A Trial of Gods

Apollo was disappointed by Ghost's answer but understood it. It's not like it would help much for him to know. There are some things that can only be discovered naturally. As his soul power returned he refocused on the problem in front of him: he can't use any of the power he has as long as his body remains mediocre.

 Another day passed. By this time Sera had already awoken and sneakily left so as to not bother Apollo. He had finally completed another 200 cycles of refinement. He could feel the new found strength his body contained. His body had now reached the equivalent of the peak of the seventh level.

 I still haven't used any of my abilities at full capacity. Is the level of my energy really as strong as a level 8? He questioned his own strength. It's unbelievable to gain this much strength in one fight right? It had only taken a two hour long fight with Sera and his strength had multiplied. He was excited about the Regional Tournament. 

 A sudden gasp from the main hall drew his attention. He quickly joined the group that had gathered at the front window of the vehicle. 

 He smiled. The Vex Capital. Skyscrapers blotted out the sun and reached the clouds. Hundreds of thousands of Relic Vehicles flew and drove as the livelihood of the city increased as the Tournament was starting. They continued deeper into the city. The skyscrapers became more common than any other building. Large companies plastered their logos in giant fonts on each building. It was beyond anything Apollo had ever seen. Even Sera and the rest of the team were surprised as this was the first time they were able to visit the Capitol. The Regional Tournament only happened every twenty years; they weren't even born before the last took place.

 The giant walls of skyscrapers finally broke. There appeared a large stadium.

 "Is that really where we were fighting?" Irene asked, her usual casual attitude had left her.

 Ishi nodded." Yes. That is what they have called Thunder Colosseum. The Vex have named it after their families passed down technique: Thunder Control. It also holds nearly half a million people." 

"How did I not find out about this online? I researched everything about the Regional Tournament and there was never a mention that it was fought in front of half a million people." Gaia was also kind of star struck. 

This time it was Kern that answered. "The Thunder Colosseum was only built 10 years ago. This will be the largest event ever held in the Vex Capital."

"Let's go. We are going to the competitor's hall." Ishi said, signaling the pilot to pull up to the private lot.

Suddenly a powerful force enveloped the entire vehicle. Everyone felt an almost crippling dread as they tried to resist the unknown power. It was as if they were being pressed down by a hand that weighed thousands of pounds.

Apollo stood to the right of the group. He could feel the dread of that power however it had no effect on him other than signaling the realm of the attacker.

"Remember that dread. This is what it means to surpass the Nature Realm." Ghost said deeply.

Who could do that in this world? Even if a Nature Realm expert goes all out, they could annihilate the entire Vex Kingdom in one move. What about the existence above them?

The power was quickly retrieved and replaced by an obviously weaker sense, allowing everyone to breathe. Sera and Ishi finally lead the team out of the vehicle and to the entrance. The guards quickly caught Apollo's attention.

Nature Realm guards. He thought. His face solemn. It must be his sense that came after the strong one. Ghost, it seems the Nature Realm is the requirement to form a sense, right?

"You are correct. The Nature Realm is only achievable with the recognition of one's soul. Therefore, they are eligible to form a sense."

When I finally form my Sense, how would it compare?

"It will be like night and day. Your soul power is extremely potent. I believe it would even be comparable to that of the existence you felt before after you learn to use it."

It looks like I must speed up my progress.

"Focus on your body for now. When your strength is comparable to the Nature Realm your sense should progress fast. You will understand when you get there." Ghost instructed.

Apollo nodded in agreement. The most important thing right now was being in his most put together state. There must be nothing lacking. Training sense right now would only his strength unstable. Apollo continued to calculate his plan for the tournament at the back of the group.

Ishi and Sera could obviously feel the disdain from the guard. The guard faced a small bit of surprise as Sera's protective amulet was useless in front of him. There was someone in the Feinn Family who had broken the suppression. He looked at his fellow guard and nodded before quickly departing. The second guard continued to lead the group to their courtyard where they would stay in the days leading up to the main event.

It was quite small and only had a total of 6 rooms and a small garden in the middle. Quickly each room was stolen by a member of the group leaving Sera, Ishi, Apollo, and Kern with only two rooms to split between the four of them. They came quickly to an agreement that Kern and Apollo would share one room, and Sera would share with her father.

Ishi had a begrudged look, "These damn brats have no respect for their elders." He set off to his room with Sera, leaving Kern and Apollo together.

"Go ahead. I am going to stay in the garden and practice for a while." Apollo said, leaving toward the center of the courtyard. Kern snorted and entered his room.

Apollo sat down in the center of the garden. He was refreshed by the scent of the flower and herbs and felt good about his next session of training.

Three days quickly passed. In that time Apollo had not moved a single centimeter from his original position. Even when the pain reached immense levels, he would grit his teeth and not let a single sound out. In this time, he has cycled his energy nearly a thousand times and had reached the peak of the eighth level. He felt the barrier of the next level had even loosened.

"Stop for a second." He suddenly heard Ghosts voice in his head. He had been spectating Apollo while he was practicing and felt something strange. "Each time your body level increases, the Torii shines. Its as if it's acknowledging your progress."

Why is that important?

"doesn't it seem weird? This object is obviously assessing you in some way. It looks as if it were a standalone treasure, yet you are completely fused with it. Without it you will die and without you it will lose all power. It is obviously made for you to supplement your growth. I believe it is the reason behind your strange physique."

