Ryuzhen / Kaien POV
After we finished eating, the dining hall became quiet for a moment, only the sound of the servants clearing the plates filling the air. Father placed down his cup slowly, then looked straight at me with his sharp, heavy gaze. His presence was overwhelming, like the air itself bent to his will.
"Since you are already fifteen," he said firmly, his deep voice echoing across the long table, "it is time for you to enter the academy. Do you wish to study at the Huashiden Medical Divine Art Academy?"
I raised my head and forced myself to answer clearly. "Yes, Father. I want to study there."
He gave a single nod. "Good. You will study there together with your brothers and sisters. But before you are accepted, you must first pass the entrance exam. In that exam, your rank will be revealed. Remember, rank decides your place in this world."
I lowered my eyes slightly, pretending to be thoughtful. But inside, my mind was racing.
This is it. The beginning of everything. I know my power and my mind are different from theirs. But I cannot show everything now. If I reveal too much too soon, I will only bring suspicion. No—I want to start at the bottom, explore each rank, and rise step by step. From the weakest to the strongest. I want to see this world through every path it offers.
Father's voice suddenly grew sharper, cutting into my thoughts like a blade.
"You must reach Solyra Rank, just like your siblings. I will not allow you to fall into the lowest rank—the Nirael Rank."
I froze. My hands curled slightly under the table, but I kept my face calm.
"If you end up in that rank…" Father's eyes narrowed with cruel certainty, "…I will not hesitate to drive you out of this mansion. You will never again step foot as part of this family."
The words hit me hard, heavier than I expected. But instead of answering, I kept my lips shut tight. Silence was safer than showing what burned inside me.
Father stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the marble floor. Without another word, he turned and left the dining hall. His footsteps echoed until they disappeared down the long corridor.
For a moment, no one spoke. The air was heavy, suffocating. Then I heard a soft sigh. Mother lowered her head, her expression pained but quiet. My brothers and sisters looked at each other, worry in their eyes.
I stayed silent, my chest tightening. So this is how it is… He only sees me as a potential tool, a symbol of family pride. Not as a son. Not even as a person.
"Don't worry, Kaien," my eldest brother Kael said gently, his voice breaking the silence. He leaned closer to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "No matter what rank you get, you are still our little one. We will guide you, protect you. Father's words are harsh, but you are not alone."
I blinked, staring at him. Something in me softened.
"Yes," added my sister Ayaka, her tone calm but full of warmth. She placed her hand over mine on the table. "You must not let his anger control you. Think for yourself. Even if you end up at the lowest rank, it doesn't change who you are to us. Remember, you are more than just Father's heir."
I swallowed, my chest growing heavy with a mix of gratitude and sadness. They don't know who I really am… They don't know that I carry another life, another name, another world inside me. But still… their words reach me. They make me want to protect this bond.
Then my younger brother, Renji, sighed deeply. "But you must understand, Saelvi. Father is not just strict for no reason. His rank is Royal Sage. He is one of the most powerful healers in the entire kingdom. He serves directly under the Queen. He heals the generals, the nobles, even the Queen herself. He is also her right hand."
"That is why he is filled with so much pride," Ayaka continued, shaking her head. "But pride is not love. And pride does not make him right."
Kael smiled softly at me again. "Yes. Whatever happens, whatever path you choose, we will be here for you. Do not forget that."
I looked at each of them—Kael's calm strength, Ayaka's gentle certainty, Renji's quiet understanding. Slowly, I let out a breath I did not realize I had been holding.
In my heart, I whispered in my own tongue, "Shira na lumena…."
They did not understand the words, but they felt my gratitude in my eyes.
I clenched my hands softly under the table. Father, you want me to rise only to prove your pride. But I will rise for my own reasons. I will learn this world at my own pace. I will surpass everything you expect—but not for you. For myself. For the truth of who I really am.
And as I sat there, surrounded by my siblings' warmth, I realized something important.
No matter what Father threatened me with—this was my new family, my new bond. And for them, I would endure.
I stood up from the dining table and excused myself politely. My father was already gone, but my mother and siblings were still sitting quietly, the air heavy after his harsh words. I walked toward Lyra and said softly, "Lyra, can you show me where the library is?"
