11K words.
(Azimuth isn't dead!)
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/Time passed quickly like short summer rain…/
/… Rumble…/
Somewhere dark, hidden from view… A man sat cross-legged.
The air was stale and ancient, the stone beneath him damp, full of moss. A cavern, small, circular in shape. Its sole entrance… Sealed. There was no way out, not with his ability alone.
His fingers were red, bleeding. Bloody handprints marked the cavern's walls, telling a simple but heavy tale… This man had sealed himself inside.
The only light came from faint, bioluminescent fungi clinging to the ceiling like scattered constellations, casting eerie, shifting greenish-blue shadows that danced across his motionless form. The cold seeped through his thin meditation robes, a constant, grounding pressure against his skin, counterpoint to the inferno brewing within.
His eyes were closed, his breathing deep and rhythmic, each inhalation pulling in the cavern's stale, metallic dampness, each exhalation a warm plume that momentarily fogged the frigid air.
He was the still center, the eye of the gathering storm.
/Spark!/
Amidst the dark and cold, sparks of bright light would illuminate up the cavern. His fingers crackling with energy… The faint taste of ozone permeated his lips and nose, but his eyes remained closed and his body, motionless.
[That which remained uncompleted, Sunken motion Emerging direction, seeks the convergence]
"… From nature to body… From one to many… Intent condenses."
/Spark!/
Lightning formed throughout his body, shattering the earth around him. He bit his tongue, blood streaking out from his lips, only to vaporize soon after.
Deep within its heart, a seed… Sprouted.
[DING]
[Manual, Gathering Clouds & Dispersing Rain LvMax has been pushed to its maximum potential]
[Form, Inner Energy Control Lv10 has been pushed to its maximum potential]
[Manual, Spirit of Five Elements Diagram Lv4 has been pushed to its maximum potential]
[…]
[Titles, Surpassing Limits, Exalted Thunder, and Ascending Master have activated]
[The Innate, Soul of flowing Thunder strongly activates]
[The Innate, Soul of flowing Thunder fulfills its purpose and unlocks that which remained dormant]
[The Innate, Body of Boundless Elements strongly activates]
[Your body is undergoing a change]
At first, it was subtle. A faint, almost imperceptible hum vibrated the air, deeper than sound, resonating in the marrow of his bones. The fine hairs on his arms and the back of his neck lifted, charged with static.
A phantom breeze, smelling sharply of ozone, like the air moments before a summer downpour, stirred the moss and dust around him. /Huummm…/ The cavern's silence fractured, replaced by the distant, mournful sigh of wind whistling through unseen fissures far above.
/Shake…/
As if something wished to breech his solace, the cavern shook faintly as the ceiling above cracked…
"Huff… Come on…"
The man's focus sharpened, his memory flashing…
He visualized the boundless sky, the roiling thunderheads, the screaming winds that carved mountains. His veins and arteries became conduits, roots and branches, spreading the seed's influence throughout his body.
/Huuum!!/
The hymn intensified, rising in pitch and volume until it became a low, persistent scream, like a distant sea pushing the skies to a precipice.
… The phantom breeze became tangible. It snaked around him, lifting strands of his dark hair, tugging at his robes, uprooting all life that remained in the air.
Rocky fragments were thrown against his skin, delivering sharp cuts throughout. But he remained unresponsive, focused solely on his meditation.
Within his lungs, the compressed wind howled, seeking release. He felt it surge upwards, not as breath, but as a torrent of pure kinetic force. It scraped against his throat, a sensation like glass shards tumbling through his insides.
Bombarded both inside and outside, he gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cavern's chill, tasting salt on his lips. He pushed.
[DING]
[DING]
[DING]
"Urg… Dammit… Silence!!"
He screamed, and everything around him turned to ashes as bolts of lightning spread around, hitting the cavern dozens of times.
"No… If I damage the pot too much, the pressure will release… I don't have time…"
He gritted his teeth even further and inhaled as much air as he could, turning the cavern almost into a void.
/PRESS!/
He pressed the air into his lungs, causing his veins to burst as his eyes cried red.
[DING]
[The Form, Boiling Cauldron Lv12 has been pushed to its maximum potential]
/Crack…/
A crackle, sharp and sudden, shattered the growing wind-roar. A spark, blindingly white and painfully brief, leapt from his fingertip to the damp stone floor with a sizzle and the smell of burnt earth.
[DING]
'… Silence.'
Then another. And another. Soon, his entire body was limned by flickering, jagged lines of pure electricity. They danced across his skin, tracing intricate, living topographies over his arms, chest, and face.
The light was harsh, unforgiving, bleaching the cavern walls bone-white for fleeting instants, throwing monstrous, distorted shadows that lunged and retreated with each pulse.
[DING]
'Stop.'
The sensation was excruciating… Every nerve ending screamed a million tiny needles of pure agony piercing him, vibrating his skin, muscles, bones... Cells…
He felt his blood fizz, no more did he cry red. Only steam escaped his orifices. His muscles clenched and spasmed uncontrollably. His bones flashed beneath his skin like lightbulbs underneath a canvas…
[DING]
[The Innate, Body of Boundless Elements is energized beyond its limits]
[The Innate, Body of Boundless Elements is shaking]
[DING]
[DI…]
"AAARRRG! I SAID STOP ALREADY!!"
/SPARK!!/
Wind and lightning intertwined. The gale whipping around lashed violently, a screaming vortex, tearing at his robes, pulling the steaming tears from the corners of his clenched eyes, howling like a legion of lost souls within the confined space.
[The Innate, Body of Boundless Elements is cracking]
The walls, ceiling, and the very ground were ripped apart like large boulders, swirling in a frenzied dance. The wind felt solid, a wall of pressure that alternately crushed him and anything the flung too close to his body.
"AAAARRRRGGGG!!!"
Agony and power warred within him. He felt stretched thin, like parchment about to tear. His heart was a supernova, threatening to consume him. The storm raged, uncontrolled, threatening to rip him apart from the inside out and grind him to dust against the cavern walls from the outside in.
[The Innate, Body of Boundless Elements…]
"NO! IT WON'T END LIKE THIS!"
With a roar ripped from the depths of his soul, a sound swallowed instantly by the cacophony of his own storm, the man gathered every shred of will, every ounce of pain, every spark of lightning, and every scream of the wind. He visualized something beyond himself, as if he were seeing his body from another perspective.
From up above, he raised his arms, and pushed.
[The Innate, Body of Boundless Elements has shattered]
/…/
There was no sound louder than the silent, internal SNAP.
[…]
[The Innate, Storm Heart surges]
…
Instantly, the chaos inverted. The howling wind didn't stop, but it changed. It became an extension of his breath, smooth, powerful, and utterly controlled. The lashing lightning retracted, coalescing within his everything.
The blinding light dimmed, replaced by a soft, internal luminescence that pulsed gently beneath his skin, slowly revealing that which had transpired.
Once the storm passed, the skies peered down…
The cavern was devastated. Walls were scarred black with lightning strikes, the floor littered with rubble and glassy slag. The air still vibrated with residual energy, thick with a mixture of exotic smells.
