Danial gestured for Sophie to sit on the bed while he took a nearby stool, placing it directly in front of her. Sophie hesitated for a moment, glancing at him before sighing and sitting at the edge of the bed, her hands resting tensely in her lap. Natasha, standing beside Sophie, looked equally concerned. Sophie reached for her hand and pulled her down to sit beside Danial, though Natasha gave him a sympathetic glance, clearly understanding the weight of the conversation that was about to unfold.Danial took a deep breath, rubbing his face with his hands as if trying to gather his thoughts. He locked eyes with Sophie. "Mom, fire away. I won’t hide anything."Sophie narrowed her eyes, her voice thick with concern. "Danial… what is going on?" She looked around as if the entire academy perplexed her. "This place has kids fighting with swords and spears, some even throwing fire and water like magic. What is this academy, and how did you get caught up in all of this?"Danial sighed again, r
Sophie’s eyes pierced through Danial as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her voice was steady but carried the weight of every mother’s fear. “Now to the main question,” she said, her tone brooking no evasion. “Why were you so injured? What happened, and most importantly, who attacked you?”Danial’s chest tightened. He’d been preparing for this question, but now that it was out in the open, he found himself at a loss for words. How could he explain the battle with the Curse King without revealing everything? Without unraveling the complicated web of secrets that involved the Academy, the Cultivation world, and the System that guided him?“Mom,” Danial started slowly, choosing his words carefully, “it’s better if you don’t know. It’ll only make things harder for you to understand. Trust me, it’s not something you need to worry about.”But Sophie wasn’t having any of it. Her face hardened, her determination radiating through her every word. “I don’t care how complicated it is. Do you have
Danial stepped out of the room, taking a deep breath as he adjusted to the commotion just outside. His eyes landed on a familiar scene that made him both smile—and cringe. Pavan was in the middle of an animated conversation with Sophie, his mother, gesturing wildly with his hands. Maria stood nearby, seemingly engaged in a polite yet strained conversation with Natasha. There was a certain tension between the two—a quiet rivalry that seemed to flicker just beneath the surface.Danial’s stomach dropped as he approached his mother. He could feel disaster brewing, especially with Pavan in the middle of it.“Danial!” Sophie called out the moment she spotted him. “Why didn’t you tell me you had such good friends?” Her tone was light, but her eyes were filled with curiosity. There was warmth in her smile, but also the unmistakable glint of a mother digging for more information.Danial forced an awkward smile and threw a quick glare at Pavan, hoping his friend would behave. But Pavan, always
Danial’s eyes narrowed as he sized up the group in front of him, his tone icy as he addressed Leo, “Leo, what do you want?”Leo raised his hands defensively, a mocking grin plastered on his face. “Whoa, easy there, Danial. Nothing serious. I just wanted to see how someone like you is still breathing after facing the Curse King. You’re too damn lucky, you know that?”Danial’s face grew colder. His patience with Leo and his cronies was already running thin. He turned to Natasha and Sophie, his expression softening just a little. “Natasha, take my mom. Go ahead without me. I’ll catch up later.”Sophie’s eyes filled with concern. “Danial… are you sure?”Danial gave her a reassuring smile and a slight nod, though inside, tension simmered just beneath the surface. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Go on.”Sophie hesitated for a moment but then, understanding the unspoken request nodded and walked away with Natasha. The moment they were out of earshot, Danial’s expression hardened once more as he faced L
Danial sighed deeply as he entered the training hall, the weight of the past few days pressing down on him. His encounter with the Curse King had left him feeling powerless, a sensation he despised. No matter how hard he had fought, he couldn’t even scratch his enemy. The memory of it gnawed at him like a thorn lodged deep in his chest. The hall was quiet, a peaceful contrast to the storm raging inside him. Soft light illuminated the polished wooden floors, casting long shadows along the walls. Danial made his way to the center, sitting down in a lotus position, closing his eyes as he prepared to meditate. He had to find the gaps in his technique, to understand why he had failed so miserably. As his breathing steadied, Danial’s mind grew calm, like the surface of a still lake. Slowly, he raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a small flame ignited on the tip of his fingers. He watched it flicker, the warm orange glow casting shadows on his face. The flame expanded into a
Danial blinked several times, adjusting to the new, strange environment that surrounded him. The ground beneath his feet was as dark as coal, jagged and uneven, with a sheen that made it look almost unnatural. Above him, the sky stretched endlessly, filled with countless stars, glittering in a blanket of dense constellations. He squinted against the brightness—staring too long made his eyes burn.“Where am I?” he muttered under his breath, his muscles tensing instinctively. His mind raced. Is this another trick of the Curse King? Did he do something to my consciousness? His heart pounded faster as he scanned the unfamiliar terrain, his senses on high alert.As if in response to his confusion, the familiar System panel appeared in front of him, floating in the void-like realm. A string of text scrolled across its translucent surface: "Your consciousness has been transferred to this realm to train in the Sword Drawing technique."Danial’s eyes widened in shock. Consciousness transferred
Danial’s tension eased slightly. So, this figure wasn’t an intruder but rather an avatar of the swordsman who had created the technique. His mind calmed as the System’s explanation settled in. He had nothing to fear—this was an opportunity.His heartbeat began to slow as curiosity replaced his initial fear. If this was the man who had created the Sword Drawing technique, Danial didn’t want to miss a single detail.The figure stepped forward into better view. The man wore simple robes, their fabric plain and unadorned, the color a faded gray as though worn by time. His face was humble, almost serene, with deep-set eyes that spoke of experience and wisdom. He looked more like a wandering hermit than a powerful warrior—an unassuming figure who might have gone unnoticed in a crowd. But as Danial stared, the man’s presence became increasingly overwhelming. Beneath that humble exterior was an aura of immense power, like a storm quietly raging beneath the surface.The hologram slowly drew th
Danial dumbfoundedly stared at the System panel, the words burning into his mind as if mocking him."1 billion???" His voice echoed through the empty realm, disbelief twisting his face. "What the hell are you talking about? Do you know how much 1 billion represents!?"The System’s cold, emotionless voice replied instantly, cutting through his protests. "This is the condition for leaving the Realm of The Broken Stars."Danial’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. He gritted his teeth, feeling the tension in his jaw. For a few moments, he stood there, fists trembling, before he exhaled sharply and collapsed onto the ground. The weight of the challenge before him was crushing. His mind raced, trying to come up with a loophole, an alternative, something—anything—that could get him out of this impossible situation. But as the minutes dragged on, the harsh reality began to settle in."There’s no other way," Danial thought bitterly. "I’m stuck here until I complete one billion repetition