Chapter 45: Family Reunion

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Family Reunion

A swirling dimensional tear quietly opened inside the reinforced, private training chamber of the Astaraeas estate.

Aeon stepped gracefully through the glowing portal, his boots making a soft contact with the cold, white marble tiles.

The exact second the portal dissolved into light behind him, Aeon felt the staggering environmental change.

The immense, rich density of the raw cosmic energy that blanketed his private omniverse dimension was entirely absent from this room.

Even though this specific cultivation chamber had been meticulously built by the empire’s greatest arrays and high-tier magic circles to draw in huge reservoirs of atmospheric energy, its current density could not even begin to compare to the baseline of his dimension.

What was even more noticeable was that the quantity and quality of the primordial energies from his affinities were exceptionally thin here.

Yet, this environmental scarcity did not hinder his control in the slightest. Even though the primordial energies were sparse across the room, it didn’t mean he was blocked from drawing them into his grasp.

With a casual, elegant gesture of his right hand, Aeon flexed his will, instantly vacuuming the ambient elemental particles out of the atmosphere, condensing them into a small, swirling, multi-colored ball of pure primordial energy that hovered effortlessly over his fingertips.

"This place truly is a backwards, primitive world," a melodic, feminine voice suddenly chimed in from right beside his ear. "Even the raw energy drifting through the atmosphere lacks the absolute purity and weight of your dimension."

Whoosh!

A palm-sized, beautiful spirit materialized out of thin air, her long silver hair drifting around a flawless face that bore a glowing crescent moon sigil directly on her forehead. Shimmering feathered silver wings fluttered softly behind her gown as she hovered over his shoulder.

Aeon offered a warm smile, casually dispersing the swirling ball of elemental energy back into the air as he turned his gaze to the little spirit. "Hey, Moon. Don’t tell me you’ve actually gone and grown attached to my dimension?"

This was the living Origin Spirit of his Moon affinity. Across his long centuries of training, she had standardly acted as a classic, prideful tsundere, always executing antics that failed to mask her care, which never failed to make Aeon smile or laugh.

Moon rapidly snapped her head away from his gaze, her tiny chin lifting high into the air as her cheeks puffed up with a trace of pride.

"Of course I haven’t! Although your little sanctuary was admittedly magnificent, I have traveled across the vast existance and witnessed countless superior cosmic realms during my existence. But still... I have to admit, I remain completely baffled by your nature.

I still find it entirely unbelievable how a mere mortal dragon child like you can command an absolute Omniverse dimension, let alone possess the authority to see us, hear us, and speak directly to our consciousness."

Yet, deep inside of her thoughts, a completely separate cascade of intense questions was rolling through her awareness.

’I truly cannot comprehend it,’ Moon mused to herself, her little spirit heart fluttering. ’I remember it clearly. Initially, I was simply enjoying my isolation, drifting seamlessly through the endless cosmic expanse, when the space itself swallowed my entire existence. The very next second, I materialized right in front of this little mortal boy, and an unshakeable, instinctive wave of profound respect and total obedience took complete control over my soul.

Without even understanding why, myself and every other ancient element and concept spirit present in that space dropped to our knees to greet him with absolute reverence. It is completely bizarre. Who on earth is he truly?’

Aeon simply let out a low chuckle, shaking his head at her dramatic display. Floating quietly within the deeper layers of his inner space, the remaining sixteen spirits were also paying close attention.

Manifesting in an array of diverse mystical forms and genders, they listened to the moon spirit’s silent questions, holding an identical, deep curiosity regarding their master’s true origin.

They desperately wanted a definitive answer.

"To be completely honest, I don’t know the exact reason either," Aeon replied aloud, casually lying as he shrugged his broad shoulders as a dark smirk played on his lips. "Maybe I’m just incredibly lucky."

Dismissing the topic, he turned his posture around and began marching purposefully toward the exit doors of the private training chamber.

Whoosh!

