The rain had finally eased.
Only the occasional droplet fell from the leaves outside, tapping softly against the wooden roofs as dawn slowly crept over the forest. The celebration had long since ended. Empty plates had been cleaned away, the decorations remained hanging where they were, and the warmth of the previous evening lingered in the camp.
Arthur's room was quiet.
Layla stood by the door, her fingers gently resting on the necklace around her neck. She looked down at it one last time before taking a slow breath.
"...Thank you," she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else.
She slid the door open.
The moment she stepped outside—
she froze.
Sunny sat on the porch opposite Arthur's house, drinking from a wooden cup.
Lucas was sweeping the ground.
Kierran had just stepped outside, stretching after waking up.
Rivien was carrying a bucket of water.
All four pairs of eyes slowly turned toward her.
Silence.
Layla blinked.
"...Good morning?"
Nobody answered.
Lucas looked at Arthur's door.
Then back at Layla.
Then at the necklace.
Then back at the door again.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Oh..."
Kierran raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Rivien folded his arms.
Sunny calmly took another sip from his cup before saying in the flattest voice imaginable,
"...The assumptions forming in their heads are statistically inaccurate."
Lucas immediately looked at him.
"You've got assumptions too!"
"I do."
"...You're just not saying them?"
"No."
Layla's cheeks turned a faint shade of red.
"W-We were just talking!"
Lucas nodded dramatically.
"Of course."
Rivien nodded as well.
"Very educational conversation."
Layla buried her face in her hands.
"You people are impossible..."
Almost as if sensing the chaos outside, Arthur opened his door.
He stepped outside, looked at everyone gathered, then looked at Layla.
"...Morning."
Lucas stared.
"...That's all you've got?"
Arthur looked genuinely confused.
"...What?"
Sunny stood.
"...I'll begin training."
Without another word, he walked away, deciding it was wiser not to involve himself any further.
The others eventually dispersed, though Lucas continued smiling to himself while Rivien couldn't resist patting Arthur on the shoulder as he walked past.
"...Proud of you."
Arthur frowned.
"...For what?"
Rivien simply laughed and kept walking.
Arthur looked toward Layla.
She sighed.
"...Let's pretend none of that happened."
Arthur nodded immediately.
"...Agreed."
—
Not long afterward, the peaceful atmosphere disappeared.
Training began.
The clearing echoed with the sounds of clashing steel and exploding bursts of aether.
Kierran and Lucas resumed their sparring, each pushing the other harder than before.
Layla practiced her sword forms beneath a towering oak, each strike cleaner and sharper than the last.
Rivien challenged stronger and stronger monsters deeper within the forest, returning with fresh bruises and an even bigger smile every time.
Sunny sat beneath the same ancient tree as always, his eyes closed as dozens of tiny constructs floated around him, each becoming more refined with every passing minute.
Tom supervised quietly, correcting stances, breathing techniques, and the flow of aether whenever someone made even the slightest mistake.
Arthur stood alone at the edge of the clearing.
He inhaled slowly.
Then, with a thought—
a familiar blue window unfolded before him.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Days Remaining Until the Tournament: 64
Estimated Time Remaining
Master Flow State: 64 Days
Absolute Black Adaptation: Incomplete
Current Sustainable Usage:
4 Minutes 27 Seconds
Recommended Goal:
15 Minutes Minimum
Flow State Progress:
27%
Hidden Memory:
Locked
Condition:
Not Yet Met
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Arthur stared at the screen.
Sixty-four days.
Just over two months.
Two months to accomplish what had taken others years.
He slowly closed the window.
"...Flow State."
He looked down at his hands.
Dark wisps of Absolute Black curled around his fingers before fading away.
"...Four minutes..."
He clenched his fist.
"...That's nowhere near enough."
His gaze drifted toward the distant horizon, beyond the trees, beyond the forest.
Somewhere out there, the strongest Awakened from every continent were preparing for the same tournament.
Vaelis was crossing the unforgiving lands of Greenmire.
Azrion and Eldric were descending from the skies of Veilspire.
Kael had already reached the outskirts of Voidspire.
And Arthur...
Arthur still had sixty-four days to become someone capable of standing beside them.
He took one step forward.
Dark aether slowly gathered around his body.
His breathing steadied.
His thoughts quieted.
"...Again."
The training had truly begun. Here's the next scene, picking up from Arthur's training.
The clearing echoed with the rhythmic sounds of training.
Steel met steel.
