"Weren't the colors supposed to be purple?" Aiden murmured, staring at the soft gold glow tracing the veins of his hands, the light slowly retreating back into his body. Surprise flickered across his face.

  "Doesn't that mean my Grace is now ranked among the highest?" he whispered, the weight of his revelation settling in.

  Memories of his past life flooded back—fragmented yet vivid recollections of the world before its fall. The grading system for Graces had been established thirty years ago, during the First Great War, when humanity first faced the horrors of the Realm of Hell. Demons, led by an Archdevil, had spilled into the Mortal Realm, seeking conquest, and for the first time, angels from the Realm of Heaven descended to intervene.

  Humanity suffered then—fragile in both mind and body—caught in the crossfire of a celestial war. In an act of desperation, certain Archangels, out of pity or perhaps fear of what would happen should the devils succeed, bestowed their power upon chosen humans. Some went even further—assimilating themselves into mortals, merging their divine essence with human souls.

  From this union, the first Apostles were born. Their existence was a beacon of hope, yet also a mystery. Few dared to question why angels would go to such lengths; survival had been the only thing that mattered.

  But the devils, ever cruel and cunning, did not sit idly by. Out of mockery and hate for the light, they twisted the very concept of Apostles, creating their own corrupted champions—vessels of darkness empowered by the infernal.

  It was during this time that the concept of 'Grace' emerged. A tangible representation of one's divine or infernal power, ranked in a way that the world could understand: green for common, blue for rare, purple for epic, and gold—legendary, reserved for only the most extraordinary souls.

  "The lowest ranked Grace is green for common, rare for blue, epic for purple... and lastly, legendary for gold..." Aiden's voice was barely above a whisper.

  He clenched his hand into a fist, golden light faintly pulsing beneath his skin. "Did my Grace evolve?" he mused, his mind racing.

  The memory of being mocked at the academy resurfaced—how his Grace had been dismissed by his peers and enemies alike. They had seen it as unremarkable, something to sneer at—until he showed them what creativity and sheer will could do.

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  Aiden extended his right hand, fingers splayed, his gaze fixed on a single book lying across the room. He closed his eyes, focusing on one command—an ability he once struggled to perfect.

  "Absolute Authority."

  In an instant, the book shot through the air, faster than the eye could follow. Aiden barely managed to catch it before it would have flown straight through the open window. The force of the summoning sent a jolt through his arm, knocking him off balance. He landed hard on his back, the book clutched tightly in his grasp.

  "That was... an unexpected growth." Aiden blinked up at the ceiling, his heart pounding. The sheer power behind his Grace now—it felt overwhelming, like he had momentarily held absolute control over his surroundings.

  A breathless laugh escaped him. "Wait... does this mean I can finally create the skills I only ever dreamed of in my previous life?" His heart, burdened by the memories of Eden's fall and his own past failures, still found a spark of genuine happiness.

  For a brief moment, he felt like the boy he once was—a brave, hopeful spirit hidden beneath the hardened shell of a broken warrior.

  "I... I wonder how Serena will react tomorrow?" His voice softened, a small smile curling at the corners of his lips. His pale amber eyes, still faintly glowing, stared at the ceiling.

  He imagined her reaction—her wide smile, her endless questions, the way her eyes would shine with awe and joy at his newfound power. She would surely be the first to celebrate him, as she always had, despite the world's cruelty.

  But the thought tugged at his heartstrings—because he also remembered her final moments. Her weak, smiling face as she bled out in his arms, her life slipping away, leaving him in a world that no longer had her light.

  "Aiden... will you be a hero... in my place?"

  Her last words echoed in his mind—a plea, a wish, a curse that had rooted itself in his very soul.

  His smile faltered, and he closed his eyes, the golden glow in his veins fading.

  'Perhaps... this is the Radiant Tree's doing?' he thought, recalling the dying light of the colossal tree he had touched in the ruined world of Eden—the moment he had wished for a second chance.

  His thoughts blurred, and sleep overtook him.

  Tomorrow, he would face Serena again—not as the broken warrior of a lost world, but as a boy gifted with a chance to change fate.