"Vulture managed to defeat the Seed of Chaos, even though it was still incomplete." Grandmaster Ardyn crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized Venix sharply, as if analyzing every detail of his movements.

  "Hmm... My people have conducted advanced analyses regarding your situation. Given your current condition, the chances of Vulture succeeding are minimal." Grandmaster Ardyn's voice was heavy, imbued with deliberation.

  Luna turned her gaze toward Venix, her eyes catching the uncertainty etched clearly on his face—his lips pressed slightly together, brows furrowed, as if every word he had just heard weighed heavily on his mind.

  "So, pursuing this path and developing the second and third Seed Origins would be extremely dangerous for me?" Venix asked, his voice laden with hesitation, his lips trembling faintly.

  "Absolutely. However, if you choose not to proceed, you can abandon this plan and instead consume the newly emerged Origin Fragment Realm with your Seed of Vulture," Grandmaster Ardyn said seriously.

  Venix closed his eyes, his breath labored. The words he had just heard flowed like an uncontrollable river in his mind. He tried to calm himself, but the tension in his chest only deepened his doubts.

  At the same time, Venix began questioning his very identity.

  Who was he? Why did he possess a system that transported him to the Virtual World? And why did he carry the mysterious and seemingly dangerous Seed of Chaos?

  In both the real world and the Virtual World, every path before him was laden with thorns. There was no safe route, no risk-free option he could traverse effortlessly.

  Each fork in the road bristled with peril, and Venix had no choice but to tread through the treacherous paths, uncertain whether he would survive or not.

  The prophecy mentioned by Grandmaster Orion—despite Venix’s skepticism toward prophecies—provided a grim warning: the Seed of Chaos was not something to be underestimated.

  With a hesitant glance, Venix asked, "If I may, why does Grandmaster Ardyn want to help me?"

  Venix lifted his head, meeting Grandmaster Ardyn’s gaze.

  There’s no such thing as a free lunch, Venix thought. He knew there was always a price to pay for any aid offered.

  Even if the cost wasn’t extracted now, Venix was certain he’d have to pay it eventually.

  Grandmaster Ardyn turned to face Venix, his expression calm.

  "First and foremost, it’s about research and data collection," Grandmaster Ardyn said in a flat tone. "The data we gain from you is invaluable. Without you, it could take us decades to achieve similar results."

  Venix furrowed his brows. "I don’t understand this point at all. I understand that this research can improve Seed Origin quality and refine Meditation Techniques further.

  But in the end, it’s just a Meditation Technique. Even if a perfect Meditation Technique is created, how could it possibly be important enough to impact the entire world?"

  To Venix, the whole premise seemed absurd.

  The Awaken level was the weakest stage and merely served as a foundation for an individual. But was it really worth so much attention—even to the point of involving a Primecore—to drive this project forward?

  Luna and Grandmaster Ardyn remained silent, their steady gazes unnerving Venix, making him feel as though he’d misspoken.

  "Did I say something wrong?" Venix asked softly, his eyes flickering away as if bracing for an unwelcome answer.

  Luna let out a small sigh, while Grandmaster Ardyn shook his head.

  "You said nothing wrong," Grandmaster Ardyn replied, then continued, "Your doubts are reasonable. Why go through all this trouble?"

  Grandmaster Ardyn stepped forward, slowly approaching Venix and Luna.

  Venix’s heartbeat quickened as Grandmaster Ardyn drew nearer. Each step seemed to weigh heavier, yet the warm smile on Ardyn’s face only deepened Venix’s confusion. He hesitated, torn between retreating and standing his ground, unsure whether to respond or remain silent.

  "I’m going to show you something," Grandmaster Ardyn said, placing a firm hand on Venix’s shoulder.

  Suddenly, a gentle yet powerful energy enveloped Venix’s body. It felt like the soft caress of sunlight on his skin, but with an intensity that far surpassed anything he’d ever known.

  The energy coursed through him, soothing every fiber of his being, reminiscent of the serenity found in the depths of a tranquil ocean.

  Before Venix could react or voice any questions, Grandmaster Ardyn used his energy to lift Venix out of the dojo and ascend into the sky.

  Venix’s heart raced as his body soared skyward, like a rocket hurtling toward the moon.

  In mere seconds, Venix found himself in outer space, with the planet Numan World visible beneath his feet.

  Were it not for the protective aura shielding him, Venix’s body would have been torn apart by the sheer velocity and harshness of the vacuum.

  Amid the expanse of space, Venix beheld the stars with unparalleled clarity, their radiant glow creating an awe-inspiring spectacle.

  "Extend your hand forward," Grandmaster Ardyn instructed suddenly.

  Though hesitant, Venix complied, reaching his hand out as directed.

  As his hand moved forward, it was abruptly stopped by an unseen force.

