A soft knock sounded on the door, followed by Rina’s usual energetic voice, "It’s morning, Master!"
"I’m already up," he called back, voice unusually energetic.
The door opened with a gentle creak, revealing Fiora and Rina standing there, their faces bathed in the soft glow of morning sunlight.
"Good morning, Master!" Rina chirped, stepping inside cheerfully. She tilted her head curiously at his unusually bright deanor. "My, soone looks especially lively today. Did sothing good happen?"
Fiora shyly followed her, a gentle blush coloring her cheeks as she glanced towards Orion with curiosity. "M-Master... is there sothing special today?"
Orion stood, stretching his back with a satisfying crack, and gave them both an easy smile. "Indeed. Today, I’m finally going to form my first Affinity Rune. After all the training and preparations, it’s finally happening."
Fiora’s eyes widened in admiration, clasping her hands together in excitent. "R-Really? That’s amazing, Master!"
Rina, on the other hand, looked at him suspiciously, "Master, you already mastered the Primary Runes, the mana circuits, and the Runic Inscriptions necessary for the Affinity Rune in these few days?"
Orion gently flicked her forehead, "Stop underestimating your Master."
Rina giggled while placing a hand on her forehead and giving a playful nod. "No wonder you’re shining brighter than the sun this morning. That’s truly a special occasion then!"
Orion chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Enough teasing. Let’s get this bath over quickly—I want to be ready soon."
The bath went swiftly, but the brief monts were filled with cheerful conversation and gentle laughter. Rina, ever playful, jokingly warned Orion about causing another explosion, while Fiora attentively ensured every detail was perfect for Orion’s big mont.
After bathing and dressing in a fresh set of clothes, Orion felt refreshed, his excitent sharpened even further. With a gentle wave to his maids, he stepped out of the room and briskly walked toward the dining hall, his footsteps echoing softly in the empty hallway.
When he entered, Eldric and Selene were already seated, quietly conversing, their plates full with food and the atmosphere comfortably casual. The comforting scent of freshly baked bread and cooked eggs greeted Orion warmly as he approached.
Eldric looked up first, his eyes twinkling with amusent upon seeing Orion’s unusually enthusiastic expression. "Haha, morning lad. Judging by your face, you’re ready for war."
Orion grinned broadly, pulling out his chair and sitting down. "Sothing like that. I’m eager to get started."
Selene chuckled softly, placing her teacup gently down on the saucer. Her gaze was warm, but there was a careful seriousness hidden within. "It’s good to be excited, but rember to stay calm. An Affinity Rune isn’t sothing you rush."
Orion nodded earnestly, reaching for so bread. "I understand. I’ll take it slow and steady."
Selene’s eyes softened further, and she shared a glance with Eldric before turning back to Orion. "I think we’ll accompany you today—just in case. The process is normally straightforward, but since you’re pushing the boundaries with nine runes, it’s best we oversee it."
Orion hesitated for a mont but soon nodded in acceptance. "Alright, having you both there would ease my nerves anyway."
Eldric laughed, clapping Orion lightly on the shoulder. "Relax, boy. With us two old-tirs around, there’s nothing to worry about. Just think of us as insurance!"
Orion couldn’t help but smile, his anxiety fading slightly with Eldric’s reassuring laughter. They continued breakfast peacefully, the conversation drifting between lighter topics as Orion gradually found his calm.
Once they finished breakfast, Eldric and Selene exchanged aningful glances and nodded. Selene gracefully rose from her seat, her expression composed yet encouraging.
"Let’s go, Orion," she said softly. "There is a good chamber here for this stuff, we will head there. After all, That’s a good place for secluded training."
Orion silently nodded, his heartbeat quickening as he stood, following closely behind his grandparents. They moved through the mansion’s corridors, the silence around them solemn, not treating the future-altering event of Orion’s life lightly.
Eventually, they reached a heavy wooden door etched with intricate runes, softly glowing in anticipation of their presence. Eldric stepped forward and gently pressed his hand against it, and with a quiet hum, the door swung inward.
Inside, the unfamiliar sight greeted Orion. The circular chamber was bathed in gentle ambient mana. At the center was a soft cushion, surrounded by intricate inscriptions glowing faintly, intended to calm the mind and ease mana flow.
"Sit comfortably in the center, Orion. We already changed the room a little to make it more suitable for forming Affinity Rune," Eldric instructed gently, his deep voice steadying. "Relax your breathing, keep your mind clear. The Origin Glyph will erge naturally. Don’t force it."
Selene added softly, "And rember, control is more important than power right now. Keep your mana steady, balanced. Don’t overwhelm your Sea of Consciousness."
Orion nodded and went ahead to sit down cross-legged at the room’s center, the comfortable cushion supporting him. He took a deep breath, slowly exhaling. "I understand. I’ll stay cautious."
Eldric smiled warmly, stepping back to stand beside Selene. "Good. We’ll be right here. Begin whenever you feel ready."
Orion closed his eyes, centering himself. Then, he moved his Will inside his Sea of Consciousness, and an imnse expanse of azure ca into his view.
It was empty—utterly empty with nothing in sight as most of it was covered with dense azure mist.
’...Is it just or has the mist grown denser?’
[Your body is passively accumulating mana, Master. You won’t need to take long to reach the second Tier of Awakening Realm once you form your Affinity Rune.]
He nodded his head and moved through the dense mist towards the Fire Affinity Orb. And soon, he ca in front of the ocean of Affinity Orbs again.
’Now that I see, there are a total of 25 Affinity Orbs, huh.’ He curiously counted the orbs.
[Yes, more than what we learned at the academy.]
He shook his head, ’Those are for later, let’s focus on what’s for today.’
[It’s ti, Master. Are you ready?]
He took a deep breath as the mana inside his Sea of Consciousness churned, ’I’ve never been more ready in my nearly three months of life.’
Orion’s consciousness stood at the heart of his Sea of Consciousness, bathed in endless waves of azure mana that pulsed rhythmically around him.
Directly ahead, the orb representing his Fire Affinity floated, radiating fierce heat and brilliant golden-red light, dominating the vast spiritual space with an imposing aura.
’Here we go,’ Orion whispered internally, his ntal voice steady and clear. Every fiber of his being felt charged with excitent, yet tempered by caution and responsibility.
Closing his ntal eyes, he allowed himself to sink into a deep state of concentration, feeling his heart’s rhythm match the pulsing mana around him.
Gradually, instinctively, his mind reached out towards the fiery orb, gently brushing its blazing surface before he tried to penetrate it with his will.
However, the mont his consciousness touched it, a searing wave of heat surged forward—raw, primal, overwhelming.
Orion winced slightly, his spiritual form trembling under the imnse pressure. Despite it being his affinity, it wasn’t in his total control due to the lack of an Affinity Rune—that’s why it hurt his consciousness to forcefully enter it.
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