The next morning, Nolan opened his eyes, bathed in sunlight that awkwardly filtered through the worn curtains of his room. He remained motionless for a few moments, hoping that the events of the previous day were just a bad dream, an illusion created by his tired mind. Trying to regain some semblance of normalcy, he slowly got up and headed to the bathroom to prepare himself for an ordinary day.

Under the hot water, Nolan let his thoughts drift, trying to forget the strange visions and the oppressive presence of last night's figure. But an unusual sensation pulled him from his thoughts: his body seemed different. His muscles, once modest and unmarked, gave him a sense of power that he did not recognize.

Stepping out of the shower, he walked to the mirror, wiped away the steam with an automatic gesture and froze. What he saw was not the reflection he was used to. His body had changed dramatically: he had become athletic, his muscles defined and perfectly proportioned as if he had spent years training. His skin seemed firmer, more radiant, and his hair, once dull and disheveled, had taken on a bright black hue, glistening in the light.

His face, once marked by a youthful softness, had been completely transformed. His features had become more angular, more virile, giving off an intimidating and cold aura. But what struck him most were his eyes. They were no longer an ordinary brown, but a bright silver, almost supernatural, as if they reflected an invisible light. Those eyes seemed capable of piercing souls, charged with an icy intensity.

Despite the endless stream of memories swirling through his mind, fragments of past lives, epic battles, and forbidden knowledge, Nolan clung desperately to the idea of a normal existence. Every memory of Hades’ past incarnations whispered to him that he was more than just a boy left to fend for himself, but Nolan refused to accept that truth. He wanted to believe that it was all just a delusional dream, a whim of his imagination.

Nolan took a deep breath, the sun's rays caressing his skin, now marked by defined muscles that he still didn't quite recognize as his own. The softness of the plain and the birdsong gave him a strange serenity, a striking contrast to the dark power that burned within him.

He set his bag at his feet and, without hesitation, removed his t-shirt. The cool breeze brushed his bare chest, and he couldn't help but smile slightly. This feeling of strength, of control, was new to him. But, deep down, a nascent curiosity pushed him to explore this energy that seemed to bubble in his veins.

He placed himself in the center of the plain, stretching slightly to loosen his muscles, then spread his feet to get into position. His hands rose in front of him, as if he were following instincts he didn't fully understand.

— "What if I tested my new powers?" he whispered, a hint of excitement in his voice.

When he opened his eyes, they shimmered liquid silver, glowing with a cold, menacing light. His breathing grew heavier as his aura began to awaken. A dark, oppressive glow emanated from his body, intensifying with each passing moment.

The aura suddenly exploded around him in a wave of energy, causing a gust of wind to whip across the plain. The grass bent under the pressure, and the trees nearby shook as if trying to withstand a brewing storm.

Black and purple lightning bolts erupted from Nolan’s aura, striking the ground around him with a deafening crack. Each impact left a scorched mark, as if the ground itself was marked by its power. The air became electric, charged with an almost unbearable tension.

Nolan stood tall, his body charged with dark energy, his aura rumbling around him like a storm waiting to break. No words, no gestures were necessary. He simply looked up at the horizon, and in an instant, the ground began to shake under the effect of his will.

Blocks of stone rose from the ground by the dozens, drawn by an invisible force. They floated briefly in the air before assembling into several massive humanoid figures, each armed with impressive solidity. These stone puppets seemed to wait, motionless, like opponents ready to test his power.

Nolan sketched a confident smile and advanced slowly, his steps echoing in the heavy air. Then, suddenly, he disappeared from his position, reappearing in a flash in front of the first puppet. Before the figure could even react, a punch charged with dark energy pulverized it in a shower of rubble.

He immediately spun around, his speed making his movements almost invisible. Another puppet tried to attack him from the side, but Nolan dodged with disconcerting ease, releasing a circular strike reinforced by his aura. A shockwave erupted, reducing two more opponents to dust.

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Lightning danced around him, lighting up the ravaged terrain. Nolan leapt into the air, and, without the slightest visible effort, a projectile of dark energy erupted from his hand, striking a puppet on the ground with the force of an explosion.

Each blow he landed was devastating, and within minutes, the makeshift battlefield was littered with stone debris. Nolan froze, looking at the ravaged terrain. He inhaled deeply, feeling the dark energy pulse through his veins.

His gaze fell on his hands, his fingers still riddled with residual lightning. A shiver ran through him, a mixture of elation and questioning.

— “I didn’t even have to force it… This power is beyond anything I imagined.”

Nolan stood in the center of the plain, calmly observing his surroundings. Without a word, without a gesture of preparation, he simply extended his hand. At that very moment, a black energy swirled around him, and six perfect replicas of himself appeared, ready to fight. The screen in front of Nolan confirmed the operation.

[Cloning successful].

The clones immediately assumed a defensive posture, observing their creator with icy determination.

