"You have a choice. Become part of the Vossmer family… or die by my hand."
The words hung in the air, sharp and absolute, woven with Graviel's oppressive Qi that bore down on the small family like an unrelenting tidal wave.
The grand hall felt suffocating, the weight of his presence pressing on their chests, robbing them of breath. Even the elders, proud Martial Sages, gritted their teeth under the crushing aura, their heads bowed and their faces twisted with silent rage.
Elara, Elion, and Verion knelt at the center of the grand hall, their bodies trembling not out of fear, but because their very existence seemed to buckle under Graviel's overwhelming power. Elara's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. Her mind raced.
What do I do?
Her eyes darted to Elion and Verion, her two sons, her reasons for living. She had always protected them, always been their shield, but now, before this insurmountable force, she felt truly powerless.
If I refuse… there's no doubt he'll kill us. He's not bluffing. He could wipe us out with a flick of his wrist.
Her gaze flicked to Graviel. The Martial Deity stood with his hands clasped behind his back, a faint smirk playing on his lips, his silver hair glinting in the dim light of the grand hall. He looked untouchable, immovable.
But if I accept… will they truly let us live in peace? Will my sons be safe in this family that rejected us? Or will they always be in danger, trapped in the web of the Vossmer family's schemes and power struggles?
The questions clawed at her, and for the first time in years, doubt crept into her heart. She looked at Verion and Elion, both straining to lift their heads under the crushing pressure. What choice do I even have?
Elion's mind churned, his sharp golden eyes scanning the room, calculating. The suffocating weight of Graviel's Qi felt like chains wrapping around his limbs, but he forced himself to think.
There has to be a way out of this. Think. Think!
He could feel his mother's hesitation, her indecision. He understood it. Graviel wasn't just strong; he was terrifying. The gap between them wasn't just a matter of levels or skills—it was like a chasm so vast that even imagining crossing it felt absurd.
But I can't let it end here. There has to be something I can do.
"Mother," Verion's voice broke through the tension, hoarse yet defiant. His blue eyes burned with fury as he struggled to lift his head against the crushing Qi. "Don't bow to him. I'd rather die fighting than live as a dog for this family."
Elion's eyes flicked to his brother. Even in this state, Verion was grinning, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword.
That idiot… he really means it.
Verion's confidence stirred something in Elion. He took a slow, deliberate breath, ignoring the ache in his chest. Fine. If you want a fight, let's make it count.
With every ounce of strength he could muster, Elion clenched his fist and focused his mind. The crushing weight of Graviel's Qi pressed down harder as if sensing his intent, but he refused to give in. Slowly, painfully, he raised his hand.
"[Levitas]," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
In an instant, a surge of telekinetic energy burst forth, lifting Elion, Verion, and Elara off the ground. The sudden release of pressure allowed them to breathe, and without hesitation, Elion propelled them backward, his skill sending them soaring toward the far end of the hall.
Graviel's lips curled into a faint smile, his silver eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched them retreat.
Impressive, Graviel thought, his hands still clasped behind his back. He's not even fully cultivated in Qi, yet his control over spatial force is remarkable. What a fascinating child.
But Graviel had no intention of letting them leave.
In a blur, Graviel vanished. Before they could even land, Elion and his family crashed into an invisible Qi barrier. The impact sent a jolt through his body, and he looked up, his eyes widening in horror.
Standing there, as if he had been waiting for them all along, was Graviel, his presence unshaken.
"Going somewhere?" Graviel asked casually, his tone light but carrying an undertone of menace.
Elion's heart pounded. He… teleported? The realization sent chills down his spine. He's toying with us.
"Damn it!" Elion spat, his frustration bubbling over. Without pausing, he activated [Levitas] again, launching himself and his family upward in an arc, putting as much distance as possible between them and Graviel.
"Don't stop!" Verion shouted, his crimson-violet Qi flaring as he prepared his sword. "Elion, keep us steady!"
Elion didn't respond, focusing entirely on maneuvering them through the air.
Verion raised his blade, channeling his energy into the weapon until it glowed with a brilliant reddish-purple hue. The air around him crackled with power as he unleashed his strongest technique.
"Azure Requiem!"
A massive arc of Qi slashed through the air, carving a brilliant path toward Graviel. The attack carried enough force to level mountains, its sheer intensity warping the space around it.
Graviel, however, didn't even flinch.
With a casual flick of his wrist, Graviel sent the attack scattering into harmless sparks. The arc of energy dissipated as if it had been nothing more than a gentle breeze.
Verion's eyes widened, his grip on his sword tightening. "You've gotta be kidding me…"
"Try harder," Graviel said, his tone almost mocking. Then he moved his finger, sending Verion flying backward, slamming into the far wall. The impact left cracks in the marble, and Verion fell to the ground, coughing but still conscious.
"Verion!" Elara shouted, panic flashing across her face as she broke free from the influence of the Levitas skill and ran toward her son. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Elion gritted his teeth. He knew Verion's attacks wouldn't be enough—not against someone like Graviel. But he wasn't ready to give up. I need to do something—anything!
Willingly or not, he must use the [Creation] skill, even if it's going to cause a misunderstanding.
