Chapter 4: Life Codex
He was no longer in the endless white room of the Awakening Chamber but surrounded by stars, suspended in the vastness of space.
Nebulas swirled in hues of blue, purple, and silver, and countless stars glimmered like gems against a dark, cosmic sea.
It was as though he stood on the very edge of the universe, caught between realms of existence and imagination.
Beneath him was an ethereal chessboard, each checkered square flickering faintly with a soft, otherworldly light.
The surface was solid yet somehow intangible, a subtle shift between reality and illusion.
Ren stood in the very center, his figure dwarfed by the immense scale of this astral chessboard.
He noticed that one side of the board—the side of the white pieces—was shrouded in shadow, entirely inaccessible to him.
Every square there was veiled as if held behind an invisible barrier that separated him from its influence.
Only his side of the board, the side of the black pieces, was visible, each piece stationed in precise formation, waiting, still and silent.
Ren took it all in with a quiet intensity, the sheer strangeness of the scene settling over him.
"This is… my Nexus?" he murmured, his voice echoing softly across the void.
The Nexus, a metaphysical space within his Life Codex, wasn't just a place of reflection—it was the origin of his powers.
Each power he unlocked was seeded in this plane, connected to his very essence.
The chess pieces on his side seemed to flicker slightly at his words, their surfaces rippling with dark, glinting energy, almost as though they were alive.
He felt a faint resonance within him, a tug at something fundamental, like the unlocking of a deep, ancient part of his very being.
This chessboard wasn't merely a symbolic plane; it was a reflection of himself, his potential, and his path forward.
Ren took his time as he crossed the vast, ethereal chessboard under a field of stars, each piece drawing his attention in ways he could feel more than understand.
Ren was able to tell that he would have to select one of these chess pieces…and the choice would then affect how his Life Codex would be awakened.
He sensed something in this choice was critical, something that spoke to his own nature, his strengths, his ambitions—even the parts of him he hadn't fully recognized.
As he approached each piece, the knowledge of what it would offer him didn't come in words or voices.
Instead, it was like a whisper in his blood, an instinctive awareness that felt both ancient and immediate.
First, he stood before the Rook.
The Rook is a towering fortress crafted from deep obsidian stone, its surface glistening with protective runes that surround the shining material.
As he studied the piece, a powerful sense of solidity washed over him.
If he chose the Rook he would gain a power that would allow him to hold mass amounts of enemies behind.
A drastic increase to his Aura or Mana would happen depending on his choice.
It was tempting, powerful…but also heavy.
Moving to the Knights' pieces, he felt a sharp, almost electrifying sensation settle over him.
The Knight resembles a sleek, polished silver steed, its mane intricately detailed and its eyes glowing with azure intensity. It exudes agility and precision, hinting at its mastery over movement, control…and drastic control over Aura.
His mind stirred at the promise of complete mastery over aura.
He envisioned a razor-sharp precision, an unparalleled control that would flow through every strike, every movement.
His blade skills would reach a height that others could only dream of, becoming an extension of his very self, honed to such a degree that he would command them as naturally as breathing.
The thought struck him as alluring.
His gaze then fell on the Bishop.
The Bishop is a tall, translucent crystal piece, swirling with vibrant colors and emanating a deep violet glow.
Approaching it, he felt a strange, almost reverent sensation pass through him.
Choosing the Bishop would elevate his understanding of mana, his intellect sharpening in ways that were almost daunting.
His magical prowess would ascend far beyond what most could imagine—but the impression didn't end there.
Spirit Essence.
"What the hell…" Ren couldn't help but speak out loud inside of the vast space.
For all the races inside of this world…which energy path they would take was mainly predetermined.
Humans were the only race inside of the entire world that was able to choose between Aura and mana.
But with choices also came responsibility, since if they chose wrong their entire future would be doomed.
No Human had ever used Spirit Essence before…yet his Life Codex was offering this path to him.
He could hardly believe it, but the Bishop offered this possibility.
To wield Spirit Essence was to reach into realms that humanity had always considered forbidden.
Using Spirit Essences did not automatically make one the strongest in the entire world…however it did put them in leagues above the rest.
