The black hole had vanished as suddenly as it appeared, leaving only fractured stone and silence in its wake. Loryn sat trembling on the balcony floor, his heart pounding in his chest. His hands still glowed faintly with golden threads of light, but the warmth was fading quickly, leaving him breathless and hollow.
"What… did I just do?"
For the first time in his life, power had answered his call — not mana, not chakra, but something deeper, something infinite. And yet, it had nearly consumed him.
The wind carried away the last fragments of dust. The balcony, once pristine, now bore deep cracks and scorch-like marks, proof of the anomaly. Below, his siblings had paused their sparring. Their curious gazes turned upward, but none approached. Perhaps it was fear, or perhaps they already sensed this was something not even they could understand.
"Young master!"
A calm but urgent voice echoed from behind him. From the corridor leading to the balcony, a tall man in immaculate black and silver robes approached swiftly. His footsteps were controlled, yet the faint quickness betrayed concern. His dark hair was streaked with gray, and his sharp eyes carried both wisdom and worry.
It was Alther, the butler who had been by Loryn's side since the day he was born.
Alther knelt beside him, steadying the boy with a firm hand. His voice was calm, practiced, but softer than usual. "You're shaking. Breathe slowly, young master. Inhale… hold… exhale."
Loryn tried, his chest still heaving. His lips trembled as he whispered, "Alther… I didn't use mana. I didn't use anything. But something still answered me. It—" he swallowed, lowering his gaze to the fractured marble, "—it created a black hole."
The butler's expression did not falter. He studied the cracks, the faint residue of golden light, and then looked back at Loryn with eyes that revealed nothing — no shock, no disbelief. Only quiet acceptance.
"You're… not surprised?" Loryn asked hesitantly, his voice breaking.
Alther's eyes softened, just for a moment. "I have served the Omni family long enough to know that not every gift comes in the form the world expects. Some shine early, others awaken late. Perhaps, young master, yours has simply been waiting for the right time."
Loryn stared at him. Everyone else looked at him with pity, or worse, with indifference. But Alther's gaze was steady — not dismissive, not mocking, but reassuring.
"Do you think… this was power?" Loryn whispered, gripping his knees tightly.
Alther adjusted his gloves, standing with calm dignity. "Power is not defined by how others name it. Mana, chakra, spirit — these are merely paths carved by history. But you, young master, may be walking a path no one has ever seen before. That is not weakness. That is destiny."
High above, in the sealed chamber of the palace, two golden figures observed the boy and his butler.
The Omni King stood tall, arms crossed, his face carved with silent judgment. "So… the Infinity Energy has awakened."
The Queen's golden eyes shimmered with both sorrow and pride. Her hand rested lightly over her chest as she whispered, "It will bring him greatness… but it will also bring him danger."
The King's gaze did not waver. "And with it, the Monarchs will be drawn here. The balance we have maintained… will break."
Back on the balcony, Loryn clenched his fists. The golden spark within his chest still pulsed faintly, like an ember refusing to die. It frightened him, yes — but it also gave him something he had never known before. Hope.
Alther bowed deeply. "Young master, power is not something to fear. It is something to master. If you cannot trust yourself yet, then allow me to trust for you. Until the day you stand proud, I will be at your side."
Loryn's throat tightened. For years, he had lived in the shadow of his siblings' brilliance. But in that moment, he realized he was not completely alone. Someone believed in him — even when he couldn't believe in himself.
The boy looked toward the endless skies of the Omniverse, determination flickering faintly in his golden-flecked eyes.
And somewhere, deep within the infinite realms, a whisper moved like wind through forgotten halls.
"The Thirteenth… has awakened."