《System: Inherited》


 Chapter 1 - The Heart Family

    A boy was seen walking down the corridor of the palace. He had long black hair up to his shoulders. His deep blue eyes were mesmerizing and shining. Around the deep blue eyes, a thin circle of fiery red could be seen. He wore a pair of glasses and had a trimmed beard. He had fair skin and was wearing a white shirt tucked into a pair of shiny black pants. He had his headphones and was humming a tune to himself.


    As he walked through the palace, many people were seen bowing to him in respect. He acknowledged them with a slight nod of his head. He kept humming to himself as he kept moving forward, towards the throne room. "Today is an important day for me. I might finally get to leave this place and get to explore the outer world", he thought and began to smile.


    As he neared the doors of the throne room, he saw two figures standing in front of him. It was a man and a woman. "Well, look who is here. It''s my dear little brother, Lucas Heart. The boy who can''t use a single ounce of magic", the man said with a laugh.


    The man was tall and handsome. The beard highlighted his features and he had deep blue eyes just like Lucas. His body was slightly muscular than Lucas''s. His hair was a deep brown and had a mix of deep blue hair within them. He had medium-length hair and sported a quiff style.


    Lucas smiled. "Well, I can still beat your ass anytime, big brother Samuel. And yeah, nice to see you", he said with a smile. They both embraced each other with a hearty laugh. They turned their heads towards the woman. She sighed. "For once, not once could you say something nice to him. You know what day it is today, right?", she said as she approached them.


    The woman was a little bit shorter than both of them. She had long and smooth black hair with a lot of streaks of fiery red mixed within them. Her delicate facial features and her red lips would draw any man towards her. Her smooth and fair skin, coupled with the hourglass shape figure she maintained, made anyone who saw her utter a single word. Extraordinary.


    "My dear sister, Catherine Heart. You know this is how we always greet each other, right? And yes, I do know what day it is today", said Sam. Catherine''s face showed a tinge of red as she corrected him. "Kate, you dumbass. It''s Kate. Only people I do not wish to be associated with are allowed to call me by that name", she said.


    She shook her fists at Sam and joined the group hug. Kate was wearing a long white dress, with a tinge of red at the hem and the cuffs of her dress. "You look exceptional today", said Lucas. Kate smiled back at him and later it turned into a frown.


    "Where is the coat you were supposed to be wearing? It''s an official meeting, and you show up dressed like that?! Sometimes, I wonder if you are my brother. You have no sense of fashion", she scowled at him. Lucas smiled. The door in front of them opened up and the three of them walked inside. There were two figures seated at the throne. The three of them quickly kneeled on the floor.


    "We greet Your Highness, The King and the Queen", all three said in unison. "Ah, you should not have done that, now it makes me want to punish you three", said a deep and booming voice. The three of them looked up to find the man looking at them with a smile on his face.


    He signalled them to move forward to them as he embraced them, one by one. Lucas was the last person to be embraced. "Happy Eighteenth Birthday, my dear son. Today, you shall set out into the world, and you shall learn what it is like in the outside world", said his father.


    He was tall and has a muscular build. He had a thick beard, with grey hair in them. His deep brown hair had also started to turn grey and had fiery red in them. He had deep green eyes and a fiery red circle around them. He was the king of the kingdom known as The Heart kingdom. He was wearing a formal suit and had his hair trimmed on the sides. There was a sword on his waist, which he always carried around him.


    Lucas nodded his head. He was about to turn around, but then he felt a slender hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw his mother, looking at him with sadness in her eyes.


    She had long and smooth black hair which had started to turn grey, with a lot of streaks of deep blue mixed within them. Her delicate facial features had a few wrinkles on them, and her lips were a deep red colour. Her smooth and fair skin, and her figure which she maintains, made her look young and beautiful.


    He smiled as he held her hand with his, and he embraced her. She let out a sigh as she accepted the fact that he was leaving the palace. "But before you leave, you shall be taking the Test of Banishment. Only then will I be able to rest assured that you will be safe in the outside world", she said. Lucas nodded his head without saying anything.


    He had heard the dangers of the outside world from his brother and sister who took the Banishment test before. He had also heard about the beautiful places outside which always made his imagination run wild, always dreaming of this day. He looked at his father and he smiled. "But first, before the test, we''ll have to celebrate the fact that our youngest shall be leaving the palace. Where is the cake, dammit?", he said with annoyance.


    "Ben, you will have to find it yourself", came a sweet voice from next to him. He turned and saw his wife smiling at him. "I hate it when you do this, Martha", he said to her. He smiled at her and then left the room to go in search of the cake.


    Martha began to giggle slightly. Lucas knew what was going on. He pulled his mother next to him and whispered, "You didn''t do that, did you, mom?" She smiled and pointed to the ceiling. All three of them looked up and saw small ice spikes stuck to the ceiling.


    Ben reached the centre of the hall and looked around. He knew some of her tricks and looked around. He was waiting for her to do something like she always does. Martha looked at his face and saw him being cautious. "Nothing to be cautious about, my dear", she said and smiled at him.


    Ben knew that was it. His vigilance increased and looked around frantically. Martha snapped her fingers and the ice fell onto his head, freezing him in place.


    Ben grunted from within the ice. He looked at Martha with eyes filled with anger. His body began to glow a faint red and the glow began to get stronger. The ice began sizzling and Martha quickly took her stance, instantly surrounding herself with icicles. Her hand was raised as she waited for him to come out. "I come in peace. I can''t overpower you, Martha. I never will", he said with a wink. Martha smiled and let her hand down.


    "I can''t believe I''m going to be leaving you guys soon. I''m going to miss everyone. Dad, is there any leeway in the banishment?", he asked with his eyes watery.


    His dad shook his head sideways. "This test is not just to make you stronger, son. This test is also a way of making you not rely on the power of being a prince. The hardships of being a commoner are, complicated. You will experience a lot of things at this time. You will learn and grow not a prince, but as a person. That is why our ancestors made this mandatory. You will learn when you set out in the world, son", he said as he placed his hand on his shoulder.


    "On the other hand, you can call us anytime. Send us letters, through the contact points we have set up around the Empire. Just let us know where is the next point you will be heading and we will send you a reply back to that point", he said with a smile.


    Lucas nodded his head. Then there was a knock on the door. "Old Master Leon is coming in", said the announcer. Leon came in and stood in front of the king.. "My Liege, it is time", he said in a deep voice.

 Chapter 2 - The Banishment Test

    An old man was seen walking through the door. His face had a scar that ran across the left eye. His long grey hair was tied into a half-bun. His eyes were purple and he had a long beard on his chin. He had a sword on his waist and was looking around as he was walking. His wrinkly face had a broad smile as he walked towards Ben. "My liege, it is time", he said in a deep voice.


    Ben looked at him and smiled. "Leon, you haven''t said anything to Lucas yet", he said. Leon looked at Lucas and shook his hand. "Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Third prince", he said. He shook hands with Leon and did a salute to him. "That''s alright, Lucas. You don''t have to do this today", he replied.


    Then came a huge cake with Lucas''s name on it. "Make a wish, my dear son", said Martha. Lucas closed his eyes and made a wish. He picked up the knife and cut the cake. He first gave a slice to his mother, then his father. He then gave a slice to his master. "Boy, you know I am not allowed to eat confectionaries right?", he said with a chuckle as he took a bite.


    "Master, it''s not like you are going to die from this one slice. Just eat it for today", he snapped back. Leon smiled as he ate his slice. He then gave two slices to his siblings and took the final slice for himself. There were two more layers of the cake, but he left those for the people who work in the palace. After eating, Ben''s face turned serious.


    "Son, let me explain our ancestral tradition, the Test of Banishment. The test has three stages."


    "Stage one, you shall fare against beasts that shall be released from the prison underneath our palace. We have captured quite a number just for this test. The beasts shall range from the basic tier to the legendary tier. You will be given only one weapon, a legendary tier. With that, you must defeat all the beasts that are put before you", he said.


    Lucas shuddered at the thought of going against an advanced and legendary tier beast. He knew his situation and to defeat higher-level beasts, one must be able to use mana. And Lucas can''t manifest a single ounce of mana! That was his predicament. He racked his brain for a solution, then a question popped up in his head. "Will I be getting beast gear?", he asked his father.


    "The tradition doesn''t allow us to not use beast gear. But in your situation, since you can''t use mana, I and your grandfather have decided to allow you to use beast gear after you''ve passed the advanced level of the first stage", he said. This news gave him a little bit of relief.


    "The second part of the test will be a combat test. You will be pitted against Kate and Sam for round one. After you best both of them, you shall fight me and your mother. We will be putting limiters on us, limiting us to the fourth class. After you defeat both of us, you will have passed the second stage", he said.


    "What about grandfather?", he asked. He knew that his grandfather used to take part in the second round before. When both his brother and sister took the test, he saw his grandfather and master fight them at the same time. And every time, he would hit them and make them lose badly. But still, in the end, they would pass as they had sufficient skills.


    When he thought back on fighting his grandfather, he was relieved he didn''t need to. "Grandfather is in a league of his own. Not just him, all of his friends are in a league of their own. I wonder if dad or I will be able to reach that level in the future", he pondered on that fact.


    "The third and final part of the test will be for you to steal the Ancestral Scroll from the sealed place. You will be given a time limit and you must bring the scroll to me before it ends. If you exceed the time limit, you fail. If you get caught, you fail. You will be given only some information about it and the place. The rest will be up to you", finished Ben.


    Lucas nodded his head as he took in all of the information and processed it. He began to think of a plan to make sure he clears the first stage of the test.


    "The test will begin tomorrow. You shall choose your weapon today and make sure you be in the training grounds at eight in the morning", said Ben in an authoritative tone. "And son, I hope you will pass this test", he said with a hint of worry in his eyes.


    Lucas placed a fist on his heart and said, "I, Lucas Heart, will put all of my heart into clearing this test. And I shall bring honor to the Heart family name", he said solemnly as he took a vow. He turned around and left the throne room, heading towards his room to think about what has passed here.


    He was deep in thought when the door opened and he missed his mother walking into the room. She sat next to him and waited for him to finish his thoughts, as disturbing him always made him think through it again all over.


    "It looks like I have to choose a good weapon, and have some beast armor ready. I don''t even know what parts of the armor they have allowed for me. How I wish I could wield mana just like my father and mother. They must be disappointed in me", he thought as he let a deep breath.


    He turned around to check for a good weapon in the treasury when he saw Martha by his side. He gave her one of his beautiful smiles and tilted his head sideways. "What brings you here, mother?", he asked. "Am I not allowed inside?'', she smiled back. Lucas fell on the bed looking at the ceiling. "It''s not like that. You can come inside. Can I ask you something?", he said.


    "Yes you can, my Luca", she said with a charming smile on her face. Lucas stretched out his hand in front of his face towards the ceiling. "Are you disappointed in me that I cannot use mana? Will I ever be able to wield mana like Sam and Kate? Mother, will I be useless if I venture into the outside world?", he asked. Martha took a deep breath and let out a sigh.


    "Luca, we don''t know why you can''t wield mana. There are some of the family traits in your eyes, showing that you indeed have our elements inside you. The magic test that you took also confirmed that you can wield mana. But as to why you cannot manifest or wield it, I do not have the answer. Neither does your father. Even Sam and Kate tried to find a way to make it possible when they were venturing outside. It''s just that certain situations made us call them back before the period was over. Maybe you might find the answer outside", she said.


    She then took out a pendant from her neck and placed it onto his palm. Lucas looked at it and then back at her. "Open it", she said in a soothing voice. Lucas opened it and saw a picture of all of them in it.


    "Whenever you miss us or feel like giving up on your journey, or you''re lonely, I hope this will help you keep on moving forward", she said as she got up from his bed. "Thank you, Mother", he said as he clutched the pendant tightly, then placing it around his neck.


    He got up and left the room, making his way towards the treasury. He dropped by his Master''s room, to get an opinion on the type of weapon he could use for the test.


    "I have taught you to wield a lot of weapons. The sword, spear, dagger, staff, and some others too. You are even good at dual-wielding. I would suggest that you go for the sword. That way, you can wield another weapon, on the other hand, making your attack unpredictable for the beasts", he said in conclusion.. "Thank you, Master", he said as he made a salute and left towards the treasury.

 Chapter 3 - The Treasury

    He began to walk towards the treasury that was located within the palace. The guards outside bowed to Lucas and he went towards a man that was seated at the table.


    He was wearing a pair of reading glasses and reading a book casually. "Ah, the Third prince is here. you must have come to choose a weapon for your test", he said as he took out a key. "Yes, Guardian of the Treasury. I am indeed here to choose a weapon", Lucas replied.


    The guardian stood up from his seat and walked towards a double door. He was short and muscular. His hair was wavy and trimmed on the sides. His face was young for a man who had reached the age of forty. He was exuding an aura of serenity around him that made Lucas feel at peace. The distractions he had in his mind were slowly going away.


    The key he took out was peculiar. The treasury was the most protected place of the palace. It had tight security measures such as security cameras, retina scanners, and a fingerprint scanner. The key was made in a way that it can only be activated by a certain number of people.


    The guardian pricked his index finger and drew a little blood and placed it on the key. The key began to glow and then inserted into the keyhole. "No matter how many times I look at this, it always fascinates me. The way this key works. Magic is truly fascinating", he thought as he looked at the way the door was being opened.


    The door then opened with a hissing sound. Lucas''s heartbeat began to rise as he began to imagine all the kinds of weapons he would see in the treasury. The thought was just exhilarating for him. "To witness all the legendary weapons that have been stored in the treasury. Just what kind of a weapon will be the perfect fit for me?", his thoughts ran wild.


    The treasury was a white high ceiling room. It was massive and it had eight doors within, four on the left and four on the right. In front of him was a large round table, and there were chairs around it. "Well, in times of war, this was the room where they prepared strategies, and that''s why there are so many rooms", he thought to himself.


    He skipped in joy as he followed the guardian towards a room. The room also had some security measures as that was the room that stored all the legendary weapons that were available in the palace. He didn''t know why though. "There are even higher level beasts than them and the weapons made from them will be more valuable than them", he thought.


    The guardian opened the door in front of him and motioned for Lucas to enter. "Third Prince, here you will be able to see all the legendary weapons that we have. Please choose your weapon and register them on the computer over there. I will be standing right here", he said as he pointed at the keyboard that was at the corner of the room. Lucas nodded his head and began to look around.


    He walked towards the first weapon he saw. It was a pair of dual-wielding swords. One was in dark black while the other was a shiny silver in color. The hilts were both black with a line of red twisting around them. The blades wren slightly curved at the end and were sharp on only one side. He picked it up and gave it some swings.


    "These pair are quite the extraordinary one. They have one active skill each sword and even have a move combined. Your grandfather was the first person to activate both active skills of the sword at the same time. It is rumoured that dual blades that have active skills like these couldn''t be activated at the same time", said the guardian. Lucas nodded his head and looked at the hovering screen in front of him.


    [Legendary Tier Dual Blade]


    [Active Skill of the Silver Blade: Thirty percent increase in Agility]


    [Active Skill of the Dark Blade: Thirty percent increase in Strength]


    [Combat Skill: Whirlwind - Increases the attack while spinning around. Sends out blades made of the Wind Element, making it easier to deal with multiple foes]


    "It''s quite interesting. Let me see the rest and then decide which one to use", he said. "For a person like me who is void of mana, this weapon could be a good match. But it is also said that most weapons of the Legendary tier have combat skills. But not all of them are made of the elements", he thought.


    Lucas made his way to the next weapon. It was a pitch-black dagger. The dagger was curved just like the blades at the end. It had a dark purple hilt. But the thing unique about it was a switch that quickly made a blade of the same size come from the other side of the hilt. It was retractable and the active skill was quite good.


    [Legendary Tier Dagger]


    [Active Skill: Surreal - Makes a copy of the Dagger to make it easier to dual wield. Increases fifteen percent of Agility]


    [Combat Skill: Shadow Copy - Creates multiple copies of the dagger when thrown. Copies stay in target for five seconds]


    Lucas was amazed when he saw the combat skill. "It will be useful if I end up with beasts that are weak but come in overwhelming numbers. There is nothing wrong in being prepared for the worst-case scenario", he thought as he moved to the next weapon that was on the wall. It was a spear.


    The spear was long and had a long sharp tip instead of the normal small head. The handle was also a silver handle instead of a wooden one. He picked it up in intrigue and began to swing it with both of his hands. The spear was very light, in contrast to its look. He spun around, holding the spear at his waist. He then turned his head to the screen that was below.


    [Legendary Tier Spear]


    [Active Skill: Channel of Lightning - Channel the Lightning Element through the spear]


    [Combat Skill: Strike - Direct the lightning that has been stored within the spear towards your opponent. Stuns them for three seconds]


    "In a battle of life or death, three seconds will decide a lot. Man, all these weapons are so good. Now only if they allowed me to take all of these weapons", he thought as he clicked his tongue. He placed it back and went to the next weapon. There were three swords.


    The first one was a broadsword. The sword was in deep silver and there was a line in a dark purple color embedded in the middle. The hilt of the sword was gold in color and there was a symbol of a lion''s head at the end of the hilt. He looked at the screen below and saw the skills of the sword.


    [Legendary Tier Broadsword]


    [Active Skill: One with Lightning - Store lightning in the channel, only compatible with a lightning type user]


    [Combat Skill: Summon - Summon lightning companion to fight alongside you. Companion depends on the quality of the lightning stored]


    The second one was a longsword. It was quite long and looked ordinary. Nothing special stood out about the sword. The edge of the blade was coated in red, and the hilt was black. He looked at the screen below to know the quality of the sword.


    [Legendary Tier Longsword]


    [Active Skill: One With The Sword - All sword related skills increased damage by forty-five percent]


    [Combat Skill: Aura slash - A slash that is imbued with the aura of a swordsman]


    "It''s quite good. But the bad thing is that I can''t use aura too", he muttered to himself. The third sword was quite different. It was a kendo wooden sword. Lucas was confused why that sword was a legendary tier weapon. He looked towards the guardian to know more information about the sword.


    "That sword is something that your grandfather used a long time ago. It was made by an inscriptor blacksmith that was here in this palace", he said. "An inscriptor blacksmith? We had one? Where is he now?", he asked in excitement. Lucas always wanted to meet these kinds of hidden figures in the kingdom.


    An inscriptor blacksmith was someone that used ancient inscriptions on weapons. These people came by when a person experimented with a weapon, making the first inscribed weapon in history. They are very rare and only a few of them existed even in these times.


    Unfortunately for him, the inscriptor blacksmith that the guardian talked about had passed away. "That''s sad. I always wanted to meet these people", he said in rejection. He looked at the screen underneath the sword to see what the status was


    [Legendary Tier Weapon]


    [Active Skill: Change Class - Changes class according to the opponent it faces. Max limit: King Tier]


    [Combat Skill: Shadow Clone - Creates shadow clones of the wielder. Clone holds seventy-five percent of the wielder''s power]


    [Inscription: Change weapon - Weapon changes according to the will of the user]


    [Unable to wield. Weapon is bound to Christopher Heart]


    "How can we unbound a weapon?", he asked the guardian. He knew if he took this weapon, he could face any challenges head-on. "Since this weapon could change class, It''s very useful to me", he thought. "The user can relinquish their ownership through a formation. It requires a formation master though", said the guardian. Lucas shook his head sideways.


    "Alright then, let me choose the weapons. I''ll pick the dual blade and the dagger. Its skills might come in hand when facing against the beasts. I don''t know if there will be groups or individuals. It''s best to be prepared for everything", he thought as he typed in the weapons he picked up. The guardian then came forward and placed a box in front of him.


    "This will be your armor for the test. Please use this scanner to see its skills", said the guardian. Lucas opened the box and picked up a chest piece. It was silver in color and there were stripes of red that ran in them. He picked up a scanner and scanned the armor to see its status.


    [Advanced Tier Chestpiece]


    There were no active or combat skills but this didn''t discourage him. He knew that advanced tiers which had active skills were quite rare. Either they have to be made by a master blacksmith, or one must gain several other crystals from the same beast. Either way, to get an active skill was hard.


    He then inspected the boots. The boots were a dark shade of blue and had some lines of silver between them. He once again scanned the boots to see it''s status.


    [Legendary Tier Weapon]


    [Active Skill: Dash - Increases Agility by thirty percent]


    Lucas was content with which he had selected. His choices went well with the armor which he had received. He left the treasury to train for the whole day. He went to his usual spot, which was under an old banyan tree in the wild. After training, he came back and took some rest. The next morning came and Lucas couldn''t contain his excitement.


    The time he had been waiting for had come.. "Let the Test of Banishment begin!", he thought as he jumped out of bed.

 Chapter 4 - The Test Of Banishment: Commence!

    After getting ready, Lucas strapped the dual blades onto his back in the shape of an ''X''. He wore a plain white tee with a pair of black pants. He then wore the chest piece on top and the boots. He placed the dagger to his waist and took a look at himself in the mirror. "I hope I pass today''s test. It is going to be hard, but ultimately, my goal is to have life experiences", he said with resolve.


    He opened the door of his room, to see his parents and his siblings standing there with a smile. "Where is grandfather?", he asked. "Your grandfather is with Leon", he said with a smile. He then pulled Lucas into a hug. After giving him a comforting hug, he looked at him with eyes of determination. "You can do this son", he said.


    He looked at his siblings and smiled. Both of them nodded their heads and they set towards the place where the test would be held. Outside the arena, he saw his grandfather and master standing, talking to each other. "Good Morning, Grandfather. Master", he said and did a bow.


    "This test is to know your own limits so that you won''t overestimate yourself and end up dying on your journey. Just make sure to do your best. And stay alive", said his grandfather with a wink.


    He was an old man in his eighties. His face had a lot of wrinkles and he held a walking stick in his right hand. He seldom uses it to support himself. He was wearing a white shirt tucked into his black pants. He had a black tie around his neck and wore a long black tailcoat. His eyes were a deep hazel and he wore a pair of round glasses.


    "There is only a few minutes before the test. What do you want to do?", asked his master, Leon. "I want to see grandmother", he said in a solemn tone.


    "Very well. You may go. Take Kate along with you", said his grandfather. He nodded his head and began to walk away. Kate followed behind him, silently. She didn''t want to say anything to him. She was scared that she might break his concentration. They both entered a garden.


    The aroma within the garden was rich and there was an embedded stone pathway in the middle. Lucas began to walk and he plucked a pink flower. "Grandmother likes Pink and white roses", he mumbled as he picked a few more pink and white roses. The aroma was fresh and he went to a corner. He took a whiff of the flowers and exhaled. It made him feel relaxed.


    He then went to a table in the corner of the garden and arranged the flowers into a bouquet. After finishing it, he kept moving forward in the garden, towards a tall black gate. He looked at Kate and she too had prepared the same bouquet. Both of them opened and went past the gate. There was a board that read, ''Heart Family''s Resting Place''.


    There were a lot of gravestones, all belonging to his ancestors. He walked in and found the gravestone he was looking for. ''Lilliana Heart'', it read. He smiled and placed the bouquet next to it. "Grandma, I know you''ll be watching me from up there. I''ll be taking the test today. And after I pass it, I''ll be leaving this palace. Maybe I will see all the wonders you used to tell me as tales before bedtime. Sayonara, Grandma", he said as a tear rolled down his cheek. He then felt two warm arms wrap around him. "We''ll miss you too, you idiot", came a soothing voice.


    He then looked up and saw Kate smiling at him. "It''s time. We have to go", she said as she checked the time. Lucas nodded his head and he began to go back down the same path, returning to the arena. Just as he was about to enter the arena, he heard a loud voice calling him. "Hey Eunuch Mage, just go in there and come out dead", said the female voice. There was a group sneering behind the voice.


    Annoyed, Lucas and Kate turned around to see the owner of the voice. "Grace Heart", he said. Just as he was about to bicker with her, he felt Kate''s hand on his shoulder. He shook his head sideways and was ready to leave, but not without comment. "Sure enough. Her name is Grace but she doesn''t even have an ounce of it. Whoever suggested it must have been blind", he retorted and left.


    Grace was a short and slender girl. She was the same age as Lucas and they were cousins. She had blonde hair that was curled behind her back. Her angular face and her stern eyes made her look fierce. She was also one of the top three mages in their family, and thus she had a lot of pride and arrogance.


    She was enraged with his comment and was about into an argument, but then her phone buzzed, as she stormed away in a rage.


    He reached the arena and entered it. It was a large colosseum-type building, and there was a screen hovering in the middle of the stadium. He entered a pathway which was a tunnel to the stage in the middle. There was a black iron gate in front of him, and he was standing behind it, waiting for him to be called.


    His grandfather stood up in the podium above and began to announce. "I, Christopher Heart, welcome everyone from the family to the gathering of the Ancestral test, The Test of Banishment. Today, Lucas Heart, son of the king, Benjamin Heart, shall be the one taking this test. May the Goddess of Luck shine upon him, and grant him victory", he finished his short speech.


    The gate opened and the light shone into the tunnel. Lucas was standing there, a little nervous but the determination shone in his eyes. ''Hey look, it''s the Eunuch Mage", came a voice from the stands.


    Lucas closed his eyes and concentrated, pushing away all the voices that were demotivating him. He looked towards the podium, looking at his parents and siblings, who never gave up on him. The people that loved him for the way he was. He smiled and thought, "I will make you proud."


    The screen that was floating in the middle of the arena buzzed out loud. "Round one will be commencing", it said in its robotic voice. Just moments after, The gate opposite to him opened and there was a slight rumble underneath his feet. "It''s a group. The test is no joke, never has been", he thought as he assumed a fighting stance.


    "What is that stance?'', thought everyone. "I see he has finally begun to merge those two techniques which I taught him", said Leon. Ben nodded his head. "It is a mix of Muay Thai and Taekwondo. His legs that are apart instead of close to each other show that he has begun to mix, still haven''t perfected it. The way he is holding his fists close to his face, seems like there will be a good show", said Ben.


    A dozen bulls charged into the arena, their horns all pointed towards Lucas. The screen above popped up information on the beasts that were about to wreak havoc all over the arena.


    [Basic Tier Beast: One-Horned Bull]


    [A beast that moves in groups and once a target has been fixed, it''s do or die. They may use elemental energy to attack their target, and they can use all types of basic elements. Highly resilient to physical attacks]


    "Just had to bring in the beats with high resistance to the only thing I am good at. Do you want me to pass this, Dad?", he chuckled as he thought of all the tough love he had been receiving from his father since childhood. He flipped over the horde, landing behind them. The bulls skidded to a stop as they turned around.


    Lucas used this chance as he charged towards the bulls, and grabbed the horn of a bull. Using his momentum, he tried to pull them off the ground. It was in vain. He quickly let go and gave a punch to another bull to his left. The bull was slightly dazed and stumbled a little, but got back again.


    "Seems like this is going to be a tough one", Lucas thought as he moved back into position, and took his stance.

 Chapter 5 - Newfound Strength

    One bull came charging at him, while the rest of the bulls stood at the back. Their horns on the forehead began to glow in different colors, and it was mesmerizing to look at. But for Lucas, that was the biggest threat right now. "They''re using it so soon, never expected this to happen", he screamed in his head.


    As the bull neared him, he put his hands out, grabbing the bull with both of his hands. He then used the momentum of the bull to lift it and slammed it on the ground. "Their head is the weak spot, I have to hit it repeatedly. After it dies, I can use this as a body shield and cover myself from those elemental attacks", he thought and began to execute the plan.


    He pulled his fist back and punched the bull on its forehead. He repeated it a few more times and blood began to spray on his hands and tee. But he didn''t care, for all he wanted was to quickly use it as his body shield. "MOOOO!", came an agonizing cry as the bull fell dead. Lucas used this moment and picked it up as the energy beams shot off the horns of the other bulls.


    The bull which he was holding began to sizzle under the fire of the other bulls. After a few moments, the sound stopped and he looked at the bull he was holding. The side which held the brunt of the attack was charred black, and there were some spots where the layer of the skin was burnt over.


    "Alright, if I have to save my stamina, I have to finish this quickly. I have a legendary beast to defeat", he thought as he pulled out the dagger from his waist. He threw the bull to the side and stood there with the dagger in his hand. He activated [Surreal] and then he threw both of them. Then, he activated [Shadow Copy], making ten copies appear from the two daggers. Each of them pierced a bull and all of the bulls fell in one swoop.


    "Round one has been cleared. Time taken: 00:02:15. Round two will commence after five minutes", said a robotic voice from above. Lucas sighed in relief as he needed to catch his breath. After five minutes, a loud buzz came and he stood up. "Round two will commence now", said the voice.


    The gates opened again, and in came three tiger beasts. They were three times taller than Lucas, and they looked very intimidating. Their teeth were protruding out of their mouths like a snake''s fang. "Not these tigers", he thought as he gulped down his saliva.


    [Intermediate Level Beast: Sabretooth Tiger]


    [These tigers are large and they can move extremely fast. Their fangs carry a deadly poison, and their claws have poison in them as well. Highly resilient against physical attacks]


    He placed the dagger back to his hip and pulled out the swords from his back. "My normal agility isn''t going to be enough. I''m going to need a boost from these swords", he thought as he held both the swords in his hands. Then he activated the skill of the silver sword, increasing his agility.


    There were three tigers in front of him. He began to think fast. He moved towards the tiger that was on his left swiftly. With his increase in speed, his movement speed was faster than ordinary. The tiger lifted its front paw, swiping it towards him. Even though he was fast, it was slow in the eyes of the tiger. Lucas saw the paw coming towards him and tilted his body slightly to the left, evading and closing the distance between the two.


    He thrust the silver sword into the gut of the tiger and activated the dark sword. The increase in strength made it easy for him to slash both of the blades across the gut of the tiger, killing it instantly. The other two tigers quickly moved around him, circling him in the middle.


    He switched the ability back to the silver blade and stood ready to face both of them at the same time. One of the tigers opened its mouth, spewing a long line of poison from its mouth. Lucas jumped back and ended into the paws of the other tiger. The armor which he was wearing stood the brunt of the hit, stunning him for a second. He then looked at the position of the tigers and then activated the skill [Whirlwind].


    He began to spin at the place he stood, as a tornado began to form around him. "So I am the eye of the whirlwind, huh?'', he thought as he began to spin uncontrollably. The tornado around him began to send out invisible slashes, made of the wind element. He heard the sound of the tigers roaring in anger. He increased his grip on the swords as he reached maximum speed.


    The wind slashes cut the tigers into pieces, leaving blood everywhere on the floor. After finishing the skill, his head was spinning wildly. He clutched his head as his vision began to return to him slowly. He looked at the massacre he had caused and sat down on the arena, catching his breath. A buzz sounded and the announcement began. "Round two has been cleared. Time taken: 00:05:26. Round three will commence after ten minutes", said the voice.


    He began to pace his breathing. After some time, his stamina began to recover. "Now, the advanced beast is going to be the same, resilient to physical attacks. Then, I must be prepared, this fight will be a little bit longer than the last one", he thought as he looked at the timer, which reached zero. "Round three will commence now", said the voice.


    The gate opened up once again to reveal two tortoise-shelled beetles, walking towards him on two legs. The forelegs and forehands had razor-sharp teeth along their sides. The tortoiseshell covered its body, like armor. Its eyes were red and gave a piercing gaze at Lucas. The screen above him popped with the details.


    [Advanced Level Beast: Razor Shell-Beetle]


    [Their shells are very hard to crack. Their razor-sharp blades can cut through armor below the advanced level like butter. Their eyesight is twenty-five times better than an average human. They can also spew acid from their mouths, which is extremely corrosive. They are resilient to fire, water, and physical attacks]


    Lucas took both blades from his sheath and looked at the beasts that were coming towards him. He readied his mind and body, for an intense battle. "If this one tires me out, there is no way I can fight against the final monster. My weapons can give me an advantage over here", he thought. He activated the silver sword and the skill on his boots, [Dash].


    He moved forward towards one of the beasts in a flash. The beast''s eyes were wide open as it wondered how Lucas came next to it in an instant. Its reflexes were fast, and it sliced towards his neck quickly. Lucas parried it with his silver sword and delivered a blow to the shell with the dark blade.


    The sword chipped a small part of the shell off but didn''t do much damage. The beetle opened its mouth, ready to spew acid. Lucas moved to the left, as he dodged the acid which fell onto the second beast. The second beast roared in pain.


    Lucas knew that he had to save his stamina for the legendary beast. He knew it was going to be hard from this point and thus, wanted to finish this as soon as possible. The next instant, the beast that was injured disappeared. Lucas increased his vigilance to the maximum and sensed something coming from his right side.


    He ducked down in instinct, and the razor grazed past his hair, slicing it. "Phew! That was close!", he thought as he rolled away from where he stood. Just as he was about to stand up, he saw both of them coming from both of his sides.


    "Ah, crap! Both [Whirlwind] and [Dash] are in cooldown", he thought as he activated the dark blade, increasing his strength. He parried both of them and his hands begun to feel numb. "Is this my limit? Can I never surpass this limit? But Master can defeat them all easily. Oh well, he has aura too", Lucas wondered as he was parrying.


    "Is that what I think it is?", said Ben as his eyes widened with shock. Leon looked at Lucas and saw a Dark blue aura shrouding him. "Looks like the boy has finally awoken his aura. But this, I never expected it to be this one", said Leon to Ben.. "It''s the aura of a Weapons Master", said both of them at the same time.

 Chapter 6 - A Dance With Death

    Lucas kept on parrying as he stepped backward skillfully. He avoided getting slashed into pieces and he was also thinking hard, on how to defeat the both of them. "Seems like these two have some kind of teamwork. One finishes and the other continues his move", he concluded.


    He suddenly felt an increase in his strength, which was new to him. "What is this feeling? I''ve already activated the strength buff, but why do I feel an increase in my strength even after that? Is it a hidden buff?", he thought as he stepped back. Little did he know that he had awoken his aura.


    "This might be the edge that I need to defeat these two", he thought as he did two backflips, and got ready for another fight. He activated the silver sword and moved swiftly. He spun and held both of his blades together, and came close to the neck of one of the beetles. He quickly switched them skillfully, making his increased speed not slow down and the increased strength helped him cleave the head off in an instant.


    The beetle that spewed acid was shocked at the human which was running away, now coming to fight. He had also killed off one of its people. "SCREECH", it gave out a loud battle cry and moved towards Lucas, ready to see him dead. Lucas used the newfound strength that was surging within him to defeat the next beetle.


    He moved swiftly towards the beetle, ready to slay it. He then tried to do the same thing to slice the head off its shoulders cleanly. The beetle quickly withdrew its head into its shell, making him only slice the air. But the sound that was made when slicing off gave chills to everyone in the arena.


    Lucas got pissed off. Just as he was about to lose to his emotions, the words of his Master came into his head. "Emotions can make or break a person. Take control of them. And use them wisely." He charged his anger into his body, and he felt another surge of strength. Without thinking, he activated both of the swords at the same time. He moved in a swift motion towards the beetle and left the crowd awestruck.


    The place he dashed from had small craters left behind. He threw his silver sword towards the head of the beetle, and it moved sideways. It looked at Lucas, mocking at his failed attempt. Lucas smiled widely. He flicked the index finger of his left hand, and using the dark blade in his right hand, sliced the head into three pieces. The sword which he had thrown came back to his hand, and he stood there, panting hard and out of breath.


    "Round three has been cleared. Time taken: 00:15:49. Round three will commence after fifteen minutes", said the voice from above. Lucas sat down to clear his head. He also wanted to recover his stamina a little bit. "Good thing there is a time break. If I were to face off the Legendary beast right now, I''m sure I would end up dead", he thought as he took deep breaths, calming his adrenaline-pumping heart.


    "Seems like the next one is going to be rough. Our little brother has improved a lot, don''t you think, Kate?", asked Sam. He was watching Lucas''s match with keen interest. He also saw the growth that he had shown from the past couple of years. "I just hope some miracle happens and he can hold off against the legendary beast", she said with her fingers crossed.


    "But what kind of aura is that? He just awoke it in the middle of a fight! And it increased the second time", Sam exclaimed. "If I am not mistaken, it is the Weapon Master''s aura. This aura is very unique and is also very hard to awaken for an individual. This type of aura helps in two things. Blacksmithing and combat. That''s why this is sought by most of the people around the galaxy", she said.


    Sam nodded his head in interest. "Seems like he will make a big name for himself when he goes out. Hope nobody figures out the connection between us though", he said. Kate also nodded her head in concern.


    "The final round will commence now", said the robotic voice as the gates opened up. Lucas saw a Praying Mantis walk towards him, sharpening its forehands as sparks flew. After it entered the arena, Lucas''s eyes got filled with excitement and there was nervousness hidden beneath them. The screen above began to show the details.


    [Legendary Level Beast: Humanoid Praying Mantis]


    [This is not a normal legendary beast. Although it looks like a normal Praying Mantis, don''t get fooled by its stature. It has become humanoid, thus making it stand at the apex of the legendary tier. It can use the wind element very skillfully. Beware of its ability to camouflage]


    "The first one was a half humanoid one. Thus it was quite difficult, yet manageable. But this is a full humanoid. If I have to win, I have to give it my all", he thought as he quickly took his stance to defeat it. The Mantis that stood in front of him was the same height as he was, and it suddenly vanished. "Camouflage? This soon?", he exclaimed. He looked around to find where the mantis was.


    He felt a cut on his left arm. He turned swiftly to cut the mantis but didn''t feel anything. "Good reflexes", came a voice. "The mantis can talk?!", thought Lucas. "Not talk. But use telepathy", said the mantis. The moment he knew this, he knew it was going to be tougher for him to slay the beast.


    The mantis, using its camouflage, began to stack damage on Lucas. It slashed left, and then to the right. After a few times, Lucas began to see the pattern and moved accordingly, parrying all the strikes that were given to him. The mantis jumped backward and revealed itself. "Now let''s see how you''ll behave when I move faster", said the mantis and disappeared again.


    Lucas closed his eyes and began to meditate. "Channel your emotions. Clear your mind", he kept repeating as he felt a slight change in the wind next to his right side. He activated the silver sword and quickly parried the strike, and his heart began to beat wildly. He knew that from this moment onwards it was a dance with death.


    The moment he acknowledged the fact that it was ''do or die'', he tried to find the strength that he felt during the battle with the shell beetles. He looked deep inside him, but he couldn''t find it. "If I am pushed to the limit like last time, it might happen again", he thought as he stood there, waiting for the next strike from the mantis.


    He felt four attacks coming from all directions. "I can''t dodge them all. But maybe, If I move fast enough, I can avoid critical damage", he thought as he moved his body to the left, then to the right. He then ducked down and made a jump, hoping he could avoid the fourth strike. But he didn''t.


    The fourth strike hit him on the right side below his ribs. The armor had a dent just from the one strike that it had blocked. Just as he was about to lose hope, he felt the same surge of strength he felt during the last round. "Now, I can finish this", he said as he opened his eyes.


    He looked around but he couldn''t see the mantis. He didn''t lose his hope as he had pushed his hearing to the extreme limit. A slight change of wind came and he lifted both of his swords, stopping the strike from the mantis. "Good, Human. Now, it''s time to finish my hunt", it said.


    It then moved swiftly, grazing his left cheek, and blood began dripping. Suddenly, he felt his cheek turn numb. "Paralyze. I''m not losing to you. I am winning this one, even if it''s a dance with the Grim Reaper himself", he said. The mantis chuckled slightly and jumped backward.


    Lucas used this moment to close the distance between them and activated both of his swords like last time. He slashed the swords downwards, finally drawing some blood from the mantis. He quickly shifted to a side slash and made a sign of a plus on the mantis''s body. The mantis looked at Lucas in surprise.


    It quickly camouflaged itself and moved to the back of Lucas, and sliced through the armor. The armor fell off and Lucas rolled to the front instantly. The blades of the mantis missed his head, and Lucas wanted to use this moment to stab the mantis. The mantis sidestepped as he stabbed, and pierced both of his blades through his stomach.


    "Is this it? Am I done? I am not going to accept this!", he thought with bloodshot eyes. He stood up slowly and gripped his sword. He looked at his boots and saw that the cooldown was over. "One last attempt. I will connect", he thought as he stood with bloodshot eyes.


    He felt a new surge of strength, more than the last round. He then activated [Dash] and disappeared from the view of the Mantis. He appeared in front of it, right out of thin air. Then, he stabbed through both of the shoulders of the mantis. "Not yet", he thought as he pulled out the dagger from his waist. He quickly activated [Surreal] and a second dagger appeared.


    He wanted to stab through the head but the mantis camouflaged, disappearing from his view. His attack went in vain and he fell to the floor. His consciousness began to fade. "Is this death?", he thought as laid in a pool of his blood. Just then, he heard a ''ding'' in his mind.


    [Checking DNA]


    [DNA has been verified]


    [Host has been identified as a direct descendant]


    [Initiating Awakening]


    "What is this?", he thought as he passed out, losing his consciousness.

 Chapter 7 - System: Awakening

    [Checking DNA]


    [DNA has been verified]


    [Host has been identified as a direct descendant]


    [Initiating Awakening]


    [Awakening process... 0%....25%....50%....75%....]


    [Awakening complete]


    Just when this notification came, a dark blue light surrounded Lucas. The sky began to darken and the aura shot towards the sky, making everyone marvel at the sight. Lucas began to float in the air, and the aura began to grow stronger.


    Ben and Martha looked at him and their eyes widened. Ben began to smile. "Now, no one will ever dare to call my son a useless fellow", he smiled. Martha looked at him. Kate and Sam came rushing towards them and fired the question in their mind. "Dad, did you pass ''that'' down to him?", they asked while panting. Ben smiled, without answering their question.


    "Hahaha", they laughed out loud heartily. "Seems like we don''t need to protect him anymore. He will kick anyone''s arse when he is mocked now", said Sam. Kate smiled and nodded her head. "Well, but we still need to guide him on the right path. All that power makes people take wrong choices. But I believe he will do the right thing", she said solemnly.


    [Host''s body is in critical condition. Initiate Regeneration]


    [Regenerating....15%....75%....]


    [Regeneration Complete]


    [Scanning surroundings for threats]


    [Scanning.....]


    [One threat found. Legendary Tier Beast]


    [Host''s level is too low. Boosting Host to required level]


    [Boosting.....15%.....50%.....75%....]


    After the glowing had stopped, Lucas began to descend to the arena. The muscles on his body began to bulge after healing itself. His nerves began to show, and blood began to flow down his arms and body. His previous white tee turned dark red. The place he was standing was covered in blood. The bulging continued for a few moments and it stopped.


    [Boost is complete. The Host''s body is incompatible with the boost. Activating Continuous Healing]


    The mantis saw the whole ordeal and it was stunned. It couldn''t understand how the human he was sure dead, was alive right now. And there were no wounds on his body! There was blood flowing but it kept healing rapidly. "I have to finish this human", it thought and camouflaged.


    The dark blue aura that was covering Lucas disappeared. He stomped his right foot and ice came from underneath his feet, rushing towards the mantis. The mantis jumped back, avoiding it narrowly. Lucas then stretched his right arm in front of him, and from within the ice, came lashes made of water. It constricted the movement of the mantis.


    He then closed his fist, freezing the mantis from below the neck. The mantis tried to escape frantically. Lucas slowly walked up to the mantis and placed his left hand on the top of its head. The mantis began to burn in flames. Dark red flames erupted from his head and there was a faint deep purple in them. The mantis was burned to ashes.


    Ben and Martha''s eyes went wide when they saw the magic he used. "That''s the Ancestor''s Azure Flame and Flowing-Ice", they both exclaimed. "Now I understand why he was never able to use mana. The amount of mana needed to use even one of those is insane", said Martha. Ben looked concerned and he moved to the control room. He placed his hand on the keyboard and typed in some commands.


    "Are you sure?", asked the system. He pressed ''yes'' and he moved to the room from where they were watching. Other than Lucas''s parents and siblings, only his grandfather and Master were in the room. Suddenly, the whole stadium got engulfed in bright white light. He looked at Martha and whispered, "It''s the best thing for him. This has to remain within here. Not one word to the outside", he said to his family members. Everyone nodded their heads.


    After the light faded, Lucas had fainted on the arena. The voice sounded from above, indicating that the final round was over. "The final round has been cleared. Time taken: 00:25:54. Stage two of the test will commence tomorrow", said the robotic voice. Ben quickly called the medical personnel to attend to Lucas, worried what might have happened to him.


    [Threat has been cleared. Initiating Regeneration]


    [Regenerating Damaged Tissues....]


    [Regeneration Complete]


    [Regenerating Torn Muscle Fibers....]


    [Regeneration Complete]


    [Regenerating Internal Organs....]


    [Regeneration Complete]


    While they were moving Lucas away from the arena, his wounds had begun to heal themselves. The rate at which they were regenerating was astonishing. All of his family stayed behind to make sure that he will be fine when he woke up.


    The whole night passed and Lucas woke up the next morning. His head felt groggy and he sat up on his bed. He quickly placed his hand on his stomach, checking for the wound which he received yesterday during the fight. All he saw was his clear smooth skin. There was no indication of the wound. He was confused.


    Just then, he heard a small snore come from his right side. He turned and saw his father sleeping with his head on his hands. He then saw his mother on the right side. "What''s with this unruly pain in my head? It feels like my head will explode any time", he thought. Just as he was complaining, a holographic screen appeared before his eyes.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 1]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: None]


    [EXP: 0/100]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 20]


    [Stamina: 15]


    [Agility: 25]


    [Perception: 18]


    [Magic: 10]


    [Stat points to be used: 5]


    "What the hell?", he exclaimed a little loudly. He was waving his hand through the screen when he saw both of his parents wake up. "Good morning, Luca. Who are you waving at?", asked his mother in a sweet voice. Lucas turned his head to his mother and looked at her. "You can''t see what I''m seeing?", he thought.


    Just then, he heard a grunt and saw his father wake up. "Seems like you''re quite confused", he said as he eyed Lucas. Lucas looked at him and he knew in an instant that he knew what he was feeling. "I know what you''re experiencing. It was the same for me too, when I was an Awakener. This is something that is passed down through the family, and now you have it. My son, when you venture out into the vast lands, make sure no one knows that you''re an Awakener. Trust no one", he said in a grim tone.


    Lucas didn''t understand anything that he was saying. He just sat there wide-eyed, trying to take in all the information that was given to him in the few mere moments. He had a lot of questions. "What is this screen? Is this some kind of power? What is an awakener? Why should I hide the fact that I am an awakener? Is this power evil?", ran his train of thoughts.


    "Don''t be overwhelmed. One step at a time. Okay, Luca?", came his mother''s soothing voice. He felt her hands on his and felt a small squeeze. He smiled and pushed all the thoughts to the back of his head. "What happened to the legendary tier beast?", he asked. Ben tapped on a glass pad and then replayed the feat he displayed yesterday.


    Lucas''s eyes went wide. "I can use magic?! And I also used Aura? When and how did I develop them?", he asked in a rapid-fire way. Just as they were about to answer, they hear a soft knock on the door of his room. The door opened and in came Leon. "I can answer that, Third Young Prince", he said.


    "You already had a very minuscule amount of aura within you. Using this test as a base, I wanted to increase the amount of aura that you used to show when we sparred. Now, you have developed your aura, and you have also awakened your mana. The reason you had awakened it was due to pushing you to the limits time and time again. When we sparred, there was never the sense of death. But during your fight with the beasts, what did you feel?", asked Leon.


    "I felt that if I didn''t do anything, I am going to die. I might even end up into minced human meat'', he said, gulping down his saliva. Leon nodded his head. "These feelings ended up awakening the aura that was dominant within you. As for you using magic, it is related to you but also related to the Awakening process. You might have to look at the conditions to use magic.. Because the magic you use is not normal", he finished.

 Chapter 8 - Stage Two: Begin!

    Lucas was stunned when he heard that the magic he used was not normal. "Isn''t it just fire and ice magic? What is so special about it?", he wondered. "In time, you will learn, Luca. When you leave, we will give you two names. We want you to search for them, and you will learn how to control your magic properly", said Martha. Lucas nodded his head.


    "I want to take some rest before the second stage of the test'', he said. Martha nodded her head and motioned everyone to leave the room. Before she left, she placed a kiss on his forehead. "Don''t strain yourself too much", she said in a caring tone. After she left, Lucas wanted to look at the screen properly. It was still hovering in front of him.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 1]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: None]


    [EXP: 0/100]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 20]


    [Stamina: 15]


    [Agility: 25]


    [Perception: 18]


    [Magic: 10]


    [Stat points to be used: 5]


    "So among my status, magic is the lowest. I also have high agility even without any beast gear. What are these HP and MP?", he thought. To clear his doubts, a screen popped up in front of him, explaining each term.


    [HP - Health Points. This is the amount of health you have. Once it hits zero, you will die. Can be increased]


    [MP - Mana Points. This indicates the amount of mana you can hold. Can be increased]


    [EXP - Experience Points. Gather experience points to move to the next level. Each level up grants you with 1 stat point]


    [Stat Point - These points are used to increase your Strength, Stamina, Agility, Perception, or Magic]


    "So I have high Agility but low Magic. That kind of sucks a bit. But I can upgrade them using these so-called Stat Points. Right now, I have five. Let me increase my Strength. I think I will need it very badly in the second round", he thought as he put all five of his stat points into strength, bringing it to twenty-five.


    "So how do I close this thing? Wait, what is that red dot in the top corner?", he thought. As soon as he thought, the red dot expanded, showing him the contents inside.


    [Daily Task Updated]


    [Do 100 push-ups 0/100


    Do 100 sit-ups 0/100


    Do 100 pull-ups 0/100


    Run for 3 Km 0/3 Km


    Meditate for 1 Hr 0/1 Hr]


    [Rewards - +3 Strength, +3 Agility, +2 Perception, +2 Stamina]


    "You show this now? If I had known this before, I would have put those stat points in Magic, you dumb system", he cursed. "Oh well, whatever. It''s no use crying over spilled milk", he consoled himself. He got off his bed and began to do the daily task. "I''ve been doing these for a long time. Except that the numbers have been doubled", he muttered.


    Three hours had passed and Lucas came out of the shower. He had finished the daily task that the system had given him. He smiled as he put on a blue tee and a pair of black jeans. The armor had been damaged to the extent of no repair, so he will have to fight this stage with no armor. He came out of his room and walked towards the arena.


    With his increase in strength, perception, and agility, he wanted to test out what those numbers meant. As he was reaching the arena, he heard a girl''s voice from behind him. "Oh, look. The Eunuch Mage isn''t dead. Well, good luck on passing this round", she sneered. Lucas didn''t need to turn around to know who that voice belonged to.


    "Grace, I heard that a wealthy noble wanted to marry you", he turned around and walked towards her. "Let''s hope that he doesn''t find out about all your rodeos", he chuckled. Grace''s face flushed red when she heard him mention that. She was about to make a scene when she heard her father call her. She snorted and turned around.


    Lucas walked towards the tunnel leading to the arena and waited in there. After a few minutes, there was a buzz and the iron black gate in front of him opened up. He stepped onto the arena, the place where he had a dance with death yesterday. "At least, it isn''t beasts today", he smiled as he saw Kate and Sam standing opposite to him.


    "Hope you are all healed up, little brother. It would be a shame if I can''t fight you at your full strength", said Sam. Kate smacked his head. "He just came out of the medical room and has faced certain doom. You want him to fight you at full strength?", she said. Sam was massaging the back of his head, smiling cheekily. Lucas saw the grin on both of their faces and knew they wanted to fight him. "They''re itching to fight me", he thought. The system then came with a notification.


    [Quest Updated]


    [Defend or Defeat the pair in front of you]


    [Defend/ Defeat 0/2]


    [Rewards - EXP +500, Increase all stats by 2]


    "Oh, seems like this ''system'' or whatever this is, wants me to do this too? But how did it know I was going to fight? Maybe it is connected with my senses?", he began to wonder. But this wasn''t the time for that. The minute the notification came up, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the fight.


    Kate moved towards him. A huge ball of fire was coming towards him. He couldn''t sidestep it so he ran to the side, only to be blasted by an icicle to his stomach. The icicle was flat instead of sharp, pushing him back into Kate''s arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted him off the floor. She did a suplex, ramming Lucas''s head into the arena.


    Lucas got up from the ground, touching the place where his head was slammed. "And here I thought you guys would go easy on me", he pouted. Sam came forward and took a fighting stance. "In the outside world, there are honorable warriors. And some people hit you the moment you are down. You cannot show weakness, for that will be your downfall", he said as he threw a punch towards Lucas''s face.


    Lucas saw the punch and turned his head, and Sam''s fist grazed past his cheek. Just as he turned around, He saw Kate''s leg coming towards his stomach. "And we play both honorable and dirty. the reason, there are very less honorable warriors and more despicable people out there", said Kate as she kicked his stomach.


    Sam quickly slid his arms underneath his arms, and slid it to the back of his neck, performing a lock. "This is called the Master Lock", he said to Lucas. Lucas tried to break out, but the more he tried, the more he felt a strain on his neck. Kate punched into his gut repeatedly, making him feel pain. "It seems like the increase in the strength points really did help. Without that, I would have been mashed potatoes here", he thought.


    After a few more pummels, Kate stopped and Sam released him from the hold. The moment he was released, Lucas quickly held the head of Sam, and using his shoulder, threw him to the floor. Kate was about to kick him when he held her leg in his hands, blocking her attack.


    He twisted her leg, rolling on the floor. He was about to twist it more when he felt a chill from his back. He instantly let go and rolled away, and saw icicles slammed into the place he was at. He looked at Sam and saw him smiling wide. "Seems like my brother has woken up", he said, extending his hand to Kate.


    "If it''s going to be this hard to defeat them, I wonder how I will fare against Mom and Dad. They are truly terrifying", he gulped at the thought of that. Icicles came flying towards him and he took out his dual blades. "How do I activate my aura? Master said that aura is innate while mana is something which we absorb from nature. If it is innate..", he began to think hard.


    He tried to get the feeling he felt while fighting the beasts. But he couldn''t quite find it. His increased perception allowed him to dodge the incoming icicles and he also felt Kate coming in for some close attacks which he dodged. As he couldn''t grasp the feeling, he knew that keeping his eyes close was vain. He opened them again and slashed the icicles that were coming towards him.


    He dodged them swiftly and smoke began to form in front of him. Just as he was about to make his move, a huge fireball came into his view. Lucas saw a small gap underneath the fireball and slid underneath. He stood up and saw both of them grinning widely. "That''s how you do it, Lucas. Show me. Show me how much you can improve in this fight", said both of them.


    He knew that this was going to be a long fight. "If the second round commences right after a small break of the first round, I will be out of stamina. My stamina points aren''t a lot, I think. Thus, it''s better if I finish this quickly", he thought. "It''s time to get serious.. Let the games begin", said Lucas with a smile.

 Chapter 9 - The Awakaners Association

    (An hour before Lucas''s Awakening, at The Awakener''s Association)


    A young man was standing in front of a tall building, looking at it in marvel. "It''s going to be another same day", he sighed. He then took a sip from his ice latte and exhaled out loud. "This place does sell the best latte", he said as he walked towards the building.


    "ID Card please", said the burly security. He was wearing a dark blue security uniform and looked at him. "Please pass through this", he said and motioned for a tube in front of him. He walked through the tube and came out of the other side. The security nodded his head and gave back his ID. "Welcome to The Awakener''s Association, Mr. David Hunt", he said as he returned his ID.


    David was an average guy. Nothing about him stood out. He had black hair, which he had styled into a small quiff. He wore a pair of glasses and had a chiseled jawline. He had a clean-shaven face, suitable for an office desk job. He wore the normal attire, a white dress shirt tucked into a pair of black formal pants. He also wore a black tie around his collar. He held his latte in one hand and held a small black leather bag in his other hand.


    He walked towards the building and entered it. He walked towards the lift and waited. After it opened up, he went inside. "Please take me to the 33rd floor", he said in a kind tone. The operator of the lift looked at him and smiled. "Mr. Hunt, it seems like you are in the usual mood today", he replied as he pressed some buttons and operated the lift. David just smiled.


    After reaching the 33rd floor, he thanked the operator and got out of the lift. There was a table in front of him and a beautiful receptionist was sitting behind the desk. David just nodded his head towards her and flashed his ID on the scanner. "ID scan complete. ID verified: David Hunt", said the machine. Then another scanner came out and did a retina scan. "Verification complete", said the voice, and the door hissed open.


    He walked past the door into the hall. There were cabinets all around and there were people in each cabinet, monitoring something. There were screens in front of them, and they were monitoring everything around the whole planet. David shook his head sideways and entered his small glass room. He took out his glass tablet and began to check the information that had been passed for the whole night.


    After checking and seeing there was nothing abnormal, he sighed and relaxed a bit. There were nine screens in front of him. He turned it on and began to analyze everything from his tablet. It took him around fifty minutes to finish everything and conclude that there was nothing dangerous. Just as he was about to relax, his door was knocked. He pressed a button and the door opened, allowing a woman inside.


    "Sir, I think you might have to see this", she said and swiped something from her tablet. The screen in front of him showed what they were seeing. David looked at it and put his fingers beneath his chin.


    He motioned for her to leave and began to ponder. "The particle count emitted from this location is giving a steady rise. It hasn''t exceeded the limit yet, but it is a bit higher than normal. It''s nothing dangerous now, but let me keep an eye on the situation", he pondered.


    The particle released exceeded the limit and began to flash orange. David paid close attention and saw the rise for a few more seconds when it dropped down. After a few minutes, the bar on the left began to rise. "Let''s see the receiving particles", he thought. His eyes were keen and when he saw it pass the orange mark, his instincts told him the situation was dire.


    He transferred to his tablet and began to type a series of commands. "Let''s follow protocol", he thought as he walked swiftly to the lift, and went to the highest floor, the 45th floor.


    The receptionist outside was a stunning beauty. She had long slender legs, very smooth and delicate skin, jade green eyes, thin lips, and a very well proportioned body. David was tempted as he saw her, but he held back the temptation. "I would like to meet the president. The situation is urgent", he said in a calm tone.


    "The President is in a meeting, would you like to wait while I make the arrangements?", she asked. David raised his voice now. "It is a situation which must be reported to the President", he said sternly this time. The woman was stunned. She then typed something and looked at him. She shook her head sideways, indicating that it was not possible.


