Chapter 7
The commands of the head of the household were absolute. When the order was given, the ducal family immediately began preparations for the Awakening Ceremony.
Azureocean Forest was located to the north of Azureocean Castle. This sacred forest was where the Pledge Stone was located, and it was only accessible to the direct descendants of the Leston family.
Halo led the group, with Caron’s uncles and father after him. Behind them, the elders of the family followed along. They were all participants in this ceremony.
The elders’ level of Azure Mana… Well yeah, of course. Caron glanced behind him and nodded. Although the elders were right behind him, he couldn’t detect any presence or hear a single footstep.
The elders of the Leston family were enigmatic figures, but Caron knew they were the guardians of the family.
"The elders are powerful individuals from previous generations. If a person’s mana exceeds a certain quantity, their lifespan increases as well, right? So, to put it simply, it's all about giving the retired elders of the family a position of honor."
Caron recalled what Halo had once explained to him.
It was a long-established tradition to provide a position to the elders of the Leston family. They had also played pivotal roles in the war Cain fought in forty-five years ago. They were like the hidden blades of the ducal family. At the same time, they were also influential within the family, maneuvering behind the scenes.
Of course, it could be that things had changed and Caron just wasn’t aware of it. Halo was the great hero and symbol of the Leston family. Since he was also the strongest person of the continent, the elders wouldn’t be able to object to Halo’s decisions no matter how powerful they were.
"We've arrived," Halo said. It hadn’t taken them long to get to the destination.
Whoosh.
A massive barrier shimmering with Azure Mana loomed before them. Although it was a mana barrier, it felt completely different from those created by mages using ordinary mana. Given that the Pledge Stone was connected to ancient magic, this barrier was likely to be connected to ancient magic as well.
Caron exhaled lightly.
"Caron Leston, once you enter this barrier, the Awakening Ceremony will begin. When you are inside, the Pledge Stone will guide you to the new world," Halo began to explain as he looked down at Caron.
"Each person experiences a different world, one that aligns with their destiny. In that world, a weapon filled with Azure Mana awaits you. Your task inside is simple. Use that weapon to destroy the world. That will complete the Awakening Ceremony," Halo continued.
It wasn’t a good explanation. The task of ‘destroying the world’ was a vague and somewhat grandiose instruction. At least, that was how it sounded to Caron.
"Find your own way to break the world," Halo added.
"Yes, Grandfather," Caron replied.
"You must overcome your fears. Do you understand?"
Caron nodded obediently in response.
Breaking things was Caron’s specialty. In his previous life, he had almost destroyed the world he was living in. Of course, it was because of the Malevolent Emperor, but regardless, he still felt confident in his ability to destroy. So he wasn't particularly worried. He would figure it out once he entered.
"Let’s begin the Awakening Ceremony," Halo said, closely watching his grandson's reaction. Then, he removed a pendant from his neck and placed it on the ground.
At that moment, a glowing blue door appeared in front of them. It was just big enough for Caron to pass through.
Caron slowly placed his hand on the handle. He turned and waved lightly at his father, who was watching him from behind. He said simply, "I'll be back, Father."
"I'll be waiting here," Fayle told him as he forced a smile and waved back.
"Okay," Caron replied. He opened the door and stepped through without hesitation. Soon after, the door vanished as if it had never been there, leaving only the adults behind.
Halo muttered to himself, "I wonder what outcome he'll achieve."
It was a matter of pure curiosity.
The Pledge Stone didn’t merely provide an experience of another world. It presented a world that the child had to overcome. The lower one’s potential was, the more comfortable the world they were shown would be. But if their potential was high, they would be shown a hellish world.
Halo recalled the hell he had seen through the Pledge Stone when he was seven years old. That horrifying world had been difficult to overcome with the mind of a child. But one thing was certain: Overcoming such trials led to growth proportional to the challenge. And at the same time, one could also obtain a treasure imbued with the long history of the Leston family.
Although it was forbidden to speak of what one saw and heard during the trial, the weapon they brought back could indicate the child's potential.
I brought back the first ancestor's sword, Halo recalled, wondering what his peculiar grandson would retrieve.
His lips curled into a smile as he gazed at the barrier. His first and second sons frowned slightly as they watched their father's expression.
He’s already taken a liking to that boy.
This isn't good. Not good at all.
The only one who genuinely worried about Caron in that place was Fayle.
My son, please come back safely, he thought.
***
"Ugh," Caron groaned, feeling a searing pain engulf him when he stepped through the door. But it didn’t last long.
Whoosh.
The Azure Mana he naturally emanated calmed the burning sensation. The blinding light that had blocked his view also quickly faded away.
As Caron slowly opened his eyes, the "new world" Halo had mentioned revealed itself.
"...Ha." Caron sighed.
This wasn’t a new world; it was a world he already knew. And not only was he familiar with it, it was his very own world.
How could he forget this hellscape littered with countless corpses? This was where his previous life as Cain Latorre had met its end. He was standing in front of the main palace, where the emperor's throne was located.
"Why…" Caron muttered as he wondered why the Pledge Stone had brought him there. He took a deep breath and looked around.
