Chronicles Of The Shadow Sovereign

They were still in a daze at Levi's words—he had become a Sovereign. And yet, his reaction was as if he had done something insignificant, as if it were nothing more than a fleeting moment in his life.

What they didn't know was that Levi had already ascended to a level far beyond a mere Marked Sovereign—hundreds of times over—when he was trapped in the dream.

Levi turned to Anderson and asked, "How many senses does the human body have?"

Anderson, still grappling with the weight of Levi's revelation, answered cautiously, "Five—sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell."

For the first time, a glimmer of respect and fear flickered in Anderson's eyes.

He knew that the person standing before him was no longer just a seventeen-year-old noble heir, his young master. This was a Sovereign—one beloved by the world itself.

Levi nodded, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of absolute certainty. "You're right. The human body has five physical senses." He paused, then added, "But that is not the limit of what we are capable of."

"We have five inner senses that reside within our mind," Levi continued, his voice steady and composed. "Just as our five physical senses are tied to our material body, these inner senses are linked to our spirit."

"What? We have ten senses?" Elrya's face was filled with shock. As a scholar and an author, she prided herself on her vast knowledge, believing that few things could truly surprise her.

Yet Levi's words shattered that illusion, shaking her to the core.

Anderson, in contrast, remained far less reactive. While he was taken aback, his expression showed only mild intrigue compared to Elrya's astonishment.

Levi nodded. "Yes. Five inner senses, each tied to our inner self—our soul, our spirit, whatever name you choose to give it. These senses are what we use to resist the illusions cast by the Shattered Veil—illusions designed to drown us in pain and suffering."

"How?" Elrya asked, her voice brimming with excitement. Her heartbeat quickened, pounding faster than normal. She could barely contain her anticipation.

This was knowledge the great organizations of the world had kept hidden from the common people for generations. Now, standing before Levi, she refused to miss even a single word of what he was about to reveal.

Dorian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the grand gates ahead. He didn't react to Levi's words, not because he was uninterested, but because, as a noble, he already knew everything necessary. His eyes, however, gleamed with excitement.

For him, becoming an Echo was an immense challenge.

In the Veylmont family, wealth was the ultimate measure of superiority. Their bloodline held little talent for the Echo path, but they never cared for it.

Instead, they used their vast wealth to buy Echo Memories—kingdom-level treasures of immense value.

What they couldn't attain through talent, they purchased. Order 7 Marked Echoes, Order 6 Soul Flayers—whatever they lacked in potential, they compensated for with sheer financial power.

But for Anderson, this was different. This mattered.

Unlike his brothers, he had no desire to be a merchant, no interest in business and trade. Even if he did, his brothers would never allow him enough power to challenge their control.

His future depended entirely on one thing—awakening his Echo talent.

Yet fate had not only granted him that opportunity. It had offered him something even greater—his next class: Archen.

"Cognition, Manifestation, Mindfulness, Intuition, and Imagination." Levi's voice was steady as he gazed into the eyes of Anderson and Dorian.

They both nodded in understanding.

"The first three—Cognition, Manifestation, and Mindfulness—are what we use to pass the trial."

Levi's expression remained calm as he continued. "All humans possess an aura, an invisible force surrounding our bodies. But most never perceive it."

"These auras can only be sensed and awakened through Cognition, Manifestation, and Mindfulness."

He paused for a moment before adding, "An Echo uses their own aura to awaken yours, allowing you to fight against the crimson-red aura of the Shattered Veil."

Most commoners remained unaware that they even possessed an aura, leaving them completely vulnerable to the fear and pain inflicted by the Shattered Veil.

When the trial descended upon them, their instincts screamed at them to flee—believing that running was their best chance at survival.

But they didn't realize the truth.

The trial was not meant to be escaped. It had to be confronted. The fear, the agony—it wasn't meant to break them but to be overcome.

In contrast, nobles had been taught this knowledge from a young age. They knew of the human aura and how to awaken it, using it as a shield to endure and face the illusions of the Dream Realm.

Even when commoners learned of the five inner senses, it was rarely enough. Without an Echo to awaken their aura, they stood little chance of passing the trial.

Most commoners who survived and became Echoes did so purely through their own efforts—awakening their aura by accident, usually in a desperate moment during the trial itself.

For them, survival wasn't just a test of strength or knowledge, it was a battle against fate itself.

