Aelric floated in darkness.
Or rather, within something. A space that pulsed like a living thing.
> [Inner Realm Accessed]
[Blade Seed Detected — Dormant State]
At the center of this void, the Blade Seed hung in the air like a silver ember. It pulsed slowly—each beat releasing a soft chime that echoed across the emptiness.
He didn't fully understand what it meant, only that the System had unlocked something new. Something… ancient.
> [Would you like to awaken the Blade Seed?]
[Cost: 5 System Points]
Aelric exhaled. This is the next step. A true cultivator's core.
"Awaken it."
> [Confirmed.]
[System Points: -5]
[Awakening Initiated…]
The seed pulsed once.
Twice.
Then burst.
Silver flame spiraled outward, flooding his mind, body, and spirit with heat and clarity. He cried out—not from pain, but from the overwhelming sensation of power blooming from within.
The dark void around him shifted. New lines appeared, as if the space had shape now—walls of force, hidden platforms, streams of mana. His Inner Realm was no longer empty. It had begun to take form.
> [Inner Realm Stage: Seed Realm - Blade Aligned]
[Trait Unlocked: Sharp Will – Increased Focus and Sword Intent Accumulation]
[Blade Seed Rank: Mortal Tier, Early Stage]
Aelric opened his eyes, gasping.
He was back in his dorm room, seated cross-legged, sweat dampening his brow. The world looked crisper. Cleaner. Even the edge of his sword at the far wall seemed to whisper.
He could feel it now—Sword Intent. Just a wisp, but real.
And it thrilled him.
Outside, the Academy buzzed with duels, practice drills, and lectures. He ignored them all that morning.
He had work to do.
He stepped onto the stone training platform behind the dorms and summoned the System.
> [Martial Technique: Phantom Step – Tier I]
[Description: A burst movement technique allowing short-range flickers. Effective for closing distance or dodging. Cost: 3 mana per use.]
"Activate Phantom Step."
Aelric took a breath, bent his knees, and—
vanished.
His body flickered across the stone like a shadow jumping from one torch to another. He landed five feet away, stumbling slightly from the sudden movement.
But he grinned.
Again.
And again.
By noon, he was chaining them. Each step smoother. Faster. He slashed mid-step, flowed into a roll, vanished, struck again. The Bladeborn Form was syncing with Phantom Step. His movement was no longer just fast—it was untouchable.
> [Technique Progress: Phantom Step – 34% Mastery]
[Bladeborn Form – 93% Mastery | Tier II]
[Mana: 64 / 110]
The door behind him creaked open.
Aelric turned, panting.
A tall girl leaned against the frame, watching him. She had pale gold eyes, shoulder-length white hair, and wore a dark red academy coat. Her presence was like a drawn bow—still, but charged with strength.
"You're the Dominion boy," she said.
Aelric straightened. "Yes."
"You fight monsters?"
"Three on my way here."
She smirked. "That explains the way you move. I'm Lyria Caelwyn. House Caelwyn of Stormvale."
He'd heard the name. A noble house of mages and stormblades.
"I'm Aelric Vaelion."
Her smile faded slightly. "Vaelion? The house that fell last month?"
He nodded, used to the reaction by now.
"I heard your father died protecting his land. That's something worth remembering."
Aelric didn't expect the respect. He nodded.
"I'll be watching your duel," she said, turning away. "Try not to die before the real fighting begins."
And then she vanished into the corridor.
That night, Aelric stood beneath the moonlight atop the Academy's outer wall.
The city of Vel Serin glimmered below like a sea of gold and silver veins.
He looked down at his palm, then summoned the System again.
> [System Points: 18]
[Available Upgrades: Sword Intent Accumulation | Blade Seed Growth | Phantom Step Efficiency]
He selected: Blade Seed Growth.
> [Confirmed: Blade Seed Nourished – 12 Points Spent]
[Seed Realm – Mid Stage Reached]
[New Technique Fragment Revealed: Blade of the Void (Incomplete)]
Blade of the Void?
Aelric's breath quickened.
Something ancient stirred within the seed.
Something waiting to be born.