As Vincent entered the opulent living room of the villa, his eyes finally settled on Sophie Iris, the young lady whom Victoria had mentioned. Sophie sat gracefully in a red armchair, her figure accentuated by a skin-tight dress that matched the soft hue of her pink hair. The dress clung to her curves, highlighting her ample figure as she absentmindedly swiped through a holographic screen.
‘She’s beautiful… but why do I feel like I’ve seen her before?’ he thought. Despite the curiosity bubbling up within him, Vincent maintained a composed exterior, offering only a faint, polite smile.
Victoria, after offering Sophie a respectful bow, excused herself from the room.
Standing just a few feet away from Sophie, Vincent waited, his expression neutral. After glancing at him, Sophie parted her lips and asked, “It seems you managed to recover on your own. How are you feeling now?”
“I’m alright,” he responded curtly, still perplexed as to how he had ended up in this place.
Sophie gave a slight nod, swiping once more at the screen before her.
“I imagine you have questions. Please, take a seat.”
“Thank you.”
He accepted her offer, lowering himself into a nearby armchair. Though unsure of how to address her formally, he kept his tone steady and calm, as always.
“Miss Iris, first, I must thank you for saving my life,” he said, his gaze unwavering.
Though he didn’t fully understand what had transpired, Vincent assumed that Sophie had played a key role in his survival. He had unleashed his chaos energy fully, and when he lost consciousness, he was almost certain he would die.
Sophie closed the hologram screen, her attention now entirely on him.
“I was merely doing my master a favor,” she replied, shaking her head slightly.
“Your master?” Vincent echoed, his curiosity piqued.
But it seemed Sophie wasn’t inclined to discuss her master. She smoothly shifted the conversation.
“Do you have any idea about the power you possess?”
Her question caused Vincent to fall silent. He had no clear understanding of the origin of his chaos energy, nor why it was labeled as an evil or demonic force. The only insight he had received came from Arman, who had branded him a ‘calamity bearer,’ but even then, the explanation had been vague at best.
Eventually, Vincent shook his head, signaling his lack of knowledge.
“That’s understandable,” Sophie said calmly.
“But have you heard of the event that occurred several hundred years ago? The one before the continents of Astralis fragmented into the smaller Arcs?”
Vincent nodded. Every citizen was required to study their world’s history, and even those who hadn’t formally studied would have heard of the event at some point.
Nearly nine centuries ago, before their planet had become partially digital and fallen under the Starmark System—long before Origin Warriors existed—Astralis had been invaded by legions of powerful Primals.
“And how does that relate to my power?” Vincent asked, his curiosity deepening.
Sophie studied him closely, as though assessing whether he was truly unaware or simply pretending. Seeing only genuine confusion in his eyes, she continued.
“Those Primals emitted the same energy you now possess.”
Vincent’s eyes widened in shock. Until this moment, he had believed that Primals wielded Origin Energy like the warriors of today. But the revelation that they had once channeled something far more dangerous left him momentarily speechless.
Noting his surprise, Sophie clarified further.
“The Primals we know today are vastly different from the ones that invaded Astralis nine hundred years ago. Those ancient Primals were not only more intelligent and savage but also far more powerful. Some were even more intelligent than humans.”
She paused briefly before adding, “It is known as Primal Energy.”
Primal Energy? Isn’t my power called Chaos Energy? Vincent’s brow furrowed in confusion.
Reading his expression, Sophie elaborated.
“Though many of those ancient Primals were either driven back to their home worlds or killed over the centuries, there have been rare anomalies like yourself—humans who somehow awakened and gained control over Primal Energy. But because Primal Energy is inherently wild and destructive, most of these individuals caused widespread chaos, leading to their branding as ‘calamity bearers.'”
Vincent fell silent once again, pondering her words. The energy she described shared striking similarities with his own Chaos Energy, making him fear that he might one day become a mindless force of destruction.
Yet, there was an undeniable feeling that there was more to this mystery—something he needed to uncover.
Masking his unease, Vincent asked, “So, what happens to me now? And why did your master ask you to save me?”
Sophie paused, seemingly weighing her words before responding.
“My master’s only instruction was to protect you—not to take care of you.”
Vincent’s curiosity deepened.
“Is there a chance I could meet your master and thank him personally?”
“I don’t believe my master has any desire to meet you,” Sophie replied.
“If my master had wanted to, they would have saved you themselves, rather than sending me.”
Vincent had to admit, her reasoning made sense. Still, his curiosity about her mysterious master lingered, but he decided not to press the issue.
Noticing his silence, Sophie’s brow furrowed slightly. After a moment of contemplation, she said, “If you truly wish to learn more about Primal Energy, I would suggest you consider enrolling in Bronzehaven Academy.”
Bronzehaven Academy…
The name immediately struck a chord with Vincent. It was one of the three most prestigious and influential academies in their Arc, alongside Magic Trinity Institute and Beastial Academy.
Bronzehaven was renowned not only for its excellent curriculum but also for its notoriously difficult entrance exams, which only the most gifted students from prominent guilds, organizations, and sects could pass.
Vincent, however, didn’t feel intimidated. He had confidence in his own abilities.
Not only could Bronzehaven hold the key to understanding his Chaos Energy, but it might also provide clues about his parents’ whereabouts.
If no traces of them existed within the Bronzehaven Arc, he would continue his search in other Arcs. Regardless, applying to the academy seemed like the best path forward.
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