The magnificent cathedral of the Azure Sect stood tall — a monument carved from the heavens themselves. Its silver-white spires pierced the morning mist, glowing faintly under the pale light that filtered through stained-glass windows. Hues of blue, gold, and silver scattered across the marble floor, weaving together like fragments of a celestial dream.
Every year, children from across the land gathered here to face the Gate — the ancient relic said to judge one's soul and awaken their inner energy. Most who entered would fade into obscurity. A few… would leave changed forever.
The air buzzed with quiet tension. The scent of incense mingled with the sharp tang of mana, thick enough to taste. Rows of children stood shoulder to shoulder, some trembling, others whispering prayers under their breath. Eyes wide. Hearts unsteady.
And in the middle of it all stood Ador Raukings.
Calm. Still. A faint shadow of something unreadable flickered in his eyes — an echo of an old soul trapped in a young body. While the others fidgeted, Ador simply observed — the symbols carved into the cathedral's pillars, the soft shimmer of mana dancing through the air. He could feel it — the Gate pulsing like a living heart in the distance. Ancient. Waiting.
They said the trial was simple. Walk through the Gate, and it would reveal your worth. But Ador knew better. Nothing that measures the soul ever comes without a price.
Normally, the Sect Leader himself presided over this ceremony. Yet today, the grand dais stood empty. Only the priests in deep azure robes lingered near the Gate, their faces veiled, their presence eerily still — like statues that breathed.
Then, a voice echoed through the cathedral — deep, smooth, and commanding. It wasn't loud, yet it filled every corner of the hall, vibrating within every chest.
"Children of fate… you are chosen by the Azure Sect."
The air stilled. Even the flickering candles seemed to bow.
"You will now undergo the trial. Some of you wonder why no one stands beside you — why the man who brought you here did not even share his name. Do you know why?"
No one dared speak.
"Because you are not yet worthy," the voice continued, colder now. "You have no value. Not yet. You are unseen, untested. But that will change — if you survive the Gate."
A tremor of unease rippled through the crowd. Fear and defiance mixed in equal measure.
But Ador only watched in silence. Worth isn't given, he thought. It's taken.
The first child stepped forward — small, pale, trembling. The Gate pulsed once, a faint ripple spreading through the air… and then — nothing.
"First failure," said the priest flatly.
The boy's body convulsed. His spine arched unnaturally, bones cracking like breaking glass. A strangled cry echoed through the cathedral before he collapsed — lifeless.
Gasps. Screams. The hall filled with the raw terror of children who suddenly realized what "trial" truly meant.
The priest smiled faintly. "Ah… I forgot to mention," he said, voice disturbingly calm. "Those without talent — those unworthy of the Gate — will not survive its judgment."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Then, another child stepped forward. Whether from courage or desperation, no one knew. The moment he crossed the archway, the Gate flared — emerald light spilling into the cathedral.
Name: Caine MarkCultivation: Soul Qi Realm – 2 StarMana Trait: Fire – 3 Star
The priest's tone shifted instantly. "A prodigy!" he exclaimed. "A genius blessed by the heavens. Take this pill, child. It will aid your cultivation."
Caine stepped back, panting but alive. The others stared with a mix of envy and awe.
One by one, the children entered. Some emerged shining with light and new power. Most did not return at all. The marble floor was now streaked faintly with red.
And then — it was Ador's turn.
He walked forward slowly, steady and expressionless. The Gate loomed above him, humming faintly, its surface rippling like liquid shadow. The air distorted around it — heavy, hungry.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the world vanished.
Silence. Cold. Nothingness.
He couldn't feel his limbs. Couldn't breathe. His mind fragmented, swallowed by the void.
"What… is this?"
Then pain struck — pure and absolute. It wasn't the pain of flesh, but of soul. His being split apart, burned and reforged, light and darkness colliding violently inside him.
A thunderous crack split the silence.
Then — light exploded. But it wasn't light at all. It was darkness so deep it shone. The entire cathedral trembled as radiant shadows filled the space.
Above the Gate, words appeared, carved in black flame:
Name: Ador RaukingsMana Rank: 3 StarTrait: Dark Mana — infused with Divine EnergyCultivation: Soul Qi Realm — 3 StarMastery: Swordsman (Divine-tier)
No one spoke. Even the priest who had mocked the others was frozen in disbelief.
A monster had been born.
Ador stepped out of the Gate, calm and silent. His eyes gleamed faintly — not with pride, but with something deeper… an ancient stillness that didn't belong to a child. The air bent around him as if reality itself acknowledged his presence.
By nightfall, his name had spread across the entire Azure Sect — whispered like legend.
Ador Raukings — the boy who defied the Gate.
Two Days Later
The clang of metal filled the Azure Sect's training grounds.
Two blades met midair — one blazing with crimson fire, the other shrouded in consuming darkness. Sparks rained like stars as Caine Mark grinned, panting hard.
"Ha… you're too strong, Ador. I give up."
Ador lowered his sword, dark energy fading into silence. He's been challenging me every day since the trial, he thought. Too bad I can't kill him.
It had been four days since his acceptance into the sect. The elders had rewarded him with a Sky-Piercing Pill, deepening his cultivation — but inside him, divine and dark energies warred endlessly, threatening to tear him apart.
He looked up at the sky, the sun dipping behind the sect's walls. "One more day until the Combing Soul Pill distribution," he murmured. "Maybe then, I'll finally merge them."
Caine smirked, wiping sweat from his brow. "Tomorrow, the Sect Leader himself will appear to hand out the pills. He'll also choose ten disciples for personal training. You ready?"
Ador's lips curved faintly. "Then tomorrow… it begins."
Ador in his thought,This power… it's not just from the Gate. The moment I stepped through, memories stirred — fragments of something ancient. My body moved on its own, adjusting, remembering.
I didn't know how to wield a sword before. But now… it feels natural. As if my hands have held a thousand blades before this one.
He tightened his grip on his sword, watching the black edge shimmer in the twilight.
If instinct alone grants me this strength… what would I become if I truly recalled my past?
His gaze turned toward the horizon, where the sect's main hall loomed like a silent beast.
Caine's hiding something too. Everyone here is a monster behind a smile. Tomorrow, masks will fall.
He exhaled slowly, steadying his heart.
I need to be ready.
At the main training hall, dawn broke. The bells tolled again — louder this time, echoing through every corridor.
The day of reckoning had finally come.