Chapter 62 — The Voice Within
The world had gone completely silent.
Azrael stood before the half-open silver door, Astraeus hanging loosely at his side.
His breathing was uneven.
His heart was beating too fast.
Not because of fear.
Because something inside him had recognized that voice.
Welcome back... my successor.
The words continued echoing through his mind.
He pressed a hand against his chest.
"Who are you?"
No answer came.
The voice had vanished.
But its presence remained.
Deep within him.
The old master suddenly appeared beside him.
"Don’t listen to it."
Azrael looked at him.
"You heard it?"
"I heard enough."
"What is it?"
The old master’s expression was unusually grim.
"I don’t know."
Azrael stared at him.
"You don’t know?"
"I know the Forgotten Path."
The old master looked toward the silver door.
"But that..."
He paused.
"...is older than the Path."
A cold sensation moved through Azrael’s body.
Behind them, the masked leader laughed.
"Still pretending you don’t know?"
The old master slowly turned.
"You’ve been studying this place for a long time."
"Long enough."
The masked leader looked toward Azrael.
"But even I didn’t expect him to awaken it this quickly."
Azrael frowned.
"Awaken what?"
The man pointed at his chest.
"Your inheritance."
Azrael’s expression hardened.
"I have no idea what you’re talking about."
"Perhaps."
The masked leader smiled.
"But something inside you does."
The black mark on Azrael’s chest pulsed.
Pain exploded through his body.
He dropped to one knee.
BOOM!
His aura erupted uncontrollably.
Silver.
Gold.
Black.
Three different energies collided around him.
The System appeared.
"Emergency Evolution Response"
Unknown Origin inheritance attempting awakening.
Compatibility: 100%
Current host condition: Unstable
Evolution pathway cannot be identified.
Warning: Forced awakening may cause irreversible changes.
Azrael gritted his teeth.
"Shut it down."
The System remained silent.
The old master immediately grabbed his shoulder.
"Azrael!"
"I’m fine."
"No, you’re not."
Azrael looked up.
His eyes had changed.
One had become golden.
The other was dark silver.
The old master’s expression froze.
"Those eyes..."
Azrael blinked.
The strange colors disappeared.
"What?"
The old master stepped back.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he looked toward the silver door.
"That’s why."
"Why what?"
"Why the Path chose you."
Azrael stood slowly.
"You keep saying things like that without explaining anything."
The old master sighed.
"I was hoping you’d have more time."
"Time for what?"
"To become strong enough to hear the truth."
Azrael’s expression became serious.
"Then tell me now."
The old master looked at him.
"You are not simply a successor."
Azrael waited.
"You are a vessel."
Silence.
"For what?"
The old master didn’t answer.
Instead, the Root Guardian suddenly moved.
One enormous hand struck the ground.
BOOM!
The silver door began closing.
The masked leader’s expression changed.
"No!"
He rushed forward.
The old master immediately intercepted him.
Their fists collided.
BOOM!
The masked leader was thrown backward.
"You won’t touch him."
The man wiped blood from his mouth.
"You still don’t understand."
The old master narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"If that door closes..."
The masked leader smiled.
"...you’ll lose him forever."
The old master’s expression darkened.
Azrael heard the words.
"What does that mean?"
Neither answered.
The door continued closing.
Azrael stared at the endless space beyond it.
Something was calling him.
Not with words.
With familiarity.
A feeling that he had stood there before.
A feeling that he had once known the place.
He took one step forward.
The old master immediately grabbed his shoulder.
"Don’t."
Azrael looked at him.
"I need answers."
"You’ll get them."
"When?"
"When you’re ready."
Azrael’s jaw tightened.
"I’ve heard that too many times."
The old master looked directly into his eyes.
"Because some answers are more dangerous than ignorance."
Azrael stopped.
The silver door was almost closed.
Then—
A hand appeared through the gap.
Azrael’s eyes widened.
The hand was pale.
Human.
Almost identical to his own.
It reached toward him.
The old master’s face changed completely.
"Move!"
Azrael couldn’t.
