The arena was silent.
Thousands of spectators watched from every direction.
Nobody wanted to miss this battle.
One was the strongest body cultivator among the younger generation.
The other was the Frozen Moon Palace's greatest genius.
⸻
Darius Blackstone stood confidently at the center of the arena.
His massive frame resembled a walking fortress.
Every step caused the stone beneath his feet to crack.
⸻
Across from him—
Selene Frostheart stood calmly.
White hair swayed gently in the wind.
Blue eyes carried no emotion.
⸻
The difference between them was extreme.
⸻
One resembled a mountain.
The other resembled a snowflake.
⸻
Darius grinned.
"Last chance."
"One duel."
⸻
Selene sighed.
⸻
"You never learn."
⸻
BOOM!
⸻
The arena exploded.
⸻
Darius moved first.
The giant body shot forward like a cannonball.
The crowd gasped.
⸻
Fast.
Far faster than someone his size should be.
⸻
His fist descended.
⸻
BOOOOOM!
⸻
The entire arena trembled.
Stone shattered.
Dust filled the battlefield.
⸻
Many spectators lost sight of Selene entirely.
⸻
Then—
The dust froze.
⸻
Literally froze.
⸻
Ice spread through the air itself.
The temperature plummeted instantly.
⸻
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
⸻
The battlefield became a frozen landscape.
⸻
Darius emerged from the ice unharmed.
⸻
But his expression changed.
⸻
Because Selene wasn't there.
⸻
She stood behind him.
⸻
Calmly.
⸻
"Too slow."
⸻
The crowd erupted.
⸻
Darius laughed.
⸻
"Good!"
⸻
His body suddenly glowed bronze.
⸻
The muscles beneath his skin expanded.
His aura multiplied.
⸻
The arena walls shook.
⸻
Kael watched carefully.
⸻
This was different from Sword Intent.
Different from Origin.
⸻
Pure body cultivation.
⸻
Darius wasn't borrowing strength.
He had forged it himself.
⸻
BOOOOOM!
⸻
The battle intensified.
⸻
Ice collided against overwhelming physical force.
⸻
Shockwaves spread throughout the arena.
⸻
Neither side gave ground.
⸻
Yet Kael noticed something.
⸻
Selene wasn't fighting seriously.
⸻
She was testing him.
⸻
Learning.
⸻
Studying.
⸻
The same way Aric had studied opponents through swordsmanship.
⸻
Suddenly—
The Origin Core pulsed.
⸻
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
⸻
Kael frowned.
⸻
The feeling came from the invitation.
⸻
The symbol left behind by the masked Origin Bearer.
⸻
A faint golden light appeared within his storage ring.
⸻
Then—
The system appeared.
⸻
[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ]
[ Hidden Title Requirement Met ]
Conditions Completed:
• Survived Void Assassination
• Obtained First Legacy
• Recognized by Northern Geniuses
• Encountered Another Origin Bearer
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[ TITLE ACQUIRED ]
"The Returning Origin"
Effects:
• Increased affinity with Origin Inheritances
• Enhanced detection of Origin Energy
• Improved compatibility with Legacy Fragments
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
Golden energy surged briefly through Kael's body.
⸻
Mira immediately noticed.
⸻
"You got stronger."
⸻
Kael shook his head.
⸻
"Not stronger."
⸻
"Different."
⸻
Before Mira could ask further—
A loud horn echoed throughout Starfall City.
⸻
BWOOOOOOOM!
⸻
The sound spread across the entire city.
⸻
Every cultivator looked toward the sky.
⸻
Flying ships filled the heavens.
⸻
Sect banners appeared everywhere.
⸻
A massive projection formed above Starfall City.
⸻
An old man appeared.
⸻
His presence alone silenced millions.
⸻
"The Northern Convergence officially begins in thirty days."
⸻
The city exploded with excitement.
⸻
The elder continued.
⸻
"This year's Convergence will differ from previous generations."
⸻
Silence returned.
⸻
Even Lyra's expression changed slightly.
⸻
Something was unusual.
⸻
The elder spoke again.
⸻
"The top one hundred participants will receive entry qualifications."
⸻
Murmurs spread.
⸻
That wasn't unusual.
⸻
Then—
The next sentence shocked everyone.
⸻
"However…"
⸻
"This generation's participants will enter the Ancient Star Vault."
⸻
The city froze.
⸻
Even Darius and Selene stopped fighting.
⸻
The elder's voice echoed through the heavens.
⸻
"For the first time in three thousand years…"
⸻
"The Vault's inner chamber has begun responding."
⸻
BOOM.
⸻
Kael's Origin Core exploded with activity.
⸻
The prison.
⸻
Something inside was awakening.
⸻
And apparently—
The cultivation world didn't know the truth.
⸻
The elder continued.
⸻
"Those chosen by the Vault may receive ancient inheritances beyond imagination."
⸻
The crowd erupted.
⸻
Greed.
Excitement.
Ambition.
⸻
Everyone was thinking about treasures.
⸻
Only Kael knew another possibility.
⸻
Something sealed inside might be trying to escape.
⸻
Far away.
⸻
The masked Origin Bearer stood atop a lonely mountain.
⸻
Watching the announcement.
⸻
His eyes narrowed.
⸻
"They're opening it too early."
⸻
For the first time—
Concern appeared on his face.
⸻
Meanwhile—
Deep within the Ancient Star Vault.
⸻
Darkness stirred.
⸻
A massive chain cracked.
⸻
CRACK.
⸻
Ancient eyes slowly opened.
⸻
And a voice whispered through the darkness.
⸻
"…Origin…"
⸻
The sleeping existence had finally sensed Kael's awakening.
⸻
[ SYSTEM WARNING ]
[ Ancient Entity Detected ]
Location:
Ancient Star Vault
Threat Level:
Unknown
Status:
Awakening
Recommendation:
Increase Strength Immediately
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
Kael stared toward the northern horizon.
⸻
The Convergence was no longer just a tournament.
⸻
It was becoming a race against time.
⸻
And something imprisoned for thousands of years—
Had finally begun to wake up.
⸻
Host: Kael Veyron
Realm:
Origin Awakening Stage 2
Title:
• The Returning Origin
Abilities:
• Origin Sense
• Origin Flash
• Origin Pulse
• Origin Perception
• Origin Resonance
• Origin Step
• Origin Severance
Equipment:
• Ring of the First Pulse
• Azure Star Token
Active Quest:
[ The Second Legacy ]
Current Objective:
• Reach Origin Awakening Stage 3
• Locate the Second Legacy
• Prepare for the Northern Convergence