Chapter 114: Return
Inside the truck, a card materialized in the air above Leo’s motionless body.
A transparent figure drifted up from the card—his soul. It drifted downward, sinking into his chest.
The moment they fused, the black-and-white world shattered, bursting back into vibrant color.
Leo opened his eyes. The familiar interior of his truck greeted him. The deep black of the Void Dimension, the ruined landscape of the Forgotten Battlefield, and the ancient golden dome had all vanished. The world had returned to normal.
Leo sat in a daze for a long time. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t reluctant to leave. Or perhaps just a little sad. For the first time in two lifetimes, he had met people he could genuinely call friends. Memories of Gill’s grating attitude and the mysterious man’s calm demeanor flashed through his mind, bringing a faint smile to his lips.
The peace broke.
[Host! Host! Are you finally brain-dead?]
Leo’s expression twitched. Only now did he register the familiar, grating voice echoing inside his head. He let out a long breath.
"Don’t shout. I’m here."
The system chimed back without missing a beat.
[Host, are you okay? I think something went wrong.]
[The system lost contact with you for several seconds just now.]
[Did you experience anything unusual? If so, you should tell the system immediately so it can determine what happened.]
Leo opened his mouth, almost willing to spill everything. Then the weight of his oath held him back. His jaw snapped shut.
"Must be your imagination."
"I just spaced out for a moment."
"It has been an eventful three days."
A beat of silence passed.
[Are you sure, Host?]
Leo kept his face perfectly calm.
"If you can’t figure out what happened, do you think I can?"
Another pause.
[The Host’s words do seem logical.]
Leo rolled his eyes.
"So, what were you calling me about?"
The robotic voice shifted, taking on an eager tone.
[The system has finally upgraded to Level 2!]
[New system functions have been unlocked!]
[The System Store has been updated!]
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"Alright."
"Tell me about the new functions."
The system pushed its excitement even higher.
[Host, the newest and most important function has finally been unlocked!]
[Zen Points!]
Leo’s face shifted, his interest piqued.
[From now on, whenever the Host kills an enemy, the system can absorb a portion of their essence and convert it into Zen Points.]
[Zen Points can be used together with Nucleus Crystals to purchase items from the System Store.]
[Zen Points are a derivative form of Zen.]
[To obtain complete information about Zen, the Host must pay 1,000 Nucleus Crystals.]
Leo scoffed. There was no need for that. After spending a decade mastering Zen in the Void Dimension, he stood as one of the most knowledgeable people on the planet when it came to the subject.
"No need."
"I already know about Zen."
"When I was mortally injured during my previous battle with that alien, I received an epiphany regarding Zen."
"Oh, right."
"You wouldn’t know about that because you were still upgrading."
The system fired back a warning.
[Host, Zen is not something to be treated lightly.]
[The system strongly advises the Host to obtain proper knowledge about Zen before attempting to use it.]
[Half-understanding Zen can lead to consequences beyond the Host’s imagination.]
Leo smiled.
"Oh?"
"So you don’t believe me?"
"Then let me show you."
He crossed his legs on the bed and closed his eyes. Leo wasn’t just trying to prove a point to the machine. He needed to confirm the truth for himself. Had the last ten years actually happened, or was it just an incredibly vivid dream?
He fell into the rhythm of the Star Soul Breathing Technique. At first, only the familiar Aether greeted him. A frown creased his forehead. Zen was nowhere to be found. He pushed deeper, scanning his surroundings.
A few beats passed.
There.
A faint thread of Zen brushed against his perception. But before he could take hold of it, the sensation slipped away.
Leo kept his cool. He cleared away every stray thought and tried once more.
This time, he found it.
A microscopic strand of Zen drifted within the ambient energy. It felt pathetic compared to the crushing abundance of the Void Dimension, but it was real. Leo locked onto the energy and coaxed it closer. The wisp of Zen slipped into his body.
He had done it.
A relieved smile touched his lips. It wasn’t a dream. Every single thing he endured in the Void Dimension was real.
He wasted no time circulating the Zen through his system, tracing the exact pathways he had practiced countless times over the past decade. The second the energy brushed against his heart—
Duk! Duk!
His chest gave a hard throb.
DUK! DUK!
His pulse raced. Blood roared through his veins, causing them to bulge against his skin while a fierce heat spiked through his core. Leo forced his breathing to steady.
