Although this was a Virtual World, Venix couldn’t suppress a sense of pity as he watched The Lost Sheep being treated like livestock.

  To him, the sight was not just saddening but also fundamentally incompatible with his principles of humanity.

  As a modern human, even though Venix had begun interacting with the powers of Origin and was attempting to adapt to these changes, his morality as a contemporary Earthling persisted within him.

  The Lost Sheep could be described as slaves—a practice long abolished in the real world.

  However, with the advent of the Origin Era in the real world, perhaps morality was no longer a value everyone needed to uphold.

  "Is Numan World truly a depiction of Earth's future?" Venix wondered to himself, confusion clouding his mind. His gaze drifted far away, as though searching for answers amidst the shadows of a world he had yet to fully comprehend.

  Initially, Venix thought Numan World represented the future of Earth.

  But the more Venix explored Numan World, the more he realized—despite the high likelihood that Earth would follow a similar trajectory to Numan World—there were key differences that made him doubt whether Numan World was truly a civilization connected to Earth.

  Although their appearances were identical, who could definitively state that humanity was a unique race born solely on Earth?

  "I understand it's cruel. If you're angry or feel otherwise, it's entirely justified," said Leoric calmly.

  Venix lifted his head, staring at Leoric's back. "Though cruel, I can somewhat grasp why such actions were taken."

  Leoric offered a faint smile but chose not to elaborate.

  Meanwhile, Venix began piecing together a larger picture from the fragments of information he had gathered.

  Indeed, the enslavement of The Lost Sheep was brutal. Yet, perhaps several decades ago, their situation had been far worse than it was now.

  Given what he knew of the impending Origin Era in the real world, Venix could easily envision the chaos it would bring.

  Currently, in Numan World, it seemed as though they had progressed further and were beginning to stabilize their social and moral structures, moving beyond the chaotic era.

  The elevator doors opened with a soft hiss, revealing a vast chamber that seemed endless.

  The air inside was cold, as though the temperature was meticulously controlled by machines operating beyond the walls.

  In front of Venix stood a massive structure forged from black steel, towering sturdily like an unyielding fortress.

  Its surface gleamed under dim light, reflecting the bluish glint of computer screens scattered around the room.

  At the heart of the building, a large iron door commanded attention—sealed tightly, as if guarding something of immense importance.

  Venix's gaze swept across the room. Along the building’s outer walls, rows of monitors were neatly arranged, most displaying rapidly flickering data.

  Yet many of the chairs in front of them were vacant, with only six individuals—men and women—working diligently, their fingers flying over keyboards.

  Large machines stood silent in the room's corners, like steadfast sentinels, adding to the cold and mechanical atmosphere.

  "This is the Awaken Hall, where you'll reside in the future," Leoric said, guiding the two of them further inside.

  Venix and Luna observed their surroundings with curiosity and awe. Luna, in particular, seemed mesmerized by the advanced equipment she had never seen before in her life.

  "The Awaken Hall is fully equipped. It has a library, training facilities, and other amenities to meet the needs of Awaken individuals," Leoric explained. "Unlike the research you conducted with Luna previously, here, you simply need to stay inside, and we can monitor everything clearly. You're free to do as you please."

  As the three approached the entrance, the men and women overseeing the monitors turned around and greeted them.

  "This is Luna, who will join you later. And this is Venix—a name you're undoubtedly familiar with," Leoric introduced them.

  The mention of Venix's name caused the six individuals to immediately change their expressions. Their faces turned serious as they bowed respectfully.

  "Please guide us," they said in unison, catching Venix off guard with their unexpectedly warm reception.

  Startled by their gesture, Venix hastily bowed in return.

  Leoric smiled gently, turning to look at Venix. "Inside, there are six others already. Five of them are Sky Awaken, and one is a Mythic Awaken."

  "Mythic Awaken?" Venix’s face lit up with admiration upon hearing there was a Mythic Awaken inside.

