Chapter 35: A Master’s Parting Gift

The air was heavy with silence as Ethan and Ronan stood before Veyrn. The years of grueling training had forged them into something more than they were before—stronger, sharper, and ready to take on the world beyond. But even now, at the precipice of their departure, there was a lingering weight in the atmosphere, an unspoken tension.

The fire crackled behind them, casting flickering shadows across the training ground that had become their home. Veyrn sat on a stone, his usual lazy posture present, yet his eyes carried an unreadable depth. For a long moment, he said nothing, simply gazing at his two disciples.

Then, he sighed.

"You two really are troublesome." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Three years. It felt like a lifetime, and now you're leaving already."

Ethan and Ronan exchanged glances. They had grown accustomed to his dry remarks, but there was something different about this moment.

Veyrn reached into his coat, his fingers brushing against something hidden beneath the layers of fabric. "I never thought I'd take on disciples," he admitted. "And yet, here I am, sending two out into the world."

He pulled out two items, wrapped in cloth, and placed them on the ground before them. "Before you go, take these."

Ethan unwrapped his parcel slowly. Inside, nestled within the cloth, was a deep-blue crystal, pulsing faintly, as if alive. The moment his fingers brushed against it, a strange, familiar hum filled his mind.

"It's called the Resonance Core," Veyrn explained. "A rare artifact. It harmonizes with your ability and refines it. Over time, it will help you resonate with things you never imagined possible, strengthening your connection with them."

Ethan held it tightly, feeling an odd warmth spread through his fingers. This wasn't just a tool—it was a key to unlocking something greater.

Ronan unwrapped his gift next. A black, shifting fabric revealed itself—a cloak that seemed to move like smoke.

"Phantom Cloak," Veyrn said simply. "It reacts to speed and clones. With it, your presence will become harder to track, and your clones will be even harder to predict. It'll also reduce your energy consumption in battle."

Ronan's fingers traced the material. It felt like nothing he had ever touched before—weightless, yet dense with power. He smirked. "Now I'll be even harder to catch."

Veyrn chuckled but then turned serious again. "These gifts are not just tools. They are responsibilities. Master them well."

Veyrn leaned back, watching them for a long moment before speaking again.

"There's one last thing I'll tell you before you leave." His voice was quieter now, carrying the weight of something unspoken. "The world outside is brutal. Talent will only take you so far. Strength without control will destroy you, and ambition without wisdom will lead to ruin."

He stood up, towering over them for a moment before walking past them to the edge of the clearing. "No matter how powerful you become, never stop learning. Never stop growing."

Ethan and Ronan bowed deeply, a silent acknowledgment of everything he had done for them.

Veyrn exhaled. "Go, before I change my mind and beat you both until you can't walk anymore."

A rare smile played on his lips as he turned back toward the fire.

As Ethan and Ronan left the only home they had known for the past three years, they stepped into a world that had long forgotten them—but one they would soon make remember.