    David didn''t care about it. He walked past her and pushed the door open. He stormed into the office and looked around. There was a woman in her forties talking with the president. "Mr. President, there is an emergency that I would like to report", he said in a loud voice. The President turned his head towards him and motioned him to come towards him.


    David swiftly moved towards him and took out his tablet. He showed what he was seeing, and the mark had passed the red and was mow flashing emergency. The President frowned when he saw this. "Where is this signature from?", he asked. "The Heart Kingdom, Alexandria Country", he said. "Did you say The Heart Kingdom?", he said in a loud voice.


    He snatched the tablet from him and began to type something frantically. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. "Transfer it to my desk, NOW!", he roared. David didn''t understand why the President was anxious. He did as said and transferred it. The President began to type a few commands and something popped up. He then breathed a sigh of relief.


    "I''m sorry about my attitude just now Mr...", he paused, as he didn''t know his name. "David, Sir. David Hunt", he said as he straightened his back unconsciously. "Mr. Hunt. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You must have followed the protocol, right? If you did, then you must have locked onto his signature particle?", he asked. David nodded his head, confused where he was going with this.


    "I want you to monitor this signature''s movements and let me know their whereabouts. This is a very confidential mission, and I must be updated regularly. Can you do that?", he asked. David nodded his head. He didn''t understand why this was a very confidential mission, but since the President wanted it, he nodded his head. He didn''t like prying too much anyways.


    "I will let the receptionist know about the special task that has been assigned to you, so you need not worry about being stopped. Anything that you find peculiar, report to me immediately", he said in an authoritative tone. David nodded his head and then bowed. "Shall I take my leave, Sir?", he asked in a submissive tone.


    The President dismissed him and looked towards the woman in front of him. "It seems that ''he'' has found his successor", he said in a low voice. The woman gasped. "Honey, you mean...", she said. The President nodded his head. "Benjamin Heart has passed it down to his descendant. Though I don''t know which one, I''m sure it is his family members. That old fool better not die on me. Not while I''m alive and kicking", he said. The woman laughed.


    "Michael, don''t worry, he won''t die that fast. Remember our days as adventurers?", she asked. Michael nodded his head. "Yeah, those were good times, Emma. Those were good times indeed", he said, as he reminisced.


    Emma was a woman in her forties. She had a slender body and a delicate face. There were slight wrinkles and her hair was silver-white, making her look radiant. There were strands of jet black in between them. She smiled at the man in front of her, whom she loved with all her heart.


    Michael was a tall man. He had built muscles and was a workaholic. If not for Emma, he would eat and sleep in the office. He had the same silver hair as her, but there were streaks of deep green between them. He was handsome despite his old age, and his physique was well built. He got up and embraced the woman in front of him.


    They were both in each other''s embrace when she heard Michael whisper in her ears. "I love you", he whispered. A slight shade of pink appeared on her cheeks, making her look like a blossoming rose. "You cheeky bastard. I can rip your tongue out, but I like it when you do that. And yes, I love you too", she said.. They both held hands and walked towards the French window in their office, overlooking the city.

 Chapter 10 - Round One: Conquered!

    Lucas was weighing the pros and cons between him and his siblings. "They can use mana, while I can''t. I have the system, though I don''t want to be too reliant. I don''t know how I can unlock my Magic. It says I have mana too?", he thought. Just as he was about to wonder, the system prompted him with an answer.


    [You can use the basic magic spell after you have reached Magic: 20]


    "Ah, now I see. I have mana, but not the aptitude. That must be it. Let''s use the one thing I am slightly better than them, my intelligence", he thought. He then steeled himself, expecting attacks from them. The three of them stood just facing each other. Sam made his first move.


    He moved towards Lucas, covering his fists with Ice. Lucas began to dodge them flawlessly. His increased perception helped him in sensing the attacks, and his eyesight had also improved. He could predict what kind of movement Sam would make from the slight movement of his body. Kate joined in the fray. Now, he began to struggle.


    He placed his hand on the hilt of his dagger and activated [Surreal]. He didn''t need the dagger, but he needed a boost in his agility. He then called the stats window of the system.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 92/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 1]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: None]


    [EXP: 0/100]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 28]


    [Stamina: 18]


    [Agility: 27+4]


    [Perception: 20]


    [Magic: 10]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    "With this increase in my Agility, I should be able to evade most of their attacks. Now I have to find a way to separate them so that I can attack them efficiently'', he thought as he began to storm a plan. Kate and Sam''s attempt at making him lose his spirit was futile. They threw many magic spells towards him, but he kept dodging them. "How? He can''t look into the future, can he?", he asked Kate.


    "Did you forget his training regimen? One of the main focus of his was perception. If he knows how we would attack, he could keep dodging for eternity. It seems that we have to use ''that'' technique", she said. "It''s been a long time", he smiled and they began to execute their plan. Kate threw a small fireball towards Lucas''s face, and he moved sideways. The moment he dodged it, a fist came to his face.


    Lucas was stunned. "What are they doing? They''re taking turns now?", he thought. Sam and Lucas began to brawl. Lucas deactivated the skill and began to fight Sam head-on. "Good, little brother. You are quite strong, but not strong enough", he smiled as he punched the arena, freezing Lucas''s leg in place.


    Lucas couldn''t move. He saw Kate coming towards him, her arms engulfed in flames. He put his guard up and began to block her punches. "Her punches have gotten stronger than before", he thought as he coughed up a little blood. She then aimed her arm at Lucas''s leg and melted the ice.


    "I guess the only way to beat them is to use that technique", he thought. He moved swiftly towards Sam, then pressed his fingers on his left shoulder blade. Sam winced a little. He then quickly poked a few points on his back and his bicep. Sam couldn''t stop him. Lucas did everything quickly and he aimed Sam''s hand at Kate. "Now, let''s see what you''ll do", he thought as he flicked Sam''s elbow.


    Ice shot out of his palm like a bullet. Kate was shocked. "How, How is this possible?", she gasped. "I call this ''Forceful Activation''. I think you should get it", he smiled wickedly. He shot a quick succession of Ice bullets towards her. Kate kept on dodging and blasting some. A mist began to form slowly.


    After a few more exchanges, the three of them were covered in mist. Lucas shot one last bullet towards her and knocked Sam out. "Let''s remove this annoying mist. But I must say, Lucas has improved by leaps and bounds. And his determination, I think even I would lose to that", she thought as she shot out fireballs.


    The mist began to clear slowly, and she saw Sam lying on the arena, knocked out unconscious. "Where is he?'', she felt alarmed. She turned around quickly, but she couldn''t find him. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned. She still couldn''t see him. She tried to feel his presence. She couldn''t feel his presence. "He has mastered this technique to this level?!", she was astonished.


    "I''m impressed, Lucas. Never did I expect you to master ''The Art of Stealth''. Now, finish me", she said. "Gladly", came a voice from her right side, and it echoed to the left side. She felt some fingers poke her back and her bicep. When she was about to catch him, her hand twisted to her face. She turned behind and saw Lucas walking towards her. "High tension strings", she smiled.


    Lucas nodded his head. He then stood in front of her and flicked her elbow. She dodged instinctively. "Surrender, or you know how this will go", Lucas said in a cold and ruthless voice. Kate sighed. "I surrender", she said. The screen above him buzzed out loud. But he didn''t care for that.


    He quickly let go of the strings and released the lock he had placed. After that, he was exhausted. To the point, he placed his head on Kate''s shoulder. "Give me ten minutes, Sis. I''m feeling dizzy", he sighed. She could see the fatigue on him. "That art must have taken a toll on you. You did well, my dear brother", she said as she patted his head. Lucas smiled and didn''t say much.


    A few minutes later, Sam groaned out loud. "Ah, my head is splitting. What happened? Did we win?'', he asked as he looked around. "We lost. We have underestimated Lucas", said Kate. Sam jumped into the air. "Now that''s my brother. I would have been depressed if we had won", he said as he saw Lucas resting on Kate''s shoulder.


    "The first round has been cleared. Time taken: 00:28:15. The next round shall commence in six hours", said the robotic voice. Lucas smiled as he struggled to stand up but then felt his arms around two other people. "Don''t worry. we''ll take you to the infirmary", they said. Lucas closed his eyes, feeling extremely exhausted and drowsy.


    After placing him in the infirmary, they both walked towards his Master, Leon. Leon was smiling wide seeing Lucas''s progress. "We thank Master for his guidance to our brother", they both said in unison and bowed down to him. Leon placed his hands on their shoulders, stopping them from going down further.


    "It was all thanks to his efforts. He practiced every day relentlessly. And now, all his hard work has paid off. I did forbid him from using ''The Art of Stealth'' in broad daylight. But I don''t understand how he was able to move around, without being detected", he pondered as he scratched his chin.


    ''The mist. He used the mist as his cover. As I could see the arena, I thought he has to be here somewhere. He pushed the mist o the most outer edge, and use ut to his advantage. His IQ has always been better than ours. We feel proud that he has achieved so much, without an ounce of mana", she said. A smile was plastered on her face, beaming with pride.


    "That lass is going to make waves in the outside world. I wonder if he will be able to see the galaxy", said Leon. Kate and Sam smiled when they heard him say that. They just left Leon to be and came back to the infirmary to check on Lucas.


    It had almost been one hour since Lucas''s fight. He had now recovered a quarter of his energy. He was eager to see his improvement after the fight. And there were also the rewards for him that were waiting. He rubbed both his hands in excitement. "Status window", he called in his mind. He then went to the mission to retrieve the rewards.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Defend or Defeat the pair in front of you]


    [Defend/ Defeat 2/2]


    [Rewards - EXP +500, Increase all stats by 2]


    [Retrieve Rewards? Yes/No]


    "All stats increased by two. And if I count the EXP, I will level up. I wonder what rewards I will get when I level up", he thought. He then claimed the rewards.


    [Rewards Claimed]


    [EXP - 500]


    [You have Levelled Up!]


    [All Stats Increased by 2]


    Lucas was elated. He knew every small increase in his strength was crucial at the moment. The next round was against his father and mother. "There is no way they are going easy on me. Although they have placed limiters, they have been above the 4th class for a long time. This means that they will be more powerful than the average 4th class", he concluded. He then called his status window.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 2]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: None]


    [EXP: 400/500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 30]


    [Stamina: 20]


    [Agility: 29]


    [Perception: 22]


    [Magic: 12]


    [Stat points to be used: 5]


    "I still can''t use my magic. Not yet, but maybe if I level up one more time, I will be able to use it", he thought. He then put all of his stat points into Magic, bringing it to seventeen.. "I just hope that the next round will give me enough EXP to level up", he thought.

 Chapter 11 - A Spectacular Win!

    Five hours had passed since he fought Sam and Kate. Right now, the three of them were enjoying a cool breeze on the rooftop of Sam''s house. "To Lucas''s success", said Sam as he clinked glasses with both of them. "I won''t be drinking for now", said Lucas as he placed his glass down after clinking.


    "Be careful against Mom and Dad", said Kate. "Yeah, I know. They''re going to be really strong. I can only hope that they go easy on me", he chuckled lightly. "There is a very low chance of that happening", he thought. "How can I defeat them? I can''t activate my aura on will. That will be my only advantage. But even if I do activate, can I win against them?", he thought. Just as he was deep in thought, he heard a soothing voice call out to him.


    "Luca, good luck winning against us", said that voice. Lucas turned around and saw a beautiful lady looking at him, her eyes filled with tenderness. "Mother. Thank you", he said as he smiled. "I came here to tell you that one rule has been changed. There is going to be a time limit. Either you defeat us, or survive from us", she said.


    "Survive?", he thought. "Why did the rules change? Am I not strong enough?", he asked, dejected. Martha placed a hand on his shoulder. "No, my little Luca. You are very strong. No one can defeat you when they fight you without using any mana or aura even among your peers. You have trained yourself for lacking in that department. Even if you don''t trust yourself, trust your mother. Can you do that?", she asked. Lucas nodded his head firmly. Martha then gave a kiss on his forehead, and bid him goodbye.


    Lucas laid down on the rooftop and looked towards the sky. "In life, there are always moments, that push you down. But remember, it doesn''t matter how hard you fall. It matters how hard you get up and keep pushing forward. Overcome your obstacles, my son", came a voice next to him. Lucas didn''t want to get up right now. He felt comfortable lying down. "Yes, father. The Heart family never loses their heart. No matter the situation, Never Lose Heart", he said in a firm tone. This was what he needed before his fight. "That''s the spirit. See you in the arena", said Ben and disappeared.


    He then hopped down from the roof and began to walk towards the arena. He saw Leon standing in front of the entrance. "Any words of wisdom, Master?", he asked. Leon shook his head sideways. "Like I always say, trust your instincts. Good luck", he said and walked away. "I wonder how he will fare against them? But he is the best person I have trained in years", he began to ponder deeply.


    Lucas walked into the arena again. This time, he didn''t wait for his parents to come in. He quickly took out both of his blades. He knew he couldn''t try and test everything out today. If he had to survive, the only way was to use these weapons to their full potential. "Although they are legendary tier weapons, I just hope they can withstand the onslaught of both mom and dad", he thought.


    The moment his parents entered the arena, he readied his stance. They smiled at him. "It''s good to be vigilant, but are you sure of your abilities to handle us?'', asked Ben. The moment he saw the both of them, a quest was triggered.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [Survive for 10 Minutes]


    [Survive 0/10 Minutes]


    [Rewards - EXP +1500, Increase all stats by 5]


    "Survive? Even the system knows that I''m weak right now, huh?", he thought as he looked at the screen above him. The robotic voice sounded from above. "The contestant shall need to survive for ten minutes under their attacks. The contestant is allowed to attack or defend. Round Two begin!", it said.


    The moment it said ''begin'', his parents disappeared. Lucas was shocked but he didn''t waver. He closed his eyes instantly, activating the silver blade. He felt a slight change in the air from his left, so he twisted his body to the right. An icicle shot past his right shoulder, barely grazing him. He didn''t open his eyes. "Surviving is going to be hard. And I can''t feel their presence. I can''t use stealth here. They will find me regardless", he thought. His thoughts were racing fast as his heartbeat raced against his chest. He knew that to win this, he needed to activate his aura.


    While he was feeling the attacks in the air, slicing towards him, he began to think of the feeling that he felt. "I have to remember that feeling", he thought. He knew that this was a hard task, but he kept trying regardless. It was hard, but suddenly, he felt a warm sensation run through his body. "Is this that feeling?", he wondered as another fireball came from his back. He rolled to his left side and quickly jumped back.


    "It''s barely two minutes and I am on the losing end. I have to turn this fight around", he thought as the warm sensation flowed throughout his body. The system then popped a notification in front of him.


    [Aura detected]


    [Aura type: Weapon''s Master]


    [Current Aura Class: F]


    [Aura''s Capabilities: SSS]


    The moment he saw the notification, his eyes were wide open. "Now I understand why Master said that this is sought by everyone", he thought. "My current capabilities are weak. I need to get stronger so that I can protect myself, and everyone I care about", he said with resolve. "What are you muttering about?", he heard Ben''s voice. Lucas smiled calmly and opened his eyes.


    A faint Dark blue covered him. "It seems that you have successfully activated your Aura. And you have even learned to control it amid this battle. Let''s see how long you can maintain this state", he said as he took out a sword from his hilt. "Don''t worry, this is a legendary weapon. So yours won''t break that easily", he smiled.


    The moment he saw the smile, Lucas knew he was in deep trouble. Five minutes had passed since the challenge started, and he still didn''t hit. He was just evading around and trying to figure out his aura. Ben gave a stab to his right shoulder. Lucas twisted and activated the dark blade, spinning to hit Ben''s left side.


    He quickly parried Lucas''s attack, stunning him. "That sword is a Longsword. And yet he can swing it like a blade? And to top it off, he isn''t using Aura", exclaimed Lucas in his mind. "He is an expert swordsman, but he isn''t to the level of Master. Master is faster than him", he thought as he parried. A cold chill came from his back.


    "He isn''t your only opponent", came a cold voice. The soothing voice which had always supported him was ice cold right now. He knew danger was imminent right now, and hence stayed vigilant. He then kicked Ben''s stomach, pushing him away. As he felt the chill get denser, he used Ben as a springboard, jumping into the air.


    As he was in the air, he twisted his body and saw a huge icicle coming towards the place he was standing a few seconds ago. He was shocked at the scene. "They''re ramping it up now. I don''t know how much longer I can hold this", he thought. Using Aura was taking a toll on his muscles. "Why is it so painful? Master uses it all the time. I haven''t seen him in pain once", he thought.


    The moment his feet were on the ground, he saw a fireball coming towards him. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his aura, trying to make it move towards the sword. "That''s how Master does it. Let me just imitate what he does", he thought as he was in deep concentration. He didn''t know that his parents were just circling him, watching what he would do next.


    "He has shown immense growth, hasn''t he?'', asked Ben. Martha just nodded her head, smiling wide. Even though they were fighting against each other, she was proud that Lucas could achieve so much on his own. She also knew that disturbing him right now was bad, hence they both just circled. A full minute passed on the clock, and there were only four minutes left now.


    He slowly felt the energy that was coursing through him, and he moved it towards his blade. His muscles screamed in pain, but he didn''t mind it. He wanted to achieve it. Leon, with his hands behind his back, had a glint in his eyes. "This brat. He wants to recreate my move. You are doing well, boy. Just keep this up", he muttered. Slowly, a small grin crept up his face.


    Lucas''s blade began to get covered by his Aura. Another full minute had passed, making it seven minutes. Lucas didn''t count the time. He just wanted to achieve something in this fight, making him grow stronger. The moment his blade was covered with Aura, he began to do the same for the second blade. Both blades were covered soon and Lucas''s hand began to shake a little. "The pain is immense, but I can bear it", he thought as he opened his eyes. He looked at his parents standing there, circling him. Lucas smiled. "Right where I want them". he thought.


    He then activated [Whirlwind], and began to spin. There weren''t just wind slashes now, but there were his aura slashes mixed within them, making it more dangerous than before. Ben and Martha''s eyes went wide. "To think he would use it this way", thought Ben. There was just a minute left on the clock, and Lucas was getting tired. "Status", he called in his mind.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 32/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 2]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: None]


    [EXP: 400/500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 30]


    [Stamina: 20]


    [Agility: 29]


    [Perception: 22]


    [Magic: 17]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    He saw his HP and was taken aback. "But how? I''m sure I didn''t get hit that much. Is it because of Aura?'', he thought. His Aura began to fade, and the strength he had begun to fade. He activated both of his blades, knowing this will be his final attack. He crouched, building his Aura in his legs, where he felt very little pain. After he felt that everything was placed there, he moved.


    "Boom", came a sound when he moved. Rubble was kicked back with every step he took. He ran in circles, making it hard for his parents to hit him. After a minute, there was a buzz. "Round Two has been completed. The contestant has cleared this round", said the voice from above.. Lucas let out a long sigh, as his vision faded once again and he fell to the ground with a thud.

 Chapter 12 - Unlocking Magic

    Four hours had passed since Lucas passed out. Martha and Ben were staying by his bed, worried sick. Ben placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. Martha just sat there, staring at Lucas. "You didn''t have to push yourself to that extent", she muttered. Leon entered the room.


    "There''s nothing to worry about. The reason he fainted was because of his body''s incompatibility. Or more precisely, he forced open his nervous system", he said. Martha didn''t understand but Ben clearly understood what he was saying. He sat in front of Martha, thinking of a way to explain it to her.


    "Let me explain. He tried to force open his nervous system, which is not used to the Aura flowing through them. There will be no significant damage as it has flowed a minuscule amount of Aura through them. But if he forces more into them, he will feel immense pain, and the nerves will expand. This action will result in him getting fatigued and fainting, to make the necessary repairs to his body. And as he has the system with him, he won''t be in any danger", he concluded.


    "So he forced it open? Then what will happen now?", she asked worriedly. "His nerves would have slightly expanded, allowing his aura to circulate a bit more freely. But, if he wants to use it like Leon or me, he will have to push his Aura just like he did today, for almost two or three months. It usually takes around ten years to reach our level, but as he has the system, it will help him in it. It might even reconstruct his whole body, but I don''t know when. It did happen to me, and from then, my Aura and Mana flow became much smoother", he concluded.


    Martha sighed in relief when she heard that the system will take care of that issue. She knew about the system for a long time, and she also knew how many times it had saved Ben''s life. "It''s a good thing he hast it with him", she said. She felt two hands wrap around her from the back, pulling her close to Ben. "Don''t worry, my love. Everything will be alright", he said as he pulled her close to him.


    She just leaned her head against his shoulder, taking in all the warmth she felt. After a few minutes, Ben let go of her and walked outside. "Let me know when he wakes up. I have a call from our neighboring kingdom, and I don''t know what they''re scheming", he said. "Someone from our family has aligned with those sly foxes, believing they will give benefits", he said as he left.


    Another hour passed and Lucas slowly opened his eyes, to see the white ceiling in front of him. The smell of disinfectants and medicine wafted into his nose, making him know where he was. "The hospital again? How long have I been asleep?", he thought. He heard a slight snore from his right and saw his mother sleeping with her head on the table.


    He got up and covered her with a blanket. "She must be tired from looking after me when I was asleep. Let her get some rest. Now is the time for the third and final stage of the test. But before that, let''s see how much I have increased my strength", he thought. He called out his status window.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Survive for 10 Minutes]


    [Survive 11/10 Minutes]


    [Rewards - EXP +1500, Increase all stats by 5]


    [Congratulations on surviving for an extra minute! Calculating Rewards...]


    [Title has been granted, ''Defying the Odds''. Your stats will increase by 25 percent when facing an enemy higher than your capabilities. Will lose buff only after the enemy is defeated]


    [You have Levelled Up!]


    [You have Levelled Up!]


    "That''s an interesting reward. A title with a buff. I wonder, will I get stronger in the face of stronger enemies? That is also the only way to get stronger", he began to get deep in thoughts. "For now, let''s see my stats", he thought as he viewed his stats window. He then put all his stat points into magic.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 4]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds]


    [EXP: 600/1500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 35]


    [Stamina: 25]


    [Agility: 34]


    [Perception: 27]


    [Magic: 27]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    [Host is now capable of learning Magic spells. Displaying compatible spells]


    [Icicles, Fireball]


    [Mastery of both spells will increase MP and Magic]


    Lucas was stunned when he saw the notification. "I can use Magic?", his eyes went wide. He was elated. He jumped down from the bed excited. He ran out the door, slamming it shut. It woke his mother, who was asleep soundly. "That kid, you shouldn''t be so excited yet. I wonder what made him so excited", she thought as she followed behind him.


    Lucas ran to his training room and calmed down. He then stretched his arm out and closed his eyes. "Icicle", he called out in his mind. A small icicle formed in front of his palm, before shooting towards the wall. A small patch of ice was formed. He then once again called out in his mind, shooting a few more. The patch on the wall slowly grew bigger.


    Lucas was happy. "I''m not the Eunuch Mage anymore!". he exclaimed. "Who called my Luca a Eunuch Mage?", came a voice from behind him. He was stunned but he smiled. "Mother! Did you see? I can use Magic!", he smiled wide, and tears were streaming from the side of his eyes. Martha''s heart wrenched from seeing Lucas that way. "He must have endured all that humiliation, all this time. Not once did he ask for our help", she thought as she embraced him.


    "Can you use your fire magic yet?", she asked in a calm voice. "I don''t know. Let me try", he thought. He then stood in the same position and cast [Fireball]. A small fireball came from his palms, and slowly melted the ice patch. After casting his sixth fireball, he couldn''t cast anymore.


    [MP points have been depleted. 20 seconds till next MP point]


    "So each cast costs eight MP points, huh?", he thought as he looked at the wall, and saw water on the floor. He wanted to know how to decrease the number of MP points per use. he and Martha walked alongside each other, and reached his father''s room. Ben was sitting on the bed with his hands under his chin. "Father!", said Lucas excitedly.


    Ben turned and saw his son, skipping towards him. He didn''t know why he was skipping, but Lucas had woken up and that was enough for him. "What is it my son?'', he asked him. "I can use magic now!", he said as he smiled wide, breaking Ben''s thought process.


    Ben smiled wide, and he spread his arms wide. Lucas ran towards him and hugged him, and Ben squeezed him back. "Show me", he said in a deep tone. "Umm... My MP points have been depleted", he said as he scratched his head. He thought that his father would be mad at him, making him sad. But instead, he heard Ben laugh out loud.


    "HAHAHA", laughed Ben heartily. Lucas didn''t understand why he laughed. He then patted his shoulder twice. "I''m sorry, but I can''t wait. I''ve waited for this moment for Eighteen years, my son. Here, drink this", he said as he handed him a vial. "Intermediate Mana Potion", he muttered as he drank it. A slightly sweet taste formed in his mouth as he downed the potion.


    [Intermediate Mana Potion has been consumed. 50 MP gained]


    [MP: 69/100]


    As soon as he saw this notification, he aimed his palm at the wall and cast [Icicle] first, and [Fireball] next. Ben was elated when he saw this. Just like when a baby took its first steps, Ben was happy beyond words. He teared up and choked trying to say something to him. "Finally... My son... can use Mana... I''m...", he tried to speak, but he couldn''t. The words kept ending up stuck in his throat. He sat on the bed, his hands covering his face.


    He ended up crying for a few minutes and Martha consoled him. After a few minutes, He calmed down and let Lucas leave. "Let''s see how far in the sky you will soar.. A phoenix is in the rising, and no one shall stop him", he said as he saw Lucas leave his room.

 Chapter 13 - Test Of Banishment: Final Stage Begins!

    Just as he exited the room, a sudden notification came in front of him. When he saw that, he forgot about it. "Next time, it''s best if I finish my Daily Tasks first", he thought as he began to run.


    [Daily Quest not yet completed]


    [Do 100 push-ups 0/100


    Do 100 sit-ups 0/100


    Do 100 pull-ups 0/100


    Run for 3 Km 0/3 Km


    Meditate for 1 Hr 0/1 Hr]


    [Rewards - +3 Strength, +3 Agility, +2 Perception, +2 Stamina]


    [Upon failure, all stats will be reset, and Bonus stat points will not be returned]


    The last line was what made Lucas sweat buckets. He had just unlocked the most basic spells and now he had to give up? He didn''t want to. He began to do the tasks at once. After three hours, Lucas opened his eyes from his meditation. There were just ten minutes for the day to be complete. "That was a very close one. Next time, finish the tasks, then do whatever you want for the whole day", he said.


    After a quick shower, he fell asleep. The next morning, he was called to the throne room. The final test will be given to him today. "I wonder, how much time will they give me?", he thought as he walked towards the throne room. He knocked on the door and entered inside.


    The throne room was a large room with a high ceiling. There was a grand chandelier in the middle, and there were large windows on the side. Some of the windows were colored, allowing the throne room to be covered in a myriad of lights. The colors weren''t disturbing the room, instead, they coexisted in harmony, allowing one to see the beauty of the colors.


    "It''s always mesmerizing to see this", he thought as he walked slowly, taking in the scene. The white marble floor was covered in an orange and blue haze. As the day progresses, the colors changed. It depended on the position of the sun. "This is an architectural marvel in my eyes. Whoever built this, must have been extremely artistic", Lucas muttered.


    "Still can''t get enough, son?", came a voice from in front of him. Lucas nodded his head. "It always fascinates me. The way the lights project, and the colors. Why is it built this way? Is there some hidden meaning?", he said his thoughts out loud. Ben smiled. He always liked the way Lucas thought. Even though he was too young to be in court, he sometimes discusses things with him before he takes a decision.


    "Alright, enough looking around. You know why you''re here right?", he asked. Lucas nodded his head. "The final test. You shall steal The Ancestral Scroll from the Sealed Palace in the North. You have to bring it to me by eight tonight. Your test starts now", he said. Lucas was taken aback. "The Northern Sealed Palace? That place is a fortress!", he thought.


    Ben threw a crystal towards Lucas. When Lucas touched the crystal, a notification popped up.


    [Test Of Banishment: Final Stage]


    [Infiltrate the Northern Sealed Palace and Steal the Ancestral Scroll]


    [Quest issued by Benjamin Heart]


    [Rewards - EXP +2000, Intermediate HP Limit Breaker Potion, Intermediate MP Limit Breaker Potion]


    [Additional Quest: Complete the test without getting detected]


    [Rewards - EXP +1500, Title - Master Of Stealth]


    [Do you want to accept? Yes/No]


    Lucas was puzzled. "Aren''t quests initiated by the system on its own?", he thought. He was wondering how when he heard his father answer him. "This crystal is called a ''Quest Crystal''. Using this crystal, one can issue quests to an Awakener. This particular crystal works only for our, no, your system. Anyone else who touches this will be unable to see the quest display", said Ben. Lucas''s doubt got answered.


    Lucas was now more clear about how the quest was issued. He then accepted the quest and left the throne room, ready to infiltrate the Northern Palace. He didn''t pack all his weapons. He only took the dagger and wore his boots. "I wish these boots had another skill. But let''s use this to my advantage. I''ve completed today''s daily task, so let''s see my stats before I leave", he thought.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 4]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds]


    [EXP: 600/1500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 40]


    [Stamina: 29]


    [Agility: 40]


    [Perception: 31]


    [Magic: 27]


    [Stat points to be used: 1]


    [Strength has hit Max Target. Converting extra strength to free stat point]


    [Conversion complete]


    Lucas saw this and was shocked. "So, I can''t just keep increasing my stats. There is a cap. Well, the good thing is it converts the remaining points to free stat points. If forty is the max right now, When I complete this mission, I will have leveled up", he began to ponder.


    He began to compare his level and stats. "If level four has a cap of forty, then does this mean that level five will have a cap of fifty? What will happen when I level up the system? Will the cap be increased or decreased? I wonder", he thought as he walked out of his room in the corridor. He bumped into someone and they both fell, breaking his thought process.


    "I''m sorry", he said to the person in front of him. "Look at where you''re going, Lucas. You can''t always be thinking about something. And by the way, good luck on the final stage", she said. Lucas smiled as he helped the person up. "I appreciate it, Kate. What are you up to?", he asked.


    Kate was wearing a white dress shirt tucked into a pair of black pants. She had folded the sleeves of the shirt, revealing her smooth skin. She had also tied her hair into a ponytail, making her look cuter. "I''m bored. So I and Sam are going Beast hunting. From the Adventurer''s Guild, of course", she said with a smile.


    Lucas sighed. "I do want to tag along, but house rules. Anyways, how about we sneak out after I finish the test, and do one beast hunt before I leave? For old times sake?", he said with a smile. "Can''t ignore his smile. Man, he knows how to get to me every time", she thought. "Alright", she said, defeated.


    She waved her hand and left Lucas standing in the corridor. The sun shone on his face, and he was thinking of the best course of action. "The Northern Sealed Palace is almost three kilometers away from here. I can run there, no problem. But I need to know the security rounds, and I have to find loopholes in their formation", he thought. He just had the best idea for scouting.


    He walked towards the army that was in the castle. There was chatter all around, and Lucas knew he was not to be seen. Everyone from the army knew that he will take the test today, and orders were issued to capture him on sight. He used the shadows that were cast from the walls to move within the army and entered their armory. "Now, let''s find a sniper and a good scope. If possible, let me find a suppressor too", he thought.


    The armory wasn''t a very large place. It was a small room, with a passage where only two people could walk. There were small crates filled with pistols. On the wall, there were some old revolvers. "Revolvers aren''t common these days. But they have quite a bit of firepower compared to the pistol", he thought.


    Then he saw slightly longer crates, but they were also large. "These must hold assault rifles. Where will the snipers be?", he thought and saw a long and slim box. Just as he was about to near the box, he heard footsteps from the outside. He saw a small gap between a box and the corner of the room. He quickly hid in the shadows, waiting for them to come in and leave.


    "I just hope that the Third Prince gets caught with us. Man, every time the tests happen, we always have to be on the lookout. But they never come by", said the man who first entered. "You can''t do anything about that, Carl. Major''s orders", said the man who came behind him. "Let''s just check the crates and get this over with", said Carl.


    Carl was a burly man with a lot of scars on his right arm. His stern face gave an intimidating aura to anyone around him. He was wearing a blue and black colored military-style uniform, and there was a single star on his shoulder. The man behind him also had the same single star.


    The other man that came with him was wearing the same style uniform, but he had a sword on his waist. He had a beard on his face and tan skin. He was as bulky as Carl and he began to open the crates, checking them one by one.


    "E Ranked soldiers", he thought. Lucas knew about the star system that the military used. The more stars they had, the higher in a position they were. The highest was a four-star ranked soldier, which was equivalent to a Seventh-class magician. "Are you done, Kevin?'', asked Carl. Kevin nodded his head and left the room. Lucas let out his breath which he was holding.


    "Good thing I hid. Now, I exactly know where to find the sniper", he thought as he opened a long crate, and there was a semi-automatic sniper inside. He then opened another crate, and fit a suppressor on the muzzle. Then he picked out the largest scope, fit it to the top of the sniper. "Alright, let''s look at the harvest. I''ve got a British L96A1Sniper Rifle with a suppressor, and I''ve fitted it with an 8x Scope. This will help me scout the scene perfectly", he muttered.


    "Now, to hide this somewhere perfectly", he thought. A prompt came in front of him.


    [You can use the Inventory to store Items]


    "Now that''s what I''m talking about", he smiled. As he thought of putting the sniper in the inventory, it disappeared breaking into light particles. "That''s fascinating, but no time to wonder. Let''s set camp at the top of the castle", he thought and sneaked out the way he sneaked in.


    He quickly reached the side tower, which was the tallest in the castle. He scaled the wall and jumped into the first window. He climbed the stairs stealthily, and as he reached the top window, he peeked out from it. He looked up and saw the roof. He scaled the remaining distance carefully and set up camp.. "Time to scout and plan", he smiled.

 Chapter 14 - Infiltrating The Northern Sealed Palace

    The sun began to set and Lucas hadn''t moved from the place he had set camp. He was still looking and waiting for darkness to fall. Then, he will begin to move forward with his plan. "I have to be very light and fast. The people guarding the Palace, are very vigilant. One of them even sensed that they were being watched, while I was almost four kilometers away from them", he contemplated.


    An orange hue filled the sky. Lucas enjoyed the view from the sunset, and he placed the sniper into his inventory. He then scaled the roof, entering his bedroom from his window. He grabbed a full-sleeved black tee and a pair of black sweatpants. He wore the boots and tried walking, using ''The Art of Stealth''. It was silent, and there was no squeaking noise. "Good. Next, cover my face", he thought. He then wrapped a black cloth around his head, leaving only his eyes visible.


    "They can still differentiate me. I have to cover my eyes", he thought. He then picked out a white mask from his drawer. The mask had red lines coming from the left and the right sides. The place where the eyes were visible, was covered with a very thin black cloth. From outside, no one could see his eyes. He put the mask on and looked at himself in the mirror. "Ha Ha. I look like an assassin", he smiled.


    He quickly jumped out from the window and landed softly on the ground, He began to run through the shadows, utilizing them to his full advantage. He neared the Northern Palace and quickly hid behind a bush. "It''s going to be hard from now", he thought.


    He waited until a guard passed by him. He quickly stood up and closed the guard''s nose. He then used his elbow and tapped the neck, knocking him out instantly. "One down, two more to go", he counted. He waited patiently and then knocked them out. "Now, let''s scale", he thought and ran next to the wall. He took out a hook and tied it to the end of a rope. He threw it to the top of the windowsill and climbed quickly.


    After entering the building, everything now depended on his perception skills. He put the extra stat point which he had into perception and increased it. He then called the status window, to see his stats.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 4]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds]


    [EXP: 600/1500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 40]


    [Stamina: 29]


    [Agility: 40]


    [Perception: 32]


    [Magic: 27]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    "Alright, now my hearing has been increased. Let me try and listen to how many people are there in the hallway", he thought and closed his eyes. He began to count. "Five people moving in a cycle. It''s going to be hard to not get detected", he thought as he rolled behind a pillar, waiting to make the first strike.


    A guard came and he hit the back of the neck, knocking out instantly. He hid the person in a cupboard and moved to the next person. He kept on repeating the same thing until he had knocked out all of them. He then went to a staircase that was leading to the basement. "One hour left", he thought as he ran down the stairs.


    After reaching the basement, everything was dark. There was a moist feeling in the air. Lucas tried to listen but he couldn''t hear anyone. He placed his hands on the walls, using them to guide him through the darkness. "[Fireball]", he thought and a small ball of fire appeared above his hands. He then concentrated on keeping it in his hands instead of shooting it out. "It worked", he thought.


    He then saw a massive steel door in front of him. "The Ancestral Scroll should be behind this place", he thought. He then took out two needles and began to pick the lock. The lock was very complicated and took him almost thirty minutes to pick it. Right after that, he pushed the door open. It opened with a creak.


    As soon as the door opened, lights began to appear from the side. He extinguished the flame in his hands and followed the light. A wooden podium was in front of him. And on top of it, was a scroll in an engraved glass. The door shut behind him, but he didn''t listen to it. He was mesmerized by the wooden podium and looked at it in awe. "So beautiful", that was the only thing he thought.


    He neared the wooden podium and saw something written on it. He then circled and saw writings on all four sides. He then saw a quill dipped in blood.


    "A sealing technique? And to open, I can only answer all four of these questions here. Father gave this a lot of thought", he smiled. He then began to read the first question. "Turn me on my side and I am everything. Cut me in half and I am nothing. What am I?", he read. "A riddle? What kind of a sealing technique is this?", he thought. He then looked at the countdown. "Only fifty-five minutes left", he thought.


    He began to think. "Turn to the side and I am everything. What does everything mean here? Is it in science? Or something else? Let''s keep science as a base here. In science, what does everything mean?", he thought. He began to mumble. "Science, everything. Maybe it''s Theory of Relativity? No. The answer shouldn''t be complicated. The most complex riddles have the most simple answers. This is what I have learned", he said.


    "Then let''s look at the next line. Cut me in half and I am nothing. Let me use science as a base here too. Nothing means nothing, which is zero. Cut me in half, hmm, could it be? Wait, if I turn it sideways, yes! It is everything indeed!", he thought. He then picked up the quill and wrote the answer. "The number 8", he muttered as he wrote.


    The writing glowed a faint gold color, and it dimmed. The glass panel opened up slightly, but not enough for him to take it out. "Alright, let''s read the second riddle", he thought. "I am the beginning of everything, the end of time and space, and the end of every place. What am I?'', he read it out. "What should I use as a base here? Let''s use science again", he thought.


    "The beginning of everything will be a molecule. Or to be more precise an atom. But the end of every place? What will it be? Let''s try ''atom'' first", he thought. he picked up the quill and wrote the answer. There was a dark red glow, and the floor rumbled. Water began to gush in from the sides, filling the room and slowly rising. "What? A wrong answer and I trigger a trap?!", he thought.


    The water kept filling until it reached the level of his knees, The podium rose and stayed out of the water level. "It seems that I have to think a lot before I write", he thought. "What else would this be based on? Science seems to be the wrong answer, and Mathematics will not cut it. Maybe it''s English?", he thought. He then looked at it again.


    "I am the beginning of everything, the end of time and space, and the end of every place. If I take English into account here, then I have to isolate the words. Let''s isolate everything, time, space, place. Now, if I follow the theme, the answer must be E", he concluded. He picked up the quill and wrote the answer, ''the letter E''. There was a faint glow of gold, and the glass panel opened slightly again. The water level also went down slightly below his knees.


    "The right answer not only opens the glass, but it also reduces the danger of the trap", he thought. "This is a very dangerous game indeed. And I only have forty-five minutes left", he thought. He began to read the next riddle. "I beam, I shine, I sparkle white. I''ll brighten the day with a single light. I''ll charm and enchant you all. I''ll bring the best in all. What am I?", he read.


    "I can''t make a mistake like last time. If I do, who knows how high the water level will rise?", he thought. "What is the basis of this riddle? So far, there has been not a very consistent theme. If there was, I could use the same base. Let''s break it down", he said.


    "I beam, I shine, I sparkle white. Light can beam and shine, but do they sparkle? Only gems such as diamond sparkle. And if light passes through it, it can beam and shine too. Let''s take it to the second line. I''ll brighten the day with a single light. Diamonds don''t match here. So I''m back to square one", he thought.


    The time was ticking and there was the risk of danger when he answered wrong. He chuckled nervously. He looked at his reflection on the water and smiled to himself. "You can do this, Lucas. You have solved a lot of riddles, and your IQ is high. You just have to think in the right direction", he thought. He stopped thinking when he saw his reflection in the water.


    "That''s it! This is the base for the riddle. A human''s emotions. What sparkles bright, and enchants everyone? A smile!", he said and laughed out loud.. "The answer was right here all along!", he said.

 Chapter 15 - A Race Against Riddles

    Right after guessing the answer, he picked up the quill and wrote the answer. He saw the letters shining in a golden hue, indicating he had answered it correctly. "One more to go", he thought. The water level had now gone down to the level of his calves. "How will the last riddle be?", he thought.


    "I am the reason you run. I am the reason you scream. I am the cause of your pain. I am a cage from which you will never be free", he read. Lucas began to process it. "Let''s see. ''I am the reason you run''. Let''s see if I can find anything consistent from the start. The first one was ''Science'', the second was ''English'', the third was ''Human Emotions''. Is there any connection between these three?", he began to think.


    "I can''t find any connections between them. Then why, why did the person write these specific riddles? They shouldn''t have done this without reason. Or maybe, they just wrote down what they could remember? If that''s a possibility, I can''t imagine how complex that person''s mind could have been", he was perplexed.


    "All right. Let me stop trying to find a connection and just solve this as a solo riddle. ''I am the reason you run''. What could it be? Maybe fear. Then let''s see the second line. ''I am the reason you scream''. Could fear make a person scream? Not all the time, but there are times a person screams due to them being afraid", he thought as he placed his fingers under his chin.


    "But if I go to the next line, ''I am the cause of your pain''. Fear doesn''t make sense anymore. And bringing ''fear'' to the fourth line, ''I am a cage from which you will never be free''. Extreme fear or Phobias can always be overcome. Which means ''fear'' can escape from the cage. Am I analyzing this wrong?", he thought.


    "How else should I break this down? Maybe, if I do what I did at the second riddle, will it be easier? Let''s do it anyways. Run, scream, pain, and an eternal trap. Let me reconstruct this into a single sentence, which isn''t very confusing for me. An eternal trap of suffering, from which you will never be able to run away. What is an eternal trap from which we, as humans, try to run away from?", he thought.


    "Could it be death? Death is the eternal trap for every human being, and everyone always tries to run away from it", he thought. He then picked up the quill and wrote the answer. The letter glowed red, and Lucas exclaimed. "AAH!", he screamed in fury. The water level began to rise and ended just below his ribs. "One more and I guess it''s game over for me", he thought.


    "Whoever designed this, I am impressed. Such a crafty and cruel way of killing someone slowly. Pressurizing them and making them think wrong", he smiled. This time, he began to think deeply. "If death isn''t an eternal trap, then it''s something whilst being alive", he concluded.


    "What is an eternal trap when a person is alive? Guilt? But guilt doesn''t form unless a person commits an act. Even though guilt is a trap, from which someone can''t escape, he will do everything to mend his heart. So that can''t be the answer. But what else could it be? It''s a good thing the creator didn''t place a time limit", he thought.


    He racked his brain for a solution. "The only common thing between these riddles is that they''ve all been quite complex, yet the answer is something simple. Let''s apply the same principle to this one. Wow, I figured out the theme", he smiled. "This person is very crafty indeed", he muttered.


    "A simple yet complex answer? A trap? Maybe not for a human, but a soul? If it''s a soul, then the longest and eternal trap for it is the human body. Let me try and match it with the keywords. Run, yes. Without a human body, a soul can''t run. Scream, yes. When a body feels pain, it inevitably screams. Pain, yes. Be it the pain of the heart, or any external pain, without a human body, it isn''t possible. And finally, an eternal trap. Yes, this must be the answer", he smiled.


    He picked up the quill and wrote the answer. The words showed a golden hue, and Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. The water level receded, and it completely disappeared. Lucas was soaked wet, but he didn''t mind. The halfway open glass suddenly closed shut. The engravings on top of the glass began to rearrange themselves. "No way!", he exclaimed.


    In front of him, there was one last riddle. And there was a timer running below. it had three minutes on it. But that wasn''t the end of it. Water began to slowly rise from his feet, and it didn''t show any signs of stopping this time. It was slow and steady. "Wow! And here I thought it wasn''t hard enough already", he thought as he began to read the riddle.


    "I can be flipped and broken but I never move. I can be closed, and opened, and sometimes removed. I am sealed by hands. What am I?", he read. There were some words underneath it in a bracket. "Use fresh blood to write the answer, so that you may break the seal. Good luck!", he read and his eyebrows twitched.


    "Yeah, good luck my ass! Anyone else would have died before they even got here. What were the ancestors thinking when they made this? Is this why Kate and Sam were never sent to this palace?", he thought.


    Lucas began to think, and this time, he didn''t have the leisure of comparing. He understood the theme and began to contemplate. "The theme is Simplicity in All Things. However complex they may seem, it always has a simple answer", he concluded. He then began to think in the same way.


    "What can be flipped and broken, closed and opened, and it is sealed by hands. What could it be?", he thought. "First, let me try to understand the term, ''sealed by hands''. What does it mean?", he thought. "If it''s referring to the sealing technique, then it is indeed sealed by hands. As it requires the user to use their blood, and seal it using their hands", he thought.


    He then wrote it down, and it flashed red again. The water got a little faster, and it had reached his knees. The countdown was now at two minutes, and the water was rising faster. "At this rate, I will be drowning in 1.5 minutes", he thought.


    "Let''s see, think. Sealing is a complex method. I forgot to rule that out. ''Sealed by hands'', a simple one would be an agreement. A mutual agreement between two people always ends with a handshake, and if this is taken as a sign, then indeed it is ''sealed by hands'''', he smiled.


    "But let''s not rush yet. What else requires a handshake other than an agreement? An agreement can be broken, but can it be flipped? I''m not sure about that. But, what if it''s a deal instead of an agreement? Deals can be flipped and broken. And there are also two types of deals, an open type, and a closed type. And this doesn''t happen often, but a deal can also be removed. And it is sealed by a handshake. It must be a deal", he thought.


    The water level had reached up to his neck and was slowly reaching his lips. He took his hand out of the water and bit the end of his thumb to get some blood. He dipped the quill in his blood and wrote the answer. The words glowed a bright gold, making Lucas close his eyes momentarily. A stone platform rose from below Lucas''s feet, taking him out of the water. There were only forty seconds left on the countdown timer. The glass opened up and Lucas took out a cylindrical container and stored the scroll in it.


    He then looked around, finding a way to escape. The water didn''t show any signs of going back, and the door was sealed shut. The only way was to somehow get out of here, but he couldn''t find any way. "What if the way was underneath the water?", he thought as he dived into the water.


    He swam around, but he couldn''t see anything. He was out of breath, and he went back up to the surface. He dove in again, trying to look around for something when he spotted something. "A lever? What is a lever doing here?", he thought and swam towards it.


    He was about to pull the lever, but he was out of breath. He went to get some breath and came back down. The lever was in the corner of the room, thus giving Lucas some foothold to put some strength into. He pulled the lever hard, and it moved slightly. He began to give more force, and he quickly ran out of breath. The lever slowly began to reset.


    He went to catch a quick breath and came back to pull. He gave it one hard tug, and slowly, the water began to recede. He was out of breath again, and he went up to catch his breath. "The more I pull the lever, the faster the water level will decrease. Let me go and pull it harder this time", he thought.


    He went to the lever and pulled it again, and the water level began to decrease a little bit faster than before. Just as he was about to lose his breath, the water level decreased below his head, making him breathe and pull easier. He gave it one hard tug, and the water quickly drained away.


    "Now, how do I open this door?", he thought as he began to look around for an answer.

 Chapter 16 - Test Of Banishment: Conquered!

    He began to look around for a lever which he had found. To his dismay, he couldn''t find any levers. "There are only thirty minutes till the test ends. I can''t afford to fail", he thought. He went up to the steel door, and he understood how to open the door. "Of course, another riddle", he thought.


    "What devours all and can kill a king? Destroy a town and crushes mountains down?", he read. "It''s a good thing there is no time limit like the last one, but I am on a tight schedule. Let me follow the same Simplicity rule here", he thought.


    "What devours all and can kill a king? What can kill a king? There are many external causes, but two internal factors will be sickness or old age. ''Destroy a town and crushes mountains down?''. If I take old age as a factor, how does a person get old? They live long enough for them to get old", he thought.


    "So, time is a factor for a person to get old. And if a town is left to time, it can either be destroyed or gain prosperity. The same can be said for mountains. So the answer must be time", he thought. "This person is a genius. My admiration has increased in this small time that I spent here", he smiled.


    He used his blood and wrote the answer. The riddle glowed gold, and the door creaked open. "Open sesame!", he thought and did a small bow. "Congratulations to myself, for completing this ridiculous challenge", he said to himself. He then disappeared, becoming one with darkness.


    He moved quickly towards the castle and stood underneath the window to his father''s room. "I need momentum", he thought as he stepped back. He activated [Dash] on his boots, and activated [Surreal] on his dagger, giving him a boost in agility.


    [Agility: 40+18]


    He then ran towards the wall and ran vertically. He used the built momentum and ran towards the first ledge, which was almost fifteen feet from the ground! He pulled himself off the ledge, took a short break, and began to run in a zig-zag motion, using the ledges to swing and increase his momentum.


    After he reached thirty feet, there were no more ledges for him to grab and use as an advantage. "Only twenty minutes left", he thought. He crouched as low as he could and began to channel his aura into his legs. "It''s still painful, but not as much as before", he thought. After he felt an increase, he shot up towards the ledge.


    It was twenty feet above him, and he held onto the ledge with one hand, dangling. He placed his other hand first and gained a foothold quickly. "Next time, please think things carefully", he said to himself. He then climbed over the ledge and sneaked into the room.


    His father''s back was facing him. He sneaked behind him, and he pulled out his dagger. He concealed himself in the darkness and tiptoed towards him. He then silently placed the dagger on Ben''s neck, startling him. "I have completed the test", said Lucas.


    Ben was startled. He quickly twisted Lucas''s arm and took the dagger from him. He was about to slash his neck when Lucas removed the mask. Ben stopped midway, and let out his breath. "You didn''t have to do that?", he asked in an angry tone. "Well, I do get additional EXP for completing it without getting detected", he said cheekily. "You brat! Haha! Indeed!", laughed Ben.


    Lucas smiled and gave him the scroll, and waited for Ben to issue the rewards. "You''ve done well, my son. I didn''t expect this part though", he said as he placed his hand on his neck. "Even with my increase in Perception, I can''t detect him. He''s worthy of the title indeed", he smiled as he thought about it.


    Ben took the crystal and whispered a spell. The crystal shone brightly, and then it crumbled into dust. The system pinged him with a notification.


    [Test Of Banishment: Final Stage]


    [Infiltrate the Northern Sealed Palace and Steal the Ancestral Scroll]


    [Quest issued by Benjamin Heart]


    [Quest Completed]


    [Rewards - EXP +2000, Intermediate HP Limit Breaker Potion, Intermediate MP Limit Breaker Potion]


    [Additional Quest: Complete the test without getting detected]


    [Quest Completed]


    [Rewards - EXP +1500, Title - Master Of Stealth]


    [Do you want to claim the rewards? Yes/No]


    Lucas smiled. "Of course I want to claim the rewards", he thought.


    [Rewards - EXP +2000]


    [You have Levelled Up!]


    [Intermediate HP Limit Breaker Potion has been added to your Inventory]


    [Intermediate MP Limit Breaker Potion has been added to your Inventory]


    [Additional Quest Completed]


    [Rewards - EXP +1500]


    [You have Levelled Up!]


    [New Title has been Gained!]


    [Master Of Stealth - When the title is equipped, Agility is increased by forty-five percent. Any movements will not make any sound. Speed of Weapon Mastery will be increased by fifty percent. Agility during the night is increased by seventy-five percent]


    [New skill gained - Inspect Lvl 1]


    [Inspect - Reveal information of any object or see the stats of any person]


    "That''s a cool title! It''s going to be very useful for me in my endeavors", he thought. He then left the room and went towards his. He jumped into the bed and was relaxing. After a few minutes, he took a shower and changed into a melange grey tee and a pair of black sweatpants. "Let''s look at this limit breaker potion", he thought.


    He took it out of his inventory and used the [Inspect] skill on it. He was curious as to how the skill worked. He was astonished when he saw the uniqueness of the skill.


    [Intermediate HP Limit Breaker - Increase your HP permanently. Consuming this will give you a boost of 100-150 HP points]


    [Intermediate MP Limit Breaker - Increase your MP permanently. Consuming this will give you a boost of 100-150 MP points]


    "Why is this not a standard number? Is there some special method to make the maximum gains from this potion?", he thought. He was confused, so he wanted to ask his Master. He left towards his Master''s room. "I almost forgot, let me see my stats", he thought and pulled up his Stats window.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 6]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 400/2500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 40]


    [Stamina: 31]


    [Agility: 40+18]


    [Perception: 34]


    [Magic: 27]


    [Stat points to be used: 6]


    "Alright, now that I''m level six, I won''t be able to store the points that I''ve gained anymore. So, let me put it all into Magic since that is the lowest right now", he thought. he then placed all his stat points into Magic, increasing it to thirty-three. Another notification popped up and left him shocked.


    [Host is now capable of learning additional Magic spells. Displaying compatible spells]


    [Ice Shield, Fire Armor]


    [Mastery of both spells will increase MP limit and Magic]


    Lucas wanted to try them out immediately. But he was confused about something. "Let''s look at my available skills first", he thought. He then called up his skills list and was shocked.


    [Skills List]


    [Aura: F Class]


    [Capabilities: SSS Class]


    [Aura Slash - Lvl 1][Mastery - 15%]


    [Aura Jump - Lvl 1][Mastery - 20%]


    [Increase Mastery to Level Up the Skills faster]


    [Magic]


    [Flowing-Ice]


    [Icicle - Lvl 1][Mastery - 25%]


    [Ice Shield - Lvl 1][Mastery - 0%]


    [Azure Flame]


    [Fireball - Lvl 1][Mastery - 50%]


    [Fire Armor - Lvl 1][Mastery - 0%]


    [Increase Mastery to Level Up the Skills faster]


    "So that''s what Mastery means. It means to master a spell. And if I reach one hundred percent mastery, that means I can level up my skills faster. The higher the level, the higher the output", he thought. He then began to look down even further down the screen, and he was astonished at what he saw. "So this is what Master meant when he said he had taught me everything", he thought.


    [Combat]


    [Hand-to-Hand Combat]


    [Muay Thai][Mastery - 100%]


    [Taekwondo][Mastery - 100%]


    [Self Created Art][Mastery - 25%]


    [The Art of Stealth][Mastery - 95%]


    "My combat skills are higher than everyone I know. Even Sam and Kate might not have mastered ''The Art of Stealth'' to my level", he thought. He was proud of his achievement. "Don''t let pride get to your head", he thought as he remembered the people who had fallen in the past, due to their arrogance and pride. "Let''s see the weapons section", he thought.


    [Weapons]


    [Close Range Weapons]


    [Dagger Arts][Mastery - 85%]


    [Knife Arts][Mastery - 85%]


    [Handguns][Mastery - 80%]


    [Mid Range Weapons]


    [Sword Arts][Mastery - 80%]


    [Spear Arts][Mastery - 80%]


    [Assault Rifles][Mastery - 75%]


    [Long Range Weapons]


    [Bow Arts][Mastery - 65%]


    [Throwing Knife/Kunai Arts][Mastery - 65%]


    [Sniper Rifle][Mastery - 70%]


    "That''s a good level of Mastery.. But how do I increase them? I guess I have to ask Master to give me some tips on how to increase Mastery now", he thought as he knocked on the door, waiting for his Master to call him in.

 Chapter 17 - Learning About Aura And Mana (Part One)

    The door opened and Leon was standing behind the door. "Come in", he said and allowed Lucas to enter inside. "What would you like to have?", he asked. Lucas looked around and was amused. "This isn''t your room?", he asked in a confused tone.


    Leon looked at him and smiled. "Your dad gave me this as a retirement reward", he said cheekily. "Retirement? Master, are you leaving?'', he asked, a little heartbroken. Leon nodded his head sideways. "What nonsense is that? I am not leaving this place. It''s very comfortable, and I don''t want to weather myself in this old age. Look at this frail body", he said.


    "Frail body my ass! You just want to laze around", thought Lucas. Ever since he began to train with his master, never once could he best him. Not even with his high intelligence. He smiled at him and began to look around the room.


    The room was a bit larger than an average master bedroom. The ceiling was also a little bit high, but not very high to call it a high ceiling. One can jump around and spar in this very room without any hindrance. There was a fireplace, and the walls were creamy yellow. The ceiling was white, and there was a large window overlooking the forests. A single bed was by the window, and the white blinds were fluttering in the wind. A small tea table was in front of the fireplace, and there were two plush chairs opposite each other.


    On the other corner of the room, opposite the bed, there was a wooden cupboard. There were teacups and some wine glasses in them. The next cupboard had exquisite wine bottles stored in them, and Lucas looked at them with interest. "Not yet, Lucas. You can''t drink yet. Although you have reached the age of drinking some time ago, you have not mastered Aura. And if you get drunk, you can get killed easily", said Leon.


    "Yeah, that''s true", he thought. "If one had mastered Aura, one can dispel the drowsiness that comes along with drinking alcohol. But without Aura, one will get drunk easily, and if you were someone''s target, getting killed becomes easy", he reminded himself. Leon looked at him and smiled. "Here''s your tea", he said as he placed a cup on the tea table. He then motioned for Lucas to sit in front of him.


    "So, what did you want to talk about?", he asked. Lucas looked around to make sure there was no one listening to them. "Don''t worry, I have erected a sound barrier with my Mana. No one will be able to hear what we talk about", he smiled. Lucas nodded his head and began his questions.


    "You must know about ''that'' thing which is with me, right? According to it, I haven''t yet gained complete mastery over anything other than hand-to-hand combat arts. Everything is stuck at a certain number, but I feel that there is no more to learn regarding the subject. So what is wrong, master?", he asked. Leon smiled.


    "I think it is time that I teach you about the workings of Aura and Mana. Their principles and properties, and how to reach the highest potential in each of them. I heard that you got a limit breaker potion. Is that correct?'', he asked. Lucas nodded his head.


