A comfortable silence settled over the dining hall, broken only by the soft clinking of silverware and near-soundless chewing. Ethan and Alan, however, found their usual restraint dissolving. With their master and Gwain focused on their own meals, the two younger disciples felt free to eat with a gusto they usually suppressed.
Ethan, normally a paragon of controlled manners when it mattered, found his discipline crumbling with each bite. He had always thought the food in the Outer Order's restaurants was merely functional, something to sustain the body. But this... this was a revelation. A profound sense of physical relief washed over him; the accumulated tension and mental fatigue from months of relentless research and compression began to seep away. The flavors were complex and vibrant, each dish a masterpiece.
He forced down a mouthful, his urgency growing. "Master," he began, unable to wait for the meal to end, "can I learn to cook from the person who made this?"
Kaelen looked up, a smile gracing his features as he finished chewing. He took a sip of water before responding. "Of course. You can speak to Ria about it. I didn't know you had an interest in cooking."
Ethan shook his head, a look of profound sadness on his face. "Master, you don't understand the tasteless things we get in the Outer Order. It's bad, Sir. At this point, I only eat to survive."
Kaelen's smile widened at his student's genuine display. "It's great to have something you enjoy doing. Life as an ascendant can become very repetitive. Those little hobbies help calm the mind and break the monotony more than you'd expect."
Gwain nodded in quiet agreement, having experienced the grind himself.
Ethan and Alan, their spirits lifted, returned their full attention to the meal before them.
"Remember to train your bodies after you eat," Kaelen advised as they continued. "It will help your system fully absorb the energy you've just gained."
"You'll lose the benefits if you don't," Kaelen finished, dabbing his mouth with a napkin and setting down his silverware. He looked at his two youngest students. "Have either of you, Ethan and Alan, seen an ascendant war?"
Ethan put down his fork. "No, Sir," he replied. Alan simply shook his head, still chewing.
Kaelen picked up his glass of wine, swirling the dark red liquid thoughtfully.
"The Nether.... It's been an eternal threat to the human world. No matter how hard we try to erase all knowledge of demonic rituals, their whispers always find their way into minds filled with enough desperation to listen. These whispers have corrupted even the strongest ascendants."
"It is a great loss when one of our own becomes a devil, and killing a devil is tough work. Requires twice the effort, really; so we make it a priority to eliminate any devil, ascendant or not, before they get the chance to grow stronger."
He took a slow sip. "You can eat while you listen. I have reason to believe the demons, who have constantly tried to invade our world, have not suddenly grown a conscience or restraint. They crave human souls, especially powerful, Ascendant souls. While they've kept us occupied with minor Rank 2 and 3 Nether rifts, the silence of the Gods makes me suspect the demon kings of the Nether are planning something far greater."
Seeing his students had finished eating, he stood. "Come with me. I need to show you something. Tower Spirit, all four of us to the 7th floor, please."
A white light flashed, and they materialized on a new floor. "Walk with me," Kaelen instructed. "To understand the gravity of the situation, I believe seeing it for yourself will help give you clarity."
"Gwain knows what's coming; he's survived similar life-and-death situations, and the fact that you can only swing swords and use a couple of Rank 1 runes will not ensure your survival. You must improve drastically to even stand a chance against a demon at your Rank."
He pushed open a heavy door, revealing a chamber lined with cells containing various monstrous entities. Ethan, walking behind Alan, felt a palpable, wild pressure emanating from every cell, so intense he had to consciously stop his hand from reaching for his sword. While the pressure was less concentrated than Gwain's will, the predatory nature of this pressure was far more terrifying.
Kaelen stopped before a specific cell. "Tower Spirit, open this cell."
"Yes, Master."
The bars slid open, and the pressure from within intensified exponentially. Alan immediately buckled, falling to one knee. Ethan, burning his soul energy for the second time that day, managed to stay on his feet for a few crucial seconds—long enough to see the creature within.
It was a red-skinned demon, three meters tall, with two towering horns. Its pitch-black eyes locked onto Ethan, and it smiled, ignoring everyone else to lunge directly at him.
The sheer size of the creature made him feel infinitesimally small. Its maw looked capable of taking half his head in a single bite. Before it could reach him, magical chains snapped taut, holding it back.
"SSsuch... a tasty soul," it grated, its voice like grinding stone. "Come closer. I, Mephos, can give you all you desire... give me a taste." It kept rattling the chains that bound it, as it focused on Ethan alone.
Before Ethan could process the words, his master spoke calmly. "Meet Mephos, a Rank 3 demon. 'This' is what a real foot soldier for the Nether realm looks like. If you can't stand the pressure from a weak demon like him, then your survival percentage is as low as I thought. Tower Spirit, you can close the cell now."
The bars slammed shut. Ethan felt as if he'd been doused in cold water. He was drenched in sweat, his heart hammering. The pressure had doubled the moment the demon focused on him.
"You can breathe now, think about what you just felt while you can," Kaelen said as Ethan and Alan knelt, gasping for air.
"Your goal during your time in my tower will be to stand in the presence of a Rank 3 demon and maintain the strength to attack, preferably on your feet."
Gwain's soft chuckle in the background irked Ethan, but he understood this was out of his own weakness.
"Master," Gwain interjected, his tone now serious. "It seems you might have severely underestimated Ethan's soul body. A demon ignored you to target him. I'm afraid his Awakening might require more soul crystals than initially planned."
Kaelen nodded grimly. "Definitely. The fact that he can manipulate soul energy pre-awakening suggested a high potential, but this... he will need at least a Rank 2 soul crystal. Tower Spirit, send Ethan and Alan to their floors and inform Ria, I need to see her."
Before the two could utter a word, the world dissolved into light once more, teleporting them away from the chilling presence of the demon.