The air shimmered as the gate opened before Luca, its eerie purple glow casting distorted shadows around him. His breath was steady, controlled. He was no longer the boy who fought recklessly, blind to the consequences. No, with Astravira's presence in his mind, guiding his every move, he had become something else—something more.
"Focus, Luca." Astravira's voice echoed in his head, a soft hum filled with wisdom. "You've grown, but power alone will not save you from the fate you walk toward."
Luca stepped through the gate and felt a rush of wind. The world inside shifted around him, the landscape appearing before him like a forgotten battlefield. Jagged cliffs pierced the sky, and below, the land was littered with the bones of fallen hunters. The monsters here were unlike any he'd faced before.
They emerged from the shadows—black, sinuous creatures with skin like obsidian and glowing red eyes. Their names appeared in his mind:
Umbra Crawlers—monsters known for their speed and ability to vanish into darkness.Grave Dwellers—hulking creatures with spiked limbs, rising from the earth like nightmares made flesh.Phantom Maulers—ghost-like beings that could phase through attacks and strike with bone-chilling precision.
Luca's pulse quickened. The creatures surrounded him, their predatory gazes locked on his form. But he wasn't afraid—he had become something far more dangerous.
"These are nothing compared to what you've faced," Astravira said, her voice filled with a tinge of amusement. "But do not grow complacent."
With a thought, Luca activated Cosmic Insight, and his vision exploded into vivid clarity. The creatures' movements slowed to his eyes, their weaknesses revealed in a split second. His mind was sharp, calculating—this was more than just power; this was precision.
The Umbra Crawlers were the first to strike, darting toward him with impossible speed, their claws outstretched. Luca's hands moved before his mind had fully processed the attack. His body blurred as he dodged, twisting with ethereal grace, the Starflame Wrath igniting along his arm like a blade of celestial fire.
"Starflame Wrath!" Luca roared, the searing flames ripping through the closest Crawler. The creature's body dissolved into ash, but more were already closing in. The battle became a blur of motion, his blade cutting through the air in a dance of stars and shadows. The Grave Dwellers lumbered toward him, their massive forms shaking the earth.
"Be mindful of their regeneration," Astravira warned. "Use your mana wisely."
Luca nodded, gathering energy into his palms. He whispered the incantation for his newly acquired skill—Astral Nova—a spell that Astravira had granted him during their bond. Glowing symbols appeared in the air around him, and with a flick of his wrist, they exploded outward, sending beams of pure starlight through the Grave Dwellers.
His mana dropped—1200/1800—but the creatures let out guttural roars as the light burned through their regenerating bodies, leaving nothing behind but scorched earth.
"You're learning." Astravira's voice was approving, but Luca barely registered it. His eyes were fixed on the final challenge—the Phantom Maulers. Their intangible forms flickered in and out of reality, phasing through the strikes of Starflame Wrath as if they were nothing.
But Luca had evolved. He had more than just brute strength now.
With a deep breath, he called upon Cosmic Insight once more, watching the creatures' patterns. They moved in a predictable rhythm, their phasing tied to the pulse of the gate's energy. Timing his strike perfectly, Luca unleashed Sovereign's Harvest, wrapping the flaming blade with the essence of the cosmos. His sword cleaved through the creatures at the precise moment they became tangible, absorbing their essence and turning their power into his own.
The system chimed in his ear:
[Phantom Shift Ability Acquired: Phase through physical attacks for 3 seconds.]
His health regenerated as the energy flooded his body—18,000/18,000—but he barely had time to savor the victory.
The gate pulsed again. This time, the air grew thick with an otherworldly pressure. At the end of the long corridor, a door appeared, covered in intricate runes that pulsed with a faint blue light.
Luca approached, sweat dripping down his brow. His heart pounded. Whatever lay beyond this door was something different. Something far more dangerous than the monsters he'd just slaughtered.
As he pushed open the door, the sight that greeted him took his breath away. The chamber was vast, the walls lined with celestial murals, and at its center floated a massive dragon—its scales gleaming like stars in the void of space. It turned its great head toward him, eyes the color of deep, endless galaxies.
"Do you understand now, boy?" Astravira's voice was solemn. "This is no mere beast. This is a Star Dragon—one of the oldest, most powerful creatures in existence."
The dragon's voice rumbled through the chamber like distant thunder. "So, you are the one Astravira has chosen." Its voice was female, rich and ancient. "I am Zephyra, Keeper of the Celestial Gates."
Luca's fists tightened around his sword. "You talk too much for a monster."
The dragon let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "Is that how you see me? A mere monster? How… human of you." Zephyra's massive form glided closer, her presence suffocating. "I've seen your kind. You thirst for power, but you never understand the cost."
Luca's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Zephyra's tail moved with blinding speed, slamming into his body and sending him crashing into the stone wall. His health plummeted—14,000/18,000.
"She's right, Luca." Astravira's voice was distant, warning. "You cannot defeat her with brute force."
"You think power will save you?" Zephyra continued, her voice filling the chamber. "Killing and taking will only lead to your destruction. You will be consumed by the very force you seek to control."
Luca groaned as he stood, his vision blurring. The Star Dragon's words were grating on his mind, but something in them stung with truth. He shook his head, raising his blade once more.
"Enough talk!" he shouted, flames igniting along his arm.
Zephyra's eyes narrowed, and with a flick of her claw, the celestial energy surrounding her condensed into a radiant barrier. Luca's attacks bounced harmlessly off it, each strike more futile than the last.
"You are still an ant, Luca," Zephyra said, her voice low. "But I will not destroy you yet. Instead, I will bind you to me."
Before he could react, Zephyra's form began to dissolve into stardust, swirling around Luca's body. Her voice echoed in his mind, deep and resonant. "This contract will forge our fates together. My power… my knowledge… they will be yours. But know this—you will never escape me."
Luca's mind screamed in resistance, but his body obeyed, the contract sealing itself in the very core of his soul. His mana surged, overwhelming him as his body absorbed her celestial energy.
His vision blurred once more, the chamber fading from view. When it cleared, he found himself alone in the silent aftermath of the gate, but something was different. Something had shifted deep inside him.
The system's voice chimed in his ear.
[New Skill Acquired: Starfall.]
[Health Restored: 42,000/42,000.]
[Level Up: 120.]
Astravira's voice hummed in his mind. "You may have gained her power, Luca, but the path ahead is far darker than you realize."
And for the first time, Luca felt the weight of the warning in her words.