The skies above rumbled violently. Crimson flames burned and collided, erupting into rolling infernos that bloomed like miniature supernovas. The heat drifted downward, brushing the ground below in slow, suffocating waves.
Thousands of Echoform statues stood frozen across the vast expanse, their massive forms reflecting the red-stained sky. Some were already swallowed by the descending cloud of fire, their towering bodies reaching so high they seemed to claw at the heavens like silent behemoths.
Mirroths floated through the air, shimmering faintly with dazzling colors—beautiful at a glance, horrifying once you remembered what lurked within them.
And at the heart of the Realm, a few meters above a dark throne that rippled with barely contained power, a cocoon of light burned with blinding brilliance. Within it, the faint outline of a human figure could be seen, suspended and changing—no, becoming something else. The transformation was unmistakable.
But the human wasn't the only thing that was changing.
The Mirroths drifting through the air began to move, slow and deliberate, as if drawn into a silent dance.
Across the Realm, the countless statues turned their gazes toward the cocoon. Their faces remained still, carved in stone, yet the reverence in their posture was unmistakable.
Above them, the burning skies grew even more violent. Crimson eruptions thundered across the heavens, bursting like warped fireworks as red sparks rained down to the ground, glowing like falling moths.
Time bled on, and with it, the Realm stirred—becoming just a little more alive with every passing moment.
Then something changed.
BOOM!
A pillar of light tore out from the cocoon and speared into the crimson sky. Flames spiraled around it, forming a roaring vortex of fire.
The cocoon began to dim, flickering—once, then again.
And when the light finally vanished, a dazed boy stepped forward.
His body shimmered like living bronze, raw energy coiling around his defined muscles. His hair had grown longer than before, glossy and jet-black, flowing down to his shoulders in a smooth, effortless wave.
His eyes were darker than shadows, spiraling inward like twin black holes that swallowed the light around them.
The boy who had arrived here was gone.
In his place stood someone else—someone with the potential to become a god.
***
The instant Elias stepped out of the cocoon, he didn't even get the chance to look at himself.
The Song called to him.
His eyes widened, his thoughts stalling as a strange dizziness washed over his face.
[🎵 🎵 Rejoice, lucky one. The Song has identified you as one of its own.]
[🎵 🎵 Initializing…]
[🎵 🎵 Synchronization in progress… 40%… 80%… Complete.]
A translucent interface unfolded before his eyes.
—
[Carrier Profile]
Name: Elias Verdan
Level: Novice
Mental Strength: 1200 / 1200
Class: Silent Thread
Description:
You are able to devour minor dissonances—Echoform fragments and Broken Songs—provided the Echoform is not two ranks above you.
Devoured dissonance is stored within your Harmonic Core as a single thread.
Accumulated threads will advance your class rank.
[Threads Devoured: 0/200]
[Weakness: Overeating leads to Echo rejection. Your body will dissolve into sound.]
[Class Rank: Mythic]
[String Type: Solitary]
[Tremors: None]
[Lament:
Veil of Null – A cloak once fashioned by the Silent God to make his mischievous escapades easier.
Grade: Divine
Ability: Wearing this cloak renders you invisible to anyone no more than four ranks above you for two minutes.
Cooldown: 24 hours]
[Sonic Skills: None]
Elias stared at the screen, his pulse hammering in his veins. Reality—or whatever this was—hit him, and he couldn't contain it.
His fists clenched, a grin split his face, and he lifted his head to the skies, letting out a laugh that felt like it could tear the world apart.
"Hahahaha! Who's the trash now, you motherfuckers?!" His arms spread wide, smile twisted so hard it threatened to split his cheeks. "I always knew this bitchy universe loved me, but damn… this is next level!"
[🎵 🎵 Silent Thread, all songs come at a price.]
[🎵 🎵 Ascertaining your drawback…]
[Drawback: Every word you speak will chip away at your mental strength.]
Elias's eyes widened as his laughter died in his throat, his expression shifting so fast it was almost comical.
"No, no, no…" he muttered, voice shaking with disbelief as he stared at the Mental Strength tab—down by two hundred already. "This has to be a joke, right? RIGHT?!"
Elias wasn't new to drawbacks. The curse spared no one who carried the Song—a scale meant to balance out the power one wielded with an equally punishing price.
Some people got drawbacks so cruel they'd rather end it all than live under the torment, paying for a gift that made every day a living hell.
And yet… Elias couldn't help himself. He cursed loudly, a flurry of words spilling out before he even realized.
"You Song bastard, jackass, dumbass, scumbag, freaking piece of shit…"
All for one simple, infuriating reason:
He couldn't stop talking.
Elias could hardly remember the last time he stayed silent for more than a few minutes. Stop talking for too long, and he started sweating, fidgeting, spiraling into pure discomfort.
Darn it! This was unacceptable! Preposterous! Infuriating!
Before Elias could spiral into a full-blown cursing frenzy, tiny glowing moths of blue suddenly drifted out of the system interface, swirling and twisting until they formed a small, humanoid outline.
Mouth agape in a mix of shock and confusion, he watched as the moths condensed.
Wait… was that a fairy?
The little creature floated midair, so hopelessly cute it made Elias forget his previous outrage. Her tiny wings fluttered, leaving faint blue trails behind her, and her mouth hung open as she snored peacefully.
Yep. She was sleeping. Soundly. Even though the world was rumbling with explosions above them, this little fairy princess looked like she wouldn't wake up for a century.
Cautiously, Elias stepped closer, awe written all over his face. Her violet hair rippled like liquid, cascading past her shoulders in gentle waves, and her dress shimmered a soft blue, sparkling faintly like diamonds.
And those cheeks… chubby, squishy, utterly pinchable.
He raised his hands, trying—and failing—to resist. "No, no, don't—" But his fingers betrayed him. They moved anyway.
Just as his hands were about to squeeze… the fairy's eyes snapped open.
Hazy, pale blue, and sharp all at once, they locked onto his outstretched fingers.
Feeling awkward, Elias froze, then lifted his hands in a sheepish wave. "Uhh… hello?"
The fairy narrowed her eyes and raised her tiny right hand, flexing muscles that probably didn't exist.
Before Elias could even react, a flash of blue erupted—and the next thing he knew, he was flying off the platform above the stairs, crashing hard to the ground below.
BOOM!
Thanks to his strengthened body, nothing broke—but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. He groaned, trying not to grimace as he turned to glare at the little fairy now floating smugly in front of him.
"Humph!" she huffed, hands on her tiny waist, cheeks puffed out with pride. "That's what you get for trying to bully me."
Elias gritted his teeth, flinching slightly at the looming statue of the Knight Echoform a few meters behind him, before locking eyes with the fairy again.
Who the hell called her adorable. This was definitely a little demon in disguise!