For example, one of the strongest races in the entire world, Dragons, used Spirit Essence in their battles.
Eventually he moved on, arriving at the Queen.
As he approached, an immense, almost overwhelming energy pulsed from it, as though its potential couldn't be contained within its simple form.
The Queen piece felt like a force unto itself, capable of wielding any energy, bending it at will.
The Queen is a majestic golden figure, adorned with intricate filigree and crowned with radiant gemstones.
She radiates versatility and power, commanding dominance on the chessboard with elegance.
Two forms of energy, he realized, marveling.
This was not a path that restricted him to a single talent.
His pulse quickened as he considered the strength of this choice, this sheer, unfathomable potential that would turn him into something truly versatile and unpredictable.
Since the dawn of time, only 7 Humans had ever been able to use both Aura and Magic simultaneously, and they were all Monarchs who had united the Human race against the other races.
The Queen piece offered him the potential to have this…
Next, he stopped before the Pawns.
The Pawn is a simple yet elegant black marble piece, each featuring unique engravings hinting at untapped potential.
The simplicity of the pieces was deceptive, their potential hidden beneath unassuming forms.
Choosing one of these would mean waiting, delaying his choice until his codex fully developed.
But with patience, he could evolve beyond his original decision, maturing as his skills grew.
He recognized the wisdom in this—after all, the path to power often took unexpected turns.
Choosing a pawn would mean putting faith in his own growth, trusting that his potential could one day rival even the grandest of pieces.
Flexibility, he realized, was the path here, a subtle yet invaluable strength in its own right.
Finally, his gaze rested on the King.
The King's piece didn't tell him anything. As he stood over the piece all he felt was a bottomless void, something that couldn't be questioned and was inevitable.
And Ren was familiar with the game of chess…while the Queen was an extremely strong piece, the game ended with the King falling.
At the end of the day, the King's piece was the most vital for one.
As Ren's fingers pressed against the King piece, the board around him began to shimmer, each piece dissolving into thin air, vanishing as if they had never existed.
All that remained was him, the King, and an unfathomable expanse of stars swirling in the darkness beyond.
He felt a pulse under his hand, as though the King piece itself was alive, acknowledging him.
The energy flowing from it was calm, measured, neither forceful nor gentle, yet filled with a kind of purpose.
It moved through him like the beating of his own heart, touching every corner of his mind and body, settling in with a quiet authority.
As the other pieces faded one by one, dissolving into the starry expanse, Ren watched in quiet awe as the King piece before him began to transform.
Its polished ebony surface stretched and grew, reshaping itself with a silent elegance, until it became a throne of deep obsidian, gleaming faintly under the celestial light.
The throne radiated an aura of both protection and restrained menace.
Its structure was imposing, built with a solid, unyielding form, yet its edges were lined with intricate carvings that seemed almost alive, twisting into shapes that hinted at an ancient power lying dormant within.
Spikes rose subtly from the back and armrests, not enough to overwhelm its regal form, but enough to imply that any who approached it without respect would face grave consequences.
It exudes an aura of vigilance, as if it stood as a silent guardian over realms untold, watching for any threat that might dare draw close.
Seated upon this throne was an old man, his presence as imposing as the throne itself.
His long, silver hair fell past his shoulders, and his beard, equally as white, was braided in intricate patterns that gave him a timeless, almost mythic appearance.
His face was worn with age, etched by experience, yet his eyes glowed with a fierce vitality, a sharpness that belied his years.
In his hand, he held an extraordinarily long sword, a weapon that appeared far too large for any ordinary man to wield.
Its blade was buried into the ground at his feet, glinting with a cold, lethal edge even in the dim light.
The hilt was engraved with runes that seemed to pulse faintly, as though the sword itself were alive, in perfect resonance with its wielder.
The old man's grip on the sword was light but steady, a calm confidence that spoke of both mastery and restraint.
Ren could feel it—the sword and throne alike were symbols of command, of protection, but also of the threat they posed to anyone foolish enough to test their strength.
...
Authors Note:
Hope you guys will enjoy this novel.
If you wish to read more chapter, it will be on my p#treon
p#treon.com/Fat_Cultivator