Finally… Oliver opened his eyes.
"… Fuck…"
And he collapsed on the cavern's floor, his body riddled with wounds.
…
/SNAP!/
"… Again."
/SNAP!/
"… Again…"
/SNAP!/
"… Again!"
/SMASH!/
/BANG!/
"Huff… Huff…"
Inside a closed off room, Petter stood before a tall slab of metal strapped to the ceiling and bolted to the ground. Thousands of overlapping dents permeated its face, ranging from shallow dimples the size of a knuckle to deep gouges and tears. Some areas shone with a sickly, burnished gleam where repeated friction had polished the metal through sheer force.
At its center, one singular hole had been made, Petter's arm still stuck inside.
"Finally. You did it. We can now move on to the next phase… But for now, rest."
Even if Petter wanted to say something, he couldn't, his ragged breathing taking all of his effort.
Dae crossed his arms, pensive.
'We've finally reached this point. Petter's body has attained the minimum requirements. Now all that's left is get that Skill. Once he gets it, even if its a poor recreation of it… The Avenger will be born.'
'That's still a bit far from now… Either way, we still have a few months left to accomplish it. Albeit that's not acounting for some things…'
Dae's eyes sharpened.
'If only we had more time…'
…
/Three or so weeks after Philip started his training…/
In his training room, Philip powerfully executed several vertical push-ups, sweat beading on his eyebrows, pooling on the ground with every push.
He wore a skintight black suit that beamed with magical power, and a large gray box served as added weight at his feet. The box, like the suit, also exuded thick energy as it flashed with light…
"957… 958… 959…"
"… Alright... Stop!"
Philip wasn't alone in this room. Next to him, sitting on a chair and holding a timer, was Fabrin, looking at him as he kept track of something inside his body.
He looked between him and his timer for a straight minute, and once that much time passed, he gave the order:
"Alright… One minute is up, continue."
"960… 961…"
Even though he was sweating heavily, Philip did not utter even a single sound other than his own counting as he pushed himself up and down. And neither did Fabrin.
At first, there was much to say, but now, Philip rarely made a mistake… For this was far from mere physical exercise. Actually, it was more of a mental training than anything.
Both the clothes and the metal block he wore were special artifacts, part of the same set, meant to inhibit the flow of energy within him and assist him in mastering energy control during strenuous physical activity.
The color they exhibited signifying the level of interference they imposed on him, with black as the highest and red as the fourth highest. He was still far from reaching the limits of these artifacts, but this was good. It meant there was still much room to grow into.
"… 998… 999… 1000."
He finished his count but did not get out of position, waiting for Fabrin's input.
"Hum… Alright… Were done here, and it's already 8 pm… You told me you were leaving, right? So rest for now. I wouldn't want you to collapse outside."
/BAM!/
In one movement, Philip pushed the box into the air and let it fall to the ground beside him.
The impact of the box on the ground made the entire room tremble, yet not even a single dent or scratch formed beneath it.
"Phew, that was rough…"
Fabrin's expression twisted a bit as he had the urge to spit on the ground, "Rough? You barely even screamed these last few weeks. No matter how much I increased the intensity of this training, the most you did was grunt a little."
'I did everything I could to push him so he wouldn't grow used to this training… Within reason of course, I needed him to adapt somewhat. Still… His body… I don't think anyone would've believed me if I were to describe my findings.'
'I didn't ask him about its oddities, but I'm certain he is Human… Yet, how are these statistics even real?…'
Fabrin thought about the limits of Philip's body and grimaced. Maybe under different conditions and circumstances, before he became the person he currently was… He might've killed him or worse…
This, however, did raise concern. If he thought like this, how would others think? Fabrin warned Philip numerous times about it… His body's unusual properties were enough to attract unwanted attention. He needs to keep it under wraps if possible.
Philip already knew of that, but took the warning to heart nonetheless.
As he thought of that, Fabrin gave him a bottle of cold water to help him wash away his fatigue.
"Thanks. I'm dying here…"
After drinking everything within the bottle at once, he wiped his lips with a half-frustrated smile, "I found it pretty hard, probably the most physical activity I had in my life."
'Perhaps enough for an entire lifetime even… How many times did he cut me?… I don't remember… Compared to those, this isn't much.'
'It hurts but… It just hurts… I wonder when did I lose my fear of pain? Humans inherently have it, stopping them from progressing further… But I've lost mine long ago.'
'Maybe Fabrin's doubts of me are valid… Am I even Human at this point? Or do I just look like it?…'
"I doubt that. I've seen tough men and woman before. People who wouldn't even squeak at torture… But this goes beyond torture."
"So you're finally admitting to that aren't you? This type of training would've destroyed anyone's body long ago!"
"And who do you is to blame? Your body kept building resistance to everything I threw at it, so I had to intensify things! I wasn't planning to take things this far, but so what?"
'This kid… He grew too much too fast… Its almost like a dream. The type of thing I'd read to my daughter to help her sleep at night…'
'The fairytale of a Hero.'
Fabrin looked at Philip's body. He remembered everything he made his pass through, and even after that, his body was pristine, without a single scar or visible lesion.
'He's progressed far more than I initially expected. Truth be told, he lacked little to succeed. I just provided him with the answers he needed. If he remained with me or, even better, sought a better master to instruct him, he'd grow even quicker… But staying put doesn't seem to be within his interests.'
'I have seen many talents, heard of many geniuses, and read about monsters… I don't think he is a monster per se, but in some senses, like the nonsensical body of his, he is.'
'He has a knack for learning things in practice rather than through theory. Maybe that was why this intensive training wielded so much.'
'A shame, truly.'
"… You improved a lot, its almost impossible to recognize you. The you from now and before is like the difference between a muddy rock and a polished one in brilliance."
Philip smiled as he grabbed a towel to dry his face, "I don't think I changed much, even if I did, it's not as exaggerated. But thank you. I merely tried my best…"
Fabrin turned to the side to pick up a wooden box. As he did so, Philip looked at the calluses on his hands…
Because of his body's strong regeneration, making those took a lot of effort since they would always disappear and heal perfectly. Still, they were bound to disappear and be replaced.
Even now, his skin was transforming and rearranging itself. Becoming thicker, sometimes smoother… It was searching for better and more stable forms, and while it tried to maintain its previous shape, oftentimes, drastic changes were needed for further growth…
It wasn't very apparent, but throughout his chest and arms, it wasn't possible to see hair anymore. All of his hair follicles had long been discarded, and Philip feared that if he mastered magic enough, there might even be the possibility of his body discarding sweat glands in favor of more magical means of temperature regulations.
Some wild beasts evolved like this. He learned many such facts during their classes together. He feared he'd one day become like them, too.
He has already come to accept this bizarre body, one that is always striving forward towards evolution… But it didn't mean he'd accept his appearance changing.
"... Sigh."
'This feeling is not bad, but in a sense, I miss my old self. There was nothing special back then… It's just the memories.'
