A week had passed since Aiden's training began under Anthony's guidance.
His movements were sharper, his aura more stable, and for the first time, he carried the look of someone who had tasted true strength. The hesitant boy who once trembled before the waves had now become a warrior whose eyes reflected unshakable resolve.
That evening, as the crimson sun bled into the sea, the crew returned to their village, laughing and exhausted after a long day of fishing.
But their laughter died the moment they stepped onto the shore.
In the heart of the village, everyone was on their knees — men, women, and children — surrounded by armored soldiers whose eyes glowed with a suffocating pressure. Their mere presence crushed the air itself.
At their center stood a man cloaked in black, his aura towering and cold — the Messenger.
The crew froze.
Anthony instinctively stepped forward, his expression dark. Aiden followed close behind, his fists trembling.
The Messenger unsheathed his sword and pressed its edge against Olivia's neck — Anthony's wife.
"Another step," the Messenger said coldly, "and her head will roll."
The moment the words reached his ears, Anthony's killing intent exploded. The ground cracked beneath his feet, and a monstrous aura enveloped the air.
But when he saw Olivia's terrified eyes, his fury faltered.
He dropped his weapon, raised his hands slowly, and whispered in despair:
"Please… don't hurt her."
Aiden bit his lip so hard that blood trickled down his chin.
He was trembling, powerless — unable to protect the very people who had saved him.
Anthony took a step toward the Messenger, lowering his head in surrender.
But before he could even finish that step — the Messenger swung his sword.
In a flash of silver, Olivia's neck was severed.
Blood sprayed across the ground.
The Messenger smirked with mockery, his tone dripping with arrogance:
"Ah… seems my sword slipped by mistake."
Anthony froze in horror. His knees buckled, his eyes hollow, and tears streamed down his cheeks as his entire being shattered.
Then — a scream erupted behind him.
"ENOUGH!!!"
The ground exploded.
A massive pillar of light shot toward the heavens, tearing through the clouds as the sky roared with thunder. The winds howled violently, lightning struck in every direction, and at the center of it all floated Aiden — eyes glowing white, his voice echoing with an ancient resonance.
"The first seal of the Eternal Heir… has been released."
Power surged from his body like a volcanic eruption, pure rage and grief merging into an overwhelming storm.
The soldiers stumbled back under the sheer pressure.
But Aiden couldn't see or hear anything — only the blood, only Olivia's fallen body.
He charged forward, his energy bursting like flames.
His attacks crashed against the armored soldiers, each blow shaking the ground.
Yet, despite his fury, the difference in strength was enormous. His strikes left nothing but faint scratches on their armor.
The soldiers regrouped, surrounding him from all sides.
Swords flashed — Aiden tried to parry, to block, to resist — but the power gap was too vast.
Three strikes were all it took.
Blood splattered. His body collapsed to the ground.
As his vision faded, the last thing he saw was Anthony, shackled and broken, being dragged away like a corpse.
Then — darkness.
Days later, Aiden awoke on a small wooden bed.
His body was covered in neatly wrapped bandages, his limbs numb and heavy.
He tried to stand but collapsed, pain surging through his legs.
A wrinkled hand reached toward him.
"Easy now, boy," said a calm, gentle voice.
Aiden looked up and saw an old man — tall, thin, with a long silver beard and eyes that glowed faintly like the stars.
The man helped him sit up and smiled kindly.
"You were brought here by a few young men. You've been unconscious for three days," the old man said.
"As for Anthony… I knew him. He was once my disciple."
Aiden's eyes widened. "You… knew Anthony?"
The old man nodded, turning toward the door.
Before leaving, Aiden called out:
"Wait! What's your name?"
The man stopped, glanced over his shoulder, and smiled.
"My name is Kane Noctalys."
Aiden froze in disbelief. The same name Anthony had once mentioned — the man known as The Hidden Phantom.
Kane chuckled softly before leaving, his voice fading into the silence:
"Rest, boy. You'll need your strength for what's to come."
That night, Aiden sat alone in the dimly lit room.
Memories of Olivia filled his mind — her laughter, her warmth, her kindness.
He clenched his fists until his nails dug into his skin and whispered through gritted teeth:
"I'll destroy them all… every single one of them."
And so, despite his pain, he trained — his body shaking, his spirit burning.
He would master The Eternal Inferno Style, no matter the cost.
Days later, Kane returned from the forest carrying a gigantic bull on his shoulders — a beast from the Ninth Stage – Level Three: Ether Ascension.
Aiden was left speechless by the old man's impossible strength.
As dusk fell, Kane roasted the bull's meat, and the scent filled the air. Aiden's stomach growled loudly, making the old man burst into laughter.
"Hungry already, eh?" Kane teased.
"The smell alone could make a dragon drool," Aiden muttered, blushing.
They both laughed heartily, and when Aiden took the first bite, he felt a rush of energy explode through his veins — his fatigue vanished, replaced by raw vitality.
Kane smiled knowingly.
"That's no ordinary meat. Ether Bulls restore the flow of your core and awaken your hidden strength."
Later that night, Aiden asked softly:
"Master Kane… how do you live here without the Messenger ever finding you?"
The old man gazed into the dancing fire, his face shadowed by the flames.
"Because, long ago, I was part of the Upper Realm," he said quietly.
"I served directly under the king… until betrayal cast me into this hell."
He told Aiden his story — how a noble had framed him for attempting to assassinate the prince.
How the king believed the lies, banished him to the Lower World, and erased his name from history.
As the fire crackled, Kane's voice became faint:
"That's when I learned… that light isn't always pure, and darkness isn't always evil."
Aiden listened silently, eyes burning with resolve.
He didn't respond — he didn't need to.
In that moment, he knew his path would begin from the very depths of hell.
Later that night, he sat outside the hut, staring at the quiet sky.
For the first time in a while, his face showed no rage, no sorrow — only a faint look of boredom.
As if waiting for something… something yet to come.