Return of the Forsaken.
The rain began as if to wash away the grieves and sorrows of those who had lost their kin.
Still, everyone took shelter from the rain — hoping for a new beginning under their new king.
But Ray remained outside.
He stood in the open, rain falling over him, cold and heavy, yet strangely calming.
His eyes lifted toward the cloudy sky, and the weight inside him slowly settled.
Then, his lips parted.
The Void Cells stirred within him, amplifying his voice until it thundered across the village — deep, steady, and commanding, like the voice of a storm itself.
"Today marks the rebirth, to the civilians who lost their kin.
And tomorrow, we shall take our first step to overthrow the authorities.
And I, your king, shall lead you to victory...
Tomorrow, when the dawn breaks, we shall march toward our new beginning — and our path to victory."
His voice faded.
For a moment, the world fell silent.
Only the sound of the rain remained — quiet and endless.
Then came the cries.
The villagers shouted, screamed, and wept — voices filled with hope instead of fear.
Men raised their fists.
Women held their children close, smiling through tears.
Even the children looked at Ray with eyes that burned with Respect and admiration.
To them, he wasn't just a savior anymore.
He was something greater — a symbol.
Mimir watched from the edge of the crowd, his wrinkled hands folded behind his back.
'His face says he's barely eighteen,' he thought, 'but his actions… say otherwise.'
A faint smile crossed his lips.
"What a compelling king we have," he whispered.
Ray lifted his hand.
The Void Cells writhed under his skin; black mist coalesced in his palm and , a blade formed — not forged, but grown from shadow and light. The sword was black with veins of crimson that drank the rain's shine.
"Today," he said — and the crowd went silent again.
He pointed its tip to the sky, its blade gleaming beneath the moonlight.
Then his voice grew deeper.
"Today marks the beginning."
"The beginning of the Reckoning."
The moonlight danced across the black blade, turning its crimson veins into streaks of fire.
Under that rain, with the sword raised to the heavens, Ray looked less like a boy and more like a deity a figure that hope itself had taken form in.
The villagers' reverence only grew stronger.
Their cheers returned, louder than before, echoing through the forest like thunder.
He didn't understand why the words came so easily, or why his heart no longer trembled.
The voice that spoke was his -- yet not.
Now, he could feel it.
The weight of command, the pull of destiny, the echo of something long buried.
He wasn't becoming a king.
He was returning to it.
As if the world itself had merely been waiting for him to remember his throne.
Ray slowly walked through the rain, the sword melting back into his arm until it disappeared beneath his skin.
He stopped before Mimir and Falker — the two elders who had stood closest to him since the beginning.
"Bring every able man," Ray said. His voice was steady and calm. "It doesn't matter even if they are not mages."
He turned to Falker and leaned in, so close the rain stitched their collars. "You will teach them about aura."
Falker's face brightened — he was not displeased , but was happy . He bowed quickly, and said with a determined face "I will not fail you, my lord."
Within an hour, the villagers gathered in the clearing.
The rain had slowed to a drizzle, and torches glowed faintly in the mist.
Ray looked across the crowd.
"Those who can use mana," he said, "go with Falker. He will guide you."
He turned his gaze to the rest. "The others, come with me."
The villagers obeyed.
Falker led his group of about twenty into the forest with pride burning in his eyes.
He didn't see it as division — he saw it as trust.
The four who stayed by Ray exchanged nervous glances. They felt useless — no mana, no noble blood, little training. Ray cut through the awkwardness with a question that felt less like instruction and more like invocation.
"Do you know what qi is?"
The men exchanged glances.
Then a large, broad-shouldered man with dark eyes and a rugged face stepped forward — Eldric. His voice was rough but firm. "It's the energy they spoke of in legends."
Ray nodded. "Do you know why you have so little mana?" he asked, eyes sweeping the four.
As Guilt and shame burned across their faces. None answered. Ray's next words landed hard.
"It's because you were never meant to," Ray said. "Your talent doesn't lie in mana."
Their faces dimmed.
Ray continued. "It lies in something else."
Their eyes lifted again — faint hope flickering within.
Dan, a thin man in his early twenties, clenched his fists.
"So what is it?" he asked — eyes steady, burning with determination.
Then his voice cracked, trembling with urgency.
"I just want to be strong. Strong enough to protect my family and friends!"
Ray watched him in silence for a moment, then stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Mana isn't the only form of strength," he said quietly.
"Mana and qi both exist within every person — but each of us walks a different path.
If you struggle with mana, it doesn't mean you're weak. It simply means your strength may lie elsewhere… perhaps in qi."
His gaze swept over the others, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Tell me… how many of you have ever tried to _sense_ qi?"
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly.
"You've all just accepted what the world told you — that qi is nothing more than an old legend."
The men froze. A heavy silence fell over the group, only the sound of the rain remained.
One by one, their eyes widened — disbelief, confusion, and a glimmer of hope flickering beneath.