'My current body is everything the previous me could've ever hoped for, so I'm not unsatisfied… But I guess, with each step that I take, striving further from my birth parents… it makes me feel a bit remorseful…'
'Well… I suppose these thoughts will wash away with time as I grow used to them. Right now, I can't so easily ignore it… I can't, really. I feel like if I drop my guard for even a second, my body will determine that my eyes are inefficient in their current shape and number…'
'I do like efficiency, but only until a certain point. Being Human is about seeking to improve but also embracing the good and bad aspects of yourself and those around you. I'll never give up my face for power… Unless it leads to me growing more handsome… By Human standards.'
'I have no intention of attracting females of non-humanoid species…'
But Philip shook his head with sigh, 'Enough of this, there's no point in being overly dramatic... These useless thoughts…'
After resting for a moment, Philip got up from his chair and went to talk with Fabrin.
"Here, take these clothes and go take a shower. You need it." Fabrin said as he gave him a wooden box containing a few sets of clothes
"These are?"
"A small gift to commemorate the ending of your training, and also an apology, since due to me, many pairs of clothes ended up ruined during training."
"Good, I was actually upset about that…"
Fabrin rolled his eyes, "Must say that these are far more expensive than all those shabby clothes? I haven't even mentioned the things I gave you throughout the week…"
"I'll make good use of it."
"Humph… With this, I'll take my leave. You're not the only one tired. Watching over you for the good part of the month was tiring in its own way… I need a break."
'Now it's time to give my neglected daughter attention... She's been sulking ever since she got out of rehabilitation, itching to train with him… But how do I tell her about his… uniqueness?'
'She's not fit for this, she'd faint in a few minutes… No… She wouldn't even be able to start training… Alas, her pride wouldn't take those words at face value, so I took the bullet for her sake…'
This time, it was Philip's turn to roll his eyes.
Fabrin patted his shoulder, leaving towards the door as he walked past him, "Good luck out there, kid. If you need anything else before you go, you know where to find me."
"Thanks, I just hope things don't get so bad that I'll have to rely on luck…" Philip replied with an awkward expression as he stretched his arms
"Can't you just take my words and leave for once?"
"Who do you think made me like this? I've been overly paranoid due to your lies during training… Listening to you got me killed more than once!"
Fabrin smiled… No more words were necessary. As such, he left the room.
Perhaps this would be the last time they will see each other, but if they did, Philip would surely give him a beating next time.
Turning around, Philp went to the bathroom to shower and check himself one last time before proceeding with his plan…
…
/Shaa!!/
Under the warm (near boiling) shower, Philip pondered over what he did these past three weeks. They weren't easy, and he was quite busy, but he wouldn't go as far as saying they were bad…
'Despite everything, it wasn't as bad working as a professor as I first thought… I didn't really help him and focused most of my time on training, but it was a new experience.'
'That said, I did quit last week and left him hanging so… Thankfully, he seemed fine with that, although I do wonder if that spike in training intensity was his way of getting back at me for that…
'From 6 am to 8 pm, all I would do was train. Only stopping to do my necessities... and often spend some time with Viera, mostly to have lunch and dinner.'
'We're going to be together for a while, so better now than later to get to know each other…'
'I also spent some time with the princess, albeit given her sensitive identity, we only met thrice, or about once per week. It wasn't for anything formal, just simple conversations…Although in our second meeting, she handed me the gifts from the people I saved.'
'I haven't yet gone through them all, but they're mostly monetary or cultural significant gifts… I don't need money right now, so it doesn't matter. Still, maybe it'll come in handy one day.'
'What mattered was her gift. She complied with my requests and gave me the complete form of Yer-Al's martial arts… Which was nothing but a modified version of one of the Imperial techniques of the Elven Empire…'
'Yer-Al wasn't talented enough to finish his training to become a Royal Knight. He was promised to be knighted by the Crown if he succeeded in his task and given powerful techniques to complement his lacking ability, but even that wasn't enough. Despite the years he spent in the mountains preparing for that operation, he grew no stronger than when he was at the Empire. I'd even say he grew weaker.'
'Elves train for decades before they can become knights. The requirements are far larger compared to the Blue and Purple knights of the Palace. But then again, Elves live much longer than man.'
'Even then, that was but a farce. He was likely destined to be discarded and forgotten, the final loose end in the Elven Crown's ploy… Yer-Al betrayed the princess to gain greater power after failing to attain anything. And his plans were thwarted by a Human with little training…'
'He's a joke. Calling him a royal knight is truly too much of an insult to the actual beings, and the manuals the princess gave me prove that to me. Yer-Al's martial arts as a downgrade of the real thing. I quickly mastered most of it after making sense of the moves I exchanged with Yer-Al in both reality and in Simulation Room.'
'After I understood the gist of it, I threw it aside and embraced the real thing. Ten Roots of the World Tree, that's the name of the swordsmanship of the Imperial Knights.'
'It's a powerful swordsmanship style, but after I learned it, I wondered if it was even necessary to do so. I'm not a master, but wouldn't the secretive techniques of two Empires be somewhat equal in power?'
'I would've studied both, but I don't have the time to do so. Part of me told me to wait it out and maybe try to fuse it all together into one greater swordsmanship. But if even someone like me could get access to this technique, wouldn't others have tried before in, let's say… The last one thousand years?'
'I pondered greatly on what to do with it all. In the end, I decided not to discard what I had learned and keep enduring. Although I'd put my priorities elsewhere. There was much to do and I couldn't spend my time interpreting and changing an elven technique to fit my body.'
'Besides, there was one greater reason why I wasn't so keen on training it… I had the continuation of the Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts, and I am Human… a Human Hero… So getting the next chapters of the manual isn't entirely beyond me… But what about this one?'
'… The Princess is kind. She gave me the continuation of this technique, Seven-Colored Wooden Boat. But even so, investing too much effort into this is likely not wise. I don't think I would be able to get my hand on succeeding manuals even if I married into them… In fact, what she did to me was considered High-treason…'
'The Princess has been exceedingly kind, so it makes me feel bad to leave things like this… But I suppose that's how things are.'
/Shaaa… Creak…/
Philip turned off the shower and stepped out with a towel on his shoulder.
"As for the rest of my time..."
'During the night, I would often use the little time I had of rest to visit the libraries and scan the books. It was probably the second most important task I had. I will have time to train later, but getting access to such information would probably take me quite a while. Time I could spend doing other things.'
'At first it was mostly to improve Scholar Vision and the Phantom Library, but now that I have MT, its importance became that much more apparent… I've also been experimenting with the idea of connecting my cells to MT… But I've delayed that project for now.'
'In the Academy, there are thirteen external libraries located outside of the main building and scattered around the five divisions, and five internal ones representing each year, followed by the Central Library.'
'Most of them share their contents. One of the reasons why there are so many is because the Academy is just that large. But I learned that most students don't even go to the external libraries, only the internal ones out of convenience.'
'Because of that, I deemed the internal libraries too dangerous for me to scan. Too many eyes and people with unusual bloodlines and unordinary powers. I'd rather not be exposed to them for long.'
