The grand corridor of the Igniseror estate stretched endlessly — a river of obsidian-black stone bordered by crimson carpets embroidered with golden suns and radiant wings. The family's sigil gleamed under shafts of morning light that poured through the towering arched windows. Mana crystals embedded along the walls pulsed faintly, giving the hall a heartbeat — as if the entire castle itself breathed with quiet, ancient power.
Each step Kaizel took echoed softly, rhythmic and small compared to the vastness around him. His silver hair shimmered faintly under the mana light, his head hanging low, shoulders slouched in defeat. Behind him followed Sophia — his maid and caretaker — a woman of gentle grace, her every step silent and precise, her posture immaculate as befitted the maid of a noble house.
But beneath that stoic exterior, Sophia's kind eyes betrayed a flicker of sympathy as she watched her young master drag his feet like a condemned prisoner.
Kaizel finally turned his head, his voice quiet, pleading — and just a little dramatic."Sophi… you really can't bring me sweets? Not even one? Just one teeny, tiny piece of candy?"
Sophia's composed face softened slightly, though she didn't break her stride. "Young master, you know I cannot. The Duchess's orders are absolute."
Kaizel's silver eyes widened, as if hearing the final judgment. "But… but that's cruel!" he cried, clutching his chest as though struck by fate itself. "Do you understand what a day without sugar does to a person's soul?!"
Sophia tilted her head slightly, the corner of her lips threatening to curl into a smile. "And yet, here you stand, soul intact."
"Barely!" Kaizel groaned, throwing his hands dramatically into the air. "She's trying to kill me!"
"Your mother loves you dearly, young master," Sophia replied calmly. "This punishment is… a form of that love."
Kaizel muttered under his breath, "If this is love, I'd rather not experience it again."
Sophia exhaled softly — almost like a laugh, but held back in the perfect discipline of a noble maid.
After a pause, she added gently, "And speaking of love… the Duke has ordered that you head to the training grounds immediately."
Kaizel's entire body deflated. "Sophia… you wound me more with every word."
"Then please consider this emotional training, young master," she said, utterly straight-faced.
He sighed dramatically again — a long, exaggerated one — and trudged on. "Fine. Fine. Let's go meet my doom."
They walked on through the endless corridor, the air shimmering with mana particles that drifted like glowing dust. The faint hum of power resonated through Kaizel's body — alive, warm, and constant. He looked down at the carpet beneath him, its crimson threads glowing faintly with enchantment. For a fleeting moment, his reflection stared back from the polished marble: a small figure lost in a castle too big for him.
His fingers curled slightly as a thought flickered across his mind.It's been ten years.
The wind from the open windows brushed his hair, and the sunlight glinted off the silver strands. Ten years since I was reincarnated…
He chuckled quietly. And with the power of my idol, no less. Still feels ridiculous.
But then, his expression softened. At first, I thought it was just a dream. But dreams don't last ten years… dreams don't hurt… dreams don't taste like this world.
The image of his past mother — weary eyes, tired smile, rough hands that still managed to hold him gently — flickered in his mind.
A lump formed in his throat. She was the only one who ever truly cared for me there. And I left her behind.
He clenched his fists. At least… she has one less mouth to feed now.
For a moment, the confident, mischievous Kaizel disappeared — replaced by a boy quietly fighting the ache of two lives.
But then his eyes hardened, and the fire returned.Not this time. In this life, I won't be weak again.
The mana around him rippled faintly as he walked. His core — a brilliant silver orb deep within his chest — pulsed in resonance. He could feel it hum with life, greedily drawing in the mana around him like a beast that refused to starve.
His gaze lifted slightly, eyes sharp.But it's still not enough. I can't even scratch the surface of real power until I evolve my core again.
He exhaled slowly, his mind replaying the stages like an unending mantra — the sacred hierarchy of power that ruled this world.
Obsidian Core Color: Deep black with faint blue sparks.The moment one senses mana, beginning the journey.
Iron Core The body strengthens, mana flows into the body strengethining it and gives the user super human physique
Bronze Core
When one's element can be controlled freely.
Silver Core The stage where the element becomes an extension of one's will.
His current rank.
And above it, the near-endless ladder that stretched toward godhood: Gold. Platinum. Jade. Sapphire. Ruby. Amethyst. Emerald. Diamond. Celestial. Radiant. Transcendent.
And finally — the three Demigod Cores.Legends who had rewritten the very laws of mana.
Kaizel smiled faintly. "Guess I still have a few steps to go."
Sophia looked at him curiously. "Did you say something, young master?"
He blinked. "Hmm? Oh, no. Just… talking to myself about how cruel life is."
"Perhaps it's not life that's cruel," she replied gently. "Perhaps it's your sweet tooth."
Kaizel pouted. "I'm being bullied in 4K."
Sophia allowed herself a small, knowing smile.
