Chapter 127: To the Capital & A Brother’s Promise
[1st June]
Inside Rey's consciousness, the white room stood silent. Every spirit's gaze was fixed on the abyssal gate.
Rey had entered once more—his third and final attempt before the gate sealed itself again.
The spirits waited, tense but patient. His first two tries had ended in failure; the abyss spat him back in less than a minute, crashing him against the far wall each time.
They expected nothing different now.
But a miracle happened.
A minute passed. Then two. Then five.
Victor leaned forward, brows furrowed. "Did he… finally gain enlightenment this time?"
Aiden, arms crossed, didn't look away from the gate.
"I don't know. And I don't care. My only concern is that he comes back alive."
Victor shrugged, settling down again. "Fair enough. Still… I'm curious."
As the fifth minute reached its end, the gate's violent aura dimmed.
The oppressive glow vanished, signaling Rey's return.
A moment later, his body was hurled out like a cannonball. He slammed into the wall, head first, and crumpled to the floor.
"ARGHHHHHHH!"
His scream echoed in the chamber. He clutched his head, rolling in pain as a swelling bump rose on his forehead.
Aiden and Victor didn't even flinch.
Rey glared at them through watery eyes, his body twitching from the ache. "You two… are the worst…"
Neither Zero nor Veylen spared him a glance either. As always, they observed in silence.
Rey staggered to his feet, massaging his skull. His clothes clung to his sweat-soaked body, his breathing ragged.
The abyss always left him battered, but this time the pain was different—deeper, heavier, as though knowledge had been hammered into his mind.
"How long was I in there?" His voice was hoarse. "It couldn't have been shorter than before. I nearly lost my sanity holding on."
He opened his System interface.
→ Veil of the Unseen Abyss {Stage 0 – Concealment of Shadows} [44%] (↑6%)
A smile crept across his face.
"Finally. Progress."
Even a six percent increase was enormous by abyss standards.
At this rate, he could reach full mastery of Stage 0 by year's end. And once Stage 0 was perfected, he could open the other gates.
The thought made his gaze linger on the eight sealed doors standing silently at the edge of his consciousness.
Not yet.
First, rest.
Rey exhaled and let his body vanish from the white room.
When his eyes opened again, he was back in his bed. The room was quiet, the night still dark. The clock read just past two.
"…Plenty of time to sleep." He muttered and slipped back under, letting exhaustion claim him.
By morning, the world was already awake. Rey stirred to faint clattering from below. When he checked the time, it was just past six.
He sharpened his senses instinctively, following the sound to the kitchen. His mother.
His perception had grown keener. Even a quiet shuffle downstairs was clear to him now.
Rey smiled faintly, then began to prepare. He washed away the lingering sweat, dressed in fresh clothes, and packed the essentials—tickets, cards, concealed weapons.
Everything else, his mother had already prepared.
Today, he was leaving Lumina City.
A voice rose from the stairs.
"Rey, wake up! You'll miss the train if you don't come down in fifteen minutes!"
It was Jasmine, his mother.
But when she reached the room, she froze. Rey was already standing by the door, bag slung over his shoulder.
She let out a soft laugh, though her smile wavered.
"So it's true. When you actually want to go somewhere, you don't need me to drag you out of bed."
Rey caught the emptiness beneath her tone. His chest tightened, but he only smiled back.
"Come downstairs. Eat first. We'll head to the station after."
Rey nodded, watching her descend the stairs before turning to glance at his room one last time.
The sight blurred in his vision. So many memories were tied to these walls.
"…Time to move forward."
He shut the door behind him and went down.
Breakfast was neatly arranged on the table. He ate slowly, not daring to rush, knowing Jasmine would scold him for it.
When he finished, she stood ready to accompany him.
But footsteps sounded from upstairs.
Rey and Jasmine both turned.
Emmy appeared—not in her nightclothes, but fully dressed and bright-eyed.
"Emmy?" Jasmine rushed to her. "Why are you up so early? Did something happen?"
"Mom…" Emmy's gaze flicked to her brother. "Is brother leaving now?"
"Yes," Jasmine admitted. "He's just about to—"
"Then why didn't you wake me up?"
Jasmine faltered, caught off guard.
"You were sleeping. I didn't want to disturb—"
"Well, I'm awake now. I'm coming too!" Emmy declared with determination.
"No, you—" Jasmine began, but Rey interrupted gently.
"Let her come. She should be able to say goodbye."
Jasmine leaned closer, whispering, "It'll trouble you later."
Rey tapped his chest lightly. "I'll manage."
"…If you say so." She sighed, relenting.
Emmy beamed and bounded after them as they left the house.
They caught a taxi and reached the station quickly—the early hour spared them from heavy traffic.
But inside the station, the air was thick. Rey had expected calm. Instead, the hall was packed with youths around his age, many looking sharp and ready.
All headed for the same destination. The capital. The entrance exams.
Rey felt the pressure immediately. His blood stirred, not with fear, but anticipation.
Jasmine noticed it too, her eyes narrowing at the atmosphere. "Rey… focus. These are your competitors. The real test begins here."
Rey nodded silently, his gaze scanning the faces around him.
The journey had begun.
"Okay, Mom, don't worry. I'll definitely make you proud," Rey said firmly, though his chest tightened as he glanced at the clock. The announcement for boarding echoed through the station, a reminder that time was running short.
He slung his bag back over his shoulder and turned toward Emmy, who had been unusually quiet.
"Emmy, what's wrong? Did something happen?" He bent slightly to meet her eyes.
She hesitated, her small fists clenched, before whispering, "Brother… when will you come back?"
Rey blinked. "Why are you asking that now? At most, four years. That's how long it should take."
Her lips trembled. "Then… will you come back in between? Even once?"
Rey's expression softened. "If I get the chance, of course I will. And when I do, I'll show you what a real martial warrior looks like!" He flexed his arm, grinning.
But Emmy shook her head, tears shimmering in her eyes. "No, not just a powerful martial artist. You must become the strongest. The strongest martial artist ever… so I can tell my friends my brother is the strongest in the world!"
Both Rey and Jasmine froze at her words. Jasmine's lips parted, but she couldn't bring herself to interrupt. Rey, however, couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips.
"Alright then. I promise. I'll become the strongest alive." His words were half in jest, half in determination, though he had no idea what kind of path he was truly stepping into.
Jasmine placed a hand on his shoulder. "Rey, remember—your uncle will meet you at the capital station. I'll inform him ahead of your arrival."
"I understand." Rey nodded.
After consoling Emmy a little longer, he finally boarded his assigned coach. His seat was by the window in a private room—luxurious compared to what most could afford, but Rey hadn't hesitated to spend extra Dracins for comfort.
From the window, he spotted Emmy and Jasmine waving with forced smiles. He waved back, but as the train horn bellowed and the car began to move, Emmy's composure shattered.
She broke into tears, clinging to Jasmine as she watched her brother being carried farther and farther away.
Rey pressed his palm to the glass, sadness flickering in his eyes. Yet as the station disappeared from view, he shut the window and, with it, locked his emotions deep inside.
The journey ahead would take at least two days. Long hours of travel lay before him, but he wasn't worried. He had plenty to occupy his time.
Settling into the cushioned seat, he leaned back, savoring the quiet hum of the train and the scenery flashing past.
After dinner was served and the carriage grew dim, he closed the door to his compartment, steadied his breathing, and sank into meditation.
It was time to enter the White Space once again.
To be continued…
What's he going to do next—something insane or a move straight out of his old playbook?
Stay tuned to find out, and don't forget to add it to your library for instant updates.