'Still, using the Central Library as a base, given it holds all the Academy's records, I'd say the external libraries contain 95% of what I could have found in those other libraries. But it's that 5% that matters…'
'It's mostly high-class or classified information that isn't meant to be seen by normal students and personnel. However, some of it is recent knowledge that scholars at the central library have yet to sort properly; this kind of information may take years, or even decades, for them to disseminate to surrounding libraries.'
'And that's not counting whatever they're keeping sealed at the Central Library. I can try to estimate how much knowledge they hold, but conservatively, I'd say they have only spread about 70% of their contents to surrounding libraries.'
'Unfortunately… there wasn't much I could do about that. Not without risking things a little. I did visit the library to check things out and even individually scanned a few books I felt were worthwhile, but my focus remained outside.'
'I scanned every single one of the thirteen external libraries, and with the little I managed to sneak a peak here and there, I'd say that I scanned around 70% to 80% of the Central Library's contents.'
'But that is already a lot… If we go by a conservative estimation, it's at least three million books… These aren't your everyday novels and fairytales. They were in their majority academic books filled with precious knowledge and decades of research.'
'From history to geography, from mathematics to linguistics… Even if some were outdated and incorrect, even if some were copies of others with few changes or interpretations, if you were to compile all of them, you would have a proper path for many forms of supernatural abilities at the palm of your hand.'
'They may not be useful for me now, but who knows, I can't read all of them in a short period… even with my current self… This is the kind of effort that'd take one if not multiple lifetimes to master.'
'That's why MT is so important. MT is the being that will allow me to master those within a reasonable amount of time. It'll compress that information as much as it can and then feed it back to me. From there, I can insert it all into the Phantom Library and have it achieve its true purpose!'
Philip momentarily posed in the changing room, but soon shook his head and dried himself up, leaving the bathroom and the training room once and for all.
…
Just minutes after leaving the bathroom, Philip received a message from Viera through his ID, who was waiting for him in the Academy's teleportation room.
Once he finished reading it, his expression changed, "It's time." He said as he looked at the Academy's central tower in the distance
His eyes focused at the very top of the tower... Today would be the day he would execute his plan, and since a week ago… No, even before then, he had already set up all preparations.
If he failed, there was no second chance, so he would either leave victorious or defeated. But regardless of which one came to be, Philip would try his best to leave as fast and as silently as possible, because what he was about to do would anger many…
Like stepping on a fire-ant hill, he was about to disturb a hive.
"... Yes, I just took a shower… Why I'm late? I'm not late! Although I'll take a little longer… Why? Uhh… I'll tell you later… Yes… Yes, I'm sorry. Just be a little patient this time… You do that every time? Now who's being dramatic…"
"I'll stop by my room and grab my suitcase. I'll be there soon… Please, I booked an exact time, I won't be late… If you want, get yourself something to eat while you wait for me, but you need to be there before the time I gave you… Okay… See ya… Kiss kiss…"
He smiled faintly as the call came to a sudden halt, "… and she hung up on me… Haha…" and as he put back his ID back on his pockets, Philip sighed faintly, "I'm sorry, Viera, but you'll have to wait at least an extra hour…"
'I needed her to get there first, just in case anything unusual happened. I can't leave the Academy without her, so that's that.'
'No time to waste then…'
He looked back at the pavilion behind him and then at the dormitories where Fabrin and Ivia lived. Frustrated… 'Maybe I should've spent more time with them… I feel a little sorry for being so selfish, but I hope that gift I gave her will help her talent bloom.'
'We've clashed a few times here and there but that was mostly for some entertainment. Ever since she fully recovered, we haven't fought properly, and I think I know why. Fabrin didn't want her daughter getting injured just after she recovered. He knows more than anyone what the both of us can do.'
'I believe in her, if she continues to train and develop her abilities, then we'll definitely meet again!'
He dashed through the Academy, wasting no time.
..
Philip immediately made his way to his room, where he grabbed his suitcase. There was little need for a suitcase given his storage artifact, but it was part of his "disguise".
'Everything has been sorted… Time to book it.'
"… That said, there were a few Artifacts Dae wrote in his diary. Treasures hidden in the Academy… A shame I didn't have the time to go after them."
'While the Academy isn't a fantasy Dungeon with infinite renewable loot, it does have a few hidden treasures here and there… But most of them require me to sneak inside somewhere off limits. One of the greatest treasures I could've gotten is likely inside the Academy's treasury.'
'Like many cliche stories and how Dae did in the Palace, there's a way to enter the hidden vault within triggering its alarms, a backdoor entrance… But after I reviewed his notes, I'm not capable enough to bypass the surrounding barriers.'
'If I were an Archmage specialized in barriers, then it would've been possible… Or if I found one, then it would've been another story. But I have neither. Besides, I'll gather enough attention with my next move. Why provoke the Academy even more?'
'I did send Viera on a few small adventures. It was good experience for her but to me… Not so much. Perhaps once I train more, I can come back here and get my hands on some of those treasures… If I even need them by then.'
'But I kind of am a collector…'
Philip stuffed his suitcase into his portable storage, it wouldn't be necessary now.
"With this, the only thing left is…"
'To check my status…'
Philip started by his secondary status:
[Name: Philip Vinten
Class: Descendant of the Jetstream
Abilities:
??? Lv10 (Passive)
Inhuman Martial Arts Lv9 (Passive)
Steel Flash LvMax(10) (Active)
Bisect LvMax(15) (Passive)
Bionics Lv28 (Passive)
Electronics Lv29 (Passive)
Mechanics Lv28 (Passive)
Study LvMax(20) (Passive)
…
Skills:
Ripper Mode LvMax(15) (Active)
Ignition Strike LvMax(10) (Active)
Invisible Blade LvMax(15) (Hybrid)
Flow Lv7 (Hybrid)
Phantom Sword LvMax(25) (Active)
Critical Bash Lv7 (Active)
Greater Stealth Lv3 (Active)
Coercion Lv6 (Active)
Dueler's Ambition Lv9 (Active)
Acrobatics LvMax(20) (Passive)
Analysis LvMax(20) (Active)
…
Traits:
Strengthened Body
Sword Heart
Inventory (+)
]
"Not much has changed, but if I'm right, I'm almost there."
'If the requirements to get a new Class are the same every time, then as soon as I max the skills directly related to it, I'll have met the first requirement. The so-called, "maximum potential"…'
'Being honest with myself, I think I have long surpassed the original potential of this Class, as I'm way beyond what Samuel could've ever been. Even if he died early and received a serious injury, I don't think he would've accomplished the same within his lifetime.'
'If Samuel's absolute potential was to perfect the budding Rodrigues New Shadow technique, then I already did that. If he was meant to surpass it, then his path would've likely diverged from mine. In either case I think the technique I ended up creating with my knowledge from Eden ended up as far superior to anything he could've come up with.'
'I'm not bragging, but our situations differed too much... I wonder how things would have been if he made his way to Eden instead. Would Samuel have fulfilled his thirst from a worthy foe? Would he have taken the dark road to find him with so many opponents to choose from?'
'… It doesn't matter.'
'… The second condition is relative. Like the previous times, I think I have also already achieved my "Fate" for this Class. Even so, if I were to hypothesize, Samuel's fate was to die before his destined foe… Raiden!'