  "This… A Barrier?" Venix asked uncertainly.

  "Yes. This is the Barrier that shields our world—yet also imprisons us," Grandmaster Ardyn said with a heavy sigh. "And it’s precisely because of this that someone like you, an ordinary Awaken, is so crucial to us."

  Venix turned his head to look at Grandmaster Ardyn, who now bore an expression of deep regret.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  "What does this Barrier signify?" Venix asked, his face a mix of bewilderment and unease.

  "We call it the Origin Source," Grandmaster Ardyn said softly.

  "This is the true form of the Origin Source?" Venix asked, as if uncovering a profound truth.

  Grandmaster Ardyn shook his head. "No. The Origin Source is just a name. Its true form remains unknown to us."

  Grandmaster Ardyn extended his hand, touching the invisible Barrier with a longing expression.

  "During the Origin Era, this Barrier didn’t exist. In ancient times, before the Origin Era, we launched rockets into space, leaving our world’s orbit.

  But now, that’s impossible. I can fly and easily reach space, but no further than this." Grandmaster Ardyn clenched his fist.

  Amid Venix’s astonishment at the shift in Grandmaster Ardyn’s demeanor, the elder’s fist slammed against the Barrier.

  Buzzing—

  A muffled sound reverberated, and the invisible Barrier rippled like water disturbed by a single touch.

  Venix swallowed hard, a cold sweat forming as he realized the sheer force behind that strike. If even a fraction of that power grazed him, his body would be shredded beyond recognition.

  "This Barrier protects us but also confines us," Grandmaster Ardyn said softly, continuing, "Only when the average strength of Awaken individuals in this world weakens does this Barrier manifest to shield our world from alien invasions."

  Venix’s heart trembled at the implications of this revelation.

  If what Grandmaster Ardyn said was true, Earth’s future would grow far more complex.

  As humans on Earth fought and killed one another, they were unknowingly imprisoning themselves.

  Suddenly, Grandmaster Ardyn did something that sent Venix’s emotions into a tumultuous whirl. Without warning, Ardyn knelt before Venix, leaving him utterly speechless.

  Venix’s mouth opened, but no words escaped.

  "Please, Venix! I beg of you—help me save this civilization!" Grandmaster Ardyn’s desperate plea echoed, reverberating through Venix’s ears and heart.

  Venix bit his lip, his chest heaving, confusion clouding his mind as he struggled to process this dramatic shift.

  "Grandmaster..." Venix's voice was barely audible, trapped in an overwhelming maze of doubt and confusion.

  "Our situation is dire!" said Grandmaster Ardyn, lifting his head to meet Venix’s gaze. "Few truly realize this, but if we don’t resolve this crisis, sooner or later, we’ll be annihilated!"

  Venix remained silent, staring at Grandmaster Ardyn’s expression, which was etched with despair.

  "We signed a peace treaty and managed to hold on for two decades. But as time goes by, minor frictions have grown into significant issues among us.

  "Each year, fewer and fewer humans are able to Awaken. According to our calculations, if no major breakthrough occurs within the next fifty years, we’ll be trapped here until every last one of us perishes in this world!" Grandmaster Ardyn’s eyes turned red as he spoke.

  Venix could feel the intense emotions behind his words, as though decades of accumulated grievances were being laid bare in this moment.

  "I could bind you or force you into this test," Grandmaster Ardyn said with a serious tone, "but such methods would make your Seed of Vulture’s chances of success incredibly slim. Only by cooperating can we raise our odds of success! Even if we fail, at least we’ll have tried our best!"

  Venix looked at Grandmaster Ardyn with a complicated expression, unable to comprehend how the situation had spiraled into this so abruptly.

  He recalled his past interactions with Grandmaster Ardyn—a dependable and benevolent senior who seemed capable of bearing the burdens of everyone around him.

  Seeing him like this, Venix began to understand something.

  Perhaps bringing him here wasn’t just to show him the invisible Barrier imprisoning their world. It was also to grant them privacy, away from prying eyes.

  Grandmaster Ardyn was a pillar of strength in Numan World, someone many placed their trust in, including Luna, who regarded him as the true leader of humanity in this realm.

  It was for this reason that Luna readily accepted Grandmaster Ardyn’s invitation to bring Venix to him.

  At least four Primecore had approached Luna, offering to buy Venix. Yet she turned them all down, unwilling to trust them.

  Grandmaster Ardyn had to maintain his composure in front of others and the public, if only to perpetuate the illusion that things weren’t as hopeless as they truly were.

  Only the Primecore and a select few individuals knew the grim reality of Numan World.

  Thus, within high-level circles, some had begun contemplating extreme measures to shatter the invisible Barrier and free their civilization from the prison of this world.

  "Grandmaster Ardyn... Please, rise," Venix said softly.

