The moment Samael vanished into the shadows, Ravihiro felt it—a deep pulse in the air, like the world itself was holding its breath. His sword at his side hummed, the vibrations matching the crackling tension of the atmosphere. Something was wrong.
The sky above seemed to ripple, its deep blue shifting to an ominous gray. A low growl of thunder rumbled from the horizon, and Ravihiro's heart skipped a beat. He had broken the boundaries of the human body and soul. His cultivation had surpassed the limits set for any living being, and now—he would pay the price.
Ravihiro could feel the storm closing in, the storm that was meant to purge him for his transgressions. The thunderclaps grew louder, crashing across the skies like the roar of a beast. His heart began to race as he braced himself for the inevitable.
And then—the first lightning bolt struck.
It was a searing blaze of white and purple, a crack that split the heavens themselves. Ravihiro didn't have time to react. The bolt struck him directly in the chest, and the world exploded into blinding light. Pain flooded his body, making his muscles seize and his breath choke in his throat.
But just as quickly, the pain ceased.
Instead, Ravihiro found himself standing in a familiar place. A classroom. Desks neatly arranged in rows. The hum of chatter echoed around him, and the smell of books and chalk filled the air. This wasn't the Beast Forest. This wasn't the world of cultivation.
This was Earth.
No…
He blinked, and the world solidified around him. He could feel it. The coolness of the air-conditioned room, the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Students sat at their desks, scribbling notes, chatting with one another, lost in the mundane routine of school life. He looked down at himself, and for the first time in what felt like years, Ravihiro saw the face he had left behind. The face of an ordinary high school student, wearing the same uniform he wore every day.
For a moment, he stood frozen. This couldn't be real. It couldn't be. He was no longer on Earth. He had long since left, transported to a different realm. He had transcended the world he once knew, and now—this was nothing but an illusion. But it felt so real. His breath caught in his chest. His memories of his past life felt like distant fragments, but this... this was vivid. Too vivid.
As Ravihiro looked around, his eyes landed on something—a familiar figure at the door.
It was his brother, Rudra. His younger sibling, always ahead of him, always outperforming him in every aspect of life. But today, something felt different. Rudra's face was filled with pride as he stepped into the classroom, his eyes locking with Ravihiro's.
"Ravihiro," Rudra called out, his voice soft but filled with admiration. "I'm proud of you. You finally found your place. You're doing great. Mom and Dad are so happy that you've chosen your path. They said you don't need to worry about academics anymore. They just want you to be happy."
Ravihiro felt a tightness in his chest. His heart pounded erratically as he took in Rudra's words. This wasn't the boy who had been so competitive, so dismissive of Ravihiro's dreams. This wasn't the brother who had always been the better one in their parents' eyes. No. This was… something else.
He looked around, and there, sitting at a desk in the front row, were his parents. His father, once distant and judgmental, now looked at him with warmth and approval. His mother, always too busy for him, now smiled gently, her eyes filled with affection.
The illusion deepened. His parents weren't comparing him to anyone. They were proud of him. They wanted him to follow his passion. They were telling him it was okay to be an artist. There was no more pressure, no more expectations.
Everything was perfect.
His heart twisted. This couldn't be real.
Suddenly, the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. The students stood, stretching, packing their bags. Rudra came over to him, his arm slinging over his shoulders. "You did it, Ravihiro. You've earned it."
Ravihiro's throat went dry. "Earned what?"
"Your freedom," Rudra said with a grin. "You don't have to fight for anything anymore. It's all yours."
Ravihiro's mind screamed. No. This is not real. This is an illusion.
His hand clenched around his sword, but as he turned to leave, everything around him shifted. The walls cracked like glass, crumbling into nothing. The students, his brother, his parents—they were all fading, replaced by a darkness that seemed to swallow everything. Ravihiro's breath caught in his throat as the world around him crumbled.
It wasn't real.
He stumbled forward, his vision flickering between the Beast Forest and the Earth classroom. I'm not here. This is not my reality. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
Then, in the distance, a voice called to him. His mother, smiling, calling him back. "Ravihiro, come back! You have so much to live for!"
His father's voice joined in, full of pride. "You don't need to carry that burden anymore. You're finally free."
Ravihiro's chest tightened. His eyes stung, and a voice echoed in his mind: This is what you've always wanted. What you thought you needed.
His brother appeared again, but this time, he wasn't just speaking words of pride. "You've always been enough, Ravihiro. We all see it now. You're an artist. We don't care about your academics. We don't care about anything else. We love you."
No… Ravihiro clenched his fists, his body trembling. His emotions were raw, on the verge of breaking. The illusion tightened its grip on him. This is the life I wanted, isn't it?
Tears blurred his vision. But just as he was about to step forward and embrace the illusion, a sharp pain cut through his chest. He knew it was the truth. He couldn't let himself be tricked, not like this.
With a flash of rage, he unsheathed his sword, the blade glowing with dark energy. "Sorry," he whispered to the illusion, his voice hoarse. "But I can't live in a dream."
In one fluid motion, Ravihiro stabbed himself. The blade sliced through his own chest, and the world shattered.
The illusion cracked like glass, the peaceful classroom replaced with a burning, fiery sky. The thunderous crack of the tribulation storm ripped through his very soul, the jagged edges of the illusion falling away to reveal the storm above.
Ravihiro gasped for air, feeling the raw pain of the blade embedded in his chest. But as the illusion faded, the reality of the storm took hold. The sky crackled with lightning, and the second strike came. This time, Ravihiro was ready.
The world seemed to shift, becoming a battlefield of light and shadow. The thunderous power threatened to consume him, but Ravihiro stood tall, blood staining the ground beneath him.
He had broken the rules of the world. And now, the storm would judge him.
But Ravihiro was no longer afraid. With his sword at the ready, he stared into the storm and shouted defiantly, "I don't need your illusions. I will face whatever comes. I am not the person you want me to be. I am who I choose to be!"
As the storm raged, Ravihiro charged forward, his body crackling with energy, his heart steeled against the trials ahead. The tribulation had only just begun, and he was ready. Ready to face the storm that would shape him into something greater than he ever imagined.