He froze.
The hand stopped inches from his face.
Then a voice whispered:
"You have forgotten me."
Azrael’s heart stopped.
A memory flashed through his mind.
A woman standing beneath a sky filled with stars.
A golden-haired girl beside him.
A burning world.
A pair of enormous wings.
Then darkness.
Azrael staggered backward.
"No..."
The vision disappeared.
His head throbbed.
He grabbed it with both hands.
"Who was that?"
The old master stared at him.
"Your memory is sealed."
Azrael slowly looked up.
"My memory?"
"Yes."
"By who?"
The old master remained silent.
Azrael’s voice became colder.
"By who?"
Finally, the old man answered.
"By someone who loved you."
Azrael froze.
Before he could ask another question—
The silver door slammed shut.
BOOM.
The black formation immediately collapsed.
The masked warriors began disappearing one after another.
The masked leader stared at Azrael.
"This isn’t over."
He stepped backward into the darkness.
"When you remember..."
His smile returned.
"...you’ll understand why everyone is afraid of you."
Then he vanished.
The remaining enemies disappeared with him.
Silence returned.
The Root Guardian slowly lowered itself.
Its enormous body began sinking beneath the earth.
Before disappearing completely, it looked at Azrael one final time.
Then it placed one hand over its chest.
A gesture almost resembling a bow.
Azrael stared.
The guardian vanished.
The white tree returned to its original form.
The lake became calm.
Only the cracked ground remained as proof that a battle had occurred.
Azrael stood motionless.
His mind was filled with questions.
The old master approached.
"You have many questions."
Azrael looked at him.
"Too many."
The old man nodded.
"You’ll have answers."
"All of them?"
"No."
Azrael frowned.
The old master smiled.
"Some answers..."
"...you must discover yourself."
Azrael sighed.
"Of course."
For the first time since the battle began, the old master’s expression softened.
Then a notification appeared.
Ding.
Azrael looked toward the translucent screen.
"Major Event Completed"
Trial: Defend the Forgotten Path
Result: Success
Rewards:
Stone Resonance — Lv. 2
Combat Insight increased.
Origin Perception increased.
Unknown Origin Fragment acquired.
Evolution Progress: 34% → 35%
Special Condition Unlocked: Forgotten Path
Azrael stared at the final line.
"Forgotten Path..."
The old master nodded.
"Now you have officially entered it."
Azrael looked toward the white tree.
The ancient branches moved gently.
For the first time, the place no longer felt like a strange realm.
It felt familiar.
Almost like home.
Far away, within the Golden Sanctuary, Seraphina suddenly stopped walking.
Caelan noticed.
"What’s wrong?"
Seraphina looked toward the distant sky.
Her heart was beating strangely.
"I don’t know."
She placed a hand against her chest.
"But..."
She whispered:
"Azrael is changing."
Caelan looked toward the same sky.
"You can feel your brother from here?"
Seraphina nodded.
"We’ve always been connected."
A faint smile appeared.
"Whatever he’s doing..."
She looked toward the training grounds.
"...he’s probably getting himself into trouble."
Caelan smiled.
"I believe you’re right."
Seraphina laughed softly.
Then she drew her sword.
"Come."
Caelan raised an eyebrow.
"Where?"
"Training."
She looked at the floating leaf drifting across the stream.
"I still haven’t struck it without disturbing the water."
Caelan’s smile widened.
"Then let’s see if you’ve improved."
Far away, beneath the white tree, Azrael looked at Astraeus.
The sword hummed quietly.
The white stone rested in his palm.
And somewhere deep inside his soul...
Something ancient whispered once more.
"Remember."
Azrael closed his eyes.
This time, he didn’t reject the voice.
He listened.
Because if his past had truly been sealed...
Then he would eventually uncover it.
Not because someone told him the truth.
But because he would become strong enough to face it.
The old master watched him silently.
A small smile appeared on his face.
The first lesson had been understanding.
The second had been losing.
The third had begun.
And now...
Azrael was finally ready to learn what it meant to inherit the Forgotten Path.