Master Aria departed shortly afterward.
Before leaving, she handed Jade a metallic keycard and explained several rules regarding the Government Residential Quarter.
The explanation had been simple.
No fighting.
No damaging government property.
No sneaking into other residents' rooms.
No summoning dangerous creatures indoors.
And most importantly...
Do not attempt to leave the planet without authorization.
Jade had only listened to half of it.
The moment she disappeared, his attention had shifted elsewhere.
A strange feeling settled inside his chest.
For the first time in over a year...
He was truly alone.
No monsters.
No Trial.
No bloodshed.
No desperate battle waiting around the corner.
Just silence.
A strange silence.
Jade stood outside the massive building for a few moments.
Teenagers walked everywhere.
Some laughed.
Some argued.
Some were showing off their newly gained powers.
Cars moved along the roads.
Parents embraced children who had returned from their Trials.
The atmosphere felt warm.
Alive.
Normal.
Jade suddenly felt detached from it all.
Only a few hours ago he had been fighting creatures that could tear buildings apart.
Now he was standing among ordinary people.
The contrast felt unreal.
Eventually he entered the building.
The interior resembled a luxury hotel.
Polished floors.
Bright lights.
Comfortable furniture.
Government workers walked around helping newly awakened Initiates.
A few teenagers glanced at Jade.
Most quickly looked away.
Even without releasing his aura, there was something intimidating about him.
The Trial had changed him.
Jade stepped into an elevator.
A few moments later he reached his assigned floor.
The hallway stretched endlessly.
After finding his room number, he inserted the keycard.
The door slid open.
Jade froze.
The room was incredible.
A large bed occupied one side.
A television hung on the wall.
A small kitchen stood nearby.
There was a study desk.
A dining table.
A wardrobe.
A private bathroom.
And huge windows revealing part of the city.
Jade slowly walked inside.
Every step felt unreal.
After sleeping in ruins and forests for more than a year...
This room looked like paradise.
He sat on the bed.
The mattress sank beneath him.
Soft.
Comfortable.
Warm.
Jade stared at the ceiling.
Then sat up immediately.
"No."
"I'm not crying because of a mattress."
Five minutes later he was still appreciating the mattress.
Eventually he forced himself to stand.
His gaze landed on the wardrobe.
Curious, he opened it.
Inside hung several sets of clothing.
Government uniforms.
Jade pulled one out.
It looked surprisingly good.
The trousers were dark blue and perfectly fitted.
Not overly formal.
Not overly casual.
The shirt was unique.
It had no buttons.
Instead, it was designed to remain open in front.
Beneath it was a sleeveless singlet carrying the silver emblem of the government.
The uniform looked simple.
Yet elegant.
Practical.
Made for people who fought monsters.
Jade remembered the teenagers outside.
Most of them wore the uniform carelessly.
Their trousers sagged slightly.
Their jackets hung loosely.
Some even rolled up their sleeves.
Apparently it had become a fashion trend among Initiates.
Jade snorted.
"Kids."
Then remembered he was technically one of them.
He sighed.
After placing the uniform on the bed, he headed toward the bathroom.
The moment warm water touched his skin, Jade nearly groaned in relief.
Months of dirt.
Sweat.
Blood.
And battle stains disappeared.
The water turned dark.
Then darker.
Then somehow even darker.
Jade stared at it.
"..."
"Maybe I was dirtier than I thought."
An entire hour passed.
When he finally emerged from the bathroom, steam followed him.
A towel was wrapped around his waist.
For the first time in years, he felt clean.
Actually clean.
Not "washed in a river" clean.
Not "rained on" clean.
Truly clean.
He stopped before the mirror.
For several seconds he stared.
The person looking back hardly resembled the boy who entered the Trial.
His shoulders were broader.
His muscles were denser.
His face had become sharper.
A beard covered part of his face.
He looked several years older.
Jade grabbed a clipper.
Hair fell.
The beard disappeared.
Slowly his appearance changed.
The mature warrior vanished.
A younger teenager appeared.
Then he cut his long hair.
Black strands fell one after another.
Eventually the hair stopped at shoulder length.
After combing it carefully, Jade looked into the mirror again.
Even he had to admit it.
He looked far better than before entering the Trial.
His physique was ridiculous.
His muscles were perfectly defined.
His ten-pack was visible.
The Beast God lineage had clearly transformed him.
Then something caught his eye.
A mark.
A crimson tattoo spread across his chest.
It resembled a beast roaring toward the heavens.
Ancient.
Wild.
Powerful.
Jade frowned.
"I definitely didn't have this before."
He touched the mark.
Suddenly—
The reflection moved.
Jade froze.
His hand stopped midway.
The reflection smiled.
Jade did not.
The reflection leaned forward.
Jade remained still.
For several seconds neither moved.
Then the reflection spoke.
"Oh?"
"Ten packs?"
"Interesting."
Jade's heart nearly stopped.
That voice wasn't his.
The reflection chuckled.
"You even gave yourself a tattoo."
"How narcissistic."
Jade immediately stepped backward.
Obsidian Vine Shadow almost appeared around him.
Every instinct screamed danger.
Someone had invaded his room.
No.
Something was inside the mirror.
The reflection continued smiling.
Then its face began changing.
Black hair faded.
Facial features shifted.
The figure transformed.
Until Jade saw a face he knew better than almost anyone.
Aaron.
Jade stared.
His eyes widened.
For a moment he forgot how to breathe.
The reflection crossed its arms.
Then grinned.
The exact same annoying grin Jade remembered.
"Aren't you going to say hello?"
Silence.
Jade continued staring.
Aaron raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
Jade slowly pointed.
"Aaron?"
Aaron's grin widened.
"The one and only."