The afternoon sun hung low over the treetops, bathing the village in a mellow gold.

The wind whispered through the leaves, warm and unhurried—yet beneath that calm, the air itself seemed to hum with anticipation.

Kael stood on a rise overlooking the fields, the faintest smile curling his lips. His coat swayed lazily in the breeze as he looked toward the cluster of figures working not far from the edge of the village—the reformed criminals.

They, too, could feel it. The promise. The slow pulse of something stirring beneath their skin.

"Ronan," Kael called out, his voice cutting clean through the rustling wind.

The wolfman straightened from where he'd been tightening a wooden brace, his golden eyes narrowing slightly before he nodded. "It's time, isn't it?"

Kael gave a faint nod. "Gather everyone."

Within minutes, word spread.

The lizardman, the minotaur, the antlered boy, and the others—all of them dropped what they were doing and made their way toward the clearing near the riverbank.

Even the villagers working nearby paused to watch, whispering softly.

When Kael arrived, his steps slow and deliberate, the air grew heavier—not with tension, but with quiet awe.

Ronan stood at the front, his broad frame tense with anticipation. Behind him, the lizardman—Tazruk, as Kael had named him—shifted restlessly, his tail twitching like a drumbeat.

The minotaur, Korven, crossed his arms, his single unbroken horn gleaming faintly under the sun.

And beside them, the meek antlered boy, Velren, clasped his hands together, his eyes shining with a strange mixture of fear and hope.

Kael stopped before them, hands tucked loosely behind his back.

"It's been twenty-four hours," he said. "You've all worked hard despite the weakness. Now, let's see what that patience has earned you."

The moment stretched—then it happened.

Light burst across the clearing. Not blinding, but pure—threads of faint radiance weaving through their bodies, rising like vapor into the sky.

The air rippled, the ground itself trembling faintly under their feet.

Ronan's eyes flared amber, his fur darkening at the edges as faint streaks of silver ran across his arms like veins of moonlight.

The scars that had once marred his body glowed briefly before fading, leaving his form sharper, stronger, and primal.

Tazruk staggered, gripping his head as scales peeled and shifted, revealing a smoother, sleeker green hue with faint black patterns down his spine.

His pupils narrowed, and when he exhaled, faint mist escaped his jaws—a remnant of elemental energy.

Korven's breath came deep and thunderous. His single horn shimmered faintly, the broken half twisting and reforming—not fully restored, but imbued with faint golden lines that pulsed like veins of molten metal.

His frame grew even larger, his presence grounding like a mountain.

Velren's antlers glowed pale white, branching wider and smoother, like silver roots. His eyes turned faintly blue, and for a brief second, his body shimmered as if the air itself bent around him.

But they weren't the only ones seeing the changes, as others were experiencing the same.

The light faded slowly, leaving them standing there—changed and awestruck.

Ronan flexed his hand, looking down at the faint glow in his veins. "What… What are we now?"

They could all feel that they had changed—or at least something inside them had.

But they couldn't tell what it was.

Kael, however, was different.

He could see their status windows, and through them, he knew what they were.

So, he chuckled softly, golden eyes gleaming. "You've evolved. Ronan—Silverfang Lycan. Your body now channels the moon's blessing. Tazruk—you're a Viperkin, born of venom and wind. Korven—Stonehorn Minotaur. Your body's half flesh, half forged metal now. And Velren—you, my boy, have become a Luminar Faun. You draw light itself when you move."

He went on, telling everyone what they had become, and their eyes slowly went wide.

They exchanged stunned looks, a murmur of disbelief breaking through their silence.

Then, one by one, they began to test what they had gained.

Ronan took a single step forward—and the air rippled as his claws traced faint silver arcs. His speed was sharper, his movements fluid, and his growl vibrated through the ground.

Tazruk flicked his wrist, a faint hiss escaping his palm—thin green mist trailing from his scales, carrying a faint metallic scent. "Poison and air, eh? That's… new."

Korven merely punched the air, and the shockwave alone stirred dust into a swirling gust. He grinned, his teeth flashing. "Feels right."

And Velren—timid, trembling Velren—lifted a hand. Light pooled faintly at his fingertips, not blinding, but gentle and pure. The glow pulsed like a heartbeat, and his breath caught. "I… I can control this?"

