Chapter 47: The Unveiling

Dune concentrated as much as he could, trying to activate Zeten from every part of his body. Suddenly, his eyes darkened, and he felt wet, he was in water, sinking down. Panic

surged as he almost drowned, but then the water around him vanished. He found himself standing in an endless white void, nothing but pure whiteness as far as he could see.

"Where am I?" he whispered, turning around. Behind him loomed a giant 30-meter cross, identical to the tattoo on his chest. It moved like thousands of snakes slithering over each other.

Suddenly, the cross lit up with a brilliant white Zeten and exploded, blinding Dune.

He covered his eyes, and when he opened them again, a breathtaking creature stood before him.

It was the creature that Bethel had sent to him. Its elegant form was radiant and fully healed, shimmering with a pristine beauty.

Its fur was a pure white, flowing like silk in an unseen breeze, and its eyes glowed with an ethereal light, reflecting wisdom and kindness.

Dune stood motionless, captivated by its presence.

The creature slowly approached and sat down. Dune, still awestruck, managed to stammer, "Ah? What? Who...?"

The creature bowed down, and the ground beneath it darkened. It extended one graceful claw and began writing in the earth.

Dune stepped closer, reading the word it inscribed: "Evelyn."

"So you're a girl?" he mused aloud. "Wait, who names an animal with a human name? And how do you know how to write?"

Evelyn growled softly, and Dune backed up a bit. "I'm Dune. It's nice to meet you."

Evelyn bowed her head again in acknowledgment. "So, what is this place, Evelyn?" Dune asked.

Evelyn began writing once more, "This is the heart of your Zeten. Time doesn't flow here."

"Oh, so I did it... I managed to get here. But now what?" Dune pondered.

Evelyn continued to write, "This place will help you control your powers better. I am your Zeten. I will help you."

Dune was taken aback. "What? What do you mean you're my Zeten?"

Evelyn shook her head and wrote, "Yes, Zetens are alive. They whisper in your head, giving you tasks.

Completing these tasks grants them power, and part of that power is shared with you. That's how you master your Zeten.

But most Zetens are evil, and the tasks come from their previous lives' strong memories, often evil deeds. That's why most Zeten wielders are feared.

Those who can't commit these deeds lose control and either die or are taken over by their Zeten. When the whispers are at their peak, if you don't choose to follow a scenario, you will lose control."

Dune felt a wave of confusion and dread. "So, there's a chance my brother could become someone else at any time? That he's destined to do evil deeds?

And what about me?"

Evelyn wrote, "You are fortunate to have me. But some of my experiences aren't good either, Dune. I will do my best to help you, and in exchange, when everything is done, you will free me and let me go."

Dune sighed heavily. "But where do Zetens come from?"

Evelyn wrote, "I don't know."

Dune asked, "Then what about my powers? How should I control them?"

Evelyn responded, "I will show you when you're back in reality. I will make it appear in front of you. Dune, currently we are one, but we need to deepen our connection.

I will be able to speak to you, and you can use my abilities.

And one more thing: when you go back to the real world, be ready for what you're about to see. Don't intervene and don't show your Zeten to anyone."

Dune nodded, still confused but trusting Evelyn. "Alright, then what now?"

Evelyn wrote, "Now we will become one, Dune. You will be able to hear my thoughts and voice in your head and use my abilities.

Most Zetens know about their abilities from the start, but our case is different."

Dune was deep in thought, weighing the risk. "What if she's trying to take over my body?" he mused. "But if she did, she would be exposed and killed instantly.

This is a hard choice, but do I even have a choice? I need her for my own good, and she needs the same from me."

He sighed deeply.

Evelyn nodded, and both she and Dune began to glow white until they exploded in a brilliant light.

Dune woke up, breathing heavily. He was back in the room with 120 other students.

His barrier was still closed, but now he felt different,stronger, more connected. He glanced around, his mind racing with the weight of Evelyn's revelations.

Dune opened his eyes and immediately felt a profound change within himself. His barrier had lifted, and as he stood up, he noticed Atlas beside him, exhausted and nearly kneeling.

In front of them stood their stern teacher, Beth. She surveyed the scene, and suddenly, all 120 barriers opened, revealing the students. Some lay unconscious, others bled from various wounds, and a few were unconscious.

Beth seemed unaffected as she inspected each student with a critical eye.

Beth approached a student who was bowing down, trying to hide something.

The boy had yellow hair and blue eyes. Beth stopped in front of him. "You're David, right? Number 333, Orange Neba. Stand up."

David's voice trembled as he replied,

"I couldn't pass. I failed. My body hurts. I can't stand up... please."

Beth showed no mercy. She kicked David, shouting, "Stand up!"

Dune watched the scene in confusion. What was happening? The other students were just as shocked.

"Please, I did nothing wrong. I don't want to die," David pleaded.

Beth summoned a red sword and swung it down at David.

David blocked sword with his bare hand, revealing a red Zeten aura.

Chaos erupted among the students.

"Zeten!" someone shouted. "He's Zeten!"

Panic spread. Some students ran, while others formed swords in their hands. David pushed Beth back, raising his hands in surrender.

"Please, I didn't do anything wrong. Don't kill me. Ma'am Beth, I'm innocent. I never killed anyone. Let me go."

He was crying, but Beth charged at him, slicing his shoulder. David cried out but managed to dodge.

Alice, another student with Red Neba, attacked him, but he dodged again, trying to escape through the door.

Other students attacked, stabbing him multiple times. He bled but didn't retaliate.

David clutched his stomach wound with one hand, raising the other in a desperate plea.

"Damn it, let me go. I didn't do anything wrong."

Their eyes were full of hatred. Dune stood frozen, unsure of what to do. He glanced at Atlas, who looked equally shocked. What the hell was this? Dune realized the dire consequences of being revealed as Zeten.

These people didn't care if you were good or not; if you were Zeten, you died.

Dune spoke to Atlas through their mindlink artifact, "What do we do, damn it? They're going to kill him."

"I don't know, Dune. We can't reveal ourselves here. We can't beat Beth or any of the professors. And remember the king? We die if we reveal ourselves here," Atlas responded, his voice filled with regret .

Dune could kill any evil without hesitation, but he had never taken an innocent life. He couldn't watch someone being killed like this.

He wanted to intervene, but he also had to think about his fhis friends, Ned, Atlas, the twins, and his family.

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the room.

From the explosion emerged a towering figure. As he removed his cape and tore off his shirt, revealing his muscular body, he was enveloped in a red and blue aura. Another Zeten.

"You bastards! I'll kill you all. You've lost your minds, so scared that you can't even see the truth. I'm going to cleanse the world of people like you,"

he shouted, charging at Beth with lightning speed. He punched her, and though she blocked it, the force threw her back, breaking the walls.

The new guy, taller than two meters, looked at David. "You won't get another chance like this. Run!"

David, desperate, nodded and fled, running as fast as he could.

The newcomer sighed, turning to the remaining students. "Anyone moves, and you're dead."

But Beth interrupted, clashing with him. "Run! Go tell the other professors about the situation. I'll hold him. Go!"

The students fled. The blue Zeten tried to attack them, but Beth held him back. They fought ferociously, their Zeten auras creating red and blue explosions that destroyed the room.

Dune joined the fleeing students, running alongside Atlas.

The room lay in ruins behind them, echoing with the sounds of battle as Dune and Atlas sprinted for their lives, their minds reeling from the harrowing events they had just witnessed.