    "Don''t consume it, not yet. If you consume it now, the most you will get is a 70 point increase. Unless you have mastered Aura to the D Class, don''t take it. What''s your class now?", he asked. "F Class", Lucas said in a low voice. Leon nodded his head.


    "That''s understandable. You have just awakened it, and you haven''t found a way to even use it properly. To understand this, you must learn the properties of Aura", he said and began his explanation.


    "Aura is something which every human being has in their bodies. The Earth that you know now has everyone using either Mana or Aura. But before ''The Incident'' that changed the Earth, not many people could use them", he said. Lucas nodded his head. He knew the history of how the Earth changed.


    Back in the mid 21st century, the advancements of technology were increasing rapidly. The world as we know was changing every day. That was until an asteroid with weird markings hit the Earth, and the technology that was available at that time couldn''t deduce what they were.


    There were a total of fifteen asteroids that hit the Earth at that time. The weirdest thing was the asteroids didn''t stop after they made a crater. A month after the crash, they began to move into the earth, burrowing deeper. The countries that were hit were Japan, South Korea, Africa, The Middle East, China, United States, Russia, Germany, India, United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, and Greenland.


    The asteroids had markings covering them, and they were as large as a city. After the crash, the people who were close to the asteroids began to feel some changes, and those were the magicians that were born due to the changes. The magicians that were present on Earth, before the crash, used this opportunity to further enhance their understanding of magic.


    The animals that were living near the asteroids slowly began to evolve, changing them into Monster Beasts. The ratio of development of the beasts was five times faster than humans. The Earth soon was overrun by Monster Beasts and the people who had the power to stop it created a territory in which the humans could live. After a few years, the beasts began to move away from the shelters of the humans and began to create their territories.


    The territories that were left behind by the beasts were overtaken by humans, and they settled down. The Kingdoms began to form, and the first settlement that was ever formed was called the Empire in each country. There were a few empires in each country. Country Alexandria, previously known as the United Kingdom, had a total of Seven Empires. The Heart Kingdom was under the order of the Seventh Empire, Dragon Empire.


    A month after the asteroids began to burrow deeper, Earth slowly began to see changes in its atmosphere. The Mana levels began to increase, making it suitable for people to become magicians easier. Some people began to wield Aura, but they didn''t understand the principles.


    A few days later, there was a tremendous earthquake, shaking the Earth as a whole. People became scared and thought that Earth was going to be destroyed. Many people panicked, making the situation worse. The scientists that were watching the asteroids movements were taken aback at what was happening during the earthquake.


    The scientists who monitored the movements of the asteroids released a report. It said that there would be fourteen more tremors like that day. The reason was that the asteroids, had begun to merge into the core of the Earth, and the fusing was what made Mana and Aura get denser in the atmosphere.


    Many miracles happened. The once damaged Ozone layer slowly began to repair itself. The harmful gases that automobiles released were being cleansed from the air. The herbal plant''s properties were more potent. These were a few of the changes that happened.


    After all fifteen of the asteroids merged with the core, which took two whole years, people slowly began to get used to the changes. And technology took a new leap into the future. Nobody knew why the asteroids had come to Earth. But all the people believed that without those asteroids, Earth would have gone extinct by the end of the 21st century.


    Lucas recalled the history that he was taught. "Now it is the 23rd century. It still amazes me every time that I think about it. Mother Nature repairing herself, it''s like Regeneration magic", he thought. Leon watched him as he went back into his thought. He coughed slightly, breaking his thoughts and bringing his concentration back to the main topic at hand.


    "As I said, Aura and Mana were used by people even before the changes occurred. They were often to referred to as Wizards, for Mana users, and Cultivators, for Aura users. Wizards were prominent around Former Alexandria, United Kingdom. And the Cultivators were prominent around Former Kun Lun, China", he said.


    "The way we use Aura is different from them. They can even use Aura to project attacks, just like Mana. We have not reached that level of mastery as the techniques for that have not been divulged to most people. But if you do meet someone willing to teach you how, don''t hesitate to learn", he said. Lucas nodded his head.


    "Aura has five stages. Stage One is to make the Aura move through your entire nervous system at once. After you master Stage One, the way your body responds will be quicker, and you can be more efficient in combat. Stage Two will be to inject the Aura into your muscles. The Aura will slowly begin to shape your muscles, and as you have trained them diligently every day, the process is going to be less painful for you", he paused. Lucas took in everything diligently.


    "Stage Three will be to reconstruct your bones. Your current bone strength can at most defeat an Intermediate level Beast. If you complete the first two stages, you can go toe-to-toe with an Advanced level Beast without beginning the third stage. This stage will be the longest and painful process. Do only one bone at a time.. Do not attempt to do it all at the same time", he warned sternly.

 Chapter 18 - Learning About Aura And Mana (Part Two)

    Lucas wanted to ask why, and Leon knew he would ask that. He took out his glass pad and brought up a picture. It was an old picture of Leon and another man. "The person that you see next to me, is my best friend. We fought side by side during the wars, and he always had my back. He attempted to do two bones at the same time, and ended up losing his left arm", he said dejectedly.


    The man next to Leon was almost in his thirties. He was smiling wide and had tan skin. His hair was in a dreadlock style, and it ran down to his neck. His eyes were cat green, and he was wearing a white Henley. His sword was strapped to his back, and one of his sleeves was hanging loose. With his only hand present, he was holding a peace sign above Leon''s head.


    Leon''s voice turned shaky. "His name is Wilson Bright. He thought doing it bone by bone would make the process slower, so he tried to do one whole arm at the same time. It ended up shattering his whole arm, and I had to cut it off, to save him from the backlash. We did not have the proper techniques at that time, so it was all trial and error", he said.


    Lucas nodded his head. "Do not attempt it if you don''t want to die", he told himself. "The fourth stage will be to move your Aura and use it to defend yourself. This one only consists of moving within the body and covering your organs. And at the end of this stage, you will have to inject a quarter of your aura into your heart", he said.


    "The reason is to allow the activation of Stage One much easier. Yes, after mastering it will be easier. But if you do this, it will be much easier and give you a very quick response speed", he said. "Do it before Stage Four, and there will be severe pain. That is because the more stages it passes, the more your body adapts to it", he said.


    Lucas was stunned when he heard this. "So even though it is innate, the body must adapt to the Aura", he muttered. Leon nodded his head. "SO, what''s the fifth stage?", he asked enthusiastically.


    "The fifth stage has three phases. Phase One is to use the Aura as armor on the outside of the body. Pushing it out and using it as armor will allow you to maximize the use of your beast gear. Phase Two is to inject the Aura into your weapons or armor. This is a bit more difficult as you need to have a certain amount of control over your Aura. Phase Three will be the hardest. You will have to materialize it", he said.


    "Materialise it?", Lucas asked in confusion. "Does it mean to cover my weapons? Or use it like the Aura Slash? What does he mean when he said to Materialise it?", he thought. Leon then motioned for Lucas to follow him and jumped out of the window. Lucas followed behind him. They ran past some guards and entered the training grounds. Leon pulled out his sword.


    Lucas felt a sudden change in the air. The sword was slowly getting covered with Aura, and Lucas began to see a faint glow of red. The glow began to grow stronger until the whole sword was covered in Aura. "This is called covering your weapon. This will increase the power of the weapon when you''re fighting with enemies, and you can also protect your weapon from getting too damaged", he said.


    "The next one you''re going to see is the true essence of materializing Aura", he said and snapped his fingers. A dark red shuriken formed in Leon''s left hand. Lucas was shocked. "Isn''t that the Aura master used?", he thought. Leon nodded his head and threw the shuriken towards one of the targets used for practicing. It sliced the target into two, and still kept moving forward!


    Lucas was shocked. He didn''t know what to say. "Truly terrifying", he thought. Leon moved his index finger, and the shuriken came back. "You can control it at will, and it is extremely sharp. Once you have mastered this stage, I can proudly tell you that not many people can defeat you in terms of Aura", he said.


    "What about Mana, Master?", he asked. Leon nodded his head. "For people like us, who use both Mana and Aura, it will be much easier to Master Mana. Mana has only two stages. Stage One is to gather the Mana surrounding you and use your body as a vessel to store it. I think you won''t have any problem in that department", he said.


    Lucas smiled. He knew what Leon meant. "The second stage will be to manipulate Mana outside. This is often called ''External Manipulation''. This is extremely difficult to do, as you have to sense the Mana flow around you, and redirect it towards the spell that you or someone had cast. Cast an icicle", he said.


    Lucas cast an icicle. As soon as the Icicle landed in front of Leon, it began to change its shape. It turned into a long hammer, and Leon wielded it on his shoulder. "Even though this is your spell, I have manipulated it, changing its form and properties", he said and swung the hammer towards Lucas. Lucas got hit, but he was stunned.


    "The Icicle shouldn''t be that hard and strong. It''s almost like a wall", he thought. Lucas nodded his head towards Leon and deactivated the spell. The icicle disappeared, and Lucas began to contemplate his understanding of Aura and Mana. "There is something that I must show you. Sit down over here", he said.


    Lucas sat on the floor in a meditative pose. Leon sat behind him, and he placed his arm on his back. Just as he felt something, Lucas saw a notification.


    [Unknown Energy is being detected]


    [Protecting Host''s Body]


    [Do you want to allow it into your body? Yes/No]


    Lucas understood what he was trying to do. "SO, he wants to teach me to control Aura", he thought. He then allowed the energy into his body, and it began to stimulate his Aura around the body. It entered into his nerves and began to run through his whole body. "Remember this feeling. This is Stage One", said Leon.


    Lucas began to memorize the feeling. It was a very refreshing feeling for him. He then saw another notification pop up.


    [Aura is being stimulated]


    [Aura is entering Host''s Nervous System]


    [Aura stimulation complete]


    [Unknown Energy is leaving Host''s body]


    [Do you want it to leave? Yes/No]


    Lucas allowed it to leave, and he sat down to do the same thing. Leon smiled from the side, and he didn''t disturb him, as he needed him to learn this before he set out from the palace. "There are a lot of people out there who have trained it since they were kids. It''s going to be hard for you, kiddo. Just make sure you survive", he muttered underneath his breath.


    As Lucas was doing the same thing, his body began to develop a slight glow. It was very faint, but Leon was surprised when he saw it. Lucas also began to feel a new surge of strength but he didn''t stop. "No, this is not enough. If I have to survive in the outside world, I would need to reach at least Stage Two before I leave", he thought. A sudden notification popped up.


    [Aura is being circulated]


    [Aura has now reached the threshold]


    [Convert MP into Aura? Yes/No]


    Lucas didn''t understand what it was, but if he needed to further his understanding of Aura, it seemed that he needed to consume his Mana. "I''ll ask Master after this", he thought. He then converted all of his MP into Aura, and suddenly he began to feel drained.


    Leon was stunned. "This kid has reached a bottleneck in such a short while? I never expected this to happen! If I had known, I would have taught him of the method to absorb Mana and convert it into Aura", he thought. The faint glow began to get stronger until his nerves began to show on his skin.


    "This is the final phase of Stage One. Let''s hope he can breakthrough successfully", he thought. He looked at Lucas with interest and didn''t lose focus for a second. Lucas, on the other hand, was seeing another notification screen.


    [Breaking through threshold]


    [Breaking... 15%... 30%...45%... 60%... 75%... 90%....]


    At this moment, the number began to move up very slowly. He was stuck in 90 for the past six minutes! After crossing it into 91 in another minute, it began to move faster. It reached 99 in a few seconds and was stuck right there.. After twenty minutes passed, Lucas was drenched in his sweat and was smiling wide.

 Chapter 19 - Aura: E Class!

    Lucas was smiling wide. He was sweating and panting hard like he had run a marathon. But the reason for the smile was the complete opposite. "Congratulations on mastering Stage One", came Leon''s voice. Lucas heard it, but he didn''t respond. The notification in front of him was what made him smile


    [Aura has been promoted!]


    [You are now an E Class!]


    [Aura: E Class]


    [Capabilities: SSS Class]


    This was what made Lucas smile wide. He didn''t expect to reach Stage Two so soon. "Continue to do what you did. You need to make it like a switch, on and off", said Leon. Lucas spent the next two hours, trying to make it like a switch. After two hours, his hard work began to bear fruition. Another hour passed, and he had mastered Stage One.


    Lucas stood up from the ground and his nose was burning. "I stink!", he thought. "That''s because the impurities in your blood have been cleansed. That is what Aura does", said Leon. He looked at the pool of sweat. "What the hell is this?", he thought.


    His pool of sweat wasn''t in a clear transparent way. It was instead in dark black. It gave off a very bad stench, and Lucas began to nauseate. "I better go bathe", he thought and ran back towards his room. He filled the tub with soap and added in a lot of fragrance. After an hour of soaking in it, he felt relieved.


    "Finally the stench has worn off. And I feel that the amount of Aura in my body has also increased", he thought as he moved his hands around. "The response has increased, and I can feel that I can respond as fast as I need to. Although the muscles aren''t cooperating with me, that won''t be for long", he thought.


    After his bath, he fell asleep and woke up the next morning. He was eager to meet up with two people. Just as he hopped out of his room, the two people he wanted to meet were standing in front of his door. "Good Morning, sleepyhead", came a woman''s voice. Lucas was stunned.


    "What time is it?", he asked. "It''s four in the evening. We thought you didn''t want to go on that hunt we talked about before", she said smiling. Lucas was stunned. "I was out for fourteen hours?!", he thought. "That''s normal. You have just broken through", came a deep voice from behind Kate.


    "WHAT?!", said both of them. Sam and Kate were stunned. "You broke through? You''ve reached External Manipulation?", they asked. "No, not in Mana. He broke through to Stage Two, in Aura", he said as he appeared before them. He was wearing a black tuxedo and his hair was combed slick.


    "Where''s Mom?", he asked. Ben nodded his head and he saw Martha. All three of them dropped their jaws in awe. Martha was wearing a deep blue long dress. Her shoulders were exposed and her arms were covered in silk gloves. Her hair was in a French braid, and she applied light makeup to her face. "Beautiful", they said in unison.


    "Now boys, you shouldn''t gawk at a woman like that", she said blushing. Lucas and Sam hung their heads low, and she gave a lady-like laugh. "Now that''s not like you, Mom. You usually laugh out loud like Dad. What''s with all these clothes and, mannerisms?", asked Lucas.


    Martha looked at Ben and smiled. "We are going to meet the Emperor. He has summoned us, and we will be leaving today. Now, while we are gone, I do not want you, little kids, to make trouble. Is that clear?", she said with a smile.


    "Who are you calling a little kid? I am the heir to the throne!", said Sam loudly.


    "I''m a grown woman. Not a little kid", pouted Kate.


    Lucas didn''t say anything. He just smiled at them and walked towards them. "Who are you taking along?", he asked. Ben looked at him in the eye. "Of course I''m taking along my trusted Leon", he said laughing.


    Lucas sighed out loud. "If it''s with Master, then I can rest assured. Stay safe and have a nice journey", he said. "And Sam, if you are the heir, you must act like one. What do you want the people to call you, ''Goofball King''?", he retorted. Sam glared at him and they both began to bicker, leaving Kate to deal with their parents.


    "I''ll take care of them. May you have a safe journey", she said, doing a small curt. Martha clicked her tongue and spread her arms. Kate embraced her and Ben embraced both Sam and Lucas. "Have fun, kids", he said out loud. "And make sure to hunt some good beasts, Lucas", he whispered in his ear as he left.


    Lucas smiled. "Nothing gets past Dad, huh? And I also need to level up? Is killing beasts the only way?", he thought. He then bid his goodbyes and went to do his daily tasks. After three hours, he looked at his stats.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 6]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 400/2500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 33]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 36]


    [Magic: 33]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    The day went by smoothly, and they didn''t go for the hunt as Lucas had woken up late. "Let''s hunt for the whole of tomorrow", he said. Both Kate and Sam nodded. "Just in case, let the army know where we are going. The castle is going to be unprotected while we are gone", said Sam. Lucas and Kate nodded their heads.


    The next morning, all of them had their breakfasts and left the castle. They went towards the back of the castle, and they began to look around. "Beyond this plains, is the Forest of the Beasts. That place always has a lot of Basic and Intermediate Beasts, which is easy for you to train", said Kate.


    "No King or Emperor Level Beasts?", asked Lucas in a sad tone. He then felt a hand slam the back of his head. "You were struggling against an Advanced Level Beast, and after Awakening, you think you''re some hotshot? Well, think again my Little brother", he said.


    Lucas nodded his head. "Then, I will battle all the Basic and Intermediate Level Beasts that we meet. Unless it is a horde, I do not want you guys to engage, is that clear?", asked Lucas. Kate and Sam looked at each other. "Sounds good to us", they said in unison. Lucas nodded his head and they began to move towards the forest.


    It was a dense forest with tall trees. Each tree was almost at the height of 100 feet. There was a small river, separating the forest and the plains from each other. Lucas looked at them. He was both nervous and excited at the same time. His heart was thumping against his chest, and he could hear it. Kate and Sam placed their hands on his shoulder, helping him calm down.


    Lucas took a deep breath and took a few steps backward. He took a deep breath, readied himself, and began to run towards the river. It was ten feet wide. After he gained the right momentum, he called out to his skill, [Aura Jump].


    [Aura Jump - Lvl 1 Activated]


    As soon as he saw that notification, he smiled wide. He felt a surge of strength in his legs, and he used it to push himself faster. After he reached the edge, he jumped across the river. "The pain has reduced significantly. If I keep using it and increase the Mastery, maybe the pain will be less", he thought.


    The next moment, he saw Sam freeze the water and walk right above it. And Kate just created a pair of wings from fire. "Can''t you do that?'', asked Lucas. "No. Ice is hard and it isn''t as flexible as you think. But I think you will be able to achieve that. Your ice is quite different from mine", he said with a smile.


    "We need to remember why we are here. We are here to train Lucas so that he will not be taken advantage of when he leaves. We need him to be prepared. And yes, I know you sneak out and hunt beasts sometimes just for the thrill", said Kate. "You''re being a mom", grumbled Sam. Kate just nodded her head, and mouthed ''Whatever!''.


    They looked around and they saw a board in front of the forest. "Who the hell kept a board here? This isn''t someplace for tourism!", said Sam. Lucas looked at the board and it read, "Welcome, to Novice''s Graveyard".


    Lucas was taken aback when he read that. "Why is it called that?", he asked Kate. "Well, every guild sends their people here to hunt, until they either rank up, or they gain enough points to enter the other hunting places. There are places only some people have access to because it''s really dangerous to inside them while being low in strength themselves", she explained.. "Anyway, enough loitering around, let''s go", she smiled.

 Chapter 20 - Novices Graveyard

    The three of them entered Novice''s Graveyard, and they began to explore it. The trees towering over them blocked the sunlight that was supposed to enter inside. The Jungle was dark, but there were some places from which the sunlight peeked through. The rays of sunshine that hit their skin were refreshing for them in the dark place. Lucas was looking around, keeping his guard up.


    Novice''s Graveyard was a jungle that was filled with Basic and Intermediate Level Beasts. Sometimes, Advanced Level Beasts may pop up, and that was why every guild that sent their new members here to train, sends a few casual adventurers. But that wasn''t a worry for them, as Kate and Sam had a lot of experience in hunting beasts.


    The Jungle was moist and the humidity made Lucas sweat bucket. Just as he was about his next step, he heard a noise. "It sounds like a monkey", he thought. Kate and Sam were laid back, and they didn''t do anything. They just stepped back, allowing Lucas to take leadership on this expedition. He then heard swinging, and a monkey as large as him landed in front of him with a thud.


    The monkey had white fur, and the end of its tail had a ball attached to it. Its belly and face were rose pink, and it stood on its two legs. It looked at Lucas and smiled. Lucas used his [Inspect] skill on it.


    [Basic Tier Beast: Flurry White Ape]


    [Although it may look friendly, do not be fooled. Once it sees anyone, its thirst to test its strength will be ignited. Unless it admits defeat or dies, the ape will keep fighting. Weak against Mana-based attacks. Resilient to physical attacks]


    After he saw that, Lucas smiled. "Now my spirit has been fired up. Let me see if I can break through its physical form, using my physical strength", he thought. He took his stance, and the ape lunged at him, opening its mouth wide. "Hey, that''s cheating", said Lucas as he sidestepped the lunge.


    The ape was infuriated. Lucas didn''t want to test out his Magic. He wanted to know how much he had improved physically. He was impressed at his improvement. "The response speed is much faster than before. And I haven''t begun to use my Aura yet", he thought. Sam and Kate, on the other hand, were impressed.


    "He has improved again. And his battle sense has heightened", commented Sam. Kate nodded her head. "But that is not enough. Right now, he is not concentrating on his surroundings. If he loses focus on it, he might end up in trouble", she said. Sam shrugged his shoulders. "One must learn to adapt to his situation. And I think he is doing a good job at it. Look", he said as he pointed at Lucas.


    He was still dodging around when he scrunched up his face. "I sense two more coming from behind and my right. I don''t know how long it will take for them to reach here", he thought and began to plan a strategy in his mind. After dodging another strike from the ape, he slid underneath its left arm and struck its back, pushing it forward a little.


    The ape became furious, and it hit its chest with both of its fists. "Well, now that it''s angry, I have to finish this quick", he thought. He quickly jumped up and placed a nick with his heel and connected it with his left eye. "I guess these places are still vulnerable", he thought. He then jumped to the next eye and made it go blind. Blood began to flow from its eyes, and the ape''s movements were sloppy.


    "See? Didn''t lose sight of his surroundings", said Sam. The other two apes came into the fray, and Lucas began to dance around them as he blinded the both of them the same way he blinded the first ape. All three of them were blind, and Lucas just stood there, looking for its weak spot. "How can I kill them without a weapon? It seems like I have to gain more experience", he thought.


    "Channel your Aura through your nerves and into your eyes. This might help", came Sam''s voice from the side. "Why the eyes? Oh yes, the optic nerve", he thought and began to channel his Aura. As soon as it reached the eyes, his view changed. He could see the skeleton of the ape, and he saw its heart on the left side of its chest. "That bone looks tough to break, but, what about the center part?", he thought.


    He then jumped and made a punch straight to the center of the ribs, and came a snap. "The place with the least muscle is the weak spot. Although all the other places are resilient, these places are less resilient", he thought. After another two punches, the ribs began to crack. "Alright, now pierce them", he thought as he saw the bones right above the heart crack.


    He timed a punch and placed it straight to its heart. The broken bones pierced the heart internally, killing the beast. Lucas followed this with the other two and killed them. After killing them, a notification showed up.


    [You have killed a Basic Tier Beast, EXP +150]


    [First time to kill a Furry White Ape, EXP +500]


    [You have killed a Basic Tier Beast, EXP +150]


    [You have killed a Basic Tier Beast, EXP +150]


    "So, I do get EXP for killing these beasts. That''s good. Let''s keep them beasts coming", he thought. He then heard a roar from afar. "Is that a horde?'', he thought as the ground he stood on began to rumble. He looked at Kate and Sam. "Can I get a weapon?'', he asked. Kate handed him her sword.


    Her sword was shiny silver with a black hilt. In the middle of the blade, a compartment was visible. And the sharp side of the blade, was blood-red, making it look menacing. Lucas swung it twice to get the rhythm correct and he took his stance. He then used the [Inspect] on it.


    [Advanced Tier Weapon - Harbinger Of Death]


    [Active Skill: For every kill, the compartment gets filled by five percent. Currently at forty-five percent]


    [Combat Skill: Cry Of The Souls - Increase Strength by 150% for the next ten minutes]


    "That''s a very unusual skill. One hundred and fifty percent increase? Who is the blacksmith?'', he thought as he saw an ape in his view. "No time to think. Got to go on a killing spree", he thought. The first ape he saw fell to his blade in one stab. He stabbed it straight through the middle of its chest and turned it to the side to pierce its heart, killing it instantly.


    "One down, and I don''t know how many to go", he thought as he saw at least a dozen apes. He channeled his aura into his eyes again and looked for any other weak spot. "The neck is too thick, I can''t cut it. I don''t want to be parrying all those moves too. I''m also going to get surrounded soon. I have to find a way out of this, and fast", he thought.


    "Hunting Beasts is identical to chess. You have to see through your enemy''s weaknesses and exploit them. If you can''t find any, then create one. Patience is the key to victory", he remembered. "I can''t find any because I''m in haste. Patience", he thought and began to calm down.


    He looked at the ape began to study. "The joints, they seem to have less reinforcement. Maybe, if I could use it to my advantage, I can turn this in my favor. The only problem is that they are the armpits and the back of their knees", he thought. "Let''s do this. It''s all in", he thought as he dashed towards one of the apes running towards him.


    The ape saw him and threw a wide punch towards his face. Lucas avoided it narrowly, and he slashed right behind its knees. "Not deep enough. I thought that strength was enough", he thought. The ape roared and it fell on one knee. "It''s working", he thought and he began to slash its other leg, making it unable to stand. The other apes that saw this, were shocked.


    They began to attack him simultaneously, giving him less room to maneuver. "Looks like I''m going to have to jump out", he thought as he activated his [Aura Jump], and escaped that predicament. They turned around and rushed at him blindly, and Lucas took this chance to slay them.


    He slid and slashed, spraying blood over the ground as he passed by an ape. There were a total of twenty-four apes that had come for him in that horde. He didn''t kill them yet, He just made them immobile. "That''s some great thinking he has", commented Sam on the sidelines. Kate nodded her head in appreciation.


    After making all the apes fall, Lucas stood there panting. Although he had awakened and had extra stamina, fighting for a long time drained him of his mental strength. "I have to improve so that I do not get tired easily. A moment of weakness is a moment of death", he said to himself.


    Kate and Sam walked up to him. "You did well. We didn''t expect you to take on this many beasts on your own. Now how will you kill them? Their skin is very tough" said Sam. Lucas looked at the beasts that were lying on the ground, unable to get up. "Let me cut all four of their nerves. Then they would bleed out and die. But that is not effective", he pondered deeply. "Why did the neck have to be so damn tough?", he cursed out loud.


    Kate took out a dagger from her boots and gave it to Lucas. "This is a King-tier Dagger. This might help in slicing the skin open easily", she said. It looked like just an ordinary dagger. He went and sliced open the flesh on the back, revealing the hearts. He began to stab them one by one, killing them. Another notification popped up.


    [You have Levelled Up!]

 Chapter 21 - Lucass Determination

    Lucas smiled wide when he saw the notification. "I''ve leveled up again! I won''t have to worry about hitting the cap anytime soon", he thought. "Let me look at my stats", he thought as he pulled up his tab


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 7]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 1950/3000]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 33]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 36]


    [Magic: 33]


    [Stat points to be used: 5]


    "Since I can increase the others using my Daily Task, I will put them all into Magic at the moment. I won''t be using my spells for now, as I don''t want to be too reliant on them. But if I find myself in a predicament, I''ll use it", he thought as he put all the stat points into Magic. Some other notifications popped up, and it was some rewards.


    [Obtained Beginner Dungeon Key x1]


    [Obtained Map of Beloved x1]


    "Dungeon Key? What''s that?", he thought. The system answered him in text.


    [It is a key that opens a portal to a dungeon. Dungeons are places that contain otherworldly beings and otherworldly monsters in them]


    "So, it''s a portal to another world? And this ''Dungeon'', seems like a good place to earn EXP", he contemplated. He began to crease his brows when he heard Kate''s voice from behind him. "What''s wrong? Is something the matter?", she asked. Lucas nodded his head sideways. "How do I use the other thing? The Map of Beloved?", he asked the system.


    [Map Of Beloved is an item that is used to locate people you want. You need to sync their blood with the map, and you will be able to find their location anytime]


    [Activation Required]


    "Will I be able to sense if they''re in danger? This ''Map Of Beloved'', it shouldn''t have just one function, right?", he thought. He then proceeded to activate it.


    [Activation Failed]


    [Host doesn''t meet requirements]


    [Requirements, Magic: 40]


    "Ahh, then why even give me this?! If I can''t use it, what''s the use of having this?", bellowed Lucas. He was pissed. When he knew the functions of the map, he was elated that he would know where his family was when he left. But when it said he couldn''t activate it, he was mad at himself for not being strong enough.


    Just as he was looking for an outlet to vent his frustration off, another monster appeared in front of him. It was covered in leaves and its body was brown. "A walking tree?", he thought as he used the [Inspect] on it.


    [Intermediate Tier Beast: Tree Guardian]


    [It uses its branches to attack anyone it deems a threat. It uses its leaves to attack long-range. The leaves are poisonous. Once it enters your body, it slows down the host''s response speed by 2 percent. Uses Telekinesis to move the leaves around. Weak against Mana attacks]


    [Currently Asleep]


    "Great, close and long-range attacks. Now how do I deal with this?", he thought. He then looked at the sword Kate had given him. He used [Inspect] to know how much it had filled.


    [Advanced Tier Weapon - Harbinger Of Death]


    [Active Skill: For every kill, the compartment gets filled by five percent. Currently at One Hundred percent]


    [Combat Skill: Cry Of The Souls - Increase Strength by 150% for the next ten minutes]


    "Seems like it is full. But I don''t want to test it against a single opponent. Unless I''m facing a high tier beast", he thought. He then took his stance, gripping the sword with both hands. He didn''t want to wake it up, so he tiptoed around the roots that were sticking out from the ground.


    A sudden vibration was felt under his feet. "No way!", he thought as he dodged one of the roots that were shooting towards him. The moment he dodged that, several leaves came flying towards him. "But how? I was sure it was asleep?", he thought. "They can sense if you step into a hundred-meter radius of them", said Sam from behind him.


    Lucas nodded his head in annoyance. "Couldn''t you have said that sooner?'', he asked. Sam just smiled and said nothing. "You must experience the world to understand the vast knowledge stored in this universe", he said. "Is this one of your wisdom speeches? Because if it is, it''s not helping me at this moment!", he snapped back.


    Leaves were flying towards Lucas and he kept spinning his body while slicing the leaves in half. The leaves that were cut then moved around, doubling the number of leaves that were circling him. Just as he dodged one, another one sliced his forearm


    [Poison entered into Host''s body]


    [Host''s Agility reduced by Two Percent]


    "Great, just what I needed at a moment like this", he complained under his breath. He channeled his Aura into his body, giving off a faint glow. He changed his grip on the sword from an underhand grip to an overhand grip. He began to run towards the tree, slashing all the leaves on his way. The tree branches began to come towards him.


    He sliced the tree branch easily. The tree was in pain. The trunk shook violently and revealed two glowing orange eyes. There was a small crack beneath the eyes, and it let out a roar. "AAAAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!", it screamed.


    Lucas immediately placed his palms on his ears, closing them from the shrieking noise. The sword clattered to the floor, and his body shook violently. "Amateur mistake", said both Kate and Sam. The tree quickly wrapped its root around Lucas''s legs and immobilized him. He was then sure about his mistake, as he couldn''t move an inch away from his position. Suddenly, a notification showed up.


    [You are being poisoned!]


    [Every minute, you will lose 1 HP]


    [-1 HP]


    Lucas was stunned. "The system didn''t say that it can do this. It should give detailed information to me", he thought. "I guess it''s time to use my Mana attacks", he thought. "Fire armor", he thought.


    The moment he called up his [Fire Armor] spell, the roots that were bound to him began to heat up. The flames dried it up, forming cracks on the surface. After it was dried up, it began to crumble under the heat. As soon as he left the bind, the armor that was supposed to cover his body only formed a vambrace on his right forearm. "Isn''t this supposed to be armor?", he thought.


    "It seems that I have a lot to learn about", he concluded instantly. He picked up his sword and gripped it tight. He then ran towards it again and switched his grip. When the tree opened its mouth, Lucas channeled his Aura to his ears, managing to muffle the sound to a minimum hearing level. "Ahh, now that feels better", he thought as a branch came to his face at high speed.


    Barely able to dodge, he decided to slice it. He cut the branch into two, and it began to split into two branches. "Splitting is a big pain", he thought when he saw something flash in the mouth. "Could it be the crystal?", he thought as he began to slice all the branches coming his way.


    "It seems he has figured it out. Remember for how long we fought against that thing our first time? I guess he is faring much better compared to us. Don''t you think?", said Sam to Kate. They were both not getting involved for just one reason. They wanted Lucas to train himself as much as he could during the time Ben and Martha were away. And this spot was the perfect place for him.


    Lucas held his hand out and called [Icicle]. An icicle shot out of his left palm and slowed down the branch that was coming towards him. "Yes, let me show him who is the boss now", he got excited. He cast another icicle as it opened its mouth to make another sound. The whole tree began to freeze. "Never thought he would freeze the crystal", said Sam.


    After freezing the tree, he went and cut out the crystal. After removing it, he melted the Ice using [Fireball]. A notification popped up.


    [You have killed an Intermediate Tier Beast, EXP +300]


    [First time to kill a Tree Guardian, EXP +800]


    [EXP 2750/3000]


    After he saw the EXP, he was elated. "Let''s hunt some more Tree Guardians. I hope there are more", he muttered. "Well, Tree Guardians are uncommon. You''re lucky to encounter one. There are some other types of Guardians, and with your current strength, you will die when you encounter them", said Sam. Lucas gulped when he heard that.


    "Am I that weak?", he said dejectedly. Kate walked next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "You''re not weak, Lucas. It''s just that you are starting later than everyone else. Everyone had begun training their Mana at the age of seven. But with ''that'' with you, I think you will surpass them sooner than you think", she said reassuringly.


    Lucas was motivated. He took a few steps forward and turned around. He began to talk in a rather sad yet grateful way. "Thank you, Mother and Father. Thank you, Kate and Sam. You guys have always helped me when I was feeling down. Stayed with me, even when everyone shunned me away. Even when I was known as the ''Eunuch Mage'', you guys helped me defend myself. Trained with me. Made me feel that I am not neglected", he said with a shaky voice. His eyes began to tear and he wiped it off.


    Sam and Kate didn''t know what to tell him. They both loved him dearly, and they would do anything in this world to make him happy. That was how much he was cherished by these two that were standing in front of him. And Lucas loved them as much as they loved him. He leaned on a nearby tree, and he looked towards the sky that was peeking through the trees. He reached his hands into the peeking sky.


    "One day, I promise that I will become strong.. Strong enough to stand next to you rather than behind you", he said with determination.

 Chapter 22 - Surrounded!

    Lucas began to venture deeper. He had killed a few more Intermediate Beasts and had leveled up. "Status Window", he thought and it popped in front of him.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 7]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 1950/3000]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 33]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 36]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    "I can now finally find out what this Map Of Beloved does", he thought as he pulled it out from the Inventory. An old yellow scroll appeared into his palms. Its edges were weathered and it seemed like no one had used it for a very long time. "It looks like an antique", he thought. He then used the [Inspect] to get more details.


    [Map Of Beloved - An item that is used to locate people you want to find. Sync their blood with the map, and you will be able to find their location anytime]


    [Activation Required]


    [Requirements, Magic: 40]


    "Alright, seems simple enough, but how do I activate it?", he thought. He then opened the scroll, and there were a few sentences written in it. "I hurt the most when lost, yet also when not had at all. I''m sometimes the hardest to express, but the easiest to ignore. I can be given to many, or just one. What am I?", he read it out aloud. "A riddle. Maybe this is an item made by the same person?", he smiled.


    Kate and Sam now looked at Lucas and saw him frowning at a parchment. They walked up next to him and looked inside. "What''s this? A riddle?", asked Kate. Lucas nodded his head, and then he turned around. "This is something that I got as a reward when I leveled up. It''s called the ''Map Of Beloved''. I don''t know what it is, but it seems that to activate this, I need to solve this", he said to them.


    They smiled at him. "Well, you have bigger brains than we put together. Use it", they said in unison. Lucas smiled as he knew the style of the person who wrote the riddle. "So complex, yet the answer is always simple. Something that is always in front of us. And the name of the item, ''Map Of Beloved'', must have some connection to this riddle", he thought.


    He began to contemplate when he heard a howl in the jungle. ''It shouldn''t be what I think it should be", he thought. Just as he was about to get ready for combat, he saw many pairs of red eyes glowing around him. "What? But when did this happen?", he thought.


    There was a wolf that was on the front. It had snow-white fur and stood at a height of twelve feet. Its body was massive, and it was fuming its breath at Lucas. Lucas decided to use his [Inspect] on it. Just as he saw the information, he was shocked.


    [Advanced Tier Beast: Snow White Alpha]


    [It is a leader of a pack. The pack sizes vary from ten to twenty-five wolves. It can use the Ice element fluently. It can use its fur as needles, to inject paralysis in its opponent. Weak against Fire Magic]


    [Intermediate Tier Beast: Grizzly Wolf]


    [It has the strength of a Grizzly Bear and the Agility of a Wolf. Weaker than the Alpha in terms of strength, but it can fight in both bear and wolf styles. Weak to physical attacks]


    A quest popped up, making him even more shocked than before.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [Defeat all the Wolves and the Alpha in front of you]


    [Defeated Grizzly Wolves 0/25]


    [Defeated Snow White Alpha 0/1]


    [Defeated Fiery Flame Alpha 0/1]


    [Rewards - EXP +2000, Blueprint of [Icy Flame Dual Blades]]


    [Failure: Death]


    "This is a first", he thought as he saw the failure in it. "And it''s pretty much obvious. Death is imminent in this situation", he chuckled. He placed the Map back in his inventory, and he looked around. "Where is the Fiery Flame Alpha?", he thought. Sam and Kate jumped out of the circle and stood in one corner. "You sure he can handle this?", asked Kate with concern.


    "This is the first time he is surrounded by beasts of different ranks. This will happen often soon. We need to prepare him not physically, but mentally. Think of this like his mid-terms for today. And it is almost time for lunch", he commented. Kate was fiddling her fingers. "Lucas, please be careful", she muttered.


    Lucas was scanning around and didn''t see the Fiery Flame Alpha. "Alright, for now. Let''s take care of this mess", he thought. He channeled his Aura into his eyes, and he began to look for a weak spot. "Their heads are the weak spot", he thought. Just as he was about to engage in combat, a notification popped up.


    [Title: Defying The Odds is activated]


    [All stats increased by twenty five percent]


    [Status]


    [Strength: 43+11]


    [Stamina: 33+8]


    [Agility: 43+(19+11)]


    [Perception: 36+9]


    [Magic: 43+11]


    "Sweet. With this, there is a chance that I will win. But is there any way that I can increase the buffs?", he thought. But that was the least of his concerns as a Grizzly Wolf headed towards him at high speed. Using its head, it threw Lucas back into the air, and straight into another Wolf''s mouth. "Let''s activate my spells", he thought.


    [Flame Armor: Every Minute consumes 2 MP points]


    [Skill Activated]


    [Ice shield: Every Minute consumes 2 MP points]


    [Skill Activated]


    He twisted his body mid-air and plunged towards the Wolf that had its mouth open. He used the shield as a front, bashing it straight into its nose. When the wolf was about to close its mouth, he used the shield and placed it in between its teeth, not allowing it to close its mouth. After his strategic placement, he quickly withdrew his sword and plunged it into its brain from inside of its mouth.


    "The element of surprise is over. It''s time for battle", he thought as he jumped out from its mouth. He stood and took a deep breath, and he saw three wolves coming towards him. "Alright, let''s do this", he thought as he deactivated the [Ice Shield] and [Fire Armor].


    The extra buff made him move faster and his increase in strength helped him in stabbing the sword a little bit easier. He jumped straight at the first Wolf and prepared to stab it in its head. It avoided the stab by moving its head to the side, and the Wolf behind it got stabbed. "Know yourself and know thy enemy", he muttered.


    The two wolves turned around to see their brethren on the floor, dead. It howled loudly. Then, the Snow White Alpha howled loudly. Another notification showed up.


    [Skill: Battle Cry has been used by Snow White Alpha]


    [All stats for the pack have been increased by seven percent for the next five minutes]


    "They''re stronger and faster than before?", he thought. He quickly moved towards the two wolves that were mourning over the loss, and stabbed it quickly, giving it a swift death. He began to weave through the Wolves, hacking and slashing at them whenever he got the chance. He tried to get on top of a wolf but ended up getting slashed across his chest. "Am I outmatched?", he thought.


    Another came to bite him, trying to rip him into two. He quickly dashed to the side and he pierced his sword through the eyes, making it blind. Then he stabbed the head, killing it. "Four down", he thought. He quickly cast [Icicle], freezing one of the wolf''s legs in place, and jumped into the air. After landing on its head, he cast [Icicle] again, but this time, on his own feet!


    "Alright, now that I''m bound to this beast, let''s finish them while I have the height advantage", he thought. He then pulled out both his hands, and began to cast [Icicle] and [Fireball] simultaneously. As he was using these skills, burning and freezing the Wolves, he saw a notification.


    [Congratulations! Icicle has Levelled Up!]


    [Congratulations! Fireball has Levelled Up!]


    "The skills have leveled up? What changes does it give", he thought as he cast another [Icicle] as a test towards another wolf. The icicle was longer and shinier. It pierced through the Wolf faster and it was also denser than his previous Icicle. He then cast [Fireball] to see the changes. There was a slight change in size, but the most obvious change was the heat. It produced more heat than his previous Fireball.


    "This is a good thing", he thought as he killed another Wolf. He then looked at his quest to see the number of wolves he had killed. The Snowy White Alpha hadn''t made its move, and the Fiery Flame Alpha was still unseen. It was bothering Lucas very much. "Just where is it? And what is the reason for its hiding?", he thought as he killed another bunch of Wolves, leaving only two alive. He then cast a [Fireball], burning the wolf that was opposite to him, and he cast [Icicle] repeatedly to freeze the Wolf he was standing on.


    "A good thing I froze my legs on top of it. If I hadn''t taken them all out would seem a very hard task, even with the boost from the tile", he thought. He melted the Ice on his legs and cut the head clean off its shoulders. He then looked at the progress of the quest.


    [Defeat all the Wolves and the Alpha in front of you]


    [Defeated Grizzly Wolves 25/25]


    [Defeated Snow White Alpha 0/1]


    [Defeated Fiery Flame Alpha 0/1]


    "Time for Round Two", he smiled.

 Chapter 23 - An Intense Challenge!

    The Snow White Alpha stood there looking at Lucas. Its eyes were calm instead of anger rushing through its eyes. It tilted its head upwards, and let out a deep howl. Lucas felt a small tremor behind him. "This isn''t good", said both Sam and Kate simultaneously. "The Fiery Flame Alpha", Lucas muttered.


    Fiery Flame Alpha was the opposite of the Snow White Alpha. It was the same size as the Snow-White Alpha, but its fur was a deep fiery orange. It came close to Lucas''s face and let out a snort. The breath was hot that Lucas began to sweat in its heat! "As a user of fire magic, it has even made me sweat. This is a formidable opponent", he smiled.


    The Alpha looked at the other one and looked around. It saw all the Grizzly Wolves lying there, some burnt while some others had an icicle piercing out of their skull. The Fiery Flame Alpha''s s eyes showed a tinge of sadness, but it jumped towards the Snow White Alpha. Lucas used his [Inspect] skill to see the description of the Alpha.


    [Advanced Tier Beast: Fiery Flame Alpha]


    [It is a mate of the leader of the pack. It can use the Fire element fluently. It can use its fur as needles, to inject burn in its opponent. It can turn its fur into Fire, making it hard to approach it. Weak against Ice Magic]


    "If they are together, they can nullify each other''s weaknesses. They are smart. Maybe they have evolved their intelligence, hence this decision", he thought. "We must join now", said Kate. "Let''s watch. I''m interested in how he will handle this situation", he smiled. "He isn''t some experiment you can toy with!", she exclaimed.


    "I am worried, yes. But he always shows growth when he is pitted against stronger enemies. And I believe that he will come out of this fight stronger", he said with confidence. Kate shook her head sideways, but she still stayed back reluctantly. Lucas began to analyze the situation.


    "This is the worst match-up for me right now. They can nullify my attacks, and I don''t know how to use this to my advantage", he thought. For testing purposes, he threw an Icicle towards the Fiery Flame Alpha. The Snow White Alpha jumped in front of it and protected the attack from reaching it. "This is going to be a pain", he thought.


    He looked at his status to see if he had gained any EXP.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 85/100]


    [MP: 5/100]


    [Level: 7]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 1950/3000]


    [EXP Accumulated: 7500]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 43+11]


    [Stamina: 33+8]


    [Agility: 43+(19+11)]


    [Perception: 36+9]


    [Magic: 43+11]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    "Accumulated? Which means unless I complete the quest, I won''t be able to level up?", he thought. He didn''t expect that to happen one bit. He thought that after killing them, he would have enough EXP for one or two level-ups. Then using the stat points, he could fight them. "It seems like the system has other plans for me", he thought.


    He then used [Aura Jump], creating momentum to reach one of the alphas quickly. He wanted to use this as an advantage to at least injure one of them. The moment he bolted, the two Alphas bolted in his direction. There was debris flying all around from the momentum of their jumps. He began to channel his Aura throughout his whole body, bringing a slightly dark blue hue around him.


    He didn''t have MP to use any of the spells. "I''ll have to do this my way", he thought as he saw a white paw coming to his face. He quickly slid underneath it, and he used the sword to damage the soles of the paw. The Snow White Alpha roared out loudly, and it began to limp. It moved behind the Fiery Flame Alpha, and after a few seconds, Lucas felt a chilling Aura cover the area around him.


    Just as Lucas was about to move, he saw Ice needles coming towards him. It was thin and easily breakable. The problem was that there were a lot of them. "It''s overwhelming", he thought, as he broke some of the needles and dodged some. He couldn''t avoid all of it, and they began to pierce into his forearms and chest.


    [Host has been paralyzed for Five Seconds]


    "Five seconds? That''s too much!", he thought. In a fight like this, even a second can change the outcome. But now he was paralyzed for five seconds? This was asking for death to came and take him! Lucas remembered the words he said to himself not long ago. "One day, I promise that I will become strong. Strong enough to stand next to you rather than behind you. Seems like this is going to be harder than I thought", he muttered.


    "Let me try to use Stage Two Aura now. Although I haven''t yet begun the process of cleansing, it will be harder for me. But if I can, this will give me the edge I need", he thought. He began to channel his Aura out of his nervous system, and into the muscle fibers throughout his body. His eyes began to redden, and he clenched his teeth in extreme pain.


    Kate and Sam were shocked at what he was attempting. "In the middle of a fight? This needs extreme concentration. This is madness!", exclaimed Sam. Kate quickly pulled out her dagger to assist him. As she was about to move, she felt Sam''s hand on her shoulder. "Look", he said as he pointed at Lucas.


    [Paralysis effect has been forced out of the body]


    The impurities that were in his muscles came oozing out of his whole body. As soon as it came out, the notification popped up. "That''s what I was going for. These might also be regarded as impurities, so cleansing them out is the only solution", he smiled as he saw the Alphas close to his face. He smiled and stabbed the Fiery orange paw that was coming straight to his face. "ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAR", it roared out loud, shaking the ground along with it.


    The Snow White Alpha had used its Ice element to stop the bleeding and began to move in a short time. "Now I''m sure of it, these beasts have unlocked their intelligence", he said. He was still channeling the Aura, as once the process was started, it cannot be stopped. "If stopped forcefully, the body will end up being crippled, making the person useless for life", he remembered his Master''s words.


    The more he channeled, the more he felt that he could move quicker. He didn''t stop and his body response got faster. "It seems that although the numbers are higher than an average human being, the impurities in my body are what''s restricting from bringing out the full potential of the numbers", he concluded his theory.


    The Fiery Flame Alpha couldn''t use Ice to cover up its wounds, hence it was limping. It then covered its body with intense flames, but it didn''t affect the Snow White Alpha. "According to my system, it''s weak against flames. Then why isn''t it affected? Is it because they''re mating?", he thought.


    And Lucas was right. If they weren''t mates, the flames will have affected the Snow White Alpha. But since they were mates, a special connection was formed between the both of them, making them immune to each other''s attributes. But if another wolf attempts to do the same thing, it will affect them greatly. This was how the wolves increased their teamwork.


    Lucas nodded his head in admiration. "Mother Nature truly is wonderful. This is beautiful", he said out loud. Sam and Kate were confused why he was saying this. The amount of black blood that was pumping out of his muscles began to slow down. "He is reaching the final stages", smiled Sam.


    Just as Lucas looked down, the place was covered in his black blood. He suddenly felt that his muscles were convulsing with Aura. They began to course through at a high speed, and the faint dark blue around him began to grow intense. The Wolves were alarmed at the development, and the Snow White Alpha wanted to kill him instantly. Just as it was about to make its move, the Fiery Flame Alpha stopped it.


    Lucas saw it and was astounded. "Don''t they kill when they see a small sign of weakness?", he thought. The two wolves began to circle him, observing him. Suddenly, he felt some Ice and Fire needles pierce through his skin. A sudden notification showed up, confusing him.


    [Yin Yang Needle Technique has been used]


    [Releasing blocked points to make breakthrough successful]


    [Points have been released]


    [Breaking through.....]


    As soon as he saw this, Lucas was stunned. "Why are they helping me? Shouldn''t they just kill me and stay alive?", he thought. But now was not the time to worry.. It was time to break through to the next rank.

 Chapter 24 - The Beastmen

    Both Sam and Kate were taken aback by the sudden development. They didn''t know why the beasts were not attacking and instead, they were circling him around like they were waiting for something. Kate was about to jump into the fray when she noticed Lucas''s breakthrough get faster. "They''re helping him?", she thought.


    Sam was also stunned. "Could they be? But it makes no sense. I thought the Beastmen weren''t alive", he thought. Sam knew a different type of people who were formed during the times when the Earth began its changes.


    When Kate felt a hand on her shoulder, she saw Sam shaking his head sideways, but his hand was on the hilt of his sword. He was on edge, and he was watching very closely. "If they so much as disturb my brother, I will not spare them", he muttered. Kate nodded in sync and they watched the development.


    Lucas''s awareness was expanding, and he could now hear Sam and Kate talk. Even though his eyes were closed, he could feel the changes in the air and hear the heartbeats of the beasts. As Lucas was focused on meditating, he decided to inquire about what he heard from Sam. "Are you Beastmen?", he asked in a soft voice.


    The heartbeat of the beasts changed rhythm for a second. Although it was faint, Lucas heard it. "If you are Beastmen, then I know you can communicate telepathically. Why are you helping me? Aren''t we humans a threat to your race?", he asked. The Fiery Flame Alpha decided to answer his question.


    "We were instructed by our Master, that we must fight honorably. We must not take advantage of our opponent when he didn''t play dirty. And as far as I have watched you fight, you didn''t play dirty. You used everything in your Arsenal to fight the pack", came a girl''s voice into his head.


    Lucas could not communicate telepathically. Hence, he decided to ask out loud. "I see. It is an honor, to fight two honorable Beastmen. If we meet in the future, I would like to repay you for your help. But unfortunately, I would have to kill you", he said.


    "We are not here to kill you. We are here on our Master''s orders, you little punk. You dare harm her, and I assure you, that I will rip off your body, limb to limb", came a deep voice in his mind. "You must be the Snow White Alpha?", he asked. "I have a name. The name is Anthony", he bellowed. "And I am Sally", said the girl.


    Lucas was stunned. "Those are human names. They are Beastmen. But why are they wandering here?", he thought. He decided to ask this. "We are around here because we got some information that we have been searching about. We came to verify if it was true", he said. Lucas didn''t want to pry too much, as he didn''t know who they were. "I''m sorry about killing the other Wolves", he said.


    "Don''t mind, they were not Beastmen. They are just mere breeding wolves. We take them around so that we can intimidate you humans into fleeing", chuckled Sally. "You''re quite interesting though. Deciding to take on all twenty-five with such puny little strength. And you''ve managed to break through", she said.


    Just as she finished the sentence, a notification showed up.


    [Aura has been promoted!]


    [You are now a D Class!]


    [Aura: D Class]


    [Capabilities: SSS Class]


    [New techniques have been learned]


    [Aura Skin - Lvl 1]


    [Aura Skin - Create a layer of skin using Aura. It can defend against attacks and will help in absorbing the Mana from the outside world quicker. Consumes 5 MP every five minutes]


    [Rate of Increase - 25%]


    [Durability - 100/100]


    [Mana Vision - Lvl 1]


    [Mana Vision - Inject Aura into your eyes and look at the world from a different perspective. No Mana Consumption]


    "These are some cool skills. And I''ve also reached D-rank. This means I can use the Limit Breaker Potion. But for now, let me make it like a switch", he muttered.


    "It seems you do have potential. We will battle after you''ve finished. Let us see how much you have improved after this breakthrough. Just don''t kill us", said Sally in a pitiful voice. Lucas chuckled. "This is quite amusing. Although I am curious, I must not tell anyone about this", he thought. "This would not just endanger them but us too", he contemplated.


    After thirty minutes, he stood up from the ground. He dusted off and brought his sword out. He swung his arm, and it made a slicing sound. "This wasn''t there before. And yet, the numbers are still the same. Then what is my real number right now?", he thought. After he took his stance, he saw the Alphas still circle him. The needles that were piercing him fell to the ground.


    There was a total of seventeen needles. Nine Ice needles and eight Fire needles. "So this is the technique, huh?", he thought. He was fascinated by the technique that could help him in his breakthrough. The Alphas both lunged at him, but this time they were faster than before. He activated [Mana Vision] to see their weakness.


    "What is this? They have none!", he exclaimed. He was taken aback by this sudden development. He was still getting used to the speed at which his body was responding. It was a lot faster than before. "So, my number now must be nearing the real numbers", he thought. He wanted to use the Limit Breaker Potion right away, but he had a battle to complete. "From now on, it will be harder to breakthrough", said Anthony.


    Lucas was taken aback. He also knew that fact, but to hear it from someone unrelated to him was quite shocking. He ramped up his speed and used [Aura Slash]. "The pain, it''s gone", he thought. He swung his sword downwards, and a dark blue slash left from his sword.


    Anthony dodged it quickly, and he tried to hit Lucas. Lucas began to get used to his speed, and he could react in time. "What Master told us was right. He is indeed a very quick learner", thought Anthony. After exchanging a few blows, he quickly parried his strike, deflecting it towards Sally.


    Anthony''s claws cut Sally''s paw that was coming toward his back. "She is patient. The patient ones are the most dangerous ", he thought. After that move, both Sally and Anthony bowed their heads down and sat on the ground.


    "We admit defeat", they said in unison. They turned around and walked into the woods. After they disappeared from his view, Lucas quickly used the sword as support and leaned on it. "I guess I still have to get used to using my Aura for a long time", he thought. Kate and Sam came running towards him, and they placed him on his shoulders.


    "You did good, little brother. Now, let us take you back home", said Sam. Kate smiled at him. He looked at the both of them, and he smiled wide. He began to cough out black blood. "It seems that I have to make sure that every impurity is out of my system", he thought. He was slowly placed near a tree, and he sat in a meditative position, clearing every impurity out of his body.


    "That was one hell of a fight! And those wolves, I''m sure of it now", said Sam. Kate nodded her head to his words, as what he said made sense to her now. "They are Beastmen", they said in unison.


    Away from the place they fought, both Anthony and Sally were walking. As soon as they were out of Lucas''s view, they changed back into their human forms. They quickly put on a mask and wore a black robe that covered their whole body. "I''m happy that we met our Junior. Aren''t you?", she asked Anthony.


    He was sulking under the mask. "That guy is handsome. Sally might have fallen for him if I was not her mate. I could just ask her too", he thought. He was about to ask, but his mouth said otherwise. "He''s nothing but a pretty face", he snorted. They were walking deep into the forest.


    Sally then pulled out a circular device and tapped it twice. A holographic image appeared. There was a man with a mask and wore the same robe on his body. "Master, We have met with Junior as you had requested. And it is as you had said, he has a lot of potential", they made their report. "I see. What kind of potential do you see?", he asked.


    "I don''t know what kind. But I do know this. We will be needing his strength in case ''that'' happens in the future", Anthony said. "And the other investigation?", asked the Master. "It is still underway. Fear not, Master. We will complete our tasks and come back as swiftly as possible", replied Sally. After they hung up, Sally walked up to Anthony and removed his mask. He was deep in thought and he didn''t notice Sally coming close to him.


    Anthony had a chiseled face. He had a very thick beard, which was his fur. He trimmed it so it looks like a beard. His eyes were a deep blue like the ocean. He had a well-chiseled body, from his Beastmen genes. He was tall, and the aura around him was always commanding. He was the Alpha, even when he wasn''t transformed.


    Sally removed her mask, and Anthony was distracted from his thoughts when he saw her close to his face suddenly. She had a beautiful face, and her hair was a fiery red. She was a little shorter than Anthony, but her rosy cheeks and her hazel brown eyes were alluring him. She was a beauty in each way possible.


    She placed both of her slender hands on his cheeks and leaned in for a kiss. She kissed on his lips and then pulled away. "No matter how many handsome men go by, you will always be the one for me", she said to him.


    Anthony smiled. "Idiot", he muttered as he turned around. She then hugged him from behind.. "I think it''s time we do our main task?", chuckled Anthony, as he held hands with Sally and disappeared like they were never there in the first place.

 Chapter 25 - The Pendragons

    The man who had covered his face removed his mask. His face had a scar that ran across from his left eye to his left cheek. He had a white beard, and he was stroking it as he began to think. "I have to report back to my brother", he thought.


    He picked up his glass pad and made a video call. "Let me just hope that my brother is satisfied with the reply", he thought. Just the thought of his brother made him nervous. After a couple of seconds, another old face appeared on the screen. "Brother", he said with a smile.


    "Bradley, this better be something important. I am at the Empire with the King", he replied in haste. Bradley was taken aback. "Sorry for calling you at such a time. I didn''t know that you were at the Empire", he said. He then thought of how to start the report. "Alright, Brad. I''m sorry about being harsh on you. Did you check up on the task that I gave you?'', he asked.


    Brad nodded his head. He began to narrate the things that Lucas had done during his fight against Anthony and Sally. "He took on both of them? And killed twenty-five of those Grizzly Wolves?", he said in shock. Brad nodded his head. After finishing his report, he waited for a response.


    "That little brat is improving at a very fast pace. I''m happy now. Everything he had endured, as his Master, I couldn''t stand by", he said. "Well, seems like Anthony and Sally seem to like their Junior. Although he isn''t one of us, they still like him regardless", he smiled. "And as his Martial Uncle, I am quite impressed at his strength", said Brad.


