"Junior, you understand the situation, don't you?" Fernando said with a heavy sigh. "As my son, you have the right to inherit the territory and become the next lord of this land. However, there is one mandatory requirement: you must reach the Middle Kingdom. If you don't… even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to transfer the territory to you."
— I know, Dad. You don't have to worry about that. When the time comes… I'll be ready — John replied, with a slight smile on his face.
Fernando stroked his son's hair tenderly, but his expression was serious.
— Junior, I don't know what gives you so much confidence. Life outside this territory… is not easy. The weak have no place out there. Even a mosquito can take your life — he said in a somber tone.
John rolled his eyes, realizing his father's dramatic overreaction.
Knock . Knock . Knock .
Three knocks sounded at the door.
— Come in — Fernando authorized.
A young maid walked in, dressed in the traditional black and white uniform. She bowed respectfully before speaking:
— My lord, young lord, the lady requests your presence in the dining room.
— Okay. You can leave, we're coming down now — Fernando replied.
The maid bowed again and left silently.
— We better go down. No one wants to upset your mother… not to mention we have visitors — Fernando commented, already on his way to the door.
John owes him a calling.
- Father…
Fernando turned, arching an eyebrow.
- What it was?
— About Beatriz and Bárbara Bo … has your mother explained it to you?
Fernando chuckled softly.
— You don't need to worry. Your mother has already talked to me about it. There's no problem at all.
John sighed in relief. Fernando then left the room. John followed his footsteps echoing down the hallway until they disappeared .
###
In the dining room
When John and Ferdinand arrived, the table was already set. The maids had finished the preparations with ceremonial precision . Catherine and Felicia were already seated, one on either side of the head of the table. Moments later, Leonel Albert and his daughter, the young Princess Victoria, also joined the dinner.
The atmosphere was impeccably formal. As was to be expected among nobles, table manners were strict. Dinner today seemed like a veritable banquet: grilled meats steamed on silver platters, accompanied by golden potatoes, well-seasoned stews, soft breads and glasses of red wine. The rich, inviting aroma filled the air.
The delighted visitors savored each dish and were full of praise for the meal.
During dinner, John noticed that Victoria, the young princess, gave him occasional, curious, and discreet glances. He saw it, but did not react. He simply continued dinner as if nothing had happened—maintaining his posture, as if it were just another ordinary evening among nobles.
###
Venhorst Castle
In the inner wards of Venhorst Castle , there was a wing reserved exclusively for the most trusted and skilled servants—those who directly served Ferdinand, Catherine, Felicia, and John. Due to the intimate nature of their duties and the trust placed in them, they lived within the castle, side by side with their lords.
— Isabela, what are you listening to? Why are you like this today? — asked Francisca, the young woman's mother, her voice tinged with concern.
That night, Isabela, Francisca and Judith were at the table, having dinner. But Isa had barely touched her food—her expression blank, her eyes teary.
— Isa, you haven't eaten anything... Isn't the food good? — asked Judith, the girl's aunt, trying to break the silence gently.
Ever since the incident with the mercenaries that had nearly taken John's life a few months earlier, the situation for Isa and her family had changed drastically. John, in a gesture of gratitude and protection, had brought the three of them to live in the castle. Isa had become his personal secretary, and Judith had become a servant in the palace. It was a giant leap from the miserable life they had led in the slums.
Francisca, although still ill, now had access to treatment and could do light exercise. For the first time in years, there was dignity in her days.
"It has nothing to do with the food," Isa murmured, her voice low.
Francisca frowned and asked gently:
— Are you worried about the young lord?
Isa just nodded, trying to hold back her tears.
— So what is it? Everything will be fine tomorrow... — he tried to reassure her.
— It's not that. It's just... I... I... — Isa's voice trembled, her eyes glittered. A tear rolled silently down her cheek.
— Come here, silly — said Francisca, pulling her daughter into a tight hug.
As soon as she felt the warmth of her mother's lap, the tears that Isa had been trying to contain spilled all at once, silent and heavy.
— Everything will be okay — Francisca whispered, running her fingers through her daughter's hair in an attempt to calm her down.
— Mom... I just... I wanted to be more useful to John... — Isa confessed between sobs. — I don't want to be a burden... I want to be able to protect him... like he protected me...
Francisca gently stroked his back.
— You are not a burden, Isabela. You never were.
—But ... you yourself said that the path of our family's evolution was lost a long time ago ...
Francisca sighed deeply.
—That may be true. But the path... still exists.
Isa's teary eyes lit up, albeit timidly, with that glimmer of hope.
— Where, mother? Where can we find him?
She leaned forward, her eyes steady as if she were grasping fate with her own hands.
— Where is that path?
Venhorst Castle
— I don't know, daughter... — Francisca murmured with a sad look.
