As Melody fought against the unrelenting army of plastic cups and candles, Horizon Dawn gave their armory/laboratory the finishing touch.

“System, check,” Rem said.

“Operating system operational. Begin connecting power,” Ehto confirmed.

Power coursed across the room, switching on the light and revealing a massive workshop with a series of high-quality tool Alcra’s left behind for Ehto. The high-end weaving machine rested in one corner of the room. An operating table with add-in sliding drawing-board dominated the center. An advance furnace steamed with power leaned by the wall. Everything was satisfactory aside from the empty weapon rack — a flaw Melody and Rem were eager to rectify.

“Okay, we should upgrade with some of Earth’s computer system, but I think we get the basic,” Luxinna said. “According the schematic, the second floor housed the Medical Bay, Armory and Laboratory, Library and the Operation room. Wait, shouldn’t we be operating from the bridge above the third floor?”

“Isn’t that the bridge on the top floor?” Melody entered the room after losing to her thirtieth cup.

Rem grasped the blueprint in confusion.

“The bottom-floor — the first floor — is the storage area and training area. The middle floor is the operating-center and the third floor is the recreation area. Wait, Ehto should we count the floor up or down?”

“Let stick with top, mid, and bottom.”

“What about the bridge above the top floor,” Luxinna asked.

“The roof.”

“Yep,” Rem nodded, and he jotted down the label. “Finally, we got the standard check.”

Luxinna sighted

“Wonder what Hikma is doing with Satholia?”

…

“I have to apologize.”

“I think you said that to Melody,” Hikma felt like Satholia’s apology was a prelude to hell.

The Queen of Center Force then further elaborated.

“Truth to be told I should apologize to every one of you.”

Hikma doesn’t know whether he should complain about getting such a caring boss. The ongoing war between Melody and plastic cup was the illustration of Satholia’s love.

“Okay, so what exactly is my flaw that you should apologize for,” Hikma said.

Satholia sighed.

“Hikma, you don’t have any flaw in your fighting technique. What you have is a wall. Surely, you have already noticed it.”

Hikma did.

[Conceptual Construct] fixed many things he lacked, but its weakness showed itself at his current mastery. It lacked growth. The only thing Hikma could improve on is the number of [Conceptual Construct] he controlled, but manually controlling each one of them while juggling power output was tiring. Sure, he could summon eighty [Surtr] to throw at his opponent, but it would be a hassle to control. Essentially, he ran into a weight-cost problem haunting the world of engineering. More [Conceptual Construct] for power meant concentration, which further divided his proficiency. Higher control traded with lower [Construct] which tanked his overall power ceiling.

It was a hard-cap which Hikma as a Transcendental lacked any Legend to remedy.

“You have a method to fix this.”

“Yes,” Satholia conjured a blackboard from the multicolor floor. “Hikma, our method to fix this has to do with a spirit.”

“Isn’t that the entity Luxinna’s sister made the contract with?” Hikma recalled. “You aren’t thinking about asking me to contract with them. No offense, Ma’am, but I doubt they will help elevate the wall I am facing much.”

“That is hilarious, Hikma dear,” Satholia smiled, but her eyes weren’t smiling. “Why on earth would I throw my children to the brats of the bloody Spirit Realm?”

“I sense a history,” Hikma stated the obvious. “I take it we aren’t on the good term with the Spirit Realm.”

“Spirit Realm is like the angels in their hidden agenda,” Satholia said. “Angels and spirits seek the supremacy of their influence. They are fatalistic and so focus on the bigger picture they couldn’t fathom the potential of humanity and bonds between people. I don’t like them and the feeling is mutual. There is only one way our gripe with Spirit Realm will end — someone got to admit they a faithless fool and sure as hell aren’t us.”

“So, no contracting Sprit.”

“The Spirit Lords will null the contract the moment they realize my involvement,” Satholia snorted. “But no worries, Hikma dear, we can still use them as inspiration.”

Satholia further explained.

“Spirit are terminal of the Spirit Realm. The Spirit Lords create the Spirit by using three conditions: an intense elementally rich location, Spirit Realm Mana to connect the spirit to the Spirit Realm and pseudo soul created from combining blueprint with catalyst for maturation. The resulting Spirit — the terminal to Spirit Realm — could cast an elemental attack above their league by sourcing the Mana from their stupid world, using contractor as a guide. Essentially, turning the battle into a group fight where one-side literally has an entire world of support to buff them.”

Hikma whistled.

“Then why did Magnolia go down so easily with so many Spirits?” Hikma said.