So, the Torii was a part of me before I became a gatecrasher.

"Yes. I believe it goes even further."

I was bonded with it before birth.

"Precisely."

If this is what made my physique like this then maybe… he paused as an idea sprouted. Ghost, can I survive without a body?

"What why would you—"

If I disperse my entire body and reform, it from only the power purely channeled through the Torii, considering my body's strength is always one level greater than jhmy Myth Energy, wouldn't that mean I could reach the nineth level of the Heavens Descent Realm equivalent in terms of body?

"I hardly think that is necessary. Wouldn't it just mean your body stayed the same level technically?"

Yes, the strength of my body would stay the same, but the resistance of my body would skyrocket. I would be invulnerable to any attack beneath the nineth level. I would also gain recoverability of that level.

 "That may be the dumbest idea I've ever heard…but I believe it could work. However, why don't we take it to the next level?" Ghost said with a devious grin.

 What do you mean?

 "What if you were to step into the next level?" Apollo was appalled by this idea. Wouldn't that mean his body strength would reach at least the Nature Realm's level? Was it even possible. "You have four days until the tournament. If you believe you can reach this goal before then, I can promise you I can keep you alive in the soul state for a while. Long enough to reform your body at least."

 It is my obligation to try. Apollo felt it was his responsibility to exercise the gifts in his body to their highest potential. He must try. With a goal in mind, he visited Sera. He finally moved for the first time in three days.

 Apollo was welcomed aggressively by Ishi. By this time Sera had explained the time she had spent with him and vaguely explained their connection. This of course enraged Ishi as no one in his eyes could ever be good enough.

 Sera looked to Ishi pleadingly, "Father please leave us for a little."

 "Fine," he grabbed Apollo's arm and spoke deeply, "Understand the consequences."

 Apollo was slightly nervous. "Don't worry Mr. Feinn. I wouldn't use the word love, but I quite like your daughter." He said, smiling. Hearing Apollo say love, Sera's cheeks quickly burned.

 "Hmph." Ishi said, leaving reluctantly.

 "Why do you come to visit?" Sera asked, still slightly embarrassed.

 "What I can't come visit you just because I want to see you? Or maybe I want something else." He said, smiling. He slowly sat on the bed next to her.

 Unable to handle the situation, she started to shift away, "I'm sorry I definitely like you but I'm not sure if I'm ready for…" she paused thinking about what she was about to say next.

 Apollo let out a laugh. "Relax. I come here for a different reason."

 Sera was relieved and quickly calmed down. "What can I help you with?"

 "Well it's a bit weird to ask but I would like to inspect your soul."

 "Inspect my soul?" She was confused as to what that would achieve.

 "I have explained my situation to you already. As I am right now, I have worked out my core constantly for the past week, strengthening my body. I am ready for a breakthrough, but I need the understanding." He explained, somewhat awkwardly.

 "I see. You would like to see my experience my understanding through my soul." She quickly confirmed.

 "Yes. I realize its selfish, but it would be a monumental help."

 "I am fine with it. Anything that can increase our strength I am alright with." She said, happy to help.

 "You really are cheeky." Ghost quickly spoke. "The act of willfully experiencing another's soul can be considered many times more intimate and sex. After this there will be no getting rid of it. You will forever be branded in each other's souls. Understand you will come to love each other after this. Its like having sex before the first kiss."

 "Shit its really that deep?" He didn't think it would be that big of a deal.

 "It would be different if she didn't consent to it. It would be a soul merge via force instead of intimately. Oh, and she will understand everything about you. The treasure in your body and all almost as well as you do."

 "Well, it isn't a horrible thing to be connected to a such a beauty. She is also strong I don't see the problem."

 "You really are shameless. You can so easily deceive somebody for your own desires." Ghost sighed.

 Apollo quickly exhaled. He obviously didn't think it was right. "Fine." He reignited the conversation with Sera. "Sera." He said in a serious tone. Hearing this she quickly assumed the same shy appearance.

 "The act of a consensual soul interaction like this is incredible intimate. We will forever be linked. You will know everything about me and I, you. Needless to say, it is many steps further than any other interaction we could have in this room alone together." He explained.

 Sera was speechless.

 Seeing her inability to speak, Apollo continued. "I understand if you do not want to. We are not that close after all. I will say I have no problem with it if it becomes something more."

 Sera was quiet for quite a while. "I am willing."

 "Very well" with the help of Ghost, Apollo's soul departed his body and entered Sera's.

 Sera could feel the very odd sensation and clenched her soul hard from the unexpected feeling.

 Ghost's voice resounded in her head: "don't resist anything it will make this much more difficult." She didn't recognize the voice, however she did as it said. Apollo's soul quickly started to merge with Sera's. They were both quickly washed with a sense of pleasure. The soul would usually go untouched for a Gatecrashers entire life. Just any touch could send shivers through anyone let alone the act of two souls becoming one.

 Sera's reaction was different from Apollo's. She felt even more pleasure from it. It felt like a vast ocean of waves was cascading onto her and with each wave a feeling that couldn't be described would surge through her. Without a doubt Apollo's soul was much stronger than hers. She could feel her soul improving rapidly. Soon, her soul developed to such a level that not even anyone in the Nature Realm could compare with. They both quickly absorbed the memories of the other. Apollo experienced the tragedy Sera had been through and Sera experienced the unbelievable loneliness of Apollo.

