Dex had reached his limit.

  The prolonged fight, the exhaustion from wielding the dragon’s power, his final attack—and above all, the relentless fear that had burrowed deep into his bones—became too much. His body revolted. A violent wave rose in his stomach, and suddenly he vomited. The next moment, he collapsed, unconscious.

  Darek let out a long breath of relief.

  The students around them stood in stunned silence. How was that possible? Dex had dominated the entire time—and now this? Just like that? From one second to the next?

  Carris stepped forward, examining both fighters. His voice was serious, yet laced with recognition.

  “Both students performed exceptionally today. Darek, your determination and quick reactions carried you through the most difficult situations. Dex, your control over not one but two Soulbounds and the precision of your attacks were impressive. You both fought at a high level.”

  Then he raised his voice.

  “The final match is over. The winner is DAREK!”

  Ben cheered as if he had won himself. The others remained frozen at first. Then scattered applause began, building until the entire field erupted into clapping and excited voices.

  Hardly anyone truly understood what had just happened.

  Even Darek needed a moment to realize he had actually won.

  I won…?

  It feels more like I barely survived. If Dex had gotten back up… I don’t know if I’d still be standing.

  Medics rushed onto the field and attended to Dex. The cat tattoo on his arm glowed continuously—a visible sign of the panic he hadn’t been able to suppress.

  I must’ve scared him badly.

  It had to be the snake… how strange. The snake from the forgotten dream. The inheritance… inside my soul. Iris will probably be able to explain more…

  Carris cast a skeptical glance at the glowing tattoo before turning back to Darek.

  “I hereby officially present you with the prize for first place.”

  A wave of anticipation swept through the crowd. Few students even knew what a Soul Object truly was. The curiosity was palpable.

  Carris pulled a small red box from his jacket pocket, opened it, and revealed a simple compass.

  “This is a Soul Object of the lowest tier—also called the Fragment tier. If you focus and channel energy into it, it will guide you to most places you think of. The only requirement is that you must have been there before.”

  “That’s the lowest tier?” someone whispered. “That’s actually super useful…”

  Darek accepted the compass, studying it with fascination. He hadn’t expected something so practical. Secretly, he had hoped for a weapon.

  My expectations weren’t high… but this is better than I thought.

  He focused, pictured his bedroom, and let energy flow into the compass.

  A thin red line appeared before him—visible only to him.

  Darek frowned and turned to Carris.

  “Lieutenant Carris, excuse me, but the compass seems defective. It’s pointing in a completely wrong direction.”

  Carris smirked faintly.

  “No, it works perfectly. That is the drawback of this Soul Object. It will reliably bring you to your destination—but the path is never the shortest.”

  Darek blinked in confusion. The students burst into laughter.

  “Ha! Darek won a broken GPS!”

  “My car nav can do that too—and faster!”

  A chorus of laughter followed. Some simply shook their heads.

  Darek smiled lightly, though he wondered just how useful the object would truly be.

  Carris raised his hand, and gradually the crowd fell silent again.

  “Listen carefully. I will use this opportunity to give a brief lesson about Soul Objects. Soulbounds are directly bound to your souls. They create resonance between sender and receiver. Soul Objects are different. They possess their own soul and function only as receivers. Therefore, no resonance occurs—and that is precisely what leads to their weaknesses, the so-called drawbacks.”

  He paused.

  “These drawbacks are just as important for evaluation as the usefulness of the ability itself. The tiers of Soul Objects are as follows: Fragment Tier, Echo Tier, Relic Tier, Mythic Tier, and Godspark Tier.”

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  A tense murmur spread through the students.

  Carris raised his hand and showed the ring on his finger.

  “This ring, for example, is not a Soulbound but a Soul Object. It belongs to the Echo Tier and allows me to detect lies. However, the drawback is this: I must answer the next question truthfully myself.”

  What?!

  So that’s how it works. That explains the interview.

  Carris’ voice grew firmer.

  “Remember this well: always keep the drawbacks of your Soul Objects secret. These weaknesses can easily be exploited and used against you. The weakness of my ring is the best example. Even an Echo-tier object can prove highly valuable, as you have seen. And yes—even Fragment-tier objects like this compass can save lives in the right moment.”

  He looked across the field.

  “As for objects above that… I can tell you very little. I know only fragments about Mythic or even Godspark-tier objects. They lie far beyond our reach.”

  Darek bowed slightly, then carefully slipped the compass into his jacket pocket.

  In his mind, Iris’ voice echoed:

  Nice compass.

  There you are… where were you? Darek thought, exhausted.

  “Our bond hasn’t fully awakened yet,” Iris replied calmly. “And I haven’t properly recovered either. It’s remarkable that you were able to use my abilities so effectively regardless. That’s why our connection is still limited.”

  Ah… right.

  Carris’ voice cut through the moment.

  “That concludes today’s lesson! Due to the strain of the tournament, classes are suspended for the next four days. Rest well!”

  Cheers erupted. Ben nearly exploded with joy.

  He ran toward Darek, slapped him on the shoulder, and grinned widely.

  “Ha! Well done, Darek! I knew only my best friend could win. So—dinner at my place tonight?”

