The Third Stage

Chapter 29 — The Third Stage

The crimson light surrounding the Bloodline Shrine continued to pulse.

Aether stood beneath it, feeling the dense Origin Energy moving through the ruined shrine and the surrounding forest.

His body had been reacting to the ancient energy ever since the third presence appeared.

Now, for the first time, the sensation had changed.

The energy was no longer simply being absorbed.

It was settling.

His foundation felt unusually stable.

The Origin Energy within him had become denser, while the strange fluctuations inside his Infinite Origin Physique had begun to calm.

Then the Origin System appeared.

[Current Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 2]

[Origin Points: 173/150]

[Breakthrough Requirement: Satisfied]

[Stabilization Requirement: 73%]

[Current Stabilization: 71%]

Aether studied the final numbers.

He was close.

Very close.

But close wasn't enough.

He had already learned what happened when he underestimated unstable energy. A breakthrough wasn't something he could force simply because the system said it was available.

He needed control.

Aether slowly sat down beneath the shrine's crimson glow.

Lyra immediately understood what he was doing.

“You're going to break through now?”

“Yes.”

Lyra glanced toward the ancient wolf.

“Is it safe?”

The ancient wolf's expression remained unreadable.

“Safe?”

It looked toward Aether.

“No breakthrough involving him can be called safe.”

Lyra frowned.

“That wasn't exactly reassuring.”

“It wasn't meant to be.”

Aether ignored their exchange.

He closed his eyes.

The moment his mind became still, the surrounding Origin Energy began flowing toward him.

It entered his body slowly at first.

Then faster.

His Origin Energy circulated through his meridians before gathering toward his core.

The energy became increasingly compressed.

[Stabilization: 73%.]

[Energy compression initiated.]

Aether controlled his breathing.

The energy continued gathering.

His body remained completely still.

He could feel every fluctuation.

Every strand of Origin Energy.

Every foreign trace left behind by the ancient shrine.

Then his Infinite Origin Physique reacted.

The foreign energy was separated automatically.

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Instead of mixing everything together, his physique sorted the energy into different streams before allowing it to enter his foundation.

Aether understood what was happening.

His physique wasn't making the breakthrough for him.

It was giving him the stability necessary to control the breakthrough himself.

That distinction mattered.

He guided the energy deeper.

Compression.

Circulation.

Stabilization.

Again.

And again.

The pressure inside his body continued rising.

[Stabilization: 79%.]

[Foundation stress: 34%.]

Aether remained calm.

Another wave of Origin Energy entered his body.

His muscles tightened.

His Origin Energy surged.

[Stabilization: 84%.]

[Foundation stress: 41%.]

The breakthrough threshold was becoming clearer.

Aether could feel the barrier between Stage 2 and Stage 3.

It wasn't a wall.

It was more like a layer of compressed energy preventing his foundation from expanding further.

He needed to break it without damaging what was beneath it.

Aether gathered his Origin Energy.

Then compressed it toward the barrier.

BOOM!

A powerful shockwave erupted from his body.

The surrounding ground cracked.

Lyra instinctively took a step back.

Nyx lowered her body but refused to move away.

The ancient wolf simply watched.

Aether's expression tightened.

The barrier had resisted.

He didn't attack it again immediately.

Instead, he waited.

He allowed the energy to settle.

Then he compressed it again.

This time, more precisely.

BOOM!

A second shockwave spread across the shrine.

The barrier trembled.

A tiny crack appeared.

Aether felt it.

He knew he was close.

He gathered everything he had stabilized.

Not recklessly.

Not desperately.

Precisely.

Then he pushed.

CRACK!

The barrier shattered.

For a moment, the entire forest became silent.

Then an enormous amount of Origin Energy erupted from Aether's body.

The crimson shrine responded immediately.

Its pillars shook.

The bloodline symbols above the shrine flickered.

Even the ancient wolf looked toward Aether with genuine interest.

Aether's body absorbed the energy instead of allowing it to explode outward.

His Origin Energy expanded.

His foundation strengthened.

His senses sharpened.