Aether surged through the air in violent bursts before dissolving into countless glowing particles.
Tom walked between the groups, occasionally correcting someone's stance or pointing out a flaw in their breathing.
"Again."
Kierran and Lucas immediately resumed their sparring.
Nearby, Rivien had begun lifting an enormous boulder over his shoulders, refusing to admit that the weight had nearly crushed him moments earlier.
Sunny remained beneath the old tree, dozens of intricate constructs orbiting around him with incredible precision.
Arthur stood alone.
His eyes were closed.
Absolute Black seeped from beneath his feet like liquid darkness, spreading across the ground before slowly retreating back toward him.
His breathing remained slow.
Measured.
Every inhale.
Every exhale.
He was chasing something he could almost touch—
Flow State.
He entered it for only a heartbeat.
Then lost it.
The darkness flickered violently before disappearing altogether.
Arthur opened his eyes and quietly sighed.
"...Again."
Without hesitation, he started over.
Not far away, Layla practiced her sword forms.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
Each movement flowed naturally.
Until—
her eyes wandered.
Almost on their own.
They landed on Arthur.
He hadn't noticed.
Completely absorbed in training, he stood perfectly still once more, letting the black aura gather around him.
Layla watched for a second longer than she intended.
"...Focus," she whispered to herself.
She tightened her grip on her sword and resumed her forms.
One strike.
Another.
Then—
without warning—
last night drifted back into her mind.
Arthur's room.
The sound of rain against the window.
The necklace resting in her hands.
His quiet voice.
"...I hope one day... we get to live. Not survive. Just... exist."
Layla's sword suddenly stopped halfway through a swing.
Her heartbeat quickened.
A faint warmth spread across her cheeks before slowly creeping down the sides of her neck.
"...N-No..."
She shook her head quickly.
"Concentrate."
She took a deep breath and attempted the form again.
The blade slipped slightly.
Not enough to be dangerous—
but enough for someone experienced to notice.
Tom glanced in her direction.
"...Layla."
She immediately straightened.
"Y-Yes?"
Tom folded his arms.
"Your mind is elsewhere."
"...I know."
He nodded once.
"It happens."
Then he continued walking without another word.
Layla let out a small sigh of relief.
She dared one more glance toward Arthur.
He was still training.
Eyes closed.
Completely unaware.
She smiled despite herself.
"...You're hopeless..."
Before she could turn away—
Arthur suddenly opened his eyes.
Their gazes met.
For a brief moment—
neither of them moved.
Layla's face immediately grew warmer.
She quickly looked away, pretending to inspect her sword as though it had become the most interesting object in the world.
Arthur blinked.
"...Was something wrong?"
Layla answered a little too quickly.
"N-No!"
The clearing fell silent for a heartbeat before Lucas, who had witnessed the entire exchange from across the field, slowly lowered his practice sword.
A grin spread across his face.
"Oh..."
Kierran followed his gaze.
"...You noticed it too?"
Lucas nodded enthusiastically.
"I am absolutely not saying anything."
Rivien walked past carrying another boulder and looked between Arthur and Layla.
"...Neither am I."
Sunny, without even opening his eyes, spoke in his usual calm tone.
"...The probability of those two realizing their own feelings before the tournament is remarkably low."
Arthur frowned.
"...What are you all talking about?"
Nobody answered.
The only response was the sound of barely contained laughter echoing through the clearing.
And as Arthur stood there, genuinely confused, Layla quietly hid her smile behind her hand, hoping nobody noticed the blush that still refused to leave.
Here's the continuation of the story.
Laughter slowly faded, and the camp settled back into its morning rhythm.
Steel clashed once more.
Aether pulsed through the clearing.
The smell of damp earth lingered after the night's rain.
Arthur stood alone again, letting the outside world fade into the background.
His breathing steadied.
He closed his eyes.
But this time...
He wasn't thinking about Flow State.
His mind wandered elsewhere.
To a conversation.
A quiet one.
One he hadn't paid much attention to until now.
"Arthur..."
Layla's voice echoed faintly in his memory.
"Don't you think it's strange?"
He had looked at her then, confused.
"What is?"
She had hesitated before answering.
"Alex."
"Ever since we rescued your mother..."
"He hasn't shown anyone the Book of the End again."
Arthur remembered nodding.
At the time, he hadn't thought much of it.
But Layla continued.
"And haven't you noticed?"
"He's disappearing more often."
"Sometimes he leaves for hours..."