  Leoric nodded softly. "Including you, there will now be two Mythic Awaken here."

  "Two Mythic Awaken? That's incredible..." Venix's face showed awe before realization dawned on him. "Wait, you mean me? There will be two Mythic Awaken including me?"

  Pointing at himself with a look of surprise, Venix’s voice wavered slightly. Even Luna appeared shocked, as if this was news to her.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "Your Seed of Vulture has indeed reached Mythic quality. While it can't compare to a naturally born Mythic Seed Origin, it’s only a matter of time before your Seed of Vulture achieves true Mythic status," Leoric explained with a casual smile.

  Venix turned to Luna, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

  Luna massaged her temples, feeling slightly overwhelmed. She hadn’t realized that Venix's Seed Origin had reached Mythic quality!

  No wonder Venix held such immense value for the direction of their research!

  Leoric then instructed the staff to open the entrance and escort Venix inside.

  The room was vast, its walls seemingly stretching endlessly. The ceiling was high, adorned with soft lights resembling the glow of morning sunlight.

  It felt unnatural for an underground space—more like a grand hall hidden from the outside world.

  Leoric guided Venix and Luna through reinforced metal doors, confidently introducing every corner of the room.

  A large gray sofa, a swimming pool, and several relaxation areas created an atmosphere akin to a home.

  The walls were painted pristine white, exuding a sense of spaciousness and tranquility, far removed from the cold and stifling environment typically associated with a prison.

  The air within was warm, carrying a faint aroma of vanilla mixed with cedarwood.

  Leoric paused in front of a small door.

  "This is your room, Venix," Leoric said, opening the door.

  Inside was a neatly made bed, a meditation area, and a digital control panel softly glowing on the wall.

  "If you need anything, just press one of those buttons," Leoric continued, pointing to the illuminated buttons. Each button featured a small icon—a plate of food, an energy drop, and other symbols representing daily necessities.

  Venix nodded, committing the details to memory.

  Leoric then proceeded to show Venix room after room.

  In one, two individuals were engrossed in books within the library. Finally, Leoric led them to another expansive room.

  Opening the door revealed a large training ground.

  "This is the training area," Leoric said, his voice calm yet firm. "As an Awaken, the energy you possess is enough to enhance your body. But without proper training, your physical development will remain limited, preventing you from reaching your maximum potential."

  While Leoric explained, a young man with white hair was practicing in the training ground.

  He wielded a Heavy Club—a massive mace twice the size of his head.

  The white-haired man fought against five training dummies. To Venix’s amazement, despite the mace's imposing weight, the man’s attacks were lightning-fast! It was as if the mace in his hands were as light as a sword!

  The man’s body moved nimbly from left to right, and as soon as an opportunity arose, he swung his mace at the training dummy, sending it flying a full ten meters with ease!

  "That's Hokki, the Mythic Awaken I mentioned earlier," Leoric said with a smile on his face.

  In less than a minute, Hokki effortlessly defeated six of the training dummies.

  Afterward, Hokki turned to Leoric and the others, bowing deeply to greet their arrival.

  Leoric nodded slightly before inviting Venix to try out the training area.

  The training dummies here had a maximum strength equivalent to that of a Seedbound. With certain enhancements, they provided excellent training capabilities for both Awaken and Seedbound individuals.

  Leoric explained to Venix how to adjust the dummies' difficulty level, selecting the Early-Stage Awaken setting.

  Next, they chose their weapons.

  The training area offered a wide variety of weapons, including small daggers typically used by assassins.

  Venix examined the arsenal and decided on a sword.

  Having no prior combat experience, let alone with weapons, Venix chose something he felt somewhat familiar with—based on depictions he had seen in movies and shows back on Earth.

  Leoric began teaching Venix how to wield an Awaken weapon.

  Weapons in the Numan World were highly advanced, equipped with special cores that linked the wielder’s Seed Origin to the weapon’s Core Crystal. This made channeling their power into the weapon significantly easier.

