’Thankfully I wasn’t that hurt by that fall,’ Azel thought, pressing a hand against his nose. It was bruised, sure, but nothing too bad.
What fascinated him far more was the feeling of gravity itself.
He had never felt anything more than Earth’s gravity.
It wasn’t pain exactly — it was pressure.
An invisible hand forcing him down, as though the earth itself had decided it no longer wanted him to stand.
[You have triggered 2x Gravity.]
’Eh? I can’t even withstand two tis gravity?’ Azel grimaced.
In his mind, he pictured the characters from Dragon Ball, training effortlessly under ten tis gravity like it was nothing.
Reality was far less kind.
His limbs felt like lead.
His chest strained with every breath, his body trembling against the invisible force pinning him to the polished floor.
’This is way harder than it looked in ani...’
If this was only double gravity, ten tis was going to be hell.
Gritting his teeth, he called up the skill window.
[Unique Skill: Gravity Manipulation]
[Level: 1]
[Description]
[Gravity is a law that binds the world together. It is the silent hand that pulls oceans into tides, keeps the sun alight in the heavens, and holds every living thing in its place. To control gravity is to command the weight of existence itself. But the greater the force you wield, the heavier it presses upon you in return.]
[User can currently manifest a maximum of 10x Gravity due to low skill level.]
Azel stared at the poetic words with a faint smirk.
"Damn... that sounds way cooler than I feel right now."
He shifted slightly, grunting as the pressure dragged him lower. He forced himself into a push-up stance.
His muscles scread imdiately, tendons straining as his arms shook. Sweat beaded down his face.
He could easily reinforce himself with aura, make the exercise lighter.
But what was the point? The entire reason for this training was to push his body beyond its natural limit, to strengthen the foundation rather than take shortcuts.
"One... two... three..." Azel counted through clenched teeth, each push-up feeling like it was dragging his soul out of him.
If he couldn’t handle even this much, he’d never survive what was coming.
anwhile, high above the training halls, in the emperor’s private office...
The Imperial Office was as vast and regal as expected of the Starbloom Empire’s ruler.
Rich tapestries lined the walls, depicting past emperors in battle.
The scent of old parchnt and ink lingered in the air as Emperor Aldric Starbloom sat at his grand desk, quill in hand, carefully reviewing docunts.
He didn’t even look up as he signed a parchnt granting rchant rights to a guild in the capital. Only after the seal of his authority was pressed onto it did he glance up at the figure standing before him.
"Report," Aldric said calmly, his voice steady but carrying the weight of command. "What did he take from the treasury, Captain Mira?"
Mira, standing tall in her uniform, didn’t falter. "He chose the bracelet, Your Majesty."
For a brief mont, Aldric’s stern composure slipped.
His brow furrowed, his hand pausing mid-motion. "The bracelet...?"
That relic was one of the most useless items in the entire treasury.
A re trinket, a relic kept only because it had belonged to the First Emperor himself.
If not for its historical value, Aldric would have removed it long ago.
The old records claid it was once a weapon, but its thod of use was long lost.
The first and second emperors had wielded it, yes — but neither had passed down its secrets.
By the third generation, it was abandoned, a forgotten heirloom gathering dust.
"And the second item?"
Mira hesitated, a rare blush coloring her cheeks. "...He asked if he could observe my training. Perhaps... spar with ."
Aldric’s lips curved faintly upward in amusent, the faintest chuckle rumbling in his chest.
"A bold one, isn’t he?" the emperor remarked, leaning back in his chair.
His sharp crimson eyes glimred faintly with interest. "Interesting. Very well, Captain. Observe him closely for now."
Mira bowed deeply.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she said before excusing herself from the office, her armored boots clicking against the polished marble floor as she left.
Not long after, the doors creaked open again.
Aldric looked up from his desk to see his son — fourteen-year-old Aegon Starbloom stride into the office.
If Naelia was her mother’s reflection, then Aegon was undeniably his father’s mirror.
He bore the sa golden hair as Aldric, neatly cut, and those sa deep crimson eyes that carried sharp confidence.
His posture was immaculate, his uniform pristine, his expression serious.
"Father," Aegon said respectfully, bowing his head slightly before stepping forward.
Aldric gestured for him to approach. "What is it, my son?"
"I wish to request permission to challenge that boy," Aegon said, his tone steady but brimming with pride. "The one who rescued Naelia."
Aldric raised an eyebrow. "A duel?"
"Yes, Father."
The emperor studied his son carefully, his quill resting in the ink pot. "And why is that?"
Aegon’s crimson eyes glead. "I have heard much about him, the Servants are talking even right now as we speak. He mastered two forms of the Dragon Saint Style at his age — faster than even I. I want to test his skill myself."
The Dragon Saint Style was naturally harder than any other styles, even the Royal Swordsmanship that he prided himself on was nothing compared to it.
If he couldn’t beat Azel, he couldn’t refer to himself as a genius.
Aldric chuckled lightly, setting aside his papers. "Is that so? Is this curiosity I hear, or pride?"
Aegon hesitated, then smirked faintly. "Perhaps both, Father."
The emperor stood, circling the desk to place a hand on his son’s shoulder.
"Confidence is good, Aegon. But rember: every duel is a lesson. Whether you win or lose, what matters is what you learn."
"I understand," Aegon replied, bowing his head slightly.
"Very well," Aldric said. "I will allow it. Inform Captain Mira to arrange the duel in the training halls tomorrow morning. I am curious myself to see this boy’s strength."
Aegon’s smirk widened slightly, pride swelling in his chest. "Yes, Father. I will not disappoint."
As he left the office, Aldric turned his gaze to the window, overlooking the sprawling capital below.
’I wonder who will be the Victor.’ Aldric thought.
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