 Apollo didn't rush to understand Sera's power but instead watched her childhood through her eyes. He knew Sera's mother was a story of tragedy that she never wanted to talk about, but the weight of this story was stuck in his head. Her mother was not from this world. She was the youngest daughter of an expert of the Outer Elysium Realms. His power stretched to the ends of the Solar System. It was unknown to Sera why, but her mother fled their home planet and was accepted into Earth. When her father and his army chased after her, they found they couldn't enter Earth. No matter how fast they traveled towards it, they never got closer. It was as if the space around it was infinite.

 She lived a long time on Earth. She had seen the suppression of the Feinn Families bloodline happen yet couldn't do anything about it. It was shortly after that she had met Ishi. He wasn't strong enough to impress her, however he was kind and treated her well. Soon after having Sera, her power grew stronger until it reached the point where Earth didn't allow her to stay. She was thrown out. It wasn't known from then what happened to her, but it seemed Sera assumed she had been captured by her father and punished.

 This story rocked Apollo to his core. It wasn't only that it was tragic, but it had confirmed higher power beyond Earth. There must be a greater world out there where his parents are waiting for him to return to them. Next was the recognition of Sera's power. Displays of her fighting, practicing, and learning flew into his head. It only took him about twenty minutes to fully comprehend every extent of her power. He could feel it supplement his soul.

 Very slowly their souls separated and returned to their bodies. Both were out of breath and sweaty upon the end of their intimacy. Apollo was figuring out this feeling when suddenly Sera tackled him. She straddled him and held her face close enough to him so that he could feel her hot breath on his face and neck. Time seemed to stop. They both were completely still. The only movement from their steady breathing. Both of their heartbeats could be heard audibly as it pumped blood viciously throughout their bodies, giving them both an invigorating feeling. Their bodies pressed together, radiating the heat of desire.

Apollo's mind had gone completely wild. If it weren't for Sera's pause, he would have already been indulging in his own impulses.

"shmh" The drop of a tear from Sera's eyes brought him back from the abyss. He had just seen the tragedy of a little girl losing her mother. She not only was robbed of a parent but then grew up isolated by the status of Princess. How could he have the will to continue after that? His grip on her waist shifted from a firm grip to a tight embrace. The change in contact became an exchange of feelings. Words would only taint that which was unsaid.

Ishi stood outside the door with suspicion. It had been nearly eight hours since he was originally kicked out of the room by Sera. In that time, he had visited everyone confirming their state of readiness. However, he was disappointed to see the door was still as solid as before. Finally, he gave in. A wisp of energy seeped into the room. There he found Sera and Apollo lying peacefully on the bed. Just as he prepared to kick in the door, the wisp of energy outlined Sera's face, which wore a peaceful grin as she slept soundly on Apollo's chest. It was a look that he hadn't seen since the departure of her mother.

His anger quickly quelled as his view of Apollo had changed. He had thought he had been taking advantage of Sera's status to get resources. He still slightly thought this however if he brought the peace to Sera that she had long lost, he wouldn't care. He would give all his wealth for her happiness.

"It seems I must watch closely this tournament. Let's see if you are good enough to stay with her." He said to himself walking towards Kern's room.

Apollo slowly awakened. He was shocked when he inspected his own body. The symbols of fire and illusion on his core had become much thicker and sturdier. Not only had his understanding of these two abilities grown, but his level had risen to level 6 as well. It was at this moment that the Torii started to shine. The resplendent light gradually dripped of forming a rectangular shaped object.

"What is happening?" he yelped, seeing the odd scene inside of him.

"I don't know. But if it comes from the Torii, it will probably be good for you. Relax and wait." Ghost comforted. The rectangle grew bigger and began to have some definition. As it finally reached what seemed like the end of the process it moved out of Apollo's body, landing in his lap.

"A book?" the object was what looked like an extremely old book. The book had a symbol of the Torii on the front.

Ghost was shocked looking at the ancient book. "It's a Myth Art. As far as I know there are none in this world."

"What does it do?"

"A Myth Art is a guide to use Myth Energy in a specific way. It is incredibly hard to make one. It could take an expert thousands of years to make a simple one."

"A thousand years? How can someone even live that long?"

"You will learn. The increase in strength between realms is exponential. It makes sense that someone with enough power to destroy an entire city or even country in one move must have enough power to live longer as well. Unquestionably, this Art is made for you specifically. I suspect your strength will increase by many times if you learn it."

Apollo opened the book and began to read it.

[Heavenly Reduction Scriptures (Body Cultivation Edition) (Version Level: God)]

Just the title made Apollo have no words. "Version Level: God?"

 Ghost sped past Apollo and had already read the entire Scripture. "This Art is unbelievable. The requirement is something only you can meet. It requires a Core empowered by the Gate of Expansion and Reduction and the Body of Expansion and Reduction bestowed by it. If the user does not have both of attributes they will die undoubtedly. Someone without the Gate will die from strain on their core and lack of energy and someone without the physique would rip themselves apart. According to the Scripture the Body of Expansion and Reduction must be updated before the breakthrough into a new realm."

 "What is the rest?" Apollo followed Ghosts explanation of the Art while reading the Scripture. There was obviously a second part to it, but Ghost didn't seem to want to explain.