Isa lowered her head, dejected, feeling even more lost.
— But listen carefully, Isa. — Francisca said , gently catching her attention.
moist eyes . "Yes, Mom?"
— You must have faith. The young lord of the vineyard spoke to me some time ago. He assured me that he would find a way for you. He told me that the world will yet see the power of our race again.
Isa was moved.
— Really? He said that?
— He said it. And with great conviction. That's why you should believe him, daughter.
As the minutes passed and the warmth of her mother's words, Isa's confidence was slowly restored. A thread of hope began to weave itself in the girl's heart.
—Wait a moment—Francisca said suddenly, getting up from the table.
She left for a few seconds and came back carrying a small sealed box, wrapped in thick cloth.
— What is this, mom? — Isa asked , curious.
— You just need to give it to him tomorrow. I'm sure he'll know what to do with it.
Isa picked up the box, shook it lightly, trying to guess what was inside.
— Okay, Mom. I'll give it to John tomorrow.
Meanwhile, in another wing of the castle
Ceto and his son Alex had finished dinner and were talking privately.
— Son, how was your visit to Novo Rondondo this time? — asked Ceto.
Alex smiled slightly.
"It was good. I was with Mother this time. She said she'll be here tomorrow for the evolution ritual… both mine and the young lord's," he replied enthusiastically.
Ceto nodded.
— And how are you feeling?
— I'm fine. Quite excited, actually — Alex replied with a sparkle in his eyes.
— Tomorrow you will gain your warrior powers... a new world will open before you — said Ceto, trying to contain his own emotion.
— I know, Dad. That's why I'm excited.
"Then listen to your father first," he said, now in a firmer tone. "Don't forget our family duty."
Alex raised his hands like he had heard this speech a thousand times.
—"To protect and safeguard the interests of the Venhorst family . To serve without question." — he repeated in an almost mechanical tone. — Father has said this so many times that my head buzzes with the words!
Ceto sighed.
— Very well. Do not stray from this path. Tomorrow will be a great day, for you and the young lord. Go to bed early.
— Okay... but I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight — Alex confessed with a nervous smile.
Despite his anxiety, he went to his room, pressured by his father's insistence. Ceto also reminded him that sleep was crucial for tomorrow's development — a bad night's sleep could disrupt the entire process.
Later, after dinner, there was only a brief conversation among those present. Nothing worth mentioning.
When night fell completely, everyone retired to their rooms. The calm before the storm. The last night before a new destiny.
Venhorst Castle Gardens — Late Night
It was very late when John, restless, gave up trying to sleep. The weight on his chest prevented him from resting.
He put on a light tunic and left the room silently, letting the sleeping corridors of the castle guide him to the garden.
There, under the starry sky, he finally stopped.
He sat down on a carved wooden chair near a fountain. The stars seemed more vivid in this world—so different from Earth, where light pollution hid the sky. John looked up and let himself be lost in the vastness.
Little did he realize he was not alone.
A few meters away, hidden among the shadows and rose bushes, a figure watched him in silence.
The moonlight revealed her delicate and attentive face: it was the young princess.
She had followed him with curiosity and—perhaps—something more. She wanted to understand him. There was something about John that defied her comprehension, and tonight seemed like the perfect night to find answers.
She watched his gestures, his expression, his silence. When he looked up at the sky, she looked up too... and saw.
A sea of stars. A reflection of what was inside it.
John sighed deeply. He thought of his sister—left behind on Earth.
How much time had passed since his arrival? Did this world follow the same rhythm as Earth? He did not know. But he made calculations.
I had already been in this body for eight years and three months. Adding the nine months in the womb, I would have lived here for exactly nine years.
On Earth, his sister was sixteen when he left.
If time flowed the same way… now she would be twenty-five.
He sighed again.
An image flashed through his mind: his sister, twenty-five. Maybe with children. Maybe with a family of her own. And he... maybe an uncle?
He smiled bitterly at this surreal idea.
He closed his eyes for a moment, touching his chin—still smooth, without any sign of stubble.
On Earth, at thirty-two, he had never started a family. It was just him... and her. Just the two of them against the world.
Now, here, his mind totaled forty-one years. Thirty-two there, nine here. A veteran trapped in a child's body.
Longing tightened his chest. A real, almost physical tightening.
He put his hand to his heart, as if he wanted to grab his own soul. He couldn't give in to melancholy. Not tonight. Tomorrow would be a milestone—the day his destiny would open up.
He closed his eyes and briefly immersed himself in the memory he was trying to avoid.
Back in the favelas — on the brink of death — that's where it all began. When he first accessed the sea of the soul. When he found that being.
The Oni .
The entity that resided inside the egg.
The sleeping creature that slept, inert, in the depths of his soul.