He raised his hand again, activating [Creation]. Particles of energy swirled around him, coalescing into a black colossal cube that enveloped Graviel in an instant. The cube shimmered with an otherworldly light, its walls pulsing with energy.
[You have successfully created a one-dimensional cube.]
[10 Million Imagination Points have been deducted.]
"This isn't just any cube," Elion said, his voice steady despite his racing heart. "Inside, it's a one-dimensional space. You can only move forward or backward. If you can't ascend to a higher dimension, you'll never escape."
Verion and Elara stared at the cube in shock, their disbelief mirrored by the elders still kneeling at the edges of the hall. How could he create something so otherworldly? They had never seen or even heard of a martial artist doing such a thing.
"That child... is he a Magus?" whispered one Elder watching from the side. His spontaneous question was followed by whispers of disbelief from the other Elders.
"No... Impossible! A Magus can't be born in Murim!" said another Elder.
Graviel, however, simply chuckled.
"A clever trick," he said, his silver eyes glinting with amusement. "But it seems you still don't understand what a Martial Deity can truly do."
CRACK!
The walls of the cube began to crack, faint fractures spreading like spiderwebs across its surface.
"No…" Elion muttered, his voice trembling. "That's not possible."
With a single step, Graviel shattered the cube, the glowing fragments dissolving into nothingness.
Elion froze, his mind reeling. He broke out of a one-dimensional trap? How? Damn it. Is this the end? But he quickly refocused. No. Not yet. There's still one skill left that should be able to hurt Graviel, because with that skill, he could destroy the world.
Raising his hand, Elion whispered under his breath, his golden eyes glowing faintly. "Celestial Torrent."
[1.5 million Imagination Points have been deducted.]
The air around them suddenly shifted. The oppressive aura of Graviel's Qi was momentarily drowned out by the surge of power radiating from Elion.
The sky above the grand hall split open, divine light pouring through the cracks like a celestial waterfall. Countless golden droplets began raining down, each one radiating destructive holy energy. The air hummed with power as the droplets struck the ground, shattering the marble and sending shockwaves rippling outward.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Verion's jaw dropped at the sheer power on display, and even Elara's eyes widened, a flicker of hope crossing her face. Elion… she whispered in her heart, hoping that her son would be okay.
"Brother… who are you really?" Verion muttered, his sword trembling in his hand as blood trickled down his forehead, rising to his feet.
The elders were shocked as they witnessed such immense power; they couldn't believe a child who hadn't even reached the age of five could do this. However, they were not in a position to be amazed. They quickly shielded themselves with their Qi, grimacing as the heat from the divine energy scorched the air.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed like Graviel might actually be forced to retreat.
But then… Graviel raised a single hand.
With a calm, almost lazy gesture, he waved his hand across the air. The golden droplets of the Celestial Torrent froze mid-flight, their brilliance dimming as Graviel's Qi enveloped them. In an instant, they shattered like fragile glass, scattering harmlessly into the air.
Elion's breath hitched, disbelief written across his face. "No way…"
Graviel dusted off his shoulder as if brushing away an invisible speck of dirt. His blue eyes glinted with faint amusement as he looked at Elion. "Impressive," he said, his tone condescending yet calm. "But do you really think a light drizzle like that could touch me?"
The elders watched with pride as they saw their lord unharmed. "Just as expected from our lord!"
Elion's mind raced. He swatted it away… like it was nothing. That attack would've leveled continents or even the whole world, and he dismissed it with a single gesture.
His body trembled; after so long, he felt the difference in power that left him helpless. Damn it. Is it because my level is still too low compared to a Martial Deity? Or should I use more Imagination Points? No, even if I used all my IP, I'm not sure I could defeat him. He clenched his fists tightly until his nails dug into his palms. Elion now regretted not training harder over the past three years.
On the other hand, Verion felt the same. If only I had a few more years, I could regain more power from my previous life and have injured that arrogant old man. He then shook his head. His hands clenched, and he bit his lip. No. I should have trained harder.
Hovering mid-air, Elion clenched his fists. Every plan, every strategy he attempted, Graviel dismantled effortlessly. The gap between their power was too vast.
Graviel stepped forward, his Qi radiating a quiet, unyielding pressure. His smirk softened into something almost resembling approval.
This boy… he's relentless. Even now, he refuses to surrender. That kind of spirit is rare.
Graviel's gaze shifted to Verion, whose crimson-violet Qi still flickered around him, and then to Elara, who stood protectively beside her sons despite her visible fear.
And that child too… he carried my blood. That fire, that stubbornness—it's unmistakable.
Graviel exhaled slowly, the pressure in the room easing slightly.
"You've impressed me, child," Graviel said, his tone calm but firm.
Elion glared at him, his chest heaving.
"But," Graviel continued, "you're still far too weak to challenge me."
He raised a hand, silencing any further resistance.
"So let's make this simple," Graviel said, his silver eyes gleaming with renewed interest. "I'll give you one final chance. The three of you may attack me together. If you can touch even a single hair on my head, I'll let you leave unharmed."
Elara's eyes widened in shock. Verion's grip on his sword tightened, a grin spreading across his face despite the odds.
"But if you fail…" Graviel's voice deepened, his aura flaring once more. "You will join the Vossmer family, willingly or not."