    "Any movements from them?", asked the man on the other line. Brad nodded his head sideways. "We have been keeping tabs on them for years. It seems like they have truly vanished. There isn''t a trace of them", said Brad.


    "Where are Anthony and Sally?". he asked. "I sent them out to investigate something. I am also keeping watch on them through Optical Sharing as we speak", said Brad. "Anything suspicious?'', asked the man. Brad nodded his head. "But if ''they'' ever make a move, we will be with you, Brother", said Brad.


    The man on the other end nodded his head. He was pleased with his brother''s work. "Alright, enough with our formalities now. How are you?", asked the man. "I''m doing good, Leon. Life''s been treating me well. Unlike a certain someone who wanted to leave all this and go serve someone", mocked Brad. There was silence for a few seconds before they both burst laughing.


    Leon was feeling much better when he heard that Lucas was improving well. "He needs to improve", he thought. Brad began to talk about some other things when Leon stopped him. "I guess I''ll catch up with you later, little brother. See you later", said Leon and cut off the line.


    Brad let out a deep breath. "Now, back to the task at hand", he thought as he took out a brooch in his hands. The brooch was pitch black and had a shield and a sword. The shield had a claw mark on it. As he looked at it, he began to remember the oath he took. "We, The Beast Brother Duo, swear allegiance to the Heart Kingdom", a voice echoed in his head. A smile broke out on his face, and he began to watch the screen.


    Leon was doing the same thing Brad was doing. "Every time I talk with him, I am reminded of our days of the past. I just hope everything is well with him. He tends to stick his nose where it doesn''t belong. But he always returns alive", he smiled.


    A guard was walking towards the room Ben and Martha were staying in. Leon stood in front of the door, blocking his path. "The Emperor has requested for the kingdom to assemble in the meeting hall", he said and quickly turned around to walk away from the path he came. Leon knocked twice on the door, and he heard Ben call him in.


    "The purpose of our visit is a meeting. I do not know what kind of information they might have. We must prepare for better or worse", he said to Ben. Ben smiled. "Well, we always tend to attract something serious", he said.


    Leon smiled. Martha punched him on the shoulder. "Don''t jinx it", she pouted. Even though they were King and subordinate, they didn''t act like one. Rather, if one looked at them, they would think that they were a bunch of friends. And that they were. "I almost forgot. Brad called. It seems like Lucas has become stronger again. He defeated twenty-five Grizzly Wolves and took on my First and Second Disciples together. Though their strength was limited to Advanced Level", he said.


    Ben smiled wide when he heard this. "So, they''ve met. Does he know who they are?", he asked. "No, but it seems like he discovered their identities as Beastmen", he said. "As expected of our son. And after we return, ask them to visit. I need to have a detailed report on the current events", he said. After their talk, they began to move towards the corridor that led them towards the Grand Hall, which was also the Throne Room.


    They didn''t enter it. Instead, they walked further down, and they stood in front of a pillar. The pillar was tall and thick. It didn''t have any particular designs. Ben closed his eyes and placed his hand on the pillar.


    "Ratuvotualioi lifr netu, zefrnira true pituoide. For lierekpi world ekpi alice illusion, alicetu we aliratu merely players. Take neze waoifrfrem, alicetu bestow niyofrce us enlightenment", he chanted. There was a bright glow from the pillar and Ben felt a prick on his palm. Blood was drawn and a door was revealed to them. He opened the door and entered inside.


    The space inside was a total opposite of the outside. There was an elevator that was spiraling around. They stepped on it and it began to move. The walls around them were fixed with white tiles. "What in the world is this place?", asked Martha.


    "This is the hidden meeting room. This place was last used when the War of the Kingdoms happened. They wanted to overthrow one of history''s most prominent families, The Pendragons. Hence, the Dragon Empire. After the war, this place became surveillance of the Empire. Although they can monitor most of them, they are unable to micromanage things. Hence, we Kingdoms come into play", he said as they were moving upwards.


    The escalator stopped in front of a massive steel door. The door was towering high and there were lines of blue in them. "Mana Infusion", exclaimed Leon. He had only heard of them and had never seen them in real life. He was taken aback. Martha was also looking at the door, and she was about to place her finger. "Don''t", warned Ben.


    She retracted her finger and stood beside him. Ben moved towards the side of the door, and he once again dripped his blood onto the scanner. The door then popped out a retina scanner and took a full-body scan. "All credentials match with the database. Opening the doors to Benjamin Heart", said a robotic voice.


    Martha was stunned by the development of technology. "They still are developing it every chance they get", said Ben as they entered. "Long time no see, Mr. Heart", came a deep voice. Ben looked at the man in front of him and smiled. This was the Crown Prince of the Empire, Arthur Pendragon The Second.


    Arthur was a tall and handsome young man. He had blonde hair and hazel eyes. He had a clean-shaven face and his eyes were sharp. His eyebrows were slightly thin, and his pursed lips made him look mysterious. He was wearing a black monochrome suit, and he was analyzing something on the screen in front of him.


    "Where is Merlin?", asked Ben. "Father is currently busy with something. Please make yourself comfortable. Father will be here in ten minutes", he replied. Just as he took his seat, he saw the door open, and in came Merlin Pendragon, the current Emperor of the Dragon Empire.


    "Ho ho, old friend. It''s been a long time since I last saw you", he smiled as he entered. Ben got up and embraced Merlin. Arthur was taken aback when he saw the way his father treated Ben. "Who is Mr. Heart? What is his relationship with my father?", he thought.


    Merlin was an old man, his hair and beard all turned white. He was wearing a long robe and held a walking stick in his left hand. His back was slightly hunched, and he was limping slightly to his right side. "Merlin? What happened? Why are you limping?", asked Ben.


    Merlin sighed out loud. "I called you here for a reason. It seems like a new threat has risen. A threat not to just our Empire, but if left unattended, it could destroy our whole nation", he said. He took down a seat next to a glass table and tapped on it twice. After tapping, the table began to project, just like the glass pad.


    He pulled out a symbol. It was across with a circle behind it. And it was drawn with blood. "They call themselves ''The Omega''. Now the most troubling fact is that they have found a way to revitalize ''Projekt: B.E.T''", he said. Ben jumped from his seat.


    ----------------------------------------------------


    I do not know if you guys check the Author''s Thoughts, but I appreciate every single one of you who have been supporting me from the start. From every person who added to their library, and people who had reached out to me, I thank every one of them. And for the people who vote with Power Stones too!


    P.S: Uploaded a cover drawn by my talented friend, @zaree_chan! Do show her some love!


    I will be giving out Bonus Chapters when we hit the targets!


    100 Power Stones - 1 Bonus Chapter


    150 Power Stones - 2 Bonus Chapters


    200 Power Stones - 3 Bonus Chapters

 Chapter 26 - Projekt: B.E.T

    "There is no way!", he exclaimed as he jumped. "We demolished Projekt: B.E.T almost thirty years ago. And it was not one hundred percent successful", he said. Merlin shook his head sideways. "You remember, don''t you? It wasn''t one hundred percent successful, but you can still transform some parts. And even I can do so too", said Merlin as he transformed his right hand into part-beast.


    His right hand turned into tungsten, and it began to grow feathers. The feathers were razor-sharp, and they were just hanging. He then transformed his other hand, and let go of the walking stick. "This is my beast transformation, The Tungsten Crane. You must know about this beast, don''t you?", he asked. Ben nodded his head.


    He began his transformation and his legs began to transform. His legs began to form a hard exoskeleton, and there were small spikes that were protruding out from the sides. After his legs transformed, Ben just stood there, looking at Merlin. "This is my beast transformation, The Diamond Tiger Beetle. It is the fastest beast that is out there on this planet", he said.


    Arthur, Martha, and Leon were taken aback by these developments. "Does that mean that our kids have transformations too?", asked Martha. She was now worried about this. Ben and Merlin shook their head sideways. "We created a serum, which made sure that the changes within our bodies were not passed down to our descendants. The reason is that the Beast DNA which has embedded within our DNA will increase further down the line. And one day, it will be fully merged, making our descendants a new species of Beastmen", explained Merlin.


    "But there was a drawback to this project. It was not the rate of success, but rather the maintenance of the DNA. It will constantly fight over our Human DNA for supremacy. After a period of three to five years, if suppressed, they will be like me and Merlin here. If not, they will turn into something different", he said.


    "They will turn into what Beastmen know as, ''Blackguards''. They lose their minds, and they ravage on everything they can find", said Leon. Ben nodded his head. Martha was shocked. "But why to do this to yourself?", she asked. Merlin began to explain.


    "Long before we both became kings or emperors, we were both adventurers. This was before Ben had even met you. I think it should be during his first year of Banishment. We were both on a quest. It was said that there were strange sightings near the Shadow village near the outskirts of the Second Empire. We went down to investigate it", he said.


    "The village was deserted and there wasn''t a single soul in sight. As the name implies, the Shadow Village is located somewhere deep, and it is difficult to find it even during bright afternoons. The shadows that were cast by its surroundings always kept the place dark, and the vibe over there was creepy. Just thinking about it now even gives me the chills", said Ben. Merlin continued.


    "We investigated and found that the villagers had been abducted somewhere. We began to trace down, but there were no signs. Thus we concluded that it was nothing and decided to leave. When we turned to leave, we felt something pierce our necks. The next thing we both knew is that we were in a new place, somewhere different", he said.


    "As it turned out, everyone in the village was either experiments for them, or they were working so as not to end up as one. We were both test subjects. They injected beast blood into us and made us consume Beast Crystals daily. It was breakfast, lunch and dinner were foods made out of beast crystals", he paused and motioned for Ben to continue.


    "They had found out that Beast Crystals are what helped the beasts to evolve into their next form. Each beast has their limit, and every human has its limits too. And to find the limit of humans, countless lives were sacrificed, all in the name of ''improving humanity''. Both I and Merlin were pissed, and they began to fuse us with beasts. It began from Basic level beasts up to Demon Tier Beasts. They even once tried to ingest the blood of a Mystic Class Beast, but the human exploded from just a single drop", he said.


    "Until today, we do not know the purpose of their experiments. I and Merlin are the only people who survived the fusion of the beasts. We were experimented for the next eight months, as we planned our revenge against them. WE fused until the Demi-God Tier beast, and Demon Tier was the final. There was one more, but he, unfortunately, didn''t survive the Demon Tier test", he said.


    "After fusing with the Demon Tier, it began. The control of supremacy. It took almost ten years for us to suppress it. But the revenge that we planned, was taken after two years of our experimentation. B.E.T stands for Beast Extreme Transformation. They wanted to push it to Mystic, but we both managed to burn down the facility and slaughtered the head of the researchers", said Merlin.


    "Even the Doctor, who called himself as The Mad Scientist, was killed by us. We destroyed the process of the experiment with our own hands, thus we do not understand how the project has been revitalized", said Ben. "It is only possible if Mad Scientist survived. But how? We sliced his head clean off his shoulders?", said Ben.


    "No time to contemplate. I have news that the new BET''s are faster and stronger than us. They might come for either your head or mine. I called you here to warn you, and to show you another thing", he said as he pulled up a screen on the table. A Dragonfly Beast was seen on the screen. "A full BET?", asked Ben.


    "Yes. It seems like the project''s side effects were removed. There is no suppression in the DNA. Instead, the DNA''s have fused perfectly, allowing him to wield the complete capabilities of the beast. And that beast is a Demon Tier. The Preying Dragon", said Merlin. "What? How did he get his hands on that crystal? They are super rare to be even found, and even harder to fight against", said Ben.


    Ben was taken aback by the flow of events today. He never imagined that the haunting past, which he was sure he had burned down, would come back to haunt him again. "I can''t allow them to continue. Although some Beastmen think that Humans are beneath them, most of them are very friendly. And I even have one as an example with me", he thought. He began to think when he felt a hand on his shoulder.


    "It will be alright my friend. I have reason to believe that they might attack here first. Make the Empire fall, then taking you down would be easier as there would be no backup from us. I want you to stay vigilant. There will be extra surveillance over your territory, and any suspicious movement will be immediately reported. And don''t worry, the Beastmen under you will be free", he winked as he said.


    "Just how much do you know, you snooping asshole?", laughed Ben. Merlin patted his shoulder, and let them be. Arthur trodded towards Ben and sat opposite to him. "Mr. Heart", he began when Ben held his hand up. "You can call me Uncle Ben. Both I and your Father have known each other for many years. It''s weird to hear you call me honorifics", he said.


    Arthur nodded. He began to pull up some screens and showed him the weird activity that was going around the Empire. "Has anything like this happened recently near your Kingdom?'', he asked with concern. "If what father and Uncle said is true, then I would need to improve the surveillance. But I don''t know how", he thought.


    Ben nodded his head sideways. "I''ll be sure to have a lookout but tell me. What is on your mind, kid? You seem troubled", he said. Arthur was taken aback when he heard Ben. "Can you read minds?'', he asked with sparkly eyes.


    "I don''t know about that, but as a parent of three, even I can see that something has been troubling you", said Martha. Ben laughed. "Of course, I can read minds. But I do not use it. I feel like a thief when I use it. It''s one of the powers of the Beast that I and your father had merged with", he said.


    "I didn''t know Father had a past like that. I always see the happy and smiling person, and I think to myself that he is hiding his burdens. Thus, I always strive to make Father happy in any way possible. After learning this, I wonder if I will ever lift off even a portion of my father''s burdens", he muttered in a low voice.


    "Arthur, everybody is different in their ways. We, as humans, are born different. Just like how our DNA and fingerprints don''t match even with our siblings, we have our unique talents. Some might be good at fighting, some at strategy, some at inventions, and this list may just go on. But the point I''m trying to make is, you are you. Being you doesn''t mean that you can''t lift off the burdens of your father. Although that old man is stubborn, whenever he talks about you, I can hear the pride in his voice. You might not be able to do it today, but you might be able to do it tomorrow", finished Ben.


    Arthur stood there in shock. "My Father is proud of me? Does this mean that I am finally making contributions to this Empire? That I can finally let Father have some peace in his life?'', he thought as a smile came to his face. Tears of happiness began to form in his eyes, and slowly roll down his cheeks.


    "Thank you, Mister, no. Uncle Ben. I shall strive harder, and I shall bring honor to our Seventh Empire", he said as he placed his fist on his heart. "There is a saying in our family. ''Never Lose Heart''. I hope you keep that in mind", he said as he got up and left the meeting room. After leaving the room, they walked towards the place they were staying at while at the Empire.


    ----------------------------------------------------


    I will be giving out Bonus Chapters when we hit the targets!


    100 Power Stones - 1 Bonus Chapter


    150 Power Stones - 2 Bonus Chapters


    200 Power Stones - 3 Bonus Chapters

 Chapter 27 - The Interrogation

    Leon looked at Ben while they were walking back towards the room. Just as they were about to enter, he pulled Ben back. "You go ahead, Martha. I want to have a stroll around the garden", said Ben. After leaving Martha, Leon quickly asked his question. "You must have a cut a deal. As a Beastman, I know how hard it is to keep Demon Tier Beast DNA under control. So what is the deal?", he asked with a serious face.


    Ben nodded his head. He looked around before he whispered back to him. "I made a deal of co-existence with him. In exchange for living life as a human being, I wanted to use his powers. He agreed only after a severe fight over control. But now that I don''t have ''that'' anymore, it''s only a matter of time before he rises again", he said.


    "What if, I said I have a way to make you and the Emperor complete Beastmen? And merge both DNA''s? It''s only possible because of what you have experienced. After being with the DNA for such a long time, the Beast must have developed an attachment to its host. And where there is attachment, it is easy to make them merge together. We just have to make you both acknowledge each other, and you will be a complete Beastman. I do not want My King, and best friend to turn into a Blackguard. I can notify Brad about the process", said Leon.


    Ben began to think about the benefits of the process. "To become a complete Beastman? There are advantages, but I must learn about this beast to gain a full understanding so that I can control this power better. And I do not want to become a Blackguard", he thought.


    After their small talk, Ben went back to the room. he sat on the bed and began to think about the words Leon had told him. Just as he was about to conclude, there was a knock on the door. "Come in", said Ben. The door opened and in came a messenger. "Prince Arthur has requested that King Heart join him immediately", said the messenger.


    Ben stood up and walked towards the messenger. "Lead the way", he said as he signaled Leon to follow behind. They both began to follow the messenger towards a door and the messenger turned around. "I am not authorized to lead you further. You may enter this door, but not one word of what you see is allowed to leak from here. Do you understand?'', asked the messenger.


    "I understand. May I know if the Emperor is inside?", he asked. The messenger nodded his head and gestured for him to enter. Ben entered and Leon followed from behind. The path in front of him was dark, but that wasn''t an issue for Ben. He snapped his fingers and a fireball was seen floating above his head, illuminating the path in front of them.


    The path was wide enough for two people side by side. The walls were a deep shade of purple, and Ben began to wonder where he had seen this familiar scene before. "I feel like I''ve seen these brocks before", he muttered as he touched the brick. Leon was following Ben''s hand movement, and he saw something that Ben failed to see. "These aren''t bricks. They''re stones from the Time of Change. This place, is bursting with Mana", said Leon.


    Leon was fascinated by the change in the environment and he was wondering if this was since this castle has been standing for a long time. Although it has been renovated several times, the structure of the building remained the same. And the underground structures weren''t touched in any sense, making it a place where the Mana had mixed with the structure.


    Ben was walking along when he heard a deep voice from the darkness. "You will tell me where you came from, whether you like it or not", came a voice. Ben and Leon recognized the voice. "It''s Merlin. Seems like he called us to an interrogation", said Ben. Leon nodded his head and walked behind Ben. They began to run towards the sound, and their footsteps attracted Merlin''s attention.


    "It seems like our guests have arrived", he smiled. He then gestured for Ben to enter and Leon began to inspect the beast with curiosity. "Hmm. Although this is a Demon Tier Beast, the capability it is displaying is that of an Emperor Tier. This can only mean one thing, that this person, is not capable of bringing out the full capabilities of the bloodline. Or in your case, he hasn''t merged completely with the bloodline", he said.


    Ben and Merlin were taken aback by the information. "Then why isn''t he turning back into a human? There should be a reason behind it right?", he asked. Leon began to investigate the Beastman in front of him. "It seems to be a forced manipulation. Someone is not allowing him or her to transform back into a human", he said.


    Both of them were stunned. "This is weird. The person who experimented on us shouldn''t be capable of doing all this. And if he is truly behind, think of him creating an army strong enough to take us down", said Merlin. "This is complicated", Ben thought. Just as they were contemplating on how to interrogate the beast, Leon asked them something that took them back.


    "This Mad Scientist, when you fought him, what Beast did he turn into?", he asked. Ben and Merlin clearly remembered the type of beast he turned into. "It was not one beast. His limbs were that of a Mantis, and his legs were that of a cheetah. But the strength behind it was abnormally strong", said Ben. "That strength matched the same level of a Direwolf''s", said Merlin.


    "I see", he said as he scratched his chin. They didn''t understand why he asked such a question. But if Leon was asking such a question, it means that there must be something in his mind. Leon then stopped his investigation and stepped aside, allowing Ben and Merlin to take over.


    Merlin stepped back, as he was tired of interrogating the Beastman. Ben stepped up, and he looked at the beast in its eyes. "A truly fascinating creation, you beasts are. I wonder, what will happen if I take this interrogation up a notch?", said Ben. Leon''s shoulders shuddered unconsciously. Only he knew what kind of an interrogation Ben did.


    "Your Majesty, I think we should just wait outside", said Leon. But Merlin didn''t move. "Don''t worry. I know of his methods because I was the one that taught him those in the first place", said Merlin with a devilish smile plastered on his face. "Truly devils", thought Leon.


    Leon knew what their enemies called Ben behind his back. "The Grim Reaper", that''s what they called him. To the people he loved, he was the most caring and adorable person to walk the face of the Earth. But to anyone who was his enemies, hell rained upon them. He didn''t know about Merlin, as he hadn''t met him a lot. But Merlin too had a nickname amongst his enemies, "Hades, The Lord of the Underworld".


    Ben looked to the side and saw tools on a silver tray. He picked up a pair of gloves, and he wore a surgical mask on his face. "Shall we begin?", he said with a smile underneath his mask. "This is something new. I hope this will give us new information on this ''Omega'' group", thought Merlin.


    Ben took a silver scalpel and slowly began to cut the nerves behind the right thigh. "Give me a name, and I will give you a swift death. And don''t pretend you do not understand me. I know you do", said Ben as he slicked clean. Blood began to spurt out from the wound, and for the first time, the beast shrieked.


    "SCRRREEEEEEECCCCHHH!". it screamed. Ben began to slice the left thigh, and it kept squealing. Blood was flowing down its thighs, but Ben didn''t stop there. "What was that name? The one they gave me on the battlefield? Ah, yes", thought Ben. "I am The Grim Reaper, and I have come here to collect your soul. Surrender peacefully, so that you may not suffer in the depths of Hell", he said with a smile.


    To Ben, he was just role-playing. But to the Beastman, it looked truly horrifying. His body shuddered. "Ready to talk?", asked Ben. The Beastman nodded his head. "Pl... Please spare me...", it said in a female voice.


    "So, you''re a woman. Let us start. What is your name, and what are you to The Omega? And finally, what is the name of your leader?", asked Ben in succession. The woman''s face began to transform back into a human, but the body didn''t. She was quite good-looking. She began to answer the questions.


    "My name is Gina Williams. I am from The Village of Messengers, on the outskirts of the Empire. We were all kidnapped one night and ended up in The Omega. I do not know what I am to them. Maybe a disposable tool? Or someone they use to further their research? Or just a pawn in the grand scheme of things? I truly do not know. But what I do know is that I am nothing in their eyes", she paused wincing.


    "Every moment that I have been living, I feel like I am in Hell. That man, the leader, I do not know his name. But what I do know is that he calls himself The Zookeeper. And we are his caged animals. But there is someone above him. I overheard him once talk to someone, but I do not know his name. I have one final request", she paused again. The light was fading from her eyes due to the loss of blood.


    "Please kill me. Before The Zoo....", her words were paused as she saw a knife with the Omega symbol pierced in her heart. Ben and the others were taken aback. They quickly turned around to look at who it was. The man standing behind had a smile on his face after killing the woman.


    "Hail Omega!", he said as he fell to the floor. Ben quickly walked towards the man. He was pointing his finger towards the woman as Ben neared him. "I love you, Gina....", he said as his final breath left his body.

 Chapter 28 - Till Death Do Us Apart....

    (An hour before Ben''s Interrogation)


    A man could be seen walking up and down the room, he was in. The room had plain white walls, and there were no windows inside. The only light source for the room came from the ventilation that was above, and that too was blocked by Iron bars placed in between them. "Gina, where are you? The mission shouldn''t have taken this long", he thought. This man was none other than the person that killed Gina.


    Just as he was panicking, he heard an announcement through the speaker which was in one of the corners of his room. "Number 00753, step into the Arena", said the speaker. He was shocked. "It shouldn''t be my turn today. Unless..", his thoughts paused as he ran through the now open door.


    The Arena was a place in the facility that he was in. It was an entertainment platform for extremely rich people. The more entertaining the fight was, the more money The Omega would earn for their researches. Then, the winner might get a Tier upgrade based on the performance. "Gina, please be okay", he thought as he ran.


    In the Arena, there was another man that was standing. He was almost six feet tall, and his muscles were bulging. His top was bare, showcasing numerous scars on his back, and a scar that ran across his chest. "Number 00891, or Kevin", he muttered under his breath. Kevin let out a roar that shook the floor of The Arena.


    "Kevin, don''t make me do this man", he whispered. Kevin spoke in a voice that was only audible to him. "It''s better to die at your hand than to die at their hands. Please show mercy, and kill me swiftly. And it was an honor knowing you, Thomas", he said. Thomas was taken aback by his words.


    Kevin quickly turned into a grey wolf, but the transformation was only limited to his hands and legs. Thomas then activated his beast form. His normal eyes turned completely red. His back grew a pair of transparent wings. He then flew at a high speed, creating ripples in the air as he moved forward.


    The Zookeeper, who was broadcasting this, took this opportunity to comment. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the odds of the bets are 2:0.75. Number 00891 has the highest chance as he is an animal, while the other person is an evolved insect. Place your bets", he said in a static voice.


    Thomas was fast even for the wolf to catch him. Kevin quickly used his strength to catch him, but Thomas evaded it quite easily. Kevin got mad, and he roared in anger. Thomas took this opportunity to slow down and he looked at Kevin. "I will give you the death you want. And one last battle. Battle to your heart''s content!", he said.


    After he said that to Kevin, he disappeared. Kevin sniffed around, and with his heightened smell, he sensed Thomas behind him. He quickly turned around and was about to connect the hit to his head. But Thomas''s eyes were quite different from an ordinary one. He could see the trajectory of the leg, and thus dodged it quite effortlessly.


    He began to confront him in hand-to-hand combat. The bets were stacked in Kevin''s favor. The Zookeeper saw this and smiled. "I guess it''s time to finish this facade", he thought as he pressed a button in front of him. The Arena began to shift and Thomas was thrown back. Structures began to pop out from underneath them.


    "The City?", he thought. And he was right. A city was erected in the place they were fighting. Kevin smiled as he lunged towards Thomas, and he dodged it. Kevin then began to fight once again, but this time blasts were heard through the air. "What kind of power is that?", thought the other prisoners that were watching the battle.


    Thomas then transformed his fingers, into thin and sharp blades. He then slashed at Kevin''s chest, which made him jump back. "Come. Let me give you peace", said Thomas. He wanted to prolong this battle, but the next thing he heard made him want to finish it instantly. "The one who wins will be sent on a mission", was what came through the speakers.


    Kevin smiled. "Let''s finish this, shall we? I know you want to see her since she has been stuck outside. And I want to meet the person I loved", he said in a sad voice. Thomas nodded his head. He understood the pain he was in. "Then this is goodbye. May you find Solace", said Thomas as he thrust his fingers through Kevin''s chest, ripping out his heart.


    "Thank you", were the last words of Kevin. Blood was dripping as he held Kevin''s heart that was slowly stopped beating. Kevin''s face had a wide smile, and he fell to the floor of The Arena. "And the winner of the match is Number 00753. Iron Fly", announced The Zookeeper.


    Thomas wasn''t happy. Instead, he was sad. Extremely depressed even. "I had to kill my only friend for my selfish desires", he thought as he looked up at the ceiling. "May you forgive me, Kevin", he said as he clenched his fists. A pathway opened in front of him and he began to walk through it, hoping that this mission was something related to Gina.


    After he reached the place, there was a dark glass in front of him. "Iron Fly. We, The Omega, have a mission for you. Your mission is to kill a person that has been caught and kept under strict surveillance. Eliminate Number 00654, and then eliminate yourself", said a robotic voice.


    Thomas was taken aback. "That number, Gina was caught? But how?", he thought. She was a person who could fly, and she had insane strength that even made anyone among the prisoners shake in fear. "I can''t tell you who they were caught by. Infiltrate this palace, and eliminate her", said the robotic voice, and the glass in front of him turned dark.


    He then felt a sting on the back of his neck. His world turned dark, and the next thing he knew was he was out in the open. There was a green forest in front of him, and he was lying just in front of it. "I guess the mission has begun?", he thought. He quickly moved and ran through the forest, skipping any beast he saw.


    "The more I delay, the more she is in danger. I don''t care about myself, as the moment I accepted this mission, I had sacrificed myself. But if I fail, they will send those monsters after her, and she wouldn''t be able to handle them", he thought. Almost forty-five minutes had passed ever since he had accepted the mission.


    The palace in front of him was large and he looked around. He then activated his transformation and flew from the forest into the palace at high speed. The moment he entered, he deactivated the transformation, but he had his iron fingers on him, ready to slice any threat he saw. But luckily for him, there were no guards in the palace.


    He quickly ran, remembering the layout that was shown to him. He reached the door through which he had to enter the interrogation place. There were two guards outside, but he didn''t want to kill them. Se he took flight, knocking them out in an instant.


    After knocking them out, he pushed the door but it didn''t budge. Then he saw something peculiar. "What is this?", he thought as he placed his finger on a scanner. It blinked red. He then picked up the guards and placed their fingers on the scanners. It flashed a green light, and the door in front of him hissed open.


    "I have to go in quick", he thought as he was about to take off. But something made him stop and wait until the door opened. He was also in awe of the tech behind the door. "But this tech might be a little backdated from the tech in the prison", he thought. He then moved slowly, as he activated the transformation in his eyes.


    His compound eyes allowed him to see in the dark, like night vision. He walked by the walls, listening keenly as he tried to hear the sounds of Gina. As he reached the end, he saw a light on his right side. He heard a voice talking, but it was faint. "Gina, are you there?", he thought.


    He then began to tiptoe towards the cell, using his Fly abilities to keep him hidden. He then listened to what she was saying. ". But what I do know is that he calls himself The Zookeeper. And we are his caged animals. But there is someone above him. I overheard him once talk to someone, but I do not know his name. I have one final request", he heard and he paused.


    He knew what that request would be. As someone from the same hellhole as her, he knew what she was going to ask. His heart was wrenching at the thought that she wanted to die. He waited for her to say those exact words. " Please kill me. Before The Zoo....", she said.


    Thomas''s body went out of control as he threw something. "No. No. NO!", he said in his mind as he saw the knife going towards her. "Move, Dammit", he thought. But his body wouldn''t listen. "Hail Omega!", he said. He then felt something in his mouth, and he bit it. Nothing that was happening was under his control until he left fluids flowing into his stomach.


    After that point, he knew his death was near. He stretched his hand to look at the woman he loved, her head slowly falling towards her chest. He then muttered his final words. "I Love You, Gina.....".

 Chapter 29 - System: Upgrade!

    (The Heart Palace, During Ben''s meeting with Arthur)


    Lucas was back at the palace, soaking in a tub filled with water. "This smell, I hope it doesn''t happen every time I upgrade my class", he thought. He then summoned up his system window, and there was a message right in front of him.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Defeat all the Wolves and the Alpha in front of you]


    [Defeated Grizzly Wolves 25/25]


    [Defeated Snow White Alpha 1/1]


    [Defeated Fiery Flame Alpha 1/1]


    [Rewards - EXP +2000, Blueprint of [Icy Flame Dual Blades]]


    [Failure: Death]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    Lucas smiled wide. "Although I didn''t kill the Alphas, it seems like the system considers them running away as a defeat. But I wonder, how do they look when they''re human", he thought. The slight fragrance of the bath entered his nose, making him feel more relaxed. He then claimed the rewards that were to be claimed.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Defeat all the Wolves and the Alpha in front of you]


    [Rewards - EXP +2000]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [Obtained Blueprint of [Icy Flame Dual Blades] x1]


    [Do you want to use Accumulated EXP?]


    [Yes/No?]


    Lucas was thinking just how much EXP he had accumulated through the quest. One thing he was for sure, it was a lot. "Last time I checked, it was around five thousand or something?'', he thought. "Anyways it will be a good thing to add them", he thought.


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [Level: 10]


    [EXP: 950/5000]


    [Stat points to be used: 15]


    After looking at the stat points that he had accumulated, he smiled. "Now, let me distribute it among my stats. I want to make this even", he thought. He then began to think hard. "For now, Strength and Magic seem to be the highest. And my Stamina and Perception seems to be low. Let me see how to even it up", he thought.


    After some thinking, he decided to bring up the stamina to the same level. He will even the stats out as he earned more points in the future. He then called out his status window and looked at his stats.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 100/100]


    [Level: 10]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 950/5000]


    [System Level: 1/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 43]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 41]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    [System Upgrade Available]


    [Do you want to Upgrade? Yes/No]


    Lucas was stunned. He was wondering what this System-level was when he saw it the first time, but now he was sure of it. It''s not only him that needs to level up, it''s the system too. "An Evolving system?'', he thought. He didn''t think too much, as he knew this system was something that gave him his powers, or more importantly, made him seem normal in the world.


    He clicked Yes, but then he saw a warning floating in front of him.


    [You will not be able to access the System for 3 hours]


    [Proceed? Yes/No]


    Lucas was then shocked. This was something new to him. He didn''t expect this to happen. He thought t would be something instantaneous. "Will the system functions be available?", he thought. Like it read his mind, a prompt appeared in front of him.


    [Inventory and stats are accessible. All spells and others are under lock]


    "That''s quite troubling", he thought. He was slowly adapting to this system, and the way he can cast spells instantaneously was breathtaking to him. He then thought about the hunt he had to continue. "Or should I polish up on my blacksmithing skills? It has been a long time since I went there again", he thought.


    He then decided that he would do some smithing for the day until his system came back up. He also wanted to make his own weapon before he ventured outside. He was excited about making his weapon. He then took a deep breath and clicked on the ''Yes'' as the system window froze.


    [Upgrading... Time left 03:00:00]


    Only the inventory tab was accessible to him. And his stat bar was accessible but that was something he didn''t need. He then took out the blueprint and began to study the weapon design. "This is perfect for me", he smiled as he jumped out from the bath, and quickly ran to his room, naked.


    He dressed up very quickly and he quickly opened the door. Both Sam and Kate were standing outside, waiting for him to come out. "Shall we go now?", asked Kate in her sweet voice. But Lucas didn''t mind them as he dashed past them, running down the corridor. "Just where are you running off to?'', said both of them as they followed behind him.


    Lucas weaved through the corridors, running extremely fast. "He has gotten faster, hasn''t he?", said Sam while smiling. "let''s kick it up a notch", smiled Kate back to him. As soon as they said that, they ran faster than before. ''Where you off to, Lucas?", asked Kate as she ran next to Lucas.


    "I got a weapon design, and it''s quite interesting. I want to go smithing", he smiled. "To the smithy?", she asked. Kate knew of his hobby. Other than sparring and practicing with Master, there was one other thing he was good at. And that was blacksmithing.


    "You sure you want to meet that old dwarf?", she asked. Lucas''s face twitched for a second, but he then smiled wide. "I''m sure he would help me once he sees the design", he smiled at them. They were quite surprised at his comment. "That Old man?", said Kate and Sam simultaneously.


    Lucas then arrived at a door that was on the lowest floor. The door in front of him was tall, and beyond that door, lies the Palace''s Smithy. Or as the people in the Palace called it, ''Iron Forge''.


    He was on edge as he opened the door, looking around frantically. "If it isn''t Third Prince? What brings you here little boy?'', came a haughty voice from behind him. The voice was haughty and raspy, but Lucas''s eyes were filled with respect.


    He turned around in an instant, and he quickly kneeled down. "Forge Master", he muttered under his breath. The Forge Master was extremely short than Lucas. He was a dwarf. Dwarves were one of the races that were extremely popular for their weaponsmithing and technology development. "I guess their brains are only filled with these things anyways", Lucas thought when he met the Forge Master for the first time.


    Everything he learned on the path to becoming a blacksmith was taught to him by Forge Master. "Forge Master Henry, I have a new design", he said. Henry, though short, had a muscular body due to all the forging he had done. His white hair and beard made him look quite like an old man. He then looked around before he signaled for Lucas to follow behind.


    Both Sam and Kate didn''t expect this to happen. They thought that Henry would just scoff at him like he usually did. But there was something that was telling them, that this time it could be something amazing. After entering, Henry closed the door.


    "Lad, the last design you brought sold very well in the market. This time, what is it?", he asked as he licked his lips in anticipation. It was like he was waiting for Santa to hand him his gift, but the words that left Lucas''s mouth shocked him. "This is a personal weapon. This is for me. As I will be leaving after a few days", he smiled at Henry.


    Henry forgot that Lucas was going to be sent away. He smiled wide. "Then let me see the designs. And if there are any flaws, we can make amends like last time", he said. Lucas nodded his head as he took out the Blueprint that he had received.


    Henry looked at it and instantly his eyes went wide. "Is this your own design? Or did you steal them, kid?", he asked. He couldn''t help but say those words. "This design is perfect. How long did it take for you to complete it? Wait, how did you even complete such a complicated design in the first place?", he asked as he eyed Lucas suspiciously.


    Lucas chuckled nervously. Among the people who knew about the system, Henry wasn''t one. And Lucas couldn''t tell him about it. He was about to tell something when he saw Henry jump onto the table in front of him. "Have you finally started using that big brain of yours?", he asked.


    "Maybe I have", Lucas replied. He then looked Henry in the eye. "So, will you help me?", he asked. Henry began to laugh out loud. His laugh began to reverberate through the room. The room was a small room, which only had a table in the middle and a drawing board on the right. A window to allow some sunlight in, and a lamp to look at the blueprints more clearly.


    "Let''s go, kid. Let''s make you this fine piece of art", he said. Lucas smiled but then stopped Henry. "I need guidance. I want to make this one myself", said Lucas.. Henry turned his head slowly, and the tension in the air rose between them.

 Chapter 30 - Hardwork Never Fails!

    Henry looked at Lucas, and his tone was threatening. "Boy, if you don''t want to damage the final product, I suggest that you back down", he said. His tone was flat, but it carried a tinge of authority. Lucas wasn''t going to back down either. He stared at Henry in the eye. "If you''re worried about the output, I can assure you that it will turn out fine", he said as he released a little bit of his aura.


    As soon as Lucas released his Aura, Henry was taken aback. "This.... when did this happen, kid?", he asked. It seemed that Henry knew what he was dealing with. Lucas began to explain what happened during the fight, and omitting the parts about his system. Henry listened keenly, and then he nodded his head. "Kid, it seems that the Aura within you has changed due to two factors", he said.


    Lucas was stunned. "Changed? What do you mean?", he asked. He always thought that this Aura was within him, but when he heard this from Henry, he was confused. "Yes, kid. The Aura that was within you, was not the Weapon Master''s Aura. But it was a Martial Artists Aura. I think that you is most of the time in the forge, and you being next to me when I worked, changed the Aura within you", he said.


    "Is that even possible?", he asked. Henry nodded his head. "I am one of such case. I am a swordsman and a blacksmith. At first, I had two separate Auras within me. But then Leon taught me how to fuse them into one", he said with a smile. "And ever since then, my work efficiency also increased", he said.


    "Maybe, you didn''t need to fuse your Aura, but when you faced a crisis, it might have fused under the sheer pressure. It is also another method of extreme awakening. It can be a possibility", he said. Lucas nodded his head, taking all the information in him. "And the Weapon Master''s Aura, it is not something that someone is born with. This is how they form themselves. And thus, that is why they are considered one of the powerful Auras out there", he said.


    The final sentence caught his ear. "There are other Auras that are strong as this one?", he exclaimed. Henry laughed out loud. "That shall be a tale for another time. Now, let me teach you how to harness your Aura in Blacksmithing", he said. As the system was under upgrade, he thought that it would be impossible for him.


    But then he realized something. "Even without the system, I can control my Aura? Then can I use my spells too?", he thought with a smile. He then said [Icicle], but there was no reaction. "Or maybe not", he thought as he watched Henry leave the door.


    Henry began to guide Lucas through the Forge. There were rooms with steel doors, and there was the sound of banging on all sides. "They are truly hardworking", he thought. He then saw Henry opened a room with his key, and they all entered inside. Sam and Kate were curious, so they followed Lucas down here.


    After they entered, Henry motioned for Lucas to sit on the ground. "Do you know how to meditate?", he asked. Lucas nodded his head and sat on the floor cross-legged. He began to meditate and do what Leon had shown him to do, but he didn''t channel it into his bones, as he did not want to end up like Leon''s best friend.


    Henry looked at him with deep interest. "It seems that the boy has broken through the Second Stage, and is now in the Third Stage. An impressive feat, kid", he said. As Lucas heard that, a smile began to form. "The old man seldom gives compliments", he thought. His body began to envelop in a dark blue hue.


    "His Aura is much denser than mine. Maybe, it might be possible with him", Henry thought. He placed his hand under his chin, and he began to scratch as he went deep in thought. "You can stop, kid", he said and Lucas stopped. He got up from the floor, and he barely broke a sweat. "It seems like this kid has developed his resistance quite quickly too. Most people will be sweating by now", he thought.


    Lucas patted the dust away from his pants and looked Henry in the eye. "Do I pass?", he asked. Henry laughed out loud again. "You are a peculiar one among your lot. Even the Crown Prince''s mouth is shut", he said. Lucas just shrugged his shoulders. "That''s who I am", he thought as he shrugged.


    Henry then picked up the hammer and gave it to Lucas. "Now, channel your Aura into the hammer", he said. Lucas smiled, as it was quite similar to channeling it into a sword. He quickly followed the same process, and the hammer began to glow. Henry smiled as he saw that.


    "As expected. The kid has channeled it into weapons before. But the next part is going to be the tricky part", he thought as he picked up the anvil and placed it in front of Lucas. He then gave his instructions. "Strike the Anvil. And when you strike, transfer all your Aura into the Anvil", he said as he smiled.


    Lucas was determined to learn. He had already learned how to smith before. So he knew what needed to be done. "But transfer my Aura to another thing without me channeling?", he thought. "This is going to be quite challenging. But I am not someone who never backs down from a challenge", he smiled with determination. Seeing the smile, Henry knew what was going to happen.


    "That smile. It''s been a long time since I have seen that smile", he thought. Lucas hit the Anvil and tried to transfer his Aura. But the moment he hit the Anvil, his aura dispersed. Lucas knew this was going to be hard. He began to strike it again and again, but the result always seemed to be the same. "What am I doing wrong here?", he thought.


    He began to think about the actions that he was doing. He hit the Anvil, and after that, he tried to channel his Aura through the hammer into the Anvil. But the moment he tried to do that, the Aura dispersed instantly. "Maybe, I should not channel my Aura, but transfer the Aura that is within the hammer?", he thought.


    He then decided to try what he thought, and it showed some results. The Aura that was within the hammer began to move into the Anvil, but not all of it. Only a tiny portion was transferred while the rest of the Aura was scattered around. "Go ahead", said Henry. Lucas understood what he was trying to say.


    When teaching, Henry was a man of few words. He would let you do all the thinking, and if he deems that it is time for some guidance, he only shows tells them something vague. But for Lucas, being under Henry for quite some time helped him in understanding his way of teaching.


    And so, Lucas smiled. He knew what he was saying and he began to hit the Anvil fervently. Slowly but steadily, The Aura that was transferred into Anvil grew. After about an hour and a half, the amount of Aura transferred into the Anvil was ninety percent. Henry was still amazed when he saw the progress that was made by him.


    "This kid never ceases to amaze me. Every time just creating miracles", he thought. The last time he taught him to blacksmith, he quickly learned it. He was even one of the best forges in the Iron Forge. Many people were amazed by his talent, and they thought he would be the one to succeed Forge Master Henry.


    But they knew making Lucas a successor was not possible. They just left it up to fate. Henry was now watching as Lucas transferred almost one hundred percent of his Aura into the Anvil. "Do this for the next one hundred times", said Henry in a commanding tone.


    Lucas nodded his head. He also had to make this second nature to him. It had been a long time since he picked up a hammer and did some blacksmithing. After finishing it a hundred times, Henry took out the ingredients from his apron.


    There were two dark red crystals, and there were two Blue clear crystals. But the other two crystals were different. One of them was a deep purple, and the other was a dark blue. "The four, I get it. But what are these two for, Forge Master?", he asked. Henry smiled. "They''re the same element, only that they are dark", he said.


    Lucas was about to drop the crystal in his hands when he heard what he said. "Dark Black Flames and Dark Water?", he asked. Henry nodded his head. He then placed another block that was silver in color next to the crystals. "We will also be adding one of the strongest metals known. Vibranium", he said.


    Lucas then began to look at the blueprint and the materials. The only things matching were the fire and ice crystals. "But why these?", he asked. Henry smiled. "Let''s upgrade your blueprint. The weapon design and everything shall be the same, but there will only be a change in the materials", he said.


    Lucas smiled. "Well, if Forge Master has set him mind, there is nothing that can stop him", he thought. He also knew how much experience Henry has in making weapons.. And thus, he trusted in Henry''s judgment.

 Chapter 31 - Lucas... The Smith?

    "I wanted to know why the Dark Element Crystals?", asked Lucas. He didn''t understand about the Dark element things. Thus, his question to Henry. Henry began to explain. "Any element that has been connected to Dark Energy, can be used together. Ice and Fire are total opposites, but when connected with Dark Energy, they can be fused to form a new type of attack. Thus, I added them though they are not in the blueprint", explained Henry.


    Lucas nodded his head when he heard the explanation. "Though I understand very little, I think I get the gist of things. A new attack? That would be super cool. And this rock, I don''t know what this is?", he thought as he picked up a rock that had an uneven surface. It was not like a rock, rather there was a faint green light that was pulsing through it. "That is a special ingredient. This is going to be a game-changer. He he", laughed Henry.


    Lucas was taken aback. "For Forge Master to say that this must be something important. Something more important than Vibranium", thought Lucas as he placed it back carefully on the bench. Lucas then picked up the Fire and Ice crystals and placed them in two different containers. He placed them in the furnace and waited for ten minutes.


    The containers began to glow orange, and the crystals were molten into a thick liquid. The Fire crystals were burning Orange, while the Ice crystals were bubbling blue, and yet there was a chilly smoke coming from them. He picked up the Vibranium and began to melt it, and he began to mix the metal with the crystals. "Here, mix this too", said Henry as he handed a mixture of both the Dark crystals into one container.


    Lucas was confused but he didn''t ask any questions as he knew time was of the essence at the moment. He picked out the mold and poured both the mixtures into the mold, as the mold was for dual blades. He then began to shape one blade, and let the other cool down. "Don''t forget to channel your Aura when you''re hitting. Every strike needs to have your Aura embedded in it", said Henry as he watched Lucas hammering.


    "He is a quick learner. Worthy of a Weapon Master''s Aura", muttered Henry as he watched Lucas hammering away. Sam and Kate were watching keenly. "His weapon has begun to take shape. I hope he will be able to expand his knowledge during his journey", said Sam as he watched Lucas hammer the blade endlessly.


    Kate on the other hand was nervous. "Such concentration. If the weapon fails, I hope he doesn''t take it to heart. I don''t want him to feel depressed due to failing his weapon", she thought. Lucas was hitting the blade, shaping it. As he had added more crystals than needed, the process became a little harder than it should have been.


    "I will overcome this obstacle. I am a Weapon''s Master", he muttered to himself. Henry heard his muttering but he didn''t mind it. "There is a long way before you can call yourself that. But for now, I will let this slide", he smiled. Lucas''s face began to sweat and his arms began to ache. He placed the blade in a pot of oil to let it cool off. Flames began to burst forth from the blade.


    "This oil has special properties. This will help in bringing out the full potential of a weapon", said Henry to Lucas as he began hammering away at the next blade. The blade was halfway cool, and a little frost began to form. As Lucas began to hit, the frost began to fall off like flakes. "Come on. If I let this cool down now, the metal won''t mix properly. I need to beat the hell out of this", he thought as he began to hammer more violently.


    "Control your emotions", said Henry as he saw the look on Lucas''s face. As soon as he heard Henry''s voice, Lucas came back. "That''s right. If I lose control now, everything will be for naught", he thought as he began to take deep breaths while hitting. He never stopped channeling his Aura once whilst hammering the blade. The sound of constant hammering and Lucas''s deep breathing filled the room.


    Sam and Kate began to sweat profusely. "We will be waiting outside", they said and left the room. They both let out a deep breath and sat down on the porch that was outside of the room. The sound of hammering was echoing in their ears, and they just closed their eyes. Inside, Lucas was sweating, and he set down the second blade in the oil. The oil then let out a chilly blast, which was enough to bring the heat in the room back to normal.


    "Now, you will have to do this two more times", said Henry as he sat back on his chair. Lucas nodded his head and began to work. "There is still almost one hour left till the system is back up and running. I wonder what kind of new updates will be available", he thought as he hammered away at the Fire blade once again.


    After another thirty minutes, the blades began to take shape. The impurities within the metal and the crystals had been taken out by repeatedly hammering and heating. After he dipped them in the special oil, he did the process for one last time. "Place them in the oil together this time", said Henry. Lucas didn''t understand why, but he followed his words.


    As soon as he placed both the blades in the oil simultaneously, there was a twirl of fire and ice. "This is marvelous. Fire and Ice are intertwining with each other. They shouldn''t be attracting each other, but they are. I wonder how long this will happen", thought Lucas. "Another few minutes and it will be over. This is the doing of the dark crystals", said Henry.


    Lucas was stunned. "So this is the reason for adding the Dark Element crystals. This is something that I should take note of. And I must ask him something before I leave. I want to learn the methods of becoming an Inscriptor Blacksmith". he thought. After a few minutes, the procedure was done and the twirling had stopped.


    Lucas picked it up and looked at the blades. He then began to attach the hilt of the blades. "Wait. Don''t use that. I made this during the time you were smithing. Think of it as a parting gift for your journey", said Henry. Lucas''s heart was filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Forge Master", he said as he took them in his hands.


    "Twenty-five minutes left until the system is back up. Now, let''s assemble the blade, sharpen it and test its efficiency", he thought. He placed the blade in the hilt and attached them. After fixing them, he looked at the weapon and he was satisfied. He presented it to Henry, and he inspected it. "This is a marvelous weapon. And to do it in your first try", said Henry. Lucas tilted his head in confusion.


    "Try it out first, then you will understand. Go on", said Henry as he shooed him out of the room. "And meet me after one hour. I have something to give you", he said as Lucas left the room in ecstasy. Lucas began to run away from the Iron Forge towards the training area on the grounds. Sam and Kate followed suit.


    As soon as he entered the training grounds, he began to swing his sword fervently. "It doesn''t feel new. It feels like I have been living with this blade my whole life", he thought as he swung it around. He didn''t know if it had any skills yet as his system was asleep, but there was the device that he used first before he got the system. He wanted to check out, but somehow he held back his curiosity.


    "Eighteen minutes until the system is back online", he thought. He saw Sam and Kate on the sides. "Want to give it a try?", he asked them. Sam was bewildered. He ran forward and snatched the blades from him. "This is so heavy. How in the world are you holding them both in two hands?", he asked. Lucas shrugged.


    "It isn''t heavy for me. It feels extremely light. It feels like an extension of my hands", he said. "That''s because it hasn''t adapted yet", came a voice. Lucas turned and saw Henry smiling. "Try swinging it, Crown Prince", he said. Sam began to swing and soon after, it became as light as a feather. "This is groundbreaking", he said. Henry smiled.


    He then handed it to Kate. Her expressions changed from strain to happiness and ecstasy, all in a few swings. "It''s like the blade has a soul of its own, and it''s adapting to its wielder", said Kate. Henry smiled. "That''s true, Princess. The ingenious design by Lucas and some modifications of my own, have brought out this masterpiece", said Henry. Sam and Kate turned to look at Lucas with awe in their eyes.


    "Lucas Heart, just make sure you don''t make a lot of these", said Sam. Kate nodded her head. "We don''t want anyone coming for your head outside", said Kate. They both understood the meaning behind this invention. This is worth a lot of money. "Form here on, I shall be known as Lucas Smith", he said with a cheeky smile on his face.

 Chapter 32 - System Level Two: A.I. Valentine Heart

    They all had a hearty laugh for a few minutes and Lucas left with Henry as he had something to discuss with him. They both entered Henry''s room and Lucas sat down in a corner. Henry went towards the table and opened the drawer. After a few minutes, he saw the top of the table slide open. "This is a secret compartment. I have been saving this to give it to you", said Henry as he pulled out a black book.


    "This notebook here belonged to my dearest friend. He left the palace a long time ago, in search of new methods of smithing. Or to be more precise, he was an Inscriptor Blacksmith. He once saw a weapon that was handed to him, and he was taken aback in awe. It came from the outside, and he had no knowledge in how to repair it at that time", said Henry. Lucas was listening keenly.


    "He gave this notebook to me when he returned. He said that there are nine volumes spread throughout this galaxy. One notebook will lead to the next. And if someone with nefarious intentions began to use these techniques, then the universe will be in chaos. This here is the first volume", he said and handed over a thick black notebook to Lucas.


    Lucas took the notebook and flipped open the first page. "This technique, isn''t this the one that I just used?'', he asked Henry. He smiled. "Yes, that is the test technique. Only those who are worthy will be able to perform them, or that''s what my friend said to me. I''ve tried that technique a lot of times and only recently did I master it. But you made it in your first attempt. Which means that you are more suitable to hold this than me", he said.


    Lucas placed his hand on Henry''s shoulder. "Do not fret, Forge Master. If I ever learn all of these techniques, then I shall teach you how to as well. You have always been with me, teaching and nurturing me, guiding me towards the right path", said Lucas. Henry''s eyes began to sparkle, and he held Lucas''s arm. "You will?", he asked in a shaky voice. Lucas nodded his head.


    "Thank you", he said as he shook his hand fervently. He was about to kneel down to him when Lucas stopped him. "I will see you later, Forge Master", he said as he left the room. He headed towards his room and fell on his soft bed. "Only two minutes left until the upgrade is over", he muttered. He then studied the notebook. "For the weapon to be complete, one must bound it to him by blood. Carve your Blacksmith mark onto both of the blades, and place a drop of your blood on it", read the notebook.


    Lucas took out his carving tool which he had in his room and began to carve his Mark. After carving it, he pricked the tip of his index finger and placed a drop of blood on both of his blades. He picked up the notebook and saw a formation drawn in it. "So, to become an Inscriptor blacksmith, one must even know formations. It''s a good thing that it is in the notebook", he thought.


    [System Upgrade is Complete]


    Lucas was elated as he saw the notification. Just as he was about to check out what was new, a voice sounded in his head. "What year is it? Ugh", said the voice. Lucas dropped to the floor. He picked up his blade and looked around frantically. "Who goes there?", he asked. "Who goes there my arse! I am the creator of this system, you stupid arsehole", said the voice.


    "Huh? So you''re inside my head?", exclaimed Lucas. "Where else would I be, you dimwit! I still do not understand why Benjamin did this. How many years have I been asleep? Hey kid, what year is this?", asked the voice. "It''s the year 2248", said Lucas. "It''s been six years?! Tell me, kid, what''d I miss?", he asked.


    "First, I need your name. And what in the world are you doing inside my head?", asked Lucas. "Ah, where are my manners. My name is Valentine Heart. And I am the first wielder of this system", he said. "You''re the First Ancestor?!", asked Lucas. "Yes, I am. Now tell me, is that Benjamin still King?", he asked.


    "And why are you inside my head?", asked Lucas. "I am what you may call bound to this system. I and this system have become one now. We were gifted this power in exchange for our very soul. I happily agreed as this would keep me alive to right the wrongs which I had done. And watch my descendants grow up", said Valentine. Lucas was trying to understand what Valentine was trying to say.


    "You''re too young to understand my words. Maybe someday you will, but not today", he said. "How long have you owned the system?", asked Valentine. "Maybe about a week, or two. I''m not quite sure", he said. "That''s quite something you have right there", said Valentine. Lucas didn''t understand and he began to look around. "Those blades over there. It seems like you are a dual wielder, just like myself", said Valentine.


    Lucas smiled as he picked them up. He almost forgot about the binding process which he was doing due to the voice inside his head. He picked up the notebook and was about to draw a formation when Valentine told him to stop. "Draw the formation as I tell you so that it would be less likely to be unbound by a third party. I was a formation master during my roaming days. Haha", said Valentine.


    Lucas began to follow his instructions. "Although First Ancestor is bound, his voice tends to get annoying", he thought. "Hey kid, I can hear your thoughts", he said. Lucas just scoffed and continued drawing. After finishing it, he dropped five drops of blood in five different circles of the formation.


    The formation began to light up. "Ek hereby claim that lierekpi weapon pieralioioi watu bound by liertu cealinetu frde holy liertutu lifr Lucas Heart. Bind!", chanted Lucas. (I hereby claim that this weapon shall be bound by the name of holy thee to Lucas Heart. Bind!). The formation glowed up bright, and Lucas''s eyesight began to fade. After a few moments, he woke up.


    [Weapon has been bound to user]


    [Icy Flame Dual Blades - Growth type Weapon]


    [Current - Advanced Tier Weapon. Growth until Demi-God Tier]


    [Passive Skill - Increases efficiency of Ice and Fire related Magic spells by 100%. Can be increased as Weapon grows]


    [Active Skill 1 - Icy Flame Blast]


    [Create a blast of Fire and Ice towards opponents. An Area of Effect skill. 5% chance to cause Frost-Burn to enemies. Cooldown time of five minutes]


    [Active Skill 2 - Chains of Hades LV 1]


    [Attaches a pair of chains to the user''s forearms and helps in increasing range in combat. Requires Combat Mastery to bring out full potential. No cooldown]


    [Combat Skill - Fusion]


    [Fuse the elements of Fire and Ice to create new attacks. No cooldown]


    After seeing all the information, he was stunned. "Chains attached with swords? How will I be able to maneuver them?", he thought as he pictured it. "Nope. It''s going to be hard to master that particular skill. But once done, it is going be a great skill in my arsenal", he thought. He wanted to test it out, but then he heard something from Valentine.


    "Seems like although your stats are quite high, you aren''t able to bring out the full potential?'', asked Valentine. "Do you know how?", asked Lucas. Valentine laughed but didn''t answer him. "You will have to remove the impurities in your body. Or, I could force them into your body, but that would be a very painful process. I suggest you take the first route. Until you haven''t brought out the full potential, don''t increase your stats", he said. Lucas just nodded his head.


    He looked at the time and saw that it was just four in the evening. "There are still three hours left until sunset. Maybe I should just go for a hunt in the woods", he thought. He left to look for Sam and Kate. After he found them, they left for the woods again. "I guess I must go a little bit deeper than before. And Kate, here", he said as he handed Kate her weapon back.


    He picked out his new weapon and wanted to test it out against some beasts. "Although I do want to know what this Growth type is, and how I made one, I am more eager to test this out in battle", muttered Lucas as he walked deep into the woods. The deeper he went, the lesser the beasts were. "That''s strange. Shouldn''t there be more the deeper I go?'', he thought. Just as he was about to venture further, he heard a roar.


    "That sounds like Sally. What is happening?", he thought as he began to run across the woods, jumping from tree to tree.. "I hope they are alright", he thought as he rushed.

 Chapter 33 - The Sphinataur!

    (After parting with Lucas)


    Sally and Anthony were running through the woods towards their main objective. The one they had come to investigate. "Head North for another two hundred meters and you must be there", said Brad. "Yes, Boss", they said as they followed the directions given to them. Anthony chuckled. Brad on the other end chuckled as well. "If anything turns out dangerous, I want you to turn tail and run. We can always investigate it later", said Brad.


