The world turned white.
Not because of light.
Not because of energy.
But because the lightning descending from the heavens contained a force so overwhelming that William's senses could not comprehend it.
For the first time in years—
He felt true helplessness.
The same helplessness he had sworn never to feel again.
The lightning struck.
BOOM.
There was no explosion.
No wave of destruction.
Only a single instant where a force beyond his understanding passed through his body.
Every bone was shattered.
Every organ ruptured.
Every vein burned.
His heart stopped.
His lungs collapsed.
William did not scream.
He could not.
The attack was too absolute.
Too fast.
Too overwhelming.
His body fell from the sky like a broken puppet.
His vision blurred.
Below him, he could see countless people collapsed on the ground.
Some had lost consciousness.
Some had already died from the lack of air.
And in that final moment before darkness consumed him—
He saw a familiar figure.
Andrew.
The old man appeared between heaven and earth.
For the first time since William had met him—
There was no amusement in his eyes.
No calm.
Only anger.
Not toward William.
But toward himself.
With a single movement of his hand, the second bolt of lightning that was preparing to descend froze.
The terrifying heavenly energy stopped as though time itself had been commanded to halt.
Andrew looked upward.
His ancient eyes met the sky.
"Enough."
A single word.
Yet the heavens trembled.
The dark clouds slowly dispersed.
The punishment stopped.
Then the old man caught William's falling body and disappeared.
When William opened his eyes again—
He was back in the white room.
The same room where he had spent years learning how to breathe, walk, and control every aspect of his existence.
But now—
He could not even move.
Pain covered every part of his body.
He turned his head slowly.
Andrew stood nearby.
The silver-haired woman stood beside him.
Neither spoke.
William remained silent for several seconds.
Then finally—
"What happened?"
His voice was weak.
Almost unrecognizable.
Andrew closed his eyes.
For once, the old man did not answer immediately.
And that alone made William understand that the situation was serious.
The woman looked at him.
Her multi-colored eyes showed neither mockery nor pity.
Only cold honesty.
"This old man forgot to tell you something."
William looked toward her.
"What?"
She stepped closer.
"That power of yours…"
Her gaze became profound.
"It cannot normally be used before the universe recognizes you."
William's expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
She continued.
"Every candidate possesses a special body."
"The Celestial Light Body."
"The Eternal Nullified Body."
"The Immortal Body."
"But being a candidate does not mean you truly possess that body."
She raised her hand.
A small sphere of energy appeared and disappeared between her fingers.
"Right now, you are like someone holding the key to a palace that does not yet belong to him."
"You can open the door for a short moment."
"But the palace itself has not accepted you as its master."
William's eyes narrowed.
"Then how have I been using my abilities all this time?"
For the first time, her eyes shifted toward Andrew.
"Because of him."
Silence filled the room.
William slowly turned toward the old man.
Andrew did not deny it.
"The universe recognized his existence."
She continued.
"His authority, his name, and his position allowed him to temporarily establish your connection with the higher laws."
"Without him, a normal candidate would be incapable of using the true power of their future body."
William's memories immediately returned to the mountain.
The moment he lost control.
The moment he erased the relationship between life and air.
The moment he tried to use a power that could influence existence itself.
"Then the lightning..."
"It was a warning."
The woman interrupted.
"No."
Her expression became serious.
"It was a punishment."
Those words froze the room.
"A punishment from the laws of the universe."
William's pupils contracted.
"The universe attacked me?"
"Of course."
Her answer was immediate.
"Do you think the universe would allow a being that has not been acknowledged by it to freely rewrite its rules?"
She stepped closer.
Her presence became overwhelming.
"Imagine if every candidate with a supreme physique could use their complete authority before their awakening."
Her eyes shone with countless colors.
"The balance of countless worlds would collapse."
William remained silent.
For the first time, he realized how much Andrew had been protecting him.
Not only training him.
Not only guiding him.
Protecting him from the consequences of his own power.
His eyes moved toward the old man.
"You knew."
Andrew finally spoke.
"I did."
A brief answer.
Nothing more.
William's voice lowered.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
For the first time in a very long time—
Andrew looked guilty.
"Because I made a mistake."
The words shocked William more than the lightning.
Andrew.
The man who always knew everything.
The man who had guided him through the mysteries of the universe.
Admitting a mistake.
"I wanted you to learn without hesitation."
Andrew said quietly.
"I wanted you to understand the Immortal Body before obtaining it."
"Because once you awaken it, the speed of your growth will be terrifying."
His expression hardened.
"But I forgot something important."
William looked at him.
"What?"
The old man's eyes became sharp.
"That you are still human."
Silence.
"Knowledge does not erase emotion."
"Understanding does not erase anger."
"You conquered your fear of Kaite."
Andrew's voice became heavier.
"But you did not test your hatred."
The words struck deeply.
Because they were true.
When he saw Kaite suffering.
When he saw the man who destroyed his life begging for air—
He did not think.
He did not understand.
He simply wanted him to experience the same helplessness.
And that desire had almost killed him.
Not because Kaite was stronger.
Not because his enemies defeated him.
But because he lost control over himself.
The same lesson.
Again.
Power without understanding was destruction.
The same truth the ocean, the volcanoes, the desert, the forest, and the white room had tried to teach him.
For a long time, William remained silent.
Then he closed his eyes.
"What happened to the people there?"
The question caused the room to become quiet.
The silver-haired woman and Andrew exchanged a brief glance.
The answer...
would determine whether William was truly ready for the path ahead.