'One could also say Samuel's Fate belonged to him alone. To live and die for the sword… To die happy knowing he strived for his goals and imparted a portion of his legacy to someone worthy.'
'But in my case… I altered Samuel's Fate. I defeated the opponent he was unable to surpass, and in the end, became a close companion of the man who took his life… "Close"… Depends on how you see things.'
"I have no intention of dying in the hands of another opponent, and I doubt that'd be the end goal of this journey…'
Philip's expression twisted as he remembered his fights against Fabrin... 'Did those death's count?… I suppose I did die… Although I didn't die for real… Neither did I die satisfied…'
'If that isn't the case… What even is the worth of achieving my Fate if I die?'
'I don't need such a thing. I'd rather not use Gamerverse forever than to give my life for some greater goal or whatever, even if it meant imparting my Soul in the System for all time.'
"But I can't leave things at that... If I haven't already accomplished it, I really won't know how to progress."
'At the end of the day, the System is crooked, and it isn't even properly recording my achievements. I'll have to find a way to fix it, even if temporarily so it can process everything I've done and allow Gamerverse to activate once again.'
He closed and opened his eyes, now focusing his eyes on his status.
'There are a few things worth mentioning about my Status. The first one is my main Skill which remains to be named… I have a few ideas, but I haven't had the time to think about a name for it so I left it as it is.'
'Its development is progressing steadily but it'll take some time. Cutting unnecessary and simplifying its movements isn't easy. Besides, as a sword technique, it's founded solely on the physical body and nothing else. In this world, that alone isn't enough.'
'Fabrin told me it lacked a "core". Like how a magician uses magic to cast a spell. Perhaps I could employ something to give it life... One of my first thoughts was the Life Force I felt from the High Orcs. Another possibility is Aura, or Auror as they call it here.'
'But that takes time, going over each movement, and trying to adapt it to an additional power source, one that I know little about… It's quite a headache.'
'I once considered fusing it with Inhuman Martial Arts, but since neither has yet reached Max Level, I chose not so I can maximize their effects.'
Philip thought deeply, scratching his chin "Hum… Maybe…", 'Maybe I could even fuse one of them with the Pthumerian Combat Art…'
But he soon discarded those thoughts, it was far too early to think about mixing different Class' powers together.
'In any case, they're progressing steadily as I adapt them to my body. I think they'll reach perfection once I fully integrate them with my muscles. Once that happens, all that'll be left will be passing them to Main Status and… Fusing them with something else.'
'I've already started trying to fuse my techniques together by myself through trial and error, but I wouldn't be against the System giving me a hand… But that'll have to wait.'
'I can replicate any of my Abilities to my Main Status with time, but only when I pass at least one Skill/Ability first. I wouldn't want to waste my chance to pass some of my incredible Skills to my Main Status if I could.'
'If I have the time, my Skills and Traits should always be prioritized over my Abilities… But some Abilities deserve being taken seriously.'
'As for the other skills, given what I've been doing, it's obvious how few of them have changed at all. I care little about most of them aside from Flow and Dueler's Ambition, but I'll try to max them out if I can. They'll likely come in handy eventually, but they're easy skills to replicate. Training alone can add them to my Main Status.'
'Be it Bionics, Electronics, Mechanics, Critical Bash, Greater Stealth, or Coercion. I can get them all in time. So they weren't my priority.'
'For Dueler's Ambition, what else can I say? This Skill only shows its worth if I face an opponent I wish to either subdue or take down. Using it on Fabrin would've only made me lose everything I built with it if its description was to be believed.'
'As for Flow, it's a Skill granted and fully powered by the System, so it's an artificial power. The same goes for Invisible Blade.'
'Unless I can realize something from them, maybe some kind of principle hidden within, I put little emphasis on their value. I'll raise their level if I feel like it, but it's not on my list of priorities. They're good and powerful Skills though, I won't deny it.'
'Meanwhile, out of the maxed-out Skills, I've been trying to draw more power from their forms and evolve them, but I've been mostly… Utterly disappointed.'
'Ripper Mode was one of my prime targets, but its far too complex of an ability for me to modify and improve… It falls under Flow as a Skill granted and powered by the System. Although I'm a little conflicted on that last part.'
'I think it goes far beyond just being powered by the System. Maybe I can master a portion of its power and cut out the System influence… Although right now, that's a far-fetched dream not even in conception…'
'Out of my other Skills, Bisect is more of a reflection of my knowledge in butchering people… Not something I'm proud of, but it's there.'
'This leaves the skills I wholeheartedly believe have the potential to evolve. Those being Ignition Strike, Steel Flash, and Phantom Sword. Of those, Steel Flash is the only pure martial art. Evolving from the Taito Flash Draw technique.'
'Ignition Strike is also a martial art, but the System granted it to me. Still, I fell as if I can surpass it in due time. As for the Phantom Sword… Its a Skill powered by the System, but it seems to be founded in some sort of extreme high level martial principle.'
'Maybe one day I'll reach it, the realm of being able to cut things with my mind as the Skill depicts. With everything I've experienced, it's not too farfetched, so I've been keeping the idea at the back of my mind.'
'I did ask Fabrin about the concept, though. But he told me I was supposed to figure things out for myself… and I think he misunderstood my intent.'
'From his perspective, he must think I've achieved this realm on my own, but am still confused about the idea… He must think that it's best to let me internalize my swordsmanship without outside interference… I can understand his point, but its so frustrating!'
'I can't clear things up either. What would I even say? That I can see the System? To have him bring me to the Church so they can inspect my Status? Not in a million years…'
'This is only my interpretation, and I could be wrong, but I think it's the most accurate… In any case, I think this Skill is likely my most advanced one. It's the only one that has gone beyond Level 20, with the other ones being related to basic fields of science.'
Philip closed the doors to his home, slowly shutting down its systems as he made his way to the entrance.
"Let's see…"
[
Name: Philip Vinten
Race: Type 1 Pure Human (+)
Home World: Earth (+)
Registered World: Eden (+)
Level 0
Class: None (+)
Title: Apex Evolver(Mental Lord) (+)
/Resonation Effect: Decodifier/
All Titles:
Exterminator of Nightmares; Hunter Genius; Ancient Archeologist; Jack of all Trades; Scholar; Martial Adept; Magical Enthusiast; Mental Lord; Blessed; Apex Evolver; Soldier; Contender; The Silent Legion; Specter; Hitman; Protector; Artificial Chrysalidate
-Vital info-
(+)
Mind> 174.4 (199.9)(+) Previously: 168.1 (199.9)
Physical> 149.8 (173.4)(+) Previously: 139.2 (166.8)
Energy> 136.1 (+) Previously: 125.3
Spiritual> 110 (130.4)(+) Previously: 110 (130.4)
Mystique> 51 (+)
Abilities:
Mental Force Lv20 (Hybrid)
Mental Force Manipulation Lv21 (Hybrid)
Mental Domain Lv10 (Hybrid)
Arcane Manipulation Lv17 (Hybrid)
Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts LvMax (Hybrid)
Falling Fist of the Beast LvMax (Hybrid)
Pthumerian Combat Art (Modified) LvMax (Hybrid)
Skills:
Gamerverse (???)