    Sally and Anthony acknowledged his orders. They arrived at the place and what awaited them wasn''t a peaceful forest. Instead, the place was ravaged and torn apart. "Could there have been a Blackguard here?", muttered Anthony as he began to inspect everything. Sally, on the other hand, began to inspect the dead beasts that were lying around.


    "These beasts have been torn apart. Ravaged like a hungry beast. Blackguards don''t eat this way", she said. Anthony came to the same conclusion. They were both looking around when they heard the roar of a beast near them. "Come on quick, we have to hide", said Anthony as he pulled Sally away.


    They both hid behind a tree, waiting for whatever made that sound. "Look", pointed Anthony. Sally looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a beast that was walking towards the carcasses that were spread around. "That''s not a Beastman. It''s an abomination", said Anthony. Sally nodded her head.


    The Beast that was standing had the body of a human, the head of a lion, and the lower body was that of a horse. It was towering at the height of nine feet. "But how? What are these?", he thought. The beast began to eat the remaining flesh on the carcasses. Sally and Anthony began to tiptoe their way out.


    "There is no way I''m fighting that thing", he thought. He pulled Sally''s hand and together, they began to flee the scene. "What is that?", asked Anthony in the earpiece. Brad who was on the other line saw what they were seeing. "I think that should be some kind of experiment. Someone is conducting experiments on how to create Beastmen. I just hope they don''t succeed. If they do, it will be the end of us", said Brad whilst scratching his chin.


    They were fleeing from the scene and the Beast that was feasting didn''t mind them. It kept on feasting, and they began to run once they were out of range. After some time, they felt the ground shake. "An earthquake?", asked Sally. She turned and saw Anthony frowning. "Whatever happens, don''t turn back", said Anthony as he pushed Sally in front of him.


    Sally didn''t understand why he said that. As soon as he pushed her away, the beast that they saw came running towards them. "Anthony!", she screamed as she saw the beast head butt Anthony and pushing him away from her view. Trees were crashing down and Anthony began to transform. "First Form Transformation", he muttered as his hands and feet began to transform into Beast parts.


    Sally hid behind a tree. "If he is in extreme danger, I will dive in", she thought as she peeked over to look at the fight. "Get out of there, now!", came Brad''s voice on the other end. "No", she said firmly. Brad let out a deep breath. "Then let me scan for any weaknesses", he said as he began to type something on the keyboard in front of him.


    Sally was looking at the fight. The beast tore a limb from one of the carcasses and began to use it as a club. "Die, you abomination", said Anthony as he slashed his hands towards the limb, tearing it off. "I... Not Abomination", spoke the beast. There was smoke coming out of its nostrils.


    Anthony jumped back the moment he heard the voice. "You can speak?", he said. Sally was taken aback by the development. The beast began to bang its hands on its chest. "I.. Name... Sphinataur", it said. Anthony was trying to reason out whatever it was saying. "Alright, Sphinataur. Can you turn back into a human?", he asked. Sphinataur tilted its head in confusion.


    "Human? I... Not human. I... Sphinataur!", it roared. It began to bang its chest again. "It seems like it''s a failed experiment. But we can extract a lot of information from it. Make sure to capture it alive", said Brad. Anthony and Sally both nodded their heads. Sally began to transform into her transformation. "First Form Transformation", she muttered.


    After the transformation, Sally jumped out of her spot to give the Sphinataur a surprise attack. But the Sphinataur raised its hind legs and kicked Sally straight to her jaw. "Crack!", came a sound as Sally was sent sprawling to the ground. "My jaw", she thought as she began to massage her temples. She then plucked out her needle-like fur and began to perform some acupressure to relieve the pain.


    "This is going to be harder than I thought", she muttered as she healed her jaw. Anthony was furious and was about to jump in anger when he heard soft music play through his earpiece. "Calm now? We need you to focus, not destroy everything that is in your path", said Brad.


    Anthony nodded his head and began to focus on the task at hand. He dashed towards the Sphinataur and hit its head. It fell to the ground, and Anthony began to choke its neck. "Think, Sphinataur. You are human. You can turn into one", he whispered in its ears. The Sphinataur''s eyes began to turn red.


    "It''s enraged. Once its energy depletes, we will be able to capture it alive", he thought. But then, the human body began to turn into that of an ape. It first turned its hands and slammed its elbow against Anthony''s head. His vision began to go blurry, and he let go. Using its arms, it thrust itself up and stood tall again. Sally swooped in and picked him up, ready to run away.


    After a few minutes, Anthony began to whisper. "He is confused. He isn''t in the right state of mind", he whispered to her. "What are you going to do? Talk some sense into that, I don''t know what to call it, pea brain?", she screamed. Anthony slowly left her grasp and stood once again. He closed his eyes as his vision was still blurry. "To make me use my second transformation, you must be one tough cookie", he thought as his nose and his body began to transform.


    After he transformed into the second form, his healing powers took over and began to heal him quickly. He was still standing like a human, but his body had almost completely transformed into a wolf. Sally looked at him and nodded her head. After the dizziness had faded, he began to grow his claws.


    It grew longer until it reached a length of four inches. Anthony then jumped forward and kicked up some dust in the process. Sally coughed. "At least let me know before you do it", she said as she was coughing. The Sphinataur rammed its shoulders into Anthony, pushing him back. Anthony dug his claws deep into its flesh, and blood began to flow out.


    "The blood, it''s red?", he thought. "It''s definitely an experiment. I don''t know what kind of twisted experiment this is, but if it is a failed one, then expect the successful ones to be much stronger", said Brad as he was watching everything.


    "Sphinataur... Strong. You... weak", it said as it was huffing through its nostrils. If Anthony was angry before, now he was mad. He jumped high and cupped both of his hands into a fist. He then slammed it onto its head, knocking it down. "You think you''re strong? You have a long way to go", he scoffed. Its front legs began to change. "What in the world?", he thought as he watched.


    The front legs transformed into that of a lion''s. "Anthony, I want you to run. This is something only I can handle", said Brad as he got out of his seat. "No. If I can''t improve myself, what is the use of me being an Alpha?", he said. "Now isn''t the time for your pride, Anthony. RUN!", said Brad. Anthony didn''t heed his words and began to block each attack that was thrown towards him.


    Sally was hiding, waiting for the perfect moment. "Sally, when the time comes, I want you to knock him out, and run away from there, I am on my way", said Brad. Sally just nodded her head but didn''t reply. "I can win this", thought Anthony as he increased his speed and strength to match the Sphinataur.


    He blocked every punch that was made by it. "Kitty style?", he thought as he began to watch every move closely. "Someone''s trained it. Kitty style is a lost art", he thought. It slashed across his chest, drawing blood. "You''re not the only one who knows Kitty Style", he said as he began to do the same moves as the Sphinataur.


    After a few blows, Anthony began to be overwhelmed. "Unless I go to my third, I can''t use my magic efficiently", he thought. He thought but then just threw it out of his head. "Screw this. I''ll have to go all-in", he thought. He didn''t transform, but he used Ice to freeze both of its hind legs, restricting its movements.


    Then, he covered his claws with Ice and began to slash them at it. "Wolf Style: First Form. Claw Thrust", he muttered as he thrust his hand into its chest. It roared out loud and thrust its paw into Anthony''s stomach. "That was a fun fight", he thought as he looked down at the paw, sinking into his guts. Sally''s eyes began to tear as she let out a roar.


    The Sphinataur was about to attack Sally, but it couldn''t take its hand out of Anthony''s stomach. "Not on... my watch", said Anthony as he coughed out blood. His vision was fading. "Only one way to live. I have to go to the final stage", he thought as his body began to transform. Suddenly there was a roar from the Sphinataur. "ROAAAAAR!"


    "You fought well. I guess it is time to pay back my debt to you. Rest well, Mr. Anthony", he heard a voice and fell deep into darkness, stopping his transformation.. "I leave it to you, Lucas Heart", he said as he closed his eyes.

 Chapter 34 - Lucas Vs. The Sphinataur!

    Lucas then placed Anthony in Sally''s arms. He then looked towards the Beast that was fighting against him. Sally pulled his sleeve from behind and gave him an earpiece. He fitted it into his ears, and he heard someone speak from the other end. "There is no time for me to explain. We need that Beast captured alive. Either you keep it busy until I get there, or help them both escape", said a voice from the other end.


    Lucas was about to answer when a quest popped up in front of him.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [Capture the Sphinataur 0/1]


    [Rewards - EXP +3000, Skill [Rage Mode]]


    "What is this Rage Mode? But whatever, let me concentrate on the task in hand", he thought as he looked at the Sphinataur.


    [Sphinataur - Tier Unknown]


    [A mutation of the Lion, Ape, and Minotaur DNAs. Due to them merging, it is highly unstable and may lose control at any given time. Unable to identify the exact Beasts used in the mutation]


    "Wow, something even the system doesn''t know", he thought. "Haha. The System doesn''t know all. It only knows things that have been recorded down in the history of things", said Valentine. "Yeah, right. I almost forgot. Do you know how these systems came by?", asked Lucas as he picked up his blades. Sam and Kate were about to jump in when Lucas held up his hand.


    "I can take care of this. If I cant'' just back me up with some spells", he said. Sam and Kate jumped to the back along with Sally in tow. Lucas jumped forward, towards the Sphinataur. It stretched out its hand and flicked its finger at Lucas''s forehead. "You... Weak", it said. Every time it spoke, smoke came out of its nostrils.


    Anthony began to heal himself, and the dizziness began to face away. He opened his eyes and saw Sally''s face. He placed his palm on her cheek. "Hey, I''m alive, aren''t I?", he said in a weak voice. Sally burst into tears as she heard his voice. "You are not allowed to do that again", she said as she hugged him tightly. Anthony coughed.


    "I can''t promise you that. But I can say that I am out of danger for now", he said as he sat up. "Where are you trying to go?", asked Sally as she stood in front of him, her arms spread wide. Anthony smiled and patted the space next to him. Sally sat down, and he laid his head on her lap. "For now, let me watch Junior''s improvements since last fight", he said. Sally''s face began to turn pink, but then she just nodded her head and began to stroke his hair.


    Lucas was getting pummelled each time he tried to attach the Sphinataur. "Weak. Weak. Too Weak", it kept saying in each hit. "Keep saying that. Eventually, you will lower your guard. That''s when I will strike", he smiled. Sam and Kate, on the other hand, wanted to jump in. But when Sam saw the smile on Lucas''s face, he held back. "He has a plan", he said to Kate.


    They didn''t know his plan, but they knew the smile he made when he had one. Thus, they stood their ground. "Kid, your HP is dropping low. There''s only about thirty left", said Valentine as he watched Lucas getting beat up. "Alright. Now is the time", he thought as he was rolling for how many times, he lost count. He activated his Aura and began to channel it through his muscles.


    He then moved from the place he was standing, and the only thing the Sphinataur saw was his afterimage. Lucas slashed his weapon at the back of its neck, drawing blood along with his strike. The Sphinataur turned around in shock. "You. Not Weak?", it said. Lucas smiled wide. "Any potions on you, Kate?", he asked. Kate took out a potion from her small pouch and threw it in the air. The Sphinataur saw this and was about to catch it.


    "Not today", he thought as he activated his [Aura Jump]. After he grabbed the potion, he activated [Aura Slash], sending a dark blue slash towards the airborne Sphinataur. It cut through one of its front legs, making it lose its balance for a few minutes. Lucas landed and downed the potion without giving it a scan.


    [Advanced Health Potion has been consumed]


    [HP +80]


    [Remaining HP - 110/100]


    "Wow, would you look at that", he thought. He had 10 HP points extra. "It''s not going to be there forever anyway. I might get rid of this beast in the meantime", he thought. The Sphinataur began to regenerate its lost limb. "That ought to take some of its energy away", he thought. Just as he was about to engage, he heard Anthony''s voice. "Try cutting off its limbs. I''m sure at one point, it will not be able to regenerate", he said.


    Lucas nodded his head and jumped back into combat. "Let me test the skills of my new weapon", he thought as he closed the distance in an instant. "[Icy Flame Blast]", he thought and the blades began to light up. The fire blade turned orange while the ice blade turned a chilly blue. Then, energy began to seep out of the swords. Lucas smiled when he saw this.


    He did a vertical slash and the energy left the blade, twirling together. The Sphinataur tried to jump out of its way, but it was sadly a bit slow. The blast pushed the Sphinataur back ten feet, and its legs began to freeze.


    [Frost-Burn has been applied. Duration - 10 seconds]


    "Sweet", he thought. The Sphinataur was wriggling in pain, and its legs gave way. It fell to the floor, and Lucas placed his blade against its neck. "Any last words?", he asked as he activated [Mana Vision]. His view changed as he began to scan for any weaknesses. He then saw a point at the base of its skull. "That must be its knockout point", he thought.


    The Sphinataur didn''t say anything. "You. Human. So Strong?", it asked. Lucas was about to say yes, but then he remembered many other people who were stronger than him. "No. I am not strong. I am weak. Weaker than you think. Without this weapon, I may not have been able to defeat you. I don''t know if you understand what I''m saying", he said as he let out a deep breath, looking towards the skies above him.


    The Sphinataur tiled its head, clearly confused. "Human. Defeat. Sphinataur. Human. Strong", it said. It couldn''t talk in a flowing sentence, but it tried its best to make one. Lucas squatted before the Sphinataur and smiled. "Yes, I defeated you because you thought I was weak. If you knew I was strong, maybe I will be the one in your place", he said as he faced the Sphinataur.


    It turned its head towards Anthony. "Me. You. Change. Human?", it asked. Lucas understood what it was trying to say, and looked at Anthony. "I think it wants you to teach it to revert into its human form?", he said. Anthony nodded his head sideways. "That''s not possible. Unless we drain its energy, it can''t revert to its human form. But to be able to speak out aloud in its beast form, the person must be very intelligent", he said as he got up from Sally''s lap.


    Lucas nodded his head. He was thinking of a way to explain it to the Sphinataur when it took the blades from his hand. It slashed at its other hand, and it regenerated. It kept on doing this until it could no longer hold the blade. "Human. Cut hand. I. Change. Human", it said. Lucas didn''t want to do it, but there was no choice for him. "Please forgive me, Sphinataur", he said.


    The Sphinataur nodded its head, and Lucas slashed off both of its arms. It began to regenerate, but this time the rate was slower than before. Lucas''s hand began to tremble slightly as he was about to slash again. "Do it, Lucas. Do it so that you can put them out of misery. This transformation was unintended, and the person is unable to control their powers. Only after reverting, will we be able to teach them to control their powers", said Anthony in a firm tone.


    The Sphinataur was now whimpering, and it didn''t make a sound. He slashed at the hands again, and he closed his eyes as he couldn''t picture cutting it again. "Please, don''t regenerate", he thought. His heart was heavy, and he opened his eyes slightly. He saw two human hands in place of the Ape hands. He then looked at its legs and saw that it was still in the form of a horse. He slashed at it, and it didn''t regenerate.


    The horse form began to shrink back into a human form. "Do I need to slash at its head?", he thought. He was about to when he saw the head turn back into a human. And in front of them laid a naked handsome man, who was snoring out loud. "I am....zzzzz", he muttered asleep.

 Chapter 35 - A Heart To Heart

    After ten minutes, Brad arrived at the scene and he picked up the man and wrapped him around in a cloth. "I guess I must introduce myself. My name is Bradley Ashfield. Leader of the Surveillance of the Heart Kingdom", he said as he extended a hand towards Lucas. He shook his hand. "Are you related to Master?", he asked. "Ah yes. Leon and I are brothers", he said.


    "But I never heard him mention you?", asked Lucas in confusion. "Ah yes, about that. You can ask Leon when you meet him. It seems like I would have to cut our chat short", he said as he waved his hand. "See you again, Lucas Heart", said Anthony as he left along with Brad. Lucas smiled and waved back at him. "Truly interesting", he muttered.


    He then summoned up his system to claim the rewards.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Capture the Sphinataur 1/1]


    [Rewards - EXP +3000, Skill [Rage Mode]]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    "Of course yes", he thought and claimed his rewards.


    [Rewards - EXP +3000]


    [EXP: 3950/5000]


    [Skill - Rage Mode]


    [A skill that activates when the Rage meter is full. The user loses consciousness when activated. Upon 100% Mastery, User will be able to maintain consciousness whilst using this mode]


    "That''s like a double edged sword until I master it. And how do I go about mastering it? I don''t even know. Maybe Valentine might know of the best method?", he thought. "Kid, although I can teach you the best way to go about this, there isn''t much I can help with the mastery stuff. It all boils down to how much effort you are willing to put into it", he said.


    Lucas then called out his status window.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 110/100]


    [MP: 85/100]


    [Level: 10]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 3950/5000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 43]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 41]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    "It''s going to take a lot for me to level up now, huh?'', he thought as he saw the EXP required to level up. "Well, naturally. You can''t just keep on leveling up as you wish", said Valentine. Lucas sighed as he didn''t know any other way to level up. "Well, I could use the Dungeon key", he thought as he pulled it out of his inventory. He then looked at it and placed it back, as his mind was full of other things.


    "Let''s head back. I''m tired for the day", he said as he began to leave the woods. Soon, they came back to the palace, and they entered inside. He then walked towards his room, and he sat down in a meditative pose. "The third Stage is going to be harder, as I have to reinforce every bone individually", he thought. "Can''t I just push through as I did with the first two stages?'', he said out loud.


    "Unfortunately, you can''t. Because this time, it''s not just the bone that you''re infusing with Aura, but your marrow too. Marrows are too soft to handle such an intense Aura. Thus, one must infuse it slowly and steadily. Maybe you can do it this way if you like. Infuse the Aura in until it reaches 95%, then you can do it one big sweep", said Valentine.


    Lucas thought back to his Master''s friend. "I just hope that I don''t end up like him", he thought. He then shook his thoughts away, as he had something more important at hand. He placed his blades next to him, and he began to look at them intensely. "The blades are super sharp. If I cover them with Aura, then I should be able to save my weapon''s durability longer. But for now, I don''t have the ways to do it", he thought.


    "A growth-type weapon, huh? It means that I must feel it something for it to grow. Let me use the system and see the Growth requirements", he thought as he used the [Inspect] skill on his weapon.


    [Icy Flame Dual Blades - Growth type Weapon]


    [Current - Advanced Tier Weapon. Growth until Demi-God Tier]


    [Growth Conditions - To move it up to the next tier, Make it absorb three Advanced Tier Crystals of Fire and Ice attributes. After reaching the threshold, absorb a Legendary Tier Crystal of the same attributes]


    "Which means that I must absorb almost eight crystals just to move it up one tier? What kind of debauchery is this?", he thought. "You thought the techniques of the Legendary Inscriptor would be that easy to satisfy? Haha", laughed Valentine heartily. "You know about this Inscriptor Blacksmith?", asked Lucas to Valentine.


    Valentine was still laughing as he heard Lucas''s question. He was elated. "Kid! I never knew you would be this ignorant. During the time I had this system, there was nothing about this man. But after almost a century, his name began to ring in the cosmos. He created the most Legendary of weapons. For any Inscriptor Blacksmith around this Galaxy, his notebooks are their goal. Many have spent their lives, looking for these notebooks", he paused, letting Lucas absorb all the information.


    "This notebook is worth so much?", he asked. "Is he alive?", he asked. "That, we do not know. Some believe that he is alive, roaming around in the cosmos, searching for his successor, and these notebooks are nothing but a test. Some say that he has passed, and has put all of his teachings into those nine notebooks. For which is true, I do not know. But for you, being a Blacksmith and a System Holder, I wonder...", he trailed off.


    Lucas was about to shout out loud when he heard the door being knocked. he then stood up and when to look at who it was. After he opened the door, a pair of arms came and hugged him. "I thought I told you not to do anything mischievous", came his mother''s voice. Lucas hugged her back. "Well, can''t argue now", he thought as he looked at his Dad who was behind her.


    "How was the hunt?", he asked as Martha let go of him. "It was good. Did I carve the crystals out of the beasts?", he began to think. "I think I didn''t. My bad", he said cheekily as he scratched his head. "Be responsible next time, Luca. If you don''t take those crystals, someone else will claim them, and they will get paid more", said Martha. Lucas nodded his head.


    "Here you go", said Ben as he handed him a bag. He opened it and saw many crystals inside. "But I thought I didn''t remove the crystals", he thought. "You didn''t. It''s a good thing that Sam and Kate were around to help", he said as he beamed his smile. They then talked for a few minutes when Martha got up to leave. "I''m feeling tired, and I''m going to take a shower. Have some rest, Luca. Tomorrow is going to be a long day", said Martha as she left the room.


    Ben closed the door and looked at Lucas. "I heard that you fought against some new type of Beast?", he asked as he cocked one of his eyebrows. Lucas gulped as he saw that look. "Am I in trouble?", he thought. "Am I not supposed to fight against it?", he asked nervously. He was prepared to get reprimanded. "You even saved Anthony and Sally, and met up with Brad?", he asked again. Sweat began to form on Lucas''s forehead.


    "Yes?", he said in a shaky voice. The look on Ben''s face changed to one of concern. "Look, son. I am not going to say that what you did was wrong. Rather, it''s quite commendable. The deed you had done is something that will help this Kingdom in the future. And I am grateful for that. But, next time. Make sure that your identity isn''t known to the outside that easily. Some eyes are watching us from the shadows, waiting to strike us when we are weak", he said as he placed both his hands on Lucas''s shoulders.


    "And you, my son. Aren''t strong enough yet. The dangers that are lurking around, aren''t something that you can handle at the moment. Maybe in the future, yes. But not now", he said. Lucas hung his head low. "Am I weak?", he asked in a low voice.


    "No, my son. It isn''t a matter of whether you are weak or strong. Rather, it is a matter of survivability. You know that I love you, right?", he asked as he looked straight into Lucas''s eyes. Lucas saw the eyes of love and worry. "These eyes, they''re not of discrimination. These are the eyes of someone, who doesn''t want to lose something precious to them", he thought. He then shook his head.


    "Yes, father", he said. Ben then let out a huge sigh. "Now, let''s talk about how you kicked that Beast''s butt if it had one", he let out a hearty laugh. "Man, this whole deep talk stuff took the energy out of me", thought Ben.


    They both talked late into the night, and Lucas later fell asleep on the bed.. "Good Night, son", he said as he planted a kiss on his son''s forehead.

 Chapter 36 - Getting Ready

    The next morning came and Lucas woke up to the sound of birds chirping near his window. "Good Morning", he said to himself as he let out a yawn. He stretched his body, as he got ready for the day. "Mustn''t forget my Daily tasks", he thought. "Let me check if there are any changes", he thought as he opened up the window.


    [Daily Task Updated]


    [Do 150 push-ups 0/150


    Do 150 sit-ups 0/150


    Do 150 pull-ups 0/150


    Run for 5 Km 0/5 Km


    Meditate for 1.5 Hrs 0/1.5 Hrs]


    [Rewards - +3 Strength, +3 Agility, +2 Perception, +2 Stamina]


    "What? The tasks changed but the rewards are the same?", he thought. "Yes", said Valentine. "I still haven''t gotten used to this guy in my head", he thought. "I am not some random guy! I am Valentine Heart! The First Ancestor of the Heart Family! The Wielder...", he ranted on as Lucas tuned out his voice and concentrated on the tasks at hand.


    After four hours, He sat down on his bed, exhausted. "Man, although I have increased my strength, it still feels like I''ve been hit by a truck", he muttered as he wiped the sweat off his body. He then took a quick shower and left his room. "What shall I do for the day?", he thought. He then saw someone walk towards him.


    "The King has ordered you to come to the throne room, Third Prince", he said and turned back. Lucas just nodded his head and followed behind him. After entering the throne room, he saw all of his family members present. "What is going on?", he asked. "Well, as you have completed the Test of Banishment, you have earned the right to leave this palace and explore this vast world", said Ben.


    "But before that, you must have obtained the Map Of Beloved, right?", he asked. Lucas nodded his head. "I almost forgot about that one", he thought. He then summoned it out from his inventory and opened it up. There still was the riddle that he saw the first time.


    "I hurt the most when lost, yet also when not had at all. I''m sometimes the hardest to express, but the easiest to ignore. I can be given to many, or just one. What am I?", he said. He then looked at his family. "Is there only one riddle to solve, or will there be a succession of riddles to solve?", he thought.


    "So, let me think. If this is written by the same person as the one under the Northern Palace, then its theme is going to be Simplicity. And this time, there is a definite theme, as the item''s name suggests, ''Map Of Beloved''. Something related to people whom we cherish", he thought. Martha was looking at his face and she smiled. "You can do this", she said within herself.


    Lucas then read the riddle again. "I hurt the most when lost, yet also when not had at all". What is he trying to mean from this line? Companions? Well, it does make sense as when you lose a companion, it hurts and if you don''t have one, you begin to feel lonely, which can be interpreted as a form of hurting", he thought.


    "I''m sometimes the hardest to express, but easiest to ignore. This line is something that isn''t relating to my answer, but maybe there must be something deeper within my answer. What does companionship share? Feelings. They are the hardest to express, and sometimes the easiest to ignore", he thought as he began to scratch his chin.


    "I can be given to many, or just one. If feelings are brought over here, then it is one feeling in particular. Which feeling is it? Friendship? Brotherhood? Family? No, not all these. Something is missing. Could it be Love?", he thought. He then bit the tip of his finger and wrote his answer on the sheet. The whole Map lit up bright, making Lucas close his eyes.


    After a few seconds, the light died down, revealing a map of the world. "So, now how do I add the people I want to locate?", he asked. In the bottom right corner, there was a count. "Currently: 0", it read. He then looked at his father. "Father, you must know how to add members, don''t you?", he asked as he looked at Ben expectantly.


    Ben nodded his head and came forward. He then placed a drop of his blood onto the Map and closed his eyes. His heartbeat became erratic for a second and went back to normal. After that, the number changed from zero to one. Lucas jumped in joy. Everyone then followed the same procedure, and the number increased. He looked at the corner and saw the number at five.


    "If someone is in danger, it will notify you. If someone is dead, the number will go down, and their dot will disappear from the map. Do you understand?", asked Ben. Lucas nodded his head, and then they came back to the main topic at hand.


    "This is a device that is used to reach you, even when you are in a dungeon. It''s like your everyday mobile, but it has a few frequency modifications so that only we will be able to contact you and not the other way around. Back tracing is not possible", he said as he handed Lucas a device. Lucas put it into his pocket.


    "So, today is the day I will get banished?", he asked. Ben and the others nodded their heads. "We have prepared everything for you. Clothes and necessities. Today evening, at four, you shall be banished from entering the palace. You will be...", he paused. "Why am I talking like I''m announcing it?", he muttered as he chuckled.


    "I have some things to say before I leave", said Lucas. Everyone was listening keenly. Lucas looked at Ben. "Father, I need to thank you for taking care of me all this while. For giving me two amazing mentors, and allowing them to nurture me into what I''ve become now", he said.


    He then turned to Martha. "And Mother, I don''t know where to start with you. From being with me in all my ups and downs to bathing and taking care of me, or just sitting by my side, looking at the skies. I am truly grateful, to have had a mother that is so loving and caring as you", his voice began to croak.


    "And Sam. For being my best friend, for defending me when I was weak, lifting me when I fell, and guiding me when I was confused about myself. For being the best damn Elder Brother. Maybe I might find someone like you, who will continue to guide me and make sure I don''t make any mistakes", he said as he turned to Sam.


    Everyone had tears in their eyes, but no one spoke a word as they let Lucas finish saying his goodbyes. "He won''t be back for four years, after all", thought Ben. "And Kate. I thank you for being my fashionista. And as for the things I said to Sam, the same goes for you. I cannot find any better words to describe the things you have done for me", he said. Tears were rolling down his cheeks.


    He walked towards the window overlooking the city. "And I promise, that I shall become strong. Strong enough to stand by your side, Sam and Kate. And Sam, you will make a damn fine king someday, but not today", he chuckled. Sam and Kate wiped off their tears as they pulled him into an embrace.


    Ben and Martha just watched the scene in front of them, unable to contain the tears any longer. They began to cry. "Where is Master?", he asked after some time. "Ah, he is waiting in the room. He said he has something to tell you. I forgot about that", said Ben.


    Lucas went to his Master''s room and sat in front of Master. Leon looked at him and smiled. "It seems that the bird is ready to leave its home?", he teased. Lucas smiled. "Yes, Master. I thank you for all your teachings and guidance. I look forward to meeting again in the future", he said as he dropped to one knee.


    "You, Lucas Heart, are my Third Disciple. You must have met with Anthony and Sally, I presume? They are my First and Second Disciples respectively", he said. "Then are you the one that taught them the Yin Yang Needle Technique?", he asked elatedly.


    "Sadly, no. They learned it when they were outside. They do not know the name of that medical master and only met them on a fruitful encounter. The needle technique they used on you is the only technique that they know of", he said. Lucas was dejected, but he still didn''t lose hope.


    "Now, the important thing that I wanted to tell you about is related to your magic. As it, is an ancient one, the only ones who can train you proficiently are the Mystical Beings. I have only heard of the Mystical Being of Fire. It is said to be a phoenix. And it''s rumored to live in the Hell Mountain Range in Dungeon''s Island. Dungeon''s Island is in Country Natuna", he said.


    Lucas nodded his head as he noted the information in his mind. "I guess that should be my priority", he thought as he got up from his chair. "I almost forgot", he stopped and turned around. He then added Leon to his ''Map Of Beloved'', and asked the question he had in mind.


    "How do I use the Limit Breaker Potion?", he asked with a smile. Leon smiled wide as he was happy with the improvement Leon showed him.. "Seems like you have reached D-rank", thought Leon as he smiled.

 Chapter 37 - Breaking Limits!

    Leon motioned for Lucas to sit down and meditate. "Now, you will have to follow my instructions to the letter. This potion is very hard to come by, and if you get do stumble on one, follow the procedure that I am about to teach you", he said. Lucas nodded his head as he listened to his instructions keenly.


    "Now, circulate your Aura through your muscles. Then, as you''re circulating it, down the potion", he said. Lucas listened to his instructions and did it by the letter. After he downed the potion, he felt something in his stomach, spreading throughout his body.


    "Now you must be feeling a warm sensation in your stomach spreading around your body. Wait for a few minutes, and after you feel the warmth in every inch of your body, begin to infuse the warmth into your muscles. If possible, try infusing it into your bone marrow", he said. Lucas was stunned when he heard that.


    "Should I try to infuse my Aura along with this?", he thought. "No. Absolutely not. Although this will reduce the risk factor when you''re trying to infuse your Aura, that will use it up, resulting in.. well nothing", said Valentine as he heard his thoughts.


    "I see", Lucas thought as he withdrew his idea about infusing his Aura alongside the potion, and focused on the warmth that was still spreading through his body. As soon as he felt it throughout his body, he began to infuse it into his muscles. "If I can penetrate it into my bone marrow, then when I''m trying to infuse my Aura, won''t it be easier?'', he thought.


    As soon as he began to infuse, his body began to scream. "Persevere, Lucas. Do not stop", said Leon from the side. He wanted to scream out loud, but he grit his teeth hard. He felt all of his muscles expand and contract at the same time. "What in the hell is this feeling?", he thought as he didn''t stop channeling his Aura through.


    After he felt it seep into his muscles, he wanted to take a step further. "Bone marrow, here I come", he muttered as he began to channel. But as soon as he tried, he felt nothing. "Huh?", he thought. "Maybe if I had another potion, I could have doubled the benefit", he thought as he opened his eyes.


    "I can''t channel it anymore", he said to Leon. "To be able to channel to such extent in just his muscles, I''m afraid that his bone marrow won''t be able to handle it", thought Leon in astonishment. After the process, Lucas felt tired for a few minutes. But after that, Lucas began to feel rejuvenated.


    "Is this the power of the potion?", he thought. He then took out the next potion, ready to go through the same process again. After the process, he called out his Status window to look at the amount of increase he had.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 110/220]


    [MP: 100/220]


    [Level: 10]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 3950/5000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 43]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 41]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    "An increase of 120 points? That''s a lot for my first time. I hope that if I do get a potion in the future, I will be able to add more points. But if what Master says is true, then coming across one or two during my journey is going to be quite fruitful", he thought.


    He then thought back to Leon''s words. "Dungeon''s Island in Country Namata, huh? Seems like that will be my destination for now", he thought. "Go to the Adventurer''s Guild and register yourself. There you will find missions that you can take up for some money. Maybe you might make some good friends", said Leon. Lucas nodded his head.


    He then left the room to go and say his goodbyes to Forge Master. He entered the Iron Forge and saw Henry working on a weapon. "The kid will be leaving today. I want to be able to gift him an armor", he said as he was hammering away. Lucas didn''t enter his room and stood outside, waiting for him to finish.


    "Ah, this will go well with his weapons. And these boots might give him the little edge that he always needs", he thought. Lucas knocked on the door and waited for Henry to open it. "Come in", he said with a motion of his hand. Lucas entered the room and looked around.


    "Forge Master, I thank you for all your hard work, teachings, and guidance that you have given me and to this kingdom. I only hope that you will be able to do what you love, and continue serving this kingdom", he said. Henry was moved and touched by Lucas''s words.


    "A fine young lad indeed. Knows when to give his gratitude when due", he thought as he smiled at Lucas. "You don''t need to thank these old bones. I''m glad that I was of help", he said as he motioned for Lucas to take a seat.


    "I have something for you. Since you will be venturing out there, you are going to need some gear, and I have made the perfect gear for you", he said as he walked to his table. It was covered with a cloth, and the contents underneath were hidden.


    He removed the cloth partially and revealed a pair of black Vans. "This was made by three people and not just me. I do not have the skills to tailor and engineer something this ingenious. Thus, I sent it to someone I knew and they made the base. I just had to add in the parts that had to be done by me", he said as he presented Lucas his first gift.


    "It looks like just any normal shoe would. And I like the style too. A simple black Vans. But how would this be like the armored boot?'', he muttered as he was inspecting the shoe. "Put it on your feet and tap the heels together, like the very old Nazi salute", said Henry as he was rubbing his hands in glee.


    "I put a lot of thought into this masterpiece. You can''t be walking around in armor all the time, and thus I came up with this idea. What if, something that you use every day is your armor? And that''s when I came up with this plan. It was in the works for a long time, and I finally completed it", he said with a proud smile on his face.


    Lucas did as he said and tapped both his heels. Soon, the shoe turned into an armored boot. It was black and had some orange lines running on the sides. It looked cool, and Lucas was elated. "Now to turn it back, tap the front of the shoes as you did", he said. He then followed and saw the boot turn back into a normal Vans.


    "Ingenious!", he exclaimed out loud. "To think that something like this even existed!", he was screaming at the top of his lungs. "But how?", he asked Henry. Henry smiled at the kid but didn''t give any answers. "You may find the answers during your venture", he said as he smiled.


    He then opened the cloth, revealing a plain black leather jacket. The leather jacket had orange lines on the sides, and it looked quite comfortable to wear. "It follows the same principles as your boots. To activate the armor, you have to tap this badge on the right side", he said as he pointed out to a badge.


    "That''s your Blacksmith Mark. But won''t people think that this is available for everyone?", he asked. "Well, I don''t do it for everyone. Only those who are willing to pay me good money will be able to get their hands on this baby. But you, on the other hand, have privileges", he said and came next to Lucas''s ear. "And they last even after you are banished from the palace", he said with a chuckle.


    Lucas was taken aback. His heart was filled with warmth. All the years that he had no Magic, all the mocking and pain he felt, were washed away. Tears began to roll from his eyes, and he wiped them off on his sleeve. "Thank you, Forge Master", he said with snot from his nose.


    He then wore the jacket and activated the armor. "I am still working on the full set. You will get a pair of pants, and a watch too. Of course, they will change. I will let you know when they are ready. And if you do find someone to collaborate with, let me know so that I can send you the procedure", he winked.


    Lucas smiled. He then looked at the armor. The same orange lines were running along with the armor, and he took out his swords. As soon as he wanted to place it on his back, he heard a whirring noise. Then, a holder came out and clasped at the sheathes of his blades, attaching them to his back. "Wow!", he thought. He began swinging his swords and was amazed. "Such flexibility", he thought.


    "After you learn to channel your Aura into your weapons, this will be a very good asset to your arsenal. They''re not a growth type, thus they are stuck at the King Level which is right above the Legendary Level. If you''re making one, just make sure that it''s above the King Level", he said.


    Lucas nodded his head and thanked him. He then left to look at his room, the place he spent most of his time in. "I''m going to miss this place", he thought as he fell onto the bed.. "Let''s meet Grandma before I leave", he thought and went towards the Heart Family''s graveyard.

 Chapter 38 - Third Prince: Banished!

    Lucas did the same thing as he did last time. Plucked some fresh roses, made a bouquet, and went into the graveyard. He then placed the bouquet at the foot of the grave and walked towards the headstone. He sat down beside it and leaned his back as he looked into the skies.


    "Hey, Grandma. I''ve passed the Test of Banishment. And now, I am going to be leaving this place soon. I just wish you were here with me, to congratulate me and make me my favorite sweets", he smiled. "I miss your tea and cakes, Grandma", he muttered. He just smiled as his eyes slowly began to close.


    "Remember, little Luca. Never Lose Heart. And here you go, some cake", he reminisced. "Ah, those days. If only Grandma was not sick, she would have been here with a tray of sweets, cakes, and her special Ginger Honey Tea. I still can''t remake that tea", he smiled.


    "There you are. I was wondering where you were off to", came a voice from afar. Lucas opened his eyes and sat up. "I fell asleep? maybe I was just tired", he thought as he got up from the grass. He stood in front of the gravestone and smiled. "Goodbye, Grandma. See you in four years", he muttered as he turned around to look at who it was.


    And stood in front of him was a panting Kate. "I guessed you would be here. But for you to fall asleep. Hehe", she chuckled. "Anyways, it''s time for you to get banished. It''s four, remember?", she said. "Please don''t say it like I''m a criminal", he said in a dramatic voice.


    Kate didn''t stop chuckling as she led him out of the graveyard into the palace. They both entered the throne room, and in front of him was some sweets and cake. "Is that what I think it is?", he said as his eyes turned teary. Kate nodded her head. "Grandma''s special and your favorite. Hope the tea tastes the same though", she said.


    Lucas dropped to his knees as soon as he laid his eyes on the tray that was in front of him. He walked slowly towards the tray, his tears flowing down his cheeks. "This can''t be..", he muttered as he looked at every dish that was laid. "Scones, Macaroons, and Creamy smooth Caramel Pudding. And there''s... the special tea. Ginger Honey Tea. The sweet, and yet... slightly spicy tea", he stuttered.


    Martha and everyone were just standing there frozen. Everyone knew how attached Lucas was to his Grandma, and thus Martha put her every effort to make these dishes. Lucas picked up his tea and poured it onto the pudding. "This is Grandma''s favorite way of eating the pudding. She is such a sweet tooth", he smiled.


    He took a small bite and closed his eyes. The flavor was bursting in his mouth, the sweetness of the pudding mixed with the spice of the tea, and the slight bitterness of the caramel was very refreshing to him. he didn''t stop and began to savor every bite he had. "Oh how much I missed this", he said in a low voice.


    His eyes began to turn red due to the tears that were flowing down. But it didn''t stop. After finishing, he lifted the bowl. "Can I get one more serving?", he asked, just like how he used to when he was a little kid. Martha couldn''t control her tears anymore, and they began to flow down. She just nodded her head as she placed another serving in his bowl.


    After eating it the same way, he picked up the scone and bit the sides. He began to nibble them, and then licked the fresh cream that was inside. "Oozing cream", he said. Every moment, he was reliving the memories of the past. Ben, who was watching this, stifled his cry.


    "Mother, are you seeing this? Your grandson hasn''t changed one bit. He is just a big grown kid", he muttered. After eating the scone, he poured himself a cup of tea. He then placed a slice of cake on a plate and poured some tea around the cake. "Look, Sam. It''s Cake Island", he said as he turned his head towards Sam.


    Sam stood there, as he couldn''t react to what he was doing. "Cake Island", he muttered as he looked at the cake that was surrounded by tea. "That is not how you should eat cake, you dumb idiot", he said as he sat next to Sam. If he was holding back all this while, now nothing stopped him from crying.


    Kate, who was watching all this knew it was her turn. She wiped the tears that were flowing down her face, took a deep breath, and tried to put on a brave face. Lucas turned his head towards her and pointed at his cake. "So, No Cake Island?", he said with a sad face. The three of them were enacting one of the many moments that they had spent with their Grandma.


    Kate fell to her knees the moment she heard him say that. All the preparations she made were naught. She crawled up to him and hit Sam on the back of his head. "This is Cake Island, and we are going to destroy it", she said. She then picked up her fork and began to eat. "NO!", said Lucas as he picked up his fork and ate another bite. Soon, the cake was done.


    Lucas patted his stomach as he looked to the ceiling. "That was fun", he thought as he looked at both of them. Suddenly, Kate jumped on him and hugged him tightly. "Please don''t go. Who will I fight with if you''re gone? Who will I dress up and use as a model for designing clothes? Who...", she was about to rant when she felt Lucas hug her back.


    "It''s alright. Everything will be okay. You know I can take care of myself, right?'', he asked as he pulled her out of his embrace. She nodded her head. "Then trust me. And maybe if you''re out adventuring, we can party up", he smiled. He then turned towards Sam.


    "Well, take care out there. And if anyone tries to mess with you, make sure to mess them up real good", he said as he fist-bumped Lucas. "I will. And take care of the family", he said as he embraced him. They embraced for a few moments.


    He then walked towards Martha. They didn''t speak any words and just embraced each other. "Luca, take care out there. And remember", she paused. "I always love you", they both said at the same time. He then walked towards Ben.


    "My King, I shall take my leave. Do permit me", he said in a cheeky yet sad tone. "King my arse. Come here", he said as he pulled Lucas into a deep hug. "Next time we meet, make sure you''re strong. A storm is coming", he said. Lucas was shocked at the information. "A storm, huh? Let''s see who is brewing up that storm", he thought as he felt a black cloth cover his vision.


    Ben walked out towards the podium that was overlooking the city. "Today, we, citizens of The Heart Kingdom, gather here for an announcement. I am saddened to inform you that the Third Prince has stolen something of great value to the Kingdom and has been caught red-handed", he paused. There were murmurs around among the people.


    "Could it be that time has come? If it is, then the Prince is going to live like us commoners. The time has come!", said a man, and the crowd began to chant. "The time has come. The time has come. THE TIME HAS COME!", they chanted. The chants grew louder and louder. Ben smiled. "Can''t fool my people", he smiled.


    "Order!", said Ben in a loud voice. Lucas, who was standing in the room, heard all of it. "So the people know of the tradition?", he thought. "Yes, they''ve always known it. They just don''t show it that much", said Sam who was standing to his right.


    The crowd began to go back to silence. "As per the Order of the Kingdom, I bring to you, the Third Prince himself", he said and Lucas was brought out into the open. His head was still covered, and he heard Ben whisper to him. "Just stay calm and act along with me", he said.


    "The said person has been brought forth. Now, I shall ask him and judge him. A swift and efficient judgment is needed", he said to the people. The people nodded their heads. "I, Benjamin Heart, the Fifty-Seventh King of The Heart Kingdom, will be the judge to this hearing. I announce that anything that has been brought forth to me has evidence of the crime, and I shall be the prosecutor to this perpetrator", he paused.


    Lucas understood what he was trying to say. "Well, this is how Sam and Kate and even Dad got banished. So here goes nothing", he smiled. "Did you, Lucas Heart, steal the Ancestral Scroll that was locked in the Northern Palace?", he asked. "Impressive. You passed through the riddling test", said Valentine in his head.


    "Yes. I was the one that stole the Ancestral Scroll that was hidden underneath the Northern Palace", said Lucas in a loud voice. "It seems that the perpetrator admits to his crime. Then I shall deliver swift justice", he said.


    "I, Benjamin Heart, the Fifty-Seventh King of The Heart Kingdom, hereby banish Lucas Heart from this palace. He shall be stripped of form the position of Prince, and shall not be allowed any access to the palace. Until further notice, there shall be no Third Prince", he said in a loud voice.


    "THE TIME HAS COME! THE TIME HAS COME! THE TIME HAS COME! THE TIME HAS COME!", chanted the crowd. Ben pulled Lucas back inside. "Son, this is the last moment. In fifteen minutes, the guards will escort you out of this place, and lead you to the back gate. You will be left outside and there will be nowhere for you to go", he said.


    Martha took a pouch from her pockets and gave it to him. "Some money for you to survive the coming days. And once again, take care", she said as she handed him the money. "Don''t forget about the Adventurer''s Guild. That''s where you can make a lot of money to survive, and you can also build an influence", said Sam and Kate. He picked up his bag in which he had packed some of his clothes.


    He nodded his head and closed his eyes, ready to be lead towards the door of his new journey.. "Though I''m sad that I have to leave this place, I''m super excited for what''s to come", he thought as he felt his hand being pulled by two men, ready to escort him out of the palace.

 Chapter 39 - History Of The Heart Kingdom

    After five minutes, he was escorted out of the back gate and was left to stand there. The guards that were escorting him then removed the cloth that was covering his head and headed back in. "We wish you good luck on your journey", they said. Lucas nodded his head and looked around. "Should I go do some more farming? Oh wait, I must register as an Adventurer", he remembered.


    He then walked out from the back and saw the crowd still standing outside of the castle. "Now how do I get past this, and go to the Adventurer''s Guild? And where is that guild anyway?", he contemplated as he looked at the crowd. Just as he was about to do something, a man from among the crowd began to talk.


    "It seems that the Prince has been sent. We will find out who he is. He must be among us. Search for him!", he said. There was a chuckle in his head. "What''s so funny about this situation?", asked Lucas. A shrugging emoji popped up on his screen. "Are you kidding me?", he whispered harshly.


    Valentine was enjoying the look on Lucas''s face. "Kid, they will hunt you, and find you. And when they do", he paused and began to chuckle again. "Did the Kingdom mistreat them? Is that why they are waiting for me to come out? To exact their revenge?", he thought. "Kid, The Heart Kingdom is one of the best kingdoms out there", he paused.


    "To err is to be human. But to learn from that err is what makes The Heart Kingdom stand for all this time. Why do you think there has never been a coup?", he asked, his voice filled with pride. "For all this talk, you haven''t come up with a solution for me to get out of this mess", Lucas scoffed back.


    Valentine shut his mouth and just watched. Lucas was thinking hard. "Crowd control. But how do I do that?", he thought. "Or maybe, I should just tell the truth", he voiced out loud. "Truly interesting", said Valentine. "What truth?", asked someone next to him.


    "When did I enter the crowd? It seems like I just kept on walking into the crowd as I was thinking. Let''s use this to my advantage", he smiled. "I saw someone run that way. It must be the Third Prince", he said with a straight face. "The Third Prince has gone that way! EVERYONE, THE HUNT BEGINS!", said the man as he ran towards the direction Lucas pointed.


    "The hunt?", he thought. Valentine began to explain. "This is kind of like a test, to see how much you can blend into this society. ''Commoners'', as these royals have termed them, are nothing but human. Like us. But yet, they are despised by many of the nobles within this Kingdom. Do you know why?'', he asked.


    As a Prince himself, he knew why they were treated that way. "Pride. Arrogance. There are a lot of other factors, but these two are the biggest ones", he replied. "Correct. And do you know why this tradition started in the first place?", he asked. Lucas nodded his head as he began.


    "It is said that our Ancestor, that is the one before the First Ancestor, was a commoner and he dreamt of becoming someone of importance every day. But the King that was ruling at that time, had only one rule. To overthrow him, one must defeat him in two out of three battles. One, a battle of combat. Two, a battle of the mind. And three, a battle of favorability", he stopped.


    He pondered for a bit as he recalled. "It was quite an ingenious plan indeed. No one would be able to usurp or stage a coup d''etat. Everyone must defeat the King. He also had one month in which he took the challenges. His strategy was solid, but he was not a good ruler. He overcharged taxes, extorted from the poor, and turned the rich, richer". Valentine was listening keenly. "Seems like this kid has been taught good. Didn''t know that Father''s story would get passed down", he thought.


    "Then, one day, Ancestor challenged the King, hoping to win. He was not a very exceptional warrior in combat, and thus lost to The King. In the battle of wits, and that was, a game of chess, The King was defeated for the first time. He was never defeated when it came to wits. And then came the battle of favorability. The King always gave one week to gain some Favorability to be just".


    "Ancestor began from the bottom. The people hated the current King to their very cores. He convinced them and made a promise. That when he became King, he will slowly but surely change this place. He never used captivating words. What he used instead was the truth. The truth against a person".


    "Slowly, people who hated him began to gather behind him. The population was split into 78:22 percentage. Ancestor never stopped preaching. Wherever there were people who needed help, he ran. For places he couldn''t reach, he sent someone from his supporters. He slowly began to gain popularity".


    "When five days had passed, one of the loyal people to the King had informed him of the situation. The King was furious to see that his people, or to be said better, his money vending machines were being lost. He ordered the assassination of our Ancestor".


    "Ancestor found out about this, and he wanted to sniff out this rat. He went about his everyday duties and when nightfall came, he ordered every one of his followers to stay inside their houses securely. The man who was their informant made his way towards our Ancestor, asking him to follow him".


    "As Ancestor had caught wind, he didn''t hesitate. He hid some weapons inside of his clothes and went to the place. He fought with the assassin bravely and defeated him in combat. He tied both of them up, and when the next day arrived, it was the last day of the week. Ancestor gathered up his followers and stood upon a makeshift stage made for him".


    "We have taken our steps towards our victory. The King is scared of losing his position. He has sent me a present, and I shall show you this present", said our Ancestor as he brought up the assassin to the Stage. Everyone was shocked to see that. "This is the gift from The King, An Assassin to murder me", announced out Ancestor to the crowd", now Lucas had sparkles come out of his eyes.


    "Ancestor is so cool", he thought as he continued the story. "The crowd gasped. The Ancestor then addressed them. "Oh people who have followed me. Oh people who have pledged allegiance to me. Oh, people, who are sick of this regime. What shall we do about this present that has been sent to us?", said Ancestor. The crowd murmured for a while. And someone said, "Kill him". The crowd began to chant".


    "Ancestor raised his hand in the air, stopping the chants. "As my life was trying to be taken, I have the right to claim his life. But what kind of person am I? We are going to make history. This will be a tale for the ages to come. I hereby", paused Ancestor. The crowd was anticipating in eagerness. "Announce that this Assassin shall be spared. I shall not take his life. However, you are to serve me and me alone for the rest of the ages to come. You and your next seven generations", announced Ancestor to the anticipating crowd".


    "The crowd gasped. The Assassin swore allegiance to our Ancestor, becoming a major part of the arsenal of The Heart Kingdom. The traitor among them was brought forth. "This man here has betrayed our trust. This man has been working with the King to bring us down from the inside. If you want proof, my people. The Assassin will inform you", announced Ancestor again".


    "It is true. I was ordered by The King to assassinate him. And the person of contact given to me was this man right here", he said as he pulled out a picture of the man, and behind were written the words, ''Contact this man for further info''. The crowd gasped, shaken to the core. "Traitors shall not be tolerated. For traitors, are what begins the fall of this kingdom", he paused. He took a deep breath. "And with a heavy heart, I announce this man to be executed, effective immediately".


    "There is nothing to right my wrong, for I have betrayed your trust. But could you grant me one last request? As my dying wish?", asked the man. "State your request", he said. "I want you to save my family from that man. That Vicious King. Threatening me with my wife and kids. Save them, and if possible, please take care of them", he said. Ancestor lowered his sword and stopped the execution".


    "He then announced that the execution has been temporarily postponed to a later date, to confirm the news that his family was indeed, being held hostage by The King. The next day came and it was the day to count the supporters. Now, Ancestor had gained 75:25 percent of popularity in just a week with his skills and intellect. Ancestor won and found out that what the man said was indeed true".


    "He called the people around, and announced that the man had been wronged, and to right his wrong, he will be given a second chance. The Ancestor then was crowned king and changed the name of the Kingdom. "From henceforth, this Kingdom shall be reborn. And as the first step, we will give a new name. This Kingdom shall be known as ''The Heart Kingdom''", he announced.


    "For The Heart Kingdom!", he cheered. "FOR THE HEART KINGDOM!", chanted the crowd.. And that was how this kingdom was born", finished Lucas.

 Chapter 40 - Adventurers Guild

    Valentine who was listening couldn''t help but praise Lucas. "Very good, kid. Seems like you have been taught well. And now, why was this tradition started?", he asked. "To quell us of our Pride and Arrogance. And to teach us that we, the royals, are nothing without our people", he said with a smile.


    He had been walking for a while and stood in front of a tall building. The building had a glass finish in the front, and it extended to the top of the building. ''Adventurer''s Guild'', was written on the front panel in neon. He entered the building, and his heart was thumping loud. "Deep breaths", he thought as he walked past the door.


    He entered the inside and he saw a counter made with the most exquisite wood. The smell of the wood was aromatic and it wafted into his nose. There were glass doors on the sides of the counter, and men in suits went in and came out all the time. Some people in gear went in too. "First time, I presume?", came a charming voice from the counter.


    Lucas walked towards the counter and saw a beautiful woman. Blonde hair, hazel round eyes, and had a curvy figure. She adjusted her glasses as she scanned him from top to bottom. "Are you here to become an adventurer? Hello?", she asked. Lucas came back as soon as he heard the voice.


    "Yes, I would like to become an Adventurer", he said. "Okay. Please fill out this form and wait in the lobby. The registration fee will be 10 silver", she said. He paid the money, filled out the form, and walked towards the lobby. He followed the signs and a glass panel opened in front of him, and he entered the lobby.


    The lobby was a large room, and it was built in translucent glass. He was expecting to see a lot of new adventurers, and that he did. He looked around for a place to sit, and there was only one seat next to a girl who was cleaning her dual handguns.


    He walked up to her and he was captivated by her beauty. She was a little shorter than him in height and had long jet black hair which was tied into a ponytail. Her round dark green eyes were alluring. She was wearing a black tee with a pair of slightly ripped jeans. A red jacket was lying next to her on the armrest of the chair. She was humming a tune as she was cleaning her guns.


    "She must be a gunslinger. Man, gunslingers are rare", he thought. He cleared his throat as he approached her. "Is this seat taken?'', he asked. She was just nodding her head as she was humming. He was about to touch her forearm to ask her again. As his hand was near her, she stood up abruptly. She pointed a gun to his forehead and pulled out the headphones she was wearing.


    "Who are you? And why did you approach me?", she asked coldly. Even the look in her eyes turned cold. "Man, so cold that I''m feeling chills in me", he thought. "May I know if this seat''s taken?'', he asked once again. She looked around and saw that there was no other seat around to sit. "No, it isn''t", she said, still not removing the gun.


    Lucas let out a sigh as he sat on the chair next to her, and she sat down too. "Could you take that off my face please?", he asked gently. "Oh, sorry", she chuckled cutely. She then removed the gun she was pointing towards him and began to clean it again. He looked at the guns closely now that he was near.


    The gun was shiny black, and it had a longer barrel than a normal gun. It was in a revolver style, with a cylinder that was slightly larger than a normal revolver. "Maybe made by a Blacksmith?", he thought. ''Blacksmiths do make the components, and then they give it back to the Gunslingers. They''re the ones who assemble them", he thought as he looked at the gun.


    Some lines were going to the cylinder. "Mana-Infused Guns?", he muttered. The girl that was cleaning the guns stopped cleaning as she turned her head towards him. She cocked up one of her eyebrows, demanding an answer. "Oh, I''m sorry. I''m a Blacksmith myself. And thus, I was intrigued by the design. Is this your design, or did you obtain a blueprint somewhere?", asked Lucas.


    The girl was stunned. "Not many people can recognize that this is Mana-Infused. If he can recognize it, that means he must be a damn good one", she thought. "Name''s Emilia", she said as he extended her hand. "Lucas. A pleasure to meet you", he said as he shook her hand. She smiled pleasantly.


    Lucas was captivated by her smile. "Are you new?", he asked. She nodded her head. "I am not new to hunting beasts and such. I have just been granted permission from my family to go and join the Adventurer''s Guild. And as many people are experienced in hunting beforehand, it seems like they will have a test for us newbies to determine our ranks. I don''t know what kind of test though", she informed him.


    He nodded his head and looked at the door that just opened again. "Someone new?", he thought. The man who entered was wearing a suit. "Seems like some executive", he thought. He clapped his hands twice, and everyone stood up. "Some of you here have attempted the test and failed. While the others are new. For those of you who think this test will be the same, it will not", he announced in a loud voice.


    Lucas was confused. "I thought there was no failure?", he said to Emilia. She just shrugged her shoulders while keeping her face straight. The man then nodded and smiled at the people that were standing. "Now, follow me as I take you to your first test", he said and turned around.


    "They''re like the military", thought Lucas as he watched the way the man carried himself. He followed behind the man, and Emilia was right beside him. They followed silently and entered a large room. It was a tall and spacious room, and it was just white. The man left as soon as he checked everyone was in. Lucas turned around, looking for anyone to lead them or give instructions about the test.


    "Attention, everyone. Today, you shall be taking the Adventurer Test. We all know that most of you must have been hunting way before you came here. You will all be dropped into an illusory world and there will be beasts roaming around. All you have to do is kill as many as you can. And from the 300 of you that are here, only 200 shall move to the second test", said the announcer.


    "So it''s an elimination?", he thought. "There are people here who have come to scout for their guilds. So do make sure to give your best performance. And don''t be fooled because of the illusory world. Every injury that you get in that world will be real. Lose a limb, and you''ll lose it in real life. I wish you luck", said the announcer, and the speakers went static.


    As soon as the speakers went static, Lucas felt dizzy for a moment. The room that was in front of him began to change into a forest. It was very vast, much larger than the room. "Although it is an illusory world, I must say that this is very impressive", he appreciated.


    He turned around to see if Emilia was next to him, and all he saw was an empty spot. "I guess I''m going to have to find her myself", he smiled as he began to scale a tree to gain a height advantage.


    After reaching a certain height, he heard another announcement. "You have three hours. Let me show you the grading of the ranks", said the announcer as a window floated above, for everyone to see.


