‘It’s cold...’

Junius ‘opened’ his eyes. Everything had turned dark… The white, holy utopia… The world that ought to be his had been utterly shattered to pieces. He was supposed to be the champion that led the orphans out of the Frie Clan. Junius was supposed to be the big brother that gave his family a happily ever after… He was supposed… To be the true protagonist of his own story…

Yet… Junius was the villain… Why did he even join the Black Masks, to begin with? Why did he seek the power to destroy anyone, no matter how powerful they were? Wasn’t it just to protect the ones that he loved?

The viridian-haired man dropped down onto his bum and gazed into the sky. He thought back on the orphans’ words, and his blood turned cold. “Lily’s right… I did kill her...”

It was a memory that he’d blocked out. A bitter recollection that had been drowned out by Shia’s presence. However, it was all coming back to him now, and he could remember the sight as if it were yesterday. The fresh, crimson blood that flowed out of Lily’s body… The burning heat on his skin… The tears of Shin and the rest of the orphans… Everything was so lucid… Junius didn’t want to experience that ever again… He didn’t want to… Dream about that ever again…

Alas, there was nothing that Junius could do to stop it. The past can never be changed, and he had to face everything that he’d done… Alone in the darkness…

Junius reached out his arms, hoping to find some warmth in the cold. He pleaded and pleaded, calling out for anyone within his memory. ‘Shin… Lily… Shia… Anyone… Please...’ Junius’ cries went completely unheard. How could anyone hear him? He was inside of his Spectre Soul and blocked off from all contact with the outside world. It would be a miracle if anyone came to his rescue. In his normal state, Junius would most definitely know that. However, he was far too afraid, far too small to consider the facts. He was now akin to that of a helpless child, wishing for even the slightest semblance of warmth…

Bling… Bling… Bling…

As if his prayers were heard, the darkness waned as a flicker of light flashed by Junius’ vision. Junius turned, his face wet and sticky from snot, all to reach for the final light that remained in his soul. The young man leapt up to his feet, his entire being pulled by the gravity of the light. It didn’t take long for Junius to figure out the identity of the light.

“The Tree of Illusions...” The man muttered to himself. Centred within the ball of light was a white weeping willow tree. Its pinkish leaves hung down from its branches, and gorgeous, white wisps floated around its trunk. The Mind Elements were leaping about in complete bliss, showing their happiness in the form of jumping balls of light.

The swordsman walked closer towards the Tree of Illusions, this time, with the Obsidian Water Blade in his hands. Junius stared at the ethereal tree blankly. It was the first time he’d faced the Tree of Illusions within his Spectre Soul. At this range, without the interference of the Illusory Canyon, he could feel the intimacy of the Empyrean Wonder. It had the serene smell of nature and the divine touch of something otherworldly… Something beyond human comprehension… Something… Superior…

Suddenly, when Junius was just a mere three metres away from the tree, a full bubble enveloped both the man and the Empyrean Wonder. The darkness that engulfed Junius’ entire soul instantly resisted the change, attempting to pierce the bubble with everything that it had. Alas, no entity in the world could go against the Tree of Illusion’s mana. In the end, the dark smoke that enveloped the world could only die down like a disheartened puppy.

“The Allfather’s mana… It can’t reach here?” Junius thought out loud.

“...” The Tree remained silent, not perturbed by the dark mana that filled the void. All it wanted to do was spend time with the champion that it had chosen and the man that had woke it from its long and boring slumber. Junius held his breath, all while witnessing the Tree of Illusions awake. It wasn’t moving the slightest bit, Junius could feel something familiar… Something, human...

“You have emotions?” Junius asked the Tree of Illusions. It was swaying from side to side, highly resembling that of a juvenile child waiting to be entertained.

“...” Naturally, the tree didn’t answer. However, the wisps that surrounded its bark grew ever bright, while the cold mist that it created gently seeped into Junius’ pores. Bit by bit, the hatred… The self-loathing in the man’s mind was slowly chipped away… Within this bubble, the Allfather’s influence was virtually nil. The Obsidian Water Blade in Junius hand had reverted back to its original azure colour, and the man’s soul seemed to be refreshed by the Empyrean Wonder’s mana. Junius felt as if he were five years younger, but a million years wiser.

BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!

Unable to bear the loneliness, the black smoke outside of the bubble quickly condensed into a thick ball, and waves of desperate tentacles ravaged the bubble that protected Junius. The mana outside was wild and savage, behaving as if it were a child that had lost its toy. “The Allfather… He...” Junius gasped. It was the first time he’d seen such an explosive display of might by the black mana hidden within his body.

What Junius didn’t know was that the Allfather wasn’t consciously controlling said mana. At Rank 99, the Allfather had enough spiritual energy to match three regular Spirit Saints. He shared all of that mana with thousands, if not millions of the Black Mask members. Not to mention, a massive chunk of his spiritual energy was divided equally amongst the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. In his hibernating state, the Allfather lacked the capabilities of controlling his mana within Junius, and it was left alone to grow by itself. Once fully matured, it would seep into every particle of Junius’ soul, giving the Black Mask a chance to reach new heights… Heights that weren’t possible with his mere talent.

“...” Clearly annoyed, the Tree of Illusions sent one of its branches flying out from the barrier, striking the black core right at its centre. Ssssssttt… The Allfather’s mana hissed like an indignant snake. It wanted Junius, but all it got was an Empyrean Wonder’s wrath. Still, it knew its place. It was secondary to the power bestowed upon Junius by the Tree of Illusions.