And the energy inside his core became noticeably denser.

The Origin System appeared.

[Foundation expansion successful.]

[Origin Energy compression successful.]

[Stabilization complete.]

[Breakthrough confirmed.]

Aether opened his eyes.

[Origin Awakening — Stage 2 → Stage 3]

A faint pressure spread from his body.

It wasn't overwhelming.

But it was clearly stronger than before.

Aether slowly stood.

He looked at his hands.

His body felt lighter.

His movements felt more natural.

Even the surrounding Origin Energy seemed easier to sense.

The system updated his status.

[Host Status]

Name: Aether Draven

Species: Human

Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 3

Origin Points: 173/200

Origin Adaptation: 18%

Infinite Origin Physique: 0.25%

Potential: ∞

Aether stared at the final number.

0.25%.

His physique had advanced considerably compared to where it had been before the ancient presence awakened.

But 0.25% was still far from 1%.

The system remained silent for a moment before displaying another message.

[Infinite Origin Physique has benefited from breakthrough stabilization.]

[Foreign Origin Energy compatibility increased.]

[Future adaptation efficiency increased.]

Aether nodded.

That was more important than simply gaining another fraction of a percent.

His body was becoming better at handling energy it had never encountered before.

That would matter later.

Especially when he reached the first major milestone.

1%.

Only then would the locked function inside his physique become available.

But he wasn't there yet.

Aether dismissed the status window.

Lyra walked over.

“So?”

Aether looked at her.

“Stage 3.”

She smiled.

“Then I guess you're getting harder to keep up with.”

Aether gave her a brief glance.

“You just broke through to Stage 2.”

“And?”

“You're doing fine.”

Lyra smiled slightly.

“I'll take that as encouragement.”

Before Aether could respond, the Crimson Fang Wolf suddenly growled.

Everyone turned toward her.

The wolf stood before the shrine, her crimson fur glowing intensely.

Her three pups were behind her.

The three evolution symbols appeared once again.

But something was different.

The first two symbols remained clear.

The third was still incomplete.

However, it was brighter than before.

The Origin System reacted.

[Bloodline Evolution Trial — Phase Two]

[Objective: Protect what the bloodline considers its own.]

[Progress: 27%]

[Unknown Path Compatibility: 11%]

The Crimson Fang Wolf stepped forward.

Her eyes moved toward her pups.

Then toward the shrine.

She had not chosen an evolution path yet.

Instead, she was being tested.

Aether understood why.

The shrine wasn't asking which form she wanted.

It was asking what kind of beast she wanted to become.

A protector.

A warrior.

Or something that belonged to neither path.

The ancient wolf spoke quietly.

“She is approaching the real choice.”

Aether looked at it.

“And what happens if she chooses wrong?”

“There is no wrong choice.”

The ancient wolf's golden-red eyes remained fixed on the Crimson Fang Wolf.

“Only a choice she must be willing to live with.”

Aether nodded.

That answer made sense.

The Crimson Fang Wolf suddenly raised her head.

A deep roar echoed through the forest.

The shrine responded.

BOOM!

A crimson wave spread outward.

The three pups were surrounded by a protective barrier.

Then the ground beneath the shrine cracked.

Aether's expression changed.

Another presence.

But this time, the system reacted differently.

[Hostile Origin signature detected.]

[Distance: 3.7 kilometers.]

[Movement: Approaching.]

[Immediate killing intent: Not detected.]

[Hostility: Confirmed.]

Aether's eyes narrowed.

“So something is coming.”

Lyra immediately summoned lightning around her hand.

Nyx moved beside Aether.

The ancient wolf turned toward the distant forest.

For the first time since Aether had met it, its expression became serious.

“Not something.”

Aether looked at it.

The ancient wolf's voice lowered.

“Someone.”

Aether's grip tightened around his weapon.

He had finally broken through to Stage 3.

But the forest had apparently decided not to give him even a moment of peace.

Somewhere beyond the trees, footsteps echoed.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Coming closer.

And whoever was approaching already knew exactly where Aether was.