“Because Magnolia, for all the love-letter Spirit Realm piled at her feet, lacks the focus, innovativeness, and sheer will,” Satholia answered. “And when you master the technique I have in mind, the gap will be as wide as the size contest between Megalodon and a sardine.”

“So, what is this technique you are so proud of?” Hikma said.

“Creating your own Spirit with [Conceptual Seal].”

Hikma faltered.

“What?”

“Your [Conceptual Construct] is the baby stage of this technique,” Satholia explained. “[Conceptual Seal] is a conceptual ability. It creates a seal which embody the concept written by the testament of will. Your ability handily trumps any kind of environment the Spirit Lord can beg for. Multiple [Conceptual Seal] can also be to create [Conceptual Construct] that becomes an ultimate blueprint, and the memory lives in the Primal Arcane can mature this artificial terminal connected to you.”

Satholia finished Hikma's blatant confusion with the statement that blew the young man's mind.

“Hikma, dear, your have the raw material to create a godlike minion and contactee. You can’t be compared to the Spirit Lord. You are our very own human-shape Spirit Realm.”

Hikma blinked.

He was that powerful? That was ridiculous. Satholia wasn’t talking about gods or a Spirit Lords, but an entire dimension.

“That can’t be,” Hikma tried to mentally ran away from his godlike potential. “How can I be compared to an entire Spirit Realm? That insane.”

“True,” Satholia admitted after a few blinks. “You are insanely stronger. The Spirit Realm doesn’t have a body to merge with the Spirit Lords to boost its power or consciousness use that connection to attain domination of the element, but you can.”

Hikma’s mouth close.

“Ma’am… just…”

“Just how powerful are you?” Satholia snorted. “Hikma, in DC term, your potential makes Doctor Fate and Trigon look like squabbling baby.”

…

Thus, Hikma began the great remaking of his entire [Conceptual Construct]. He started from the core built from intricate of networks of [Conceptual Seal]. [Soul], [Experience], [Emotion], [Personality], [Magic]; those were the parts of many [Conceptual Seal] creating the heart of his new [Conceptual Construct]. The Hikma completed his magnum opus by enveloping it with the ring of [Fire].

The new [Surtr] resembled an egg, but his task wasn’t over.

“Good,” Satholia nodded. “This baby will grow strong, but we need to provide the environment for it to live.” The Queen of the Center Force conjured a mat. “Sat here. It is time I am going to introduce you to the proper utilization Mana Core.”

Hikma sat cross-legged across from Satholia.

“Mana Core is an astral organ that directly housed your True Magic,” Satholia explained as she weaved the surrounding Mana. “It acts as a storage, converter and fermenter to transform Mana into an energy carrier unique to you — an Origin. There is a clear quantitative leap in power between Mana and Origin. That was why World Enemy is such a threat they directly source their power from the Malice’s Origin. Now close your eyes”

…

Hikma found himself inside a blank field of white.

‘This is your Mana Core,’ Satholia’s voice echoed. ‘It is up to you to fill it. Each True Magic is different and thus the nature of each the Origin differs. Luckily, for us, your Origin is simple? What do you need to write?’

“An ink,” Hikma realized.

‘Good,’ Satholia said. ‘Now, give forms to your power. Gather your Mana, funnels it to your True Magic and make it into a planet. The realm where your power resides. Celestial body of ink where various seal experiences birth and death.’

Hikma did as instructed, closing his eyes and funneling his Mana, changing them into a black ink with a surreal amber glow. The ink of [Conceptual Seal]—the liquid which embodied possibility — conglomerated into a sphere. Experience and history of Hikma De Darwin trickled into the mix. Every trail and tribulation he faced — the very lifeblood of his identity — gave life to the planet of ink. Amber glowed from the surface of the black ocean planet, and from it various letters and string of sentences rose in to the air and died in a cycle of life and death.

The boy opened his eyes again, but now his irises reflect his ascension beyond humanity. The amber color eyes shone as various sigils and seals materialized, sparkling like ember in his cornea.

‘Excellent,’ Satholia cheered. ‘First, let stored [Surtr] your origin and then we will familiarize your with this new power up.’

…

With his Origin established, Hikma’s ability underwent a transformation. He no longer needs to conjure a seal to use Arcane. He could easily write the Arcane into the air and performed an advance level of [Nicholas] simply by adding another phrase. He could even passively augment his body with [Necta Floral]. The ease of used of his True Magic developed to the extent Hikma was convinced he was no longer using [Conceptual Seal] but becoming the source — the Origin — of one.

But he was still a long way to go. Satholia drilled that fact into his head.

