The first light of dawn had barely touched the spires of the Central Capital when Nero arrived at the secluded practice arena. The Ancient Lord was already there, a still statue in the morning mist, his presence making the very air feel dense.
"Master," Nero greeted, bowing respectfully. "What is our focus today? Advanced energy principles? A new combat form?"
The Ancient Lord regarded him with those ancient, knowing eyes. "Hmmm, let me think." He paced slowly around Nero, a master assessing his raw material. "Teaching you energy principles would be redundant. You are already proficient... perhaps even more efficient than I am in its pure application."
Nero shook his head in immediate denial. "No, that's not possible. I've only scratched the surface."
"Do not be modest. I do not know who taught you, but the fluidity of your manipulation... it echoes the style of the original architects of this technique. It is... innate." He stopped his pacing and faced Nero directly, his expression serious. "We will skip the intermediate steps. We are going for the Sixth Gate."
Nero's eyes widened. "What?! Gate Sixth? Master, I've barely mastered the practical applications of the Third Gate! To jump to the Sixth..."
"Gate Seven is a mystery wrapped in an enigma," the Ancient Lord interrupted. "Those who have attained it offer no guidance, only the unhelpful advice to 'find your own path.' The Sixth is a tangible peak we can strive for. But to climb it, you must first understand the foundation. Tell me, child, what do you believe is the true requirement to access these powers?"
Nero thought back to the dogma he'd heard. "I was told one's soul must be pure, free from worldly greed. But... I've seen too many monsters wield immense Gate power. That can't be the whole truth."
"A keen observation," the Ancient Lord nodded, pleased. "The real requirement is the awakening of the Kundalini."
"Kundalini?"
"The part of the All-Mighty God within you. It is the act of connecting your consciousness to the cosmic flow of knowledge and power. This connection can be forged in many ways. An unshakable will is the most common catalyst—whether your intentions are 'good' or 'evil' is irrelevant to the cosmos. As long as you perceive your desires with absolute, unwavering faith, the path will open." He waved a hand dismissively. "Words like 'right' and 'wrong' are mere perspectives, not absolute truths. The universe does not judge your morality; it responds to the intensity of your conviction. Now, enough theory. Let us begin."
---
Gate Four: The Gate of Power - Strength from Imagination
"The Fourth Gate is where a true master is separated from a mere practitioner," the Ancient Lord declared. "All Gate Users manipulate energy, but control varies. Gate Four is about imposing your imagination onto reality."
He gestured, and the energy in the arena coalesced, swirling into a perfect, solid copy of Nero. It had his face, his stance, even the same determined glint in its eyes.
"Your task is simple," the master said. "Defeat him. Use your full power."
Nero didn't hesitate. He activated his Third Gate to its maximum, the air crackling around him. He launched a blistering assault, but the clone matched him move for move, strike for strike. It was like fighting his own reflection in a perfect mirror. No matter what he tried, he couldn't land a decisive blow. He was eventually thrown back, panting and frustrated.
"How is he this strong?!" Nero gasped.
"That is the power of Gate Four," the Ancient Lord explained calmly. "I did not create a simple puppet. I used my energy, infused with my imagination of you at your peak, and brought it into reality. This construct is a manifestation of my will. This is why Gate Three users almost always fall to those who have mastered the Fourth."
He turned to leave. "Your task remains. Defeat this clone. Then, and only then, come find me."
---
The following days were a grueling cycle of defeat. Nero dueled his copy dozens of times, each ending in a stalemate or his loss.
Eri, watching from the sidelines, grew concerned. "Why don't you use your Dual Gates? You could end this in an instant."
Nero shook his head, wiping sweat from his brow. "No. This isn't about winning. It's about understanding. I have to beat him on his terms to learn the lesson."
On the fortieth attempt, something shifted. As the clone pressed its attack, Nero, fueled by desperation and focus, didn't just dodge. He imagined a ally. A spectral warrior, faint and translucent, flickered into existence beside him, deflecting a blow. It was weak and dissipated quickly, but the spark was there.
The Ancient Lord, observing from afar, gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
Nero kept trying. The number of attempts lost all meaning. His body ached, but his mind grew sharper. He was no longer just fighting; he was visualizing.
On what felt like the two-hundredth try, Nero stood his ground as the clone charged. He didn't raise his fists. He closed his eyes and willed it. One after another, forty shimmering, fully-formed warriors materialized around him, their forms solid and real.
The Ancient Lord appeared at the edge of the arena.
"Impressive quantity," the master noted. "But it is still forty versus one."
Nero opened his eyes, a confident smile on his face. "Is it?"
At his unspoken command, the forty warriors began to flow together, merging and combining until they formed a single, colossal warrior of pure energy, its power dwarfing the original clone. With this titan as his ally, Nero finally, decisively, overwhelmed his double.
The clone shattered into motes of light.
The Ancient Lord approached. "You have grasped the core concept. The more you practice, the more refined and powerful your creations will become. You have mastered the Fourth Gate. Now, let us move to the Fifth."
---
Gate Five: The Gateway of Creation - And Damnation
"Gate Five," the Ancient Lord announced. "The Gateway of Creation."
Nero, still catching his breath, looked intrigued. "The Gateway of Creation? What does that mean?"
"I believe in your previous battles, you have seen ordinary people—soldiers, citizens—wielding powers that should be far beyond them. That is the work of a Gate Five User. You can grant the access to Gate energy to anyone you choose."
Nero's eyes lit up. "That sounds... incredibly useful."
"It sounds cool," the Ancient Lord corrected, his tone turning grim. "Which is why it has another name: The Gateway to Hell." He fixed Nero with a piercing gaze. "Imagine a person, utterly ordinary, who has never known discipline, power, or consequence. You hand them the keys to the cosmos. Their soul, unprepared for such a burden, becomes instantly corrupted by the influx. They become a slave to their own amplified desires, their mind shatters, and they suffer for eternity. You do not grant a gift; you inflict a curse."
A chill ran down Nero's spine. "Then... how is it done properly? How do you prevent that?"
"Do not worry. That is why I am here to teach you." The Ancient Lord recreated Nero's clone. "Now, I want you to try. Link your energy source to this construct. Allow the power to flow into it freely. Do not hold back. I will intervene if necessary."
Trusting his master, Nero complied. He opened a conduit between his core and the clone, allowing a torrent of raw Gate energy to pour into it.
The effect was instantaneous and horrifying. The clone's form swelled, twisting and contorting. A violent, demonic aura erupted around it, black and suffocating. In seconds, it had evolved, its power skyrocketing to the level of a Gate Four User. But it was a chaotic, malevolent power.
Worse yet, a savage, independent intelligence flashed in its eyes. It turned on Nero, its expression one of pure hatred, and unleashed a wave of obliterating energy so vast it could have vaporized the entire capital—and Nero with it.
Just before the attack landed, the Ancient Lord moved. He didn't block the attack; he simply raised a hand, and the cataclysmic energy vanished, swallowed into nothingness. With a snap of his fingers, the corrupted clone dissolved.
"Now you see the danger," the Ancient Lord stated calmly. "The solution is your own soul. When you grant the power, you must also imbue the recipient with a tiny fragment of your own soul energy. This fragment acts as a regulator, a governor. It controls the flow of energy, prevents it from exceeding a safe threshold, and anchors the recipient's consciousness. In this way, you can share the power of the Gates without destroying the recipient."
Nero stood in stunned silence, processing the immense responsibility and the narrow margin between creation and destruction.
"Master," he finally asked, a new, profound respect in his voice. "I have a question..."