Advanced Skill Fusion Lv10 (Hybrid)
Western continent language Lv9 (Hybrid)
Scholar Vision LvMax(10) (Active)
Combat Genius LvMax (Passive)
Predator's presence LvMax
Somnium Courier Lv3 (Hybrid)
Simulation Room (???)
Traits:
Castle Town ***** (Weakened)
Hardworking
Unyielding
Incorruptible
]
'There hasn't been many changes. Some of my Stats increased slightly, but that was already beyond my expectations. Ordinary training is now far from enough to cause any significant change, much less in such a short time.'
'But because of the intensity of the training, even the "stagnated" Stats rose."
'My Skills rose a little, but it wasn't very significant. I just kept experimenting things with Simulation Room. I have yet to see the limits of this Skill in simulating factors directly related to the System, such as Skill Fusion, but it does quite well in assisting me during my experimentation.'
'That's why my Mental Skills rose. Inside Simulation Room, I don't need to fear causing damage to myself so I can warp my mind as much as I want… Of course, I try not to cause it too much harm, even so, I've yet to suffer any permanent damage.'
'Skill Fusion rose mostly due to me using it to break down unwanted Skills. Its Level would've been higher, but since I did not gain a single Skill during my training with Fabrin, there wasn't enough fuel to boost it further.'
'This is an issue. I have no idea if I'll ever recover those things once the System restarts. I try not to rely on it much, but I can't give it up yet, its too soon…'
'This has gone for too long. Once I finish this, if the System hasn't yet settled down… Then I'll go contact Dae. The one month he told me is almost up, its time to contact him again and figure out a solution for this darned thing. Otherwise I'll never get a skill again.'
'The System still seems able to update what it contains though… So maybe its functions aren't entirely gone. It updated my Stats, Skills, and even my Titles.'
'Martial Enthusiast became Martial Adept, and while I haven't done much deserving of that, I think that my mastery of Aura/Auror has toppled the boundary of the Title.'
'Technically speaking, I should've had an extra Ability being displayed in my Status, the Ten Roots of the World Tree. I don't think I've mastered it yet, but it should've been there.'
'The reason why my Title evolved was likely due to me finally completing the Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts. Although its Level was maxed, it lacked one thing for completion… I pondered why the System counted it as maxed, but the reason is simple. I already reached the threshold for Aura, I was just too dumb to manifest it.'
'I lacked such a basic understanding of common sense and the basics of energy manipulation that I tried to overcomplicate a rather simple idea… I call it simple but many spend years to figure it out… Go figure…'
'Once I have some time, I'll sit down and study the next chapter, that should be enough to evolve it… If the System can still do that.'
'As for the rest… My language Skill rose because of constant utilization. In one day in the Academy, at leat one to three weeks ago, I'd speak and read more in a day then weeks in the Palace. Through constant use and training, skills rise in Level, that's the basis of a Hero.'
'However, what matters most of these is the maximization of the Scholar Vision Skill. In its current state, I inspect someone up to 55 Levels above me... That alone isn't much, it helps, but not much. However, it opens the possibility for the next step…'
'To become a Grand Scholar!'
'According to Dae's notes, there are two ways to become a Grand Scholar. The first one is to be recognized by another Great Scholar. The Scholar must believe I am worthy of becoming one without a single shred of doubt in their heart. Simply put, I must become a Great Scholar.'
'The other possibility is the safest yet most lengthy route. To continue accumulating knowledge until the System is forced to recognize my status and the Skill will evolve on its own.'
'Either way, both require time… And a bit of luck.'
"… I'm starting to feel old. I don't have time to do shit anymore. I feel as if I train even my already short sleep."
'Yesterday I slept two hours. And even then, whenever I sleep, I usually spend my time inside Simulation Room. I haven't felt much issue and always wake up energized, but maybe this is just due to my overflowing vitality.'
'I have no idea how my brain is handling things, but as a rule of thumb, I've given myself eight hours of continuous deep sleep every week. I have been feeling pretty well every week… Minus the physical pain from training.'
'Those mentioned… I think that's it. Nothing else deserves much attention.'
After thinking for a moment, he turned around to look at his beaten up garden full of sword marks and footprints. He smiled, thinking of when he first arrived.
"This place could be taken as a "Treasure" in itself… Forgotten to time in the labyrinths of the Academy."
"… Those were some very useful weeks… Goodbye."
'I'll leave it here a part of me… Maybe one day someone will come across it and learn something… Or like many things, it'll be forgotten or cleaned up once enough time passess.'
Without further ado, Philip said goodbye to his home and left.
/Clack!/
The glimmering lights above twinkled, and with one last flash, they all turned off, waiting for the next resident…
…
/Sometime later.../
Emerging from cool, echoing hallways, Philip stepped into a sun-drenched garden, the scent of blooming jasmine and more exotic plants heavy in the air.
A colossal, obsidian obelisk dominated the space, its polished surface reflecting the vibrant glow of many floating stones. Each stone pulsed with a unique color, sapphire, emerald, ruby to name a phew, intricate carvings shimmering on their surfaces.
Behind it, a massive, smooth black gate, crafted from what seemed to be, polished obsidian, gleaming like an endless void, emanating a strong, almost palpable pressure. This gate led deeper into the Academy, towards inwards only the top Council had to authority to cross.
Stepping closer, Philip could make out tiny, glowing runes on each floating stone, the faint hum of their magic barely audible to his ears, although maybe that was something only he could feel.
Each was a miniature biography, a life etched in light, commemorating the many Academy heads and its most esteemed members.
The garden hummed with a peaceful energy, a balm to the soul, a sanctuary where even the air seemed to hold its breath. For who dared disrupt such serenity? One of the innermost and most sacred grounds of the Academy…
Philip breathed deeply; from this point forward, there was no room for error. He looked around and noticed a twisted dead tree. A thin smile touched his lips as he approached it, where he found a small plaque:
/Ashen Bite Tree/
"..."
'It's here... But just to be sure...'
He looked around the garden for an extra minute but didn't see a single extra Ashen tree. This was the place… It had to be.
Without hesitation, he walked past the tree and counted his steps... '21... 22... Turn 24 degrees right and walk 13 more steps...'
Following the set of instructions given to him by Dae, he arrived in front of the wall that surrounded the garden, a section that was hidden by the foliage.
The garden was built in a circle with the open sky above. The wall before him was not actually a wall but a pillar that supported a large tower that went high above.
"...!"
He soon noticed a single brick. What made this brick special was that its color was slightly brighter than the others, and upon a closer look, he saw what seemed to be a random white scratch mark on one of its corners.
Most would simply ignore this brick. It wasn't anything special, and that mark wasn't anything unordinary either. Other bricks had it too. All it took was a branch hitting it for the mark to form.
However, this ordinary brick wasn't so simple…
"… I found it."
'The bricks in this place are super hard as they're made from the ores of the Dungeon. It's impossible for them to receive a scratch this easily. The marks they have are usually from scratching other things instead.'