  "I don’t know what this Seed of Chaos is," Venix admitted, "but Old Orion said it grows stronger the more it devours others."

  Grandmaster Ardyn’s gaze remained firm. "Once this crisis is resolved, I swear on my Seed Origin—you may devour me and any of my followers willing to pay this price of exchange!"

  Rumble~ Rumble~

  Thunder rumbled, echoing in the space around them and sending chills down Venix’s spine.

  "That is my vow. Should I fail to keep it, I will be destroyed by the Origin Source itself," Grandmaster Ardyn declared with unwavering conviction.

  A sense of dread crept into Venix's heart. The atmosphere grew heavier as fear took root deep within him, spreading like an inescapable shadow. His body felt paralyzed, and every word spoken by Grandmaster Ardyn seemed to freeze the very space around them.

  It wasn’t just the gravity of the situation—it was the sheer realness of Grandmaster Ardyn’s emotions. Too real for a virtual world.

  Venix wanted to curse. To curse this system.

  Was this truly a virtual world? How could it feel so real?

  The despair etched on Grandmaster Ardyn’s face and the lingering resonance of his voice echoed in Venix’s mind.

  His resolve to avoid further entanglement with Numan World began to waver.

  With a heavy sigh, Venix relented. "Grandmaster Ardyn... There’s no need for such drastic measures. It’s just a test, right? I can participate—it’s beneficial to me if it succeeds anyway."

  Grandmaster Ardyn shook his head slightly. "There’s something I haven’t told you."

  Still kneeling, Grandmaster Ardyn lifted his gaze to meet Venix’s. "If you succeed, your Seed of Vulture will evolve, becoming far stronger—with limitless potential."

  Venix blinked in confusion. Wouldn’t that be advantageous for him?

  With just a bit of reasoning, it seemed clear he’d willingly undergo the test.

  "However..." Grandmaster Ardyn’s tone turned grave. "If you fail, the Seed of Chaos will also evolve—becoming even more perfect than before."

  "If it fails, so be it. I don’t mind having the Seed of Chaos, even with its inherent dangers," Venix said, attempting to diffuse the tension.

  Grandmaster Ardyn didn’t budge. "Old Orion shared a prophecy with the Primecore in private." His voice carried a weight that made Venix’s heart clench. "The danger isn’t you—it’s the Seed of Chaos itself."

  Venix furrowed his brow, confusion clouding his thoughts. Grandmaster Ardyn’s words felt profound, yet something in them eluded him—a puzzle he couldn’t piece together.

  "More specifically," Grandmaster Ardyn continued, "if you fail, you might lose your life—consumed and controlled by the Seed of Chaos."

  Venix’s body froze as the words sank in.

  His mind drifted to his meditation sessions and his ventures into the Origin Fragment Realm.

  During one such session, he’d attempted to connect with the Seed of Chaos, only to be flatly rejected by it.

  According to the Meditation Technique, such a rejection was supposed to be impossible.

  A Seed Origin was an intrinsic part of an Awaken—a fragment inseparable from the essence of their being.

  Venix hadn’t thought much of it at the time, dismissing the danger and ignoring why he couldn’t establish a connection with the Seed of Chaos.

  If Grandmaster Orion’s prophecy held true, he might be devoured and enslaved by the Seed of Chaos.

  "Could this system be some manifestation of the Seed of Chaos’s power?" The unsettling thought sent shivers down Venix’s spine.

  The system was bizarre, appearing suddenly in his otherwise ordinary life.

  If Seed Origins were extensions of an Awaken’s essence, then the Seed of Chaos felt like a foreign invader within him.

  Aside from the Seed of Chaos, the only other foreign entity bound to him was the Virtual Ascension System.

  What if the Seed of Chaos’s emergence was tied to the system’s appearance?

  Shaking off his reverie, Venix cast his gaze upon Numan World below.

  "No, it doesn’t make sense. If the system caused the Seed of Chaos to manifest, why grant me access to this Virtual World?

  "And without this access, when the Origin Era arrives on Earth, the Seed of Chaos would fully mature and take over my body!"

  As realization dawned, Venix’s doubts about the system began to diminish.

  Still, a sense of foreboding lingered.

  "Grandmaster Ardyn, I... I need to meditate and try something," Venix said abruptly.

  Grandmaster Ardyn, still kneeling, looked slightly taken aback by Venix’s sudden resolve.

  Under his watchful eyes, Venix crossed his legs and sat in the void of space.

  Protected by Grandmaster Ardyn’s energy, Venix could maintain his seated posture in the vacuum of space.

  Quickly, he slipped into meditation.

  Grandmaster Ardyn remained silent, observing him intently.

  Moments later, Venix’s expression darkened.

  "This... This can’t be possible..." Venix muttered to himself, as if confronted by an impossibility.