Garion was finally alone.

The freezing wind roared around him while distant beast cries echoed endlessly throughout the brutal planet.

Yet instead of nervousness, a huge grin slowly spread across his face. "Hahaha... now this feels more like home."

He looked around the violent landscape before suddenly speaking aloud. "Atlas."

A tiny glowing figure suddenly appeared floating beside his shoulder.

The little silver-haired humanoid lazily floated in the air with his small glowing wings fluttering slowly behind him.

Soft blue light surrounded his tiny body while his glowing blue eyes scanned the violent planet below.

Despite looking harmless like a fairy, the smug expression on his tiny face somehow ruined the mysterious atmosphere completely.

[Finally.]

Atlas crossed his tiny arms dramatically.

[That woman talked so much I almost fell asleep.]

Garion snorted. "You literally don’t even sleep."

[Exactly. That’s how boring it was.]

Garion ignored him immediately and looked around the planet again. "So... can we use your abilities to alter this place a bit?"

Atlas floated upside down lazily in the air while staring toward the endless mountains.

[Of course I can.]

Then he suddenly grinned mischievously.

[But honestly? I don’t think you need to change anything.]

Garion raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Atlas pointed dramatically toward the violent storms around them.

[Because your weak body needs to conquer this planet first.]

Garion’s eyebrow twitched instantly. "Weak?"

Atlas laughed loudly while floating around his head.

[Right now you should train until this environment feels as normal as walking.]

[Gravity, storms, freezing oceans, volcanic regions... all of it.]

Garion cracked his neck loudly. "Already easy."

Atlas immediately burst into laughter.

[Oh really? Then how about swimming inside frozen oceans while mountain-level gravity crushes your bones?]

Garion blinked briefly.

Atlas’s grin widened even more.

[Or maybe running through cosmic storms while carrying giant beasts on your back?]

Garion slowly grinned back. "Hahaha..."

He looked toward the distant frozen sea with burning eyes. "Alright then."

Atlas floated smugly beside him.

[Good.] 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Garion rolled his shoulders before stepping forward into the violent snowstorm. "Let’s do it."

---

Far away from the brutal training planet, the silver ship moved through space at terrifying speed.

Without Garion onboard, Alira no longer needed to maintain a comfortable travel pace.

VVVVMMMMM!!!

The ship shot through the universe like a silver streak while multiple acceleration formations glowed beneath the hull.

Inside the cabin, Alira calmly operated the controls alone.

Then suddenly... A holographic communication screen appeared before her.

Paren’s face quickly emerged from the screen.

"You came back faster than expected," he said immediately.

Alira nodded lightly. "I increased the ship’s speed after dropping Garion off."

Paren blinked before laughing helplessly. "As expected of you."

Then his expression turned more serious. "So? How was he?"

Alira stayed silent for a moment before answering honestly. "...Unusual."

Paren burst into laughter instantly. "Hahaha! That’s one way to describe him."

Alira crossed her arms calmly. "He also requested [Origins]."

Paren immediately narrowed his eyes slightly. "What kind?"

"Any attribute is fine," Alira replied. "But he said they need to be at least Awakened Grade."

She paused briefly. "And... as many as possible."

Paren rubbed his forehead. "That idiot really asks for things casually..."

Then suddenly he noticed something else. "You encountered pirates on the way too?"

Alira nodded once. "Black Fang Pirates."

Paren immediately waved his hand dismissively. "Pirates, huh? Don’t worry about them for now."

A faint grin appeared on his face. "With that crazy planet, even pirates probably won’t dare approach that area later anyway."

Alira silently thought about it, and it was indeed safe for Garion to be there.

Paren stretched slightly before speaking again. "Now hurry back and help me handle the tournament preparations."

Then he suddenly paused. "Wait... did you already tell him about the tournament?"

Alira nodded. "Yeah."

Paren immediately smiled. "Good."

Then he pointed behind himself where countless floating documents and holograms could be seen everywhere. "Now come back quickly. I’m drowning in work over here."

---

The freezing lake exploded loudly as Garion finally climbed back onto the snowy shore.

BOOOOSH!!!

Ice-cold water poured off his body while freezing wind slammed directly against him.

Even his breathing looked slightly unstable now.

The surface of the lake behind him had already partially frozen again despite the violent movements from earlier.

Garion sat heavily onto a nearby rock before letting out a long breath. "...Damn."

For the first time since arriving on the planet, he actually looked tired and... quite bad.

Nearby, Atlas floated lazily in the air while eating some kind of glowing fruit he had somehow pulled from nowhere.

The tiny silver-haired figure sighed dramatically.

[Like I told you already.]

[You still need time to adjust.]

Garion clicked his tongue while stretching his frozen arms. "Yeah, yeah. I get it."

Even with his monstrous physique, the freezing ocean combined with the insane gravity pressure had nearly crushed his muscles after only an hour of swimming.

This planet was honestly ridiculous but instead of frustration, Garion slowly started grinning again. "Hahaha..."

Atlas immediately looked suspicious.

[Why are you laughing now?]

Garion stood up while cracking his neck loudly. "Because this means the training here is actually effective."

Atlas stared at him silently for several seconds.

Then the tiny figure shook his head helplessly.

[You’re genuinely insane.]

Garion ignored him completely before suddenly speaking again. "Still... if I’m gonna reopen God Gym soon..."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I probably need some help."

Atlas floated upside down lazily.

[Makes sense.]

Garion immediately looked toward him. "So which ones can I wake up right now?"

Atlas raised one tiny finger.

[For now, only two choices are possible.]

[Your disciple, Dahlia.]

Then he raised another finger.

[Or your wife, Rachel.]

Garion blinked. "Can’t I wake both of them?"

Atlas instantly waved both tiny hands dramatically.

[Hey, hey, don’t get greedy.]

[Waking someone up still requires your energy.]

[Right now you only have enough stabilized divine energy for one person.]

Garion’s expression immediately became conflicted. "...Damn."

Rachel or Dahlia?

Honestly... That was a ridiculously difficult choice.