"Ah, sorry, Mistress. I had a very bad dream last night," Kian replied, feeling ashamed. "But I promise this will never happen again."
Apotheosis turned back and glanced at his face, her expression calm yet unreadable.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, little one," she said firmly.
"But I—"
"No need to explain further. I'm not an unreasonable person. Go eat that breakfast so we can begin. Your Soul Force has weakened considerably because of hunger," she reminded him kindly, her tone softening just a little.
Kian glanced at the glowing display hovering before his eyes, shocked.
[Soul Force: 110/120]
His Soul Force had indeed weakened just because he was hungry. The realization hit him hard—without proper sustenance or resources, he could become as good as dead.
"Mistress, what happens when it falls to zero?" he asked cautiously while picking up the bread placed on the nearby table.
Apotheosis watched him intently for a moment before answering. "When your Soul Force reaches zero, it means your existence as a soul has been completely exhausted. You will cease to exist—no rebirth, no second chances. Just pure erasure," she explained, her voice carrying a somber weight.
"Gulp."
Kian swallowed hard—not just the bread but the lump in his throat as well.
"I see... I'll make sure to take care of myself better, Mistress."
"Good," Apotheosis replied, crossing her arms. "You're in a realm where even the smallest mistake can mean eternal oblivion. Never forget that."
Kian nodded and continued eating, savoring each bite despite the lingering unease. As the food reached his stomach, it felt like it melted into pure energy, gradually revitalizing him.
[Soul Force: 112/120]
His Soul Force was recovering slowly but surely.
After completely finishing the breakfast, Kian felt a faint satisfaction, though his stomach was only half full. More importantly, his Soul Force had returned to its full capacity.
[Soul Force: 120/120]
"Come here, little one!" Apotheosis called out as she noticed him finish eating.
Kian quickly stood and approached her, his posture upright, doing his best to appear respectful and ready.
"Show me your Soul Talent," she ordered, her tone brisk and commanding, wasting no time.
"Oh, okay," Kian replied hesitantly. He closed his eyes and focused, reaching deep within himself to summon his Talent.
As he did so, a familiar wave of self-consciousness swept over him. He braced himself for the pitying or disdainful gaze that he was sure would follow once Apotheosis saw his unimpressive first-grade Talent.
Moments later, a faint black mist began to swirl around him. It pulsated weakly, flickering like a fragile flame struggling against the wind.
Kian was taken aback by the strange phenomenon. This had never happened before. Despite his surprise, he maintained his focus, willing his Soul Talent to manifest, though for some reason, it was taking longer than usual.
Under Apotheosis' curious and unyielding gaze, a dark, swirling aura began to condense around Kian's hands. Slowly but surely, it materialized into a tangible form.
Apotheosis tilted her head slightly, intrigued by what she was witnessing.
Finally, the object revealed itself: a black, ominous-looking millstone, its surface etched with unfamiliar runes and pulsating faintly with an unsettling energy.
Kian stared at it, utterly stunned.
"This... this isn't the same as before," he thought in his mind, suppressing the shock.
The last time he'd summoned his Soul Talent, it had been an unremarkable gray millstone—plain, dull, and lifeless. But now, it was entirely different. The shape had sharpened, the runes seemed alive, and the color had deepened into an abyssal black that seemed to absorb the light around it.
"What is this?" Apotheosis finally asked, her tone unusually calm yet carrying a hint of Curiosity.
Kian checked at the description with curiosity and was shocked inside.
[Talent: Heaven Grinding Millstone]
[Grade: Ultimate]
[Description: Anomaly beyond comprehension]
[Effect: Possesses the unparalleled ability to grind any material, tangible or intangible, into pure Primordial Essence. This essence, stored within the user's body, has the extraordinary property of enhancing and elevating the grade or quality of any entity, object, or existence itself.]
Kian kept his expression as neutral as possible, though his heart raced in his chest. The description of his Talent was far from ordinary, and he knew it. But revealing its true nature? That was out of the question.
He cleared his throat and replied, "Mistress, this millstone allows me to grind materials. I'm not sure of its limits yet, but from what I've tested, it seems... really useless." He added a faint sigh, trying to sound genuinely disappointed.
Apotheosis raised an eyebrow, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh? I expected something remarkable with the way it manifested. Are you sure this is just a basic first-grade Talent?"
Kian nodded vigorously. "Y-Yes, Mistress. I swear, it is! The old Seer who measured my Talent said so himself," he replied, injecting as much sincerity as he could into his voice.
Apotheosis regarded him in silence for a moment, her piercing gaze feeling like it could strip away layers of deception. Kian clenched his fists tightly, holding his ground.
Finally, she shrugged. "If that's all it is, then so be it. A grindstone can still serve its purpose, even if it's mundane. You'll have to find a way to make it useful, little one."
"Yes, Mistress," Kian replied, bowing his head to mask his relief.
But inside, guilt gnawed at him. He hated lying, especially to someone like Apotheosis, who had shown him unexpected kindness. Yet, the truth of his Talent was too dangerous to share. He had a feeling that its real power could bring him more trouble than he was prepared to handle.
No, he resolved. This secret stays with him. No matter what.
Apotheosis sighed once more, masking the disappointment inside.
"We whatever. Let's leave it at that. Now let's let me teach the basic of survival and Soul weapons."
After that Apotheosis presented him with two option: A Sword and A Spear.
"Choose one of them wisely, Little one. Because, Your chosen weapon will be the thing now you have to rely on the most from now on."