The Road To The Next Origin Zone

Chapter 38 — The Road to the Next Origin Zone

The forest had finally fallen silent.

The Bloodline Shrine was gone.

The crater remained behind them, surrounded by shattered trees and fragments of ancient stone.

Aether walked away from it without looking back.

The Unknown Origin Blade rested at his side.

Its silver-black surface reflected the fading crimson light.

For the first time since entering the Origin Zone, he wasn't carrying a metal rod.

He wasn't relying on whatever weapon he could find.

He had a weapon that belonged to him.

Or at least, one that had chosen him.

Lyra walked beside him.

Nyx followed close behind.

The Crimson Fang Wolf remained farther back with her three pups.

She hadn't followed Aether.

She had simply chosen the same direction for her own reasons.

Aether noticed but said nothing.

The wolf was independent.

That was exactly how it should be.

After several minutes, Lyra finally broke the silence.

“You're really not going to ask where we're going?”

Aether glanced at her.

“I know where.”

“You do?”

“The system detected another Origin Zone before the shrine collapsed.”

Aether raised his hand.

A translucent map appeared.

[Origin Zone Mapping]

[Current Location: Unstable Bloodline Zone]

[Nearby Origin Zone detected.]

[Distance: 38.6 km.]

[Estimated Grade: C–B.]

[Origin Density: High.]

[Unknown signatures: 17.]

Lyra stared at the map.

“That's quite a distance.”

“We need a stronger place to cultivate.”

Aether closed the interface.

His current Origin Points were still short of the next breakthrough.

[Origin Points: 179/200]

Twenty-one points.

That wasn't much.

But he wasn't going to collect them mindlessly.

He needed stronger opponents, better opportunities, and a deeper understanding of his own power.

His gaze moved toward the sword.

[Unknown Origin Blade]

[Synchronization: 7%]

[Origin Severance: 12%]

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

[Adaptive Resonance: 24%]

The weapon had changed dramatically during the battle.

But the system still couldn't reveal its complete abilities.

Aether had a feeling that reaching higher synchronization wouldn't simply require fighting.

The blade needed to understand him.

And he needed to understand it.

Lyra noticed his expression.

“What are you thinking?”

“This weapon.”

She looked at the sword.

“It seems pretty mysterious.”

“Too mysterious.”

Aether turned the blade slightly.

“I don't like relying on something I don't understand.”

“You still used it.”

“Because it works.”

Lyra laughed.

“That sounds like you.”

Aether gave her a sideways glance.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“You complain about something while continuing to use it.”

“I call that practical.”

“I call it stubborn.”

Nyx made a quiet sound that almost resembled a laugh.

Aether looked at her.

“You too?”

Nyx wagged her tail.

Lyra smiled.

For a brief moment, the tension surrounding them disappeared.

Then—

Aether stopped.

Lyra immediately noticed.

“What happened?”

Aether raised one hand.

“Someone is nearby.”

Nyx's ears stood up.

The Crimson Fang Wolf also stopped.

Aether closed his eyes.

Origin Energy spread through the surrounding forest.

He sensed movement.

Not one person.

Several.

[Origin signatures detected.]

[Distance: 1.7 km.]

[Total: 6.]

[Highest cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 4.]

[Hostility: Undetermined.]

Aether opened his eyes.

“They aren't the Reclaimers.”

Lyra relaxed slightly.

“How do you know?”

“Their energy doesn't match the hunters.”

Aether paused.

“But they're moving toward us.”

He continued walking.

Lyra followed.

“You're not worried?”

“If they're hostile, we'll deal with them.”

Simple.

No unnecessary fear.

No unnecessary confidence.

Just preparation.

They hadn't gone far when six figures appeared between the trees.

Five men and one woman.

Their clothes were worn from traveling, but none appeared seriously injured.

The woman at the front raised both hands.

“We don't want trouble.”

Aether stopped several meters away.

“Then don't create any.”

The woman nodded.

“We're survivors from the eastern settlement.”

Aether's eyes remained calm.

“Why are you here?”

“Our settlement was destroyed three days ago.”

She hesitated.

“Something attacked it.”

“What?”

“We don't know.”

Aether looked toward the others.

Their fear seemed genuine.

But fear wasn't proof of innocence.

[Hostility Detection.]

[No confirmed killing intent.]

[No immediate hostile intent detected.]

Aether lowered his sword slightly.

“What are you looking for?”

The woman answered.

“A safe place.”

Aether almost laughed.

“There isn't one.”

The woman looked confused.

“What?”

“This world is changing.”

Aether looked toward the distant horizon.

“Strong creatures are appearing. Origin Zones are expanding. Groups are searching for ancient inheritances.”

His gaze returned to her.

“If you're weak, hiding won't guarantee anything.”

The woman looked down.

“We know.”

One of the men stepped forward.

“We heard there was a city to the north.”

“There is.”

“Can you take us there?”

Aether shook his head.

“No.”

The man looked disappointed.

Lyra glanced at Aether.

“You could at least tell them the route.”

“I can do that.”

Aether pointed toward the northern mountains.

“Follow the river for roughly twenty kilometers. You'll find an old highway. Stay away from the western forest.”

“Why?”

“Too many beasts.”

The survivors nodded.

The woman bowed.

“Thank you.”

Aether turned away.

Lyra followed him.

After a few steps, she asked quietly,

“You could have helped them more.”

Aether glanced back.

“I gave them useful information.”

“But you could have escorted them.”

“I could.”

“Then why didn't you?”

Aether looked ahead.

“Because their survival isn't my responsibility.”

Lyra was silent.

Aether continued walking.

“I'll help people when I choose to. But if I start treating every stranger as someone I must protect, I'll eventually become responsible for everything.”

He looked at her.

“And I won't sacrifice my own path for people who aren't part of it.”

Lyra nodded slowly.

“I understand.”

Aether smiled faintly.

“Good.”

They continued toward the next Origin Zone.

Several hours passed.

The forest gradually changed.

The trees became taller.

The air became heavier.

Origin Energy gathered so densely that even breathing felt different.

Aether stopped at the edge of a massive valley.

The system activated.

[New Origin Zone discovered.]

[Origin Density: High.]

[Estimated Grade: B.]

[Recommended Cultivation Range: Origin Awakening — Stage 3 to Stage 7.]

[Unknown Origin signatures detected.]

Aether smiled.

“This will work.”

Lyra looked into the valley.

“I can already feel something.”

Nyx growled.

Aether drew the Origin Blade.

The sword immediately resonated with the valley.

[Unknown Origin response detected.]

[Adaptive Resonance: 24% → 25%.]

Aether's expression changed.

The weapon had reacted before they even entered.

That meant something inside was connected to the same ancient Origin.

He took one step forward.

Then another.

A low roar echoed from deep within the valley.

A second roar answered.

Then a third.

The system began counting.

[Origin Beast signatures detected.]

[17...]

[31...]

[48...]

The number kept increasing.

Lyra stared at the valley.

“There are a lot.”

Aether's grip tightened around the sword.

“Good.”

He stepped into the Origin Zone.

Behind him, the entrance suddenly closed with a wall of vines.

Aether looked back.

The system flashed.

[Zone isolation activated.]

[Exit route temporarily unavailable.]

Aether's smile disappeared.

The valley became completely silent.

Then hundreds of golden eyes opened in the darkness.

[Hostile Origin Beast signatures detected.]

[Highest detected cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 6.]

Aether raised the Unknown Origin Blade.

A faint silver glow spread along its edge.

“Now we're talking.”