The sun burned overhead with an almost personal fury, as if it had stormed out of an argument it never finished. The wind rushed through the air at full speed, yet instead of relief, it carried a strange, suffocating pressure with it.
The Ardent Family estate looked peaceful as ever. Too peaceful. Its gardens were immaculately maintained, vibrant and alive, hiding whatever secrets the air refused to release.
At the center of the garden stood a massive sword statue, its blade pointed toward the sky. At its base, a young boy sat cross-legged on the ground. In front of him stood an old man, calm and composed, his presence as steady as the stone behind him.
"Many kinds of energies exist in the environment,"
Master Eric said, his voice unhurried and steady.
"But most of them cannot be used right now."
Eren sat silently, listening.
"They are called raw energy," Eric continued.
"Unstable. Wild. Without direction."
His eyes shifted toward Eren.
"If you want to draw this raw energy into your body,"
he said,
"the first thing you must do is calm your mind."
Eren frowned slightly.
"Just by calming it?" he asked.
"Yes." Eric nodded.
"No chants. No force."
"When your mind truly settles,"
he went on,
"you will begin to see something leaving your body."
"…What?" Eren asked.
"Threads,"
Eric replied.
"Extremely thin. Almost invisible."
"They form a bridge between your body and the environment."
Eren closed his eyes.
After only a few moments, he felt something strange.
As if something inside him was slowly expanding outward.
"When you can see those threads,"
Eric's voice became softer, but sharper,
"you will also begin to see the raw energy around you."
Eren's breathing grew slightly uneven.
"You will notice different colors,"
Eric warned.
"But do not be drawn to them."
"All of them are dangerous,"
he said firmly.
"Especially golden and red energy.
They are the most powerful… and the most lethal."
"Which is the least dangerous?" Eren asked.
"Green energy,"
Eric answered.
"It is the weakest, and therefore the safest."
"And it exists in the greatest quantity in the environment."
Eren nodded slowly.
"Now,"
Eric said,
"use your threads to touch the green energy orbs."
"Do not pull.
Do not force."
"Simply… allow them to enter."
Eren followed the instructions.
The moment the first trace of green energy entered his body, he did not resist it.
"Leave it alone,"
Eric said.
"It will naturally move toward your energy land."
"Energy land?" Eren repeated.
"A place within you,"
Eric explained.
"Where energy gathers and remains."
"The moment the first energy reaches it,"
he added,
"you will feel something different."
Eren opened his eyes.
There was a gentle warmth in his chest.
A strange sense of stability.
"Now,"
Eric said,
"think."
"Think that you can release the energy stored in your energy land
whenever you wish."
Eren did.
And he realized—
He truly could.
"Remember this,"
Eric said.
"The stronger your mind becomes,
the easier it will be to draw energy in."
"And just as easily,"
he added,
"you will be able to release and use it."
Eren exhaled slowly.
"Master Eric…"
he said.
"This is what you were talking about, right?"
Eric's calm expression finally cracked.
"How?"
he muttered, disbelief slipping into his voice.
"This should take at least a week.
Even a genius would need one or two days."
"But you learned it in a single day."
"How is this possible?"
He shook his head, then gestured forward.
"Place your hand on this orb."
"Yes, Master Eric," Eren replied.
The moment Eren placed his hand on the orb, a beam of light descended upon him.
A faint, mechanical voice echoed through the air.
Highest-Grade Potential.
Great Body [Level 1].
Heavenly Restriction.
Blood Seal.
The garden fell silent.
The moment the announcement ended, Eric froze.
His mouth remained slightly open, as if his thoughts had forgotten how to move.
"Highest-grade potential…
A Great Body…"
He stared at Eren, then continued in disbelief.
"And yet… you're under a Heavenly Restriction.
Your blood power is sealed as well."
Eric exhaled slowly.
"You're fortunate… and unfortunate at the same time."
He shook his head, frustration flickering across his face.
"This is troublesome. Very troublesome."
After a moment, he straightened himself.
"Forget it for now. Focus on your training," he said.
"I'll find a way to deal with this as soon as possible."