    [S Rank - 1 Demon Tier (teamwork required), 3 Demi-God Tiers, 5 Emperor Tiers, 7 King Tiers, 9 Legendary Tiers, 11 Advanced Tiers, 15 Intermediate Tiers, 20+Basic Tiers


    A Rank - 1 Demi-God Tier, 3 Emperor Tiers, 5 King Tiers, 7 Legendary Tiers, 9 Advanced Tiers, 13 Intermediate Tiers, 15+Basic Tiers


    B Rank - 1 Emperor Tier, 3 King Tiers, 5 Legendary Tiers, 7 Advanced Tiers, 9 Intermediate Tiers, 12+Basic Tiers


    C Rank - 1 King Tier, 3 Legendary Tiers, 5 Advanced Tiers, 7 Intermediate Tiers, 12+Basic Tiers


    D Rank - 3 Legendary Tier, 5 Advanced Tiers, 7 Intermediate Tiers, 11+Basic Tiers


    E Rank - 1 Legendary Tier, 3 Advanced Tiers, 5 Intermediate Tiers, 9+Basic Tiers


    F Rank - 3 Advanced Tiers, 5 Intermediate Tiers, 7+Basic Tiers]


    "These will be the base for the rankings. The screen that hovers right to your right will record every kill that you make. Killing a player is forbidden. If any ill intent is detected towards a player, you will be dismissed, and banned from entering the test for the next ten years. Have a good hunt, and good luck to you all!", ended the announcement.


    Lucas smiled as he looked at the screen. The reason, he had a new quest updated!

 Chapter 41 - Adventurers Guild Test (Part One)

    He looked at the quest and was smiling. "Now look at this quest. That looks like a bountiful harvest", he thought.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [Place D Rank or above in this test


    Beasts Killed


    Demon Tier Beast 0/1


    Demi-God Tier Beast 0/3


    Emperor Tier Beast 0/5


    King Tier Beast 0/7


    Legendary Tier Beast 0/9


    Advanced Tier Beast 0/11


    Intermediate Tier Beast 0/15 +11


    Basic Tier Beast 0/20] +24


    [Rewards, EXP x2 for every Beast you kill. According to your placement, EXP will be as follows.


    S Rank - EXP +10,000


    A Rank - EXP +8000


    B Rank - EXP +6000


    C Rank - EXP +3000


    D Rank - EXP +1500


    E Rank - -1 Level


    F Rank - -3 Levels


    Intermediate HP Limit Breaker Potion x1


    Intermediate MP Limit Breaker Potion x1]


    The final part is where Lucas began to smile. "Limit Breaker Potions again", he smiled in glee. "Don''t be so confident brat. This isn''t just a quest from the system. Did you forget that I am part of this system?", said Valentine. Lucas scowled as soon as he heard that. "So you can issue quests too?", he asked.


    "Yes, I can. And I won''t issue you quests just because you could level up faster", he said. Lucas was taken aback after he heard that. "You cheap idiot", he thought. Valentine heard it but wasn''t so keen on responding to his taunt. They weren''t that friendly, or not yet anyway.


    He then began to look around, and he saw light particles beginning to construct themselves in different shapes. "Truly fascinating indeed", he muttered as he watched the way the beasts popped out after the light finished constructing. He was amazed by the way they held the test. "These things can kill us, but they aren''t real. Why didn''t they use virtual reality? They would be able to reduce the casualties", he thought.


    "Because only under sheer pressure can one outperform their own self", replied Valentine to his thoughts. Lucas nodded his head, as he was the same. He remembered the fight against the Legendary Tier Beast, in which he went beyond his limits. "Well, here it goes. Guess I''m going to have to bring my A-game to this one", he smiled again.


    "Valentine, is it possible for you to make a map of this place and mark the players in red while marking the beasts in yellow and high tiers in orange?", he asked. "Well, I will mark them in green, orange, and red. Red are the ones you will currently be unable to face in your strength. And for the people, they will be marked in white. Does that sound cool? And remember, this is only a one-time thing", said Valentine.


    Lucas nodded his head. Then a prompt popped up in front of him.


    [Temporarily activating Sonar Mode]


    [Host will have to scream]


    "Huh?", and Lucas''s eyes went wide. "Are you freaking kidding me?", he asked Valentine. "I''m afraid not. Without this, I would not be able to sense anyone or anything. What are you thinking? Like some satellite in the sky is a personal server for the systems?", scoffed Valentine. Lucas then nodded his head. "Will they hear me?", he thought.


    "It''s in a higher frequency than what the human ear can pick up, but you will be able to for the next five minutes. And you will also be channeling this Sonar Energy into the earth, which will make me monitor the movements that are being made", said Valentine. "Alright, let''s get this over with", he thought and screamed at the top of his lungs.


    The Sonar waves began to spread around him, and he began to hear the same sound back in his ears. He looked at the screen that was in front of him and saw all types of colors popping up. "Well, seems like there aren''t many people though", he thought. Then after that, he felt a weird energy course through his arms.


    "Now, place your hands with your palms facing the Earth", instructed Valentine. He did as he was told, and soon he saw the dots on the screen move. "Does this amazing mode exist in my system?", he thought. "Yes, it does. And sadly, you will not be able to access it. Admin privileges. Hehe", mocked Valentine.


    Lucas was pissed, and he saw a lot of green dots around him. "Time to see what I''m capable of", he thought as he dashed towards a cluster of green dots huddled together. As he reached the place, he didn''t hear anything. He hid behind some trees, and he saw a group of beetles all huddled together. He used his [Inspect] on it.


    [Basic Tier Beast - Bronze Horned Beetle]


    [Their tough hide makes it hard to cut through. With a high-tier weapon, you can kill them effectively. And watch out for the acids that they spit from their mouths. Weak against Magic attacks]


    After he read the information, Lucas placed his blades back. "Well, Let me use my fireball on them", he thought and summoned a [Fireball]. He hurled it towards the nearest beetle that he could see, and it began to burn while screeching. The group now surrounded him in an instant, and they opened up their mouths, ready to spew their acids.


    Lucas smirked as he dashed towards a beetle and used [Fireball] and [icicle] simultaneously. "I need more attack spells. Can''t be using the same spells, though it does have its benefits", he thought as he remembered that the more he used, the more he could increase the Mastery and level of the spell.


    The beetle died in an instant after it was hit with both of his spells. Lucas then ran towards a tree and jumped into the air. "Let me see if I can cast more spells at the same time", he thought. He then cast [3x Fireball] and [3x Icicle]. He held the spell long enough under his control and threw it towards six beetles. "Let me see my stats", he thought.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 220/220]


    [MP: 157/220]


    [Level: 10]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 3950/5000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 43]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 41]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    "Seems like it''s one less MP point due to the level up. Maybe I should learn Mana Manipulation next. Hope there''s someone out there who can do that. Well, I can still use it for about twenty times continuously", he thought. The limit he could cast simultaneously was six spells. "Maybe if I increase Perception, I will be able to cast more", he concluded as he cast six spells one again, killing the six beetles he hit first.


    There were a total of twenty-four in the beginning. With him taking out seven and one still burning to its death, there were sixteen left to take out. "Sixteen left, and I have only about fourteen spells left", he thought. He pulled out his blades and activated [Chain Of Hades].


    [Damage of blades increased by fifty percent]


    [Icy Flame Burst output increased by 150%]


    [Flames of Hell has been activated]


    [Strength has been increased by fifteen percent]


    Chains appeared on his forearms, and they wrapped around them. He then felt a slight increase in strength coursing through his body. He threw the Fire blade towards a beetle and saw a slight burst of flames surround his blade. He then threw the other one towards another beetle and saw a slight covering of Icy Flakes around his blade.


    "An Icy Flame Dance?", he thought as he looked at the blades that sliced through the beetles. "But I still have to gain control of the throwing and pulling as this will become the death of me", he thought as he sensed danger from behind him.


    The blades were stuck in a tree, and he was unable to pull it out. The chains were expandable at will, thus he decided to go for a blade, and retrieve it. He ran towards the Fire blade and escaped the acid that was about to hit him in the back. "Remind me to never try something that I haven''t mastered the next time", he said as he wiped his face on his sleeve.


    He then looked at the remaining beetles, and he deactivated the skill. He placed the blades back inside and began to multicast spells. After a good ten minutes, all of them were dead. "One target down, let''s move to the next tier", he thought as he left the place.


    He looked at the map and saw another bunch of green dots. "What are those?", he asked Valentine. "Well, since taking down a couple of Basic and Intermediate Tier Beasts are piece of cake for you, I marked them green", he said.


    "Well, make Intermediate a darker shade of green I don''t want to be stuck clearing only Basic tier beasts", scowled Lucas as Valentine changed the color scheme once again. He then looked at the screen and smiled.. "Now that''s more like it", he smiled as he looked at the time remaining. ''Time Remaining 02:45:32''

 Chapter 42 - Adventurers Guild Test (Part Two)

    (In the upper levels of the Adventurer''s Guild)


    Many screens were brought up and a lot of people were monitoring. Every movement of the participants was being watched individually. Most of them who were watching were Experienced Adventurers, who had gone on many expeditions. And almost sixty percent among them were veterans, who were needed only during high-level threats to the Guilds.


    One particular person who was watching had a cup of coffee in his hand and was sipping as he was watching a bunch of people. But for some reason, he felt his blood get pumped up when he was seeing two individuals. One was a girl, and another one was a man. "Let me look up their information", he thought and he brought up their information.


    "Emilia Burnheart. Age Sixteen. Well, pretty impressive, to be able to wield guns at such proficiency at such an age. I wonder for how long she had trained with them? And the other one, let me see. Lucas Smith. Age Eighteen. A dual wielder and he can use spells too. Maybe he is a Magic Swordsman?", he thought as he rubbed his hands in glee.


    He noted them down and he went towards another room, which was his boss. He knocked and waited. "Come in", said a gentle and young voice. He entered and saw his boss. He gulped down his saliva as he stepped forward.


    To say she was beautiful was an understatement. She was tall and had broad shoulders. She had slightly built muscles, but they added up to her hourglass stature, making her look more alluring. Her light makeup on her face, and her reddish-brown hair, which flowed down to her lower back, made the scene more captivating.


    "Blurt it out, Steve. Why are you here?", she said as she moved towards him. She swayed her hips gently from side to side and walked towards him gracefully. "Well, aren''t you looking a little more handsome today, my dear?'', she teased. "Not at work. Maybe after work, my love?", said Steve in a slightly lower voice.


    The woman laughed. "Well, if my fianc¨¦ is here inside, it means someone must have caught his eye. To be able to catch your eye. I wonder who it is?", she said as she placed her fingers on her chin. Steve took out his pad and showed the details. "I understand about the Gunslinger. But what is so special about this boy?", she asked as she watched his performance.


    "He is a Magic Swordsman. And his weapon, it''s unique. I bet he is a Blacksmith too. I''ve never seen that weapon anywhere. Which means", he paused. "It must be his own design. Ingenious. Ingenious indeed", she praised. "Well, you''re still under disguise. The mission takes priority. But I think I can take care of them in the time. And as for you", she said as she inched closer.


    She placed her hand on his cheeks and pulled closer. With their faces only an inch away from each other, the tension began to rise. She kissed him on the lips slightly, and the tension broke. Steve pulled her closer and made her yelp a little. She chuckled as he kissed her, their bodies pressed together. After a few minutes, he pulled away.


    "I''m sorry, my love. I do want to see how they will do in this test. My curiosity is killing me. We can continue later, Jasmine", he winked as he straightened his shirt and left the room. The scent of his kiss was still lingering around her.


    "Well, it''s been a long time ever since you got fired up like that. Just make sure you don''t anything dangerous", she thought as she watched him go to the door. "And hey, you look pretty today. I love you", he winked and gave a flying kiss to her as he left the room. Her cheeks began to turn red. "You cheeky little!", she fumed and took a deep breath. "And I love you too", she said back to him as the door closed and he was out of sight.


    She went back to her seat and pulled herself together. "For the moment, I can watch them from behind. You''ve caught the eyes of a SSS Rank Adventurer. Let''s see how you will fare the things he will throw at you", she chuckled as she turned on her computer, and began to watch the same people he was watching.


    -----------------------------------------------------


    (In the test, Lucas)


    There was still time left for him. He was now on his way to face the Intermediate Tier Beasts that were huddled together. "But why are they huddled together? Shouldn''t they have a leader or something among them? Basic Tier''s are Beasts that live in packs, well most of them. But in an Intermediate Tier Beast Pack, there is always one of a higher Tier, who will command the rest", he thought as he was running.


    The Map still showed that there were no Beasts above the Intermediate Tier in the pack. This was confusing for him, but he was now confident in his skills to take down a group of ten. But the group he was aiming for had twenty. He thought up sneaking up on them, but he knew that in broad daylight, it was not ideal.


    He neared the pack and was about to attack when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He was about to slice the hand off, but then he saw a familiar face. "Emilia", he smiled. She flashed him a sweet smile and crouched next to him. "So, how many of those do you think you think you can handle?", she asked.


    Lucas counted almost twenty Beasts in front of him. "Ten, maybe eleven", he said. Emilia looked at him in shock. "What kind of monster are you? They are Intermediate Tier Beasts, I remind you", she said. Lucas shrugged as he walked past her, right into the den.


    He cast [Icicle] and [Fireball] to the nearest Beast, weakening it. He then stabbed his blades through the gut, killing it in an instant. "That''s one", he counted. He used the [Inspect] to know information about the Beast.


    [Intermediate Tier Beast - Silver Praying Mantis]


    [These beasts are weak to Fire Magic. They can harden their bodies using Silver metal, and they can use it to attack their enemies as well. Beware for their pack, and if you''re stuck within it, they will coordinate their attacks]


    Lucas smiled. "Well, the sneak attack worked like a charm. They won''t be able to coordinate for at least a minute or two. Let''s begin the slaughter", he thought as he sliced the guts of the second beast, killing it quickly. He heard a gunshot whiz past him, and it hit the dead center of another Beast. "Can''t let you hog all the Beasts for yourself", she said as she ran past him.


    Lucas smiled as he sliced another and another. "Man, if only this wasn''t the illusory world, I would have killed Fire and Ice-type Advanced Tier Beasts, and taken their cores to upgrade my weapon", he thought. He sliced through the Beasts and was bathing in its blood. Later, they both had finished killing the pack.


    "Well, my predictions were slightly off. It seems like I''m capable enough to kill twelve", he said to Emilia. She just scoffed and turned her head abruptly away from him. "So cute", he thought as he watched her walk into the woods. "Where are you off to?", he asked as he followed behind.


    "To look for Beasts to kill. I have to pass this test, no matter what", she said with resolve. Lucas smiled as he saw the determination in her eyes. He then placed his hands on the ground and closed his eyes. He was just acting as he knew where to go next right away. "Let''s head in that direction", he said to her.


    "What was that?", she asked as she watched him do something peculiar. But she followed him regardless. "Well, that''s a skill of mine. I can determine any movements of around three kilometers radius from where I''m standing. I can''t use it very often, so I try locating stationery packs. Maybe one time at most. And I''ve located two packs, one Advanced and one Legendary", he said.


    "That''s a very cool skill to have. Now if only it could be used a lot, then we will be able to kill every single Beast here", she said. "Well, if you''re confident enough, you can go up against the Demon Tier, alone", he commented, with a tinge of sarcasm. She just shook her head sideways, but they went forward towards the pack of Advanced Tier Beasts.


    "How many can you take down?", she asked. He smiled and didn''t reply. "It depends on the type of Beast. I don''t know what we will be facing, and thus we must prepare for the worst. I expect I can take down at least seven or maybe eight if I am lucky", he replied.


    After they reached the place, they hid themselves, ready to strike the Beasts as soon as possible.

 Chapter 43 - Adventurers Guild Test (Part Three)

    Lucas saw two types of Beasts living in the pack. While one was blue, the other was orange. "I just hope they aren''t what I think they are", he thought as he used [Inspect] on them.


    [Advanced Tier Beast - Fire Lizard]


    [The scaled on their body is though to cut through, quite suitable to make a weapon. They spit fire from their mouths, and they can light up their body parts with the Fire element. Watch out for their tongues and saliva. It can burn a person to death. Weak against Ice Magic]


    [Advanced Tier Beast - Ice Lizard]


    [The scaled on their body is though to cut through, quite suitable to make a weapon. They spit fire from their mouths, and they can light up their body parts with the Ice element. Watch out for their tongues and saliva. It can freeze a person to death. Weak against Fire Magic]


    There were twenty-four Beasts in the pack, and they were divided equally. "Tough situation indeed, but it isn''t anything I can''t handle", he thought as he looked around the forest. "Listen, this time, we can''t one-shot this thing. I''ll smoke them out and you can shoot as many as you want", he said.


    Emilia looked at him and brought out something from her back. "Smoke grenades?", asked Lucas. "Yes, and there is a mix of strong chloroform, that can knock out a Legendary Tier Beast. So, how do we split?", she asked as she handed him two and she took two. "Fifty-Fifty", he smiled as he received the grenades and a mask.


    They both counted to three and threw the grenades. Then, he wore the mask and activated [Mana Vision]. Then, he began to cast [Fireball] and [Icicle] rapidly. "Shouldn''t give them time to recover. Once weakened, my blade will kill them", he planned as he was casting. The bout ended in about fifteen minutes, with Lucas covered in blood once again.


    "You reek of blood", wretched Emilia. Lucas smelled and covered his nose. "I do reek of blood. I need a change of clothes", he thought. He was once again impressed by the immersiveness of the illusion. "What kind of tech can do this? Not something available in this world. Maybe, it is from the Galaxy?", he thought.


    He once again followed his map, and while following, he pulled up his quest to see how much he had remaining.


    [Quest Incomplete]


    [Place D Rank or above in this test


    Beasts Killed


    Demon Tier Beast 0/1


    Demi-God Tier Beast 0/3


    Emperor Tier Beast 0/5


    King Tier Beast 0/7


    Legendary Tier Beast 0/9


    Advanced Tier Beast 12/11


    Intermediate Tier Beast 11/15


    Basic Tier Beast 24/20]


    [Current Rank: F Rank]


    He was baffled by two things. "I still need four Intermediate Tier Beasts to complete the requirements? And I am still at F Rank?", he thought. He was determined to complete this mission and about two hours were remaining on the clock. "I have to be faster", he said out loud as he was running.


    Emilia was stunned when she heard his words. "Well, who am I kidding? I am also aiming for the highest ranking possible. Maybe C or B Rank would suffice", she thought. She followed behind as Lucas began to run faster.


    "Kid, I would save my stamina if I were you. You are up against Legendary Tier Beasts. And you need to kill nine of them too. A pack of Legendary Beasts are no joke", said Valentine. Lucas didn''t stop as he ignored Valentine''s warning. "I will finish them, and I will complete this quest", he thought.


    After reaching the spot, they followed the same tactic. When he was hiding, he saw a notification pop up.


    [Rage Meter is Complete]


    [Activate Rage Mode? Yes/No]


    Lucas smiled as he saw it. "Can I control the intensity of the Rage Mode?", he asked in his mind. Valentine began to explain. "Rage Mode can be controlled, and I would be able to increase the intensity slowly. I don''t know how much you would be able to handle without turning insane. We will start at ten percent, and I will decide how much to increase", he said.


    Lucas nodded his head and activated his Rage Mode. A mark began to swirl up his right arm and stopped at his shoulder. The mark was pulsing like it was alive. His left eye turned blue, and three rings formed outside of the iris. One of the rings lit up and was pulsing just like his mark. Lucas saw the screen pop up in front of him.


    [Rage Mode has been activated]


    [All stats have been increased by ten percent]


    [Eye of Prediction has been activated]


    [Eye of Prediction - Will be able to perceive the next move of your opponent. Skill used to maximize the effect of Rage Mode]


    [Mastery - 10%]


    "Kid, can you hear me?", inquired Valentine. "Loud and clear", said Lucas. He began to increase the intensity. "15%... 20%... 25%... 30%. Kid, am I still audible?", he asked as he was worried. Lucas''s breathing was erratic, but his mind wasn''t consumed by the Rage Mode. "Increase it. I''m still sane", he said. Valentine began to increase again. "Just how much Rage has this kid been controlling in this Eighteen years?", he thought as he increased


    [35%.... 40%... 45%... 48%...]


    At this point, Lucas''s breathing was getting out of control. "Kid, can you hear me?", he asked again. "Entering Rage Mode is a double-edged sword, and unless you can control it, it''s useless. Should I increase it?'', he asked with concern. Lucas was conscious, but he couldn''t speak in his mind. His thoughts were blank. He just huffed.


    "Alright, I''ll stop at 50%. You will go insane, but try and control it as soon as you can. I know you can", he said as he pushed it up to 50%. Lucas began to huff smoke from his nostrils, and Emilia was scared. "Lucas, are you alright?", she asked. Lucas didn''t turn his head towards her, instead kept it focused in front of him.


    [Legendary Tier Beast - Earth Crickets]


    [They are weak in strength, but they can use the Earth element as armor to cover up for their weaknesses. Weak against Fire Magic]


    Lucas didn''t remember the information although he had read it. Slowly, he was massacring every beast in sight, shocking Emilia. His breathing began to stabilize, and he saw the notification, regaining his consciousness again.


    [Mastery - 50%]


    [Rage Meter currently at 50% intensity. 75% of the Meter left]


    Lucas smiled as he saw the pop-up. "No more pushing for now. Don''t want to create any confusions with her", he thought as he looked at the terrified look on Emilia''s face. He smiled at her, and that brought back some color to her. He stopped the killing and went towards her. "I''ve weakened them. Just go ahead and do your thing", he said.


    Emilia shot down every Beast in her sight, and she saw the cuts on the Beast''s body. "Just how fast is he", she thought as she saw him lean casually on a tree, smiling at her. Emilia finished her part, and she looked at the screen that was hovering above her.


    [Beasts Killed


    Demon Tier Beast - 0


    Demi-God Tier Beast - 0


    Emperor Tier Beast - 0


    King Tier Beast - 0


    Legendary Tier Beast - 6


    Advanced Tier Beast - 12


    Intermediate Tier Beast - 9


    Basic Tier Beast - 15]


    [Current Rank: D Rank]


    Lucas looked at his count once again.


    [Beasts Killed


    Demon Tier Beast 0/1


    Demi-God Tier Beast 0/3


    Emperor Tier Beast 0/5


    King Tier Beast 0/7


    Legendary Tier Beast 9/9


    Advanced Tier Beast 12/11


    Intermediate Tier Beast 11/15


    Basic Tier Beast 24/20]


    [Current Rank: D Rank]


    "Let''s take a breather. Five minutes and we will move", said Lucas in a commanding tone. Emilia nodded her head and sat down by a tree, and Lucas laid down on top of a tree. "To expect so much in such little time. Is this what it means to be a real adventurer? I can''t begin to imagine the SS and SSS ranks. No wonder there is very little SSS on the whole planet", he thought as he looked into the horizon.


    He looked down at his hand and saw a mark on his hand. It was in the shape of two arrowheads crossing each other. "What is this Mark?'', he thought. ''Well, that is the Mark Of The System. Or as the people call it, ''Awakener''s Mark''. Every system has its unique system trait and a mark that follows. It can be anywhere on the body, and this is your mark", he said.


    "Can I hide it? I don''t want many people to know that I am an Awakener", he said. The mark then began to vanish. "If you activate Rage Mode, the Mark will become visible again. And you don''t have to worry about it being thereafter. I will hide it", he said with confidence in his tone.


    Lucas smiled as he jumped down the tree. "We will be heading in this direction. I still need to kill four more Intermediate Tier Beasts, and I saw some beasts on the way towards the next pack. And I''m warning you, the next one will be a King Tier Pack", he warned Emilia.


    She nodded her head and they both began to head towards the King Tier Pack. Little did they know, that their every move was being watched by the Guild.. "Truly interesting indeed", amused Steve as he was watching them.

 Chapter 44 - Adventurers Guild Test (Part Four)

    Lucas had now killed the remaining four Intermediate Tier Beasts that were required as he was on his way towards the pack. Emilia and Lucas were now hiding, trying to hatch a plan to lure out the King Tier Beasts. He used the [Inspect] on them.


    [King Tier Beast - Golden Shell Beetle]


    [It has a very hard exterior, which is extremely hard to crack. It can use its arms to slice anything that stands in its way and can fly in the air. Weak against High-Intensity Fire Magic]


    The beetle had a Golden Shell on its back and stood on its hind legs. It had four arms, and two of them were in gold. "So my Fireball won''t work?", he thought. "High-Intensity? How do I increase the intensity of my Fireball?", he thought. "How about I conjure three to four Fireballs, and compress it into one Fireball?", he thought.


    Emilia''s gun began to glow orange. "Mana Channeling?'', he said. Emilia nodded her head. "Since Gold can be melted under intense heat, I''m making Fire Explosive Bullets. It takes some time, though", she said. Lucas was impressed by her extensive knowledge.


    "Although she doesn''t have a system, she does know. And why do I use the [Inspect] every time I don''t remember something? The last time''s upgrade made me unable to use my spells. If I upgrade again, then I won''t be able to use the [Inspect]. I need to try and use my brain", he thought.


    Four fireballs floated above his hands, and he began to merge them. The Fireball grew large, and there was a high amount of heat coming from it. "Now, to compress it", he thought. He tried to control the Fire Element. The fireball became erratic, and he was losing control of the large fireball.


    "Come on, there must be a way", he thought. "Separate them", said Valentine. He followed and separated it back into four fireballs. "Now, join one and compress it", he instructed. Lucas followed his instruction and joined only two. It was slightly larger than the normal fireball, and he slowly began to compress it.


    "Good, do it once more, and again and it will be much easier to compress. You will have to learn to Manipulate Mana for this, but I am giving you a shortcut. This won''t help in the long run, though", he said. Lucas nodded his head and followed the instructions. The fireball grew in size, and he compressed it again. He repeated the process until all four of them were merged.


    The fireball in his hands was the size of one normal fireball, but there was a ring surrounding it. "It looks like the Planet Saturn", he chuckled as he looked at it. The heat coming from it was immense, making Lucas break a sweat. "If I can make one more", he thought. "Don''t even think about it. First perfect this one", scolded Valentine.


    Lucas nodded his head and he threw the [4x Fireball] towards the nearest Beast. It instantly died, and it let out a screech before it died. "Maybe if I use two more in it, I could instantly kill it", he thought. He then began to do the same process, but he used six fireballs in one.


    The fireball was now hotter than before, and the ring that surrounded the fireball was rotating. "Well, here goes nothing", he thought as he threw the [6x Fireball] at another Beast, and it died, not knowing what hit them. The confusion began to spread among the Beasts as they began to fall one by one.


    "Well, I can only use three of these now", he thought as he scanned. His weapon was inefficient against them for now. "I can use Aura attacks", he thought.


    [Fireball has Levelled Up!]


    [Mana Consumption 7 -> 6]


    [Damage increased by three percent]


    He was elated. "If only I could level up my Icicle as well", he thought. He then began to do the same with the Icicles, merging six of them into one. He also made a fireball the same way, threw both of them towards two of the enemies. "Four beasts down", he thought as he pulled out his blades.


    He then began to use [Aura Slash] again and again. He maintained his distance from the Beasts as he hacked away at them, slowly killing them one by one. He huffed after killing them. He looked at his quest, to see how many he had killed. "And there are only about Fifty minutes left", he thought.


    "Will I be able to fare against Emperor Tier Beast?", he thought as he slid on a tree. After he sat down, he felt a shoulder on his shoulder and he turned to see who it was. "Emilia, how did it go?'', he asked her. She smiled at him as she placed her head on the tree behind her. "I''m spent. I don''t think I can move an inch from here. I did want to go up against an Emperor Tier", she said in a low voice.


    Lucas closed his eyes and began to meditate. "Follow what I''m doing, and it might help in your recovery", he said to her and continued his meditation. Emilia followed what he did and soon, after fifteen minutes, they felt refreshed.


    "Let''s go and find some Solo Emperor Tier Beasts", he said as he began his acting once again. "We just need to kill one", he thought and looked at the Map. He saw two Emperor Tiers near each other, and no Beast was surrounding their area. "That''s strange. Why are there no Beasts around that area? Some kind of hierarchy, I suppose", he said as he got up.


    They both went in another direction, and they reached the place where the two Emperor Tier Beasts resided. One was on the ground, and it was sleeping while the other was standing guard.


    [Emperor Tier Beast - Boxing Ape]


    [It has insane strength, and it moves like a boxer. It is rumored that this species, the ''Martial Apes'', each have mastered a different technique of Marital Arts. Beware of fighting against them. Weak against Magic Attacks]


    Lucas was baffled when he saw the information. "Are you kidding me? There is a whole species of Martial Apes out there? How in the world did they even learn it", he exclaimed. The Boxing Ape was walking like a guard, and it kept looking around. Lucas didn''t want to fight it, but he had no choice for now. He needed at least one for a rank-up.


    "I can''t box, but I don''t know if this ape has the same weakness as a normal boxer", he thought. He took a martial stance and was about to stand in front of the ape when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Allow me. I think the one behind will be more suitable for you", said Emilia as she stepped in front of him.


    He stepped back as he also wanted to assess the ''Martial Apes''. "Well, who would have thought that this evolution would have brought forth a new race of Apes. I wonder if other races have also mastered Martial Arts", he pondered. He was indeed, truly intrigued.


    Emilia stood in front of the Boxing Ape, and she assumed the same stance. The Ape roared as it banged its chest, slightly waking up the Ape that was asleep behind it. The Ape then rubbed its eyes and looked at Emilia. It stood up and leaned on the tree casually as if mocking her.


    Emilia was furious. She wanted to fight it right away, but she didn''t. The Ape turned towards Lucas and began to converse. "Sign Language?", he was taken aback. "Please be the referee for this match, human", it said. Lucas was stunned. "But unless we kill them, we don''t get a number", he thought.


    The Ape took out a cloth from behind and tied it to its head. It then roared out loud, signaling that it was ready to fight. "This match will consist of twelve rounds. And each round shall last for three minutes. A thirty-second window will be open as a break between each round. Fighters, ready? FIGHT!", said Lucas and jumped back.


    As soon as he said that, it signaled the beginning of the fight, but neither of them moved. The Ape turned its head towards him and talked again. "Where''s the dong?", he asked. "Now who the hell trained this Ape", thought Lucas as he took out his swords and clashed them against each other, signaling the beginning of the match.


    Emilia smiled wide, and her demeanour changed from that of a gentle person to that of someone who is out for blood. "This will be interesting. I''m going to kill this one in four rounds", she thought as she activated her Aura, spreading it throughout her body.


    "Let''s begin, Ape", she said as she jumped forward, jabbing towards its chin.. The Ape also roared, as it made its move towards Emilia.

 Chapter 45 - Adventurers Guild Test (Part Five)

    Emilia and the Ape covered their distances quite quickly, and Emilia threw a jab to the chin. The Ape moved its head to the side, avoiding the blow quickly as it delivered a straight to Emilia. She saw the move and tilted her head, barely dodging the large fist that was coming to her face.


    "Now this is why, never teach Boxing to someone extremely big", she thought as she jumped back a few steps, testing the waters with the Ape. "It''s really good. I wonder who in the world taught it boxing?", she thought as she inched closer to the Ape. The Ape kept its head straight, and always had its guard up, making it hard for Emilia to hit it.


    The Ape couldn''t take it any longer and it rushed in with a 1-2 combo. Emilia dodged the first one, but the second one hit her square in the face. She was pushed a few meters back, but she wasn''t fazed by it. Blood began to trickle down her nose, and she smiled.


    "It''s been a long time since someone has made me bleed", she said in a menacing tone. Chills were sent down Lucas''s spine as he saw the look in her eyes. It was filled with murderous intent, and her Aura began to flail around wildly.


    She launched a flurry of punches towards the Ape, and it began to move faster. "Jab, Cross, Jab, Lead Hook, Rear Hook. What is she trying to do?", he thought as he looked at the time. It was nearing three minutes, and Lucas was ready to signal the end of the first round.


    He clashed his swords as soon as he saw the time go three minutes, and he intervened in between them, stopping it in the middle. "So, how are they? Can we take them both down?", he asked as they both walked away. "It will be tough, but it is doable. I only need to pierce its heart, and it will be over", she said casually.


    She began to crack her knuckles as she walked back to fight again, and Lucas signaled the start of the second round. This time, she changed her tempo, and it was twice as fast as the Ape. She began to move from side to side, in the shape of an eight. "The Dempsey Roll", thought Lucas as he saw that.


    Although he couldn''t box, he knew some of the moves done by people. And the Dempsey Roll was one of them. The Dempsey Roll was a technique that was invented by Jack Dempsey, a boxer in the ancient days. He was well known throughout the world at that time, and his technique was later used by many other boxers. Some of them being Fuji Takeshi and Mike Tyson.


    Although he knew the history, to do the Dempsey Roll was a whole other level. You have to be able to weave at a high speed, enough to make your opponent be confused about where you are. This move also has the advantage of adding momentum to your punches, making it harder and faster. The only drawback is that once you get caught, it will be the end of your streak.


    "But why, to use such a dangerous move here?'', he thought. "Ah yes, the weight difference", he remembered as he remembered the person they were fighting wasn''t a human, but a Martial Ape. He had to throw logic out of the window for this one, as nothing logical would solve his dilemma in the mind at the moment.


    Emilia delivered every blow to its body. and hitting the same spot over and over. The Ape tried to punch her downwards, but to his surprise, she weaved away quickly after she sensed that. The Ape was furious, and it began to swing wildly, trying everything in its arsenal.


    Emilia didn''t stop as the place she punched repeatedly began to bruise up. "Alright, a little more and it will break. I don''t want to kill it in such a painful way. If only I had some other methods to kill it", she thought as she was about to punch, Lucas signaled the end of the round.


    The Ape walked up to its counterpart, and it spat out some blood. The counterpart wanted to jump in, but the Ape held it back. "Sportsmanship and honor? But how? Aren''t they just Apes?", thought Lucas as he watched Emilia take in deep breaths, gaining as much stamina as she could.


    "Follow the technique I use. It will help you faster", said Lucas as he sat down beside her, showing her the technique. After the break time was over, he once again signaled the start of the match. But this time, instead of Emilia making the first move, The Ape made its move.


    It came straight and threw a jab to her right shoulder, but she weaved at the last second, minimizing the damage caused to her. The Ape didn''t stop as it repeated the same, alternating sides. Emilia, using her small stature in comparison with the Ape, weaved through all of them, and she was moving backward.


    Lucas activated [Mana Vision], as he felt that something was going on. That''s when he saw the Aura inside her. "Brilliant Indeed. To channel it to your feet and your fists", he smiled. After a few minutes, she executed her plan.


    The Ape, which thought it was gaining an advantage over her, began to press on more. That was when she released the Aura in her feet, charging towards the Ape in a flash. The Ape was stunned by the development, and she concentrated her Aura around her fists, punching straight to the jaw, breaking it in the process.


    The Ape couldn''t roar out loud, but it held it quickly tore a vine, and tied it on its head, holding its jaw in place as it continued the fight. "Such tenacity. I wonder if I will fare well against that Ape", he thought. The second Ape jumped in the fray, ready to kill Emilia when the Boxing Ape gave a punch to its cheek, pushing it away from the fight.


    "This is my fight. I have finally met a strong opponent. Let me fight to my heart''s content", it said in sign language. The second Ape nodded its head and sat down. Lucas looked at Emilia. "Give it everything you''ve got. The Ape is bringing its A-game", he warned her.


    Emilia''s smile widened. "Now let''s see who is the better among us", she said as she moved towards the Ape, which had now tied its jaw in place with a vine. "A truly intelligent and terrifying being", he thought as he saw the Ape move in slow and cautious steps. Emilia, on the other hand, released her Aura, making the Ape''s skin tingle.


    The Ape knew that this was a now or never fight. Emilia channeled her Aura towards her fists, and it was like a glove that covers the fist in a real boxing match. "Burnheart Style: First Stage. Aura Fist", she muttered with closed eyes. The air around her began to vibrate, and she punched the ribs of the Ape, breaking through.


    The Ape roared out loud, and it moved back whimpering. Emilia continued her Aura Punch, and went into the other side, piercing through again. "So the reason she broke those ribs was for this moment?", he thought. And he wasn''t the only one who thought that.


    "Well, to fight a Martial Ape at its own game. Truly interesting indeed", smiled Steve as he continued watching. Jasmine wanted to run up to Steve, but she held back her curiosity and glee inside of her.


    Emilia was still yet to finish her move. She then looked at the Ape in the eye and was about to punch through its heart, when something unexpected happened. The Ape held its hand up in the air in defeat, making her stop midway.


    "As a Martial Ape, we pride ourselves in our ways of the Martial Arts. You have won today. I admit defeat. As our custom, we will offer our life to the person who defeated us. Just please kill me swiftly", it said in sign language.


    Lucas translated that to her and she nodded her head. She concentrated her Aura around her fist more, making it look solid. She changed the shape to a piercing type, and she pierced it through the Ape''s chest, and she fainted right after. "That was a good fight", said Lucas as he caught her before she fell to the ground.


    He carried her to the side, and the second Ape came forward. It was cracking its knuckles, ready to look for a fight. It assumed a Muay Thai stance, and it was Lucas''s turn to smile. "Only thirty-five minutes left on the clock to end the test", he smiled as he cracked his knuckles.


    [Emperor Tier Beast - Muay Thai Ape]


    [It has insane strength, and it moves like a Muay Thai fighter. It is rumored that this species, the ''Martial Apes'', each have mastered a different technique of Marital Arts. Beware of fighting against them. Weak against Magic Attacks]


    "I will honor the death of your companion, and not use any Magic attacks. Now, let''s get this started, shall we?", smiled Lucas as he looked the Ape in the eye. The Ape roared out loud, kicking up dust.. And thus, signaling the start of another match.

 Chapter 46 - Adventurers Guild Test (Final Part)

    Lucas didn''t move, as he waited for the Ape to make the first move. It came flying towards his head, performing a jump kick. "So soon?", Lucas thought as he dodged it by moving to the side. He then did a foot thrust as soon as the Ape landed, and it budged from the place. Lucas began to do a combination.


    "Low kick, Switch kick, Straight Foot Jab", he thought as he did it. It was one of his combination techniques to throw an opponent off balance. And it was working with the Ape too. But sadly, it wasn''t enough for him to win.


    "Just one, and I will be able to move to C Rank", he thought. He didn''t want to use anything, not yet anyway. He wanted to see if there was any strength difference between these Martial Apes according to the Martial Arts they practiced. Using his shin, he did a roundhouse to the back of the Ape''s head, but his leg was stuck there.


    He was unable to move past the head, and it was like he was hitting a rock. He turned and looked at Emilia. "Just what kind of person are you to be able to damage this kind of Ape by hitting it repeatedly? I can barely damage one!", he thought. He then channeled his Aura throughout his body.


    "Guess I''m still too weak. I have to improve myself, and since Father said a Storm is Brewing, it means that there must be something big happening there. And he has never given a device to anyone before. Not to Sam, and neither to Kate. This means that this is quite serious", he concluded.


    And for that, he needed strength. He was preparing himself to face the threat that his father was referring to, but only when he came face to face with an Emperor Tier did he know his weakness. The Ape lunged again, and this time it performed a Double Collar Tie.


    Double Collar Tie is one of the clinching moves in Muay Thai. It is executed by placing both of your hands to the back of your opponent''s head and pull it down. This locks his opponent''s head and shoulders in a dominant position, allowing him to perform some serious damage on them.


    "The Double Collar Tie. This is going to be hard to break, especially against such a big stature", he thought as he was already deep into the lock. He moved his body lower and closer to the Ape, making it lose its momentum to kick using its knee. It grunted and let go, and he quickly moved away.


    "I can''t do a suplex to this big guy. I am not strong enough to do that anyway", he thought as he moved backward. The Ape spun on place and kicked him in the gut. It pushed him away for many meters, and he slid and rolled away. He coughed up blood.


    "Maybe this Aura isn''t enough", he thought as he began to channel more into his body, pushing it to the limit. He then moved from the place and performed a back elbow right at its left ear. It stumbled back, and he didn''t miss this chance as he did the same to the right ear, a second later. The Ape began to experience dizziness for a moment.


    Lucas wanted to finish this quick, and he performed a Double Under Hook. He lunged at the hip of the ape, and he was clenching it with all his strength. "Man, these Apes are tall", he cursed as he was clinching. The Ape snickered at him as it moved its hip backward, and Lucas went along with it. "This is not even an Under Hook. Damn", he thought.


    He wanted to use his swords now. Then he remembered something. "When fighting someone bigger and stronger than you, remember to always maintain your cool. You lose that, you lose your only advantage against them", he remembered. This was one of his Master''s many teachings, words of wisdom.


    He then took a deep breath, and he called out to Valentine. "Activate the Rage Mode at fifty percent", he said. Valentine did it as he complained. "You know you can activate it yourself, right?", he complained.


    [Rage Mode has been Activated]


    [All stats have been increased by fifty percent]


    [Eye of Prediction has been activated]


    [Eye of Prediction - Will be able to perceive the next move of your opponent. Skill used to maximize the effect of Rage Mode]


    [Mastery - 50%]


    [Rage Mode activated at 50% intensity]


    The mark began to pulse as his eyes began to see the movements of the Ape much more fluently. He was dodging them quite easily, but he still hadn''t built any damage. "Maybe the increase in stats will help this time", he thought as he did a diagonal knee strike to its guts.


    The Ape moved back slightly. This was a win for the already struggling Lucas. "Maybe this is the edge I needed to stand against this", he thought as he jumped again, this time doing a curving knee strike to its head.


    He followed it up with a hook punch to its eye, temporarily blinding it. He then felt his Aura level increase, and he was happy about that. "Maybe I ranked up?", he thought as he felt the surge of newfound strength. The Ape was howling as it grabbed its eye. Emilia woke up from her previously fainted state.


    "What''s going on?", she thought as she looked around. She then saw the Ape that she had killed and Lucas fighting against the other Ape. when she was about to jump in, she heard Lucas talk. "No problem, I can take care of this on my own", he said as he landed.


    He then moved swiftly, and the speed this time baffled the Ape. It was threatened, yet it smiled. It did a Back Fist Strike, and Lucas got hit and went sprawling to the ground. He coughed up blood.


    "Not yet", he thought as he was seething with Rage. The intensity of the Rage Meter began to go up, as his rage increased. He was mad. For being weak. For being underestimated. And finally, for being unable to protect himself. "How will I protect my family, when I can''t protect myself?!", he seethed.


    The pulsing of the mark became stronger, and his eye was getting better. He didn''t realize it, but he was slowly mastering control over his Rage Mode, increasing his mastery along with it.


    "More. I need to become stronger", he thought as he dodged the strikes. The Ape which was threatened was now feeling terrified. It sensed the sudden surge of strength in him, and it wanted to eliminate him as soon as it could. Lucas performed a roundhouse kick again, and this time, he heard a crack in the Ape''s legs.


    [Congratulations! You have obtained Complete Mastery over Rage Mode]


    [You can use Eye Of Prediction freely. You will not have to enter Rage Mode to access it]


    Lucas saw the notification, but he didn''t feel happy inside. Although he had complete mastery over it, he was still mad. He wanted to be able to stand next to his family without any of this. "I will become stronger", he vowed as he channeled his Aura into his fists and feet.


    The Aura that he had channeled began to take shape. It shaped itself into knuckle busters with spikes on it. And the ones on his legs took the shape of a military boot. His eyes were red, but his sanity was still intact.


    "You Ape. I thank you for making me realize how weak I am. But I can''t let you win, not today. For I have a dream, a goal to achieve. I have people that I want to stand next to proudly someday so that they can hold their heads high. I hope you will understand", he said as he jumped from his place. The Ape began to look around, but it couldn''t see where he was.


    Lucas was high above his head, and he was coming down crashing with an Axe Kick. The Ape which wanted to fight, let down its guard. Lucas pierced through its eyes and made it blind in one of its eyes. The Ape then stopped Lucas and said the same things as the Boxing Ape said.


    Lucas imagined the shape of a blade and his right hand''s aura changed into one. He then moved back three steps and came running. He jumped and thrust his fist outwards, and twisted his hips for more momentum. The Ape stood there, satisfied that it had met someone stronger than him.


    Lucas''s Aura blade pierced through its heart, bringing it near to death. Lucas''s vision began to fade, and he was about to pass out. "Not Yet", he muttered as he went towards the Ape. He held out his fist, and the Ape did the same. "Hope you find someone to spar with up there", he said as he fist-bumped with the Ape.


    As soon as his fight was over, he looked at the timer. "Only two minutes remaining, huh? I would have loved to....", he fainted midway. Emilia had recovered quite a bit during her break, and she caught him. She then put her arm around his and dragged him back to the tree she was resting at.


    "You aren''t weak, Lucas. You are strong.. You just so happened to meet this unfortunate Ape'', she whispered as she looked at the timer, slowly counting down towards the end of this test.

 Chapter 47 - The Meeting (Part One)

    Lucas was feeling groggy as he woke up after a few minutes. He then got up from his sleeping position and saw Emilia sitting next to him. He quickly sat in a meditative pose and began to recuperate himself. "Those Apes, I wonder if there is any way that I can recreate this immersiveness", he thought as he was recuperating.


    He then looked up to her, and smiled. "How was the test?", he asked as he was still feeling dizzy. He needed some rest, and he closed his eyes as he laid on the wall that was behind him. There was a buzz, and in came the same man that lead them the last time. "Al fo you fledglings, listen up!'', he said in a commanding tone.


    "Your performances were at most, average. Some of you will be scouted by Guilds right now, while the others will have to wait and prove later. All of your Ranks will be displayed in order. We will be going in the descending Order", he announced as he pulled up a projection of the F Rank.


    "Let''s look at the quest and see what Rank I have achieved", he thought as he pulled up the screen.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Place D Rank or above in this test


    Beasts Killed


    Demon Tier Beast 0/1


    Demi-God Tier Beast 0/3


    Emperor Tier Beast 1/5


    King Tier Beast 7/7


    Legendary Tier Beast 9/9


    Advanced Tier Beast 12/11


    Intermediate Tier Beast 15/15


    Basic Tier Beast 24/20]


    [Rewards, EXP x2 for every Beast you kill. According to your placement, EXP will be as follows.


    S Rank - EXP +10,000


    A Rank - EXP +8000


    B Rank - EXP +6000


    C Rank - EXP +3000


    D Rank - EXP +1500


    E Rank - -1 Level


    F Rank - -3 Levels


    Intermediate HP Limit Breaker Potion x1


    Intermediate MP Limit Breaker Potion x1]


    [Rank Placed: B Rank]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    "Let''s see how many levels I will move up this time", he thought as he claimed the rewards.


    [Rewards Claimed]


    [Accumulated EXP: 64,500 EXP]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [EXP for B Rank]


    [EXP: 6950/20,000]


    [Received Intermediate Limit Breaker HP Potion x1]


    [Received Intermediate Limit Breaker MP Potion x1]


    Lucas was satisfied with the level up. "Well, I''ve moved up six levels. But for now, until I harness my full potential, I''m not going to use it. Well, I can bring them all to the nearest round number and leave it there though", he thought and shook his head. "Maybe it will be better for later", he thought and threw it to the back of his mind.


    He then opened up his status window.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 68/220]


    [MP: 52/220]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 6950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 43]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 41]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


    "Impressive, kid. Although you could have done better, it''s your first time and you did use your wits and overcome this obstacle. But remember, don''t add your stat points until you have passed Stage Three of Aura. But the Limit Breaker, Hehe", Valentine snickered and left it at a mystery.


    Lucas was pissed off. "Always keeping secrets even from your descendants. Then how will you right your wrongs?", he scoffed. Valentine didn''t respond. It was like he had turned his voice off. He just dusted himself off and got up, ready to go and get his badge.


    "Next up, we have B Ranks", said the announcer. Lucas smiled as he looked at the list. Emilia was also looking at the list. But their names weren''t there. Even amongst the lowest. "That can''t be right?", thought Lucas as he was about to ask the announcer. He saw the system grade him a B Rank Adventurer.


    As he and Emilia went up to the announcer, the screen changed. ''Due to their performances, they have been given a special rank. They shall be amongst the rarest Adventurers'', it read and their names were below. "A B+ Rank? Is there even one?", he thought.


    "Yes, there is. These ranks are for the people who surpass the B rank but are slightly lower than the A rank. Hence the term, B+. There are a lot of Adventurers out there in this category. They will be on a period of cooldown, and later they will have to come for the second test. The cooldown for you people is six months", he informed them.


    Lucas was stunned when he heard this. "So there are ranks like this, huh? And after six months, we will attempt the test again?'', he asked curiously. The announcer nodded his head and then gave him a black card. "This is a one-time card. You will be allowed to meet the head of this branch, as she has summoned for you", he said and motioned for them to wait.


    Lucas and Emilia nodded their heads and waited. After many people had left, Lucas, Emilia, and three more people had been asked to stay behind. All of them had the same card as he had. Lucas looked at them and was about to socialize when he heard the announcer ask him to follow behind.


    "Man, I thought I could form my party now. But no problems, maybe I will, when I''m much stronger", he thought as he followed behind. Emilia was behind him and they were the last among the five. All the other three were A+, meaning that they lacked something to become an S Ranked Adventurer.


    Lucas was wondering who would the head of the branch be. He knew some of the famous people around the world, and they were either SS Ranked or S Ranked. There were only Seven SSS Ranked Adventurers around the globe, and one SSS+ Ranked Adventurer for the whole planet!


    They entered a lift and went all the way to the top. They waited outside a room and the announcer knocked it in a rhythm and waited. The door then buzzed open and in went all of them.


    The office, should it be called that was an understatement. The ceiling was high and it was in the corner of a building, making there be two sides of clear glass instead of walls. The sunlight which shone through was making the office look more like a penthouse. The table and the chairs that were placed overlooking the city, made it look like someone lived here.


    "Is this an office?", thought Lucas as he looked around. And in that chair was a beautiful woman, who was sitting with her legs crossed over, and casually sipping some coffee from her cup. The aroma of the coffee was strong and it made Lucas crave for some.


    The woman then got up from her seat and got everyone a cup of coffee. Lucas began to sip his coffee and he waited for the woman to introduce herself. "I am Jasmine Van Dyke. I''m sure you must have heard of my name", she smiled at them. It was pleasant yet threatening at the same time.


    Lucas nodded his head. "Jasmine Van Dyke. A.K.A The Beastly Beauty. Born and raised here in Alexandria. An S Ranked Adventurer. Made a name for herself during the Monster Wave that hit the Kingdom around ten years ago", Lucas thought. He then looked at her and saw that the nickname did do her justice.


    Then in came another man. He was tall and handsome, and he had long jet black hair which flowed down his neck. His face was sharp, and he had a very deep voice. He had a scar, that ran across his left cheek, which was peeking out of his beard that he used to cover it. A toned and muscular body, and he had slightly tanned skin.


    "Hello everyone. My name is Steve Hudson. I will be explaining to you why we had categorized every one of you in a rank that is not told outside. This ''plus category'' also has another name in the guild. It is known as ''The Growth Zone''", he said.


    Lucas shook his head as he was drinking his coffee, listening keenly. He wanted to know what he did wrong, or to be more precise, what were the places he needed improvement. He wasn''t disheartened by the fact that he had got a B+ Rank. He was elated when he saw that. But something inside him was telling him that this wasn''t enough, telling him that he could have done better.


    "What''s done is done, kid. You can''t dwell on the past, for that will hinder your sight into the future", said Valentine as he read his thoughts. "But I am surprised as well. I never expected him to get a B. I thought that the most he could do are get a C", thought Valentine.


    Lucas sipped his coffee as Steve began his explanation of how, and why The Growth Zone was implemented.

 Chapter 48 - The Meeting (Part Two)

    "The Growth Zone is the zone, in which there will be immense growth in your performances. As you guys have must have noticed, you must have aimed for something, but you were just a teeny bit away from achieving the goal. This is why The Growth Zone was found by The Adventurer''s Guild", he explained.


    "In this time, we will review every one of your mistakes here, and we will tell you what you could have done better and saved a bit of time. We will start a bit later. But for now, just take a minute and think what you might have done to perform better", he said and everyone began to look at each other in confusion.


    Lucas began to think back to all the things he had done since the start of the test. "Well, if I had mastered Mana Manipulation, or maybe moved up in the Stage of Aura, I might have been able to perform better. Or if I had more spells?", he began to think hard and he began to crease his brows, which was something he usually does when he begins to think.


    After five minutes, the glass that they could see through turned translucent. Then, a projection was faced on that glass, allowing them to look at their performances. "Now this will be a learning moment not only for each of you individually but as a whole too. Make sure to pay close attention", he said as he began to play the first recording.


    It was of a boy who was in the A+ Rankings. The boy was tall as Lucas, and he was a swordsman. He used a katana, and he had impeccable skills with the blade. He swiftly killed all the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Tier Beasts. He struggled very little while killing the Legendary Tier Beasts. When he went to the King Tier Beasts, that''s when he started to struggle. His weapon was unable to cut through and it made him get hit quite often.


    "This is your problem. You are skilled with the blade, but you do not have a good blade that suits you. As much as you have mastered the path of the sword, the blade chooses its master and not the other way around. try finding the right weapon for you, and you go a long way ahead in the future", said Steve.


    The boy that he was talking to was quite handsome and had fair skin. He was similar to Lucas in terms of height and stature, but his hair was tied into a man bun. He had round deep green eyes and had an earring on his right ear. His hair was black, and there were streaks of maroon in them. His eyes were sharp, and he quickly turned and flashed a smile at Lucas.


    "That''s quite the perception. He has indeed mastered the way of the blade. Only a master will be able to sense what I was trying to do", smiled Lucas as he turned his head away. He was trying to use the [Inspect] skill on him to see what his stats were. he had never tried it on people before, and he was curious how it would work.


    But before it could complete its analysis, the boy sensed him. "I should be wary of this guy. Should he be friend or foe, only time will tell", he thought as he shifted his attention to the screen again.


    It once again lit up, and another recording began to play. This time it was a girl. She was swinging around her scythe, cutting through any enemy that stood in her way. "Put on a black hood and she''ll be the female version of a Grim Reaper", whispered Emilia as she was watching the clip. The same thing happened with her, and she began to struggle at the same level as the previous boy.


    Lucas smiled as he heard the comment. "Well, if she''s the reaper, then I guess many guys would be willing to die in her hands", he chuckled. "Hmph, boys will be boys", retorted back Emilia. She was concentrating on the screen and whispering with Lucas. When she was about to fight against the Emperor Tier, her weapon was the same, but something weird happened to it.


    The weapon began to bend and twist flexibly. Lucas instantly recognized what it was. "That metal! Ingenious!", he laughed out loud as he began to hit his thighs in amusement. He quickly cleared his throat and apologized for his actions. "Should stop this bad habit that I picked up from Forge Master", he thought as he watched. Soon, the clip ended and Steve turned towards him.


    "Mr. Smith, would you happen to know the metal that was used in this weapon? And the method that this metal could achieve this?", he asked as he eyed Lucas with suspicion. "If he knows, then that means he is truly a Blacksmith", he smiled as his thoughts began to run wild. His lips curved upwards, revealing a challenging smile.


    "You''re challenging me? I have studied under the Iron Forge''s Top Master, and you think you can challenge me in Blacksmithing?", he thought as he gathered his thoughts. "This is an alloy, made from Titanium and Copper being mixed in a specific ratio. Titanium is very hard and durable, while Copper helps to add the flexibility required to the metal. If the ratio is too much, then the weapon will become like rubber, making it hard to wield", said Lucas as he answered. A smirk formed on his face as he returned the look Steve gave him.


    Steve nodded his head, acknowledging his answer. "As you can see, the same goes for you. The weapon that you use is indeed good, but the problem is your style. It still hasn''t adapted to your scythe''s design. Work on it, and you will be able to surpass your limits", said Steve.


    The girl was short and cute. She had long hair, and it was dyed pink. She tied her hair into twin tails. She had round pink eyes, and her stature made her look like a middle school student. She had a round face and slightly chubby cheeks. "I think I''ve seen this face somewhere. I just can''t seem to remember where though", thought Lucas as he looked at her intently.


    The next recording popped up, and this time it was a boy fighting with his bare fists. He had white hair, and there were streaks of flashy yellow in between them. His fists and legs were covered in lightning, and he was moving fast. His hands ripped through his enemies, making anyone who stood in front of him feel extreme fear. "He doesn''t need a weapon. He is the weapon", gulped Lucas.


    Everyone in the room gulped in fear as they looked at the recording. It finished quickly than anyone else''s that was played. "You should have a weapon on your fists. Going bare fists here is alright, but going bare fists in the real world, you can crack your knuckles against a King or Emperor Tier", advised Steve as he watched the vicious way he killed the beasts.


    He was tall and muscular. The shirt he was wearing was barely fitting him. His face had minor scars here and there, but the most noticeable one was the one above his left eyebrow. It was an x shaped scar, and it cut through his eyebrow, reaching near his eyes. He had a slight beard, and his skin was tanned to a light brown.


    "Wow, what did that guy go through to have become like this? But those techniques, are definitely from the School Of Lightning Combats. I''ve seen those moves before. My eyes can''t be mistaken", thought Lucas as he analyzed him. "A pair of gauntlets would seem cool on him", he thought. Lucas was already sketching in his mind a design of gauntlets for him.


    Next up was Lucas''s recording. While Lucas was imagining the gauntlet, his recording brought shock to the whole room. Although the three of them performed extremely well, they were taken aback by Lucas''s performance. The way he analyzed his situation and acted accordingly was what shocked them.


    "A warrior with brains. This guy is scheming and dangerous", they all thought. Little did they know that Lucas was the opposite of the people he cared for and cherished about. After the recording was over, Steve turned to Lucas.


    "Your problem lies in your weapons. You have impeccable skills, and you have mastered the way of the blade like this guy. You have also mastered Martial Arts too. But the problem lies in you not using your Magic and Aura often. You only use it late and thus end up getting damaged beforehand. You must overcome these points to move further ahead", he advised.


    Next came Emilia. They saw the way she killed her opponents with her Gunslinging skills. "Badass!", thought everyone as they were watching. Emilia then tagged along with Lucas, and there they saw even more of her shooting skills. Some even piercing through the head of the enemies. "She knows Boxing too?", they thought as they watched her fight toe-to-toe with the Martial Ape.