Kael folded his arms, his tone calm. "You can now. That's your soul responding to my power. But don't get drunk on it yet."

Velren nodded, while Kael glanced at others testing their powers like the four of them.

But soon, they stopped, turning toward him as he motioned for them to sit.

"Sit in a lotus position," he said, lowering himself cross-legged on the ground. "It's time I teach you what comes next—the breathing technique I made for you."

The group obeyed, a mix of reverence and curiosity on their faces.

By now, they all believed in Kael.

The dragon, on the other hand, closed his eyes, his tone steady but soft.

"This one's not like your old methods. You won't need to force your energy through your veins. You won't need focus or stillness. Once you learn the rhythm… your body will do the rest, even while you work—or sleep."

At first, they followed cautiously, mimicking his slow, deliberate breathing. But soon, their eyes widened.

Something clicked.

The flow came on its own—a quiet, endless tide rising and falling within their chests. Strength stirred faintly beneath the skin, gentle but constant. It didn't demand effort; it simply was.

Ronan opened his eyes, disbelief flickering across his face. "This… It's automatic."

Tazruk's grin spread slowly. "It's like breathing breath itself."

Korven's deep laugh rumbled through the clearing. "I could do this while hauling stone."

Velren's voice trembled with awe. "Even… even while sleeping?"

Kael smiled faintly, rising to his feet. The golden light of sunset framed him as he looked down at them.

"Exactly," he said quietly. "You don't chase power anymore. It follows you."

The breeze stirred again, carrying the faint hum of awakening across the village.

And in that golden hour, beneath the soft sky, the reformed criminals no longer looked like outcasts.

They looked like warriors reborn.

They still didn't know how Kael was going to solve the problem of their bloodlust, but for now, they didn't think about it.

All they wanted to do now was see how far their limits had been extended.

...............................

Some hours later.

After leaving the criminals, Kael returned home, as the girls would awaken in some time.

Now, it was that time.

In the backyard of Kael's house, a faint tension filled the air. The grass shimmered faintly under the last threads of sunlight, and the scent of pine drifted through the stillness.

Kael stood at the center, coat unbuttoned, the golden glow of the sky catching the edge of his black hair.

His eyes flicked over the group assembled before him—Lyra, Evethra, Alenia, Selene, Rue, and Rina—and at the far edge, Druvarn, sitting quietly like a vigilant guardian.

The girls were calm, though their breaths carried faint tremors of anticipation.

They had watched what had happened earlier with the reformed criminals—how light had torn through the air, reshaping them from within, although from afar.

Now, it was their turn.

Kael's tone was measured when he spoke, his voice smooth and steady, carrying a strange reassurance.

"It's time," he said. "You've all felt it—the weight under your skin, the quiet hum in your chest. That's your power waiting to wake."

Lyra's hands tightened against her apron. Her silver hair shimmered faintly in the dim light, long ears twitching once before she forced herself to stay still.

"I'm ready," she said softly, polite as always. "Even if… I don't quite know what to expect."

Kael smiled faintly. "You'll know soon enough."

He raised his hand—and as before, light gathered. Not blinding, not violent. Just pure. It pulsed outward, soft and rhythmic, brushing across them like the sweep of a tide.

The air shuddered.

Lyra gasped as warmth rippled through her body, light trailing along her arms and legs.

Her hair brightened, strands of moonlit white weaving through silver. The faint glow of runic lines appeared briefly along her skin—like delicate patterns of wind and light.

Her long ears twitched, sharper now, and when she opened her eyes again, they gleamed a brilliant, gentle lavender.

Kael's gaze lingered on her, intrigued. "Leporin Sylvani," he murmured. "A rare evolution… with a very high forest affinity."

Lyra blinked, her voice almost trembling. "I… feel lighter. Like I could run across air itself."

Evethra, beside her, remained unnervingly composed. The light that enveloped her was deeper, red and black entwined.

Her hair shimmered like dark silk; her skin took on a faint pallor kissed by magic.

But her body didn't change much—rather, the air around her did. The mana pulsed more sharply. It was denser and thicker.