The massive stone doors of the inner chamber slid open with a fluid rumble. The moment Aeon stepped out into the wider hallway, a swift silhouette flickered through the shadows, materializing instantly right in front of his path.

It was Tera, his dedicated personal mage and elite bodyguard. For five continuous years of Nexus Earth time, she had remained perfectly stationed right outside this chamber, single-mindedly protecting the entrance while guarding his isolation.

The exact millisecond her sharp senses detected him comingout the entrance, she moved so fast and landed in front of him.

Aeon locked his gaze onto the beautiful, white-haired woman dressed in her classic maid uniform, a bright, genuinely happy smile breaking across his features.

"Oh, hello Tera. It’s been a long time," Aeon greeted her warmly, stepping forward to close the distance between them.

Without a single trace of hesitation, he wrapped his arms securely around her frame, pulling her close to grant her a tender, deeply affectionate hug. "I truly missed you."

Tera’s entire body froze in a state of shock the moment his arms locked around her shoulders.

She stared blankly at his staggering height, her mind experiencing a brief wave of intense doubt as to whether this magnificent young man could possibly be the little ten-year-old child she had guarded.

But the exact moment his smooth, familiar voice hit her ears, her lingering confusion dissolved entirely.

Relaxing into his chest, she raised her hands to warmly return the embrace.

"Mmn.I missed you too, Young Master," Tera whispered softly against his shoulder.

Releasing the hug after a long moment, Tera stepped back a single pace, allowing her eyes to scan his features with clarity.

The sight left her completely stunned. He now stood a full head taller than her own stature, his eyes no longer bearing their original purple-and-gold design.

Instead, his pupils had transformed into a pair of glowing cosmic horizons, swirling with the depth of a twilight sky.

Furthermore, the draconic horns protruding from his brow had grown noticeably larger, taller, and more refined. They looked as though they literally held pieces of the endless void within their structure, with countless miniature nebulas and glowing starlight clusters scattered across the dark bone, giving his entire posture a majestic, royal appearance.

She stood utterly bewildered, her mind struggling to comprehend what kind of miraculous situation could have possibly caused such a massive transformation.

He didn’t even look like a standard fifteen-year-old dragon youth. His entire presence and frame exuded the unyielding maturity of a fully grown warrior.

"Y... Young Master," Tera stammered, her standardly composed voice completely laced with a mixture of confusion and awe. "What on earth happened to your body inside the chamber?"

Aeon had already fully anticipated her reaction, delivering his pre-planned cover story with a perfectly relaxed, casual expression.

"Oh, this? To be completely honest, I’m not entirely sure myself. The moment i breakthrough into the D-rank, I completely lost consciousness. When I gained my awareness, I woke up and body had already transformed into this state. There were even a massive pile of shattered shells scattered all over the floor around me. I highly suspect my body might have been sealed inside some sort of draconic egg after lost consciousness."

Tera’s confusion only doubled as she processed his explanation. Lost consciousness? Sealed inside a literal egg during a rank breakthrough? A cascade of wild, impossible theories flashed through her thoughts, leaving her increasingly bewildered by his change.

Shaking her head to clear her racing mind, she resolved to relay these strange developments to the Duke and Duchess for answers later.

But at the present moment, her primary administrative duty was to take flawless care of her returned master.

"Congratulations, Young Master, on successfully reaching the prestigious D-rank boundary," Tera stated, a beautiful, genuine smile illuminating her features as she happily bowed to him.

"Throughout the entire history of our sector, only a handful of elite prodigies can ever dream of achieving that rank at your age. I am incredibly happy for your success."

Aeon returned her gesture with a soft nod, his voice carrying a deep tone of gratitude. "Thank you, Tera. I appreciate your words. Tell me, are my mom and dad currently present inside the manor?"