With that, Eric turned around and left the garden.
Eren watched him disappear.
"…Heavenly Restriction," Eren muttered.
Right. I completely forgot about that.
Back then, I really was insane.
Who puts a Heavenly Restriction on themselves?
What an idiot.
Well, it's not like I knew I'd transmigrate here.
Still… I'm not afraid of it.
The only real effect is that I can never use my full power.
The second effect is far more dangerous… but I do have a cheat code for that.
Just not yet. It's too early.
"Eren, I'm back. And I brought what you asked for."
A girl's voice broke his thoughts.
"Oh, you're back already," Eren said, turning toward her.
"Are you fully healed? And how many elixirs did he ask for?"
There was a hint of warmth in his voice.
"I'm completely healed," Lina replied.
"And he didn't ask for anything. He healed me for free."
She hesitated, then added,
"Eren… can I ask you something?"
Eren nodded.
"Yesterday, you said my soul was damaged," Lina said carefully.
"That's why you forgot parts of your memory."
"But today, you're already understanding how to use energy."
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
"So… how did your soul get damaged?"
Damn it.
She's sharp.
What do I even tell her?
Eren's mind raced.
Before he could speak, Lina suddenly moved.
"I knew it," she said coldly.
"If you weren't an imposter, how could you not know your own father is the leader?"
"And you even insulted our king."
Her sword flashed.
In the next instant, the blade rested against Eren's neck.
"You're a spy from another kingdom, aren't you?"
"Where is our real Young Master?"
Eren froze.
"H-Hey, Lina, put the sword down," he said quickly.
"I am Eren. I swear."
He swallowed.
"The memory loss isn't because of training," he admitted.
"It's because of the Heavenly Restriction."
"It erases a part of my memory every year."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"I just… forgot more than usual this time."
Lina paused.
Then she slowly lowered her sword.
"Right," she said.
"I did hear that you're under a Heavenly Restriction."
Eren let out a breath.
"By the way," he said, drifting back into thought,
"my brother has arrived, hasn't he?"
"If he didn't bring that sword with him… send him back."
"Sword—?" Lina started.
She suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Then she vanished.
"Lina! Where are you going?" Eren shouted.
No response.
"She'll be back soon," Eren muttered.
He turned around.
A boy was standing there.
"Who are you?" Eren asked flatly.
The boy stepped forward slowly.
"I'm Goo," he said.
"Lina's brother."
"So you finally arrived," Eren said, studying him.
"Yes," Goo replied.
Frrrr—
A body suddenly slid across the ground and stopped right in front of Eren.
"Eren! This guy was spying on us!"
Lina appeared instantly, throwing the man down.
"Get up," she snapped, grabbing the man's head and forcing it upward.
Eren looked at his face.
It was covered in blood.
…Why does he look familiar?
Especially that symbol.
"Ah—"
A broken voice escaped the man's mouth.
Before he could finish, kicks rained down on him one after another.
"Who are you?" Goo shouted.
"Who sent you? Why were you spying on us?"
"Stop, Goo!" Eren said sharply.
"No, Young Master," Goo replied coldly.
"Today is my first day here. I'll prove my worth today."
He kicked again.
"Did you get a contract to assassinate our Young Master?"
"Speak!"
"I—I'm not—" the man tried to say.
Another kick cut him off.
"Talk!" Goo roared.
"Or you won't survive today!"
"Lina," Eren said calmly,
"could you restrain your brother for a moment?"
Lina nodded and pulled Goo back.
The moment he stopped—
Eren walked toward the injured man.
But it was too late.
The man had already lost consciousness.
"Hey, girl. Come here."
A young woman immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply, offering a formal greeting to Eren.
Eren's eyes instinctively scanned her posture… then stopped at the tattoo on her hand.
…Seriously.
What kind of author was I?
I hid so many geniuses inside my own family… and now they're going to suffer because of it.
He sighed inwardly.
"What's your name?" Eren asked gently.
"Merry Ardent."
The voice that answered him was not soft.
It was thick. Deep. Almost masculine.
Eren didn't react.