    "Now, this meeting will come to an end. You may leave from here, and may you have great adventures ahead of you.. Good Luck!", he said as he sent them off.

 Chapter 49 - Making Friends

    The five of them got into the elevator and began to descend. There was an awkward silence between them, and Lucas was feeling uneasy. He felt that they were at least at the level of acquaintances. He went ahead and broke the ice. "Hello. My name is Lucas Smith", he said with slight hesitation.


    The man with burly muscles talked next. "My name is Tobias. Tobias Brown", he said with a gentle smile. "Emilia. Emilia Burnheart", said Emilia. "Michelle. Michelle Cooper", said the girl with the twin tails. The man with the katana was silent as he looked around. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. "Robert. Robert Van Hueston", he introduced himself.


    "The Van Huestons?", thought Lucas. After they exited the lift, and when they were about to disperse, Michelle spoke. "How about everyone gets a cup of coffee to celebrate our placement tests? And maybe, towards our futures?", she said. Everyone turned their heads back to look at her. "Well, that was a good one", thought Lucas as he waked up to her. "Sure. A cup would suffice", he said and soon, everyone followed suit.


    Everyone walked out of the building, and after they walked past a few buildings from the Adventurer''s Guild, they saw a coffee shop. Everyone went inside and sat at a table. A waiter came to them to take their order. "Three cappuccinos, two espressos. And some of your finest cake would suffice", said Lucas in a flow.


    Everyone was shocked at the way he ordered. It was like he was used to ordering things and eating in places like these. "This place is quite good, isn''t it?", smiled Lucas. "Oh, about that. My master used to take me to a place like this, and I''m used to ordering for both me and my master", he chuckled nervously.


    Everyone looked at him. "Well, I''ll go again. I''m Lucas Smith. I do not know where I am from, as I do not remember the place I grew up. I was brought up by The Master of The Iron Forge, and I learned Blacksmithing from him. I picked up the Art of the Blade from a Wandering Master, who was unwilling to share his name. That''s all I have to say about myself", said Lucas.


    Emilia smiled. "I''m Emilia Burnheart. I''m from the North of the Kingdom. I''m from a family of Mages, and Gunslinging is something I picked up co-incidentally. There isn''t much I can say about myself", she said.


    Tobias was smiling cheekily. "A friendly bonding moment!", he thought. "My name is Tobias Brown. I''m from the North-Western part of the Kingdom. I''m an Inner Disciple at the School of Lightning, and working towards becoming a core disciple", he finished as he looked around.


    Michelle went next. "I''m Michelle Cooper. You must pretty much know about my family as we are one of the nobles amongst the Kingdom. The only one to study the Art of Scythe which is said to be lost", she said. "Correction. Which was said to be lost. If I remember correctly, the current Master of The Cooper Family is a wielder of the double-edged Scythe", corrected Robert.


    Lucas knew the fact and he was about to call out, but Robert beat him to it. "Well, maintaining a low-key would be best for now", he thought. Robert cleared his throat and continued. "I am Robert Van Hueston. Our family is well known for being the people who teach the Art of the Blade. We run our own Martial Arts School, The Muramasa School. Other than that, I have nothing to say. For fate will reveal if we are meant to be together, or if this is a one-time thing", he said as the coffee and cakes arrived.


    Lucas looked at the cakes and he was reminded of his Grandma. He took a deep breath as he sipped at the coffee, and began to eat his cake. Right as they were finishing their coffee, they heard a bell sound and the door opened, revealing a party that entered inside.


    "What kind of a mission is that? They label it Rank E, but it''s hard for even a Rank B like us to complete. In the end, all we did was cash in some crystals, and the mission was a failure", someone complained amongst the party. Everyone groaned as they sat down and began to sip the coffee. Lucas was intrigued when he heard the mission. He went towards them and tapped on the table lightly.


    "May I know what the name of the mission was?", asked Lucas. The people seated there looked at him like a fool. "Don''t worry mate. Just ask for the UCDM and you will know which one it is", said the guy who had complained. "UCDM?", asked Lucas. "Yeah. UCDM, which also stands for Uncleared Decade Missions. And in that, you will find the mission we are talking about. It is the last of the list", said another woman in the group.


    "Thank you", said Lucas and went back to the table. He sat on his chair, and he began to think. "UCDM? I wonder how challenging they can be?", he thought. "What''d they say?", asked Robert elegantly. "It seems like they attempted to clear the UCDM. And it was the last on the list. If the last is that tough, I wonder how the top-ranked missions would be", he replied as he placed his hands on his chin.


    Robert spit out his coffee as soon as he heard Lucas''s words. "The UCDM? You''re going to attempt it?", he asked as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. Lucas nodded his head. He always liked a challenge. "Yes. It seems challenging", he replied. Robert shook his head sideways and began to explain.


    "The UCDM. Which is called the Uncleared Decade Missions, which are missions that are different than normal missions. The reason is that the main objective stays uncleared. It is rumored that a mysterious person is behind this list, and the mission rankings on that list are different than our rankings. The reason this list was made, was because any mission that hasn''t been cleared for the next ten years, gets added to the list", he said and it piqued everyone''s interest.


    "I wish it was one of those hidden masters who are leaving behind their legacy and trying to ensure that it doesn''t fall into the wrong hands. Ah, how I wish I could become that inheritor. Let''s go and attempt this mission", said Tobias with a smile. "This isn''t any Eastern Fantasy novel for you to find something like that. And even if you did find one, good luck on deciphering that, you muscle head", retorted Robert.


    Tobias got mad. He wanted to kick Robert and knock him a few pegs down his high horse. Just as he was about to fight, he felt a hand on his face. and Robert felt the same. "Well, now we should calm down as we are outside. How about we have this fight somewhere more, private?", suggested Lucas as he held their faces in both of his palms.


    Robert and Tobias both winced in pain as they nodded their heads and sat down. "What the hell does this guy eat? And where are his muscles?", thought the both of them. Lucas got up and walked out of the shop. "I am going to attempt it, and anyone willing can join me on the journey", he said as he walked out.


    He went towards the Adventurer''s Guild and went up to the counter. "I would like to look at the UCDM list please", he said. The receptionist looked at him from the head to his toe. "Another one of those over-confident bastards", he scoffed as he pulled up the list. Lucas didn''t pay this any mind, but as soon as they saw other people behind him, the attitude changed.


    "Welcome, Miss Cooper and Mister Van Hueston. What should we do for you?'', he asked as he began his bootlicking, hoping that they would help him in getting his promotion. "Did you just disrespect my friend here?", asked Robert. The man gulped as he heard the words from Robert.


    "I''m finished. This is the end of my career", he thought as he was about to fall to his knees. "Show kindness and compassion, to those who have done no harm", came Ben''s voice to Lucas''s mind. He turned around and stopped the person, and smiled at Robert. "Just let him go. He must be stressed, or maybe depressed about something", said Lucas as he waved his hands.


    The receptionist quickly went back to his best attitude and didn''t disturb them as they browsed the list. "Let''s try the last one so that we can familiarise ourselves with each other", thought Lucas as he selected the same mission the party before had selected.


    The receptionist then began to enter their names one by one, and he was stunned to see their ranks. "The Growth Zone?", he thought as he registered them, and updated their list.. Lucas and everyone left the lobby, and they headed towards their first mission as adventurers.

 Chapter 50 - The UCDM Division

    Their journey towards the place of the mission was at a drive of twelve hours. Lucas pulled up his stats, and wanted to check it before he got into combat in the mission.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 220/220]


    [MP: 220/220]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 6950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 43]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 41]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


    "Should I use the Limit Breaker Potion here? Or maybe try it tonight? We are going to attempt it tomorrow as we will be reaching that place in the evening, and we will be tired", he thought as he laid his head back on the headrest behind him. Next to him was Emilia, and Michelle was seated next to her. Tobias was seated in the front, and Robert was driving the car. "Alright, we will be taking turns driving. After reaching the small town ahead, we will change drivers", he said.


    Lucas began to concentrate on his Aura, and he began to infuse it into the bones in his fingers, and the Aura began to inject into the bone marrow of his fingers, and Valentine kept count of the percentage. As soon as he reached eighty percent, he told him to move to the next bone. Lucas kept following the procedure until his turn to drive came.


    He was the last person to drive towards the destination. Everyone was asleep and tired, as the journey was quite taxing. After they reached the place, Robert opened up the map on his phone, allowing Lucas to follow to the location that was shown. After they reached the Inn, they freshened up and went to Robert''s room, as his was the largest amongst them.


    Robert took out a glass pad from the drawer in his bedside table, and placed it in front of everyone. "Now, everyone knows that this UCDM missions aren''t as easy as the ranks show. Some people, who are overconfident in their abilities, have attempted and each one of them ended up in failure. Now, combine those facts with this", he paused and showed the details of the mission.


    [UCDM No. 99]


    [Mission Objective: Close the Portal that has been opened in the outskirts of Manchester]


    [Portal Rank: E]


    [Portal Type: Unknown]


    [Monsters in the Portal: Unknown]


    [No of people allowed inside: 5]


    After reading the details, Lucas was shocked. "So, we''re basically walking into the unknowns. But don''t most portals reveal their types?'', he asked. Robert cleared his throat as he began to explain. "Yes, what Lucas here said is true. If a portal opens up here, it has always been classified into types. But since this one is unknown, we must assume the worst. And the worst type of portal someone can walk into without any preparation are two types", he paused.


    "Survival and Puzzle", said Lucas as he smiled. If it was a Puzzle type, Lucas can clear it alone. He didn''t need anyone to be around him as he could solve anything that is thrown at him. But for the Survival type, there is a time limit, and an unlimited spawn of monsters. Only if we survive through the time would we be able to get out of the portal.


    Portals are rare on Earth, but they do happen. Most of the Adventurers are usually busy dealing with beasts around, and they have less time for the portals. But the Guild always make sure that the Portals are not busted open, thus keeping the peace within the cities and villages around.


    Everyone nodded their heads when they heard the news. Lucas got up and yawned, and left the room. He then went towards the nearest Alchemy store, and he wanted to ask around for information. He entered the store and walked inside. There was a little girl sitting on the desk, and she was looking at the door.


    "How can I help you, Mister?", she asked. Lucas smiled at the little girl. "She must be around eight to nine years old", he thought as he looked around. "Where''s the store keeper?", he asked. The girl looked at him and smiled. "My father is out. He has been gone for three hours but he hasn''t come back. He said that he would be back in an hour or two", she said with a tinge of worry.


    Lucas was taken aback. "Mama, someone is here. Seems like he needs some medicine", she said as she ran inside. A beautiful lady came outside, and she stood behind the counter. "What can I help you with, kind sir?", she asked politely. Lucas was still shocked by the information he heard from the little girl. "Isn''t it a bit too late though?", he thought.


    "May I know where I can find your husband?", he asked. The woman''s face turned stern, and she ushered the little girl to go inside. The girl went back, and the woman jumped over the counter. "Did they send you again? We have paid back the money! What else do you want?", she asked in a harsh whisper.


    Lucas put both his hands up in the air. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. But I did come here to buy some potions, and for some information. But after I heard the little girl say that her father is missing, I thought I could help", he replied. The woman let out a sigh after a few seconds of staring at his face.


    "Yes, he went to the woods to look for some herbs for a rare potion. The client gave us the money, but since he couldn''t find the same ingredients, he went to make something equivalent to it. But he should be back soon. May I know what kind of potions and information is this young sir looking for?", she asked.


    Lucas smiled politely and listed his potions. "I would like to have strengthening potions, stamina potions, recovery potions, and healing potions. I would like a dozen each", he said. "And the information I''m seeking is about the portal that has been...", he was about to continue when he felt a soft hand on his lips.


    "Not here, young sir. Follow me", she said as she motioned him to follow behind him. They entered the shop and she pulled something underneath the counter. The display that was on the wall slid open, and revealed an elevator. She wrote a note and left it on the counter, and she entered the elevator. After going down for a few minutes, the elevator stopped.


    "That portal is different from the normal portals that you Adventurers have been clearing. I see that you are a fairly new one. Then before I give you access to the portal, you must complete a mission of mine. Find my husband and bring him back here in an hour", she said as she walked forward. "And if you''re wondering who I am, I am the head of the UCDM Division, Andrea Young", she said as she reached the center of the room.


    The woman was a beautiful woman, and her eyes were small. She had a beautiful figure, and she was the same height as Lucas. Her eyes were purple, and her jaws were well defined. Her rosy lips were alluring, and the way she carried herself was charming. She changed from her home outfit into a professional suit, and stood in front of him.


    There was a big computer in front of him. "It looks like those computers in the movies? What was that called, Batman, was it?'', he thought as he looked at it in awe. She walked and typed in some commands, and it revealed a red dot. "This is my husband''s location. To learn more about the portal, you must prove that you are worthy to enter it", she said.


    Lucas nodded his head as he walked back. "And make sure that you do that. If not, Hehe", she chuckled. "There really is a separate division for this UCDM. Let''s get going and complete the mission", he smiled as he left the shop, going in search of Andrea''s husband.


    After he left the shop, a notification popped up, which made Lucas frown. "Well, first things first, let me get ready for this adventure. My first Mission", he thought as he looked at the notification.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [First Mission]


    [Objectives:


    Rescue Andrea''s Husband 0/1


    Enter the E Ranked Portal 0/1]


    [Rewards - EXP +1000]


    "That''s it? No more rewards?", he thought as he looked at it in frustration. "Maybe there will be something noteworthy in the Portal?", he thought as he moved towards his destination. There was a blinking red light on his maps, and his was a blue mark. After following for a while, a forest came into view.


    "Maybe he went inside this place? Why are there chills over my body when I am clearly so far away from this place?'', he thought as he entered the forest. "Hehe kid.. Let''s see how you will overcome this difficulty", thought Valentine as he watched everything Lucas did.

 Chapter 51 - Forest Of Silencing Illusions (Part One)

    Lucas proceeded forward and entered the forest. It was dark and eerily silent. "Let''s find him quick and leave this place", he thought as he looked around the place. The tall trees were covering the sky, and the only source of light was the moon, which shone beautifully into the forest.


    Lucas followed the mark on the maps, and he found the person he was looking for. The man was taller than Lucas, and he had jet black and gray streaks of hair. His body was toned, and his hands were plucking some herbs as he was humming a tune to himself. He had a dagger in his hands and a small pouch in which he stored his ingredients. "A space pouch?'', he thought as he looked at the man.


    "Hello. I am here looking for you", said Lucas as he neared the man. The man didn''t hear anything and he kept doing what he did, picking out herbs. After Lucas placed his hand on the man''s shoulder, the man turned his head to face Lucas. Lucas was stunned when he saw the face.


    "He is me?", thought Lucas as he looked into the man''s eyes. He had the same replica of Lucas''s face, but the difference was his body. The man spoke in a monotonous tone. "Welcome, little boy. To the Forest of Silencing Illusions", said the man as his body began to disintegrate into dust.


    The voice that spoke began to echo around. "The man you are looking for is here, in this forest. He is a regular of mine. If you can find the real person within two hours, you shall live. Otherwise, prepare for your", it paused. Lucas''s face appeared in front of him again. "Funeral", it completed and disappeared just like it appeared.


    Lucas began to sweat in fear. "What in heavens is this place? Where did I walk into?", he thought. And the answer came from Valentine. "This place has existed for a long time. In the history of this Earth, this place has had many names. Some people called it The Witches Nest. Thinking that some powerful witch resided here, and it was her work. But nobody knows the truth", he said.


    Lucas was surprised at the information. "Then how is the man able to come and leave as he pleases?", he asked in hopes of getting an answer. And an answer he got, in the form of his face. "He cracked the formation, thus allowing him to see the way out", said Lucas''s image, and disappeared again.


    "What is this place? it''s like straight out of a horror movie", he thought as he gulped his saliva down. "Now first, let''s look at the information in my hand. The man that entered this place knows the way out, thus allowing him to come and go as he pleases. The second point is that this whole forest is in a formation, or maybe this forest is the formation. I don''t know much about formations yet", he thought as he moved deeper into the forest.


    He began to think about a way to break this formation. "Am I already in one? Because the location that is popping up is next to where I am standing, and I couldn''t see the man anywhere", he thought as he looked around. All he could see was a thick mist surrounding him. He wanted to take a step forward, but the name of the forest still brought him the creeps from deep within him.


    "Silencing Illusions. It seems that many people have died here. But what type of illusions did they see, for them to reach the death?'', he thought. He was curious about the type of illusions this formation could create. He was about to take a step forward when he heard a voice.


    "You will never be strong, Lucas. You are a disgrace to this kingdom", he heard Ben''s voice. "To have a weak younger brother like you, I''m ashamed of you", he heard Sam''s voice. "A disgrace! To this family! If I had known, I would have gotten a miscarriage instead of carrying you!", he heard Martha''s voice. "Oh little brother, look at you. so weak that you need to hide behind a woman''s back", came Kate''s voice.


    Lucas''s body shook uncontrollably. "This is nothing but an illusion. An illusion", he began to convince himself. The more he was convinced, the less he heard their voices. "Stop messing with my head. I will break this formation, and when I do, you will know the truth", he bellowed to the mist that was surrounding him.


    The mist began to get thicker. And within the mist, there was a raging fire burning. He began to run towards the fire, and he saw the palace he grew up in was on fire. Ben, Martha, Sam, and Kate were standing outside, and they looked at him with hatred and fear in their eyes. "You... Monster... Kill us...", they muttered.


    Lucas''s hands began to shake. He dropped to his knees. "No... No... NOOOO! This can''t be! I am your son, Luca. Don''t you remember me, mother?", muttered Lucas under his breath. His breathing changed as he watched the palace burn, and the eyes of his family members were killing him.


    "I do not have a son like you. Get out of my sight!", bellowed Ben as he hugged Martha and held her close to his chest. Tears were flowing in Lucas''s eyes. He began punching the mud to calm himself down. "No wonder this is Silencing Illusions. Anyone who is showed this would suffer a nervous breakdown, just as I was about to. I have suffered way more than you will ever know", he smirked as he stood up from the ground.


    The illusion broke apart, and Lucas stood there with determination in his eyes. When the next illusion was about to begin, Lucas took out his blade. He then cut the tip of his index, ready to feel the pain to make him know that this was an illusion. This time, it was Leon. He stood there, and a blade was lodged through his chest, and the person was wearing a black hood.


    Lucas watched the illusion and bit his tongue. He was willing to go to any extent, to make sure that he doesn''t get consumed by the illusion. The man with the black hood removed his hood and revealed a sinister smile on Lucas''s illusory face. "I''m grateful for everything Master, but you never taught me The Ultimate Secret. If I can''t have it, then no one in this world shall", he said as he slowly removed the blade.


    Lucas smiled when he saw the illusion. "The Ultimate Secret. It''s no secret at all. That, in the end, is The Ultimate Secret", he thought as he watched the illusion ended. Lucas looked around to find the formation that the voice talked about. "Valentine, do you know of any way to find a formation? And how to break one?", he asked.


    "To break a formation is to look for cracks in the formation, and that will lead to the formation being broken. But, if you can''t find any flaws in a formation, then the only way is to create a counter foundation, which will act as the negative to the positive formation, thus rendering the formation useless. But it has a time limit. The maximum it can be held is for five minutes", explained Valentine, as he knew more about formations than Lucas did.


    Lucas nodded his head and he looked around, ready to find the formation that was making this illusory thing that he was seeing. "Maybe it shows everyone''s worst fears or something? If that''s true, then this will be the death of many. But unfortunately, I do not have the power to shut this down for good", he thought as he began to look around.


    Lucas looked at the trees and inspected them carefully. When he neared one of the trees, a vine slapped his back, pushing him forward into the mouth of the trunk. Lucas reacted instinctively and pulled out his blades. he activated his boots and armor, allowing him to kill the tree that was about to swallow.


    "Now that I think about it, I never saw the stats for these two", he thought as he used [Inspect] on the items he was wearing.


    [Transformable Armor Set 2/6]


    [Equip the full set to acquire bonus effects


    Equip 2/6 - Increase Strength by Twenty Percent when Activated


    Equip 4/6 - Increase Stamina by Twenty Percent when Activated


    Equip 6/6 - HP +350, MP +350. All stats Increase by Twenty Percent while normal, and Increase by Forty Percent when Set is activated]


    [Transformable Body Armor (Upper Body) - King Tier]


    [Once activated, it reduced the damage taken from enemies by twenty-five percent]


    [Active Skill 1 - Aura Infusion]


    [Once Aura has been injected into the armor, the Damage reduced is increased by twenty-five percent. A layer of protection surrounds the Armor, increasing the Durability of the Armor]


    [Active Skill 2 - Mana Infusion]


    [Once Mana is injected, the armor takes the properties of the Mana infused, thus creating defense or offense depending on the Mana infused]


    [Transformable Body Armor (Boots) - King Tier]


    [Once activated, it increases the agility of the wearer by twenty-five percent]


    [Active Skill 1 - Aura Infusion]


    [Once Aura has been injected into the armor, the Damage given is increased by twenty-five percent when kicking an opponent. A layer of protection surrounds the Armor, increasing the Durability of the Boots]


    [Active Skill 2 - Mana Infusion]


    [Once Mana is injected, the boots take the properties of the Mana infused, thus creating defense or offense depending on the Mana infused]


    [Combat Skill - Dash]


    [When the skill is activated, increases the agility by one hundred percent. Lasts for one minute. Skill cooldown is for fifteen minutes]


    "Wow. So many bonuses", he thought as he read each of them one by one. "And a full minute of Dash. That would be very useful if used correctly", he thought.. He then began to proceed forward, deeper into the woods in search of the formation points.

 Chapter 52 - Forest Of Silencing Illusions (Part Two)

    Lucas set a timer on his mobile, and the countdown was still going on. "So far I have only found two points. There must be more points", he thought as he looked at the countdown timer. There was an hour and thirty minutes left. He drew his findings on his mobile, as he was looking around in a certain direction.


    He then moved forward and looked at the place that he was about to check. "If my calculations are correct, this place must be the place where the formation must have its next point or pillar", he thought. Just as he was about to reach the place, a monster popped in front of him. It was a minotaur.


    "Well, every one of these pillars has these things guarding them. I hope they aren''t as hard as before because my time is running out", he thought as he pulled out his blades, ready to face the minotaur in combat.


    The Minotaur roared and huffed as it began to charge towards him. It kept its head like a bull and came in for a headbutt. Lucas smiled as he jumped over the head, and swung his blade to its neck. "Clang!'', came a sound like metal clashing. "What in the world is that?!", he thought as he used his [Inspect] on it.


    [Steel Minotaur - Legendary Tier Beast]


    [It can manipulate steel around and inside its body, using it to harden at places it deems dangerous. Weak against Intense Heat Magic]


    Lucas didn''t want to rely too much on his magic, as that would make his blade skills rusty. "If only there was a way for me to integrate them both", he thought as he looked at the Minotaur. He began to infuse his Fireballs together, and created the [6x Fireball], and cast it on the Minotaur. It roared as it was set on fire, and it burned to death.


    Lucas then looked at the tree and saw a mark on it. "That''s the third tree in this formation", he thought as he marked the place. He then proceeded towards the next place which he thought should be the direction. He trotted and looked at the remaining time, and there was only an hour left.


    "I don''t want to use [Dash], but I can increase my agility if I activate my boots", he thought and did the Nazi salute, which activated his boots, increasing his agility. He began to run towards the next position, and when he neared the place, he prepared another [6x Fireball], ready to blast the first beast he sees. But a fireball was thrown his way, and he dodged it.


    [Fire Minotaur - Legendary Tier Beast]


    [It can manipulate fire around and inside its body, using it to attack and defend. Weak against Intense Ice Magic]


    "Ah. This is something unexpected. I never thought that I would meet something like this here", he thought as he changed the spell into [6x Icicle], creating an icicle which was the size of a normal one, but ice particles and water were swirling around the Icicle, giving it a mysterious vibe.


    He threw it towards the Minotaur, and it instantly froze on the spot. When it was about to begin to melt the Ice by streaming out fire from its nostrils, Lucas held his hand out. "Let''s try this", he thought and began to concentrate on his Icicle. Then he felt the water droplets in them, and he began to redirect them into the Minotaur''s nostrils, blocking the fire that was about to melt the Ice.


    He then snapped his fingers, and instantly the Minotaur began to freeze from the inside, thus killing it without the need of him to use his blades. The Minotaur didn''t know what hit it and died in vain. Lucas smirked as he fell to the floor, one knee into the ground. "This is taxing. I do need to practice this skill more", he thought.


    This was Mana Manipulation. He always felt that the icicle he threw had a connection with him even after the enemy was frozen. he wanted to test out this theory, and it worked for him. But sadly, as he was not used to manipulating Mana, he got extremely tired. He then sat down and began to breathe, recovering his stamina.


    After recovering in ten minutes, he went looking for the fifth mark, which was supposedly the last mark, and then move to the center of the formation. He walked towards the final mark, and he found three Minotaurs standing there in wait for him. "Oh, that''s great. Dealing with even one of them is tough enough for me", he thought as he looked at them


    He then used the [Inspect], which gave him joyful Information. "Luckily, it''s the Steel, Fire, and Ice Minotaurs. Let me use the [6x Fireball] twice, then the [6x Icicle] to finish the final one quickly", he thought as he prepared the spells.


    He first threw the [6x Fireball] towards the Steel Minotaur, killing it instantly. The other minotaurs began to be vigilant, and it began to patrol the mark around, to find the intruder. Lucas used his Art of Stealth, and he began to sneak around undetected. He used the next [6x Fireball] and took out the Ice Minotaur.


    He finally stood in front of the Fire Minotaur, with a [6x Icicle] in his hand, and lodged it towards the Minotaur. He used the same technique as last time and killed it instantly. He then took notice of the mark, and he began to calculate the center of the formation.


    "Only forty-five minutes left", he thought as he moved towards the center. He began to run, and jumped into the trees, leaping from one to another like a ninja. He reached the center in mere minutes and he looked around to find the minotaur that should be patrolling this place.


    He jumped down the tree and found the mark he was searching for. As he was nearing the mark, the ground turned to mush, making it hard for him to maneuver in it. Then popped out a bunch of Venus Plants, and they were looking at him like they had found their prey. "Great, just to walk into this plant trap", he thought.


    He then felt a branch wrap around his legs, and it restricted his movements. All he wanted was to escape, and he cast [Fireball], on himself. He began to burn, but it didn''t affect him. It burned the branches that were wrapping around him. It also made the mud around him softer, making him sink deeper. "This is a double-edged sword. For now, let''s see what these branches are going to do", he thought as he allowed himself to be wrapped by the branches.


    It lifted him out of the mud, and he saw the Venus traps coming towards him. They opened their mouths wide, and acids were dripping from the tips of their mouths. "They''re drooling, and this is disgusting", he thought as he looked at the faces.


    [Venus Human Traps - Advanced Tier Beasts]


    [They use the Acids to digest the humans, and they lie in wait for their prey to drop their guards down. Thus allowing these plants to be the perfect assassins]


    "Wow, such a good description. Does this mean that they have little to no battle prowess?", he thought as he cast a [Fireball] towards the Venus Trap, and it burned to death. "What about Ice?". he thought as he threw an [Icicle].


    [Congratulations! Icicle has leveled up!]


    [Mana Consumption 7 --> 6]


    "That''s great. Now, to only make sure that these two level up evenly. If there was an EXP bar on them, then I would know how to bring them to the same level", he thought as he threw Icicles towards the rest of the Venus Human Traps, freezing them in place.


    He then cast an [Icicle] on the mud, making a solid ground for him to stand on. He kept casting [Icicle] as he walked towards the tree. After nothing down the point, he held it and looked at it intently.


    "Okay, follow my instructions, and you will be able to set up a counter. Remember, you only have five minutes though", reminded Valentine as he began to instruct Lucas on the Counter-Formation.


    Lucas ran towards the trees, and just about five meters next to them, drew the same mark on another tree, only in an inverted fashion. He followed the same and did it to all the five trees, and he came back to the center. He drew the same, and he began to chant a spell as he stood near the center mark.


    "Ek, Lucas Heart, hereby soalioioi niyofrce zefrni ekce liertu heavens. Grant netu liertu piliratucesalier lifr counter lierekpi formation, alicetu waratualion lierekpi illusion! waratualion!", he chanted. (I, Lucas Heart, Hereby call upon Thee in the Heavens. Grant Me the strength to counter This Formation, And break this illusion! BREAK!)


    After he chanted, he dropped a drop of his blood on the ground, and there was a dark red light that rose from the ground, signaling the counter of the formation. Lucas then saw the mist began to disperse. The man he came in search of was in front of him, picking out herbs. He turned around and saw another mark on the place there was a mark.


    "Change Of Plans. This will only hold up for the next three minutes. You will have to escape within that time. This is a layer formation. Be quick. I will tell you everything later", said Valentine as he urged Lucas to make his move.


    Lucas sprung into action, activating his boots instantly. "No time to hesitate", he thought as he jumped straight at the man, and tackled him.. Lucas didn''t have time to look at his face, and he lifted him and placed him under his arms.

 Chapter 53 - Gathering Information

    Lucas began to run out of the forest, as he saw the path that was in front of him. He activated [Dash] that was on his boots, bringing up his speed to an insane level. The man that was in his arms was beginning to feel dizzy, and he was about to puke. "Mister, I do not know your name, but I was asked by your wife to bring you back home as it is getting dark", he said as he ran.


    The man smiled after he heard that. He didn''t speak and kept his eyes closed, and the wind that was hitting his face suddenly came to a stop. Lucas had come out of the forest. He had reached the place when his countdown had reached zero, signaling the end of the time. The mist began to form again, and he heard a voice call out to him.


    "You are the second one to break the formation uniquely. Maybe I must have underestimated you. Until we meet again", said the voice as it drifted further deep into the forest. Lucas crashed outside the forest, and he smiled at his accomplishment.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [First Mission]


    [Objectives:


    Rescue Andrea''s Husband 1/1


    Enter the E Ranked Portal 0/1]


    [Rewards - EXP +1000]


    "Well, one of the tasks is over. Let''s worry about the other task later", he thought. He was about to take a step forward when he felt his vision turn hazy. "Guess I overworked myself again", he smiled as he fell to the floor. The man from behind caught him as he was about to fall.


    "Well, seems like you have passed the test. You and your group will be able to enter the Portal tomorrow", he smiled as he lifted Lucas under his arms. He then disappeared from the place and reappeared outside the Alchemist''s Store. He entered and went to the same place Andrea brought him.


    He then placed Lucas on a bed and began to administer him some Stamina potions through a needle. It was like blood transfusion, only that the other end wasn''t a blood pack, but it was a high-level stamina potion. "This will relieve the fatigue that has accumulated in you", he smiled as he watched Lucas''s face regain some of its colors.


    Lucas began to groan, and he sat up. "Isn''t this the place that I left from? Was that all a dream?", he thought as he began to look around. He then saw the man looking at him intently, and Lucas let out a gasp. "It was real", he thought as he gasped.


    The man smiled and reached his hand out. "I am Kennedy Hudson. You must have heard of me before", he asked with a gentle smile. Lucas nodded his head as he looked at him.


    "So you''re Steve Hudson''s brother?", he asked the first question that popped into his mind. "Ah, I see you''ve met my brother, I presume?'', he asked. Andrea then walked in and began to check his vitals, and his brain waves to see if there was anything traumatic that was stored in his brain.


    "All signs point to him being healthy", she said as she adjusted her reading glasses. The man nodded his head and signaled for her to leave them alone. Lucas looked at the man in front of him and began to recall the information he had read before.


    "Steve and Kennedy Hudson. Steve is a SSS Class Adventurer, while his brother is a SS Class. When they fight together, they are known as the Tornado Brothers. Famous for their original and unique technique, [Sucking Whirlwinds]. But this doesn''t mean they are weak on their own. Their ranks only prove their prowess", he recalled as he looked at the man in front of him.


    The man was the same height as Steve and had the same build. In terms of looks, they looked the same. The only difference was their hair and the scar on the face. His hair was blonde, and the scar he had was on the right side of his face. If Steve decided to do some make-up and dye his hair, everyone would think they were a pair of identical twins.


    "We both look the same, don''t we?'', he smiled as he looked at Lucas''s look. "Well, I guess everyone has pretty much given this look to me all our lives, and we have gotten used to it", he replied to a baffled Lucas. "Can he read minds or what?", he thought. And the answer came from Kennedy''s mouth.


    "No, I can''t. But I''ve had my experiences reading information from facial expressions. It says it all right here", he chuckled as he pulled out a mirror, and Lucas saw his face on it. "Well, it does, now that I think about it", he smiled as he looked at his face. he was still feeling a little bit tired, but he was able to get up and move around.


    "Just stay still until this dose is over", instructed Kennedy as he moved away from the place and went towards Andrea, and they began to discuss something under their breaths. Lucas closed his eyes and began to use his perception to intercept what they were talking about.


    "Will they be able to do it? This kid does have some potential", said Kennedy to her. She turned and looked at him. "He did beat the record time that was set before. I wonder if anyone will be able to break the record that he has set", she replied in a hushed tone.


    Lucas smiled when he heard that. "Maybe I shouldn''t have been that flashy", he thought as he looked towards them. They still talked about other things when he heard something that piqued his interest.


    "You know as well as I do, that if he and his team enter the portal, who knows what will it throw at them? It always chooses the type according to the people that enter it, like some intelligent being. I wonder if that is a portal", he hushed as he turned to look at Lucas again. Seeing that his eyes were closed, he sighed in relief.


    Lucas took in all the information that he could get for now. After a few more minutes of whispering, Lucas''s pack was over and he felt completely refreshed. He then got up and sat on his bed, waiting for the information to come towards him. Andrea pointed her finger at him and she beckoned him to follow her, and they went towards the computer again.


    "The portal that you are about to enter is an Unknown. The reason is that each time someone enters, the Portal turns into a different type. The rank stays the same, it is always at the E rank, no matter what type it takes shape into. The only problem is, that it has always never followed a standard pattern for us to judge what was to come next", she stopped as she brought out a list.


    The list contained the type of portal it converted into and the number of people that had attempted it. Most of them were B and A-Rank Adventurers. Lucas gulped at the thought that even those people who pride themselves as professionals were unable to complete this portal. "What can a bunch of newbies do?", he thought as he gulped.


    Kennedy looked at his face and knew instantly his thoughts. "You are the first newbie, to have thought of a way to nullify the formation and bring me out of it. There was a place where you could break it, but since you aren''t that proficient yet, you used a counter, and used some of your skills from your gear and got us out of there", he praised Lucas.


    He was genuinely impressed by Lucas''s train of thoughts. His IQ impressed him, and that was the reason why he wasn''t that afraid of letting him in along with his friends. He had seen their recordings of their performances on the test. "Maybe, they will be able to clear it?", he thought optimistically.


    The smile on his face widened as he thought about the fact that at least one of the UCDM was cleared when he was the head. Some of them had been uncleared for decades, and this portal was one of the oldest portals that had existed here on earth. "If this boy here really does clear the portal, that will be sensational news", he thought.


    He then handed him a piece of paper, which included the types it changed into, and the possible types it could change. "Never once, has it taken a combination", he thought as he studied the list. "If it does take a combination, then the Rank of the Portal will be increased", he said out loud.


    "In theory, yes. But we have yet to witness something like that from this Portal. There are instances that what you said has happened, but not in this one", said Kennedy. Lucas smiled as he stored the paper with him and went towards the elevator.


    "Good luck in your journey", wished the both of them as Lucas disappeared behind the closing doors of the elevator.

 Chapter 54 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part One)

    The night was still young, and Lucas sneaked back into his room, making sure to not wake up anyone asleep. He sat on top of his bed and began to analyze every piece of information on the paper that he had received. After thirty minutes, he let out a yawn. "Time to go to bed, I guess", he thought as he stretched his body and laid on his comfortable bed.


    "Well, this life isn''t so bad after all", he thought as he looked back to his journey since he left the palace. "I wonder how Mother and Father are doing. Let''s just hope that Sam isn''t stirring up some trouble again", he thought as his eyes drifted to sleep.


    The alarm on his phone rang, waking Lucas up and he began to do his Daily Tasks, and he wanted to complete them as quickly as possible. "Let''s train my Aura today. I have to reach Eighty percent integration in my whole body. And I am beginning to see some improvements", he thought as he was running.


    He felt the improvements as his time to complete the tasks was getting shorter and shorter. "Well, after the system levels up again, I wonder what surprises await me. I just have to make sure that I catch up to the numbers before that happens", he thought as he began to circulate his Aura through his body.


    He began to fuse it into his bones, one by one. Once it reached eighty percent, he stopped and jumped to the next bone. And just like this, he had completed his arms and feet. "Next is the upper torso", he thought as he was about to inject some Aura into it, he heard a sweet voice from behind him.


    "Good Morning. What are you doing so early up in the morning?", she asked. Lucas turned around and saw Emilia walk towards him in her pajamas. The pajamas were loose-fitting, but they couldn''t cover her beauty in it. It only accentuated her beauty. Lucas wanted to look at her for a long time, take in that beautiful sight when he remembered something.


    "I''m sitting here without a shirt!", he panicked as he began to look around for his shirt. He was about to jump when he saw her come near him. "What''s that weird smell? And that thing that is sticking along your body?", she asked as she neared him. Lucas knew what she was talking about in an instant, and he ran from the spot.


    "That''s embarrassing", he thought as he went into his room, and slammed the door shut. He peeked from the window, only to see Emilia smile sweetly at him. "Just how in the world did she escape from my perception?", he began to think about the fact that she appeared out of nowhere.


    "She is strong. Stronger than me. Then why is she hiding this fact?", he thought as he undressed, ready to take a deep dive in the scented bath he had prepared. He went near the bath, and he dipped himself in it. The fatigue from the amount of Aura he had been injecting took over him, and he felt himself fall asleep.


    "Is this the reason why Master asked me to do it at night that time?", he thought as his eyelids began to feel droopy? He closed his eyes and immediately began to snore. The door of the bath opened, and in came Emilia. "Well, a normal bath won''t suffice to clear off the residue that can be stuck. Thus, I added some herbs that will help in cleaning that up. You can thank me later", she whispered as she watched his face.


    Her face began to turn red, as she realized where she was standing. "I should leave. If he finds out that I have been here while he was like that... Kyah!", she let out a scream, only to find no one behind her. "Strange. Strange indeed", she thought as she took a look at Lucas''s handsome face one last time.


    Although Lucas was feeling fatigued, he heard what Emilia was muttering. He smiled after he heard what she had done. "We have known each other for just a day or two, and yet she is doing this much? What is her motive?", he began to ponder as he fell asleep.


    After about an hour, he woke up from his nap and found himself feeling fresh. "It''s like the fatigue has just vanished", he thought as he walked out of the tub, wrapping a fresh towel around his waist. He then looked himself in the mirror and made himself ready for the upcoming adventure.


    After getting ready, everyone gathered in Robert''s room, and he began to address the meeting. "Everyone, today we will be attempting at history''s one of the most famous and yet difficult challenges. We shall overcome this difficulty, and maybe, we can deepen our bonds. Creating a friendship", he said as he looked at the others.


    "The leader for this one, and all the other expeditions we, as a party shall undertake will be Lucas Smith. I shall be the Vice-Captain, just in case the leader isn''t present. As you all may remember, he was the only one who analyzed his pros and cons before he got into a fight. Thus proving that he is indeed capable of being a leader", he said, and everyone nodded their heads in agreement.


    Lucas was taken aback by this development. He didn''t know what to feel, and some warm feeling began to spread through his heart. He looked at every one of them and their eyes shone in agreement with Robert''s statement. Lucas sighed. "I shall try to be a competent leader to this team", he said as he stood up.


    Lucas then placed the paper and information he had studied last night and began his explanation on the types this portal has taken shape. "So far, this Portal has taken the Maze, which we may also know as the Puzzle Mode. Then there is the Survival Mode, which seems to be its favorite. And last but not least, It has also taken the form of the Tower Mode, in which a person has to clear the floors that are in the tower", he said as he showed them the paper.


    "But what if it takes a combined mode?", he asked, voicing out his suspicion. Everyone nodded their heads. They had to be prepared for the worst after all. This is the unknown. Lucas began to explain a theory he had come up with during the night.


    "So, the thing I have been thinking about are combinations of our strengths and weaknesses that this Portal could exploit beneficially. If I remember everyone''s battle prowess, Tobias has the highest points in that regard. If it comes down to a Survival Mode against monsters, how long do you think you can last?'', he asked Tobias.


    Tobias began to think and he answered. "I have lasted about two hours of the continuous onslaught of monsters in a simulation in the school. In real life though, I think it will at most an hour and thirty minutes", he replied. "Then we will fight in shifts, making sure that only two people take on the wave. I will analyze the pattern that they are attacking, and if it''s a Puzzle Type, I have the confidence to solve it", he said.


    Everyone looked at him in awe. "It hasn''t been two days, and he could already analyze us to this extent. He is extremely gifted in the brains department", thought Robert, smirking at his thoughts of making him the leader. He knew he made the right choice as soon as he saw the way he was handling the situation. Lucas continued his theory.


    "If it is a Tower-type, then we will have to find the weaknesses of the monsters that are spawned in it, and attack accordingly. We have Lightning, Fire, Ice, and an All-Round Mage. I want to know the elements Robert and Michelle can control", he asked. "I can control Wind, but I am not too proficient in it. Thus, I use it as a medium alongside my Katana", he said.


    "I can use the Element Darkness. It''s one of the rare elements out there, and it''s really hard for me to control it yet. Thus, I never use it, keeping it locked inside me", she said with her head down. "Maybe we could use that to our advantage", thought Lucas as he began to think deeply about the possible scenarios in which the element would be useful.


    "Now that we have adequate information, we can be prepared before we enter the Portal. And let''s get some potions from the Alchemist''s Store near this Inn", said Lucas as he turned around. They left towards the store and bought the potions that were needed.


    Robert had quite a lot of funds in his hands, and thus they ended up buying the highest grade of Strengthening, Stamina, Recovery, Healing, and Mana Potions.. "Let''s go, everyone", said Lucas as he moved towards the place where the Portal was located.

 Chapter 55 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Two)

    After they reached the outer entrance of the portal, Lucas looked around. "No one would believe if someone told them there was a portal around this spot", he thought as he looked in front of him.


    The Portal had a transparent hue, and it merged with the wall in the alleyway. The Portal didn''t leave a gaping hole, but instead, it just merged itself with the wall, making any passer-by think that this was just a normal wall. Little will they know that the place they just crossed, was a Portal.


    Lucas looked around before he stepped into the Portal, and everyone followed suit as soon as they saw him enter safely. Right after they entered, the Portal locked, not allowing anyone from the outside to enter, thus making it impossible for any interference. Lucas just stepped his foot out, to see if there was any way that he could step out in case of an emergency. And he found that he could.


    A notification popped up, and Lucas smiled at it. "Well, for what it''s worth, One thousand EXP is still too little, because I need more EXP each time I level up", he thought. He pulled up his Stats window.


    [Quest Completed]


    [First Mission]


    [Objectives:


    Rescue Andrea''s Husband 1/1


    Enter the E Ranked Portal 1/1]


    [Rewards - EXP +1000]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    Lucas thought ''Yes'', and the rewards came to him. After that, he looked at his stats.


    [Rewards - EXP +1000]


    [EXP: 7950/20,000]


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 220/220]


    [MP: 220/220]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 7950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 46]


    [Stamina: 45]


    [Agility: 46+19]


    [Perception: 43]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


    "Well, there is the increase due to the Daily Task rewards. But I still haven''t cleared my body of the impurities, thus this mission is going to be far more difficult", he thought but then a quest popped up.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [First Mission - Portal (E+)]


    [Objectives:


    Clear the Tower 0/10


    Solve the Maze 0/1


    Survive for 6 Hours and Escape the Portal After 0/6]


    [Rewards - EXP +20,000, All stats Increasing Potion x5, Access to Pre-Recorded Basic Skill Books for Magic and Combat]


    "Sweet! Finally, I can have more spells, but I must master each spell before I move to the next one", he thought as he looked at the Mastery of the spells he had.


    [Magic]


    [Flowing-Ice]


    [Icicle - Lvl 3][Mastery - 85%]


    [Ice Shield - Lvl 1][Mastery - 50%]


    [Azure Flame]


    [Fireball - Lvl 3][Mastery - 85%]


    [Fire Armor - Lvl 1][Mastery - 50%]


    [Increase Mastery to Level Up the Skills faster]


    "Well, that''s a good increase of Mastery. Let''s just hope that I can bring up my Master to a hundred in this Portal for all of my spells, allowing me to spend time on the new spells that I obtain", he thought as he looked around.


    The place was dark like it was night. The ground was barren, and the sand was gray. "Are we still on Earth?", thought Lucas as he looked around. The ground then shook, and a Tower began to rise a few hundred meters away from them. "Let''s go and clear the Tower", announced Lucas and began to run towards the Tower.


    [Eye Of Prediction - Activated]


    Lucas began to use this skill to know if there were any traps on their way to the tower. But it seemed like that there were no traps on their way to the tower. It was just plain grounds. "Strange", thought Lucas as he reached the door of the Tower.


    The tower door was tall, and it had two iron rings on either of the doors. It was purple, and the rings were golden. Lucas lifted the rings and banged it thrice, and the door began to creak open.


    Everyone was on edge and readied their grips on their weapons. But nothing unordinary happened. Lucas stepped inside, and he lit up a [Fireball]. There was nothing in front of them. "It''s safe, let''s move in", he said as he stepped forward. The doors behind them closed, and the lights in the tower began to light up. A hologram was floating in front of them.


    ''Floor 1 - First Wave'', it read. "Ready your weapons!", shouted Lucas as he let Tobias and Robert take the front, and he went to the back to observe the monsters that were about to enter. The monsters that came in were different than those back on earth. They were little green men, who came with spears and swords and bows in their hands. "What are they?'', he thought as he used the [Inspect] on them.


    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Swordsman]


    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Spearman]


    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Archer]


    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Morningstar]


    All of those little creatures were in a horde, and they extended till their eyes could see. This overwhelmed them, and they began to panic. "They are just Basic Tiers, kill them all in one sweep", said Lucas as he activated his [Aura Slash], which cut through many of them with sheer brutality.


    Their blood was a reddish-green, and it sprayed from the necks that had fallen to Lucas''s swords. "Hold back your strength. Don''t use too much to deal with small fry", he said as he slaughtered through them, dousing himself in the blood of the goblins.


    Everyone began to slaughter, and Tobias was feeling very bored as he didn''t find this as a challenge at all. He wanted to challenge something higher, thus he began to crush the skulls of the goblins. Soon after twenty minutes of killing, all of them took a small break. "If they''re going to come from all the sides, we need to do something", thought Lucas. He then looked at Emilia.


    "Can you make an earth wall around us? If another horde comes, we need to be conservative as we do not know the number of rounds we have for each floor. We need our energy", he said. Emilia smiled as she placed her hands on the ground. Soon, walls were erected in the shape of a square, and a small opening was made. "Alright, let''s wait for round two", he smiled.


    Round Two commenced and came to another horde of goblins. This time, they were stronger and faster than the horde before. But Lucas''s ingenious plan dwindled their numbers, allowing each of them to have ample rest, taking turns in killing them. Emilia couldn''t move from the place as she had to maintain the spell, but being the Gunslinger she was, she shot each of them straight through the head.


    The numbers began to dwindle, but the time taken was longer than before. It took them almost thirty-five minutes to finish off this horde, and after Emilia lowered the wall, a drop of sweat fell to the ground. "You have done well. Take some rest. We will carry on from here", said Robert as he helped Emilia down.


    In came another Goblin, but this one was larger than the other goblins. Lucas used his [Inspect] to see what it was. ''Boss Round'', read the words that floated above them.


    [Intermediate Tier Beast - Bugbear]


    [A variant of a Goblin. They are stronger and faster than a normal goblin, and they can use stealth. Weak against Magic]


    After reading the description, he looked at the monster. It resembled a goblin, the only thing was that it was a lot hairier than the normal goblin. Its size went up to almost seven feet, and its face resembled a bear. They also had claws, but they weren''t either long or sharp enough to injure them. It had wide armor on its chest and waist and was carrying a huge Morningstar.


    Morningstar was a weapon like a club, only that the end was a steel ball and it had spikes all over it. "That''s intimidating", he thought as he looked at the monster once again. "ROOOOAAAAAAR!!!", it roared out loud, and its saliva was spread through the air.


    Lucas readied his grip and was about to attack, but he felt a touch on his shoulder. "He looks strong. Let me fight against him", said Tobias as he walked past Lucas and stood in front of the Bugbear. "You want a piece of us? You''ll have to go through me first", he said as he cracked his fists.


    The air surrounding them began to vibrate, and he began to channel lightning through his body. The Bugbear swung its Morningstar at his head, and Tobias just disappeared from the place he was standing at. He then reappeared again, right next to its legs. "Is that all you got, you weakling?", he taunted.


    Lucas didn''t lose his focus for a second, and he activated his [Eyes Of Perception], allowing him to see both of their movements moments before they happened. Just as his Morningstar was about to connect, Tobias disappeared once again, and he was standing right above its neck. "Weak", he muttered as he sliced his hand through its neck.


    "Although it''s weak, it has a tough hide", he thought as he jumped down, bathing in its blood that was spraying behind him.. "Hero time!", he thought as he didn''t turn his head and gave a cool pose as he walked back to everyone.

 Chapter 56 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Three)

    After killing the Bugbear, the floor began to rumble. It moved up like a lift, and they reached the second floor. ''Time until First Wave - Ten minutes'', read the hologram above. Everyone began to take a breather, and Lucas began to analyze. "Emilia, I want you to erect a tower, and get on top. You can shoot long-range right?", he asked. Emilia nodded her head as she took out components from her pockets, and created a Sniper Rifle right there.


    "Create a room in the tower, we will hide inside. And if it is a horde of those little green men, then I think we will need something to kill them off", he began to think. "Create three-round ditches, and take me along with you to the top of the tower", he said. She began to execute the plan, and soon, he and Emilia were on top, while the other three were down below.


    "You will snipe, and I will use my magic to kill off these little pests. And the time is up", he smiled as he saw the same horde, except this time their skins were a bit yellow. He used the [Inspect] and saw their details.


    [Intermediate Tier Beast - Goblin Chiefs]


    [They are smarter than the Goblins. They can use very basic levels of magic, and they can co-ordinate their attacks, making them formidable foes to deal with when in hordes]


    "Not for me", smiled Lucas as he readied both his [Fireball] and [Icicle] and began to fuse it. The heat was melting the ice, but Lucas was trying to find a way to fuse them both. "Come on, they can co-exist in my body, which means they can co-exist here as well. I just have to find the right way", he thought as he saw the Icicle being melted.


    It was a failure, and Lucas saw the Icicle melt into water. He got frustrated, and projected the water into needles, and pierced it through the goblins that were climbing out of the outer ditch, killing them instantly. "I still need to learn to control my rage", he thought as he began to freeze some of them, allowing Emilia to shoot them through their heads.


    The Goblin chiefs understood the strategy they were trying to implement, and they fell back. Every chief began to chant a spell, and they aimed at the base of the tower. "Alright, seems like they are trying to take down the tower. Let me try something", he thought as he cast a [Fireball].


    As he threw it towards the goblins, he began to manipulate it, creating an arc of fire. After it hit the place, several goblins screeched in pain as they burned. "If only my fire was more potent. Maybe I must go to Namata and look into this", he thought as he threw manipulated [Fireball] arcs, killing several goblins before they cast their spells.


    "Master once showed me that as long as I can manipulate Mana, I can turn any enemy''s attack into my favor", he thought. He turned to Emilia and asked the question that was bugging him. "What is the theory behind External Mana Manipulation?'', he asked her. She began to explain it to him as she shot down a few more of the goblins.


    "I need a Mana Potion", she said as she stretched her hand. Lucas placed it in her hands, and she gulped it down. "It''s best if I show it to you while I explain", she said. Lucas activated both [Eyes of Perception] and [Mana Vision] to see what she was doing.


    She closed her eyes as she stretched her hand in front of her, and there was a change in the flow of Mana around her. It began to twirl and twist around her, and the spells that were thrown by the goblins were sucked into it. After sucking it, it began to break down into light particles, and then it began to reconstruct itself.


    Lucas deactivated [Mana Vision] for a second to see if the light particles are visible to the naked eye. But it wasn''t. The only thing the others could see was the changing of the shape of the spell, and thus, a cold blizzard was formed. "Hellish Blizzard", she said as she directed the blizzard towards a side of the battleground.


    The goblins that stood on the side of the blizzard froze instantly, and they couldn''t move. "Guys, now kill them", shouted Lucas, and the other three that were hiding came out and massacred the goblins that were frozen. "If the First Wave is this tough, then I can''t imagine the upper floors", he thought as he looked around.


    He began to implement what he saw Emilia doing. He closed his eyes and began to feel the energy that was surrounding him. The mana in the air shook violently, reacting to his Fire Mana. He began to pacify it like a child, and the Mana slowly began to come into his control. "That''s it, now concentrate on the spells that are coming towards you, he heard Emilia guiding him.


    Lucas began to use his perception for this. He felt an incoming sense of danger, and he wanted to see what it was. But he didn''t open his eyes. Instead, he used his senses and began to manipulate an icicle that was thrown his way. It turned around and began to float behind Lucas.


    Lucas was proud and he opened his eyes, only to lose focus for a second. Another wave of Icicle was incoming, and he still needed to perfect the manipulation. He didn''t have time as he activated [Mana Vision] and used his Perception to manipulate every Icicle that was thrown on their path.


    More than a hundred Icicles were floating behind him, and some of them were shaking. "You''re reaching your limit", said Emilia. She turned to see Lucas closing his eyes, muttering. "Not yet... Not yet..", he kept on saying as he gathered more icicles behind him. He then began to break them into sharp and long needles, and the hundred turned into a thousand.


    Now all of them were shaking, and Lucas was on his knees. He began to cough up blood, but he was still unwilling to let go. "Not... Cough... Yet", he said as he began to fuse his [Icicle], separating one into five and joining them with those icicles. After that, all the [Icicles] had Lucas''s signature ice particles floating around the needles, and he launched them all with deadly accuracy.


    The needles began to whiz through the air and hit the dead center of the goblins. One by one, each of them froze, allowing the people below to finish them off with ease. After killing every last one of them, Lucas still didn''t give up. He got up from the ground, coughing out blood.


    He downed a Recovery potion and a Mana potion, and he smiled at everyone. "Guess I am still we...", he fainted as he was about to finish his sentence. Emilia grabbed him and jumped down from the tower, and placed him in the room the others were staying in. Lucas was snoring, as fatigue overtook him.


    "He has exhausted his Mana, and thus he has fainted. He will be up in at most an hour or two. We will need to guard him until then", she told them. Robert assumed command since he was the Vice-Captain. "Now, we will follow his original plan. Tobias, can you use your Lightning spells to damage targets from far away?'', he asked.


    "Well, if I have a bow, that would be alright for me", he said as he shrugged his shoulders. "We need to make some weapons for him as soon as possible", he thought. Tobias using his bare hands was something that could potentially cause him irreversible harm.


    "But I can use these little ones as conductors and fry them up", he said as he picked up a dead body of a goblin. "Conductor, that''s great!'', said Robert as an idea popped into his head. "Emilia, can you dig a canal from the room to the ditch, and then use water magic to fill them up with water?'', asked Robert. Emilia showed a sinister smile as she understood what he was about to do.


    They all retreated into the tower, and the second wave of goblins was confused as to why there were no people here. They looked around and noticed the tower, and they made their way into the water-filled ditch that was at the outer layer of the tower. The goblins jumped in and advanced, leaving some of them behind. "Tobias, fry them", said Robert as he watched everything from the inside.


    Tobias placed his hand on the surface of the water and began to pass his Lightning through, and began to fry the goblins with the might of electricity. The goblins began to die one by one, and the ones that escaped fell to the might of Emilia''s sniping skills, thus saving them from dying.


    "If the next round is the Boss round, I will go and fight it", said Michelle, as she felt that she didn''t do anything significant during the climb into the tower.

 Chapter 57 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Four)

    ''Boss Round will commence in fifteen minutes'', read the hologram. Michelle grabbed her scythe and readied herself. Her scythe had a long curved blade on one side, and a staff that connected it. It was a bit taller than her, and she began to swing it around her like she was warming up.


    "What kind of monster will the boss be this time?", she thought as she spun her scythe. After the fifteen minutes were over, the ground rumbled, startling Lucas awake. "Are we at the boss round?'', he thought as he grabbed his head, which was throbbing. He got out of the room, and looked at a determined Michelle, ready to face what was coming towards her.


    [Intermediate Tier Beast - Hobgoblin]


    [Hobgoblins are a larger version of the goblins, similar to the Bugbears. They boast insane defense and have high HP. They are weak against Magic attacks. Their main weapon of choice: a club]


    After Lucas saw that. he saw a very muscular Goblin, and it had a full set of armor. It had a helmet, chest piece and covered its lower body with armor too. It hit its chest as it roared out loud. It pulled out a shield from its back and banged its club against it.


    The bang was deafening. Michelle gulped as she saw the large monster standing in front of her. It was standing at seven and a half feet tall! She then crouched to the floor and held the scythe behind her back. "She kind of looks like Spider-Man", thought Lucas as he eyed her pose.


    She then jumped from the place, and surrounding her was a black aura. "The Aura of Death", he heard a male voice from his side. He turned to see Robert standing there, admiring her. He could see his eyes sparkling. "Why would someone develop that Aura though?'', he asked. Robert began to explain.


    "The Aura of Death is something which develops when a person has become one with the Scythe. Scythes are a weapon of Death or the Grim Reaper. Thus when someone becomes one with the scythe, they gain The Aura of Death. I''m sure she still hasn''t brought that Aura under control", he said as he frowned.


    The Aura that was surrounding was at first, a translucent black. Now, it had turned pitch black, and her eyes were shining red. The smile she was showing was also sinister, and the scythe was pulsing a dark red. "The more blood the scythe absorbs, the more chaotic her aura becomes. She hasn''t signed a pact yet. We have to stop her before it''s too late", said Robert.


    Michelle began to laugh out loud. "I will devour your soul", she said as she cut an exposed part of the hobgoblin. Robert held his head in his hands as he looked at her. "No, NO. She has lost control", he muttered. He then placed his hands on Lucas. "You have to stop her. Or else, every one of us here will die to her blade", he said in a trembling voice.