 "Don't focus on the second part yet. What's important is you update your physique to the Nature Level."

 Apollo continued to read the explanation of how to update the physique for the Nature Realm. After thoroughly understanding the process. He laid back down and concentrated. Ghost slowly appeared before him, ready to guide him.

 "Start by dispersing your existing Myth energy." Apollo quickly unleashed all the power in his core. His Myth Energy was obviously only of the sixth level; however, it caused the entire courtyard and all those surrounding it to shake.

 Ghost was surprised how strong Apollo's Energy was. After the interaction with Sera, another Torii appeared. All the Myth Energy in his core had been refined by it. Compared to normal level sixes of the Heavens Descent Realm, he had at least ten times as much energy and it was all much stronger than any level six could possess. "Now you must activate the Gate of Expansion and Reduction. This will be extremely painful as without any energy it will continuously crush your body. You must endure and remember you will not die." This part of the process completely confused Ghost. He thought the Gate must have a supply of Myth Energy to be used, however it was as if it was powered by something different.

 Apollo took a deep breath and called the Gate. The gate appeared above him, enveloping him in its power. He quickly felt his entire body being crushed under an irresistible pressure. The entire structure of his body was quickly annihilated. He was still struggling subconsciously to keep his body from being destroyed.

 Ghost saw the Gate grow in size and power and became concerned. "Apollo quickly, you must let go of your attachment to the body!"

 Apollo could hear him, however, under the pain he couldn't stop his own natural reaction. Once again, the Gate grew. The size of the field covering Apollo quickly expanded with the gate, crushing the entire room into nothingness. The destruction continued as Apollo's struggle resisted the force. The commotion alerted almost everybody in the residential part of the Thunder Colosseum. Quickly they started to gather around the Feinn Families courtyard however they were quickly suppressed entirely by the radiating energy of the Purple Gate.

 The crowd was formed of the most powerful clans and academies in the Eastern Region. Among them were Teio of the Mystic Academy and his entourage and Leth of the War Academy and his people. Each of them was at the Eighth Level of Heaven's Descent Realm and were able to fight those of higher levels than themselves. Each of them was surrounded by at least five other outstanding youths and a couple elders.

 There were also two groups from the other two Academies: the Battle Academy and the Vex Academy. In front of the two groups stood two fantastic youths that had both reached the peak of the Heaven's Descent Realm. From the aura they radiated it seemed as if they could equal any low-level Nature Realm Gatecrasher.

 The youth of the Vex Academy had spiky hair and a pair of bright white eyes that seemed to have a strong current running through them. His temperament clearly displayed his high talent as even an expert would feel inferior looking at him.

 The Battle Academies youth was the same except he released a crazed aura. His red hair and eyes could make anyone shy away, afraid of his battle intent. This group was extremely similar to the War Academy however they were in no way friendly. The two Academies were populated mostly by two opposing clans, each with bloodlines and abilities relating to the will to fight.

 Each group stood around the Purple Gate and the domain it released. They were all surprised to find they couldn't release an ounce of their power even if they wanted to. They Feinn Families group had also gathered after their courtyard was destroyed. Each of them was infatuated with the Gate. However, even more surprising to them was seeing Apollo laying down in the middle of it. They spectated as his body was completely dispersed by the domain. Sera completely froze when she saw this. She could still feel the connection of their souls but the undeniable truth in front of her was that Apollo had died.

The other groups had noticed the Feinn Family but had ignored them entirely. They calmly waited, observing the mysterious Gate.

 Inside the Purple Domain Apollo's body had finally been fully eradicated. Ghost floated above his soul which continued to lay on the bed. "You could have done that without causing all this commotion."

 "From now on it should be better. I don't believe there is one person that can be comfortable with dying. I feel somewhat enlightened by this experience." Apollo finally spoke. If he had a body, he would be wiping the sweat off his head. That type of pain was something he never wished to experience again. If it wasn't for Ghost forcefully suppressing his soul, he would have already scattered it to escape the pain.

 "Alright. Let's begin reforming. Feel the connection between you and the gate. Guide that power using your understanding of the Body of Expansion and Reduction and your own body to shape it."

 Apollo quickly focused, and the Gate released its power. The purple energy and gate slowly shrank. It continued to get smaller and smaller until it barely enveloped Apollo's soul. He could feel his soul's energy draining rapidly as he continued to form the energy into his own shape. The Gate continued to spit out energy, compacting more power into the body. It was at this moment that progress stagnated.

 Apollo could feel the connection between him and his new body; however, he could not awaken into it.

 "You are lacking the vitality. Your body right now has no life force from nature meaning you cannot connect your soul to it." Ghost explained.

 Apollo became nervous. How could he possibly get the essence of life from nature required to take control of his newly formed body? It was as if the Gate had read his mind. The Gate shined.

***

 Billions of Light Years away an old woman with green eyes and white hair sat calmly on a shined tree stump, taking in the view of the beautiful forest before her.

She suddenly received a message and laughed. She then gently waved her hand. A laugh escaped her lips. "Teno you sly young man. Making me help your son after taking advantage of my care for you. How did you become so shameless?" The tone of her words made her seem angry, but the gentle look on her face showed the falsehood behind it. "I can only help you this much for now little one. I look forward to your rise," She smiled and continued to watch the scenery.