"Can I really become strong?" Dan asked softly.
"Does qi still exist… in our time?" another murmured, voice trembling.
Ray's tone softened, almost like a teacher speaking to his students.
"See for yourself."
He sat on the wet ground, motioning for them to do the same. "Sit. Close your eyes. Forget your mana heart. Look inward, deeper. Do not concentrate on its source. Feel the energy veins that weave through your body — the silent current flowing within you."
They obeyed. The rain continued to fall, but none of them moved. Time passed slowly.
Half an hour later, they were still sitting — silent, focused.
Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
Ray watched them quietly.
Their faces were calm, their breathing steady.
Something faint stirred in the air — an invisible rhythm, alive and pure.
He looked toward the dark sky.
Raindrops touched his face, and a faint smile formed on his lips.
"Hope," he whispered to himself. "A strange thing… fragile, but eternal."
___
After five more minutes, Dan opened his eyes.
The awkwardness and helplessness once in his gaze were gone — replaced by a flicker of hope.
Ray stared at him silently, and Dan understood.
He nodded, trembling with excitement, then stood and shouted, "Finally!"
One after another, the others opened their eyes and stood as well — all except Eldric.
Eldric looked down, disappointment heavy on his face.
He hadn't sensed anything.
Ray noticed.
And then, something moved — the unknown energy within him stirred.
In response, one of his crimson eyes gleamed with a faint violet light, like polished amethyst,
and with that glow, the world shifted. Through the violet lens of his gaze, the physical world faded, and the world of energies was laid bare. Mana flowed as blue currents, qi shimmered with a golden hue.
His gaze fell upon Eldric, and he froze.
It was his first time seeing such a thing. Before him, the two energies didn't just coexist; they were inextricably woven together .
Eldric's energies were already in perfect harmony — qi and mana blended together, flowing as one harmonious stream, creating a new, deeper shade that pulsed with latent power.
If not for the clear presence of a mana heart and dantian, Ray would have mistaken it for an entirely new power.
He stepped closer.
The others looked at him with awe — the faint violet light in his eye made him look almost divine.
Beautiful, yet intimidating and absolute.
Ray placed a hand on Eldric's shoulder.
"Can you use mana?" he asked.
Eldric hesitated, embarrassed.
"I can… but I can't cast any spells."
Ray's tone was calm. "Show me your mana."
Eldric nodded.
He focused, and a white glow surrounded his hands — pure and steady, like divine light.
Ray's eyes widened slightly.
It was aura.
Not weak, not unstable — but refined and strong, the highest he had seen other than his own.
And while Ray's aura had come from the unknown energy, wild and hard to control,
Eldric controlled his effortlessly — natural and balanced.
"You shouldn't be ashamed," Ray said quietly.
"Right now, you are the strongest person I've seen in this village."
The others looked on in disbelief.
A single question lingered in all of their minds — what was that white energy, for their king to acknowledge it?
Eldric himself looked confused.
He didn't understand.
Ray's gaze softened, and his voice grew steady.
"This is the goal you should all aim to reach," he said.
"What he controls… is called Aura."
Everyone — even Eldric — stood stunned.
They had all heard of aura, but few had ever seen it.
White aura was said to be purest of all — even among the Enforcement Regime, those who wielded it were rare.
Ray continued, his tone calm but filled with quiet awe.
"I don't know why, but his mana and qi are in perfect harmony. They've blended together… moving as one."
His violet glow slowly faded as the void energy settled.
"Eldric," he said firmly, "from now on, fight with your fists."
He stepped back and pointed toward an open field.
"Now, show your strength. Cover your fist with aura — and strike."
Eldric clenched his fist as white light gathered around it, making the air shimmer and burn.
Then, he drove his punch forward.
The air distorted.
A shockwave ripped through the clearing, tearing through the rain and crushing everything before it.
Trees splintered. The ground cracked. The very air burned.
For a heartbeat, there was silence — then the rain falling before him turned to steam.
Eldric stared at his own hand in disbelief.
The others looked at him wide-eyed, then at the devastation his single strike had caused.
Now they understood why Ray had called him the strongest.
Ray looked at them and said,
"I'll teach you more about aura later.
Tomorrow, we bear the duty to protect the weak.
For now… all of you may leave."
The four turned to leave, but stopped midway.
Then, one by one, they started kneeling and shouted aloud — voices filled with loyalty and fire.
"I, Eldric, swear to follow you through life and death!"
"I, Dan, swear to always be your humble servant!"
"I, Herman, swear to never betray my lord!"
"I, Ben, will live and die for you!"
Ray stood silent for a moment, then nodded slowly.
With a calm, deep voice, he said,
"Rise... this is but a gift to those who wish to stand beside me.
Tomorrow, we march toward a new dawn."
With that, all four of them began to disperse.
The ones who had come to Ray with helplessness and shame...
now carried hope — and purpose.
They didn't know it yet... but this was where their legend began.
End of Chapter 7