The Truth

Magnus wasn't able to sleep that night. The only thing he could do was think of what Xavier said about the Sovereign and the Hero.

The Hero of Light, Avee Solstice, is the strongest human on Earth after Xavier Eghnee got killed. He was humanity's savior, known as the Dragon Slayer. He was the person who saved the Earth by slaying the boss of the infamous S-rank door break. No, it might have been an SS-rank door. The boss of that door was a dragon. No, not just a dragon. That boss was the first boss with a space attribute.

After killing the Space Dragon, Avee ascended to heaven, where he said he became an Angel and that the god supported him. After that, people worshipped Avee like a god.

"What am I supposed to do?" Magnus asked himself. He knew that he couldn't defeat Avee at this stage.

But why? Why am I caring about saving the world or getting revenge for Xavier? Magnus thought to himself.

He knew the answer. Ava... the only thing that kept him from giving up this world.

"I need answers and more knowledge," Magnus said to himself as he decided to go back to Lone Dream.

***

[Guess who's back] The golden text formed as soon as Magnus opened his eyes.

"Xavier, if you want me to kill those 5, you need to give me information," Magnus said seriously.

[So you accept to be my disciple and get revenge for me?]

"Disciple?"

[If you agree to get revenge for me, I will make you my disciple. I will give you knowledge of everything that I know. I will train you so that you can achieve the maximum potential of your abilities.]

"If that is what I can do to save the world and Ava... then why not?"

[Do you accept to become my disciple? Yes/No]

"Yes"

As soon as Magnus said yes, the golden text started to become golden particles, and it looked like it was trying to form something - a body.

"Finally! I finally have a body!" The golden body said.

"Xavier?!" Magnus exclaimed.

The golden body replied with a thumbs up.

"Wha- how?" Magnus asked, still surprised.

"Did you think I can train you without a body?" Xavier asked.

Magnus was taken aback by Xavier's sudden reappearance in a physical form. He had expected to only receive information and knowledge from Xavier, not for him to manifest a corporeal body.

"I... I don't understand. How is this possible?" Magnus asked, his mind racing with questions.

Xavier chuckled, the golden light of his new form casting an ethereal glow around him. "As my disciple, I need to be able to interact with you directly. This form allows me to do that, to train you and guide you on the path to becoming powerful enough to face Avee Solstice."

Magnus nodded slowly, still processing the incredible sight before him. "Alright, I'm ready. Tell me what I need to do."

Xavier smiled, his piercing gaze fixed on Magnus. "First, we must unlock the true potential of your abilities. You have the power within you, Magnus, the power that has yet to be fully realized. I will teach you how to harness it, how to push the boundaries of what you think is possible."

Magnus steeled his resolve, a newfound determination burning in his eyes. "I'm listening."

"I will be your master from today but... not today. You have something really important to handle," Xavier said, looking down.

"What is it?"

"Naomi. You need to deal with Naomi. As your master, I will tell you one thing. Naomi is not real."

"...how? why? For what reason?!" Magnus said angrily.

"You will soon find out, but here is my advice: Stop seeing her and be careful."

"...okay, I will stop seeing her, but can you give me some knowledge about the hero and those sovereigns? I need to know their weaknesses to beat them, don't I?"

"If you want knowledge, seek the Sovereign of Wisdom, Nari Nasteva. Tell her that the spirit of Xavier Eghnet sent you."

"Would she believe that?"

"She is the Sovereign of Wisdom for a reason. She knows when one tells a lie. Oh, and before you go, just know that the weakness of the Sovereign of Mirage is that he thinks nobody can see through his illusions."

"Wait, his illusions can be seen through?" Magnus was shocked. If illusions can be seen through, then what uses can that have?

"Yes, it's a simple trick, but it's hard to learn. You have to infuse your eyes with layers of mana."

"How does nobody know about this?"

"That nerdy Nari found out about it and shared it with me as a plan to stop other Sovereigns if they go rampant."

"So every Sovereign has a weakness?"

"Everybody has a weakness."

"So can you teach me how to infuse my eyes with mana?"

"Of course."

"So are you going to train me today?"

"Yes, we don't have much time, do we?"

"But you said that you won't train me today."

"...well, now that I think about it, mana eyes will be helping you a lot with that problem with Naomi."

"Okay. I'm ready," Magnus said, determination in his eyes. If the Sovereign of Mirage was really coming after him, he needed to learn this technique.

Xavier gestured for Magnus to sit down, and the golden ethereal figure took a seat across from him. 

"The technique of infusing your eyes with mana is not an easy one, but I believe you have the potential to master it," Xavier said. "It requires precise control and focus, as well as a deep understanding of the flow of magical energy."

Magnus nodded attentively, eager to learn this skill.

"First, I will teach you how to sense and manipulate the mana within your own body," Xavier began. "This foundational knowledge will be essential for directing that energy into your eyes. Pay close attention, as the mastery of this technique will be the first step towards being able to see through even the most advanced illusions."

Xavier proceeded to guide Magnus through a series of meditative exercises, helping him become acutely aware of the mana circulating within him. Magnus followed the instructions closely, his brow furrowed in concentration as he learned to channel and control the magical energy.

After what seemed like hours of intense training,

"I see some light," Magnus said.

Xavier nodded approvingly. "Excellent, you've grasped the basic principles quite well. Now, let us move on to the next step - bring those lights to your eyes. Begin by taking a deep breath and centering yourself. Feel the mana flowing through your body, and then slowly direct that energy upwards, towards your eyes. Visualize the mana forming a protective layer around each of your eyes, like a shimmering veil."

