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    "Riden, you are the -p;[.;'',[-o['' (GLITCH ERROR--)... but unfortunately, this is where your journey ends."


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    .......


    Riden slowly opened his eyes, blinking in confusion. His mind felt foggy, as if he''d just woken up from a long, strange dream. He glanced around the unfamiliar room.


    Nearby, Arden was using magic to clean up the place, moving his hands elegantly as objects floated and arranged themselves neatly.


    "Sir Arden…? What happened? Why am I here?" Riden asked, rubbing his temples.


    Arden immediately turned around, relief flashing across his face. "Young master, thank goodness you''re awake! I’ll go inform Lord Dran. He has some questions for you."


    Without further explanation, Arden walked briskly out of the room, leaving Riden even more puzzled.


    "Huh? What’s going on? Wasn’t I training just now? Hmmm… oh! I get it! That sofa was way too comfy—I must''ve fallen asleep, and they moved me here. And now Lord Dran probably wants to scold me for slacking off… Ahhh, I better apologize and promise to take training more seriously!"


    Just as he was lost in thought, he heard footsteps approaching. A moment later, there was a gentle knock on the door.


    Knock knock.


    "Come in, Lord Dran!" Riden called out cheerfully.


    Dran entered the room, Arden following closely behind. They both stood in front of Riden with unreadable expressions.


    Breaking the silence, Dran finally spoke. "Are you feeling okay? Can you tell me what exactly you saw? Before you, well... started convulsing?"


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Riden tilted his head, his face a picture of confusion. "What do you mean, Lord Dran? I don’t remember anything like that happening."


    Dran’s eyes widened slightly, his brows furrowing in thought. He let out a sigh and shook his head. "Forget it. Alright, we’ll end training for today. We’ll continue tomorrow."


    Riden fidgeted with his fingers, tapping them against each other nervously. "S-sir?… are you mad because I wasn’t taking training seriously? I promise I’ll be more focused next time…"


    Dran let out a small chuckle and ruffled Riden’s hair. "It’s fine. Just get some rest. Tomorrow’s training will be even tougher, so make sure you’re ready. And don’t forget to brush your teeth before bed."


    With that, Dran turned and left the room. Arden followed him, but before stepping out, Riden gave them both a cheerful, "Good night!"


    Arden smiled and waved as he closed the door behind him.


    <hr>


    Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway.


    "Arden… is it possible for someone to lose their memory after using the ‘InZen’ device?" Dran asked, his voice unusually serious.


    Arden hesitated before answering. "I’m sorry, Lord Dran… I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve ever seen an Oid device display a ‘DANGER’ warning… in pitch-black."


    Dran’s jaw tightened. "I see. Did you sense anything unusual while he was in that extreme state?"


    Arden swallowed nervously. "Master… I felt a ‘barrier’ within the young master’s body. But strangely, it was so faint that I could barely perceive it. And the moment he returned to normal, I lost all trace of it."


    Dran’s eyes widened slightly, cold sweat forming on his brow. A sinking feeling settled in his gut.


    "Even an 8-Crystal ''Inretor'' with five marks can’t detect it properly… Just as I thought, Riden… you might be the key I’ve been looking for."


    <hr>


    Meanwhile…


    Riden hummed a cheerful tune as he walked toward the bathroom. "Alright! Gotta brush my teeth and get some sleep! Can’t wait for training tomorrow!"


    <hr>


    The birds chirped melodically as they soared through the crisp morning air. The golden light of dawn crept over the horizon, slowly bathing the world in warmth.


    Riden and Dran, already up and active, had just finished their morning warm-up.


    "T-Teacher! Teacher!" Riden bounced around energetically, practically vibrating with excitement. "What’s today’s training?! What are we gonna do?! Huh?! Huh?!"


    Dran crossed his arms, his expression turning serious. "Get ready. For the next two months, you’re going to undergo hellish training. But if you survive, I guarantee you’ll rank within the top Hundred''s out Million''s applicants."