Aldoria: Am I a hero...or not?

{{Valor Manor – Kael's Room}}

Kael stepped into his room, shutting the door behind him. He exhaled, his body still tingling from the fight with Kyle. He had won, but it wasn't enough. He was strong, far stronger than before, but not nearly at the level he wanted to be.

He sat on the floor, closing his eyes. The system had told him he could enhance his aura control, and now was the time to push himself further.

[ Begin aura refinement? ]

"Yes."

The moment he agreed, a strange warmth surged from within him. He focused, guiding the energy through his body, feeling it pool deep in his lower abdomen. The warmth grew hotter, denser, until suddenly–

BOOM!

A powerful shockwave erupted from his body, shattering the windows and sending furniture flying. His bed crashed against the wall, and bookshelves toppled over. Dust and debris filled the air.

Kael remained floating in a sitting stance, his entire body bathed in a golden glow. At the center of his lower abdomen, a dark yellow orb pulsated with power.

Footsteps pounded down the hall.

"Kael!"

Sylvia burst into the room first, followed by a few maids, Freya, and Elysia. Their eyes widened at the sight before them. Kael hovering above the wreckage, his aura radiating raw energy.

"What in the world…?" Freya whispered.

Then, another set of heavy footsteps. Cassian stepped inside, his sharp gaze locking onto the glowing orb in Kael's abdomen.

"That's… the first stage of aura manifestation."

Elysia gasped. "Cassian, what does that mean?"

"The stages of aura are distinct," Cassian began, his arms crossed. "It starts from light yellow, then yellow, dark yellow, light orange, orange, dark orange. After that comes light red, red, dark red, and finally grey, greyish white, and white which is the level of a demigod." His gaze darkened. "But there's a theory… That our great-great-grandfather, the founder of the Valor family, wielded an aura beyond even that, light purple to dark purple. Some say violet."

A tense silence followed.

Then, Kael's body trembled, and his eyes fluttered open. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, his legs unsteady.

"What's… going on?" His voice was groggy as he looked around. He blinked at the shocked expressions on his family's faces, then at the ruined state of his room. "Why is everyone here?"

Cassian exhaled through his nose. "Because you just jumped tiers."

Kael frowned. "Tiers?"

Cassian nodded. "From a tier -1 to a tier 3 warrior."

Kael's breath hitched.

Tier 3? That wasn't just a single jump.. it was a massive leap, something that should've taken years.

His fingers clenched into fists.