Oni's words , on the day John underwent his first evolution, the creature would emerge again. At that moment, John would inherit immense power—and with it, a terrible price to pay.
That thought wouldn't leave his mind.
What kind of power would it be? And, more importantly... what would be the price?
But beyond the anxiety for power itself, there was something that gnawed at him more: answers.
The first time they met, John and the Oni had little time. The moment was brief, confusing, like a whisper in the midst of chaos.
Now, he needed to understand: How did he end up in this world? Why him ? And , above all... was there a way to return?
Maybe, tomorrow, finally, he would discover everything.
That's why I couldn't sleep.
—Beautiful night, isn't it?—
The voice came out of nowhere, soft, almost playful.
John jumped.
"Young princess!" he exclaimed , taking a deep breath. "You nearly scared me to death."
Victoria smiled. At some point, she had approached silently, and he, absorbed, had not noticed.
— Sighs after sighs... — she commented , crossing her arms. — What's wrong with you?
John stood up and bowed respectfully.
— I'll be leaving my family soon. I was just... mourning this departure.
He lied. Or at least, he hid the truth.
—Really? — She arched an eyebrow.
John scratched his head, puzzled.
— Young princess... that 's all.
Victoria watched him for a few seconds, and then smiled.
— Looking from a distance, he looked more like an old widower remembering his long-dead wife.
— Ha ha there is ha ! — laughed John, taken by surprise.
— Hahahaha ! — she said , amused.
They both laughed together — but deep down, each one forced a smile, hiding the truth behind a mask of lightness.
— John, isn't it? — asked Victoria.
He nodded slightly.
— Tomorrow is your big day. Have you chosen the path of evolution?
— I will be a... — John began to answer, but she interrupted him with a sudden gesture.
— A piece of advice: don't tell anyone about your path of evolution. No matter who asks.
John frowned.
— Seriously? Why?
Victoria looked at him with unusual seriousness.
— Your path defines your abilities. If an enemy knows what it is, they will also know how to nullify it.
— I see... thanks for the cons — —
He didn't finish the sentence.
A sudden wind blew through the garden, and when John turned his eyes to the princess... she was gone.
Like a shadow blown through the night.
John sighed. And, alone again, he turned his eyes to the sky.
John sighed. He thought that was... cool. As a good otaku , he had seen many anime characters doing the same thing — leaving others talking to themselves, mysteriously disappearing into the night. He made a mental note: I need to do that too. One day.
As it was already late, he decided it was time to sleep. After all, tomorrow would bring irreversible changes.
He left the garden and walked back to his room. After a while, sleep overcame him.
The next morning, John woke up early, took a quick shower, and put on casual clothes . One of the maids came to help him with the preparations. Together, they went downstairs to the living room.
Upon entering, John saw that everyone was already gathered.
With a respectful posture, he greeted them one by one.
There were: Fernando, Catarina, Felícia, Ceto, Alex, Isa, Prince Leonel Albert , Princess Victoria Albert — and Selestia Arcano, Alex's mother and Ceto's wife.
Isa approached John, holding a small box in her hands. "Here," she said, holding out the object. "What is this?" John asked, taking the box. "I don't know. Mom told me to give it to you ," Isa replied, shaking her head.
John arched an eyebrow. "Did she say what it was for?" "I didn't either."
John then looked at Fernando.— Dad, do you know what this is?
Fernando reached out his hand naturally. The box flew towards him, levitating gently before digging into his palm.
— Junior , remember to thank me for this gift later — Fernando said, smiling.
—But ... what is it ? — John insisted .
—That's bone powder from a werewolf.
—Ash? Powder? —John and Isa asked at the same time.
Fernando nodded. "Very valuable. A true treasure. That's why werewolves are so hunted."
— And what is it for? — asked John, intrigued.
— When used in an evolution ritual, bone powder increases the individual's potential by up to 30%. In addition, it increases the chances of awakening a Golden Core by 30%.
Fernando left wide, proud.
— So be grateful. It can define your future.
Before John could respond, Prince Albert stepped forward:
— We better go now.
At the prince's command, Ferdinand, Catherine, Felicia, the young Princess Victoria and John followed the corridors towards the castle's catacombs.
Ceto, Alex, Isa, and Selestia Arcano found themselves in the living room, watching them leave.
Author's Note
John is about to touch the boundary between what he is... and what he can become. Werewolf ash? Golden core? You don't get it yet. This is just the surface. The true horror—and power—lies within his soul.
And Princess Victoria? Ah ... don't be fooled by her smiles. She didn't appear in the garden for nothing.
Comment:— What path of evolution do you think John will choose?— And the Oni... is he an ally? A jailer? Or something much, much worse?
Like, comment and share this story. You shape this universe with your theories. And me? I just opened the door... to the abyss.
Continued.