Ruler of Beyonders

And with this Ren slowly slowly closed his eyes.The next morning began with a loud knock on his door.

Ren opened it to find Teya standing outside. Her glasses were fogged, and her hands were full of data pads.

"Training roster," she said. "You're in Group Thirteen. Follow me."

They walked through the long corridors of Arkenhall. Other trainees passed them, dressed in light armor or fitted training gear. Some moved in pairs. Others walked alone with cold eyes.

As they reached a large hall, Teya pointed toward a wall screen.

"This is the master schedule."

Ren looked.

The screen displayed rotating blocks of time divided by color. Each group had different start hours, different routines.

Group One to Four handled elite sparring. Group Five to Nine worked with elemental shaping and long-range casting. Group Ten to Fifteen focused on close combat, mana control, and physical reinforcement.

His slot blinked in orange.

Group Thirteen. Block C. Instructor: Yato.

Time: 06:00 to 12:00 — Basic Physical Amplification

Time: 13:00 to 15;00 — Mental Focus Drills

Time: 16:00 to 18;00 — Controlled Combat and Pressure Testing

Ren raised an eyebrow.

"Is this normal?"

Teya gave a tired shrug. "Depends on who you are. Yours is tighter than usual."

"Why?"

"You scare people." Both are smiled together. Then She handed him a black band with his group number.

"Put that on your left wrist. It tracks vitals, energy flow, and location. Don't lose it."

Ren slipped it on.

Then she pointed toward the northern corridor.

"Combat field. Yato's waiting. Go."

Ren didn't ask more.

He followed the hall and stepped into an open training arena lined with smooth dark stone. Dozens of pillars rose from the ground, some cracked, others shifting positions every few seconds. It was like a maze built to move.

Yato stood at the center, arms crossed.

"You're late."

Ren stepped forward. "Blame the schedule."

Yato smiled faintly.

"First things first. Physical amplification. You'll learn how to use mana to boost your body. Strength. Speed. Reflex. Without using the Abyss. No magic tricks. No illusions. Just raw control."

Ren nodded.

"Ready when you are."

Yato didn't wait.

He tossed Ren a pair of black gloves, reinforced with light steel.

"Punch the pillar."

Ren looked at the nearest one. It was thicker than his torso.

"Now?"

"Now."

Ren tightened the gloves and stepped forward.

He focused.

No dark mist. No visions. Just his body. His will.

He punched.

The sound was dull. His knuckles ached.

Yato shook his head. "You're holding back. Push the energy into your muscles. Not outside. Inside."

Ren exhaled.

Then tried again.

This time, his fist moved faster. The stone cracked slightly.

"Better," Yato said. "Again."

They trained for hours.

Sweat poured from Ren's skin. His arms burned. His breath turned ragged.

By the end of the first session, he couldn't lift his left hand.

But he didn't fall.

He stayed on his feet.

Yato nodded.

"Good start. Don't die tomorrow."

Ren stumbled toward the bench and sat.

His chest rose and fell. But his eyes were focused.

In his mind, Nyxa spoke again.

"Every drop of pain is a message. Listen to it. Grow from it. Soon… you will reach the gate."

Ren didn't ask what that meant.

He just closed his eyes and sat on the cold bench, arms aching, back soaked in sweat. His breath came in short bursts. Every inhale scraped like sandpaper. Every exhale carried a piece of the pain clinging to his bones.

Yato had left the room without a word. The combat field was empty now. Stone pillars hummed quietly as they rotated on mechanical arms, resetting their positions for the next group. Even the artificial wind that passed through the cracks in the tall chamber walls seemed to have calmed.

Ren sat still, letting the quiet settle into his lungs.

His gloves were heavy. They pressed down on his fingers like lead.

His thoughts drifted toward home. The smell of boiled rice. His mother's soft humming when she cleaned the table. His father's deep laugh when he thought no one was listening. Mira's quiet presence, always in the corner, always watching.

He wondered if they were thinking about him now.

He lowered his gaze to his wristband. The faint green glow showed his vitals were stable. Barely.

Then, slowly, Nyxa's voice returned.

"You lasted longer than I thought."

Her tone was even. Not mocking. Just observant.

Ren leaned back, letting his head rest against the cool metal wall behind him.

"It hurts," he said.

"I know."

"I couldn't even break the pillar. Not like the others I saw."

"That's because you're not like them."

Ren let his eyes drift shut.

"Then what am I?"

There was silence for a moment.

Then Nyxa replied, almost gently.

"You are someone who must learn twice as hard… because you carry more than they can understand."

Ren didn't answer.

He knew she was right.

His body wasn't made for easy power. Everything he had felt until now was overwhelming. The abyss. The darkness. The dreams. None of it made him stronger by itself. It only revealed what might be possible… someday.

But not yet.

He stood up slowly.

Each movement felt like dragging chains. His spine cracked once as he stretched. His muscles screamed, but they still obeyed him.

That was enough.

He made his way down the corridor that led back to the trainee quarters. The lights were dimmer now. It was evening in Arkenhall. Artificial sunlamps along the ceiling flickered into a deep gold, mimicking sunset.

He passed by other groups in training. Each group had their own method.

One group sat cross-legged in a meditation chamber filled with crystal rods, floating slightly above the floor as quiet mantras echoed from a hidden speaker.

Another group fought in pairs, surrounded by tall barriers of light, exchanging blows at speeds Ren could barely follow.

And one group… Group Five… stood in a zero-gravity dome, guiding lines of fire and water through narrow tubes that hung suspended in the air like veins. The control, the precision, the calm in their movements was unnatural.

Ren kept walking. In first day only combat training they organised for Ren. So rest of the time he was did self training and watched the others.

★★★

That night, after dinner in the silent mess hall, he returned to his room.

The room was simple. A bed, a steel desk, a personal screen embedded in the wall. A set of clothes folded neatly on the shelf. On the wall above the bed, someone had scratched a single word into the paint.

"Break."

He stared at it for a long time.

Then he lay down.

The ceiling above him was dark, dotted with tiny lights that mimicked stars. A trick of the facility. Something to ease sleep.

He closed his eyes.

And found himself dreaming.

But this dream was different.

It wasn't the abyss.

It wasn't the sea.

He stood on a black plain.

Across from him stood a girl, dressed in white. She wasn't moving. Her back was turned. Her hair was silver. Her breathing was slow.

Ren tried to step forward.

But the ground cracked under him. His legs froze.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Then she turned her head slightly.

Just enough for him to see her eyes.

Bright. Blinding.

Golden.

The dream ended.