nor harm him. This was not a defensive form—it was judgement incarnate.
When invoked, the universe itself obeyed a single undeniable truth:
"Energy has no meaning in the presence of Akira."
But the power came at a cost. In this form, Akira could not wield external energies, relying solely on his physical prowess, his divine weapon, and Ophitigris' direct manifestation. Its duration was dictated entirely by Ophitigris. Prolonged use risked accelerating the Shedding, the process by which the divine force edged closer to discarding its vessel—potentially erasing Akira's humanity.
As the form took hold, a faint, serpentine outline of Ophitigris coiled behind him, subtle and symbolic—a shadow of power rather than its embodiment.
Axel's body went slack in Akira's arms. Akira lifted him with the care one would give a newborn, every movement slow and deliberate as he carried him out of the cavern. Behind him, the rift sealed shut, its light collapsing into nothing, leaving the muscular man and the Channeler trapped inside, swallowed by silence.
Akira paused and glanced back at the spot where the rift had been.
"I never thought it would close this early," he muttered.
He adjusted his grip and continued on, careful not to disturb Axel.
Minutes later, they reached the house. Micheal was already there, his arm fully healed. Rest never crossed his mind. All he could see was Axel.
"Is he okay?" Micheal rushed toward them but was forced back as an unseen pressure erupted from Axel's body, pushing him away.
"I don't know what's happening yet," Akira said calmly, though his eyes stayed on Axel. "But I'm certain it's connected to the second katana he's holding."
He stepped inside and carried Axel to an isolated room deep within the house. After laying him down, Akira locked the door, sealing it to prevent anyone from entering.
"What happened to my son?"
Solaine came running, her face pale, Asen and the other grandmasters close behind her.
"I can't say for sure yet," Akira replied. "But his power is still increasing."
At those words, Solaine steadied herself, drawing a slow breath.
"Then when will he wake up?" she asked.
"For now," Akira answered, "that remains a mystery."
A week passed. Axel did not stir.
Tension slowly bled into everything: the grandmasters, Axel's family, and Micheal. Fear took root as weeks turned into months… and then a full year slipped by.
After countless examinations, Akira confirmed something unsettling. Axel had not aged a day. His body was unchanged, yet his power continued to swell violently. The katana that carried the essence of Dralion was evolving alongside him, now emanating aether of its own.
The blade was still clenched in Axel's hand. No one, no matter their strength, could pry it loose.
Within Axel's subconscious, he sat motionless in a realm that looked like a fusion of countless Milky Way galaxies. Rivers of energy streamed from distant stars, pouring into his body at overwhelming speed.
Beside him stood Asterion, silent and vigilant.
"Your people interfered," Asterion said, though Axel could not hear him. "They disturbed what should have been left untouched. This evolution will take far longer than you expected."
To Asterion, evolution was not about change in form or temperament, nor even raw strength. It was about capacity—the amount of divine aether one could absorb and contain.
Back in the real world, when Akira realized an entire year had passed with no sign of awakening, he took action. He gathered loyal Resonants from across the Rogue class, choosing them for their speed, stealth, and decisiveness. They were assigned as Axel's personal guards, positioned to respond instantly to any threat.
Sixty Rogues stood before him.
Micheal stepped forward.
"Grandmaster Akira, allow me to lead them."
Akira studied him for a moment, then smiled faintly. "I've been waiting for you to say that."
He placed a hand on Micheal's shoulder. "This unit will be known as The Phantom Creed. I'll be leaving soon with the other grandmasters to hunt specific artifacts. Axel's body may need them."
"Rift hunts?" Micheal asked, surprised.
"Yes," Akira replied. "We don't know what changes his body may undergo in the near future."
"I understand," Micheal said without hesitation.
During Axel's year-long slumber, Micheal had trained relentlessly. While others withdrew from rift raids, he pressed on. In that single year, he rose from Silver rank to Master, claiming Axel's former position as the strongest teenager alive—without even wielding a divine weapon.
"Then I'm entrusting Axel to you," Akira said.
Micheal bowed his head.
Akira turned and left with the other grandmasters, stepping once more into danger, while Axel remained behind, sleeping… and transforming.