In the middle of the night, Jin sat on his bed, deep in meditation. Meditation was considered the best method for cultivating harmony, enhancing unity within the Triangle, and helping control spiritual energy.
But Jin, with his extensive experience in spiritual control and his unique soul, didn't truly need it. Even so, he meditated through the night—perhaps simply out of boredom. The ability to go without sleep could be incredibly dull.
Jin had always resisted sleep, even before all this. Perhaps it was a deep-seated fear that kept him awake.
He had spent most of his life in the Forgotten Land, alone with a broken heart and an unyielding soul. Though he'd mastered his spirit, he hadn't conquered the basic human need for companionship. Even Jin sometimes found the night too lonely.
"There's no use in this," he murmured.
Jin rose from his bed and quietly left his room, slipping into the dimly lit hallway. The corridor, where each room was neatly aligned, was constructed from old wood that creaked underfoot—a sound that seemed to echo louder and sharper in the dead of night.
Jin moved carefully, placing each step with precision to avoid disturbing anyone nearby. Despite his tendency to keep his distance from others, he could be unexpectedly considerate at times.
Reaching the main door, he eased it open, mindful of the creak it might release. Outside, a thick, mysterious fog blanketed the landscape, swirling in the faint moonlight as though it had materialized from nowhere.
"This isn't normal fog."
He murmured, narrowing his gaze.
"There's spiritual energy within it."
Suddenly, a faint sound echoed through the mist-shrouded air, breaking the stillness. It was coming from the training ground.
"Who could be there at this hour?"
With silent curiosity, Jin headed toward the training ground, which was training space only in name; in reality, it was an open clearing at the base of the mountain. The fog grew denser as he descended, and he could feel the faint, electric charge of spiritual energy thickening in the air.
In the training ground, a lone girl was practicing her Arts, though she seemed to be struggling with her movements.
'Her code generation is sloppy,' Jin thought, observing her technique.
Her dark skin glowed softly in the moonlight, and her short burgundy hair framed a well-maintained figure that moved with determination, if not quite skill.
'I've seen her before,'
Jin mused, scanning his memory for a moment. Then he remembered.
'Right—she was with Albedo last time.'
"Are you done staring?"
The girl asked, glancing over her shoulder. Her expression suggested she'd sensed him long before he'd revealed himself.
'I thought I hid my presence perfectly.'
Jin thought, surprised. Nonetheless, he stepped forward.
"I wasn't hiding."
He replied calmly, though inwardly, he felt awkward. Talking to a girl wasn't exactly his comfort zone. Yet, he had no choice—this girl was much stronger than he was.
"So, what brings you here at this hour?"
She asked, scrutinizing him.
Jin said nothing, simply continuing to observe her.
"What, are you some kind of perv?"
She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she gave him a suspicious look.
"I'm not looking at that."
Jin said quickly, raising his hands defensively.
'Besides… there's not much to look at.'
She clicked her tongue, rolling her eyes.
"Fine, then why are you here?"
"Your Art. Will you teach it to me?"
"Oh, so you want to learn a Tier 3 Illusion Art?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"You—a Level 1?"
Jin smirked slightly.
"But you're struggling with it yourself."
Taken aback, she narrowed her eyes in annoyance.
"Hey, with charm like that, I can tell you're not popular with girls."
Jin paused, feeling a sting of truth in her words. He looked away, silently acknowledging his solitary status. After all, he had always been a single dog.
"Your code generation is off. Judging by your high level and your struggles, it's clear you don't have the Path of Illusion,"
"Yeah, I don't,"
She admitted, a hint of irritation in her tone.
"So what? Does that mean I can't learn Illusion Arts now?"
"No, that's not what I meant. You can learn whatever you want. But without a suitable Path, code generation becomes much harder."
The girl nodded, dispersing some of the lingering fog around her.
"Right. I only have the Path of Divination. It's useful, but being non-combat makes things tough on missions. And without a Path, mastering Arts beyond tier 3 is practically impossible."
Her determined, confident aura had faded, revealing a sadness and frustration Jin recognized all too well. He'd seen that look before—felt it himself many times.
"Why not ask Albedo for help?"
"I can't." Her response was immediate.
"He's already done so much for me."
"I understand."
Jin knew how hard it was to keep asking for favors, especially from someone who'd always been there for you.