'It may look like any other mark, but it signifies what I've been looking for.'
/Drip.../
He cut the tip of his finger with a simple dagger, carefully avoiding spilling a single droplet. Once the wound formed. Under gentle strokes, he drew symbols on the brick...
He started by drawing an inverted triangle, filling it up with strange runes...
/Dinnn!/
A clear ring echoed in his ears as he finished his last rune. A translucent and clear, trembling barrier appeared in front of him.
Smiling, the first step of the plan was done.
'From now on, it's a fight for time. I must shatter this barrier before it dissipates. Once it does, so goes my chances of passing through.'
…
He focused all his attention and used some skills to draw as many perfect blood symbols in the barrier as quickly as he could, and after three minutes, he finished.
With each minute, the clear barrier became darker and darker, showing that his time was ending... If he failed, an alarm would resound across the entire Academy, and a massive marker would point at him.
The Academy's Spirit would be invoked, and with it, the end of his short life...
But Philip's expression did not change. He sharpened his eyes and as he trained multiple nights before, drew his final symbol… A single line connecting all runes.
"… and... Pop." He said with a smile
/Pop!/
The strange barrier popped like a bubble, revealing a strange black fissure on the stone wall...
He smiled and raised his hands...
"… HUPP!"
'D-Damn!'
Using all of his physical strength, he grabbed the edges of the fissure and pulled...
/Crack.../
The fissure stretched, and the air cracked as a portal big enough for him to pass through appeared. He could easily alter his size with quickening, but he didn't know what could happen if he were to cross the gap while performing that technique.
He merely opened the portal by parting his arms open, jumping inside and crouching like a ball.
/Splash!/
He didn't utter a word; a silent leap sent him through the shimmering, turquoise portal. It rippled like disturbed water as he vanished, the sound a soft *plop*.
Then, as swiftly as it appeared, the portal winked out, leaving only the smooth, cool brick wall, unmarked, untouched.
The once large bright brick returned to its ordinary look, as if untouched by centuries; its four corners showed no sign of Philip's work.
The students moved on, unnaware of what had transpired around them.
...
"… Urg... It's way too dark."
/Spark!/
As if hearing him, the room blazed with magical light, revealing a cavernous office. The air shimmered with unseen energy as dozens of bookshelves, overflowing with exotic artifacts, most of it Philip couldn't even discern, flashed into view.
The scent of aged paper and strange spices hung heavy on his sensitive nose. In the center, a large crucible glowed, a miniature blue star suspended above it, radiating a gentle warmth that eased Philip's body and filled it with untold stamina.
Its light, impossibly perfect, felt less like a charm and more like the sun on a warm, breezy day, the heat a tangible caress on his skin, purifying his mind from stress, sending his chaotic thoughts away...
He smiled, proud, accomplished, "I did it." he muttered as he clenched his fist.
The hard part was done... Now… To find what he came here to get.
"Now..."
'Now to get those damn Orbs and leave this place for good.'
He looked around, but saw nothing like what he was looking for. Instead, he saw a series of bizarre and exotic items he had never seen before.
There was only one place he could be… The principal's office... No, of all principals through history... Even a simple alchemical reagent could spell the end of his life... A single touch where he did not belong could activate a magical item of untold power.
"This will take a while..."
'If I touch something I shouldn't... I should be strong enough to live through the aftermath... I hope… but definitely not strong enough to resist the onslaught of a hundred Archmages.'
After breathing in and out, Philip walked to the table near the back of the room. He thought, if there was something important here, it would be near or on the main office table, right?
The Principal had been gone for years now and no one, not even Dae, knew where he had gone. Even if he knew, nothing would change since right now, they were all pressed for time.
Maybe Philip could've gone after him, but that's a shot in the dark. Whenever such a powerful man had gone to was most likely none of his business if he could not return from.
However, if the Principal returned, the future would greatly change. But as all clues pointed at… He was more likely gone for good.
Even if what he sought wasn't there, Dae raised the proposition of investigating his disappearance. It wasn't his main goal, but it could be considered an optional objective.
So he approached the table, he had imagined and rehearsed this day multiple times. Philip had a precise route to follow, and if he failed to find what he wanted, he'd leave even if it meant failing his mission.
Atop the table was a singular sheet of paper. A letter, perhaps? A clue?
His hand reached for the parchment. Yet, he froze for a moment. His eyes trembling as he remained utterly still…
/Silence.../
"… No no, boy, go on. Do your thing. I'll just watch."
An elderly voice echoed on his left slightly behind him. Sending shivers down his spine.
Philip slowly turned to the side and looked at the origin of the voice. An almost transparent, beardless old man with unrealistically spiked. He stood there with his hands behind his back, slightly floating above the ground as he curiously looked at Philip's every action.
His face looked oddly young, but it contained no vitality as if he could die anytime.
Philip bowed, his senses screamed but above all, his rationale told him to run, "Gr-Greetings Principal." he stated as he attempted to control his involuntary trembling
The old man raised his right eyebrow in wonder, almost having the urge to scoff.
"... Really? After trespassing and committing one of the greatest sins of this Academy… After everything you're going to stand there and greet me?"
His voice was deep and full of malice as if he were to strike at any moment.
Philip tensed, ready to enact his plan B, but he wasn't confident, this man, even if a ghost or whatever he was, had a Circle double that of what Fabrin told him he'd struggle against… Before him, this man was akin to a deity.
"… Do you even mean it?"
His voice grew cold as he took his hands behind his back, magical energy gathering within his fingertips.
"You… Haaa… Stupid youngster… Y-you… Cri… Haaa… me… Hahaha…"
"..."
"Wheeeeze... HAHAHAHAHA... I'm dying... Please... HAHAHAHA..."
Philip looked at the old man, petrified, trying to figure out what was happening.
"Look at your face… Haha... That was good... Really good... Cough, cough! Haa… Haven't laughed like this in years. My throat can't handle it…"
He quickly recovered his posture, dusting his clothes, he stood before Philip with a faint smile.
"Take it easy, young man, I'm not here to stand in your way… Yet."
"Since you greeted me, I will greet you as well, although I think there is no need for such things… Ahem… its been some time since I last spoke. Cough!"
"I have many titles, but I prefer my name in situations like these. Armund Erat is my given name by my dear mother. May she rest in peace… Further introductions are… unnecessary, I believe… Though… It's not every day I see a student trespassing in my office."
"Has this ever happened I wonder?… yes… A century… or was it two? A Principal's son tried to barge into this office for some reason… Its old story either way."
He looked back at a door on the other side of the office with a disappointed gaze, his head shaking in dismay.
"Although there have been some trying to do the same quite a bit recently. Such a shame, really, all decency has been lost… they don't even have the shame to stop. Utter disgrace! To be barred by spells centuries old. I've given numerable lessons on their structure!"
"I've altered their design of course. Some security is necessary at the end of the day… but still! Their methods lack any resemblance to an intellectual approach. Had one of them tried to be like you…"
He stopped talking before turning his head back to Philip.