"Inhale..."
"Exhale..."
"Inhale..."
"Exhale..."
Operating on pure instinct, he shifted into the meditation technique he had mastered during his final years in the void.
The atmosphere shifted.
A violent surge of power gathered around the parked truck. Like water draining into a whirlpool, the ambient Zen flowed toward him. It started as a subtle pull before escalating into a rushing tide. Energy converged on his location from every direction.
Ordinary humans walked by without noticing a thing. But the powerful superhumans in the area felt the shift.
And a few of them zeroed in on the source.
Miles from Rendell City
A convoy sped down the highway toward Rendell City. The vehicles looked nothing like standard transports; they were heavy, blocky, and plated with advanced armor. Leading the pack was a massive machine built like a rolling fortress, boasting multiple levels packed with troops and high-tech gear.
On the top floor, a golden-haired man sat back in a plush chair, his eyes shut in rest.
His eyes snapped open. He turned his gaze toward Rendell City, his relaxed expression hardening into a severe frown.
"What is happening in Rendell City?"
He closed his eyes again, stretching his senses to read the air.
"The Aether..."
His face fell.
"No."
"That’s not Aether."
"The Zen in the surrounding area..."
"All of it is being drawn toward Rendell City."
His eyes narrowed to slits.
"Are the aliens planning something?"
He grabbed the intercom bolted to the wall beside him.
"Tell the convoy to stop."
"We’re not entering Rendell City yet."
"There is something unusual happening inside."
"We’ll stay here until we understand the situation."
"Send the scouts ahead."
"Find out what’s happening."
Rendell City
Back in the heart of Rendell City, two terrifying entities caught the disturbance. The horned demon tilted its head up, a look of pure confusion twisting its face.
"What is happening?"
"Why is the surrounding Zen becoming so unstable?"
The giant eyeball floating beside it gave no response.
Footsteps announced a new arrival. It was the two-horned demon—the very same monster that had injured Leo days prior. The creature dropped into a deep bow.
"Master."
"I told you before."
"There are formidable humans from the Rizen Group who can wield Zen."
"This must be them."
"They may be attempting to create some kind of weapon."
The lead demon’s face darkened.
"A weapon?"
The sheer volume of Zen gathering in the distance was absurd. Whatever was unfolding across the city, it was far from insignificant.
"We must find out what is happening."
"This situation could prove fatal to us."
He paused, weighing the possibilities.
"As far as we know, the only person on this planet who can properly wield Zen is the Lord."
His eyes turned icy.
"If those Rizen Group humans truly possess a method of controlling Zen..."
"We must capture them."
"We will force them to reveal their Zen techniques."
"And uncover the secret they possess."
The demon glanced at the hovering eyeball.
"Make the necessary preparations."
"We will take those humans by surprise."
"Scatter our forces."
"If a devastating attack is coming, I don’t want our entire force caught in the blast."
The giant eye dipped in a slow, eerie nod. Without another word, the two demons melted away into the shadows.
Meanwhile, safely tucked away inside his truck, the flow of Zen around Leo only grew stronger.
Blissfully ignorant of the chaos brewing outside, Leo remained seated, his eyes shut tight.
For the first time in his life, he was truly beginning to cultivate Zen.
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Author’s Note
Dear readers,
With this Chapter, Leo’s backstory and training arc have finally come to an end.
It has been a long journey, but everything Leo experienced in the Void Dimension—the training, the battles, the mysteries, and the people he met there—has shaped the person he is now.
From this point onward, we’re returning to the main storyline.
And trust me...
The peaceful days are over.
The upcoming Chapters are going to be much more action-packed, with battles, new enemies, new abilities, and plenty of surprises waiting for Leo.
But that’s not all.
I’ve also been working on another novel, The Astral Master, which explores the story behind the mysterious Master and his journey toward becoming the Astral Master.
The book is now being released separately, so if you’ve enjoyed the mystery surrounding the Astral Master and want to learn more about his story, I’d really appreciate it if you gave it a try.
And most importantly, thank you for continuing to support me and this novel.
Every read, comment, review, power stone, and bit of support means a lot to me and gives me more motivation to keep writing.
The backstory is over.
The training is over.
Now, Leo is back.
And things are about to get crazy. 🔥