"How about this. You teach me the Art, and in return, I'll help you with code generation."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Did you not hear me? I said it's a tier 4 Art."
"I heard," he replied calmly.
"But I have the Path of Illusion, so I can help you."
She shot him an annoyed look.
"Even so, at level 1, you should only be able to use tier 0 Arts."
"Why don't we give it a try?" Jin suggested.
A slight smile broke through her irritation.
"Fine, but don't cry if you fail. You may have been the strongest once, but now you're just a level 1."
'So, even she knows about that.'
The girl handed him a book—a spellbook. Arts couldn't be documented in an ordinary way. To pass down an Art, the master must either transfer it directly into another's psyche or create a spellbook from the pure intent of the Art itself. In essence, a spellbook wasn't a physical book but the embodiment of the Art, crafted to convey its power and intricacies to others.
'At level 1, I can't perform a tier 4 Art, but generating the code… that's within reach.'
Jin closed his eyes and activated his spiritual awareness, focusing on the essence of the Illusion Art.
[Unique Skill : Seer of Unseen]
[Trait: Copy]
[Trait: Understanding]
With Seer of Unseen, he deciphered the structure of the Art's code, which Copy then imitated. Finally, Understanding heightened his comprehension, allowing him to fully grasp and learn the Art.
Soon the he title appeared in his mind: {Illusion Art: Bringer of Mist of Illusion}
"Alright, I'm done."
She burst into laughter.
"Hah! So you failed to learn it, after all."
"I never said I failed."
Jin raised two fingers, touching them to her forehead and transferring the Art's code directly into her psyche.
"Wh-What?! You really learned it?"
"Yes, our deal is complete," he replied coolly.
"Can you perform it?"
"Not yet, I don't have sufficient spiritual energy output for that."
She looked at him, impressed and disappointed.
"So your 48 spiritual energy output stat wasn't a lie."
'Why must you ask that?'
Jin didn't reply, merely coughed softly. By now, any awkwardness he'd felt around her had vanished.
"I can help you with other Arts, But tier 4 is my limit."
"Fine, then. I'll bring more Arts."
She smiled, the annoyance in her expression giving way to something like appreciation.
'Yes, please do.'
Jin laughed to himself, pleased with the valuable gain he'd made. Coming outside hadn't been a bad idea after all.
She gave him a playful smirk.
"Now, go back to your room. Wandering around this late isn't safe for a level 1 kid like you."
'Is this little girl patronizing me?'
Jin felt a bit indignant, especially considering she looked barely in her early twenties. Meanwhile, Jin, though outwardly appearing seventeen, was twenty-eight.
"And what about you? Don't you think you're a little young to be training this late?"
She laughed softly as she walked a few steps away.
"Young? I'm over four hundred years old."
With that, she disappeared into the fog, leaving Jin alone in the moonlit night.
'Four hundred years old… unbelievable. And she even looks great. Am I really that young?'
With a soft sigh, Jin walked toward a small hut near the training ground where the weapons were kept. He selected a wooden sword and returned to the clearing.
"I've never used a sword before," he thought, gripping the hilt firmly. "But now, I need to master it as quickly as possible."
Under the full moon—which seemed to be perfectly round every night—he began to practice, swinging the wooden sword with steady, rhythmic movements. After around two hundred swings, he paused. He didn't feel tired, thanks to his Undying Soul.
Taking a moment to assess his body, Jin remembered something he had nearly forgotten. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned the Cube, scanning through it for gifts until he found what he was looking for: {Memories Fragment}
'What is this?'
Description: Memories Fragment – A mystical shard containing fragments of the Master's memories. When used, it allows the Master to relive and view the memories stored within.
'Alright, use it.'
At Jin's command, his surroundings blurred, and he felt his psyche being drawn into an unknown dimension.
Before him, stars swirled in a vast cosmic dance, each flickering ray of light weaving together to form an immense tower. It was breathtaking—a monolith of power and mystery that stretched endlessly upward. The structure shimmered with a blend of colors, shifting like liquid stardust, and radiated an aura of ancient strength.
Above the tower floated a solitary sun, half in shadow, half in light, perfectly balanced like a halo. It cast an ethereal glow that made the tower seem both real and otherworldly, as if existing on the edge of reality itself.