  After just three minutes of instruction, the sword in Venix’s hand was enveloped in a dark purple energy that resembled the aura of the Seed of Vulture.

  However, the energy surrounding his sword undulated like flowing water and lacked sharpness.

  Leoric reassured him that this was normal and that his proficiency would improve with time.

  Leoric then left the training room, allowing Venix to face the dummy alone. Luna observed quietly from outside.

  Taking a deep breath, Venix felt the weight of the sword in his hand. Swiftly, he lunged at the dummy.

  But in a split second, his blade met only air—the dummy dodged effortlessly, causing his attack to miss.

  The dummy, armed with a wooden sword, countered by striking Venix’s sword.

  Clang!

  Venix’s grip faltered as if the weapon were too heavy, and the sword flew from his hands.

  The dummy quickly followed up, striking Venix with its wooden sword.

  Thud!

  Venix’s body was flung several meters away, landing flat on his back.

  The dummy ceased its movements as soon as Venix fell.

  For a few seconds, Venix lay there, staring at the lights hanging from the ceiling of the training room.

  "Even with useful techniques, without combat experience… I’ll never become a true Awaken," Venix thought to himself.

  He slowly stood up and retrieved his sword, which lay not far from where he had fallen.

  There was no sign of disappointment on Venix’s face. Despite the mild pain and minor injuries, his expression remained focused, his eyes filled with determination.

  Calmly, he raised his sword again, stepping forward to face the dummy once more.

  And so, the minutes passed.

  Over the next several minutes, Venix managed to land only two exchanges with the dummy, and he still lost each time.

  By now, Venix’s body had grown somewhat numb. The dummy’s wooden sword delivered only basic strikes without added strength, causing him only minor injuries.

  Hokki, observing Venix’s repeated defeats at the hands of the weakest dummy, smirked mockingly.

  After waiting for over five minutes, Leoric and Luna decided to leave, leaving Venix alone in the training room.

  Leoric had already shown Venix around the facilities, and from this point onward, Venix would be staying here.

  Undeterred, Venix continued training with the dummy, ignoring everything else around him.

  Despite constant defeats and beatings from the dummy, Venix did not feel frustrated. On the contrary, he felt exhilarated!

  "If this were real combat, I would’ve died countless times fighting an opponent," Venix thought.

  He began to grasp a harsh truth he couldn’t escape.

  Even with Seedbound-level power—an impressive feat—it meant little if he couldn’t master the art of combat. Without experience, he realized he would always lose and might perish against more skilled foes.

  In that sense, this training was a blessing for Venix—the one thing he truly needed right now!

  An hour passed swiftly.

  Outside the training room, Master Ardyn had arrived and was speaking to a man dressed in white, resembling a doctor.

  Meanwhile, the monitoring area, previously occupied by only six individuals, now held a larger group.

  They all took their places, carefully observing everyone inside—especially Venix.

  “Is there truly no other way?” Grandmaster Ardyn asked, his brows furrowed as he scanned a document outlining how they were assisting Venix.

  “The boy has already lost his Astral Body. Even with the resources we have, we can only temporarily restore his Astral Body to its final state for another Astral Bond,” the man replied solemnly.

  “You mentioned that the Meditation Technique you developed could help his condition?” Grandmaster Ardyn asked, his expression grave.

  “At first, we believed so,” the man sighed before continuing. “However, this latest Meditation Technique enhances all aspects of the Seed Origin. If he uses it, not only will the Seed of Vulture grow stronger, but so will the Seed of Chaos—potentially resulting in two fully strengthened Seeds.”

  Grandmaster Ardyn closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “I’ll prepare everything later. If you think of anything else, report to me immediately.”

  The man nodded seriously before returning to his work.

  Grandmaster Ardyn gazed ahead, his vision piercing through the walls obscuring the view, locking directly onto Venix.

  “I hope the Heavenly Scholar Technique can help him progress further,” Grandmaster Ardyn murmured softly, clenching his hands tightly.