***

 Apollo's continued to panic as he could feel his soul power continue to drain. The body he and the gate had created was perfectly intact however it seemed the universe hadn't recognized it as a natural existence and refused to give it the vitality of life.

 Ghost could feel Apollo's panic and it had begun to seep into Ghost. Ghost racked his brain trying to find a way around the problem. However, every idea he came up with ended in failure.

 In the crowd around the Feinn Families courtyard Leth finally recognized the body.

 "Uncle, that is the kid!" He yelled, turning back to the elder behind him. "He is the one that killed my little brother!" a thick killing intent escaped him as he prepared to move on Apollo. He didn't understand how he could appear here as part of the Feinn team, but I did not matter. His younger brother must be avenged. The Elder behind him was surprised. The energy that Gate released was so strong that he was helpless. How could his young master have enmity with a person that holds that power? He still gathered his energy and prepared to follow Leth.

 Sera saw the two approaching Apollo and panicked. She had watched Apollo reform his body and relaxed. She didn't know what was happening, but it now seemed it was deliberate. But when she saw Leth and the Nature Realm elder behind him rush at Apollo her face dropped. She had stepped into the seventh level easily after her time with Apollo, however she still did not have the ability to combat a Nature Realm expert. Not to mention one at the late stages of the Realm.

 Teio also noticed it was Apollo, but he was too late. He could now only ask for assistance. "Uncle Rain please help him!" He pleaded, looking back at the elder behind him.

 "Why do you want to…" Uncle Rain began to say but was cut off.

 "He is my friend, and I have invited him to the Academy! I believe he could be extraordinary." Teio quickly explained earning a nod from Uncle Rain. Just as Leth and the elder's attack were about to reach him, Uncle Rain raised his hand, and a gentle rain fell from the sky. This Rain was soft but contained astronomical power constraining the elder and Leth.

 "I'm sorry but this little friend here is under the protection of the Mystic Academy." Uncle Rain said, smiling to the two. Leth was very discontented by the interruption but the reminder from the elder gave him no choice.

 "Young master that Elder Rain is stronger than me. We should not push any further." He said through his sense.

 Leth snorted. "Fine." With their departure, only the Battle Academy, Mystic Academy, and Vex Academy were present.

 Suddenly the young man from the Vex Academy spoke. "It seems the Mystic Academy has made an ally of the Feinn Family. I find it funny for an already weak team to weaken themselves further by taking on burdens." The arrogance in his voice was palpable. He left soon after.

 Uncle Rain and Teio looked at the Battle Academy group.

 The aggressive young man noticed this and spit out: "Be ready for a fight. You will not have any time to rest when the event starts." He then left. There was only one thing the Battle Academy and War Academy agreed on and that was their dislike for the Mystic Academy. The Mystic Academy was based on virtue which they felt was too cowardly to be strong.

 Teio ignored the comments from the two and approached the Feinn Family. He scanned the group and eventually arrived in front of Sera and Ishi. "It seems as if we are destined to be allies. I have been fond of Apollo since I saw his bravery a couple months ago. I hope we can work together in this event." He said, bowing slightly.

 Sera responded first. "Thank you for saving him. I don't know exactly what's happening, but it seems to be self-induced. I believe he is trying to progress in the body."

 "Interesting; how did he obtain a Body Cultivating Art? To my knowledge they are extremely rare." Teio was surprised. One had to know the Mystic Academy only had a total of 7 Arts in the entire academy. He knew it was extremely hard to get your hands on a Myth Art. Let alone a Body Cultivating Art. "Lets wait and see." He said stepping beside Sera and watching Apollo.

***

 Apollo was continuing to panic. He had tried to find many ways out, but his soul power was slowly being used up to stay in this form. Panic could be seen on Ghosts face too. "Stupid treasure how could you give us this and not have a way to complete it?" he cursed at the Gate. However, his expression changed as he saw a slight glow of green appear on the Gate.

 The gate released the green energy. Apollo's body greedily consumed the unknown power. His blood began to flow, and his Relic Veins lit up once more. Nature seemed to acknowledge this new body as Apollo. Heaven and Earth found the body attached to the soul of Apollo to be dead and refused to recognize this as his knew body because it had been made without the consent of Nature. However, the green energy had completely changed everything. The surrounding Energy of Heaven and Earth poured into him, connecting him with the world around him and finally allowing his soul to take control of the body.

 He slowly sat up and checked his body and let out an almost maniacal laugh. "Holy shit I'm still alive! I really thought I was a goner back there." He yelled excitedly. He could feel a change in his soul as well. It was as if he was no longer afraid of anything. The experience of surviving certain death had severely changed his mindset.

 The rest gave him time to adjust and didn't approach, watching silently. Apollo inspected his own body closely. He could see each of the cells in his body could withstand any attack. There was also an odd sensation the permeated his body. Watching closely, he could see that every once in a while a cell of his would split into a thousand new cells before recombining into one.

 "What the hell type of ability is this?" He could feel the power in his body was incredible. But that was just because his body had stepped into the Nature Realm in terms of Body Cultivation. He now had immense vitality that made him feel indestructible. He had followed the direction of the Heavenly Reduction Scripture to form the Body of Expansion and Reduction, and it seemed this odd ability related to the Myth Art. I must continue to learn the Scripture. He thought.