As they exited the hall, the golden light of the sun flooded the vast training grounds — a colossal coliseum of polished white stone surrounded by roaring waterfalls of mana that cascaded down from floating crystals. The air here felt different — thicker, charged with power and intensity.
Kaizel stopped at the entrance, squinting slightly as his eyes adjusted. Then he froze.
On the ground in front of him lay his two sisters — sprawled out like corpses, their training clothes covered in dust, their chests heaving.
Beside them stood a tall, striking woman with long, violet hair tied loosely behind her head — her posture regal, her aura terrifying. The air around her shimmered faintly with emerald light.
Aunt Cecelia Igniseros — the Duke's younger sister.
Her beauty was sharp, not delicate — eyes gleaming with predatory amusement, lips curved into a smile that made even brave men reconsider their life choices.
"Ah, my precious nephew," she said sweetly, though her voice dripped with mischief. "You're finally here."
Kaizel stiffened. Oh no. Not her. Anyone but her.
Cecelia's gaze flicked down at her two nieces lying motionless on the ground. "You two are done, yes?"
"Y-Yes… Aunt…" one of them wheezed.
"Good. Out you go."
With an effortless motion, Cecelia grabbed both girls by the collars and tossed them like ragdolls toward the spectator stands. They yelped mid-air before landing in a heap of exhaustion.
Kaizel blinked. "...Did you just—"
"Yes," Cecelia interrupted with a bright, sadistic grin. "Now, my sweet little Kai…"
She cracked her knuckles. The sound echoed like thunder.
Kaizel's soul left his body for a moment.
"...W-We could just talk about this, right? Like civilized people?"
"Of course," Cecelia said cheerfully. "We'll talk. While I educate your muscles."
He took a step back. "Auntie, mercy is a virtue."
"Strength is a better one," she replied smoothly, stepping closer, her emerald aura flaring faintly.
The training ground still trembled from Cecelia's last step.A thousand runes glowed faintly beneath the shattered floor, their protective magic flickering like dying embers. The air was heavy, charged with residual mana — enough to make the servants near the walls instinctively step back.
Kaizel stood there, facing his aunt with a half-smirk tugging at his lips, the sunlight glinting against his silver hair. His heartbeat echoed faintly in his ears — not from fear, but anticipation.
Cecelia, however, looked every bit the image of a goddess of war — her long violet hair swaying as purple sparks danced across her skin. Her amber eyes gleamed with unrestrained amusement.
Kaizel's lips trembled slightly. "...You're smiling too much for this to be training."
"Ah, don't worry, Kai," Cecelia said warmly — too warmly. That kind of smile that promised pain disguised as affection. Her crimson hair shimmered in the sunlight, and the purple mana coating her knuckles flared like molten lightning.
"It's not just training."She raised her glowing fist. "It's a fist of love, my dear."
The air cracked before her punch even landed.
"W–Wait, what—?!"
BOOOOOOM!
Her fist rocketed forward with enough force to split mountains. Dust exploded around them, the shockwave tearing a hundred-foot trench behind Kaizel, shattering stone pillars like brittle glass. But her knuckles stopped — mere inches from his nose.
Kaizel didn't even flinch.
For a heartbeat, the world held still. Then his trembling lips turned upward into that cocky, infuriating grin.
"Tch… you almost made me believe that one was serious, Aunt Cecelia."
He tilted his head, smirk growing wider. "You still can't touch me, my lovely aunt. What's wrong? Gone senile in your old age?"
Cecelia's grin twitched. Her smile widened into something dangerous — wild and beautiful all at once. "No matter how many times I see it… it just doesn't stop impressing me." Her eyes glowed violet, the light sharp and feral. "It's like a perfect defense."
Kaizel straightened his posture, brushing imaginary dust off his collar. "Like a perfect defense? You wound me, Aunt. It is perfect."
Her smile turned downright manic. "Then let's test that theory, shall we?"
Before Kaizel could reply, she vanished — leaving a violet afterimage in her place. The air screamed. Even knowing where she was, Kaizel's body couldn't keep up; his senses picked up every fluctuation of mana around him, every molecule shifting.
Behind me.
He exhaled sharply and extended his hand. Space warped around him, invisible ripples forming a thin transparent barrier — Infinity. A translucent shimmer distorted the light between them, like heat rising off desert sand.
Cecelia's kick hit home — or tried to. The moment her heel met his barrier, the impact stopped cold, centimeters away, like two magnets repelling each other.
The ground cracked beneath her foot's pressure. Sparks danced where her mana clashed against the unseen field.
Kaizel's smile didn't falter. "You'll break your leg before you break my Infinity."
"Cheeky brat." Cecelia twisted midair, her leg retracting. "Let's see you defend while multitasking."
Before he could retort, the sky above rumbled — clouds converging as violet lightning spiraled downward. Kaizel's senses screamed.
"Of course she calls thunder—!"
