Three had always imagined the world beyond the red portal as some blazing hell filled with monsters and endless fighting, a place where people struggled to survive every single day, growing stronger through bloodshed and war.
But the moment the portal cleared, all those expectations shattered.
Floating islands stretched endlessly across the dark sky, some so far away he couldn't even see where they ended. Massive planets hovered in the distance, glowing faintly like giant lanterns suspended in space. Below them spread a vast green land overflowing with giant trees and colorful flowers larger than anything Three had ever seen. Soft natural light illuminated everything despite the absence of a sun, and for a moment, he forgot to breathe.
Vexer noticed the stunned look on his face and chuckled before patting his back.
"Cool, right?"
Three nodded slowly, his gaze still locked ahead.
"This is where we grow stronger," Vexer explained. "The energy here is much denser than outside, making cultivating easier."
Three frowned thoughtfully.
"So... do you just eat those fruits and become powerful?"
Vexer burst out laughing.
"If only it were that easy. No, this is just the outer area. There are creatures here and dangerous regions, along with training grounds and treasures."
Before Three could ask another question, Vexer grabbed his shoulder, and the scenery around them blurred instantly.
The beautiful atmosphere vanished, replaced by sudden darkness.
Then came the smell.
Three nearly threw up on the spot.
"What the hell is this place?!" he gagged while covering his nose. "It smells like hell!"
Vexer laughed again.
"Relax. I forgot your body isn't used to this place yet."
He waved his hand casually, and the foul smell around Three disappeared completely.
"But seriously... how do you know what hell smells like?"
A low growl suddenly echoed through the dark land, making the ground tremble lightly before the creature appeared.
It was massive, with gray flesh wriggling unnaturally across its body while sharp horns protruded from every direction. Thick slime dripped from its skin as it charged toward them like a moving mountain.
Three froze, since the thing was easily over ten times larger than Vexer.
Vexer, however, looked bored.
A bluish-green blade materialized beside him with a faint hum, and he flicked his finger forward. The blade pierced through the creature's skull instantly. The monster let out a distorted screech as its body began collapsing inward, sucked into the glowing blade itself. It struggled violently for a few seconds before disappearing completely, leaving nothing but silence.
Three blinked several times.
"Grandpa... that was awesome."
Vexer folded his arms proudly.
"Weak. Even if a million of those things attacked together, they still wouldn't last long."
Three rolled his eyes.
"Bragger."
Before Vexer could reply, the ground shook again, much harder this time.
Far away in the distance, a massive black cloud surged toward them.
Three swallowed nervously.
"Grandpa... what's that?"
Vexer stared ahead before grinning.
"Looks like we've got more visitors."
Then he glanced at Three.
"You want to join the fun?"
Three's eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
Vexer clapped his hands twice, and a set of bluish-green armor instantly materialized in front of Three before wrapping itself around his body. Cannons formed over both shoulders while several floating swords hovered around him protectively.
Three stared at himself in disbelief.
"Cool..."
Vexer smirked slightly.
"Even if you failed your awakening, no grandson of mine is getting left behind."
The excitement rising inside Three paused for a brief second because the reminder still hurt. If he had awakened properly, maybe one day he would have been able to do all this himself, flying freely and summoning weapons to fight monsters beside his family instead of relying on borrowed power.
But he quickly pushed the thought aside, focusing on how amazing this felt right now.
"These things coming toward us are called Treepies," Vexer explained casually. "Weak creatures individually, but annoying in groups since they reproduce fast and move with almost perfect coordination."
Three barely listened, too busy staring at the floating swords around him.
"You'll control the armor yourself," Vexer continued. "I'll supply the energy while the armor responds to your thoughts, so don't hold back."
Three immediately grinned as the cannons over his shoulders began glowing brightly. Energy hummed through the armor, and without waiting any longer, Three fired.
A massive sphere of bluish-green energy shot forward, followed closely by another blast. The explosions tore through the approaching horde, ripping apart the front lines and scattering bodies everywhere. Dust and smoke erupted across the battlefield as screams echoed through the dark land.
The floating swords shot forward next, their silver flashes slicing through the creatures at terrifying speed, cutting down anything that survived the bombardment.
Three burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Die! Die!"
More cannon blasts rained down mercilessly, keeping the Treepies from even getting close before getting blown apart.
Vexer watched quietly from behind with folded arms, looking far too relaxed for someone standing in the middle of a battlefield.
"Old man!" Three shouted excitedly. "Why aren't you joining?!"
Vexer raised a brow, wondering since when he had become old when he still looked like he was in his prime. Still, he sighed dramatically before flicking his fingers.
Space suddenly split apart right in the middle of the remaining monsters, and a massive vortex appeared. The surviving Treepies didn't even have time to react before the vortex swallowed them whole and crushed them out of existence.
The battlefield became silent instantly, and Three stared blankly ahead.
Then his face darkened. Sure, he had told his grandpa to join in, but did he really have to finish all of them? He hadn't even gotten enough time to enjoy himself yet.