In the elf princess’s chamber, the atmospheric pressure changed brutally as Klein’s aura finally stabilized in the real world. The walls of the residence groaned under the weight of this transcendent power that no longer contented itself with existing in a mind, but now anchored itself in the very fabric of reality.

At that precise instant, across the entire continent and far beyond, beings capable of sensing mana and aura froze. At the Holy Cathedral, His Holiness interrupted his prayers, feeling a vibration he had never perceived before.

At the Academy, Amaera and Seraphina raised their eyes toward the horizon, aware that a superior force had just awakened. Eleanor, in her office, widened her eyes, realizing the intensity of this force even from afar.

Inside the room, the air seemed to shimmer. Klein slowly opened his eyes... His icy blue pupils were now bordered by a silver circle, the visual stigma of his ascension. He straightened up, feeling every fiber of his body vibrate with new energy.

[You have reached the Genesis stage!]

[The system will be suspended in the meantime, awaiting the stabilization of the essences!]

Diavolo, who had remained leaning against a corner of the room, could not help but smile with all his teeth while he adjusted his cowboy hat with a casual gesture. He had known that his disciple would cross this threshold, but seeing the physical manifestation of the Genesis in such a young human remained an entertaining spectacle. He observed Klein with pride.

Sierra, whose moon-like eyes had regained all their clarity, looked at Klein with an expression mixed with stupor and deep affection. She remembered every second spent by his side in the nightmare that was her own psyche. Without caring about her physical weakness or the presence of her father, she threw herself into his arms with surprising strength.

"Klein... you are back..." she said in a breath laden with emotion. Her fingers clenched on the fabric of his coat, as if to make sure he would not dissipate again. Her alabaster skin seemed to radiate at the contact of Kaiser’s aura.

Klein gently caressed her head, his fingers getting lost in the cascade of her hair. His expression, usually so sardonic, softened considerably as he held her against him.

"Yes... I am back..." replied Klein in a deep and soft voice that made the young elf’s heart vibrate.

Under the stunned eyes of the Patriarch and the few guards present, they abandoned themselves in a passionate kiss. The scene was of such intensity that the air around them became embarrassing. Seeing the heiress of the Luna clan, so prudish and shy, openly kissing a human, moreover an exorcist with a devastating aura, was an affront to elven conventions. Yet the power emanating from Klein was so intimidating that no one dared to intervene physically.

After a few minutes that seemed an eternity for the spectators, the Patriarch coughed loudly. The noise brought the lovers back to reality. He displayed a complex face, torn between the immense gratitude of having found his daughter safe and sound and the deep discomfort of seeing his clan’s etiquette trampled.

"Hum... hum..." insisted the father, clearly showing by his gaze that the place and the moment were not appropriate for such demonstrations of feelings.

They finally stopped, although Klein kept a possessive hand on Sierra’s shoulder. The young woman, suddenly realizing where she was, blushed violently, her cheeks taking on a rosy tint that contrasted with her usual pallor. She lowered her eyes, regaining a bit of her shyness, but she did not move away from Kaiser.

The Patriarch took a step forward. He bowed slightly, a gesture of immense respect coming from an elf clan leader toward a human.

"Klein... I cannot find the words to express my gratitude," began the Patriarch in a solemn voice. "You risked your soul to save my daughter, and for that, the Luna clan has an eternal debt toward you. I had promised a reward, but faced with what you have accomplished, gold seems derisory."

He made a sign to one of his servants who approached with a precious wooden casket carved from the bark of Yggdrasil.

"I fear I have nothing else to give you that would be worthy of your new rank, except this purified elixir from the Yggdrasil tree."

Klein sketched a calm smile and shook his head slightly. He felt the power circulating in his veins, a fluidity of movement he had never known before.

"Patriarch... you have already done enough," replied Klein with unusual honesty. "Thanks to this ordeal and the access you gave me, I managed to reach a stage of power that I could never have reached so quickly by conventional means. Consider that we are even." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The Patriarch smiled. He appreciated the nobility of this answer, but he also knew that this elixir was necessary to stabilize the foundations of a new Transcendent.

"I thank you for your words, but I still intend to give you this elixir," insisted the Patriarch by placing the casket on a nearby table. "It is as much a gift as a necessity for your body which must now get used to this power."

The Patriarch then turned his gaze toward his daughter, inviting her to rest more, then he withdrew to organize the next steps of Sierra’s convalescence, leaving Klein with Diavolo.

Diavolo approached, his leather boots making a regular noise on the carpet. He stopped in front of Kaiser, looking him up and down with a critical eye.

"So baby boy... how do you feel in this new skin?" asked Diavolo, a mocking smile on his lips.

Klein closed his fist, testing the density of his aura. The sensation of control was absolute. There was no longer any leakage of energy, no internal resistance. His soul and his body were now one.

"I feel in great shape," replied Klein in a neutral but assured tone. "It is as if I were seeing the world for the first time without any veil in front of my eyes."

Diavolo laughed softly, a drawling sound that ended with his usual speech tic.

"Nyo-hoo... That’s good. Because the time for games is over. With the Genesis stage and the fusion of your essences, you are finally ready. It is now that you can really fight them, confront them."

"I know," murmured Kaiser, his gaze drifting toward the window. "They will not take long to manifest now that I have reached the Genesis. It will not take them too much time to sense my presence."

Diavolo slapped his shoulder vigorously.

"Then prepare yourself. The road has only just begun, and believe me, the dead will not take long to claim their due. But for now... enjoy your victory, Transcendant."

Klein did not reply, contenting himself with smoothing his hair back. He knew that Diavolo was right. Peace would only be short-lived. And being dead in this life was not necessarily the real end...