(Noah's POV)
A storm of magic roared around me.
Rifts cracked open like wounds in space, swirling with ink-black edges and silver light. I stood at the center of the chaos, one among a hundred identical versions of myself—each one a clone, each one attacking the mystery of the void with relentless determination.
One year.
An entire year of trial and failure.
Of opening rifts, stabilizing them, bending the laws of space until they screamed. Of being blasted into walls, sliced by wild distortions, and twisted into painful loops by unstable wormholes. All inside the soul space where time bowed to my will.
And now…
Now, I stood alone.
Every clone gone. Every mistake learned.
The battlefield of training faded behind me, like dust swirling into a fading dream.
And as I let go of my soul's hold on the space, I whispered—
"Return."
And then—
I opened my eyes.
A warm ceiling came into view. The familiar wooden panels of my bedroom. The scent of soap and sunlight.
I was back.
My body felt stiff—numb—but whole. My mana core thrummed like a star contained in flesh.
A long breath escaped my lips. "Finally…"
A whole year of training—compressed into just a few hours outside.
I had done it.
I had mastered Prime Rift.
Perfectly. Precisely. Absolutely.
I could now open portals with a flick. Travel anywhere I'd been. Blink through battlefields like a shadow of space.
And yet—
Before I could smile in victory, I noticed it.
Three pairs of eyes.
No—glares.
Burning. Piercing. Judging.
I froze.
Standing near my bed, each holding a tray of food in their hands, were Lyra, Layla, and Scarlett.
And they were not happy.
The kind of not happy that cracked glass. That split mountains. That caused empires to kneel.
I gulped.
"Why are they all here?"
"Why do they look pissed?"
"Were they waiting for me to wake up… the whole time?"
"…H-hello, ladies," I said, awkward and more than a little nervous.
Layla tilted her head, her voice sugar-coated and menacing.
"Noah~," she cooed sweetly. "What are you planning this time?"
I stiffened.
Scarlett followed, eyes narrowed.
"Yeah. We've been calling you for the last three hours but you didn't respond. If you're going to do something crazy again—"
"We'll have to tie you to the bed," Lyra finished, pulling a length of rope from… somewhere.
Where did she even keep that?
I sighed, raising both hands in surrender.
"Fine, fine. I'll tell you everything. Just—please keep that rope away from me."
Lyra didn't say a word. She just narrowed her eyes.
I had no choice. So I sat up and told them everything.
The vision I had seen.
The capital in flames.
Heroes turning on civilians.
Olivia's death—struck down by a harp-wielding woman cloaked in malice.
The black-robed figure I glimpsed before the dream ended.
All of it.
For ten minutes, I laid bare the storm that haunted me.
When I finished, the room fell quiet.
They no longer looked angry.
They looked… worried.
Layla sat beside me. "So this is the bad dream you were talking about?"
I nodded.
"Yeah. At that time, I wasn't sure what to do. But now I've made my decision. I need to check it out… just in case."
Scarlett leaned forward, eyes shadowed.
"You saw the capital burning with dark flames… and heroes slaughtering civilians?"
"Yeah," I said quietly. "And Olivia… was killed. It was too real to be a simple nightmare. And that black-robed man at the end… I don't think it was coincidence."
Layla's voice hardened. "You're not planning to do everything alone, right?"
I shook my head.
"No. I'll need your help after I confirm a few things. But… if this future is real, and it is coming, then no matter what we do, a lot of people will die."
Scarlett's hands clenched. "So you're going to the capital."
"Yeah. I need to investigate something first."
Lyra's voice was calm but firm. "If you need help… ask us right away."
"I will," I promised. "Don't worry."
I took a breath and blinked as I looked at the trays in their hands.
"Wait… is it lunch time already? Why are there three plates?"
Layla pouted. "It's not exactly lunch time. But we wanted to cook something for you and… see who cooks better."
"But you—" she glared, "—you were sleeping like a log! Later we figured out you were in soul space."
Lyra sighed. "My dish got cold…"
Scarlett smiled faintly. "Well, I made dessert, so I guess it can still be eaten cold."
I blinked again.
"You made these yourselves… really? For me?"
"Aren't you guys spoiling me too much lately?"
Layla tilted her head. "Do you not like it?"
Scarlett looked away. "I thought you would enjoy it…"
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to eat this?"
I stood up instantly.
"NO—I like it. I WILL EAT IT RIGHT NOW!"
"Hehehe."
They all laughed as I grabbed the trays like a starving man.
Layla had made a steaming plate of red sauce pasta—slightly spicy and rich.
Lyra had baked garlic bread, cheese-melted, crispy and warm.
Scarlett had crafted a delicate choco lava cake, soft and gooey in the center.
In five minutes, I devoured it all.
"Thanks for the food," I said, wiping my mouth.
They watched me, eyes sparkling like stars, expectant and glowing.
Like children waiting for praise after scoring perfect marks.
I smiled.
"It was delicious. I loved it."
Layla smirked. "So Noah~ which one did you like the most?"
Scarlett leaned in. "Yeah, tell us."
Lyra also nodded. She didn't speak—just stared.
"…Is that really important?" I asked cautiously.
"YES!" All three replied in unison, like I had just questioned the laws of life.
I sighed.
"Alright. Listen carefully. The red sauce pasta was delicious—but a little spicy. The cake balanced that with sweetness, but its richness kind of overwhelmed my taste buds. That's where the bread came in—strong garlic flavor, crisp and soft, perfect for cleansing the palate.
"Individually, each dish had strengths… but together? They complemented each other. Covered each other's flaws. They were best as a trio."
Layla looked smug. "I see…"
Scarlett nodded. "Hmm…"
Lyra asked, "Do you want us to cook again sometime?"
I smiled. "Yeah. I'd love that."
Layla grinned, tapping her chin. "So? When and how are you going to the capital?"
"I'll go after sunset," I replied. "Tell Mom I won't eat dinner—I'm full now anyway."
Scarlett nodded. "Fine. We'll take care of it."
"Thanks."
Lyra's eyes narrowed. "You still didn't tell us how you're getting there."
I grinned.
"Watch."
With a flick of my finger, a portal opened beneath Lyra's feet.
"Eh?! Ahhh—!"
She fell in with a small yelp and—
Reappeared in my lap.
She blinked, stunned, face red.
Layla giggled. "Oh~ I want to experience that too."
Scarlett stepped back in surprise. "Noah… when did you learn this?"
"Today," I said proudly. "I've been training this for the past year—inside the soul space."
Lyra looked up at me, cheeks flushed. "Why would you do something like that so suddenly? That scared me for a second…"
I hugged her gently and ruffled her hair.
"Sorry. I wanted to surprise you."
"…But why me?" she repeated softly.
I smiled.
"Because… you look really cute when you're surprised."
She pouted. "Tsk. You bully me…"
We all laughed.
The tension melted.
Just for this moment, it was peace.
But I knew what waited for me next.
A shadowed capital.
A dark flame.
A harp's song echoing death.
But I wasn't alone anymore.
I had them.
And I had the power to carve open the path forward.
To be continued…