 Behind Teio, Uncle Rain's eyes were wide. He could tell Apollo's age by just a look. "Young Master, his body has stepped into the Nature Realm. It's unbelievable. Not only is it just in the Nature Realm but it's at the sixth level."

 Teio couldn't find the words to speak. "I don't think anyone in the tournament could be his opponent if he went all out. Maybe Raith Vex and Adam Cercus could hold out for a bit." He finally looked to the Feinn Family, "It seems you have found yourselves a talented friend."

In the Capital Palace a middle-aged man sat silent as his cabinet discussed. He suddenly tensed and looked in a certain direction. This didn't escape the eyes of others

 "What's wrong your Highness?" one of them asked. He didn't reply and waved them to continue. Soon the discussion reached its peak again. The furrowed brow on the man didn't disappear for a long time.

 "Haaa" he exhaled dramatically, "The tournament this year will be interesting" a grin present on his face. He looked to his left, "Don't you think so Ms. Enim?"

 Everyone's eyes went to the dark corner the man was looking at. A veiled woman appeared from that dark corner.

 "How the…" one of the officials spoke. It was unbelievable that this woman could stay here this entire time. How high was her concealing ability?

 The woman walked forward revealing her tempting curves and demonic temperament. It was as if she wanted to be thrown down and taken advantage of. However, the pressure from her was so great that no one would dare.

 She smiled seductively at the man who now had lightning sparks in his eyes. "I's surprised you could spot me. It seems like those of us at the central continent have underestimated you Vex Monarch." She smiled temptingly. She inspired lust in everyone of the men present. Her devilish charm would make any man go crazy.

 The Vex Monarch circulated his energy, eliminating all bad thoughts from his brain. "How could you say this when you Enim clans Djinn bloodline is so powerful. I truly am amazed and jealous of your power." He humbled himself before her. He knew he was not her opponent let alone the opponent of those behind her. She had only used surface level concealing techniques without even activating her bloodline.

 The woman walked to the highest official's seat and looked down at him. Her expression changed from enchanting to cold in one second. "Move." The man looked at the Vex Monarch, asking what to do.

 "Leave. Everyone else too." He quickly shooed away everyone.

 After everyone had filed out of the meeting room, the woman finally spoke: "I come to observe your Regional Tournament."

 "Theres no way he sent you for only this. I believe someone of your status wouldn't care about the talents of our Eastern Region." The Vex Monarch said, unconvinced.

 The woman let out a charming laugh. "Of course not. I believe we have both perceived what happened at the residence of the Thunder Colosseum. I have reported this to my Clan Master, and he has told me to investigate. After all, nothing like that has appeared in this world before."

 "Yes. I don't know what it was, but it gave me an unfathomable feeling. I didn't find anything when I scanned the area with my sense before" He paused before continuing, "There was however this one boy. He seemed to be unaffected by my sense while only being at the fourth level of the Heaven's Descent Realm."

 "I assume you also got no results when trying to penetrate the domain of that Purple Gate?" she asked.

 The Vex Monarch nodded. "I attempted to probe but my sense was instantly crushed. I had only experienced that feeling from your father before."

 "We will see in the tournament." She quickly disappeared from the chair.

 The Vex Monarch finally relaxed. He had long passed the Nature Realm and had reached the peak of the Heavens Expansion Realm. However in front of the weakest daughter of the Enim Clan he felt like a spec of dust.

 He exhaled dramatically. "Why do you keep us around? What do you have in plan for me Victor Enim?" He also quickly left the hall.

 Apollo, Teio, Sera and the rest sat around a small table to discuss the tournament.

 "Our main goal should be to conceal your abilities." Teio said, looking at Apollo. "I am usually never allowed to do this, but I think this situation should be worthy." He paused once again. This time he hit his GNA a couple times before a ding appeared on Apollo's GNA that he kept in his pocket. "This is a Myth Art of our Mystic Academy. No one in the academy has been able to learn it so far but it is without a doubt powerful. The Art is apparently from the Enim clan of the central region. They are the self-proclaimed rulers of this world. In the past one of our students had been accepted into their academy as he had a talent in Dark Energy. Before his death he had sent us a copy of their special movement and concealing technique: Shade Step."

 Apollo quickly scanned over the first pages and was surprised. It seemed to be a movement technique, but the first level was learning to conceal your own power and body.

 Ghosts' voice appeared in his head. "This technique is perfect for you however it requires knowledge of Dark Energy. I believe you can learn a little from just studying this book but only barely enough to learn the first level. Without a connection to Heavenly Dark Energy you will need to find a person who has cultivated Dark Energy in order to progress further."

 It seems I must find someone from this Enim Clan to fight. He thought.

 "Absolutely not. Once again if you looked at your GNA you would understand how stupid what you just said was. You are comparing the Enim clan to the Vex too much. The newest generation of the Enim has already surpassed the Nature Realm and most of the Heavens Expansion Realm. You must avoid confronting them until you have at least reached the Peak of the Nature Realm."

 Apollo's face scrunched. Why the hell was the Enim Clan so much stronger than the Eastern clans?

Fine. I will study the first level and wait to learn the rest.

 Seeing Apollo investigate the Myth Art Teio quickly spoke again. "They will for sure form an alliance once they learn about your strength. We must conceal it until the very end. Will you be able to do it?" He was worried Apollo couldn't learn the first level in time. He only had one day to learn the basics of Dark Energy.

