"Why is this happening to me?!" Rey screeched, scratching his head furiously.
He didnât wait for Aiden to respond. Instead, he glared at the floating spirit, his eyes burning with furyâeyes that could kill a thousand times over if only looks could do the deed.
"You maniac! What have you done to my
ordinary life
? Forget thatâbecause of you, our whole world is in danger! Do you not have a brain, or are you completely brainless?!"
His yelling was so loud it could've cracked glass, but before Aiden could even blink, the door to Reyâs room flew open.
"Brother! Why are you yelling so much? And wait... why are you still in your regular clothes? Donât you have school today?" Emmy stood at the door, puzzled.
Rey glanced at her, then pointed directly at Aiden, his voice even louder now.
"Canât you see that old man floating in front of you?! He broke into our house, spouted nonsense, and now he's telling me to rule the world! And
youâre
asking why Iâm shouting?!"
Aiden, still floating, clutched his stomach and rolled in midair in laughter.
Emmy looked in the direction Rey was pointing... but saw absolutely nothing. Her expression twisted in confusion and concern. She bolted out of the room.
"Mom! Something's wrong with brother! He says someoneâs in his room, but no oneâs there!"
Jasmine, busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, sighed softly. She patted Emmy on the head and walked calmly toward Reyâs room. Inside, she found him glaring at his bedâwhere, to her eyes, no one lay. Yet, Rey was clearly yelling... at
someone
.
"Rey, whatâs going on? Who are you talking to?" she asked gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Mom, please! Tell me you can see
him
lying there, laughing at me!"
"Son... I think you're still half-asleep. Enough with this drama. You're already lateâgo get ready for school," she replied, glancing at the wall clock.
Reyâs eyes darted to the clock. He panicked. âCrap!â he muttered and dashed toward the bathroom.
Jasmine shook her head and returned to the kitchen.
"Mom! I'm going, but seriouslyâbelieve me, thereâs a man in my room!" Rey called out in desperation.
"Yes, yes. Weâll talk about it tonight. Now go!" she replied, waving him off without looking back.
â Meanwhile, in the bathroom...
While showering, Rey suddenly sensed a presence behind him.
Turning toward the misty mirror, he saw Aidenâshirtless, striking ridiculous bodybuilder poses.
Rey slammed the shower door shut. "What are you doing here?! Canât you just stay in my room and, I donât know, explain
why no one else can see you?!
"
Aiden smirked, flexing. "As you can see, Iâm a spirit. Let me make this simpleâIâm a
weapon spirit
. Only my wielder can see or hear me. Thatâs why your family canât."
"...A weapon spirit?" Rey narrowed his eyes, processing that.
"Yes. Now, back to your earlier meltdown. Why are you acting like the worldâs ending just because mana is being introduced? It's good for your planetâitâll elevate humanity to new heights."
Rey snorted. "Are you serious? You think Iâm ignorant? Iâve read that novelâthe one where mana gets introduced and millions die because their bodies canât handle it."
Aiden paused, tilting his head. âAh... right, that trope. Fair point.â
Rey finished drying off and began putting on his uniform.
"So what rank are those invaders going to be? Rank 8? 9? 10?"
"Donât interrupt me!" Aiden snapped, flicking his fingers threateningly. Sparks crackled in the air. "Youâll feel that migraine again if you do."
Rey scowled. "Fine. Just tell me."
Aiden crossed his arms and replied smugly, "You're Rank 0âa mortal. And as for them⊠theyâre probably Primordial Gods. Or worseâGod Kings."
Rey's face went pale. "Gods?! You think I can
fight
gods?! They could kill me without even moving!"
"Yes, gods can kill without lifting a finger," Aiden agreed. "But I believe in you. One day, youâll grow powerful enough to stand against them."
Rey narrowed his eyes. "How long until that 'one day'?"
"Well... maybeâ"
KNOCK KNOCK
"Son, arenât you getting late? Come out already!" Jasmine called from outside the bathroom.
"Okay, Mom! Iâm coming!" Rey shouted.
He turned to Aiden and whispered sharply, "Youâwait at home. And if you come with me, donât mess things up. Iâm already late."
[To be continued...]
Author Note:
Hey everyone!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. đ If you spotted any grammar issues or felt something was off with the pacing or plot, donât hesitate to let me know in the comments! Your feedback helps a ton. đ
Things are really starting to pick up, so stay tunedâaction is just around the corner!
Until then, whether itâs morning or midnight where you are, I hope you have an amazing day! đ«