But Goo, standing nearby, failed to hold back a laugh.
Merry's expression darkened instantly.
Figures.
What else could I expect from people of the main family?
Eren suddenly shot Goo a sharp look.
The laughter died mid-breath.
"You're a descendant of one of the smaller branches, aren't you?" Eren asked after a brief pause.
"Yes," Merry replied, her voice rough and emotionless.
"A third-grade family."
"I see," Eren said calmly.
"What brings you here?"
"I placed tenth in this month's branch-family competition," she answered.
"That earned me a chance to train under the main family."
Same thick voice. Even colder now.
…Her biggest mistake was coming here.
If she had stayed below, she wouldn't have faced this much humiliation.
I need to protect her.
If her life gets ruined, ours will follow sooner or later.
"You want to learn the sword, right?" Eren asked casually.
"Yes."
"What if I told you… you shouldn't learn sword arts?" Eren said.
"Why?" she snapped.
"I want to become a powerful sword master."
A laugh echoed through the garden.
"A sword master?"
"Hahaha!"
"Fix your voice first," Goo mocked.
"And sword master? You'll never become one."
"Goo, shut up!" Eren barked sharply.
The air went still.
"Merry Ardent," Eren said softly,
"don't worry."
"You'll definitely become a powerful master."
"Even if you can't become a sword master."
That only made her angrier.
"Young Master… may I leave now?"
"Yes," Eren nodded.
"But send a maid here on your way out."
"…Understood."
She bowed once more and left.
Eren stepped forward and looked down at the unconscious spy.
Why do these marks… from his neck to his face… feel familiar?
He stared for a while, but nothing clicked.
Eventually, he stepped back.
"Goo. Did you bring the sword?"
"Yes, Young Master."
Eren turned toward him.
"Good. Bring it here."
His voice was calm, but there was a faint trace of anticipation.
Goo nodded without question and returned moments later, holding a long, plain sword.
There was no glow.
No aura.
Nothing remarkable about it.
To an outsider, it would look like nothing more than an old, well-used blade.
But Eren's eyes froze for a split second.
His heart skipped.
…That pattern.
I only ever made three swords like this.
He stepped closer.
The moment his hand neared the blade, a faint sensation ran through him.
Strange.
Almost like the sword had recognized him.
"Interesting…"
A quiet glint appeared in Eren's eyes.
Goo presented the sword with both hands.
"This is the sword, Young Master," he said.
"Father told me to keep it with me at all times."
Eren didn't fully take it.
He only brushed the hilt with his fingers.
And instantly—
A memory flashed.
A battlefield.
Bodies everywhere.
Blood dripping from the tip of this very blade.
…No.
Not now.
Eren pulled his hand back.
Goo looked confused.
"Is something wrong, Young Master?"
Eren shook his head.
"No."
Then, after a pause, he said,
"Goo… not many people should know about this sword."
Goo frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," Eren said calmly,
"for now, it's just a sword."
"And it should remain only that."
Goo tried to understand, but didn't ask further.
"As you wish."
Eren looked at the blade once more.
"You know," he said quietly,
"in the future, weapons won't choose humans."
"Humans will make themselves worthy of weapons."
Goo looked at Eren more carefully for the first time.
"And you," Eren continued, meeting his gaze,
"you're only at the beginning."
Goo straightened unconsciously.
He said nothing.
But something ignited in his eyes.
At that moment, Eren's gaze drifted back to the unconscious spy.
He was still breathing. Barely.
Eren examined the marks again.
"These scars…"
I've seen them only once.
He crouched and looked carefully behind the man's ear.
There it was.
Faded. Almost erased.
A symbol.
Eren's eyes narrowed.
…So it really is you.
He stood up.
"Keep this man under close watch," Eren said.
"Place him in my room."
"No guards outside," he added.
"Only strong ones inside. Understood, Lina?"
"Yes, Eren. I understand."
The day passed quietly after that.
"Alright," Eren muttered.
"Time to train."
He sat down, closing his eyes.
And far away, unseen…
Something had already begun to move.
What happens next?
Keep reading My Fiction Became My Reality —
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