Venix dreamed a very long dream.
At this moment, he was in a mysterious dream realm.
The sky arched endlessly, a serene celestial carpet that soothed the soul. Fields of grass swayed gently in the rhythm of the wind, creating a silent harmony that felt like whispers of the universe. Here, peace wasn’t just a feeling—it was a reality that transcended the limits of the mind.
In one area, there were trees bearing various fruits he could eat.
In his dazed and unaware state, not realizing it was a dream, Venix spotted a tall, massive tree that stretched skyward, piercing through the clouds.
Driven by intense curiosity, Venix stepped forward, approaching the colossal tree.
However, as he walked, he sensed something strange about his body and lowered his gaze.
Stretching out his hands, Venix saw that they had transformed into wings with captivating, dark-purple feathers.
“I’m... a bird?” Venix murmured, his voice awkward, almost resembling a chirp. He stared at his outstretched dark-purple wings, his initial shock gradually morphing into deep curiosity.
He flapped his wings, clumsily, as if attempting a dance with a body unfamiliar with its rhythm.
The wind caressed his feathers gently, a warmth he had never felt before, giving a comforting sensation.
But gravity’s unrelenting pull dragged him down, and he crashed heavily to the ground. Frustration surged within him, a heavy burden pressing on his chest—a stark reminder of a limit he couldn’t yet surpass.
Venix continued trying, refusing to give up, creating an odd spectacle of a bird hopping joyfully toward the massive tree.
Time was an abstract concept in this dream world, and after immense effort, Venix finally reached the base of the towering tree.
To his surprise, he found large fruits scattered beneath it.
The fruits were as big as watermelons.
Venix approached one of the fruits, opened his small beak, sliced it with his bird-like beak, and ate a small portion.
As he bit into the fruit, a refreshing, icy sensation spread throughout his entire body.
Every fiber of his being seemed to awaken, subtly vibrating as if he had infused himself with an unfamiliar energy—a relief filling him, as though a heavy burden had been lifted.
The fruit’s taste was exquisite and delicious. Slowly, he continued to eat one bite at a time.
Even as his bird stomach swelled from overeating, Venix did not stop and remained unaware of his body’s condition.
At that moment, he felt warmth in his stomach as the food he consumed was digested.
Within seconds, his swollen stomach shrank back down, as though an unseen force was working within.
Yet his small body now appeared slightly larger, a newfound strength coursing through him, bringing an odd weight to his avian form—something growing within him that he couldn’t halt.
Dreams are reflections of the soul, where the deepest secrets are revealed in strange and beautiful forms.
But often, dreams are mere veils masking harsher realities. While Venix soared in an endless realm, his body in the real world faced far more imminent danger—a conflict trying to claim his life before he could even comprehend his destiny.
At that moment, Venix's body lay unconscious on the floor. A mysterious symbol was etched into the ground, with Venix at its center.
Outside the formation of the cryptic symbols stood Grandmaster Orion, activating the formation with his power, attempting something with Venix.
Grandmaster Orion’s body glowed with a soft green light, enveloping Venix, who lay at the formation’s core.
In the corner of the room, Grandmaster Ardyn watched the entire process.
His eyes fixed on Venix’s unmoving body, a mix of worry hidden behind his cold exterior. His clenched fists behind his back betrayed his unease.
“What’s happening to this child?” Grandmaster Ardyn thought, his gaze sharp on Venix.
A wave of near-unbearable anxiety washed over him, gnawing at his chest. Every passing second felt heavier, and the uncertainty stifled his breath.
Earlier, everything had seemed normal.
After Grandmaster Ardyn bid him farewell, Venix appeared to be resting and sleeping on the monitor.
But the normalcy didn’t last long.
For unknown reasons, the Seed of Chaos suddenly awakened rapidly! Becoming the second Seed Origin and taking its place alongside the Seed of Vulture on the throne within Venix’s soul.
The birth of the Seed of Chaos was abrupt and didn’t come without a cost.
Venix’s body trembled violently, his skin turned pale and translucent, revealing his shrinking tissues as an unseen force drained him.
Every fiber of muscle and vein seemed to dry out, as though the world forced him to relinquish everything to survive.
Seconds felt like eternal torment, and the world around him crumbled into dark shadows.
From the monitor, it was detected that both Vulture and Venix appeared inactive, as if their true selves were elsewhere.