There was nothing else alive in the vicinity. The sky was stained an ominous shade of red, and lifeless corpses were strewn everywhere. Whether it was the royal guards clad in armor embroidered with the mark of a golden lion, or the rebels wearing blue sashes, they were all dead.
Though he knew this was an illusion created by the Pledge Stone, the ancient magic made everything feel real—the blood-drenched stone tiles, the metallic scent piercing his nose… Everything Caron saw and felt came to him with astonishing vividness.
"Amazing," Caron muttered sarcastically as he lifted his head to gaze up at the stairs, the one and only path to the throne room. He had once risked his life to protect his place, and it was here that he’d met his end with Halo’s sword piercing his heart. And yet now, neither Cain nor Halo were present.
"Ha…" Caron sighed. He knew he couldn’t remain lost in thought forever. As vivid as it was, this was still just an illusion. He had to find a way out. There had to be a weapon somewhere in this hell. He needed to find that weapon and discover the way out of this place.
He stepped forward cautiously, instinctively knowing where he needed to go. If the answer was hidden in this place, it had to be in the throne room. That was a place he had never dared to reach, as in his previous life, he couldn’t even dream of such disloyalty..
Tap, tap.
Caron walked up the steps. Corpses were piled up on both sides of the staircase; some had died in agony with their eyes open. They were the comrades who had once defended the palace with him.
"...I'm sorry," Caron whispered, recalling each of them as he went up.
Just as Halo had done long ago, he resolutely approached the throne room step by step. He could have shut his eyes, but he chose not to. Although all of this was an illusion, it was a matter of respect for his fallen comrades. He climbed the stairs, taking in their deaths with each step.
Without hesitation, Caron Leston followed the same path Cain Latorre had once taken. But their destinations were different. Cain had stopped at the end of the staircase, but Caron did not.
Here it is, Caron thought as he stepped over the spot where he had died in his previous life.
Then, he willingly stepped into the place he had never dared to enter.
The one standing here now wasn’t Cain Latorre. This person wasn't a slave under someone else's control. He was Caron Leston, the youngest grandson of the Leston family, someone who could do whatever he wanted.
Thus, Caron overcame his own death and finally entered the throne room.
Inside, a carpet as red as blood led to the foot of the throne. Finally, Caron was able to see the throne towering high into the air. It was so high that it seemed as if the one who sat there could oversee the world.
However, that throne, which he had once hated so much, had no one sitting on it. Instead, something that glowed blue was embedded in it.
At that moment, a voice echoed in his mind.
—Your world is indeed cruel and lonely, child of the Azure Wolf. The time of the covenant has finally come, and I shall fulfill what was promised to your ancestor.
Caron frowned and asked, "Are you a demon?"
—The blood flowing through your veins is beyond the reach of any mere demon. Overcome your fear and ascend to the throne. What you seek is there.
Perhaps this, too, was an illusion created by the Pledge Stone.
Caron walked along the red carpet toward the throne. Every step he took felt as if he was walking on a river of blood.
Whoosh.
However, with each step Caron took, his Azure Mana began to resonate with the voice coming from the throne little by little. Blue light began to flicker from his body, and the mysterious voice continued to echo in his mind.
—Child blessed by the cold and deep North Sea. Though your soul once lost its way, you have finally arrived here. On behalf of the Azure Clan, I welcome you.
As Caron drew near, the bright golden throne came into view. Soon after, he was able to see what was embedded in it. However, the moment he saw it, his mouth hung open.
It was a long, black sword; but more importantly, it wasn’t the first time Caron had encountered this very sword.
"Luin," he whispered. It was the treasure that the emperor had personally granted Cain Latorre, and the sword he had held onto until his dying breath.
"...The cursed sword," he murmured. It had been his favorite sword. Caron couldn’t understand why it had appeared here.
—That is your weapon. Infuse it with your Azure Mana.
"Infuse Azure Mana into the cursed sword? Don’t be ridiculous," Caron retorted.
This sword had once been like an extension of his arm, but it was ultimately a cursed sword imbued with demonic mana. It was an evil sword that devoured the souls of its wielders to enhance its power.
But the voice, as if it had anticipated Caron’s reaction, spoke gently.
—The demonic essence that once dwelled within has already been eradicated by your grandfather. What you see now is merely a distortion cast by the demons. Awaken your sword, child. Only you can do it.
Caron wondered if he could trust this voice. Perhaps even it was a test of his patience. It was true that he couldn’t sense any malicious mana from Luin; and yet, he found it hard to move.
This sword reminded him of his wretched previous life. He had once been a mere slave, a plaything until the moment of his death, so he never wanted to return to that time. Just imagining it made him shudder.
But as his thoughts reached that point, he realized something.
"...Ha," Caron let out a hollow laugh.
He finally began to understand what this Awakening Ceremony was about. He also realized that Halo’s words, spoken in passing before Caron entered this place, were another show of kindness from his grandfather.
"You must overcome your fears."
"Still as needlessly kind as ever, Halo," Caron said with a faint smile. He placed his hand on his old, beloved sword and gently infused it with his Azure Mana.
A moment later, the voice echoed.
—You’ve done an amazing job.
The light of the Azure Mana emanating from the sword began to engulf the entire world.
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