A golden light flooded the white space, blinding yet strangely comforting. Arayn narrowed his eyes as he gazed upon the colossal figure before him. The being radiated holiness, its form towering and shrouded in divine brilliance. However, it was no angel. It was a demon.

Arayn's thoughts churned. A demon bathed in holy light? How could such a contradiction exist?

"You wonder why I possess a sacred aura," the being said, his voice resonating through the space like a chorus. "I can hear your thoughts, human. I am Tyras, the first Heavenly Demon."

Arayn remained composed. "I'm here because I won the battle royale in the Pit. The reward was an audience with you, but I have no idea what I’m supposed to gain from this meeting."

"Hoh, and yet you have the gall to ask about benefits. For most, meeting me is the reward itself."

Arayn’s voice was steady. "I'm not interested in mere pleasantries."

A low chuckle rumbled through the air. "Bold. Very bold," Tyras mused. "But that makes this more interesting. You see, I, too, seek something—someone worthy of receiving my teachings."

Arayn's lips curled into a faint smile. "Then take me. If it's about learning, I am the most suitable candidate. My very origin is learning."

Tyras tilted his head slightly. "And how do you know your own origin?"

"Just a deduction. I love to learn."

Tyras chuckled again, a deep sound that carried amusement. "You are actually correct. Your origin is learning. Unlike you, I can see people's origin by just looking at them, so my words are true. Tell me, human, are you familiar with the three stages of learning?"

Arayn folded his arms. "Do tell."

"The first stage is arrogance," Tyras said. "A person, upon acquiring knowledge, feels superior to others. They mistake understanding for mastery."

Arayn’s interest sharpened. "And the second? The third?"

Tyras chuckled. "That is for you to discover. I won’t spoil the journey."

Arayn exhaled lightly. "Very well. Then I will continue learning until I reach the second stage."

"Interesting." Tyras’s golden radiance flared slightly. "You are indeed a fitting vessel for my teachings. How about it, human? Will you become my disciple?"

Arayn’s answer was firm. "You're worthy to be my teacher."

Tyras let out a rumbling laugh. "Worthy, am I? Well, I do believe you have potential. But, of course, I won’t accept you so easily. A trial is necessary."

Tyras raised a hand, extending a colossal finger toward Arayn. A sudden force gripped him, and before he could react, something was torn from within. A surge of energy burst from his body, rising into the golden glow of Tyras’s palm.

"I have extracted your strongest abilities," Tyras explained. "You will walk this path without them. When you near the expert class, I will test you again. If you pass, I will grant you power beyond imagination."

A system window flashed before Arayn’s eyes.

[Warning! Your abilities have been extracted.]

[Phantom Legs: Increases dexterity.

Burning Stride: Increases dexterity at the cost of consuming other stats.

Aether Flow: Enhances mana circulation, improving spellcasting speed.

Predator’s Reflex: Sharpened reactions to lethal intent.

Tenebrous Veil: Temporarily merges with shadows to evade attacks.

Ravager’s Will: Boosts physical power when heavily wounded.]

Arayn clenched his fists as he read the list. He had spent years honing these skills, and now, in an instant, they were gone. Yet, a thrill ran through him. A greater challenge. A higher peak to climb.

He looked up at Tyras, determination burning in his gaze. "I hope the reward is not disappointing."

"Let’s see if you can pass the test first." His massive form loomed over Arayn as he extended a colossal finger once more. "And I am not done yet."

A weightless force coiled around Arayn’s body. A strange sensation spread through his chest, tingling like embers beneath his skin.

"I grant you a passive curse—[Demonic Aura]. From now on, you will always emit a demonic presence. No matter where you go, others will know what you are." Tyras’s words carried amusement, yet there was something deeper beneath them—an expectation, a challenge.

Arayn’s fingers twitched. A permanent demonic aura. He would be marked, unmistakable, forever scrutinized. Yet his expression remained calm.

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Tyras chuckled, then continued. "But I am not without generosity. You did win the battle royale, after all. As a reward, I grant you my mark of protection. You cannot see it. You cannot feel it, but it is there."

The golden light around Tyras intensified. "With this mark, I will shield you from dangers beyond your class. This protection will remain until you reach the expert class. After that, you will stand on your own. I wish you good luck, my disciple."

Arayn’s vision blurred. A moment ago, he had stood before Tyras, but now—he was drifting.

The stars stretched endlessly around him, streaks of silver and gold moving at unfathomable speed. They raced toward a swirling vortex at the heart of the void, an abyss of spiraling light and shadow. He was nothing compared to them. Small. Insignificant. A grain of sand caught in a cosmic tide.

His gaze locked onto the vortex, and in an instant, a torrent of knowledge crashed into his mind. Too fast. Too much. The flood of information overwhelmed him, slipping through his grasp before he could make sense of it. Words, symbols, truths beyond his understanding—all there for a fraction of a second before vanishing into the void.

Arayn clutched his head. The pressure built, a storm raging within his thoughts. He tried to silence it, to force his mind into stillness. But the rush never stopped. It poured into him, unrelenting, endless.