And the Seed of Chaos cruelly absorbed Venix’s body to fuel itself.
Venix’s body slowly lost its shape, like a flower wilting under the scorching sun.
His once radiant skin grew pale, clinging to the now-prominent bones beneath.
Every second felt like an unavoidable death, and the air in the room grew tense as though witnessing a tragedy that couldn’t be stopped.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
The Seed of Chaos didn’t just drain Venix—it devoured his life essence, turning it into fuel for its growth!
At that moment, Venix aged rapidly.
Had it not been for the research team’s intervention, Venix might have been drained dry to death.
Thanks to Luna’s prior experience dealing with Venix, they used infusion techniques to deliver Awaken Elixir into his body, meeting the Seed of Chaos’s energy demands.
The researchers feared that a third Seed Origin might emerge after the second one perfected itself.
Fortunately, once the Seed of Chaos became complete, the absorption process halted and didn’t proceed autonomously.
From then on, with the research team’s help, Venix’s drained body was slowly restored.
And from that point, Venix remained unconscious.
Grandmaster Orion tended to Venix using his methods for an entire hour.
After an hour passed, the green energy enveloping both Venix and Grandmaster Orion gradually dimmed, and Grandmaster Orion opened his eyes.
“How is he?” Grandmaster Ardyn asked, his tone sharp despite the evident tremor.
Grandmaster Orion sighed, his gaze fixed on Venix with a puzzled look. “Strange... This kid shows signs of severe injury, yet there isn’t a single mark—on his body or his soul.”
“So, what does that mean? Can he be saved?” Grandmaster Ardyn pressed, his worry barely masked by his authoritative tone.
Venix held immense value for their world’s salvation. If he couldn’t be saved, they’d have to find another way to address their dire situation.
Grandmaster Orion stared at Venix’s body and sighed heavily. “I know this is excessive, but it might be the only way to stabilize him quickly.”
Grandmaster Orion snapped his fingers, producing a golden, apple-sized fruit that radiated brilliance.
“That…” Grandmaster Ardyn stared in disbelief. “You’ve had that fruit all this time!?”
"Ardyn, you talk too much," said Grandmaster Orion sharply, though his eyes betrayed a hint of exhaustion. "If I didn't believe in your path—despite how often it feels like a foolish gamble—I wouldn't have bothered saving this child."
Orion stared at Ardyn for a moment, long enough to make the air between them heavy, before resuming his task.
Grandmaster Ardyn returned the gaze deeply. "Great Origin Fruit... Because of this fruit, three great nations fought, and hundreds of thousands perished."
"Do you want to discuss the past in a situation like this?" Grandmaster Orion frowned.
Grandmaster Ardyn sighed heavily. "Apologies. Please continue."
With that, Grandmaster Orion used his power to slice the golden apple into tiny pieces, reducing it to what looked like a fine dust.
Using his abilities, Grandmaster Orion pushed the minute pieces of the golden apple into Venix's mouth, guiding them until they entered his body.
"Sometimes, Ardyn," Orion said in a flat yet meaningful tone, "I'm grateful I was never strong enough to defeat you. Perhaps there's a greater destiny in that failure."
Grandmaster Ardyn fell silent at those words. If Grandmaster Orion had been stronger than him, perhaps the situation would be even more desperate than it was now.
And perhaps... Grandmaster Orion harbored regrets even deeper than Ardyn's own.
On the surface, Grandmaster Orion appeared to be a calm and wise man. With his formidable prophetic abilities, Grandmaster Orion always seemed a step ahead of everyone else.
At the same time, however, Grandmaster Orion was exceedingly cunning. Only the Primecore knew the extent of the chaos and death that Orion had caused.
After all the pieces of the golden apple had entered Venix's body, Grandmaster Orion slowly stood up.
"Tell me, Old Orion... Have you seen a future different from the one my methods will create?" Ardyn asked softly.
"Prophecies come as they will," Orion replied slowly, his gaze fixed on the unconscious Venix. "I am not a god, Ardyn. I merely relay the message—and sometimes, I hate how little control I have."
Grandmaster Ardyn remained silent.
That explanation made sense. If Orion could wield his prophecies at will, he would be invincible, even against stronger enemies.
"Do you believe his method can solve two problems at once?" Ardyn asked calmly.
"No." Grandmaster Orion shook his head honestly. "The more I interfere to alter a dire prophecy, the worse the outcome."