Nolan's six clones quickly took up position, preparing to attack. In an instant, each of them launched a beam of shadow plasma, dark and intense projectiles that split the air with impressive speed, heading straight for Nolan. But, with a simple wave of his hand, Nolan activated his [Nulls] skill.

A black and palpable force field spread around him, an invisible but unstoppable barrier. The rays of shadow plasma slammed into the field, dissolving instantly as if the air itself was absorbing them. Not one attack managed to reach its target. Nolan, calm and in control of his power, did not move an inch. The force field pulsed around him, absorbing all the enemy energy, and he waited, motionless, for its response.

Then, without a word, Nolan stretched out his arms. Around him, several spheres of shadow plasma began to form, floating in the air like living shards of darkness. The spheres glowed with a red and black glow, and with a quick movement, began to circle around him. He didn't even have to concentrate. As soon as his arms were raised, they began to fire.

The plasma beams from the spheres shot out in all directions, tracing devastating lines of energy across the plain. The clones, reacting quickly, scattered and scattered, running in opposite directions to avoid the attacks. But it wasn't that simple.

The plasma spheres had a unique feature: they were homing heads. Each beam fired adjusted its trajectory in real time, relentlessly pursuing the clones no matter where they went. The rays curved through the air, aiming at their targets with unwavering precision.

The plasma beams had struck with such precision and power that the clones had not even had time to react before being reduced to ashes. Nothing remained of them, except a light cloud of dark dust floating in the air. Nolan, standing in the center of the scene, stood there, like an implacable silhouette in the vastness of the now devastated plain.

He contemplated himself, his silver eyes shining with a new, deeper light, as if he saw beyond the visible. In him, a subtle but irreversible change had occurred. It was not only the power, but also the perception of the world around him that had radically evolved. His gaze now pierced the invisible, he felt this intangible energy that ran through the universe.

The Nekroz, he called it that. A fundamental energy, the immaterial force that animated all that existed, the root of magic, the original source of all power. It was a pure substance, invisible, intangible, and yet omnipresent. It was in the elements, in magic, in life itself. It was neither a concept nor a physical object. It was the spiritual matter that shaped the world. Worlds. He could perceive it, feel it with every breath, every movement, like a silent, endless sea of energy that flowed through the entire universe.

And now he could touch it. Not just feel it or brush against it like an observer, but grasp it, shape it to his will.

With a fluid gesture of his hand, Nolan created a long dark fabric that materialized in front of him. In a few moments, it wove itself around his body, forming an elegant cloak and a hood that hid his face. He felt it blend perfectly around him, a mixture of comfort and palpable power. The hood, now fallen over his shoulders, hid the silver glow of his eyes and added a touch of mystery to his appearance. The man who stood there, under this black envelope, was no longer a young boy without a purpose. He was a force in motion, a being who left nothing to chance.

He contemplated himself for a moment, the dark aura vibrating around him, before his thoughts turned back to his plans. He now had everything he needed to survive and assert himself in this world, but he knew that simply existing was not enough. His power was far too vast, too impressive to be wasted on the banality of everyday life.

— "It would be totally inappropriate to waste this power on menial jobs." he muttered to himself, adjusting the hood over his head. "I must aim bigger, more exciting."

He began to walk slowly, his gaze lost in the distance, his silhouette silhouetted against the light of dusk. The possibilities were endless, but one idea, striking in its simplicity, emerged in his mind.

— "What if I became a dungeon hunter?" he thought. "It could allow me to collect artifacts, rare treasures, powerful items... And of course, amass a fortune."

The idea of exploring the dark labyrinths beneath the earth, fighting legendary monsters and unearthing forgotten relics excited him. He could already see the possibilities: a market where artifacts and treasures sold for exorbitant prices, a chance to further strengthen his powers by adding these artifacts to his personal arsenal. Each expedition could be an opportunity to push his limits, test his abilities, and face opponents worthy of him.

Nolan, without further ado, uses his lightning speed and propels himself towards the dungeon. The ground warps beneath his feet, the air vibrates around him as he rushes at exponential speeds, each stride bringing him closer to his destination.

After a few moments, he arrives before an impressive sight. The dungeon rises before him, massive and imposing. It is adorned with intricate illustrations representing whirlwinds of wind, majestic spirals intertwining around the structure. Patterns of air and storms are etched into the stone, the atmosphere itself seems animated by invisible gusts.

On the immense door of the entrance, a sign is engraved in imposing letters:

The Imperial Wind

The name of the dungeon resonates in Nolan's mind, its mysterious contents and its impressive aura confronting him with the reality of a challenge he is ready to take on. There is something special about this dungeon, a power connected to air, a mastery of wind that he is curious to explore.

Without hesitation, he pushes open the massive door, his dark aura briefly flaring in the air as he enters the dungeon's immense hall, ready to face what awaits him inside.