She looked at me gently, her voice calm as always. "Go down the long hall, Young Master Kaienm When you reach the big window with the silver curtains, turn left. You will see two golden doors that's the library. Be careful, it's very big and easy to lose your way inside."
I gave her a small nod. "Thank you, Lyra. I'll be careful."
With that, I left. My footsteps echoed through the grand hallway until I finally reached the library doors. The moment I pushed them open, I froze. My breath caught in my throat.
The library was massive. Endless shelves stretched up so high they seemed to touch the sky. Ladders leaned against the wooden walls so that people could climb and reach the books at the very top. Every shelf was filled, and the air smelled of ink, parchment, and time itself. My chest rose and fell as I whispered, "This… this is unbelievable."
But I reminded myself why I came. Quietly, I shut the heavy doors and turned the lock, making sure no one could follow me. "I need to find it… something here must explain what I feel," I murmured. My fingers trailed across the spines of old books, some glowing faintly with enchantments, others sealed by strange marks.
Then, something caught my eyes. A black book covered in dust, hidden between two larger volumes. It had no title, no markings, nothing. My heart began to beat faster.
"Strange… why is this the only book with no name?" I whispered.
Climbing the ladder, I pulled it out carefully, then descended and placed it on a nearby table. Slowly, I opened it.
The words on the page were old, written in a language of this world, yet somehow, I understood them perfectly. They spoke about Huayin World this is the world that I reincarnated, and about the way all people here studied healing and divine medicine. But one page… one page made my hands shake.
'One will come, not of this world. A soul from beyond shall arrive, carrying knowledge and power unknown to Huayin. This soul is destined to face the great shadow, the Black Death Disease a demon sickness that enters the human body and devours life itself. Only this chosen one can fight it.'
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the page in silence. My chest tightened, and my throat went dry.
"A soul not of this world… that's me," I muttered under my breath.
"Does this mean… I am the one they are waiting for? Am I really destined to fight this demon disease?"
I slammed the book shut, heart pounding. I placed a hand on my forehead, sighing. "No, no… don't think too much, Ryuzhen. You'll just hurt your head." I decided to sit cross-legged on the floor and close my eyes, trying to calm my thoughts through meditation.
At first, it was quiet. My breathing slowed, and the noise of my mind began to fade. But then something strange happened.
A strong force wrapped around me like invisible arms. It was warm yet heavy. Streams of light, like rivers, began to flow toward me. I felt the fire's heat, the coolness of water, the strength of earth, the swiftness of wind every element pouring into my body as if I was a vessel. My skin prickled, and my heartbeat matched the rhythm of the energy around me.
"What is this…? Why is it all coming to me?" I whispered, still with my eyes closed, but my body glowing faintly with energy.
The power built up until it almost overwhelmed me. Then, as suddenly as it began, the pressure faded. I opened my eyes and gasped.
Floating in front of me was a shining object. A watch, glowing with divine light, hovering gently as if waiting for me. With trembling hands, I reached out and grasped it. The moment my fingers touched, it became solid and real.
"This… is for me?" I murmured. I slipped it onto my wrist. Immediately, letters and numbers appeared in the air before me like a glowing screen.
I read them aloud, my voice shaking:
"Abilities: God Level.
Skills: Unlimited Divine Arts.
Rank: Aurevian Rank… the Suprame God Rank."
My eyes widened, and I stumbled back a step. My breathing became shallow. "Aurevian Rank? That's the highest rank of all. That's… godhood."
I sat down heavily in the chair, staring at the glowing words. "But… how can I possibly aim for the lower ranks now? I wanted to start small, to learn slowly, to explore like everyone else. How can I do that when even one flick of my hand might destroy the exam? If Father sees this… if he learns I'm already Suprame God Rank… what will happen to me?"
I clenched my fists tightly, biting my lip. "If I show this, he'll push me to the highest stage at once. He'll never let me live my own life. But if I hide it… how long can I keep this secret?"
The glowing status lingered before my eyes, mocking me with its perfection. For the first time since I arrived in this world, I felt a heavy fear. Not because of weakness but because of being too strong.
I whispered to myself, "What should I do now…? Should I hide everything? Or should I accept this destiny, whether I like it or not?"
And in the silence of the great library, only my own voice answered me.