Magnus closed his eyes and followed Xavier's guidance, his brow furrowed in intense concentration. He could feel the mana responding to his will, slowly but surely making its way towards his eyes.

"That's it, Magnus. Keep your focus. Don't let the mana overwhelm you - guide it, shape it, make it your own."

Beads of sweat formed on Magnus' forehead as he poured every ounce of his being into the exercise. Slowly, he could feel a tingling sensation around his eyes, a subtle warmth that signaled the mana was taking hold.

"Open your eyes, Magnus," Xavier instructed, his voice calm and steady.

Magnus did as he was told, and was immediately struck by the clarity of his vision. The world around him seemed to shimmer with a newfound vibrancy, and he could see the intricate details of his surroundings with remarkable precision. Everything was more detailed.

"You've done it, my disciple," Xavier said, a proud smile on his face. "Now, try to see through an illusion."

Magnus nodded, his confidence growing. He was ready to put his newfound abilities to the test.

"Hey, Xavier, what time is it?"

"Time to get a watch. Kidding~ it's 8:30," Xavier replied with a chuckle.

"Well, time to wake up. Bye, Xavier," Magnus said as he went out from Lone Dream.

***

After eating some butterbread for breakfast, Magnus decides to text Naomi.

[Hey Naomi, I was wondering if you have time today? I need to talk to you about something.]

As soon as Magnus sent that, the screen showed: Naomi is typing...

[Sure! Let me check if I have time first tho!]

Naomi responded quickly, and Magnus waited anxiously for her reply. A few moments later, his phone buzzed with her response.

[Okay, I'm free this afternoon! Wanna meet up at our usual spot at 3 PM?]

Magnus felt a mixture of relief and anticipation. This was his chance to confront Naomi and get the answers he needed.

[3 PM sounds perfect. I'll see you then.]

Magnus took a deep breath, his eyes now infused with the protective layer of mana that Xavier had taught him. He knew that with this newfound ability, he would be able to see through any illusions or deceptions that Naomi might try to present.

The wait until their meetup felt agonizingly long, but finally, the time came. Magnus made his way to their usual spot, his senses heightened as he scanned the area for any signs of Naomi.

As he approached the familiar location, he spotted her familiar figure. Taking another deep breath, Magnus steeled his resolve and walked over to her.

"Hey, Naomi," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Thanks for meeting me on such short notice."

Naomi greeted him with a warm smile, but as Magnus focused his enhanced vision on her, he could see a subtle shimmer around her form, a telltale sign that something was off.

"Of course, Magnus. I'm always happy to see you," Naomi replied, her voice sweet and melodic.

Magnus narrowed his eyes, his mana-infused gaze scanning her figure intently. Then he saw it. Naomi was a man. So Xavier and Ava were telling the truth. 

Magnus was furious inside. All this time, he had been lied to. His first love was a lie.

"I will kill him," Magnus thought to himself as he opened a portal right behind the man.

Naomi's expression changed, a hint of unease flickering across his face. "Magnus, are you okay?"

"Naomi, I need to ask you something. Who are you?" Magnus asked, his voice stern.

The man's expression shifted, the facade of Naomi crumbling. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

"Stop the pretense," Magnus said, his tone unwavering. "I can see through your illusion. You're not real, are you?"

The world around them seemed to shift, and the man's form began to distort, the shimmering veil becoming more pronounced. Magnus held his ground, his mana-infused eyes unwavering as he stared him down.

"How..." The man's voice wavered, the illusion faltering. "How did you know?"

"Doesn't matter. Today, you will die," Magnus said, his eyes narrowing.

"HAHAHAHA, look at this lowly porter. I heard from my boss. You can store things, not combat," the man taunted.

"Boss? Who's your boss?" Magnus asked.

"Well, you are going to die today, so it won't matter. My boss is the Sovereign of Mirage. Boy, what did you even do to get my boss that mad? He usually doesn't care about low-rank ascenders," the man asked curiously.

"What's your name?"

"Ryan."

"Another Ryan, huh? Why are all Ryans so overconfident?" Magnus asked himself.

"Well, Ryan, as I've said before, you are going to die today."

As soon as Magnus said that, he shot a poison-infused arrow right at Ryan's back.

Ryan screamed out in pain, but managed to hold the scream back by biting his lips.

"Do you think just an arrow could kill me?" He said as he started to rush at Magnus.

Magnus blinked for a second, wondering if the poison was not working, but when he opened his eyes, he saw 5 Ryans running at him.

"Sigh, another illusion?" Magnus said as he enhanced his eyes. The illusions started to disappear, and he saw the real Ryan's shadow from behind him.

Magnus quickly sidestepped and tripped Ryan over.

"A lucky dodge- AGHH!" Ryan started to scream in pain.

His veins started to turn green, and bubbles formed in his mouth.

"What did you do to me?!" Ryan asked angrily.

"Nothing."

"What a stupid little boy... even if I die, my boss will avenge me. He will make you suffer. No, he's already making you suffer. HAHAHAHA."

"What do you mean by already making me suffer?"

"You will find out when you go home."

Home? What does he mean by that- AVA! Magnus realized.

"You bastard! WHAT DID YOU DO TO AVA?!"

No response. Ryan's pulse has stopped.

"Shit," Magnus said as he started to run back home.

"I swear if something happens to Ava, I will make that Sovereign suffer. I will fucking torture him and kill him," Magnus whispered to himself while running, as he looked at his apartment from afar.