Ben stood in the clearing, frozen.
Two rings now circled him, both identical in hue—soft yellow with glinting streaks of silver. The newly-formed second ring hadn't come from a beast, nor a human. It came from within. Again.
He lowered his gaze to his chest. No damage. No explosion. Just the afterglow of his core, which had stopped blinking now. Peaceful. Dormant again.
"That was terrifying…"
And yet exhilarating.
He let out a slow breath and flexed his fingers.
"Two rings... no beast. No kill. No tribulation."
He knew Spirit Hall would call it heresy if they found out. And yet, it happened—twice. As if his Martial Soul followed a different rulebook entirely.
His heart pounded. Not out of fear, but excitement. If a new ring appeared, then…
He focused inward.
Yes.
There it was. A new presence inside him. Distinct. Ready.
It wasn't like the first skill, Core Pulse, which was always running silently in the background. This one felt… sharper.
Lifting his arm instinctively, he followed a movement he hadn't practiced but knew—as if muscle memory had been planted into him.
Left palm out. Right hand gripped his forearm. Arm extended at a 45-degree tilt.
"Ray Feather," he murmured.
The air shimmered.
From his palm, a sliver of silver-white light formed—a sleek, stylized energy feather. It pulsed gently, shaped like a blade yet ethereal like light.
Ben's eyes widened. It was just like he remembered from Earth. Ultraman Nexus' Ray Feather. Fired from this exact pose.
A grin crept across his face.
"No chant. No focus delay. It's already part of me…"
He released it.
The feather flew with a sharp whirr, slicing through the air like a laser arrow. It struck a distant tree trunk and embedded halfway through—no explosive burst, just clean piercing force. Efficient. Precise.
He didn't even feel drained.
"This… this is my second spirit skill?"
It wasn't like normal skills he had seen other students use. This wasn't some high-cost flashy blast. This was quiet. Efficient. Built into him like a natural extension of his body.
He fired another one—same motion. This time, he aimed at a tree branch.
The feather zipped, clipped the branch clean off, and vanished without a sound.
Ben exhaled.
He looked down at his hand, then flexed his fingers again.
"It's like a muscle I didn't know I had…"
He tossed a feather skyward to test its range. It disappeared into the canopy.
A small laugh escaped him.
"Finally… a damn projectile move!"
Ben had just gotten used to the new rhythm of his body. His second ring, identical to the first—pale gold with a soft silver hue—pulsed gently as it settled into place around his ankle like a living ornament. He was still riding the high of unlocking Ray Feather, feeling the lightness in his chest from launching a streak of radiant power shaped like a feather.
"Alright! A real attack skill!" he grinned, hopping excitedly. "Eat your heart out, fantasy novels! Salted fish no more!"
But then, a presence. Heavy. Cold. Ancient.
Ben's body froze. His instincts flared like sirens. And yet, before he could run, shadows stretched unnaturally across the forest floor, and a figure stepped forward from the darkness without sound.
A man, disheveled but terrifying. A pair of eyes so sharp they could split steel locked onto him. He wore tattered clothes, but his aura alone made the air feel like it could suffocate.
Tang Hao.
Ben's heart thudded once.
"You."
Tang Hao's voice was like grinding stone. Not angry. Just… certain.
Ben took a step back instinctively. "I… don't know what you're talking about?"
"You're the one who took her bone," Tang Hao stated flatly, not even raising his hand. "Arrow-shaped core in the chest. Two fin-like bracers. Silver aura. It was you."
Ben's throat went dry. "How the hell do you know that?"
Tang Hao didn't answer. A single motion of his hand caused the ground to shift, and Ben found himself restrained, earth wrapping around his legs and a hammer's aura suffocating his breath.
"W-Wait! You're not even gonna—?!"
"You'll explain," Tang Hao said, lifting Ben up like a sack of rice, "to her."
Before Ben could even protest further, his vision blurred. Tang Hao moved through the forest with terrifying speed, leaping, gliding, vanishing between the trees. It wasn't long before they stood before a familiar cave, one that looked like it had recently been unsealed—moss and stone scattered, the air rich with spiritual energy.
Inside, Tang Hao dropped Ben onto the ground before the single stalk of Blue Silver Grass that radiated quiet warmth.
Ben blinked. "This… wait. This is—"
"It's me."
The voice was gentle, but clear—feminine, mature, and resonant with life.
Ben's eyes widened as the grass swayed, and a soft light enveloped it. The figure of a woman began to take form—made of mist and life energy, her face was serene and her hair flowed like vines, skin radiant with the glow of nature.
"…You can speak?" Ben whispered.
Tang Hao watched with pain and awe in his eyes. "Ah Yin…"
She turned to her husband. "He's not a thief, Hao. He was chosen."
Tang Hao's brow twitched. "You're sure?"
Ah Yin swayed, gazing at Ben. "As i've told you before,When he absorbed my leg bone, I awakened. And I saw… him. Not just the boy. I saw the being guiding him. A colossal silver figure with wings upon its back and light flowing from its form. It looked down upon him—not with scorn, but with hope. It was... protecting him."
Ben's jaw dropped. "You… saw that too, what is that really?"
Ah Yin blinked gently. "I do not know what it was. But it felt ancient, vast. Like a god of light."
Tang Hao looked like the floor had just been yanked from under him. His entire body loosened with a long, shaky breath. "Then… you don't want me to—?"
"No, my love. He is not our enemy. He might be something more."
Ben rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, great! So we're not doing the 'soul master gets pulverized by overprotective dad' thing?"
Tang Hao shot him a warning glance. "You're still under suspicion."
Ben gave an awkward thumbs-up.
Ah Yin smiled. "Tell me, child… What is your name?"
"…Ben. Ben Carter. People here call me Ben Dover, though I hate it."
"You carry life within you now. That makes you my kin," she said softly. "My gift awakened something inside you. Let it guide you—but don't let it consume you."
Ben nodded, now humbled. "Thank you. I'll… I'll make it mean something."
Tang Hao finally let out a deep breath and turned to the Blue Silver Grass. "If you trust him… I will too. But I'll be watching."
Ben gave a dry chuckle. "Great. A hammer-wielding dad watching me at all times. Totally not terrifying."
The three stood in silence, the cave humming with quiet spiritual resonance.
And so, unknowingly, the bond between Ben and Tang San's family grew deeper—not through conflict, but understanding.
And something far older, watching through the light, pulsed gently in approval.