"Sometimes days..."
"Then suddenly he's back, as if nothing happened."
"He always says he's investigating something..."
"But what if..."
She stopped herself.
Arthur had asked quietly,
"What if... what?"
Layla looked toward the forest.
"I don't know."
"I just have a bad feeling."
The memory faded.
Arthur slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze drifted across the camp.
Sunny.
Kierran.
Lucas.
Layla.
Tom.
Rivien.
Alexi.
...
No Alex.
Again.
Arthur frowned.
"...Where do you keep going...?"
The question echoed quietly inside his mind.
His thoughts became still.
Not forced.
Not controlled.
Simply...
still.
His breathing slowed.
The sounds around him disappeared.
The clashing of swords.
The wind.
The conversations.
Everything.
For just an instant—
his mind became perfectly silent.
Then—
something changed.
The air around Arthur became unnaturally calm.
The leaves surrounding him stopped moving.
Dark aether flowed around his body without resistance.
No violent bursts.
No instability.
No wasted movement.
It obeyed him effortlessly.
As though it had always belonged there.
Sunny's eyes snapped open.
"..."
His floating constructs stopped midair.
Kierran halted his sword.
Lucas lowered his stance.
Layla turned instinctively.
Tom's expression changed completely.
"...Impossible..."
Arthur hadn't moved.
Yet every strand of aether in the clearing was quietly responding to him.
Like water flowing toward the moon.
No pressure.
No explosions.
Only...
perfect harmony.
Tom took one slow step forward.
His voice barely rose above a whisper.
"...Flow State."
Layla's eyes widened.
"...He..."
Sunny stood to his feet.
"...He isn't forcing it."
Tom slowly nodded.
"...No."
"...He's not entering Flow State."
"...He's already inside it."
Arthur remained unaware.
His eyes were open.
Yet strangely distant.
Every breath.
Every heartbeat.
Every movement of aether...
felt natural.
It was as though he had become part of the world itself.
Then—
a familiar voice broke the silence.
"...So."
Everyone turned immediately.
Standing atop one of the wooden rooftops—
hands tucked into the pockets of his white coat—
was Alex.
Nobody had sensed him arrive.
Nobody had heard footsteps.
It was as though he had simply appeared.
His eyes remained fixed on Arthur.
For the first time in a long while—
the calm smile on Alex's face disappeared.
"...You finally touched it."
Arthur slowly turned.
The moment he looked at Alex—
the silence inside his mind shattered.
The perfect harmony vanished.
The dark aether dispersed into the wind.
Arthur blinked several times.
"...What..."
He looked around.
Everyone was staring at him.
"...Why are you all looking at me?"
Tom let out a slow breath.
"...You were in Flow State."
Arthur frowned.
"...No."
"I was just thinking."
Alex stepped down from the roof with effortless grace.
His boots touched the ground without making a sound.
He walked until he stood only a few meters from Arthur.
Then, after a long silence, he spoke.
"...That's exactly why."
Arthur stared at him.
Alex's gaze remained unreadable.
"...The strongest Flow State..."
"...isn't entered."
A pause.
"...It's forgotten."
The clearing fell silent once more.
Even Sunny couldn't find a response.
Alex looked toward the distant horizon, where the road to Voidspire lay beyond countless forests and kingdoms.
Then he quietly added—
"...Sixty-four days."
"...Let's see if you can reach the place where even Saints fear to tread."
Silence lingered over the clearing.
Nobody resumed training.
Nobody dared to interrupt.
Arthur stood where he was, still trying to understand what had just happened.
Alex looked at him for several long moments before quietly speaking.
"...Do you know why you entered Flow State?"
Arthur shook his head.
"...No."
"I wasn't even trying."
Alex nodded.
"...Exactly."
He stepped closer and looked at everyone gathered around.
"This is something very few people understand."
"Most people believe Flow State is a technique."
He shook his head.
"It isn't."
"They believe it's a skill."
Again—
"No."
"They believe they can force themselves into it."
His expression remained calm.
"...That is why they fail."
Everyone listened carefully.
Even Tom remained silent.
Alex looked toward the forest.
"The moment you try to enter Flow State..."
"...you've already failed."
Arthur frowned.
"...Why?"
Alex looked back at him.
"Because your mind is no longer empty."
"You're thinking."
"Trying."
"Forcing."
"Hoping."
"...All of those are noise."
He raised a single finger.
"Flow State is..."
"...Nothing."