Levi's gaze sharpened. "If we fail to awaken our aura, our bodies will be defenseless—vulnerable to the illusions and fears that the trial will inflict upon us."

He then turned to Anderson. "I've given you the basics. Now, Dorain will undergo his trial. After that, I will awaken your aura."

His voice took on a finality. "The last two senses—Intuition and Imagination—are not for survival. They are what you will use to master and wield your aura in battle."

Elrya had been utterly silent throughout Levi's explanation. He hadn't interrupted, hadn't questioned, he had simply listened, absorbing every word with unwavering focus.

And as Levi finished, Elrya nodded, acknowledging the depth of knowledge Levi had just unveiled.

When Dorian heard Levi say his name, he reacted instantly, straightening his posture.

"Is it my turn for the trial?"

Levi gave a simple nod. "Yes. Go."

Taking a deep breath, Dorian stepped forward, his movements slow but deliberate, making his way toward The Shattered Veil.

As he neared the gate, it responded. A surge of crimson aura erupted, washing over his body.

In an instant, reality twisted.

Dorian found himself no longer standing before the gate but inside a burning wooden house. Flames consumed the walls, smoke curled through the air, and the acrid scent of charred wood filled his lungs.

Then, a sound cut through the chaos—a child's desperate cries, coming from the first floor.

Outside the illusion, Elrya, Anderson, and Levi watched. Unlike Echo trials, which tested survival against fear and pain, the Trial of an Anchor was different.

Anchors were destined to be protectors—guardians of domains. Their trials did not merely assess strength but also judgment, courage, and the will to endure suffering for others.

Inside the illusion, Dorian's heart pounded. "Why a child? My teacher never mentioned this..."

Panic clawed at his mind. "Am I supposed to protect only myself? Or do I save the child too?"

Confusion gave way to dread. "No, no—what should I do?"

He clenched his fists. He knew the truth. If he hesitated now, his future as an Anchor would be doomed—stagnant, stuck at the lowest ranks, Marked One at best, Soulflayer if he was lucky.

But more than that…

His thoughts flickered to Levi.

"Levi will become a Sovereign in the future. I can't leave him alone. He carries too many expectations."

Dorian gritted his teeth. His decision had to be made—now.

Levi, watching Dorian's trial unfold in the vision, spoke calmly to Elrya and Anderson. "He always hesitates before starting something new—always calculating, always cautious. This dream is particularly cruel to him because it forces him into the unknown."

Anderson, observing the scene, swallowed hard. The Trial of an Anchor was on an entirely different level compared to an Echo's trial.

Inside the illusion, Dorian suddenly recalled Levi's words, echoing from deep within his mind:

"Life is too fleeting, too fragile, to waste on anything that doesn't set your soul on fire."

Something within him stirred.

A force awakened in his mind—a surge of energy, raw and primal. His Aura.

It ignited, flooding through his body, pushing back against the consuming flames.

Without hesitation, he moved. His heart pounded, twice as fast, his instincts overriding his thoughts.

His body burned, his skin seared by the fire—but the majority of the flames failed to harm him, repelled by the aura now surrounding him.

By the time his consciousness fully returned, he was outside the burning house, a child clutched in his arms.

The illusion shattered.

A surge of crimson energy erupted from his brain, spreading through his body, tempering his soul, reinforcing his muscles, nerves, and organs—reforging him into something far stronger than before.

As the last remnants of the trial faded, Dorian turned to Levi, his face still carrying traces of fear. "Did I pass? How many time did I take to pass?"

Levi's expression remained impassive. "An Anchor's trial isn't measured in time, nor does ascension depend on how quickly you complete it."

Dorian froze. "What? Why didn't you tell me earlier?! I was panicking, thinking I was wasting time! If I had known that, I would've finished it even faster!"

Then, as realization dawned, his frustration faded. He exhaled, shaking his head. "No… if I had rushed, it would've been meaningless, wouldn't it?"

A sudden thought struck him, his eyes widening. "Wait a minute—are you saying I can eventually reach Order 1 Anchor through other gates?"

Levi gave a small nod. "Yes, you can." Then, after a brief pause, he added, "But you'll have to conquer the other gates in the future."

Excitement surged through Dorian. His entire body buzzed with energy, the exhaustion from the trial momentarily forgotten.

A triumphant grin spread across his face. "So it's true… I can reach the top."

His mind raced back to a certain bet—his challenge with certain nobel.

This changes everything.