Grandmaster Orion turned to face Grandmaster Ardyn. "Perhaps my prophetic ability exists only to deliver messages to others, and I cannot directly participate in changing future prophecies."
Grandmaster Ardyn studied Orion deeply but said nothing.
"If you need my help again, call me," said Grandmaster Orion.
Then, Grandmaster Orion left the room.
Watching Orion leave, Grandmaster Ardyn's emotions turned complex.
Grandmaster Ardyn quickly summoned someone to move Venix's body elsewhere.
With the Great Origin Fruit, Venix's condition would stabilize—sooner or later.
Grandmaster Ardyn trusted this, knowing that the fruit had caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the past.
Quickly, Venix's body was transferred to a treatment room, guarded meticulously by ten assigned doctors.
Grandmaster Ardyn monitored Venix through a display showing the condition of his soul.
Within an hour, a movement was detected deep within Venix's soul.
"The Seed of Vulture... It seems to be responding and reactivating," said a researcher who noticed the signal emanating from Venix's soul.
The Seed of Vulture appeared like a statue. Though its form was present, it was inactive, as if in a state of suspended animation.
"Hm?" Grandmaster Ardyn turned toward the monitor showing the signal.
Gradually, the signal became more active, like the sudden awakening of a heartbeat.
All researchers watched Venix's condition intently, while the doctors on duty gathered in the treatment room, prepared to address any unforeseen developments.
The Seed of Vulture's signal grew stronger, as if struggling to come back to life.
Within a minute, the signal captured on the soul monitor grew increasingly intense, signaling that good news was imminent!
Deep within Venix's soul, the Seed of Vulture, which had been dormant, suddenly opened its eyes in an instant!
At the same time, Venix, lying in the treatment room, calmly opened his eyes.
"Finally..." Ardyn whispered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation but tempered with caution. He knew Venix's awakening was only the beginning of a much greater challenge.
"Grandmaster... Something's wrong with Venix!" a researcher suddenly shouted, drawing everyone's attention.
Grandmaster Ardyn's heart sank. Had something gone wrong with Venix?
---
Six hours passed swiftly.
Now awake, Venix had undergone thorough examinations of his body, soul, and mental state—each assessed meticulously.
The evaluations lasted six full hours!
In the room where Venix was located, Grandmaster Ardyn, Leoric, and several others were present to question him.
However, at that moment, Venix ignored them, his focus absorbed by the system interface before him.
[You have been killed.]
[Your body in the Virtual World contains a fragment of your true life essence, granting you a chance to rise again.]
[Detected: The Host is a lifeform chosen by the Seed of Chaos.]
[Due to the uniqueness of the Seed of Chaos, you cannot truly die or be destroyed.]
[System Detection: The Seed of Vulture is the Host's primary Seed Origin.]
[Warning: The Seed of Chaos has forcefully awakened and claimed the position of secondary Seed Origin.]
[Body Status: The unique properties of the Seed of Chaos enable the Host's revival in the real world. Revival process initiated.]
[Time required for full revival: 3 Years: 2 Months: 3 Days.]
[System suppressing immediate revival in the real world. Host will fully awaken after the required time and upon exiting the Virtual World.]
[Detected: Great Origin Fruit has entered the Host's body.]
[Time for revival significantly reduced...]
[Revival in the real world is now ready!]
[Upon exiting the Virtual World, the Host will be fully revived in the real world (Please prepare new clothing).]
[Host's development in the Virtual World has exceeded system expectations.]
[Quest reset for Host adaptation.]
[You have received 2,000 Resource Points for completing the previous Quest.]
[You have received 50,000 Resource Points for completing the Hidden Quest.]
[Quest reset to adapt to the changes...]
[New Quest received!]
[Quest: Numan World.]
[Quest Description: Collaborate with powers in the Numan World to create a superior and advanced Meditation Technique!]
[Quest Completion: 53.23%.]
[Quest Reward: ???]
Venix read each notification from the system in a daze.
He exhaled deeply after finishing the stream of notifications. Slowly, a realization took hold: his life was no longer just about survival.
The people in the Virtual World, of their own accord, had granted him new hope. But with hope came greater responsibility.
Without the Great Origin Fruit, he would have waited three long years to return!
Furthermore, the direction of the Quest had shifted, presenting a clear path he had to follow.
And the Quest Reward, shrouded in "???", left Venix wondering what immense rewards awaited him if he succeeded!