Arthur's brows furrowed.
Alex continued.
"It is a state where the mind becomes completely blank."
"No fear."
"No excitement."
"No hesitation."
"No doubt."
"No expectations."
"No thoughts."
He slowly closed his own eyes.
"...Only you."
"...And nothingness."
The clearing became quieter still.
"You don't control your body."
"Your body simply moves."
"You don't think about your opponent."
"You simply respond."
"You don't command your aether."
"It flows because it has nothing resisting it."
Arthur slowly looked down at his hands.
"...So that's why..."
Alex nodded.
"You stopped thinking."
"You were remembering."
"There is a difference."
Tom quietly folded his arms.
"...I have only touched that state a handful of times in my entire life."
Alex looked at him.
"Because you're human."
Tom didn't argue.
Alex's eyes moved across the group.
"Humans experience emotions."
"They cling to fear."
"Hope."
"Regret."
"Desire."
"They carry burdens."
"And burdens are heavy."
"They make the mind noisy."
He looked toward the distant sky beyond the forest canopy.
"But there are beings..."
"...for whom silence is natural."
His voice lowered.
"The gods."
"The demons."
"...The Watchers."
"They don't stumble into Flow State."
"They walk into it."
"They leave it."
"They return."
"As easily as breathing."
Everyone felt a chill.
Sunny finally spoke.
"...Why?"
Alex answered without hesitation.
"Because they have crossed a threshold humanity never has."
His gaze became distant.
"True divinity."
Arthur looked up.
"...Godhood?"
Alex nodded once.
"...Not the title."
"...The state of existence."
He paused.
"Flow State is not merely concentration."
"It is transcendence over the self."
He let those words settle.
Then quietly continued.
"When a being reaches that level..."
"...their mind no longer resists itself."
"They can enter Flow State whenever they choose."
Arthur clenched his fists.
"...How much stronger does it make someone?"
Alex answered calmly.
"...Approximately tenfold."
Silence.
Lucas nearly dropped his sword.
"...Ten times?"
Alex nodded.
"If two opponents possess identical strength..."
"The one in Flow State wins."
"Almost every time."
"Their movements become cleaner."
"Their reactions sharper."
"Their perception expands."
"Their aether obeys perfectly."
"They waste almost nothing."
Tom slowly exhaled.
"...A tenfold multiplier..."
"No wonder..."
Alex continued.
"And yet..."
"...humans cannot remain there."
"They enter."
"They leave."
"They lose themselves."
"Again."
"And again."
Arthur looked at him.
"...Then why don't humans simply become gods?"
The question hung in the air.
Alex's expression changed.
For the first time—
it became solemn.
"...Because every generation asks that same question."
He looked toward the horizon.
"...And every generation fails."
"The path from humanity..."
"...to godhood..."
"...is broken."
Arthur felt a chill run down his spine.
Alex continued quietly.
"Many have attempted to transcend."
"Many believed they could cast away their humanity."
"They sought absolute power."
"They reached beyond what their souls could bear."
A long silence followed.
Then—
"They did not become gods."
His voice was almost a whisper now.
"...They became demons."
The clearing fell completely silent.
Alex's eyes seemed older than before.
"That..."
"...is the beginning of the Descent into Ruin Pathway."
"A road paved with ambition."
"And ending with corruption."
"No human has ever reached true godhood."
"Only ruin."
He looked directly at Arthur.
"So don't mistake Flow State for divinity."
"It is merely the first glimpse."
"A door."
"What lies beyond that door..."
"...has consumed countless civilizations."
The wind stirred once more, carrying a coldness that hadn't been there before.
Alex turned away.
"...One day..."
"...I'll tell you what waits at the end of that pathway."
"But not today."
Then, without another word, he began walking toward the edge of the forest and disappears .
No one tried to stop him.
No one asked another question.
Because for the first time—
they realized that Flow State was not just another technique to master.
It was the first step toward a destination where humanity had never successfully arrived.The clearing remained silent long after Alex disappeared into the forest.
No one resumed training.
The weight of his words lingered in the air like the remnants of a storm.
Arthur stared at the ground, his thoughts racing.
A tenfold increase...
Gods...
Demons...
The Descent into Ruin Pathway...
He slowly clenched his fist.
If everything Alex said is true...
...then why?
Why teach us Flow State at all?
We're only Awakeneds.
Compared to Saints, we're insignificant.
Compared to gods... we're less than insects.