Hikma blocked a punch that sent him tumbling into the air and landed nimbly on his feet. A kick arrived at the speed the only his newly augmented reflex saved him. The force of the kick drew blood from Hikma’s cheek, but his passive [Necta Floral] automatically heal it.

Satholia made a wide smile, somersaulted to the sky, and bombarded him with a shower of ice-arrows.

“Don’t stick with just [Necta Floral]!” The goddess yelled. “Use your new Mana to launch a counter-attack. Go beyond elemental! Remember your ability can do anything!”

Hikma traced the air with his finger to create the Arcane.

[Entropy]

The arrows shattered. Satholia’s smile widened as she conjured the wall of ice to block the degrading force that crumbled all into nothing.

“Good,” Satholia commended and clasped her hand. As a result, the multicolor platform rumbled as forest sprouted from beneath her. “But you needed more than [Entropy]! Don’t just write on the air! Imagine everything you see is a paper!”

The vines, branches and roots attacked Hikma with a raw speed unbelievable from the plant kingdom. The wood quickly wrapped around Hikma’s arms and legs, rooting him. But the young man was undeterred in that crushing gripped. The black ink already drew a circle of command around the entire battlefield.

[Paradiso]

From the encircled ground, Arcane surged. The stripe of amber light sprang, snaking across the tress, halting their growth and bounding them. The same chain tried to invade Satholia's body only to dissipate into nothingness.

“Not bad,” Satholia tapped the tree beneath her, turning it into a massive serpent. “Don’t hurt the serpent. It will reflect damage back at you.”

Hikma eroded his binding with entropy and gestured the circle of [Paradiso] he set to bind that serpent in mid-air.

“Excellent,” Satholia spread out her hand and covered the entire sky with enough heart-shape magical projectiles to replace the stars. “Defend for your life! These hearts will turn you to stone with the power of love”

Hikma grimaced. And several combinations [Conceptual Seal] of [Trinity] materialized around him. It was an automatic defense Satholia suggested. [Trinity] was the technique he specialized in. Materializing several copies of it from his newly created Origin was almost too easy. Its utilization speed was akin to an automatic defense.

The bombardment of heart arrows fell like a meteor shower for half an hour. Hikma gritted his teeth under the unforgiving barrage, fully convince their boss was a demon of epic scale. Light sparring? What a load of bullshit? Even when holding back, the raw ability of Satholia, her innate creativity and her competitive streak made her a terminator to deal with. Satholia didn’t even spare him any dignity in her attempt to bury him under the raining power of heart and love.

The barrage stopped, but before Hikma breathed a sigh of relief, light filled the sky.

“TAKE THIS! SUNSHINE VERSION I-AM-SERIOUSLY-HOLDING-BACK!”

Hikma’s heart sank before the gigantic sun being thrown at him. It was at that moment Hikma was convinced he was no longer afraid of any S-class, the Divine Fist, or the gods. Screw the S-rank. Screw the SS. Screw the World Enemy. Satholia wasn’t exaggerating her power-level.

Their boss was without the doubt the most terrifying combatant ever and she wasn’t even trying to kill them.

Hikma braced himself against the shinning sun which engulfed him whole and exploded in a power that would nuke half of China and render the Earth inhabitable in a heart-shape mushroom cloud of death.

…

“Gosh, that is satisfying,” Satholia beamed. “I never get to stretch my leg like that ever since Center Force surrendered. I am impressed, Hikma. You held out pretty well there.”

“I last about 2 minutes,” Hikma replied from the state of smoking, shambling roadkill, on the multicolor floor.

“Well, you might last longer once you have created all your elemental attacks,” Satholia said. “But you performed impressively with only part of your ability. You’ve done well. I believe you won’t require much further training outside of combat. Wait, there is a tiny tip for you. I believe you could have survived that last attack.”

“That is planet killer!” Hikma’s body trembled. “How can I survive that?”

“[Tempo]”

Hikma’s body froze.

“The Primal Arcane which ruled over time itself,” Satholia clicked her finger. “You try to master that power, but never come close because you can’t grasp the two natures of time.”

Hikma stood there dumbly.

“What is the true nature of time?”

“Hikma,” Satholia giggled. “You think time is the continual of period along the universal axis, but time is relative. It isn’t a continuous thing but a sequence of event.”

Satholia then showed Hikma several mathematical formulae written on the blackboard.

“And tell Rem to put this,” Satholia said. “I look at those little toys. Arcana, isn’t it? They are neat little tools, but I think magical weapon should be custom made around its user over its caliber.”

Hikma glanced at what Satholia wrote. He couldn’t believe what their boss cooked.