Chapter 39 – The Gate of Power

The wind howled as two figures stood before the towering Celestial Apex Academy.

The fortress-like institution loomed before them, its ancient walls stretching into the sky, carved with cryptic symbols from a forgotten era. This was not just a place of learning—it was a place where the strongest of the strong were forged.

Ethan tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his gaze sharp yet contemplative. The journey had been long. The training had been brutal. And yet, this was only the beginning.

Beside him, Ronan cracked his knuckles, his usual grin replaced by a rare moment of focus. "This place… it feels different from anything else. Like the air itself is testing us."

Ethan nodded. That was no illusion.

The Celestial Apex Academy wasn't just known for its prestige—it was a place beyond the reach of ordinary warriors. Only those who had unlocked the deeper layers of their abilities could hope to enter.

The crowd of applicants had already gathered—hundreds, maybe thousands, from across the world. Some radiated immense power, others had unreadable auras that whispered of hidden depths. This was no ordinary gathering.

Then, a powerful presence descended.

A group of figures stood atop a raised platform near the entrance, cloaked in robes embroidered with the insignia of the Academy. At their center stood a man whose presence distorted the very air—Veyrn's rival.

His gaze swept over the applicants, cold and calculating, before briefly lingering on Ethan and Ronan. A smirk played at his lips, almost amused.

Then, his voice rang out.

"To enter the Celestial Apex Academy, you must prove you understand power."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the hopefuls.

"Strength alone means nothing here. Without understanding, you are nothing more than reckless beasts swinging swords in the dark."

Ethan felt his heartbeat slow. Understanding…

That word held weight.

"This test is simple." The examiner's eyes gleamed with an unknown depth. "Survive. Adapt. Overcome."

Before anyone could ask what that meant, the world changed.

The very ground beneath them shifted and broke apart.

Ethan's breath hitched as he found himself falling. The sky blurred, the earth twisted, and in an instant—

He was alone.

The massive crowd had disappeared. No Ronan. No other applicants. Just an endless expanse of unknown terrain.

Then—

A sword appeared before him. Floating, untouched, its sharp edge gleamed under an unknown light.

A voice echoed in his mind.

"Resonate. Prove you understand power."

Ethan's heartbeat thundered in his ears.

He reached out—not with his hands, but with his essence.

The sword quivered.

But this was not just about controlling it. Resonance was more than that.

He reached deeper, searching for the weapon's essence.

What was a sword? A tool? A weapon? No… it was an extension of one's will.

He focused—and in that instant, he felt it.

The sword's nature. Its weight, sharpness, and structure.

And more than that—

He felt something else.

The ground beneath him. The air around him. The faint pulse of energy that made everything exist.

His resonance didn't just extend to weapons.

He could resonate with the very world itself.

A sudden realization struck him like lightning—

He could resonate to alter attacks. He could resonate to absorb traits. He could resonate to disrupt enemy techniques.

And someday…

He could resonate beyond even that.

A smile touched his lips. He understood.

The sword in front of him suddenly moved. Not by his hands—but by his will alone.

Then

A shadow appeared.

A figure blurred into existence. Not a fellow applicant—but something else. A test. A challenger. A presence.

Ethan's test had truly begun.