"Yes, Young Master. They are currently residing inside the estate," Tera replied, a playful spark entering her eyes as she covered her mouth, letting out a soft giggle. "Would you like to go straight to the main hall to meet them right now? I can guarantee they are going to be completely shocked out of their minds when they look at your new transformation."

Aeon shook his head, a smooth smile pulling at his lips as he witnessed her lighthearted behavior. "No, let’s wait for a moment. Let me wash up first and dress into a proper attire before I present myself."

Tera nodded respectfully, executing an elegant sweep of her hand to invite him down the grand hallway. "As you command, Young Master. Let me escort you straight back to your private chambers."

Aeon stepped out ahead of her, navigating the familiar corridors of the massive estate as they headed toward his residential wing.

The exact moment he arrived in front of his grand double doors, he found a line of five dedicated maids standing in perfect formation, beautiful smiles gracing their faces.

These were the exact same attendants who had manually taken care of his bathing routines and daily clothing arrangements for his first ten years of life in this world.

The five maids bowed in perfect, synchronized harmony, their voices echoing in a sweet union to welcome him back. "Welcome back home, Young Master."

Aeon happily greeted the group, a charming smile playing across his features as he playfully flirted with them without a single shred of awkwardness.

"Oh, hello ladies. It has been five long years since we last spoke. I see every single one of you remains as incredibly beautiful as always."

The maids instantly blushed deep crimson, lowering their gazes as they let out a series of nervous, happy giggles.

One of the attendants quickly stepped forward, pushing the heavy doors of his private chamber open to invite him inside.

Aeon stepped through the threshold, marching straight toward the spacious, luxurious bathroom while throwing a casual command over his shoulder.

"I’ll handle the washing routine first. You ladies can take care of preparing the rest of the layout."

The maids nodded their heads respectfully, standing in a quiet, organized line within the main room as they waited for him to finish his bath.

For thirty minutes, Aeon fully immersed himself in the hot, soothing water, thoroughly enjoying the relaxation.

Once finished, he wrapped a thick towel around his waist and stepped back out into the main bedroom chamber. The maids immediately went to work, executing their duties with flawless speed.

They dressed his massive, muscular 190 cm frame in a high-tier, perfectly tailored noble attire, before carefully combing his long, white hair back into a sleek, elegant ponytail.

Following fifteen minutes of precise adjustments, the final details were completely wrapped up. Aeon marched straight out of his room, heading directly toward the grand estate dining hall where his parents were located.

It was early morning, and Tera had already notified him that the Duke and Duchess were currently eating their breakfast at the dinning room.

Within moments, his boots came to a halt right in front of the massive double doors of the private dining room. The two armored elite guards stationed at the entrance immediately straightened their postures, delivering a deeply respectful salute as they bowed their heads. Aeon acknowledged their loyalty with a polite, dignified greetings.

Click!

The two guards pushed the heavy doors wide open, and Aeon took a slow, purposeful step inside the luxurious dining hall.

Directly down the center of the room, his parents instantly paused their eating routines, freezing mid-motion to direct their gazes toward the entrance the exact moment they heard the deep, resonant voice outside the doors.

Initially, a wave of bright, happy smiles broke across their features as they prepared to welcome their child back from his five-year isolation, but their expressions instantly changed into a state of profound shock and total confusion the moment their eyes landed on the tall, magnificent young man standing before them.

When his deep voice rippled through the acoustics of the hall, they knew with instinctual certainty that this person was indeed their son Aeon, even though his tone had completely shifted and matured far past the light cadence of his original ten year-old voice.

But this young man standing at the door was vastly more mature and imposing than any standard fifteen year-old dragon youth in cosmic history.

His swirling cosmic eyes, his long starlight hair, his majestic nebula-infused horns, and his long tail were drastically, unrecognizably different.

Aeon simply maintained his calm, confident smile, deeply amused by the shock masking their regal features.

"Hello Mom, Dad," Aeon murmured softly, his cosmic eyes flashing with a warm, nostalgic light.

"Did you guys miss me?"

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