If Flow State is the first step toward a path that has consumed countless civilizations... why would he ever let us learn it?
Before Arthur realized it, he had spoken the last question aloud.
"...Why teach us?"
Tom looked at him.
For a long moment, the older man said nothing.
Then he sighed.
"...Because there's another story."
Arthur looked up.
Tom folded his arms.
"I don't know if it's true."
"I've never found proof."
"But when I was younger..."
"...there was a rumor."
Everyone instinctively gathered closer.
Even Sunny opened his eyes.
Tom's gaze drifted toward the sky.
"They said..."
"...the younger the awakened soul..."
"...the greater its chance of touching Flow State."
Arthur frowned.
"...Younger?"
Tom nodded.
"I don't mean age."
"I mean..."
"...how recently someone has awakened."
"The fresher the being..."
"...the less noise exists within their soul."
"They haven't spent decades accumulating regrets."
"They haven't allowed countless fears to settle into their hearts."
"They haven't convinced themselves that something is impossible."
He looked directly at Arthur.
"That makes it easier to glimpse Flow State."
Layla quietly asked,
"...So that's why we're learning it now?"
Tom nodded.
"If the rumors are true..."
"...this is the best time."
He slowly walked toward Arthur.
"But don't misunderstand."
"Just because you can touch Flow State now..."
"...doesn't mean you'll master it now."
He tapped Arthur lightly on the chest.
"As your rank rises..."
"As your will strengthens..."
"As your understanding of yourself deepens..."
"...your Flow State deepens with you."
"It grows."
"It becomes steadier."
"Longer."
"More natural."
Sunny spoke quietly.
"...So Flow State evolves."
Tom smiled faintly.
"...Exactly."
"It's like sharpening a blade."
"You don't forge it once and call it complete."
"You spend your life refining it."
Arthur looked down thoughtfully.
"...Then theoretically..."
"...someone who reaches the highest ranks..."
"...could remain in Flow State almost indefinitely."
Tom's smile faded.
"...Theoretically."
Silence followed.
Then Tom's expression became serious.
"But there's something far more important than learning Flow State."
His eyes swept across every member of the group.
"Never..."
"...lose sight of who you are."
Nobody spoke.
Tom continued.
"The stronger you become..."
"...the louder the Void becomes."
Arthur frowned.
"...The Void?"
Tom nodded.
"There is a phenomenon..."
"...known as Void Resonance."
The very name made the atmosphere heavier.
"It isn't something you can see."
"It isn't something you can fight."
"It whispers."
"It amplifies."
"It takes every fear..."
"Every obsession..."
"Every hatred..."
"And echoes them back into your soul."
He looked toward the dark forest surrounding Emberreach.
"If you forget who you are..."
"If power becomes your only purpose..."
"If you abandon everything that made you human..."
"...Void Resonance answers."
A cold breeze passed through the clearing.
Tom's voice dropped almost to a whisper.
"And when it does..."
"...corruption begins."
"It doesn't happen all at once."
"It starts with a single compromise."
"A single excuse."
"A single thought that says..."
'Just this once.'
He closed his eyes.
"And before you realize it..."
"...you're no longer walking your own path."
"...You're walking the Descent into Ruin."
Layla instinctively touched the necklace around her neck.
Lucas swallowed hard.
Kierran looked away.
Even Rivien's usual confidence faltered.
Tom looked at each of them one final time.
"So remember."
"Become stronger."
"Master Flow State."
"Climb as high as you can."
"But never let power become the answer to the question..."
He gently tapped his own chest.
"...'Who am I?'"
"Because the day you can no longer answer that question..."
"...is the day the Void answers it for you."
The clearing fell completely silent.
Far beyond the trees—
unseen by anyone—
Alex stood atop a cliff overlooking Emberreach.
The Book of the End rested beneath his hand.
He had heard every word.
For the first time that morning, he smiled.
"...Good."
"...They needed to hear that."
Then, like a shadow swallowed by the wind—
he vanished once more.
Far above the mortal realm—
beyond the clouds...
beyond the stars...
beyond even the concepts of sky and space—
lay Heaven.
An endless kingdom suspended upon seas of golden clouds, where mountains of crystal floated effortlessly through eternity. Rivers of liquid light wound between colossal palaces carved from white marble, each one so vast that entire kingdoms could have rested within their halls.
It was beautiful.
Timeless.
Perfect.
And painfully...
boring.
The Hall of Divinity was unusually quiet.
