Adyr stood still and watched the golden sand rise beneath his feet, solidifying into metal bars with a golden sheen around him.

Escaping this cage was easy with the innate ability he had gained from White Shroud , but he didn’t move immediately. First, he studied the golden bars surrounding him.

They were incredibly durable—even more so than any metal he had seen so far—and that gave him an idea.

The Tower of Worth was a treasure created long ago by some kind of god, and Adyr realized that crafting it must have required many rare and unknown resources, with the golden sand being one of them.

"If I can make weapons from this sand, they would be extremely durable, right?"

After a moment, he took a step forward, his body instantly transforming into a cloud burst and swiftly exiting the cage.

Without waiting for the system message, he summoned one of the plastic barrels he had obtained earlier but hadn’t used, and began shoveling the golden sand into it.

By the time the system message arrived, he had already filled the barrel and sent it to his Sanctuary , planning to later give it to the researchers along with the Synergy Essence .

[The Fourth Trial has Concluded.]

Adyr Hellcraft → Synergy Essence 1x awarded

"I thought I’d get three times that," Adyr chuckled, realizing how greedy his expectations had been as he picked up the item that looked like a crystallized drop of water.

Now the fourth trial was over. Adyr waited for the fifth, curiosity coiling quietly as he considered the final reward. Now that he owned the Tower of Worth, it should give him something at least comparable to what he had already received, if not exactly equal, then at least close in value. The thought settled over him, sharpening his focus as he stood ready.

But the outcome was not what he had expected.

Instead of the fifth trial starting, the world around him washed into white. For a few heartbeats, he could see nothing, and when his vision returned, he found himself standing outside the tower. The sudden shift drained the heat from his anticipation and left only a calm, measured disappointment.

"Okay, this is disappointing." He reached for the staff hovering beside him and murmured the thought under his breath.

He had hoped the fifth trial would at least grant him a Rank 4 Spark, so missing that opportunity was disappointing—but only a minor setback, not a real loss.

He checked the treasure’s description again to see what had changed in the countdown, and when he saw the numbers, his quiet frustration quickly faded.

[Next Weighing: 300 days]

It was 400 days before; after one upgrade, it dropped to 300, he noted.

The reduction immediately changed his calculations. Taking into account the three bloodline talents he still possessed, he activated Grace without hesitation and let the staff draw in the fresh Genesis energy.

[Tower of Worth responding to the energy source of Genesis.]

[Tower of Worth is restoring...]

The staff began to transform under the influence of the energy. Its stone surface once again started to smooth, its color deepening as if freshly polished, and the cracks that bore the marks of time closed quickly and neatly, as though carefully restored. The transformation was swift, precise, and unemotional — exactly the kind of efficiency Adyr valued.

Seconds later, when all changes had completed, he checked the description once more.

[Next Weighing: Available]

As he had expected, the Tower was once again ready to begin the trials, all rewards prepared and waiting. Best of all, he still had two more bloodline talents remaining after this one.

—

The endless void stretched into infinity. There was no way to see its end; only hundreds of dark fragments hung suspended in the emptiness, floating like drifting islands — the sole proof that life had not completely vanished.

Amid this melancholy yet strangely exhilarating atmosphere, a group of figures could be seen moving between the islands, mounted on creatures with brilliant white feathers that resembled royal birds.

At the forefront, one bird stood out, its wings beating with natural grace, guiding those who followed as if showing them the path.

Upon its back sat a passenger as proud and elegant as the bird itself.

Thalira Luna fixed her unwavering silver eyes on the endless void ahead, her gaze calm yet profound, as if she could sense hidden truths within the infinite darkness. Beneath the surface of her composure, a subtle undercurrent of uncertainty swirled, faint but present.

"Lady Thalira," one of her close aides called from atop her own white mount, her tone low and respectful.

Thalira, as if emerging from a trance, turned her head to acknowledge the woman, who shared the same silver eyes and hair, though still far from matching Thalira’s presence.

"Please forgive me if I am overstepping," the woman began, her voice wavering slightly under her lady’s calm gaze, but she quickly steadied herself, fulfilling her duty. "I was wondering... do you think it was wise to ask for help from an outsider? Especially that man?"

Doubt laced her words, but Thalira gave none in return. She turned her head back to the void, her eyes fixed on the deep darkness. "It’s not about whether it is a good or bad decision. We gave up that right to judge long ago."

Her voice carried a weight of exhaustion and sorrow, as if a burden too heavy to bear had pressed against her shoulders for far too long, threatening to crush her.

"But..." the aide tried again, voicing her concern, only to be gently cut off.

"I understand your worry," Thalira said, her tone firm but calm. "But as I said, there are no more doors to turn to. If he is truly who we believe him to be, it’s our only option. And do not worry — the final decision rests with my father. I cannot share this secret with an outsider without his permission."

The aide, hearing Thalira’s words and seeing the unwavering resolve in her silver eyes, could do nothing but nod in acknowledgment before falling back once more.

Though the Lunari were celebrated as one of the most brilliant races in the region, admired for their wealth, power, and seemingly endless resources, no one truly understood the shadows that lingered beneath their polished surface.

For centuries, an invisible weight had pressed down on their people, a secret so profound it had been carefully hidden beneath their elegance, their pride, and their relentless brilliance.

"We’ve borne the gods’ curse for far too long," Thalira said quietly, her voice carrying the weight of centuries. Her silver eyes remained fixed on the void ahead, but the faint furrow of her brows betrayed the quiet strain beneath her calm demeanor.

"And now... the only hope lies with someone of the gods’ own bloodline," she added, her tone steady, yet carrying a subtle tremor — the trace of a long-buried fear she refused to let show fully.

No one could know the true nature of the curse, nor imagine the depth of suffering it had imposed over generations. It had seeped into the very essence of the Lunari, a relentless shadow that whispered through every triumph, every proud moment.

Their only chance for salvation rested on the impossible: appealing directly to a god, seeking intervention from a being whose power had shaped the very cosmos.

The thought was terrifying, yet inescapable—the centuries-long burden would not lift itself, and for the first time in countless generations, the Lunari had no choice but to reach beyond the stars.