The Earth After Rebirth

The chamber they entered next was unlike the ones they've entered so far. The current chamber seemed to be in a space of its own, it was exactly the same as the outside temple.

The walls and floor were adorned with the same golden hue, with intricate drawings all around it. The chamber was hollow though, that made it lonely.

With the exception of a flying orb, giving the room a faint light that wasn't too blinding to look at it, it was comfortable.

Kiro looked at his mount, Hubris looked at him, they both nodded at each other before crossing the line and entering the pristine chamber that looked to be out of their league.

The second they touched the golden floor, all the physical and mental fatigue disappeared. Kiro felt like someone who has trained for 13 years but also let their muscles rest for just as long.

He walked around, too close to the walls, observing the drawings. Touching them, the drawings felt like they would jump out and come alive, but nothing of that sort happened.

"Just how obsessed are the devs with battles, this isn't the first or second time I run into something like this."

Kiro complained, remembering all the end battles he was shown, of every civilization that's extinct now. Nothing seemed to end well for the little guys in these battles.

He wondered how he and his friends faired if one came knocking at their door. He figured the way they were, they'd be obliterated.

"How can I bring them here? Surely Subduing Kaos is better than magic." He pondered.

He knew making Kaos your own was hard, and it'd even mean losing their sanity but this was just a game after all, maybe the penalty would be, you can't login for a month. It was still all worth it in his eyes.

"Master, there's nothing here." Hubris called out from the other side, jerking him out of his wishful thinking.

He was already imagining an elite army of guardians who can use Kaos energy. He liked what he saw, they'd be too overpowered and harbingers wouldn't stand a chance.

The chamber was truly empty, Kiro was confused. Was this another challenge? Was whatever this was, testing his patience now? For what reason was he even being tested. He wanted to know, he was hoping by the end of the challenges there'd be answers.

"I suppose we wait, there's no other door other than the one we entered from."

He took out a sleeve from the robe he was wearing and started cleaning his staff. Despite the hardships they've went through since entering this world, Ryu seemed as new as when he first got it. He still felt inclined to clean it.

After that, he planted his behind on the floor and started meditating. He saw himself back in the world he created back then, he was surprised it didn't crumble the moment he stepped out of meditation. But the door, the door was nowhere to be felt or found.

"Is this world just always so beautiful and peaceful?" He wondered, as he has never seen it any other way.

But this was his mind, it only reflected his state of mind at the moment. If his state were to be in shambles, so would this world. But the sun was too nice for him to worry about such trivial things.

Just when he thought he couldn't be amazed anymore, Hubris dropped in. He had felt where he was master was, when with his perfect vision, saw where he was, he had to be there too.

He had no idea it would work, but thanks to their connection he was transported without a hitch, his consciousness anyway.

"Goodness Hubris, don't just drop by unannounced!" He had already jumped backwards with the sudden appearance of his mount.

"I'm sorry my Lord, I had no idea it was going to work." He commented walking around in complete awe, "I haven't been here a second but my astral body has gained unimaginable strength. Is this why you've been so strong willed lately?"

"What are you talking about, I've always had a strong will."

Hubris thought back to when he had managed to make Kaos energy his own. He nodded his head, but also could recognise that this space made them stronger mentally. It explained how calm Kiro had been since entering the temple, while Hubris' mind was at the brink of utter madness.

"Uh, Sir, Master, my Lord, is it okay to train here from now on? Of course if it doesn't strain you at all."

"You needn't ask Hubris, you get stronger, I get stronger."

Hubris nodded his head in agreement and started exploring the vast world that was in Kiro's head. Kiro wasn't interested in exploring, so he stayed back and worked on his martial art form without using Ryu.

He didn't really like making a fist, that's why most of his attacks were palm strikes, in addition those palm strikes sometimes had something coming out of them. Mostly it was wind, but now even black lightning.

He thought back when they were dodging gravity geysers, and how he was able to control Hubris using the electricity in his brain, and how he was able to charge particles in the air and weakened gravity.

These skills were two he couldn't let go, they were simply too strong. They would give him an impossible edge, he was already imagining an army of monsters, controlled by him.

An hour passed, and he had already grasped the concept but it wasn't as easy in practical as the theory made it seem. It used a lot of mental fortitude, and as much strong as his was strong, it was still farfetched controlling something as big as Hubris.

The best he could do in his mental world were birds, which probably meant something even less in the real world.

"Who dares uses my chamber without permission?" A thunderous voice sounded, making their insides lurch and twist.

They were immediately knocked out of the mental world and brought back into the golden room, nothing was there.

"I said, who dares?"