Dozens of gods occupied their thrones, each radiating an overwhelming divine presence capable of crushing worlds.
Some watched distant civilizations.
Others slept.
A few played ancient games that had lasted centuries.
One god lazily flicked miniature stars across a board while another sighed after losing for the nine hundred and forty-third time.
"...Again?"
"...Again."
Another sigh echoed through the hall.
Then—
someone groaned loudly.
"I am bored."
Every god immediately looked toward the source.
Seated upon an immense throne woven from living branches and white stone was the God of Creation.
He rested his chin on one hand, looking as though eternity itself had become unbearable.
"...How many more days?"
A goddess covered in silver feathers answered without looking up.
"Sixty-four."
The God of Creation groaned even louder.
"...Sixty-four."
"...Whole."
"...Days."
Another deity chuckled.
"You've waited thousands of years."
"Surely sixty-four more won't kill you."
The God of Creation glared.
"...It might."
Laughter spread throughout the hall.
The God of War leaned back in his throne, arms folded behind his head.
"You're impatient because this generation is interesting."
"I've never seen you watch mortals this closely."
The Creator clicked his tongue.
"...Can you blame me?"
"They're entertaining."
The Goddess of Wisdom smiled faintly.
"...Especially that boy."
The Creator looked up immediately.
"...Which one?"
She looked at him knowingly.
"You know exactly which one."
He pretended not to.
"I don't."
"The one who touched Flow State."
"...Ah."
The Creator failed to hide his smile.
Before he could say anything else, the God of Storms suddenly snapped his fingers.
A massive mirror formed in the center of the hall.
Its surface shimmered like water.
"Since our esteemed Creator can't sit still..."
"...let's give him something to watch."
Several gods laughed.
The mirror slowly came to life.
Its image sharpened.
The forests of Emberreach appeared.
Arthur.
Sunny.
Layla.
Tom.
Lucas.
Kierran.
Rivien.
Alexi.
Every member of the camp.
Training.
The Creator leaned forward immediately.
"...There."
The God of War smirked.
"I knew it."
"You have favorites."
"I do not."
The War God pointed toward the mirror.
"You leaned forward."
"I was adjusting my posture."
"You smiled."
"I did no such thing."
"You've been staring for thirty seconds."
"...Coincidence."
The hall erupted into laughter.
The Goddess of Wisdom shook her head.
"You've watched this group more than any kingdom."
The Creator crossed his arms stubbornly.
"They're... statistically interesting."
"Especially the dark-haired one."
The God of Storms raised an eyebrow.
"The one called Arthur?"
The Creator nodded once.
"...His path shouldn't exist."
Silence settled over the hall.
Even the joking stopped.
The Goddess of Wisdom looked at the mirror more carefully.
"...You noticed it too."
The Creator's smile slowly disappeared.
"...Yes."
"Absolute Black."
"He touched Flow State far earlier than expected."
"And..."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"...there's another anomaly."
The War God leaned forward.
"The Watcher."
Everyone understood who he meant.
Alex.
The Creator's expression became thoughtful.
"...That one worries me more."
"The Book of the End should never be close to children."
The Goddess of Wisdom quietly added,
"...Yet he keeps protecting them."
The Creator nodded.
"...Exactly."
The image within the mirror shifted.
Arthur stood alone, trying once again to enter Flow State.
Sunny calmly refined another construct beneath the tree.
Layla continued practicing her sword, though her eyes occasionally drifted toward Arthur before she quickly looked away again.
The Creator chuckled softly.
"...She likes him."
The God of Love, who had remained silent until now, smiled knowingly.
"I noticed weeks ago."
The War God laughed.
"The boy hasn't."
"No."
The Creator smiled.
"He hasn't."
For a moment...
the hall forgot about tournaments.
Forgot about demons.
Forgot about ancient prophecies.
They simply watched a group of young Awakeneds chasing impossible dreams.
Then—
the Creator's smile slowly faded.
His golden eyes focused entirely on Arthur.
"...Grow."
He spoke so quietly that only the gods nearest him heard.
"...Grow quickly."
"...Because something is waking."
The warmth inside the Hall of Divinity seemed to vanish.
The mirror trembled for the briefest instant.
Far beyond Heaven...
Far beneath Hell...
In a place where neither gods nor demons willingly looked—
something ancient stirred.
The God of Creation slowly leaned back in his throne.
"...Sixty-four days..."
He smiled once more.
"...Perhaps this tournament will be far more interesting than I imagined."