“Wow…” Junius gaped in awe. It was the first time he’d seen the Allfather lose. Granted, it was just a fragment of his power, but it was still potent enough to elevate Junius’ cultivation level by a realm or two. Typically, with his cultivation talent, Junius should only be a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre… However, with the Allfather’s mana, Junius was about to cross the threshold and enter the Rank 60 Spirit King realm.

“...” The Tree of Illusions remained silent, not at all thrilled by the victory it had scored against the world’s most powerful being. Instead, it focused all of its attention upon the man that stood by its roots. He was tattered to the soul, emotionally, physically and mentally. Bright white particles fell out from its canopy like the winter snow, enveloping Junius’ body completely. With no power to object, Junius allowed his soul to go with the flow, as the Tree of Illusions slowly elevated him up higher and higher…

In the material world, Junius’ body was still in pieces, bandaged and red. Cuts zigzagged all over his body, and the gaping hole that Shizen had created was still being stuffed by temporary treatment. However, from the deep recesses of his abdomen, a pure white light emerged. Almost instantly, the wounds disappeared, and his reddened skin was replaced with a healthy pink hue. The muscles that were destroyed were slowly being restored, and his toned body was reverting back to shape. No, they were being enhanced by the Empyrean Wonder’s mana…

If Junius didn’t already look like a sculpture of the perfect being, he did now. However, the most important deed was yet to come…

Whhhhhhoooooooossssssshhhhhh!!!

Junius’ Spectre Soul was unable to hold back the intense pressure anymore. He was like an overflowing cup that had been blocked by a lid. If Junius wanted to breakthrough… If he wanted to become Rank 60 and to turn into a Spirit King… There was one more thing that he needed to do…

Inside the darkened world, Junius looked at the Tree of Illusions. After sending its mana to repair Junius’ body, it immediately quieted down. It had done its job, and wouldn’t lift a single finger to assist the young man anymore. When Junius was baptised with the Empyrean Wonder’s mana for the first time, he experienced his past like a moving picture. Every single memory… Every single thought… Every single experience… They were all thrown into the face of Junius.

Each and every pain Junius suffered… Each and every time he cried… And… Each and every time, he was happy… The memory of Shin and him playing in the fields, leaping around without a care in the world. The memory of his first kiss with Lily. The memory of his first achievement with the orphans… All the memories of the orphans rushed into Junius’ mind and displayed themselves as illusions…

They were all happy memories… But they weren’t the only ones… Junius had many happy experiences with the Black Masks, particularly those regarding the Awter Clan. Shia, Vellan… and most crucially… The most important one of them all… The birth of his only son…

Junius looked down at his body. It was illusory, making him look like a complete ghost. The Azure Water Blade was rapidly reforging itself, trying to become the best possible form that it could. A tear fell from his left eye, falling rapidly upon the lonely ground. There was no helping it… Junius knew what he must do…

Step by step, the man moved towards his destiny. The Azure Water Blade sliced the Tree of Illusion’s bubble, triggering a response by the Allfather’s mana. It gushed in like the wind, hoping to secure Junius all for itself. And well… Junius allowed it to…

Tsssssssssssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttt!!!

Junius’ raised both his hands in surrender, allowing all of the darkness to flow back into his body. The Azure Water Blade once again changed its colour, turning back into the Obsidian that the Allfather was known for. The Tree of Illusions faded into the backdrop, seemingly amused by the path that Junius was taking. However, its job was done. From here on out, it would only be a spectator as it watched its champion play out the world’s greatest play.

Junius had accepted it… He had accepted his role in the story. He had accepted his sins for the first time and was now absorbing the Allfather’s mana in earnest. That’s right… Junius was accepting his position… As the Allfather’s new Brahmin…

Junius’ eyes snapped open in the real world. Above him, there was an empty, grey ceiling. There was no one in the room to tend to him; thus, no one noticed the commotion that occurred within his Spectre Soul. The cold lunar light of the night beamed through the windows and touched Junius’ skin. He took a deep breath in, taking in as many nutrients as he possibly could.

“So this is the Spirit King realm...” Junius summoned out his Obsidian Water Blade, checking every nook and cranny of his newly forged Spirit. There was so much power pulsating through his veins, so much spiritual energy empowering his very being. It was as if the man had been reborn again into a new body.

“Hmmm?” Now that he was awake, Junius could feel a slight contortion by his pillow. A Black Mask, with the symbol of a golden tree, was laying right by his side. Evidently, Ao had left it here, barring every servant from ever touching it. The World Serpent believed in Junius… Ao believed that by the time Junius woke up, the man would be fit to wear that resplendent mask.

Well… He wasn’t wrong...

“I see...” Junius smiled. He reached out to the Brahmin’s mask, pumping in the Allfather’s mana into it. Black tendrils emerged from the corners of the mask, lusting for the flesh of a fresh human… No, it was lusting for the flesh of one human…

“HARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!” The moment Junius put on the mask, dark smog emerged from his Spectre Soul and filled the entire room up. The spiritual pressure of a Spirit King descended upon the poor chambers, breaking the bed and everything else within. There was nothing else remaining in the room, just the image of a man basking in the gorgeous moonlight...

“I now know what I must do...” Junius looked to the east, his eyes squinted. He could feel it… He could feel the fight that was about to come… “I now know… My destiny...”