The wind roared at the gates of Heaven.
Kori stood frozen.
Hono.
In human form.
Radiant. Calm. Terrifying.
For a brief second, Kori stared in awe.
But the moment passed.
Hono's golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Your first trial," he said, voice echoing like distant galaxies, "is to overcome me… Kori, Child of the Stars."
The air trembled.
And then—
Hono vanished.
BOOM.
He reappeared in front of Kori, aura erupting, shaking the very heavens as he struck forward with a single palm.
Kori barely raised his arms in time.
The impact was catastrophic.
The gates cracked.
The sky rippled.
And Kori—
Was gone.
Launched unconscious beyond the gates of Heaven.
He was falling.
Through clouds.
Through light.
Through silence.
"…Is this… how it ends…?"
His body tumbled endlessly.
"I… I… I…"
His vision blurred.
"I wan… t… to… se…e…"
Tears drifted upward in the wind.
"My… friends… again…"
And then—
Light.
Blinding.
Burning.
Exploding from within him.
His body stopped falling.
His eyes snapped open.
And in a streak of starlight—
He shot upward.
Back to the gates.
Landing on his feet.
Hono smiled.
"…Finally."
"What took you so long?"
Kori lifted his head slowly.
His eyes glowed.
"I'm not holding back."
Both Nexus flared.
Star.
Ice.
And crackling lightning wrapped around his body.
"Crackling Thunder Form!"
He vanished.
Hono stepped forward.
They collided—
The shockwave split the clouds.
Fists met.
Kicks exchanged.
Hand-to-hand combat at blinding speed.
Kori slid back, slammed his hand down—
Ice shot from the ground, freezing Hono's legs.
Kori leapt forward.
"STAR IMPACT!"
His fist slammed into Hono's chest.
The explosion sent Hono flying back across the sky.
Hono laughed mid-air.
"I like that!"
"But that's not enough."
He extended his hand.
Dozens of miniature stars formed.
He hurled them.
Kori grinned and dodged left, right, twisting through them effortlessly.
"That all you got?!"
Hono's eyes glowed.
"Little Dipper Alignment!"
The star spheres suddenly shifted formation mid-air—
Then detonated at once.
BOOM.
Kori barely crossed his arms in time.
The explosion swallowed him.
When the dust cleared—
He stood bruised.
Bleeding slightly.
But smiling.
He summoned glowing claws.
"LIGHTNING DESCENT!"
He vanished—
Appearing above Hono—
Hono dodged.
But Kori moved again.
Behind him.
Slashing with full force.
The attack barely scratched—
Leaving only a thin cut across Hono's cheek.
Silence.
Hono touched the cut.
Looked at the blood.
Then smiled wider.
"You pass… the first test."
Kori blinked.
"…Really?"
"Come back tomorrow."
Kori's transformation faded instantly.
"…Thank you… for the lesson…"
He collapsed.
Hono caught him gently.
"You did well."
Scene Shift — Supira
Supira closed the spiral-covered book.
"…So that's it."
He stood up and stretched.
Outside, under the open sky, he extended his hand and traced a spiral symbol in the air.
Dark energy followed the motion.
The symbol glowed.
And a door appeared.
Supira smirked.
"Let's see what's inside."
He stepped through.
On the other side—
A massive black castle.
He walked in.
Only to find—
Another library.
Supira stared.
"…More reading for me. Yayy."
His sarcasm echoed through the halls.
Scene Shift — Kaosu
Kaosu stood before Kudo in the King's Domain.
"How do I awaken my power further?" Kaosu asked. "I already passed my first trial when I met you."
Kudo looked at him calmly.
"Anger."
Kaosu blinked. "Just anger?"
"That's not all," Kudo said. "I told you before. Channel the chaos of Aetheris. The sorrow. The regret. The hatred."
Kudo stepped closer.
"Turn it into power."
"Now."
Kaosu closed his eyes.
He felt it.
Every scream.
Every broken dream.
Every ounce of chaos across realms.
It rushed into him—
His body trembled—
Then—
A spike of energy exploded outward.
His eyes changed color.
Dark and radiant at once.
Kudo smiled faintly.
"Good."
Scene Shift — Seiro
Seiro approached Hono, who still held unconscious Kori.
"How did it go?" Seiro asked.
"He passed," Hono replied.
Seiro smiled and gently patted Kori's head.
"I'll go get them."
His aura flared blue.
He stepped forward—
And fell from Heaven.
CRASH.
He landed in front of a dojo below the heavens.
The ground cracked.
Inside—
Shimo froze.
"…Doriabu."
She felt it.
"That energy…"
"Come outside."
They stepped out.
Dust cleared.
Seiro stood calmly.
Smirking.
"You two," he said.
"Want to come to the Heavens?"
The wind howled.
And the chapter ended.