I sat very still with the watch hidden under my sleeve. The library hummed with silence. The book sat closed on the table, full of strange words and warnings. If anyone saw the Aurevian rank, I would lose any choice I had. Father would make me a tool of his pride. I could not let that happen.
Slowly, I thought to the watch again. I focused on the idea of nothing, of the smallest number, of being unseen. The small status window shifted and dimmed. It now read: Nirael Rank — Novice. Number: 0. Blank. Empty. Perfect.
A small calm moved through me. If the exam measured me now, the screen would show nothing. No one would know who I really was. If Father chose to cut me from the house because I was low rank, then so be it. This life was mine to shape.
I moved to a quiet corner of the library where the sunlight did not reach. The heavy doors were locked and the thick curtains were drawn. No one would find me here. I took off my outer robe and put on simple training clothes I had brought — a fitted shirt and light leggings made for movement. It was modest and practical. My sleeve stayed long to hide the watch.
First I warmed my joints. Neck circles, shoulder rolls, slow hip rotations. I breathed in deep and let the air fill the bottom of my lungs. My body remembered motion: years of standing, of tensing and relaxing, of precise handwork. The memory sat in the bones and came alive as I moved.
Then I began my calisthenics. Push-ups with perfect form — hands under shoulders, straight line from head to heel. I counted quietly: one, two, three… The first set was fifty. The second set was a hundred. My shoulders burned, but my form stayed clean. There was no wasted movement.
I moved to pull-ups. I used a low ladder rung as a bar and pulled until my chin rose above the wood, then lowered slow. Each repetition woke my forearms and back. My hands remembered a surgeon's grip — steady, controlled.
Leg work came next. Deep squats, lunges, explosive step-ups on the lower shelf. I practiced balance on one leg, then switched. I did quick sprints between the bookcases, knees high, feet light. The library floor vibrated softly under my steps.
Between the heavy sets I practiced fine motor control. I laid out a small practice arm and a length of thread. With slow, exact motions I mimed suturing: pass, pull, knot. My fingers moved like old instruments, precise and careful. Even in this young body, the memory of many nights in an operating room guided my hands.
I timed everything. One-minute sprint, thirty seconds rest. Ten precise needle passes, then a ten-second steady hold. I pushed my limits and then pulled back to control. The goal was not only strength but control — the two must live together.
I counted up to five hundred in my head as the workout blurred into rhythm: push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, jumps, sprints, then control drills. Numbers became a steady drum in my mind. When I hit five hundred, my breath was heavy but even. My muscles burned and settled into a good tiredness.
After the big work, I cooled with breathing exercises. Slow inhales, long exhales. I placed my palms on the table and let a tiny thread of mana crawl out of my fingertip and along the wood. It was a whisper, hardly visible even to me. Practice, not show. I had to keep everything small.
I took a small pitcher of water Lyra had left on a tray and splashed my face. The cold water steadied me. Sweat clung to my training shirt, but I did not feel cold. The effort had grounded me like an anchor.
No one knew. The library door was locked. Curtains closed. I trained in private, hidden and careful. Lyra would not think to check often. My siblings walked the halls, busy with their own duties. The world outside did not know the plan I had set: hide the god inside a novice shell and move slow, step by step.
I sat down on the floor and stretched long, slow muscles hamstrings, calves, back. I rolled my shoulders, loosened my wrists. I practiced fingertip holds and steadied my breath. Training had both made my body stronger and sharpened my mind. I felt capable. I felt in control.
As I rested, I let my thoughts come and go. I thought of Father's threat, how easily he would throw me away. I thought of Rinlei, Arika, my mother faces from the life I had left. The ache was present, but gentler now. The training had made room in me for a plan.
I reached under my sleeve and touched the watch. It was quiet and warm. The Nirael text still showed if I made it show. I slid the sleeve back down and let the secret sit against my skin. It felt like a small, hot stone I carried for now.
I closed my eyes and allowed myself a short rest. The library was full of old paper and quiet light; the world felt distant and safe. I let the exhaustion settle into peace. No one came in. No one knew. I was alone with my work, my plan, and the small life I was building here.
When I finally rose, I smoothed my shirt, pulled my sleeve down to hide the watch, and walked to the door. The house was moving again with daily life, but inside me something new had formed: a quiet promise to learn, to hide, and to grow stronger on my own terms.
I left the library alone, rested and ready for tomorrow.