  Then he smirked mischievously.

  “Ha! Sokrates! Bet you didn’t expect that from the pillow lover!”

  Darek laughed quietly, though his eyes revealed his exhaustion.

  “Another day, Ben. Tonight I need to rest—and sort a few things out.”

  Ben is celebrating like this was just a cool tournament…

  If he only knew how close that was.

  I’m almost more afraid of myself than of Dex.

  As he mounted his bicycle, he noticed once again the soft glow of the plants—especially now in the late afternoon, when the sun hung lower in the sky.

  That light again…

  Maybe I really should give my soul some rest. It’s been one hell of a day.

  He rode home at an easy pace, passing FlySharp—already closed—and soon after, EagleEat.

  And if the morning line had seemed long, the evening crowd was something else entirely. If Darek hadn’t known better, he would have thought it was a flash mob or a mass demonstration.

  People of all ages stood in line: elderly couples, families, groups of excited teenagers. Some took photos. Others recorded short videos for social media.

  This is getting insane…

  If this keeps up, the whole city center will burst at the seams.

  He scanned the endless queue.

  How long will the people at the back have to wait…?

  They’re crazy.

  He snorted—then grinned.

  Maybe one day I’ll get lucky and catch a quiet moment. Still… I’m curious. What kind of Soulbound could make a restaurant this successful?

  He began running through possibilities.

  Maybe… flavor replication? An ability that automatically makes every dish taste like the best version of itself.

  Or a flavor enhancer. A power that seasons every meal perfectly.

  Or maybe the owner has something entirely different—an ability that senses what each customer desires most at that moment. Imagine walking in and instantly being served your perfect dish. That would be wildly unfair.

  He shook his head.

  Or something that creates instant hunger when people get close. A kind of appetite field. Unfair… but hey. Food is war.

  He chuckled.

  Or… and now we’re getting ridiculous… maybe the chef has a Soulbound that manifests as a tiny mouse sitting on his head, controlling his hands. That would explain why half of Aquilara is lining up.

  He continued riding while the line kept growing behind him.

  Whatever. One day I’ll figure out what’s behind it. Even if I have to stand in line myself. Maybe on a day when I’m not half dead from a tournament.

  Back home, he greeted his parents briefly, went to his room, and collapsed onto his bed.

  “Finally… a break,” he muttered.

  He stretched, feeling the tension slowly drain from his body.

  “What a day…”

  Evening settled in, and with one last glance out the window, a quiet calm returned to him.

  But what did Dex see that terrified him so suddenly?

  It must be true.

  That snake really is the inheritance—the legacy left behind by Sorus Serphira Potifera, the hero of Serphira six hundred years ago.

  Darek sighed.

  His brother killed him… I never knew that. And who did he join? What are these Tyrants? I should brush up on my history. I have a feeling this was only the shadow of something much bigger.

  But the real problem is… what do I do with the snake? She feels just as much a part of me as I am of her. And how do I even access my Soul Mirror? Last time it happened when I was about to fall asleep.

  Iris’ voice suddenly rang out, sounding incredulous.

  What? You have a Soulbound, an inheritance, a pact, and a Soul Object—and you don’t know how to access your Soul Mirror? Unbelievable. I’m logging that as the strange fact you owed me. I didn’t know a species could be this incompetent.

  “Hey!” Darek protested—but his tone softened.

  “Thanks… anyway.”

  First, you try to feel your soul, Iris explained calmly. Close your eyes.

  “Wait… does that mean I’ll run into the snake again?”

  Yes. But you are part of the same soul now. She won’t harm you.

  Darek clenched his fists.

  “Alright… I guess I need to move forward somehow.”

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  Good. Now focus on your core. Gather your thoughts. Channel your strength inward.

  The moment Iris finished, Darek found himself once more within his own soul.

  But this time, everything was different.

  The vast expanse that had once resembled a star-filled universe after the pillow’s awakening had changed. A soft silver shimmer now covered everything, bathing the entire realm in dreamlike light.

  Before, it had felt like gazing into the night sky itself—vast, open, scattered with constellations. Now the universe seemed denser, more mysterious, as if a fine cosmic mist had settled over the stars—like the flowing scales of the snake.

  It wrapped everything in silent radiance.

  For a moment, Darek thought of his real room—his messy bed, the desk cluttered with notebooks, the pillow lying quietly in the corner.

  None of that was here.

  And yet this felt more like him than any place in the real world ever had.

  “So this is my Soul Mirror… that was easier than I thought,” he whispered.

  Before him floated the pillow.

  And upon it lay the small silver snake.

  The moment she saw him, she shot forward joyfully and coiled around his neck.

  This time, Darek allowed it—even if he wasn’t entirely comfortable.

  “I guess I owe you a thank-you. Who knows what would’ve happened if I’d faced Dex in the Astral Ground without you.”

  He inhaled slowly, then his voice grew more serious.

  “On the other hand, you gave me the worst pain of my life—no, of my entire existence. A pain beyond anything I could have imagined. Something that will mark me forever.”

  The snake looked up at him—almost adorably.

  “Let’s call it even,” Darek said with a faint smile. “Let’s start over.”

  He paused.

  “I’m Darek.”