 "I can do it. Without using my body, I believe I will be able to fight any normal Nature Realm Level One. Until it is necessary, I will not use the true strength of my body." He comforted. He waited for Teio's nod before turning to Elder Rain. "I would like to as you Mr. Rain to be my sparring partner for the day before."

 Mr. Rain smiled. "Of course. I would like to see the power of your Body Cultivation."

 They both headed for the private arena. In this time the Feinn Family had stayed in the Mystic Academy's Villa. It turns out the Vex had intended to humiliate them with a small courtyard. Compared to the Mystic Academy's Villa, it could be considered a humble apartment.

 Everyone followed intending to watch the two spar. Elder Rain was at the Eighth Level of the Nature Realm and was the only one here that could withstand Apollo's physique. The barrier around the Arena was quickly formed, isolating the two in its power.

 "You be the first to make a move." Elder Rain said, waving his hand at him.

 Apollo circulated his energy for the first time after breaking through to the Sixth Level. He quickly felt stronger than ever before. The strength his odd Myth Energy had was intoxicating. Even if he didn't use the gate, he would be unrivaled at his own level.

 He started without using the Gates power. His figure flashed and rushed towards Mr. Rain. Mr. Rain was slightly disappointed as his speed was rather slow, but he also understood he had never used his power at this level before.

 Apollo's figure quickly split, showing 6 different versions of himself all rushing towards Mr. Rain.

They all closed in on him and just as each was about to strike, they all disappeared, showing the real Apollo swinging his fist at Mr. Rains head. Mr. Rains expression was calm. This was obviously just a move to scale his own power, so he didn't take it to mind much. He simply released his energy and sent Apollo flying.

 He wasn't hurt by Mr. Rains' attack at all, but he was surprised to see the difference so big. All he did was circulate his energy and it was enough to send any normal Level Six flying. Apollo attacked once again. This time he exercised all power is his core. The symbol of Lightning, Fire, and Illusion all shone brightly. He charged towards Mr. Rain again, this time much faster as he had enhanced his body with Lightning. He formed a couple flaming swords that he sent at him. Just as the flaming sword arrived Apollo appeared behind him and punched at his rib cage.

 All three disappeared and soon the true scene was displayed. The two swords struck Mr. Rains heels, attempting to impair his movement. They could not pierce his skin, however. Mr. Rain was not surprised. If Apollo had fully developed his Sense, he would realize it was incredibly easy to see past his illusions. Apollo had successfully landed a punch on Mr. Rains face but it didn't move him at all.

 "You've been given your warmup." He said, swatting away his hand. "You may be undefeated in your level, but it is not enough to be worth anything in the tournament."

 Apollo went silent. His aura violently surged. His level had stayed the same but the intensity of the power he was releasing could easily suppress any Level Eight.

 Mr. Rain was surprised. It was as if something just clicked in his body, and he suddenly was much stronger. He could barely get over his surprise before it happened again.

 Apollo had now activated both gates. He could feel a faint connection with the third but couldn't activate it. "Ghost, any ideas on how to connect to the third gate?"

 "The gate seems to be connected to how much of your own power you can handle. Each time you've leveled up you've gained another Gate I believe this time it will be no different."

 "How many Gates are there. Could there be infinite?"

 "I don't think so. Each Gate increases your power to fight another two levels past your own. If my guess is correct there should be Five. Any more than that seems unreasonable as you'd be able to start skipping entire realms at once. The maximus should be around one realm. You should unlock all be the end of the Heaven's Descent Realm."

 "So, when I do unlock all of them Ill be able to skip an entire Realm?" Apollo was ecstatic with the discovery. It seemed whatever his parents left behind for them was forever out of his comprehension.

 "Yes, so get to it already." Ghost replied, disappearing into his body.

 Just as it seemed that the odd power would increase once again it slowly dimmed. His strength was solid at the Peak of the Heaven's Descent Realm.

 "You must have some unbelievable secrets." Mr. Rain thought. Inwardly he recognized Teio's ability to make friends and scout talent. If Apollo and him had been enemies Mr. Rain would have long killed him to avoid a future calamity. He finally released his power creating a large storm cloud above his head.

 Apollo felt his senses become sealed as heavy rain fell from the cloud. He was suddenly struck by a ball of water that the rain had formed. His arm had gone numb after blocking the attack when another appeared. One after another Apollo was beaten senselessly. None of the attacks could pierce his body but the blunt damage had affected his body heavily.

 Apollo released a small amount of his physical strength, giving him room to breathe. With the newfound time he had created a barrier of flames that neutralized the water attacks before they could reach him.

 As he was thinking of a way to get out of the storm, Ghost interrupted. "You've forgotten your path."

Apollo was quickly enlightened. He had already figured out his path but when it came to it, he had lost his way. He quickly demolished the barrier, letting his body be bombarded by the attacks. Instead of trying to resist, this time Apollo greedily accepted every attack, internalizing the energy. This allowed it to ravage his insides, but he didn't care and resisted. He found his comprehension of water energy was no different from those before. "It seems compared to my soul; these energies are nothing."

 His comprehension could be considered almost instantly. This level of energy was but a meager learned with only a couple seconds of interaction. Soon the symbol of water started to be engraved on his core.