After all that happened, clarity struck him. Not of knowledge, but of his place in all this.

There was too much he didn’t know. Too much he might never understand. He had always thought himself exceptional—his mind sharp, his intellect unmatched. Here, among the stars and the infinite unknown, he was nothing more than a tiny speck.

For the first time, he felt small. Irrelevant.

A strange calm settled over him. He let go. Stopped fighting. Stopped resisting.

The vortex pulled him in, its gravity swallowing him whole.

Arayn’s eyes fluttered open.

A monstrous face filled his vision—crimson skin, eyes burning with malice, a grin stretching far too wide. Clawed fingers clenched around him, their grip suffocating.

A deep laugh echoed through the house. "I pulled your soul before you could die," the demon said, his voice dripping with amusement. "We had a deal, after all. Though I must admit, I never expected to collect your soul so soon."

The demon’s grin widened, his fangs glinting. "But it matters not. You are mine now, human. My slave for eternity."

Arayn remained unfazed. Then, with a sigh, he spoke.

"Ignorant fool."

The demon’s laughter died. His body stiffened. He couldn’t move. His fingers, his limbs, even his wings—frozen in place, as if bound by unseen chains. Panic flickered in his eyes.

A voice rang from behind him.

"Let go of that soul."

The demon’s eyes darted in confusion. He tried to turn his head, to see the one who dared challenge him.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The voice answered, "I am the master of that soul."

The demon struggled, his muscles straining against the invisible force that bound him. With sheer will, he tried to turn, to lay eyes on the one who dared to challenge him.

Before he could move—

A blur. A flash of motion faster than thought.

Pain.

A hand, swift as a blade, sliced through his massive form. His body split apart in a clean, effortless cut. For a moment, there was silence. Then his upper half tumbled to the ground with a heavy thud, his lower half crumbling beside it.

His vision spun as he stared upward, and finally, he saw the attacker.

A handsome demon. Long, flowing hair framed a face too composed, too calm. His presence radiated something terrifying in its certainty.

The fallen demon coughed, thick ichor pooling around him. "Who…?" he rasped.

The long-haired demon gazed down at him, his expression cold. "Only those who seek knowledge are worthy to look upon me." Without hesitation, he lifted his foot and drove it down.

The last thing the fallen demon saw was the sole of a boot descending upon his face. Then, darkness.

Arayn stood before the demon. They were of equal height, face to face. However, something was different. The overwhelming, oppressive aura that once radiated from Tyras was gone. In its place was something calmer, something almost… divine. The golden light surrounding him did not threaten or suffocate—it felt vast yet serene.

Without hesitation, Arayn knelt. "Greetings, Master Tyras."

Tyras tilted his head, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually indifferent face. "You," he murmured. "Did you see that vortex?"

Arayn nodded. His voice carried no arrogance, only respect and humility. "Yes, Master Tyras."

Tyras studied him for a moment, then a smile touched his lips. "You once asked me about the second stage of learning," he said. "Have you figured it out?"

Arayn lowered his gaze in thought before answering.

"The second stage of learning is humility," he said. "The more one learns, the more they realize how small they truly are. When I saw that vortex, I understood—even if I uncovered every secret in this world, it would be nothing compared to the universe itself."

Tyras chuckled, nodding in approval. "Splendid. As expected, a mere glimpse of the Akashic Record has already taught you something valuable." His golden aura pulsed faintly, a sign of his satisfaction.

"You pass the test, my disciple."

Arayn narrowed his eyes. "You never told me what the test was about. It's weird that I suddenly passed it."

Tyras smiled. "A trial is meant to make a disciple learn something valuable. You have learned something valuable." He spread his arms slightly. "Which means there is no need to test you further. Instead, you deserve a reward."

Arayn raised an eyebrow.

"As your reward," Tyras continued, "I will tell you the third stage of learning—"

"Hold on." Arayn lifted a hand. "Didn't you say I should discover it myself?"

Tyras chuckled, amused by the interruption. "Telling someone in the arrogance stage is pointless. Their glass is already full. No matter how much you pour, nothing will enter."

He took a step closer, his gaze steady. "But now, you have reached the humility stage. Your glass is not empty—it has grown larger. Now, I can pour knowledge into you, and it will not overflow."

Arayn’s eyes widened as memories surged through him. His past victories, his countless battles, the moments he stood above others—all of them flashed before him.

“I always gained the upper hand against someone,” he murmured. “That’s why I was always arrogant. Looking back, I was really childish. Even if I won against another frog, I was still inside a well.” He exhaled. “I don’t want to be trapped inside the well forever.”

Tyras studied him for a moment before nodding. “Then you must keep learning and applying your knowledge. Even if you uncover every secret of the present world, the future will bring new mysteries. And that’s only one world. The universe is endless. Even I, the strongest in this world, still learn something new every day. Arayn, the universe will never bore you when you reach the third stage of learning.”

Arayn's breath caught. “What is it, Master?”

Tyras smiled. “The third stage of learning is…”