The Rise of a Master: It Starts With Rejection

Felix noticed that the oppressive darkness around him seemed to thin ever so slightly. It was such a subtle change that an ordinary person would not have sensed it, but with his heightened awareness, he picked up on it immediately. "Finally, some progress. Let's keep going," he muttered to himself, determination flaring in his eyes.

...

Time passed, and three months slipped by in the outside world. The frenzy surrounding Harmony Clinic's bounty on the Maximus family began to die down. Despite the massive search effort, no one could find any trace of them. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.

Rumors circulated that the Maximus family might have fled to the capital. After all, how else could they avoid being discovered by so many skilled trackers? Regardless of the speculation, Deborah's health rapidly deteriorated.

The loss of her beloved apprentice, coupled with her inability to avenge him, had broken her spirit. Bern personally diagnosed her condition and could only sigh in frustration.

"It's an emotional wound," he explained. "No medicine can cure this. If she doesn't overcome it herself, she might not last a year."

With Deborah bedridden, Harmony Clinic fell into disarray. The production of advanced pills slowed drastically, and no one had found a way to reverse the decline.

One day, under the scorching sun, Felix opened his eyes inside Echo Cavern. The final traces of darkness had completely disappeared, and he could see his surroundings clearly for the first time.

It was an enormous cave with a barren, rocky floor. The scattered stones reminded him of a massive public square, almost as large as one in the capital. There were no decorations or furniture-just vast, empty space.

Felix also noticed that the oppressive sound had stopped attacking his soul. The Dragonspine fragments within him had ceased vibrating, signaling that the sound no longer had any power over him.

"Does this mean I can finally get out of here?" he wondered aloud.

Looking around, Felix saw no exits. He approached one of the cavern walls and struck it with his fist. There was no sound, no damage—just an eerie, unsettling silence.noveldrama

A few seconds later, however,

cracks began to form where he had punched. The cracks widened, and chunks of rock crumbled away, revealing a glowing entrance filled with white light.

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"Well, I've made it this far. Nothing to be afraid of now," he whispered, summoning his courage.

Felix stepped through the opening and found himself in a smaller chamber roughly the size of a large living room. In the center was a

stone platform from which the

brilliant white light emanated

"What's this?" he murmured, approaching cautiously.

A small dagger, glowing faintly, lay atop the platform. The blade was only about the size of a child's hand, and the short handle would be awkward for an adult to grip.

Felix circled the room several times to ensure no hidden traps before finally stepping closer to the platform. Taking a deep breath, he reached out and touched the dagger.

To his relief, the only reaction was the disappearance of the flickering white light- no danger, no sudden attack.

"Lumen... is that your name?" Felix whispered as he noticed the word briefly flash across the blade.

The moment the name left his lips, the dagger transformed into a beam of light and shot into his body, startling him.

"What the hell?" he gasped, his hand instinctively going to his chest.

He stood still for several moments, but when no harm came to him, he finally exhaled in relief. "Is this... some kind of treasure?"

Felix sensed that Lumen was not physically embedded in his body. Instead, it seemed to have vanished into his very soul-a place he could barely perceive. Moreover, as soon as Lumen disappeared, the soul-attacking sound that had plagued him for months faded entirely.

Felix could not help but wonder if the sound actually came from Lumen.