 Those that were watching were slightly concerned. Sera especially felt uncomfortable. She looked at Teio. "Shouldn't Elder Rain hold back? Why does it seem he is intending to hurt him?" She didn't know either of them very well and couldn't judge the safety of Apollo.

 "With his current strength he can easily crush anyone at the peak of the Heaven's Descent Realm. Uncle Rain is suppressing his strength to the first level of the Nature Realm. This beating would be impossible without the willingness of Apollo." He said, watching closely. There was no way Apollo could be in this bad of condition without it being deliberate.

 Sera suddenly thought of the memories she had seen of Apollo. At the time she finally understood why he had agreed to spar with her. Apollo quickly understood the powers of his opponent fast enough to use them back in the same fight. This must be his reasoning now. It pained Sera to see him use such a painful method to progress but understood he was powerless without the recognition of Heaven.

 Apollo's figure suddenly stopped moving. Instead of damaging him, the storm could now work in his favor as well. He had thoroughly understood Mr. Rains power and could see through it. Each time a raindrop hit him he felt a comfortable feeling. He ignored all the attacks and speed towards Mr. Rain.

 Mr. Rain was endlessly questioning how Apollo had completely nullified his energy. He grew slightly fed up with Apollo's seemingly endless talent and removed the cap from his strength. He would teach this arrogant youngster a lesson. Soon Apollo once again couldn't withstand the strength of the Rain. He had completely understood Mr. Rains power but even a familiar power would be harmful if it was too high of level. Mr. Rains energy was Eight levels higher than Apollo's and quickly damaged him.

 Apollo had released everything now. His physical strength was fully released, however each time the cycle of the reduced number of cells came, he would feel immense pain as he couldn't resist.

 His inability to control the state of his body enraged him. He felt he had the ability to resist if he could stay at the peak of the cycle in his body, but no matter what he did he couldn't continue the duration of increased cells.

 "You are in control. Remember everything you have is yours. These treasures passed down to you may be out of this world, but they are still yours. You oversee them. You must make them obey your will." Ghost encouraged him. As of right now he could feel Apollo felt out of his league as if he was on a path of no control. What he needed right now was to enforce his will onto anything refusing to bend to it. Whether it be his soul, the Gate, or his own body.

 Apollo furrowed his brows. His mentality changed. He started to require the full submission of everything in his control. Soon the Gate began to shine and going even further to release a resplendent light inside his body as if it was excited. The Third Gate quickly began to materialize as if to respond to Apollo's dominating will. The light released by the Gate had an adverse effect on his body. His body seemed to pause in the state of multiplied cells.

 Apollo could now feel an unbelievable power emit from his body. He circulated Water energy now empowered by the Third Gate. Now each time the level 8 Water Energy hit him it would simply drip off with no effect. Finally, he released the strength in his body in full, dispersing the entire storm.

 Mr. Rain underestimated the power of his body. Apollo's strength right now was only barely under his own. Apollo appeared this time with a speed he was not able to read. Before he could react, he felt as if a truck had hit him right in the chest. He crashed into the ground heavily. Just as he was getting up, he was suddenly bombarded with Apollo's three different energies. Lightning struck down from the dark clouds in the sky. Collums of flames were emitted from his sides, crashing onto him from his left and right. Powerful waves crashed onto him from his front and back. After taking such a hard hit he could not resist the bombardment.

 "I resign!" He yelled and the energy quickly dissipated.

 "You resigned that fight the second you intended to harm me." Apollo said harshly. He would never let someone harm him without returning the attitude in turn.

 "I was wrong to try to teach you a lesson. Please forgive me." Mr. Rain admitted. He could feel his own jealousy and arrogance take over. It was right for Apollo to not act kindly.

 "I will this once." He still felt good towards Mr. Rain, but he didn't appreciate his attitude in the earlier fight. He didn't want to further the disagreement, especially after learning Mr. Rain had helped him before.

 "Thank you." Mr. Rain smiled. "You can call me Uncle Rain from now on. I promise to support you in the future. I believe you will become the strongest of the younger generation."

 "Alright from today on ill call you Uncle Rain. I will visit the Mystic Academy after the tournament and formalize our friendship." Apollo said, nodding to Uncle Rain.

 Uncle Rain was happy on the inside. He was too old to be stuck up about the events of the fight before. He realized he was in the wrong and that it was in Apollo's power to punish him for it. The only thing he wished for was that it didn't affect the relationship he had with the Mystic Academy. When he heard Apollo intended to visit the Academy, he was happy as it would solidify their relationship. When Apollo reached the peak of the world they would undoubtedly benefit immensely.

 Apollo walked to the group and stood beside Sera. He could tell she was nervous and wanted to calm her down. They had a close feeling after having soul intercourse. If nothing changed, he was thinking of asking her to accept him as her lover.

 His arm hooked around her waist as they began to walk towards their new room. "Ill go back first. Please don't disturb me as I need to reach the first realm in Shade Step before tomorrow."

 Teio felt it natural for him to seclude for the next day. Shade Step was an extremely complex Art to learn. Teio felt that even given its difficulty, Apollo could step into the first level before the first day.

 At Teio's side, Ishi's face was ugly. He could feel his daughter being snatched from under him. He wasn't strict enough to force her into marriage, however he felt he could no longer control anything with Apollo around. His future was far beyond anyone he had met so far and now Sera would be dragged into the storm with him.