As Ash stepped back from the group, Aurora turned to face them.
âHmph, if Dad isnât going to train me himself, then Iâll just do it on my own,â she thought.
It wasnât that she disliked her mothers or uncles, but like Ash, she didnât see the point in wasting time on certain things when you could simply blaze right through.
"Mothers... Uncles... will you transfer your raw essences to me? Just a bit of it. I want to feel what you know."
Brows lifted at the suggestion, but after a momentâs thought, they figuredâwhy not?
Nia stepped up first, placing a hand on Auroraâs forehead as multicolored flames flowed like liquid light. Devouranceâs essence surged through: a hunger that consumes without waste, an obsession that claims without end.
"I donât know what youâre thinking... but you got that same look Ashy wears when heâs about to do some nonsense." She muttered as she shook her head.
One by one, they shared their raw essences straight into her soul. Normally, such power would flow into oneâs core, but she didnât have one at all.
For a few minutes after the transfers, Aurora stood stillâeyes closed, her white-blue hair drifting gently as if stirred by an invisible breeze.
Her golden eyes, marked by two black rings and music symbols, glowed brighter while constellations shifted over her pale skin like living stars.
She absorbed it allâraw essences swirling within, insights pouring into her mind like endless symphonies.
Yet she didnât plan to wield these powers in the way her family did.
No.
She opened her eyes, a sly grin spreading across her face... and from that moment on, Vesper was plunged into a whole new hell of experiences.
She stepped away from the group, and without a word, a katana appeared in her hand. It was pure white with blue trimmings, engraved with the words "The Blade of Genesis."
The others stayed silent, watching closely, curious about what she would do next.
Then, before their eyes, she began training herself, using their endless knowledge and insights as a foundation, forging something entirely new and uniquely her own.
Vesper saw her coming.
He couldnât truly perceive her, but he caught the sound of her words, and he wasnât about to just sit there and get pummeledâespecially if he could still move. He lunged at the approaching horror with savage intent.
Aurora slipped asideâgraceful, instinctiveâand struck with a simple palm.
No essence flared, no power was invoked, yet in that instant Vesperâs arm was gone, erased without a trace.
His scream never left his throat, cut short as she swung the Blade of Genesis in a smooth follow-up. Again, it seemed plain, devoid of essence... yet an invisible slash cleaved his leg mid-kick.
He roared, blood spilling as he tried to consume her, but Aurora sang a single, pure note that turned the raging inferno into harmless embers before it could touch her.
"I canât quite figure out what sheâs doing..." Mira murmured softly as they all watched in fascination.
"Itâs like sheâs using our concepts, but not actually using them at all?" Seris observed, noting how things appeared at randomâclearly summonsâyet she felt no stir in her own concept, no trace of essence.
Vaeloria stayed quiet, watching intently as she, Severalty itself, the Origin of Swords, tried to grasp how Aurora could wield the very core of her knowledge without leaving so much as a hint it had ever been touched.
"Thatâs because sheâs doing exactly what I asked," Ash said as all eyes turned to him.
"I donât want her influenced by the Outside Power System or existing restrictions. In fact, sheâll be creating the Power System for my Multiverse. Thatâs why I want her to learn as much as possible... after this, I plan to send her into the Originat Multiverse before taking her outside."
The revelation caused them all to inquire more, but Ash at the moment wouldnât spill the beans. He himself didnât want to have much to do with the Power System, as he planned to leave everything to Aurora.
-----
Over the years, they watched her grow increasingly formidable. By the fifth year of training, she had thoroughly mastered all the knowledge they had given her.
There was nothing about Devouring, Emptiness, the Sword, and so on that she didnât know.
She could wield these powers effortlessly, without even relying on the Concepts themselvesâit was as if the abilities were simply a part of her.
"You can die now, until Daddy says otherwise," she said, casually waving her hand as Vesper shattered into fragments that scattered across the ground.
Aurora glanced at her parents, who appeared to be chatting idly while watching her train, though she knew that wasnât the truth.
Sheâd noticed during her training that her uncles had left years ago, and months later, an illusion was cast around Ash and his wives.
They thought sheâd be too absorbed in her training to notice, even if she learned fast. But she caught everything they were doing, both then and now, and the shock of it made her slip just enough to push herself to train a bit longer.
âAre they really that...â Her thoughts faded as she began to whistle a soft tune, which echoed into a sudden, thunderous...
BOOOOM!
The sudden noise drew every eye to Aurora, standing in the field with her hands clasped behind her back. She strolled toward her parents... who were completely naked.
"Ahem... Iâm... finished," she said with a wry smile.
Everyone froze mid-step, still dripping with sweat and catching their breath, before glancing at Ash and Sonna with knowing smiles.
"Uhh, you two got this, right?" Yonna said before vanishing instantly.
"Ashy, youâve got this!"
"My love, Iâm going to... uhh... bye!"
One by one, they all disappeared until only Sonna and Ash remained. Ash facepalmed at their antics as clothing materialized on him and then on Sonna.
âDammit, I shouldâve been the one to set the barrier,â he thought, glancing at Sonna, who was already watching him.
He shruggedâitâs not like she was a child anymoreâand sent her a mental message.
âUhh, letâs just act like everythingâs normal.â
âPfft, Ash! You canât possibly think thatâll work,â she replied, but he was already moving.
"My little Rora, tell meâare you ready to see the multiverse?"