Creation Of All Things

"He really did it…"

A man with golden hair and eyes like the sun leaned forward, staring at the screen where Adam stood in the arena, surrounded by golden embers.

Krozak's lifeless body lay at his feet.

A slow smirk formed on the man's lips. "Fearless."

Beside him, another man—same golden hair, same sun-like eyes—nodded. His expression was unreadable, but there was a glint of satisfaction in his gaze.

"That's why he's the best candidate this year." His voice was calm, confident. "I chose him for a reason."

But then—

"Father."

A younger voice cut in.

Darren.

Golden-haired, just like them, but his eyes carried something else—concern.

"Isn't this risky?" He leaned forward, his fingers tightening into fists. "You know the Abyssborn Ravagers are insanely vengeful about their own."

He exhaled sharply.

"Krozak was one of their elites. I bet word of his death has already reached them."

"They wouldn't dare set foot in the Origin Academy."

The first man's voice was steady, unwavering. His golden eyes locked onto Darren.

"They know better than that."

Darren's jaw tightened. "Yeah, sure. But what about outside the academy?"

His gaze flicked between his father and uncle, his frustration growing. "New students will eventually leave to explore the outside worlds, to understand the universe they're part of. What's stopping the Abyssborn Ravagers from attacking Adam then?"

Silence.

Then—

"They wouldn't dare touch a student of the Origin Academy."

Darren's father, Daryll, finally spoke, his voice filled with certainty. "Doing so would put their entire species at risk."

Darren exhaled sharply. "Dad, come on. There are plenty of ways to get rid of someone." His golden eyes narrowed. "Even if the Abyssborn Ravagers are a bunch of brutes, they're not stupid. They could find a way to kill Adam without it leading back to them."

He expected concern. Maybe even a hint of caution.

But his father only leaned back, eyes glinting with something else.

"That's the least of our worries."

Darren frowned. "What?"

Daryll turned back to the screen, watching as Adam stood over Krozak's corpse, golden embers still flickering in the air.

"What I want to know…" His voice dropped slightly.

"…is how a human just used a power that belongs exclusively to the Demon King of the Demon Realm."

Elsewhere

"Cecelia, I want you to look into this Adam."

The man's voice was calm, but his celestial presence made the air feel heavy. His golden eyes glowed faintly as he gazed at the woman before him.

"I want to know what kind of future he holds."

Sitting in a lotus position, Cecelia—a white-haired woman with pure white eyes—slowly exhaled. Her brows furrowed as she focused on the man in front of her.

Then, after a long pause—

She frowned.

"I can't see it anymore."

The celestial man's expression didn't change, but his eyes sharpened.

Cecelia shook her head. "His future… it's blank."

A strange silence filled the room.

She lifted her gaze, her voice quieter now.

"Every other being in the academy—I can see their fates as clearly as ever." Her white eyes flickered. "But him?"

She exhaled sharply.

"…It's like he doesn't even exist in the flow of time anymore."

The celestial man's gaze didn't waver.

"…Blank?"

His voice was calm, but something shifted in the air around him. A pressure. Faint, but undeniable.

Cecelia swallowed. "Completely. No threads, no possibilities… just nothing."

She clenched her fists on her lap, frustration creeping into her tone. "I can even see the Abyssborn Ravagers moving as we speak, furious about Krozak's death. But Adam?" She exhaled sharply. "It's like time itself refuses to acknowledge him."

The celestial man's golden eyes glowed, reflecting something deeper—something unreadable.

"Interesting."

Cecelia's frown deepened. "This doesn't concern you?"

The man turned, his flowing celestial robes shifting like waves of light. "It does." He took a step forward, hands behind his back. "It means he's something beyond fate."

He paused, his voice lowering just slightly.

"And that makes him more dangerous than anyone realizes."

Cecelia's voice sharpened, her white eyes narrowing.

"So dangerous that even you should be concerned."

She exhaled, frustration slipping into her tone.

"I can see every living being's fate in this universe—from the smallest ant to the most powerful Overlords. But him?" She shook her head. "A kid who hasn't even reached Monarch yet… and I can't see a damn thing."

Her gaze locked onto the celestial man, searching for any sign of unease.

But he only smiled.

And that irritated her more.

"You just call it interesting?"

The celestial man finally turned to face her, hands still clasped behind his back. The golden glow in his eyes deepened, as if peering through reality itself.

"Because it is interesting."

Cecelia's lips pressed into a thin line.

The celestial man took a step forward.

"There's only one type of existence that escapes fate," he said calmly. "Those who create it."

Cecelia's breath hitched.

"Are you saying he's—"

"I don't know what he is." The celestial man's gaze flickered toward the sky, as if searching for something unseen. "But whatever he becomes… it will shake this universe to its core."

Cecelia stared at him, trying to find the usual arrogance in his tone. The overconfidence.

But this time, it wasn't there.

This time, it was something else entirely.

Something close to…

Curiosity.

And maybe—

Just maybe—

A hint of caution.

—

Origin Academy – Inner Hall

Adam walked through the marble corridors, his steps quiet but deliberate.

Behind him, the whispers of students still echoed from the arena, their voices filled with shock and speculation.

But he ignored them.

His expression was calm. Unbothered.

Then—

Step.

A presence.

Adam stopped.

Ahead, leaning casually against the wall, was a young man with sharp eyes and a lazy smirk. His black and red uniform marked him as an upperclassman—one of the strongest in the academy.

He clapped slowly.

"Well, well," the upperclassman drawled. "Flawless victory, huh?"

Adam said nothing.

The upperclassman pushed off the wall, his smirk widening.

"You really stirred things up." His crimson eyes gleamed. "I like that."

He took a step closer.

"But you see, freshman…"

The air around him shifted.

"…There are rules in this academy."

A faint pressure settled in the hall. The temperature seemed to drop.

Adam's expression didn't change.

The upperclassman tilted his head, studying him.

"…I wonder," he mused. "Do you even know what you've gotten yourself into?"