"In any case, Im deeply impressed young man. Even though it seems you followed some sort of instructions, you successfully broke through the barrier of the emergency passage and arrived here. Congratulations, I deem you better than those fools of the Council."
"Although... I thought this meeting would be after one of the tests I left behind was completed... That said, maybe I hid them too deeply for none have even gone as far as assembling the puzzle I left behind. The one whose answer will lead to the first trial grounds…"
He sighed in disappointment once more. This time at himself.
"… So I would like to ask, what do you wish to accomplish by coming here? Someone of your skill would do better pursuing my trials instead. Maybe you'd like a hint?"
"I uh… no, thank you... I am looking for something."
Philip focused on Dae's diary. While he was momentarily surprised, this meeting wasn't beyond their expectations!
'I prepared for this as well… As long as I am truthful to my words...'
"I suppose that's true. Everyone is looking for something, young man... But this is an old place reeking of dust and mold, not a place for a young soul full of vitality."
"There is much to be found here… But should those things be found? You don't seem ready to hold any of them… That was why I made those trials, you know?…"
"…"
'Enough of those damn trials! Also, why is he speaking like this? Even his accent is weird!'
The old man floated to one shelf, grabbing something.
"Is it power? Your body is quite unusual, I haven't seen anything quite like it… I also feel extreme Mental waves coming from you... But they seem unstable, so maybe you wish to stabilize them?"
But upon seeing Philip's expression, he went to another shelf and grabbed a book.
"Is it knowledge that you seek? Someone young like you should direly need it. Time is precious and living efficiently and true yourself is key to achieve greatness."
"Hum… That doesn't seem to be it… Perhaps it's more precise, a technique perhaps? Something to complement you? Youngsters always dream of finding a legendary technique in those libraries. I always found that odd… I mean, there are some hidden there sure, but they aren't that impressive… Mostly history now…"
But Philip did not react to any of his prepositions. Instead, he grimaced.
"Its… complicated."
Philip said nothing and instead, took out the wooden box containing the Origin Orb. He opened it to the old man, and it took a moment, but he immediately understood.
His brows furrowed as his cheerful persona fell apart. Now, his tone heavy and commanding, he stepped closer to Philip, almost pushing into him:
"That thing… Who do you follow? Do you know no shame to request such an item from me despite knowing why it's here?!"
"No… You don't kn why it's here, you don't know it's significant… You know nothing… A boy being used by others… Once again… How utterly disgusting. Blasphemous even!"
"Who could it be?… Is it those pesky creatures further North? They've been planning something recently, those old guys… You don't look like any of them though."
"Ahh… those ignorant fellows from the South, yes… but the time… I see. A minor cycle has passed and the greater cycle… is about to end."
"I will not… I cannot! I will not endorse another "march". One was enough, no matter how many centuries it has been."
But Philip became confused… Armund seemed to like talking to himself but the more he spoke, the more Philip's eyes spun.
'He'd love to let him speak and reveal more, but he had an inkling that if he let the old men theorize things on his own, he'd eventually go somewhere irreparable.
He had to stop him.
"Follow? I'm ashamed to say, but currently, I'm not following anyone… At most, I'm currently doing a task for a friend… I say task, but it's more of an unrefusable favor than anything."
"..."
Armund stared at Philip with his worn-out eyes, before letting out a sign of frustration.
"Truly… What sort of life did you live in your past life to be burned with such a task? And how many hardships did you force this friend of yours to go through for him to curse you with such a mission?"
"Unaware of what you seek and do, the surrounding fire so high and hot it melts the very ground into glass yet you walk into this hell barefooted…"
"..."
'I sometimes wondered about that too… How much trouble have I cased him in my past life? If only I could know… Then maybe I could justify these actions.'
Armund stayed silent for a while before saying, "I was planning on giving you whatever you came here to get as a reward. Before this place goes in flames… but that is another story."
He thought for another moment before his eyes seemed to spark, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"That said, perhaps this too was fate. Young man, say… What do you think of making a deal with me?"
"What?... How could I even help someone of your... stature…"
'I'm already full of shit to do, no more tasks or side Quests, please...'
Armund ignored the plight within Philip's eyes, "It's simple. I did a lot in my life and accomplished a lot... But I have some regrets. Things I cannot accomplish anymore."
"I reached the 9th Circle when I was but 41 and spent all of my remaining years studying how to achieve the next one... But I ended up cutting everything and everyone from my life… and even when I reached the 10th and final Circle of Magic, I never recovered what I lost..."
"What I threw away…"
"… Worse, now that I'm left in this deplorable state, I realize that even with all the power and knowledge I amassed, it still wasn't enough to protect everything I gathered over the course of my life... Dont you think it's ironic?"
"Everything I accomplished is about to be snatched away… How can I accept it? I thought that going away without conflict would be enough, that maybe helping some youngsters achieve their dreams would suffice to clear some of my misdeeds… But I'm no saint. I can't go away… Not without trying to undo it all."
"That's… Natural, isn't it? We do our bests but few can truly pass away comfortable…"
"You don't understand… My end came to me earlier than I planned. My experiments which I poured a lifetime of research into drew much of my vitality. My body failed me long before my mind was willing to… Now… That is being coveted by others. I cannot allow it."
"But… How did you get like this? Everyone thinks you've gone and never returned!"
"Because that was what I did… With the ever-increasing pressure from the outside, I left on several journeys to ease my mind and come to terms with myself... You see, I may have lived a hermit's life, but the little interaction I had stressed me beyond words."
"But… This lack of will lead the Academy that I once grew up in to degenerated to this abhorrent state... I am a failure. I was groomed to be a light and guide others, but all that I ever did was flee from those seeking it."
"In the end, the Academy ended up worse with me in it… Maybe 'he' was right. I should've left this position to another long ago. But I insisted on finding a disciple… I was foolish."
After Armund was done with his monologue, Philip asked the question that had been weighing on his mind:
"If you left not to return, then that means…"
"Indeed, it could not be more evident. I am already dead. You're talking with a fragment I left behind, another desperate attempt to wright the wrongs right..."
"… Why tell me all of that?"
Armund turned around, giving his back to him as he approached the central light in the room.
"I said it before… That Fate might've brought us together… I don't think I'll have another chance at this, I've waited for years yet none have come to me… I have no more hope that the one I've been looking for will arrive."
"And between giving my everything to those bastards, I would prefer one last gamble..."
He then shrugged, "Unfortunately, Fate is also a trickster… I have long waited for this fateful encounter, yet you're not the one… Not like I care, I'm dead anyway..."
"…"
"So my deal is simple."
"Help me. And in exchange, I'll give you what you're looking for... No…"
"Much, much more!"
.
.
.
...
Notes
So finally, we're reaching the end of this Arc. It lasted long enough. I'll try to make the next one just as significant! It'll be the last one before we meet with the Heroes, however, it'll be the biggest one as well.
How big? Well… Just about everything we've done so far… In other words… Around 50 chapters?
It'll probably be bigger though… Most of the plots I've been hitting at will have some level of appearance in this Arc and since I plan to add more… Chances are that things will take quite a while.
Thanks for reading!