He snapped his fingers, and the space above him warped. His body flickered, instantly swapping places with the air molecules high above the field. A heartbeat later, a colossal lightning bolt obliterated where he once stood, vaporizing the ground in a blinding flash.
Kaizel appeared midair, wind tearing at his hair. But before he could breathe, Cecelia was already there — floating before him, fist cocked back, a mad grin on her face.
"Oh come on—!"
Their fists met.
A silent moment — and then the world detonated.
THOOOOOOOM!
A blinding wave of light burst outward. Kaizel's barrier flared, distorting like glass under immense heat. He was flung backward like a comet, crashing through the far end of the training ground wall. The impact sent a shockwave rolling across the entire arena.
As dust and rubble rained, Cecelia landed gracefully, purple lightning still crackling across her arms.
She grinned. "Are you done pretending to be dead, nephew? I'm already limiting myself to Silver Core, and I know you're not that fragile."
Her mana flared, and the debris scattered instantly under her pressure. Standing amid the shattered wall, Kaizel emerged — uninjured. His silver hair swayed, his blindfold torn off, revealing those piercing blue eyes that shimmered like frozen storms. A confident smirk played on his lips.
"Done pretending?" he said, brushing a speck of dust off his shoulder. "I was just… testing your patience."
Cecelia's grin widened, excitement glinting in her eyes. "Hah! That look suits you, brat."
There wasn't a single scratch on him — Infinity had shielded him just in time. But the aura around him changed; his mana pulsed harder, distorting the air in waves.
Kaizel raised his hand slowly. "Round two, Aunt Cecelia?"
Cecelia's knuckles cracked like thunder. "You're on."
Mana flooded the arena. The pressure made the air itself tremble. From the spectator seats, two girls — Kaizel's sisters, Seris and Elizabeth — watched, wide-eyed.
Seris leaned forward, whispering, "He's really doing that again, isn't he?"
Elizabeth sighed, crossing her arms. "He's definitely going to break something. Again."
"Or someone," Seris muttered.
Below, Kaizel's outstretched hand began to glow — space mana swirling around it like a miniature galaxy. The ground trembled as stones and dust were dragged toward him.
The orb at his palm expanded, then compressed, shrinking smaller and smaller until it was the size of a marble, pulsing with compressed energy.
"Don't blink, Aunt," Kaizel said with a sweet, infuriating smile. "Or you'll lose~."
He flicked his finger — and the marble shot forward.
The world bent.
A thin beam of compressed space mana tore through the arena, carving a perfect trench hundreds of meters long, everything it touched disintegrating into dust. Cecelia didn't move. Her violet aura blazed, coiling around her arm like a dragon of lightning.
She raised her fist. "Cute."
Her punch met the incoming blast — and for a brief instant, blue and purple lights clashed in blinding fury. The air howled, the ground crumbled, and the entire horizon lit up in a violent explosion.
When the light faded, purple overwhelmed blue.
Kaizel hovered in the air, sweat trickling down his temple. "...This bitch," he muttered under his breath.
Cecelia stood unharmed amid a wasteland of scorched stone and craters stretching several kilometers wide. The sky itself shimmered from residual mana.
Kaizel shouted from above, "YOU CRAZY OLD HAG! DO YOU WANT TO KILL ME!?"
"What are you talking about?" Cecelia replied sweetly. "Your little barrier would've blocked that."
Then she started laughing — a rich, wild laugh that echoed through the ruined arena. "HAHAHAHA! It's always fun with you, Kai!"
On the sidelines, Seris groaned. "They've destroyed the entire training ground again…"
Elizabeth nodded, still staring in disbelief. "That's the fifth one this month."
"Sixth," Seris corrected. "Father's going to—"
"KAIZEL! CECELIA!" a thunderous voice boomed from the castle, shaking the ground itself. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO BUILD ONE!? YOU CRAZY BRATS!"
Cecelia froze. Kaizel blinked.
Then slowly… he turned toward his sisters. His smirk returned — the smirk of a man about to commit war crime-level betrayal.
Seris' eyes widened. "Oh no."
Elizabeth facepalmed. "Don't you dare—"
Too late.
Kaizel vanished, reappearing beside his sisters, one hand on each of their shoulders. "Time to retreat, ladies."
Before Cecelia could react, he gave a cheerful wave. "See you later, Auntie~!"
He vanished again — gone in a flash of transparent ripples.
Cecelia's jaw dropped. "You betrayer brat! Get back here!"
Lightning surged around her as she prepared to chase him, but a sudden, suffocating pressure pressed her down. Her body locked in place.
The air behind her turned cold.
She turned mechanically, already sweating bullets.
Standing there, cracking his knuckles with a terrifyingly calm expression, was none other than the Duke himself — her older brother.
"Are you ready…" he said, voice low and menacing, "...for the fist of love, my dear sister?"
Cecelia's face went pale. Her thoughts blanked.
'I've… heard that line somewhere before…'