The air inside Vyāpti felt fresher than ever.
Nyxia stood under the pale sky, the soft green of the land stretching quietly around her. Faint fog danced along the edges, like curious spirits peeking at her from behind veils. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Something had changed.
Inside her, energy moved like a steady stream—no longer wild and scattered, but calm, deep, and strong. Her Foundation was built.
"I did it," she whispered.
"You did it!" Miko shouted, doing three little backflips mid-air. "I mean—I always knew you would, but still, you did it!"
Nyxia turned her head slightly, giving him a rare, teasing look. "You were biting your claws the whole time."
"I was not!" he huffed, puffing up like a tiny balloon. "I was just… stretching my jaw. For good luck."
Nyxia almost smiled.
Then she looked at her hands. They felt different. Lighter. More aware. As if they belonged to someone who could protect herself now.
Miko floated close, studying her with wide, glowing eyes.
"Your aura's changed," he said softly. "You feel… more awake. More alive."
"Still not enough," Nyxia murmured. Her voice was quiet but firm. "I need to get stronger."
Miko blinked, and with innocent and flattering smile said "Can we…. maybe be strong after breakfast?
I'm starving. You bathed, cultivated, evolved—I didn't even get a snack!"
Nyxia raised an eyebrow. "You don't eat."
"I do eat " he pouted and whisper "It is just I wont eat the normal food. I eat spiritual energy."
Back in the real world, morning had just begun. Thin rays of sunlight slid through the clouds, painting golden lines on the stone paths of the village.
Nyxia emerged from the alley in her plain black cloak. With her hood up and steps quiet, she walked through the slowly waking market streets. Most shops were still closed. A few sleepy vendors swept dust from their doorsteps.
But one sound caught her ear—a soft, muffled sob.
She turned her head.
Down a narrow path, sitting by a well, a small boy was crying quietly. He clutched a basket full of crushed flowers and broken sticks. His knees were scraped, and his nose was red from the cold.
"Looks like he tripped," Miko whispered, floating near her shoulder.
Nyxia hesitated.
She didn't have time for this.
She needed to get herbs, supplies, maybe even find more spiritual treasures if she wanted to climb another tier soon. She couldn't waste energy on—
The boy sniffled louder.
Nyxia's feet were already walking before her mind caught up.
"Are you hurt?" she asked softly, kneeling beside him.
The boy blinked through his tears and looked up at her, startled. Then, seeing her face—the calm, gentle eyes—he relaxed slightly.
"I-I dropped the healing herbs," he mumbled. "I was supposed to sell them for my sister's medicine…"
Nyxia looked at the crushed basket. Most of it was useless now.
"How much were you going to sell it for?"
"Three silver coins…" he whispered.
She reached into her pouch and pulled out ten.
"Here. Buy the medicine. And something warm to eat."
The boy's eyes widened. "I— I—I can't take this! You're too kind!"
Nyxia placed the coins into his small hand and stood. "Kindness isn't a debt."
She turned and walked away, her cloak fluttering behind her like a shadow with wings.
Miko sniffled beside her.
"Nyxia… that was… beautiful," he whispered, dramatically pretending to wipe a tear with a tiny invisible handkerchief.
Nyxia didn't respond.
But her eyes were softer.
Later, she returned to her room in the inn. After locking the door, she stepped into Vyāpti again.
It felt warmer now.
Strange birds chirped from invisible trees, and floating lights moved slower, as if resting after a celebration.
Miko drifted lazily in slow circles above Nyxia's head, his tiny golden form glowing like a floating ember in the misty air of Vyāpti. After a long moment, he stopped mid-air and tapped his chin with an exaggerated hmm.
Nyxia glanced up from where she sat cross-legged on the soft grass, her white robe catching the light from the floating orbs above. "What now?" she asked, her voice soft but alert.
Miko's eyes lit up. "We need to think bigger," he said dramatically, throwing his tiny arms wide. "You've built your foundation—but that's just the first pebble in a mountain range."
She raised a brow. "And you suddenly know a shortcut to the top?"
He flipped upside down mid-air, grinning. "Not a shortcut. A ladder. A sect!"
Nyxia blinked. "A sect?"
"Yup!" Miko twirled around, his golden fur catching flecks of floating light. "A proper cultivation sect. With elders, ancient scrolls, big stone gates that creak open during thunder, mysterious rules, and lots of people who look serious but are probably emotional wrecks deep down."
Nyxia snorted softly despite herself. "That's your sales pitch?"
Miko floated closer, his grin fading into something gentler. "I'm serious, Nyx. You've got power now—but power without guidance is like… a sword with no handle. You'll end up hurting yourself before you even reach your goal."
Nyxia looked down at her hands. They were stronger than before. Her meridians hummed quietly beneath her skin. She was different now. But there was still so much she didn't understand.
"You need structure," Miko continued, his voice softer now. "And training. Real combat. A place where you'll grow. Where someone will teach you what I can't. I… I want to help you, but I can't unlock everything alone. Not yet."
Her fingers tightened slightly in the grass. "I want to get stronger," she whispered. "For my parents… and for me. I don't want to just survive anymore, Miko. I want to stand on my own."
He nodded, floating down to perch on her shoulder, his tiny paw resting lightly against her neck. "Then a sect is your next step. And… I may have already done some digging."
She looked at him sideways. "Define 'some digging.'"
"Okay, so—maybe I found a super prestigious, slightly mysterious sect that's holding an entrance trial tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!" Nyxia stared. "You already picked one?"
"Of course I did!" he puffed up with pride. "It's called the Cloud Soaring Sect. Sounds majestic, right? And guess what—they never open the gates to outsiders. Except… this one time. A rare opportunity. A sign of fate? Definitely."
Nyxia gave him a flat look. "You planned all this, didn't you?"
Miko gave her the widest, most innocent grin he could muster. "Me? Plotting? Never."
She sighed, but a small smile curved her lips. "You're lucky you're cute."
"I know," he said smugly, hopping into the air with a little spin. "Now, let's make sure you're ready."
A faint pulse echoed through the foggy edge of Vyāpti. The air shifted. Energy tingled faintly, as if something was watching from afar.
Miko's grin faltered just slightly. "Tomorrow, you'll face the outside world. But tonight… let's test your strength. One last time."
Nyxia stood, her robe fluttering gently as she looked toward the approaching fog. Her heart was calm—but something in her chest fluttered.
Just as the mist cleared from her victory, Nyxia's breathing slowed, her body still humming from the clash.
Nyxia smiled, a little dazed. "It feels… different. Like the world's quieter… but deeper."
"Exactly," Miko chirped, twirling mid-air. "Your senses are stronger now. But don't get too comfortable. Energy is only part of it—now you need real combat experience."
She raised a brow, already suspicious. "What are you planning now?"
He giggled. "I'm not planning anything! Vyāpti is."
The ground suddenly trembled, and glowing runes lit up around them. A tower—ancient and radiant—rose from the earth with a deep hum, stretching into the fog above.
Nyxia's eyes widened. "What… is that?"
Miko puffed out his chest. "The Trial Tower. It appears only for those who pass Vyāpti's test. You've been accepted."
The door to the tower opened with a soft pulse of light.
"Every floor is a battle," Miko explained, floating beside her. "Each one helps you grow stronger. It won't kill you… but it'll hurt."
Nyxia stared at the tower, then exhaled with a small, determined smirk. "Then let it hurt."
Miko clapped his tiny paws. "That's the spirit!"
Without hesitation, Nyxia stepped toward the tower, her silhouette swallowed by the glowing door.
Miko hovered, proud and wide-eyed. "Go show them who you are."