Kael glanced at her status window and nodded. "Ancient Vampire bloodline refinement. Your control has deepened. Mana regeneration—twenty times faster. Your magic… will obey like a limb now."

Evethra bowed her head slightly, eyes glowing faintly crimson. "Then I'll make sure it's worthy of you, my lord."

Next was Alenia.

She closed her eyes as the light surrounded her—pale pink and violet, gentle yet profound. It swirled around her like mist, and when it cleared, her aura shimmered faintly—dreamlike, fluid, almost ethereal.

The pupils of her eyes had shifted, reflecting faint crescent patterns.

Kael's tone softened, intrigued. "Dream Demon. You've gained a soul domain. With practice, you could touch minds—guide, soothe, or haunt. It's a race never seen before in this world."

Alenia exhaled slowly, her tone quiet but certain. "Then I suppose I'll have to make that count."

Selene stepped forward, feathers rustling faintly behind her as she tried to steady her breath.

The light that met her was brilliant gold streaked with blue. Her wings grew larger, the edges glinting with faint streaks of light that bent the air around them.

Her silver eyes turned sharper—like a hawk's locked on prey.

Kael smiled faintly. "Celestial Aetherwing. You're no longer bound by gravity. Wind and light obey your movement now."

Selene spread her wings once, the motion gentle—but the air rippled outward like a silent roar. "Then… I'll take care not to break the ceiling trying to fly."

That earned a soft laugh from Kael before his gaze turned toward the twins.

Rue and Rina stood side by side, holding hands tightly. Their tails flicked nervously, and the air around them already shimmered faintly—space bending in minute distortions.

"Ready?" Kael asked.

Rue grinned faintly, her golden eyes gleaming. "We were born ready."

Rina just nodded, her quiet voice barely a whisper. "Always."

The light enveloped them both at once—silver and deep violet twisting like twin spirals, intertwining midair.

Their hair shimmered, Rue's gaining streaks of starlight, Rina's deepening with faint cosmic hues.

Their tails split once, each now with two ends, the tips glowing faintly with spatial runes.

When the glow faded, the space around them bent ever so slightly—like reality was too shy to touch them.

Kael's eyes narrowed slightly as he read the change. "Astral Kitsunari. You've evolved beyond space alone. You're touching the veil of dimensions themselves."

Rue blinked, looking down at her hands as faint motes of starlight danced across her fingertips. "This… feels incredible."

Rina, quieter, just murmured, "It feels… endless."

Kael let the silence linger for a moment before speaking again, voice low but commanding. "Now. Sit down—all of you."

They obeyed, forming a loose circle around him as the air stilled once more.

Kael crossed his legs and spoke calmly. "You all saw what the others learned earlier. This is the same—my breathing technique. But yours will resonate deeper, because your mana flow is purer."

His voice softened, almost like a lullaby. "Don't force it. Let it find its rhythm. Let your soul breathe with your body."

They followed, one by one—Lyra first, then Evethra, then the rest. The night breeze whispered through the grass, and slowly, their breaths aligned.

The shift was subtle—then profound. The world itself seemed to breathe with them.

Lyra's hair fluttered with each exhale, the wind responding like a friend.

Evethra's aura pulsed rhythmically, red and black waves rising and falling.

Alenia's eyes glowed faintly with dreamlight, the air rippling like soft silk.

Selene's feathers caught motes of gold in the air. Rue and Rina's tails glowed faintly, bending space in tiny, rhythmic patterns.

Kael opened his eyes, golden and calm. "Good. You've caught the rhythm."

He rose slowly, hands tucked in his pockets, gaze drifting across them all. "Keep this up for at least one month," he said. "Day and night. When you can do it without thinking—when your body breathes magic like air—you'll be ready for what's next."

Lyra looked up, her lavender eyes reflecting the twilight. "What will come after?" She asked softly.

Kael's smile deepened—lazy, but almost wistful. "Whatever the world decides to throw at us."

The sky deepened into indigo, the first stars flickering awake.

The village was quiet once more—peaceful, unaware that in that backyard, a group of reborn souls had just stepped closer to greatness.

And though Kael said nothing more, his gaze lingered on them—the girls, the dragon's companions—before drifting toward the horizon.

'One month,' he muttered inwardly.

By then, their strength would shake the land itself.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.