As the dark clouds drew closer, swirling with unnatural speed, Adyr’s eyes narrowed. At first, it had seemed like an oncoming storm—rushing winds, thick black clouds laced with flickers of lightning—but something felt deeply wrong. This wasn’t weather. This was something else entirely.
And then, he saw it.
Cutting through the storm like a blade of shadow, a colossal black dragon soared just beneath the clouds, its wings spanning wide enough to eclipse the sun. Wherever it passed, the sky twisted into rolling thunderclouds, crackling with deep blue lightning that reflected off its obsidian-scaled body. Its form rippled with power, each wingbeat sending shockwaves through the air. Its eyes—glowing like shards of lightning trapped in ice—searched the land below with ancient, intelligent malice.
It was unmistakably a Spark. Not just any Spark, but one on par with Colossith—perhaps even stronger. It carried the kind of pressure that weighed on the chest and made your bones feel hollow.
But that wasn’t the most alarming detail.
Seated atop the creature’s massive head, barely a silhouette against the roiling heavens, was a figure cloaked in black. Their posture was relaxed, almost casual, legs crossed and arms resting on their knees as they rode the beast like a throne. A crown of jagged crystal shimmered faintly around their head, lit by intermittent flashes of lightning. The wind whipped their cloak like a torn banner, yet they didn’t flinch.
"This is..." Vesha whispered, her voice barely audible. She didn’t finish the sentence, but she didn’t need to. No one around them did. Though the figure’s face was too far to make out, everyone seemed to feel it in their bones. The aura, the darkness, the suffocating weight of his arrival.
It had to be the Rank 4 Nether path practitioner—the one who should’ve helped during the Colossith incident but never showed.
And now, with the danger already past, he appeared.
Suspicion tightened in Adyr’s gut, but he made no move. He remained still, silently watching as the overwhelming force in the sky pressed down. The sheer power bearing down from the sky wasn’t something he could challenge, not yet.
Then, a soft chime echoed in his ear.
A translucent system window materialized in front of his eyes, hovering just above the garden path, lines of glowing script scrolling across it:
[Talent Recognition: "Architech (Lv2)" confirmed.]
- Talent has been identified through additional construction experience.
- Proceed with registration to the Status Panel?
- Cost: 10 Energy
- Reward: 10 Free Stat Points
It was a system message from his other body on Earth—confirmation that his talent had been recognized after demonstrating his construction skills in the simulation room.
Adyr allowed himself a faint smile.
Just as he was reflecting on how overwhelming a Rank 4 Practitioner’s presence felt, the system notified him that he, too, had grown a little stronger.
I wonder how long it’ll take before I reach that level, he thought, the idea sparking a quiet anticipation within him. Without hesitation, he registered the talent.
The confirmation came instantly: 10 more free stat points had been awarded, bringing his total to 31. He didn’t allocate them right away—this wasn’t the moment. Better to save them for later, when he had a clearer plan.
It was getting late anyway.
Having done enough for the day, Adyr decided to dismiss his Earth body from the simulation. It was time to head home, join his family for dinner, and get some rest. He could continue the talent grinding tomorrow.
As for this body, the day had just started, and he kept watching the oncoming drama with curious eyes.
The Nether Path practitioner descended like a ruler surveying his domain, his display of power unmistakable. With effortless command, he guided his massive mount—an enormous Spark—down beside Colossith and brought it to a halt.
From where Adyr stood, he could no longer see or hear what was happening between the practitioners.
Should I go there?
The thought crossed his mind, but he dismissed it just as quickly. There was something wrong in the air, a tension that warned him this was not a situation he wanted to get involved in.
But he was about to realize he didn’t have that choice.
A figure rapidly approached from above, flying straight toward him.
It was Malrik, descending on his frost wyvern like a messenger caught in a storm.
"Hey, little brother," Malrik called out as his much smaller mount landed awkwardly in the garden, looking almost newborn compared to the black dragon.
He wore a smile, but Adyr sensed the tension beneath it.
"Brother, what’s going on? I saw the commotion," Adyr asked, genuinely curious.
Malrik scratched the back of his head, clearly troubled, ignoring the watching eyes around them.
"He’s Sevrak. The Dragon Rider," Malrik said quietly, with a hint of reverence in his voice. "The Rank 4 Nether Path practitioner we requested help from."
The name didn’t surprise Adyr as much as the title did. Liora was also Rank 4, yet she was referred to only by name—Liora Virell.
"What’s with the title?" Adyr asked, sensing something deeper behind it.
Sure, the man rode a fucking dragon—but this was something more.
Malrik gave a bitter smile. "I figured you’d notice. Even among Rank 4s, there are those who stand apart... and he’s one of them."
He let out a breath. "That dragon—it’s a Rank 4 Spark."
And suddenly, it made sense. Being Rank 4 wasn’t enough for a title like that. You had to capture and command a Spark of the same level.
Which meant Sevrak wasn’t just powerful—he was likely stronger than Liora.
"So... why are you here?" Adyr asked with a faint, knowing smile. It was obvious Malrik hadn’t left Sevrak’s side just to bring news.
"Lord Sevrak wants to meet you," He said grimly, his tone darkening. It wasn’t a request—it was a summon.
Adyr didn’t ask how the man even knew he was here. Someone of that power could likely sense him from among hundreds of thousands of Velari citizens.
The real question was why he wanted to see him.