    Lucas smiled. He took the hands off him and walked towards her. He was stumbling a little as he was weak, but he didn''t falter. He looked at her and then was about to jump into battle. "You weak human! Do you think you can stop me? You can stop Death?! Such Insolence!", she said as she lunged towards his neck.


    Lucas didn''t move and he stood there, as he saw the scythe come towards his neck. Everyone was about to jump and defend, when they saw the scythe stop right on his neck, drawing blood. But it was just a minuscule amount of blood.


    Lucas smiled as he stepped back, and motioned for her to finish the monster off. Before she left, she turned her head back and spoke to him. "Lucas, I''ve got it under control now. Death still doesn''t listen to me, but thanks for the help", she smiled as the red in her eyes faded away.


    He stepped back and watched the fantastic show of acrobatics. It looked like she was dancing with the scythe, and the hobgoblin attacks were getting more random. It jumped back and let out a roar again. "ROAAAAAR!", it shouted and threw its shield towards Michelle. But she jumped and ran on top of it, gaining momentum for her final strike.


    The shield didn''t stop, as it headed towards the group that was standing behind her. Robert scoffed as he stood in front of everyone. "Tch! Muramasa Blade: Third Form", he closed his eyes. A dark red hue surrounded him. After he opened it, one of his eyes sclera turned black, and his iris turned red in both of his eyes. "Kuiarasu!", he muttered as he did a quick slash.


    If one didn''t look at him, one would think that he didn''t move a bit. But he did his swing in one motion, and at such speed that to the naked eye, it looked like he didn''t do anything. He did a quick draw technique, and combined with his Sword Aura, sent out a thin slash, and sliced the shield that was coming towards them.


    The shield split and went past them while flying towards two sides. Everyone was amazed by his swordsmanship. "Just how many forms does his blade technique have?", thought Lucas as he looked at the shield behind him. Lucas asked Robert to which he smiled and replied.


    "Many people have mocked the art of Iaijutsu. Well, Iaijutsu doesn''t have many forms. Only three. But Our school has a total of ten forms, and they all focus on the basics of swordsmanship. And if you think you can use them too, I suggest you switch to one-handed blades. Only then will you be able to learn", he completed his explanation.


    Lucas was stunned. "But you don''t look like a person from the country of Kyoto", he said. Robert let out a laugh. "Long ago, a man from Kyoto came to Alexandria, in search of a worthy person to pass down all of his knowledge to. He was a Wandering Master, just like the one who taught you. He didn''t disclose his name, and we all call him First Master. After he found a worthy successor, he taught him everything he knew, and left in his possession a book", he said as he looked towards the ceiling.


    "That book contained First Master''s many wise words and the techniques which he spent his life trying to perfect. This is how, the Kyoto techniques came into the possession of our family", he said and let out a sigh. "That should be enough information for him", he thought as he looked back at Michelle.


    The hobgoblin was bleeding, and it was weakened. Michelle stood there panting as she spun her scythe, getting rid of the blood that was on it. She closed her eyes and stood still. "Dance Of Death: First Form. Call Of The Soul", she muttered as she opened her eyes.


    What followed was something that could only be described as a dance. Michelle swung her scythe behind her, as she began to twirl around it like she was dancing. She then began to climb up the hobgoblin, and she covered her scythe with a pitch-black aura. She then lodged it into the heart of the hobgoblin, but it neither screamed nor said anything.


    After that, she pulled out her scythe as she jumped down from the hobgoblin, and spun her scythe. "Did I do well?'', she asked as she skipped towards everyone. Everyone was relieved that she wasn''t the killing maniac from before, and the normal person that she is. "Guess everyone has their dark sides", smiled Lucas as he looked at everyone being happy.


    The ground then rumbled, and they moved to the third floor. ''Floor has been cleared. Points rewarded. +3000 each. Setting new record time, +1500 each. Floor Three will commence in ten minutes'', read the hologram. "What? There was this too?'', thought Lucas as he looked at it. "If we clear it at such a pace, then I think we will need to face some consequences from now", he muttered.


    Everyone that was around heard what he said. "So do you mean it''s only going to get harder from now on?'', asked everyone. Lucas nodded his head. "Well, that''s a good thing. I was getting bored anyway. And I haven''t had my chance to show off yet", said Tobias.


    "But...", and he was stopped by everyone''s smiles. "Oh whatever, We can overcome this", he thought as he looked at the countdown, ready to slaughter any monster that came their way. The countdown was up, and the floor rumbled.


    "Get ready everyone, we might have quite a hassle on our hands", said Lucas as he activated his armor and boots, ready to face what was coming towards them.

 Chapter 58 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Five)

    As soon as they saw what was coming towards them, everyone''s eyes went wide in shock. "I guess this was to be expected", chuckled Lucas as he gripped his blades harder. And what they were facing wasn''t just one or two hobgoblins, but an army of them.


    Tobias began to kill everything he saw, twisting out heads like he was pulling out apples from a tree. "Insane level of strength", thought everyone as they began to focus on their part. Emilia got up on another tower she built and sniped the ones that would try to attack from their backs, keeping them safe.


    ''Well, is this what they call as, ''watch my back''?", she thought as she chuckled. Lucas was still thinking of a solid plan as he lodged his blade in between the eyeballs of the hobgoblin in front of him and pulled out the blade. He used the [Inspect] on his weapon to see what grade it was now.


    [Icy Flame Dual Blades - Growth type Weapon]


    [Current - Advanced Tier Weapon. Growth until Demi-God Tier]


    "I still haven''t upgraded it?", he thought. He shrugged, as he knew that it was still superior to the beast, thus it won''t get damaged that easily. "If only I had some crystals which had the elements", he thought. He then remembered something. "Didn''t the Adventurer''s Guild give everyone their crystals for the beasts they killed? Why didn''t I receive mine?", he thought.


    He threw the thought to the back of his head, as he knew that the task now needed his attention. "Their shields are annoying", he thought as he activated his [Aura Slash], which left only a dent in the shield. "Just how strong is everyone?'', he thought. He was keeping his Aura active continuously, and he was slashing the monsters down at the weakest parts of their body.


    "Well, I have to either learn to channel Mana or breakthrough in Aura. Either way, that will be the only possibility that I can bring out the true potential that is hidden within me", he thought. A crazy idea came to him but he heard a stern voice resound in his head. "Do you want to die? Then, by all means, do take the next step", came Valentine''s voice.


    He also remembered the backlash that his Master''s friend suffered. "Well, let''s just hope that I can catch up to these guys", he thought as he looked at everyone slaughtering the monsters. The only one he felt who was normal was Emilia, as she was the same rank as him. Finally, after thirty minutes, the hobgoblin wave was thinned down to a minimum of fifteen.


    Tobias was about to do his flashy move when something whizzed past him. "That''s hot", he thought as he felt the heat of the thing that passed by him. The fifteen hobgoblins that stood were rooted to the spot, as a hole appeared in their foreheads. "Telekinetic Heat Seeker", said Emilia as she jumped down the tower.


    The bullet was controlled by her, and it traveled according to the target she chose. The targets were the hobgoblin''s heads. But what was more astonishing was that she could use Telekinesis. "Don''t worry, my telekinesis ability is only at the D Rank. The most I can control will be three bullets, any more and I would lose control of the trajectory", she said as she walked towards the now, stunned group.


    "Just how many surprises does everyone have? Am I the only normal person?", he thought. A chuckle came from his head. "Kid, you''re an Awakener. Do you think you''re normal? Haha", laughed Valentine as he watched the look on Lucas''s face. "Well, there is also the fact that all of them have trained ever since they were kids. While I, just gained my Magic and Aura", he said dejectedly.


    After this round, the next one was the same, except that this time it was the Bugbears. Everyone went on a killing spree again, and Michelle let loose, allowing Death to run wild. "Hahaha!", she laughed as she slaughtered the heads of the Bugbears. "I would not want to get on her bad side", he thought as he looked at her one last time when he felt a Morningstar come towards his head.


    He sliced the arm that was coming towards him, and the Morningstar fell to the ground. He then jumped and sliced through the head with both of his blades. "Their hides aren''t as tough as the Hobgoblins", he thought. He then began to spin around, dodging and striking at the right moments. "He looks like a seasoned veteran", thought everyone that saw his fighting style.


    "I do have Legendary Tier Beast Crystals which I had taken from the Minotaurs previously. But I still need Advanced Tier Crystals of the same attribute. AAAHG!", he screamed in frustration as he began to vent his anger in the only way he knew, fighting.


    He slashed at the Bugbear that was in front of him and killed it in a single strike. The Aura around him began to spread into wisps, and without him knowing, he began to tangle every Bugbear that was around him. The Bugbears were incapable of movement, and Lucas just slashed their necks, and their heads were rolling down on the floor.


    His anger still wasn''t quelled, thus he began to slaughter every Bugbear that was in his sight. "Weak! I am too weak!", that was his only thought. "He''s losing himself to his anger. If he goes on like this... Wait, why do I feel like his combat sense has improved?", said Robert in shock.


    Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched Lucas. everyone stepped back, and Lucas was ramming his way through the mob, mowing them down with his Aura and his blades. He jumped into the air, and he manipulated his Aura, pulling a few Bugbears near him. He then slashed their heads off and moved forward.


    "Come at me, you monsters. Let me improve myself. Let me become strong enough to protect the people I hold dear!", he said in a loud voice, and it was filled with anger.


    [Rage Mode has been Activated!]


    His mark began to pulsate as it ran up his arm. "Kid, you have to calm down!", said Valentine. "I am perfectly calm. I am mad at myself, for being pathetically weak. For being this useless, when there are so many amazing people out here in the world. If a group of these people attacks my family, I won''t be able to protect them. Instead, I would be the one that would hold them back", he said to Valentine.


    "I understand where you come from, kid. I have seen your memories, and I understand your anger. But being angry won''t solve anything. Strength doesn''t come in a day or two. Or maybe a month or two. Why do you think there are people out there, who are honing their techniques, day in and day out? Why do you think, that the strongest people, always say that they are at most, average?", he said.


    "It''s because they know that there is always someone out there, who is stronger than they are. And they are preparing, to face these kinds of people. Remember, you have just begun your journey. I would say that you are having a good start. Now just focus, and redirect that madness into your Aura Control", finished Valentine.


    Lucas took a deep breath, and he began to do the same thing which he was doing all this while, except that he was doing it at will. "Aura Control. Something that only happens at the A-Rank. For you to be able to grasp it right now, is truly a gift. Lucas, you are gifted. But, you need patience and guidance. If you aren''t, then all the suffering you''ve endured for the past Eighteen years will be for naught. Remember Lucas. Patience", said Valentine in a serene voice.


    Lucas was now slaughtering the Bugbears more efficiently, and the last of them fell to his blade. Instead of feeling tired, he felt refreshed. "Let''s see who the boss will be?", he thought as he looked up. ''Boss round in twenty minutes'', read the hologram. Lucas sat down on the ground, and he looked around at everyone. "I''m sorry guys. Guess I have to learn to keep my temper in check, he chuckled as he closed his eyes, and began to meditate.


    As he was meditating, he processed the Aura into his bones one by one, and he had fused just two ribs among all the bones. Just as he heard a ''ding'', he got up, only to be pushed down. "You sit this one out", said Robert as he had his hand on his katana, ready to attack the moment he saw the monster.


    "A good thing these things aren''t roaming our world. If they are, I wonder what kind of chaos that would cause", he thought as he looked into the distance, as his heartbeat in anticipation for it. "Thump!", came a sound, and the floor shook, throwing everyone off balance.


    "What the hell is that?", he thought as he looked at the monster that was approaching them.

 Chapter 59 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Six)

    Lucas quickly used his [Inspect] to see what was approaching them.


    [Advanced Tier Beast - Hobgoblin Iron Shadow]


    [A hobgoblin with the affinity to the element of Darkness. Able to regenerate and can''t die when it is in the dark. Weak against Light Magic and Fire Magic. Other properties are the same as a hobgoblin]


    Lucas gulped as he saw the description. "Just what kind of a tower is this? Do they even have element-affiliated monsters? And that is a rare element!", he thought as he looked at Robert, clearly worried about him. "Be careful", he muttered under his breath as he began to continue the process. "Every moment I waste is a moment I could get stronger", he thought as he was injecting his Aura.


    Robert saw the hobgoblin in front of him and smiled. The hobgoblin was the same size as the other hobgoblins, only that this one had a very dark shade of green skin. "It''s almost like it''s black", he thought as he looked at the skin tone. He then got into his stance, ready to do the same thing he did to the shield last time.


    "Muramasa Blade: Third Form. Kuiarasu!", he said as he did a quick draw. The Aura left the sword, like last time, and it was met head-on with a pitch-black club, and it was shattered. Robert''s eyes widened, but a smile crept up his face. "You broke it. Congratulations!", he said as he jumped a few steps back.


    He then took out his katana, and he concentrated his Aura around it. He jumped towards its head, and he was ready to slash it. But his sword couldn''t get past a certain limit. "Something invisible is blocking my strikes", he thought as he came back. "Seems like this thing can manipulate an Element", he concluded as he landed.


    He then looked around, and the hobgoblin used the darkness as a whip. It wrapped it around Robert''s leg and pulled him towards its club, and struck him square in his guts. Robert coughed as he landed near everyone. He wiped his sleeve on his mouth, and a smirk was seen. "Very good. I was just testing. Let me get just a teeny bit serious now", he said as he moved from the place.


    "Just get a little bit serious? What is he thinking?", thought Lucas as he heard the words from his mouth. The movements from him became faster, and Lucas used [Mana Vision] to see what he was doing. "He''s using both Mana and Aura simultaneously?", he thought as he saw him using Wind Magic and his Swordsman Aura, and they were complimenting each other quite well.


    "Is this his style of fighting? Or is this something that was taught at the Muramasa School?", he thought as he looked at him in awe. His movements were unpredictable, as he used the Wind element to maneuver swiftly, and used his Aura to attack the hobgoblin. The hobgoblin responded to his attacks with a Darkness strike, shattering it into pieces.


    "Well, well. What have we got here?", he smirked and disappeared. "What''s that speed", thought everyone as Robert vanish from his spot. A moment later, they saw him flying behind the Hobgoblin, ready to strike him behind his neck. But he held his katana in his hand, and the blade was glowing red.


    "Muramasa Blade: Seventh Form. Surasshubar¨¡ji!", he said as he slashed the katana rapidly, and each was from a different angle. It was eight slashes right here, and when the hobgoblin blocked it, he did the same from a different direction. He continued this until he had slashed in all eight directions, rendering him defenseless. "You will have to get hit now", he thought as he watched the hobgoblin lower its guard.


    It then raised a dome around it, and the slashes all bounced off of it. Robert smiled. "I expected that. Now let''s see how you deal with this one", he said as he got down to the ground. He then lowered his body, and once again his katana glowed red. "What is he going to do now?", thought everyone as they watched him in anticipation.


    Robert then changed his stance and pulled his legs together. He began to charge wind into his body, and his clothes began to flutter. A dark red halo surrounded him, and the sword''s glow was intense. "Muramasa Blade: Tenth Form. Kieru surasshu!", he said as he slashed.


    His slash wasn''t viewed by anyone, except Lucas. He was using his [Mana Vision], and he learned a lot from this one fight. He was still channeling his aura whilst concentrating, thus training his mind to concentrate in two different ways. The strike was only visible to him, and he saw it go towards the hobgoblin.


    But then, using his wind element, Robert turned the strike away from him, making the strike appear from a side that was unlikely to hit from. Then, the wind that was covered as a layer on top of the slash dissipated, allowing the thick dark red slash visible to everyone. Everyone was taken aback at his strike, and they looked at him in awe.


    The strike hit the hobgoblin, and it sliced off its leg. It tried hopping into the darkness to regenerate, but Robert used his Third Form, Kuiarasu, and cut it off. The hobgoblin fell to the floor. He jumped on top of its head and cut off its neck in one clean strike. Everyone was in joy as they moved up to the fourth floor, and met with the same two hordes of hobgoblins and bugbears. Everyone fought tirelessly, and Emilia wanted to face off against the boss.


    "Well, allowing them to fight alone also exploits their strengths and weaknesses. Thus allowing me to formulate more clear plans for a fight in the future. Let''s just hope that Emilia is as good as I believe her to be. She is a Gunslinger, after all", thought Lucas as he looked at her walk confidently to face the monster that was going to come out in ten minutes.


    She readied her guns, and took her stance, "Guess I''ll be facing against the next boss?", he thought. She was checking her guns and cleaning them up when the floor rumbled, signaling the boss was here.


    [Advanced Tier Beast - Hobgoblin Captain]


    [A hobgoblin leader with intelligence. Properties are the same as any hobgoblin. Easily enraged. A strong one even among the hobgoblins]


    Emilia smiled as she clicked her guns. "Let''s see what I''m up against, shall we?", she smiled as she shot bullets made of Fire, Ice, Wind, Lightning, and Earth. When shot with the Lightning and Fire bullets, it roared in pain. When shot with Earth bullets, it just grunted and shrugged it off. And when shot with Wind and Ice bullets, it didn''t leave a scratch on its body.


    "Well, seems like it is weak against Fire and Lightning. Let''s use this to my advantage", she thought as she began to run around as she fired off Fire and Lightning bullets at the hobgoblin. It roared out loud, and it was enraged. It began to rub its leg on the floor like a raging bull, ready to charge at her. Emilia noticed it and smiled.


    "All it needed was this to be angry?", she thought as she didn''t stop running, and kept firing off bullets. Then suddenly, it took off from the place, charging with its broad and wide shoulder towards Emilia. Emilia moved from the place at lightning speed and avoided the strike.


    The hobgoblin hit the wall and was fazed a little bit. It just stood there, with its guard lowered. "Let''s make Overload Bullets", she thought as she began to channel extremely concentrated Mana. The Mana around her began to distort, as lightning sparks and streaks of fire began to appear around her.


    She channeled the Mana into her guns and began to compress them into bullets. Soon, they formed bullets, and it had enough power to one-shot a Legendary Tier. But she didn''t mind any of that, as she knew that these monsters and the beasts of their world had different standards.


    She then aimed her gun at the shoulder, and just as she was about to shoot, the hobgoblin charged towards her. She once again did the same thing and disappeared from its sight. She showed up on the other side and steadied her aim. "Ready... Deep breath... And now, Shoot!", she said as she shot the Lightning Overload Bullet.


    As soon as it hit the hobgoblin, a thunderstorm began to form right above its head. Lightning began to strike it, and it roared out loud. It was kicking around as the lightning struck, but it didn''t seem like it was dying. "Now, to agitate the wounds, let''s fire it up", she said as she shot a Fire Overload Bullet.


    It hit the hobgoblin and lodged itself firmly into its shoulder. Then, fiery red lines began to show up on its skin, and the wounds that were caused by the lightning strikes began to burn, and release a small number of flames. It let go of its weapon as it fell to the floor, rolling to disperse off the pain. All efforts were futile.


    After a few more minutes, she shot two more bullets, and the body began to puff up. Then, after a certain limit, it blasted, spraying blood all around the place.. "Ugh! I did want to kill it instantly, but didn''t think that this would overload its nervous system if they did have one", she said as she walked back to a mouth agape group.

 Chapter 60 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Seven)

    The floor rumbled and they moved to the fifth floor. ''Upon clearing, you will have a break of one hour before you go to the next floor'', read the hologram. Everyone read it and they looked at each other. "Well, we will get a very good break, so I should be appreciative", thought Lucas as he readied his weapon for the upcoming onslaught.


    And in came the Hobgoblin Iron Shadows. A whole dome of darkness was erected, and they were all trapped in it. "Who can use Light Magic to counter this?'', asked Lucas as he cut a hobgoblin. There was silence, and a burst of laughter followed. "Finally. This is the kind of terrain I can work with", laughed Michelle as she began her slaughter.


    "Dance Of Death: Sixth Form. Soul Piercing Dance", she said as she swung her scythe in a rhythmic way, and she lodged her scythe into the hobgoblin''s heart, and with it, it died. While everyone was faced with an endless wave of regenerating Hobgoblins, she was killing them by pulling out their souls.


    The hobgoblins that were hit by her blade fell to the floor, and she just went forward to the next one, caring nothing. Her iris had turned red, and she was still her. "Let''s just hope that she doesn''t lose control", thought everyone. "Dance Of Death: Ninth Form. Soul Lock", she said as she stood still in her place.


    The scythe in her hand turned a dark bloody red. Her skin began to show red lines, and they were pulsing just like her scythe. "Don''t worry. This is just a technique. I am still in control", she smiled, but in that darkness, it looked sinister. After a few minutes, the pulsing became strong, and a wave hit the hobgoblins.


    The hobgoblins were put in a state of stasis, and their movements were frozen. "Now, attack them. I have pushed every monster''s soul out and locked it away for a temporary amount of time. After this, I can''t use this again quite often. Thus, make this count", she said as she began to slaughter again.


    Everyone began to kill, and Tobias was the one who went bonkers. He charged lightning throughout him, and he moved at incredible speeds. The speed was incomprehensible for the naked human eyes, and even with [Mana Vision], all Lucas could see was a string of yellow lines, moving in a blur.


    Tobias was killing everything in one single strike, as he overloaded them with lightning, leaving behind an exploding hobgoblin. And one exploding hobgoblin transferred its lightning into another once, creating a chain reaction among them. The one which was hit was charred to ash, while the others that were hit were put in shock.


    [Enemy in a state of shock for five seconds]


    "Guess this is going to be useful for quite a bit", thought Lucas as he swung his blades, and decapitated one of them. He continued and he heard shots fired nearby. "Guess she has also joined in", he thought. A group of them fell in one swoop. And from among them, jumped out Robert.


    "Some of them have begun to regain their consciousness. It''s fascinating to see how they could even reconstruct their whole bodies. It''s like their zombies straight out of a movie", he said as he cut down another one. Lucas heard him, but he didn''t respond as he kept moving through, mowing them down.


    After that, they took a breath, and that was their mistake. "Watch out!", came Tobias''s voice as they saw a club coming towards them. Emilia stepped forward and stopped it with just one of her hands. "Is this all you''ve got?'', she smirked. She then snatched the club from its hand and began to swing it wildly, hitting it and severing its arm off.


    "I''ll be fine, just keep going", she said as they began to fight off against a crowd of them. "Maybe this will be a good place to practice that", he thought and activated the skill in his sword.


    [Chains Of Hades Lvl 1 has been Activated!]


    [Damage of blades increased by fifty percent]


    [Icy Flame Burst output increased by 150%]


    [Flames of Hell has been activated]


    [Strength has been increased by fifteen percent]


    A pair of chains wrapped on his forearms, and Lucas began to swing it. "Robert, I suggest you move away from me. I still haven''t mastered this yet, and you might get hurt", he said. "No time for that. And I can''t find an opening. Make one", he replied in the intensity of the battle.


    Lucas then cast the [Icy Flame Burst], and it cleared a path for Robert. He quickly ran down the path he created, and he got out of his way. "Now that I have no one nearby, I can try this out", he thought as he threw his Fire Blade towards a hobgoblin that was rushing towards him. It pierced through, and the sizzling of his flesh was heard.


    "ROAAAAAAR!", it let out a cry. But still, Lucas was struggling to pull it out. "Well, let me tug at the chains, or is this connected to my blood, thus connected to my will?", he thought. "You are correct and wrong at the same time. Yes, it is controlled with your willpower, that part is correct. The wrong part is, it isn''t connected. It has a mind of its own, thus you will have to make it acknowledge you as its master", said Valentine.


    Lucas was stunned, but he didn''t lose focus on the battle. "A skill with a mind of its own? But how?", he asked. "This chain isn''t something normal. And the blueprint didn''t anticipate this one. You have added something that you shouldn''t, and thus gave birth to this skill. Maybe it was purest Azure Flame, of maybe it was the work of the Dark Flame, I do not know, but I do know that due to your playing around, this skill was born", explained Valentine.


    "So, this is like directly from Hell?", he thought. "Affirmative", said Valentine. Lucas smirked, and he channeled his Aura into his weapon, and he heard a voice when he was channeling it through the chains. "Who goes there, interrupting my peace?", said a deep man''s voice. Lucas wanted to withdraw his Aura, but he knew that he needed to do this.


    "I am Lucas Heart, and I require your help. Would lend me your strength?", he thought. "My strength? You are not worthy to wield my strength. Prove to me that you are worthy", he said and a quest popped up.


    [Side Quest Initiated]


    [A fragment of Hades''s soul wants to test you. Pass its test and prove that you are worthy to wield one of its weapons]


    [Kill 100 Monsters using this skill [Chains Of Hades]


    Monsters killed 0/100]


    "So if I pass this test, I am worthy enough to wield you?'', he thought. "No, but I would help you out when you need me. The real test will happen later", said the fragment of Hades. Lucas didn''t want to argue, but something was bugging him. "Isn''t Hades like a God? Why is there a fragment of his soul in here?'', he thought, and the answer came.


    "I am a God. I am the Ruler Of The Underworld, you insolent mortal!. I can put you into the depths of Tartarus and let you rot there for all eternity! This weapon was made using a piece of my soul, and you have somehow acquired an inferior version of it. Mock me one more time, and you will know the consequences", said Hades.


    "Well, lesson learned. Never, mess with a God", he thought as he sliced a hobgoblin. "Time to have some fun, and these chains are now listening to me, but not completely. It''s like they want to resist a little, but they still listen in the end. Alright, time for a killing spree", he thought as he began to kill them, one by one.


    He threw and stabbed and spun and cut and slashed, and it was like a dance of an intertwining wave of Ice and Fire. Every monster he cut never got up, as it was a passive of the [Chains Of Hades] skill. And since a fragment of Hades was remaining in his skill, it was a little bit like Michelle''s skill, but only inferior.


    After his slaughter, he was panting. He looked at his count, and it was at sixty-four. The dark dome which was covering them fell, and it signaled the end of the First Wave. "Let''s just hope that the second wave isn''t as intense as the first wave", he thought. And there was the matter of the side quest and taming of the [Chains Of Hades] too.


    The countdown was down, and a buzz signaled the beginning of the Second Wave, as monsters began to pour down from all sides.. "We have to deal with this?'', he thought as he looked around.

 Chapter 61 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Eight)

    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Swordsman]


    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Spearman]


    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Archer]


    [Basic Tier Beast - Goblin Morningstar]


    [Intermediate Tier Beast - Bugbear]


    [Intermediate Tier Beast - Hobgoblin]


    [Intermediate Tier Beast - Goblin Chief]


    [Advanced Tier Beast - Hobgoblin Iron Shadow]


    [Advanced Tier Beast - Goblin Captain]


    "This horde, it''s at least three times larger than the ones we had faced. This is going to be hard, even for me with the rage mode", he thought. Something popped up to confirm his train of thoughts.


    [Title: Defying The Odds is activated]


    [All stats increased by twenty five percent]


    [Status]


    [Strength: 46+12]


    [Stamina: 45+12]


    [Agility: 46+(19+12)]


    [Perception: 43+11]


    [Magic: 43+11]


    "Just like I had thought, it is going to be hard. But first, let me complete this side quest. I just hope that there are some rewards for me in it", he thought as he looked around. "Everyone, time to let loose, and go all out", he said as he activated his Rage Mode, and jumped head first into the fight.


    Everyone followed suit, and Michelle unleashed her full power, becoming the killing maniac from before. Shortly after jumping, Lucas finished his side quest. "Good. Now I shall give you the rewards", said Hades''s fragment.


    [Side Quest Completed]


    [A fragment of Hades''s soul wants to test you. Pass its test and prove that you are worthy to wield one of its weapons]


    [Kill 100 Monsters using this skill [Chains Of Hades]


    Monsters killed 100/100]


    [Rewards - Mastery of [Chains Of Hades] 100%, Skill [Fusion]]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    "What will happen to the skill in the sword?", he thought and Hades''s fragment gave him the answer. "I am transferring that skill over to you, it won''t be with the weapon, and you will be able to use it anytime you want. Until we meet again", he said as his voice faded out from Lucas''s mind. Lucas claimed his rewards.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Rewards - Mastery of [Chains Of Hades] 100%]


    [Warning - There will be an influx of information transferred to your brain. You may experience slight discomfort in your head and body]


    "What does that... AAGH!", he screamed as he fell to the floor, clutching his head. A burst of energy went in front of him and annihilated the enemies that were about to kill him. After the pain in his head, he began to feel pain in his muscles, and something inside him grew. "What is this weird... AAAGH!", he screamed again.


    Emilia provided him cover as he was still processing the information on his body. After fifteen minutes of what felt like an eternity to Lucas, he stood up from the ground, clearly exhausted. He downed a recovery potion, and a Mana potion. "Where is the second reward?", he thought.


    [Rewards - Skill [Fusion] has been moved from weapon to wielder]


    "Well, I guess now I can use these chains more efficiently", he thought as he began to spin around, and cutting through all the Basic Tier Goblins that were present. "To bring this many, I am sure of it now. The boss of this floor will be a Legendary Tier Beast", he thought.


    He jumped back, and he shouted. "Emilia, cover me", he said and he sat down. "Alright, now let me try this fusion skill", he thought. As he couldn''t fuse his spells before, he wanted to try it now. He activated [Fusion], and he brought out both his [Icicle] and [Fireball].


    He then did the same thing he always did with the [6x Fireball] or [6x Icicle], he began to fuse them. And this time, it didn''t melt off but formed a kind of a ball, and it was covered with Ice, and there was water that was rotating within it. And at the center of it, was the fire. "What should I call this?", he thought.


    This was the first time he came up with something on his own. "Well, let''s first test it out as to what it does", he thought as he threw the ice ball into the crowd, and it did nothing. "That''s strange, I still feel the connection. And this time, it''s with both the elements", he thought. He then held his hand out in front and began to manipulate.


    "It''s much easier now as I have been doing it for quite some time. But I need more control, as that is the only way I can make something that can counter the Legendary Tier Beast that we are about to face. I need to be able to do it like the back of my hand", he thought.


    He pulled the water that was within out of the Ice ball, and then there was a loud sound. "BOOM!", went an explosion. Ice began to spread from the place it exploded, freezing everything it touched. Then, the fire followed behind, burning the frozen ones to oblivion. It reduced a lot of the enemies in an instant.


    "Let''s call this [Flaming Ice Explosive]", he thought. It wasn''t a skill, but it was something he had come up with, and he felt proud about that. He tried to make one more, but he wasn''t able to.


    [Mana has been depleted. Mana recharging 00:59]


    He sighed. "Just at the right moment", he thought. He shook his head sideways and he moved into the crowd, and he followed the moves that were ingrained into his brain. "I have to familiarize myself with these moves", he thought. He then threw it straight towards a Hobgoblin, and he pulled himself towards it.


    Michelle was surrounded by the Aura of Death, and he eyes were glowing red. Her sclera had turned pitch black, as she unleashed her fury upon everyone. Anything that was struck with the scythe was instantly dead, and she was mowing down numbers like it was something she did every day.


    "Death, I know you get more erratic the more you kill, but just to make sure, you''re not going to kill me and overtake my body, right?", she asked with concern. "You have a lot to do, little one. And the day I made this pact, I knew this question would come up one day", said Death. The scythe was pulsing strong, and the death toll was increasing.


    Robert was using his blade, and he kept everything at bay, keeping Emilia safe as she provided cover for everyone. He used his quick draw techniques and sent slash after slash, killing a lot of the basic and intermediate ones. Only the advanced ones were hard to kill with one slash.


    Tobias jumped back as he stretched his fingers. His fists were red from all the punching he did. "Guess it''s time to pull that out", he thought as he put his hands into the pockets of his chinos. He then pulled out a pair of gloves which were red and black. It had three steel circles on the knuckles and had small steel circled on the fingertips. There was also a transparent u-shaped slim container at the back of his palm.


    "Time to pull out a different technique. "Kyokushin: First Style. Zen Kutsu Dachi", he muttered as he placed his left leg behind his right, and shifted his weight. He then moved differently from before, making full-body contact as he punched and kicked every single one of them. The way he moved was more like a rhythm rather than his usual instinct.


    "Well, this is the best-suited one for me. Given my animal instincts that always tingle", he smiled as he blew another monster into smithereens. Then he threw one towards Lucas. "Hey Lucas, I''ve got a gift for you. MOVE!", he said as he threw it.


    The Goblin landed near him, and the next instant Lucas knew what to do. He jumped out of the way and ran far, as it burst open, stunning every opponent in a three hundred meter radius. He used the [Chains Of Hades] skill, but he stood there without moving.


    "Time to test out the knowledge I gained. Chains Of Hades: First Form. Spiraling Thrust", he thought as he threw both of his blades towards the stunned enemies. The sword was spinning like a spearhead as it moved forward, and the Chains made the elements more powerful.


    Thus, a twist of fire and ice was seen as it passed through them, blood spurting all around. Lucas was impressed by the skill. "Well, according to the information in my brain, these forms are like a chain. They can be used flowingly and separately, but I must make this my style", he thought.


    "When you learn something, you are using their style. Unless you master it, and it adapts to your way of fighting, you can never call it your style, Lucas. Remember that", he heard his Master''s words in his head. "Time to finish this", he thought as he switched it up.


    Everyone, move away from the ground. I am going to do something drastic, and this will change the tides of the battle", he said but then he heard a voice stopping him. "Don''t. I have a better idea", said Michelle as she jumped in front of him. "Emilia, do you know of any spells that can temporarily boost someone''s potential?'', she asked.


    Emilia nodded her head as she jumped down. "Then I suggest you put it on everyone''s soul, as I am going to suck everyone dry here", she giggled. Emilia nodded her head and chanted a spell, which strengthened everyone''s soul. "Now, erect a building or room and go hide inside", she said as she spun her scythe.


    "Dance Of Death: Tenth Form. Reaper Manifestation", she muttered. She then plunged the staff into the ground, and the pulsing grew stronger. Everyone that was inside the room felt the stench of Death in the air. Michelle began to float in the air, and her voice changed. "To use this technique, it seems you have found some people of value. Very well, let me send them to their Afterlife", she said.


    The ground broke open, and skeleton hands began to emerge from them. Michelle''s clothes were fluttering, and her Aura of Darkness increased to an unprecedented level. Everyone felt chills in their bones, and they watched the scene in front of them.


    "I take back what I said before. She doesn''t need a black hood.. She is the Grim Reaper herself", said Emilia as she gulped down her saliva.

 Chapter 62 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Nine)

    The skeleton hands that emerged pulled out the souls from every monster that was walking on the floor. There were howls and roars and cries of pain. And there was also a burst of psychotic laughter. "I am Death, and you shall never outrun me. Whatever may happen, you shall taste me", said Michelle.


    The souls were then devoured by the ground, and then the pulsing of the weapon became strong. It was pulsing continuously and then it burst into a bright red light. "Cover your eyes. NOW!", screamed Michelle. She was the only one who knew her weapon best. It was evolving and growing in strength.


    After a while, the light dimmed down, and the slight hue that would be around the scythe was missing. "The weapon is asleep. Seems like that took a toll even for Death", she said as she walked back to everyone. ''Time until Boss arrives, 01:30 hrs'', read the hologram. Lucas sat down in a meditative state.


    "Alright, first things first. Let me use the Limit Breaker potion. Seems like I will be needing it to make the weapon", he thought as he turned around. He saw everyone looking at him expectantly. "Yes, I am going to fight the boss. I just need to make something real quick. Emilia, can you make a blacksmith''s room out of the earth right now?'', he asked.


    A room was erected, and in it was a furnace. "I don''t know if I will need it, but just in case I will leave it there", he thought as he looked back. "Now, I don''t want anyone to disturb me for some time. Just let me know a minute before the timer is over", he said as he entered the room.


    He then took out his tools and the potions. He also took out the crystals he had obtained from the Minotaurs in the Forest of Silencing Illusions. "First, let''s use the Limit Breaker Potion and increase the capacity of my Mana, as that is what I will be needing for this one", he thought. He then gulped down the HP Limit Breaker Potion, and he waited until he felt the same feeling from before.


    The warmth began to spread around his body, and after it reached the same point from before, he began to push it into his muscles. After about twenty-five percent of infusing it within the muscles, he felt that it was unnecessary. He began to channel it into his bones, and he felt excruciating pain. "It feels like I want to rip my heart out", he thought as he grit his teeth.


    He kept pushing it forward, and after he felt that it was over, he let out a long sigh. He then recovered himself and did the same with the MP Limit Breaker Potion, and the process was the same again. "Seems like the muscles don''t need it anymore?", he thought.


    "You''re wrong. The muscles are still adapting to the amount that was infused last time, and you did another one again. Even if you get another potion, just don''t use it anytime soon. Your body still needs to recover from this", said Valentine. Lucas nodded his head as he pulled up his status.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 220/350]


    [MP: 220/350]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 7950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 46]


    [Stamina: 45]


    [Agility: 46+19]


    [Perception: 43]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


    "Alright, got an increase of 130 Points", he smiled. He then moved to the next part of his plan, and that was to make a Legendary Tier Weapon. "But how can I utilize my Mana to the maximum without wasting it?'', he thought and he remembered something. "The Black Notebook", he thought as he pulled that out of his inventory.


    He began to sift through it, and he was in a race against time. If not, he won''t be able to face them that easily. He knew to upgrade his weapon, he needed to claim the stones from the Adventurer''s Guild and that was impossible right now. ''The method of Mana Influx'', read the title of the method.


    He read it through and began to comprehend it. "It seems like I would need to use formations again. Well, he was The Legendary Inscriptor Blacksmith. Let''s just hope that this turns out good", he thought and began to draw the formation.


    "Kid, wait. It seems like this person left out key details on purpose. Last time, I taught you about a formation, remember? Well, this time it''s the same. It''s incomplete. You do with this, it will have a success rate of fifty percent. But with the complete formation, you could boost it up to ninety percent. I don''t know why, but I think I understand the reason now", said Valentine.


    He then directed him to follow his instructions, and Lucas drew the formation accordingly. The formation was drawn with a triangle, which had three small circles on the ends. Then the same was drawn in an inverted way. Then, the small circles at the end were connected with a curved line which formed a large circle. And finally, there was a large circle in the middle, and there were six lines from the sic circles connected to it.


    "Well, the formation is ready. Now, I have to place three Fire crystals and three Ice crystals. I do have them all in the Legendary Tier", he said as he placed them in the small circles in order, making one triangle fill with the Fire element and the other fill with the Ice element.


    "To make Mana Influx, one must fill the crystals with their own Mana, or give it a constant supply after the procedure starts", he read. He then picked up a Fire crystal, and he decided to absorb all the power within it. In two minutes, the crystal that was shining brightly dimmed. He then tried to push his Mana into it, but it didn''t work.


    "Your flame is a pure flame. There are three types of pure flames. One is your Azure Flame, which comes from the Mystic Beings. The other one is the Hell-Fire Flames, which is not possessed by anyone. The last and final one is the Holy Flame, and that is very rare. There are other kinds of flames, but they are unnecessary for now", said Valentine.


    "I''ll tell you how, and I want you to follow my words very carefully. You have a lot of catching up to do", he said. "Alright, I want you to close your eyes and circulate your Aura. And using it, I want you to try and find your Mana which is flowing through you. I can give you a hint though. They gather inside your heart chamber", he said.


    Lucas guided his Aura accordingly and he sensed something other than his Aura inside. "So is this why Master told me to inject my Aura in the later stages?'', he thought. "Yes, this is the only reason I could think of. Your Mana needs a stimulator. You aren''t strong enough to wield this power yet, thus it is dormant inside you", explained Valentine.


    Lucas used his Aura and pulled out his Mana temporarily, and began to inject it into the crystal. The crystal which was glowing orange before was now glowing a deep purple. He did the same with the other two, and he then moved to the Flowing-Ice. The same happened, and the crystal was covered in clear Ice, and there was a blob of water inside it.


    "These are your Mana Influx Crystals. They vary from person to person, thus the person who can use this technique efficiently is none other than oneself. Now, let us move to the next step, and that is to shape it while it is being combined", said Valentine.


    Lucas nodded his head, and he activated the formation. He didn''t need to chant anything, as this wasn''t a counter but a base for his Blacksmithing. The Mana began to flow out from the crystals, and Lucas began to manipulate them. "It''s so difficult. Let me try something else", he thought and he began to use his Aura, separating what he needed first and second and in order.


    He began to shape the Azure Flame first, and it was taking shape. But it wasn''t stable. "I don''t have any material", he thought then he remembered something. He lit up the furnace and began to melt the Steel Minotaur''s crystals, and that gave him steel to work with. He then poured the steel onto the Azure Flame part, and there was a sizzle that was heard to everyone.


    "I wonder what kind of weapon is he making?", thought everyone. But they didn''t let their curiosity get over them, as they knew a Blacksmith''s temper when he was crafting. "Somehow they tend to get extremely violent", said Robert as he looked at the timer. There were only thirty-five minutes left.


    The Azure Flame part was shaped, and he began to pull out the Flowing-Ice. He began to shape it, and sweat was dripping from his body. "Even manipulation costs me MP", he thought as he saw the Ice take shape. The water that was within the Ice was the only thing that was capable of stopping the flame from melting anything.


    He then saw the thing which he had crafted, and it was still incomplete. "Now, I need to beat the shit out of the Flame and Ice separately", he thought as took out his tools. He began to clang at the Azure flame part, and it was still burning the steel, purifying it. The steel which was in grey had now turned scorching red.


    After shaping it, he began to sharpen the ends of the blade. He then picked up its counterpart, the ice. He then covered the top of it and then used the water to seal it. After shaping the top, he began to chip off the Ice very carefully and made the tip of the blade unique.


    He then began to channel his Mana again and placed the weapon at the center of the formation. There were remaining Mana, and he had to make sure to imbue every bit of it into the sword. The sword began to glow purple and blue, and the glow went outside of the room.


    He had designed the handle using Ice, and the blade was made of both Ice and Fire. The steel he had obtained from the Crystal, had turned into its purest form, and with no impurities remaining, he put it into the oil Forge Master had used before. He placed both of his hands into the oil, and he felt a deep chill first.


    He activated his [Fusion], and the elements that were half fused, began to fuse on an atomic level. The Blade was ready, and Lucas pulled it out after the process of fusion was complete. He was about to marvel at his work, when he heard a knock, signaling him that the time was almost over.


    He placed a fragment of the crystal, which had absorbed the Azure Flame and the Flowing-Ice together, and it was placed in a carving made in the hilt just for it.


    "Well, let me see what I have made myself here", he thought as he went outside.

 Chapter 63 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Ten)

    He used his [Inspect] to look at the specifications of the weapon he had made.


    [King Tier Weapon - ???? (Incomplete)]


    [Passive Skill - Able to use the Azure Flame and Flowing-Ice efficiently]


    [Active Skill 1 - Azure Flame Strike]


    [Create a slash towards your opponent made of the Azure Flame]


    [Active Skill 2 - Flowing-Ice Bind]


    [Command the Flowing-Ice to bind your enemies. The area of Effect is one hundred meters. Bind effective for ten minutes. Single opponent use lasts for twenty minutes]


    [Active Skill 3 - Burn to Cinders]


    [Use your Azure Flame to burn the enemies around you. Can be directed in a straight line or an area of effect, depending upon the will of the user. Distance in both instances, five hundred meters]


    [Combat Skill - Cryo-Blaze]


    [Freeze your opponent with your slash. Then consume the heat of your opponent use that energy to burn]


    [Mana Repair - Inject your Mana into the blade to restore Durabilty]


    "Well, seems like you need a name. Let me see, how about Exploding Ice Blade?", he thought as he got out. The first one to come jumping towards him was Robert. "Let me see your new weapon", he said like a little child. He picked it up and gave it two swings. He began to frown.


    "The weight balance is a bit off", he said. Lucas swung it and frowned as he saw the same. He then remembered why. He turned the hilt and saw another compartment just like the one in front. He went and saw that there was another fragment that was shining brightly. The purple and blue were swirling one another, and he picked it up. After inserting it into the slot, the balance was even.


    "The spread of the Mana is now even", he smiled as he handed it to Robert. He swung it twice, and he tried to use his Aura along with it. But it wasn''t possible. "What kind of a weapon is this? I can''t use my Aura", he exclaimed. There was a buzz, signaling the start of the round.


    He was about to down the potions when he saw that there was little, and he knew they would need it on the upper floors. "Guess I''m going to have to pull out something after all", he thought as he smiled. He stood there, waiting for the monster to appear in front of him.


    [Legendary Tier Beast - Orc War Chief]


    [The Orcs are a family of the goblins. They are larger and have superior strength to the goblins. They are smart, and they have great battle sense. The Orcs can call upon the power of Grummsh, the One-Eyed God of the Orcs]


    The Orc stood at ten feet tall, and it had greenish skin, just like the goblins. It also had a striking red paint over its left eye, and it ran down towards its abdomen in a straight broad line. The Orc was wearing heavy body armor, which hindered its mobility. It held a broadsword, had husks protruding out of its mouth.


    Lucas readied his stance, and he took a stance similar to Robert''s. "Is he going to copy what I did?", he thought as he watched with keen interest. Lucas closed his eyes. His breathing changed and he bent his body forwards. "Copy Style: First Form. Basics", and he did the same move Robert did.


    "That''s the Third Form. Kuiarasu! But how?", he exclaimed. But what happened next put him in utter amazement. "Copy Style: Second Form. Honing", he muttered and he held the blade in its sheath for long, and his Aura covered the entire blade. He did the same move, but this time, there wasn''t a slash, but a full arc that reached his height.


    They both connected at the same place, and The Orc was still in shock. It didn''t make its move and yet it got hurt twice. It roared out loud and was about to make its move when Lucas switched his gear. "Copy Style: Third Form. Rapid Familiarise", he muttered as he sent slash after slash in rapid succession, and he didn''t budge from his place.


    All he did was imitate Robert''s move, but what he did, opened up something for Robert. "Is this what Father meant when he said, ''make it your own?", he thought in awe. He had a new respect for Lucas now. He not only saw him as a leader but as his rival. "Someday, I will make this style my own", he said with determination in his eyes.


    Lucas was oblivious to the fact that he had made a rival. The Orc swung its sword towards his head, ready to smash him down. Lucas switched it up again. "Copy Style: Fourth Form. Blinking Footwork", he muttered and he began to move. Up until now, all the damage he dealt with the Orc was from one single position.


    The Orc was damaged in its left leg, and Lucas wanted to use it to his advantage. His footwork was the same Robert used, except that this was a notch faster. "But how? How in the world could he take up just one form of mine to that extent!", he thought. To say that he was baffled was an understatement.


    He weaved and moved his body, and he sent barrages of slashes towards both of its legs, and the movements began to slow down. Lucas smirked. "Robert. I thank you for allowing me to use this form of yours. Let me show you something. Something that you must have felt but failed to execute. Watch closely", he said.


    Robert had his eyes peeled open. He understood what Lucas said immediately. Lucas crouched low and spread his legs. "Copy Style: Fifth Form. Devour and Unleash", he muttered as he let his breath out. He increased his speed, and he ran up the Orc.


    The Orc tried shaking him off, but it was failing miserably. "That footwork. It can''t be", he thought in awe. He knew what he was doing was the feeling he always got, but whenever he tried to do it, he would go through it all the way. But the problem was he felt that the power was lacking. Lucas switched it up again, and his movement was faster than before.


    Nobody from the audience could keep up except Robert. "Show me, Lucas. Show me the true essence of this move. Prove to me that you are worthy. Worthy to be my equal and rival", he thought in excitement. The Orc was unable to shake him off, and it tried to swat him with its hand. Lucas did a slash, and he kept the momentum on.


    He never lost sight of his target. After he reached the shoulder, he jumped off. He then cast his [Icicle] mid-air, to make him return to its neck. As he neared it, he did one quick slash with his Aura loaded. The slice looked like Lucas went along with it, but he didn''t. It looked like Lucas cut through, but only Robert knew what happened.


    "So this is the true essence of Muramasa Blade''s Third Form, Kuiarasu? I am amazed", he thought as he watched Lucas come back down from its body, and the head rolled down on the floor. The cut was clean and precise. Lucas came back and did a bow to Robert. He felt like he needed an explanation as to why he used his move.


    Lucas began his explanation. "I couldn''t use Mana or Aura until recently. My powers remained dormant inside me, and when I was at a nearly dying stage, it awakened. When I didn''t have either of those, I could only use my eyes to learn something. Thus I came up with this style of mine. I call it the ''Copy Style''. This is a self-invented one by me, and as I have been always learning things by experimenting and self-study, It was really hard for me to perfect this style", he sighed.


    Robert was shocked when he heard this. "How long has it been?", he asked. "A month or more, I''m not sure. As I was taught the fundamentals before, I always imagined myself doing it. I imagined and imagined, and I trained my body to the limit. After awakening, I felt like I had been doing this for my whole life", he said as he paused.


    Robert was impressed. "To be able to train to this extent without anything, and then integrating his years of training in just one month. Truly worthy to be my rival", he thought. "So you can use this style to copy any move?", he asked. "Not any move. For instance, I can''t copy your Seventh Form, as it includes a lot of things. I need to watch it more and imagine myself doing it. I have to train my brain to make the corresponding muscles work, thus it''s quite a long process", he said.


    Robert understood as he also knew how much hard work he had to put in physically. But he did it mentally. "Guess everyone has their perks. Don''t you have your style though?", asked Lucas. Lucas affirmatively shook his head. "Though I am not allowed to use them. Not until I break through to Stage Three", he said dejectedly.


    The floor rumbled, breaking everyone''s train of thought.. "Well, guess it''s going to be harder", said Lucas in a motivated tone.

 Chapter 64 - The War Within Ourselves (Part One)

    After reaching the sixth floor, the hologram was showing something different. ''Floor has been cleared. Points rewarded. +5000 each. Setting new record time, +3000 each. Rewards have been calculated for setting new record time... Rewards have been calculated. One wave lesser on each floor until the end. Crystal cores have been calculated''.


    Then two options popped in front of him. ''One. Convert all crystals into Elemental Monster Cores. Two, retrieve them as they are''. Lucas was thinking about which one to choose. He voiced his doubt to Valentine. "Well, The monster cores sometimes have great value, but the Goblins don''t have much value, and even their families too. There are two cores which are of high value, but I don''t know if you will be able to obtain them", he said.


    "So, changing them into Elemental Monster Cores is the best choice?", he asked. Valentine confirmed his suspicion, and Lucas discussed it with everyone. Everyone agreed wholeheartedly with his point of view, and thus they chose the option to convert everything into Elemental Monster Cores.


    "Now, I will be able to upgrade my weapon. Finally!", he thought. Soon, five pouches appeared, and in it, there were crystals of the five elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Lightning. Michelle on the other hand got crystals of her element. Instead of Wind, she got Darkness.


    "Seems like this thing is rewarding us accordingly", thought Lucas as he put it into his inventory while no one was looking. "After this, if I get any good materials, I can forge their new weapons. Plus, I think I have just the perfect design for Tobias", he thought. After that, there was a buzz, signaling the start of the first wave of the sixth floor.


    [Intermediate Tier Beasts - Orcs]


    "Well, at least the difficulty level hasn''t changed yet", he thought as he told everyone to fight the oncoming orcs. Robert didn''t use any other techniques, and he only used what he saw from Lucas. He was trying to bring his Third Form to Lucas''s level. "Maybe this was what Dad was trying to teach me for a long time", he thought as he cut down a few more orcs.


    After twenty minutes, everyone had slain the orcs, and they sat down for a quick break. The timer was going down, and the person to fight was decided. "Let Michelle fight this one", said Lucas as he was panting. Michelle nodded her head and got ready as the countdown reached Zero.


    [Legendary Tier Beast - Grenzo, The Dungeon Warden]


    [Grenzo, The Dungeon Warden is a legendary goblin, who can command troops in wars. His strategies have always brought the Goblin community praises. But he also has extremely great battle prowess. He is well versed in the ''Art of Reverse Magic'']


    "What is this Reverse Magic?", he thought. "Reverse magic. A type of magic that can only be used by specific people and species. The magic involves the art of breaking it down and changing it to anything they like, like Reverse Engineering something. But this is with Mana", said Valentine.


    Lucas was shocked when he heard that. "So like Manipulating?'', he asked. "No. Manipulation is where you take the element, and change it in the same element. This is breaking it down, and converting it. For instance, let''s say you cast a [Fireball]. Now, I reverse engineer it and break it down. Now, I can change it into anything I want. It can be in any element, even the rarest ones", he said.


    Now, Lucas was terrified. "If this is what we''re facing on the sixth level, what will we face as we go higher up?'', he thought. The thought excited him and brought fear into him. "I don''t want to die", he muttered.


    Everyone looked at Grenzo in awe and fear. In all their life, they have never seen something like this. Grenzo was standing tall, at a height of fifteen meters. He had a hunched back and was holding onto a staff on his right. He had a wide smile and had some hair protruding from his bald head. He also had a thick beard on his face, making him look old and yet, menacing.


    Michelle gulped. "Alright, let''s do this", she took a deep breath. Lucas wanted to warn her, but he held his tongue back. "Do not tell anyone that you are an awakener. Anyone", sounded Ben''s voice in his head. He knew vital information, but he couldn''t say it. "This sucks. I so badly want to share it with her", he thought.


    "But we must first learn, how far are they willing to go for you? Do they have the potential to become comrades and true friends? Or will they be the kind that stabs in the back as soon as they see little benefits? We must learn of everything before we reveal it. This is more important than you think", said Valentine.


    Michelle took a deep breath and readied her usual stance. But as soon as Grenzo made his first move, she dodged. She raised her hands and a ball of darkness formed. "Let me see if this has stabilized this time", she thought as she blasted it towards Grenzo. The ball, which was going towards Grenzo, began to grow in size. "Begone, and may the Darkness welcome you", she smiled as she saw it connecting.


    Grenzo''s smile grew wider as soon as he saw the sphere. The staff in his hand began to light up. The ball of darkness, which was supposed to hit him, began to shrink. The ball broke apart, and it formed into swords. The swords were made of both Darkness and Light Element. There were almost around three hundred of them floating behind him. He cackled as he let it go.


    The swords came crashing down on her, and she began to deflect the Light element ones. Her scythe was beginning to get damaged. "But it never got damaged", thought everyone. Lucas fell to the ground when he saw that. "But that can''t be... Master said that they never make an appearance", he muttered as sweat was dripping down his forehead. There was a hint of fear on his face.


    "What is it? Is it something that we must be concerned about?", asked everyone. Lucas didn''t want to explain, but there was no use in hiding it since he already said it. "I guess it''s best to go through", he thought. He then began his explanation.


    "Long ago, there were fourteen weapons that made it to Earth. These weapons are what we now know as ''Fourteen Lost Legacies''. Adventurers, Explorers, Thrill Seekers, Prestigious Masters, you can name every one of them. They have all tried to go in search of these Legacies. But what they lost was their life in search of it. Rumors are said that these Legacies choose their owners", he paused and looked at Michelle''s weapon.


    Everyone was shocked. "So are you saying that she is wielding one of them?", asked Robert. As a son of a prestigious family, he has heard of them. He knows about the Fourteen Legacies, and he knows of the countless people who have gone in search of it. Lucas continued.


    "I suspect what she holds, is just a fragment of the real thing. Or maybe, it''s a test from the real thing. To see if she is worthy of wielding it. There has only been one wielder of the legacies so far, and we all who that is", he paused. He let the information sink in. "It''s the one and only SSS+ Rank holder", they said in unison.


    Lucas nodded his head. "So, if she is to be the wielder of another Legacy Weapon, that will make her a potential SSS+ Ranked person", he said. Michelle was now doing her thing, dancing with Grenzo. Everyone turned their heads to see at her, and they all saw her in a new light.


    The scythe was beginning to see cracks on its surface, and the handle was all messed up now. "Death, I know you are not going to acknowledge me anytime. And you know what? I don''t care. I don''t care if you acknowledge me or not. I don''t care if my parents acknowledge me. I don''t even care if anyone here acknowledges me? And you know why?", she stopped as she jumped back down.


    "I''m tired of living to impress. Living up to people''s expectations. Listening to people''s words, and getting depressed. Whatever I do, it will never be enough! And yes, it applies to you too, Death. You have been with me ever since I was ten. And these eight years, all you ever did was criticize me", she said.


    She then jumped into the air and wanted to slice the scythe into the head. Grenzo moved sideways. "And you know what, Death. You are right. I will never be enough. Maybe you must find someone else. I''m not the best out there, but I know one day, that I will have the strength. One day, you will know I am worthy", she said. Tears were now streaming as she fought.


    Memories of her training began to appear in her head. "And yes Death. You are superior. I am inferior. I can never win against a superior being. I know we made a pact, but that was with a little girl who was devoid of affection. Who''s only pleasure lied in seeking her parent''s approval. And did I?", she paused.


    She threw her scythe down, but Death didn''t stop listening. "Show me, little girl Show me that you aren''t that scaredy-cat from before. Show me your resolve. Show it to me", he thought. She cast her darkness ball and began to manipulate it into a scythe. She made double scythes and used the Aura of Death to make it stable.


    But she didn''t move. "You won''t acknowledge me, Death? That''s fine because with or without you, I will make it to the top. And that day, I will show you how worthy I am to wield you", she said in a loud voice. Everyone could hear it. "So it is a Legacy Weapon", smiled Lucas. He was nervous.


    "Domain of Darkness", she said and released all of the darkness element magic that was within her.

 Chapter 65 - The War Within Ourselves (Part Two)

    Everything in the vicinity instantly was covered in darkness. Michelle was the only one visible, as she was the one controlling the Domain. She began to walk up to Grenzo. The Domain began to lose the darkness, and slowly it was turning into light. "You think you can win?", said Grenzo for the first time.


    The smirk upon his face was stemming confidence. But Michelle didn''t back down. Countless emotions were running within her. Countless memories. "What have you done, my dear?", came her mother''s disappointed voice. "I''m ashamed of you! Can''t you behave a little more lady-like? I''m disappointed", came her father''s voice. "Little Girl, do you think you will be enough to wield me, Death?", came Death''s voice. And every other voice she heard and they all tried to put her down.


    But, she was pushing through all these. She was forging her path ahead and buried all these sorrows within her. As she was nearing Grenzo, she saw a little girl just like herself. She was standing there with a teddy in her hand, and she had her hand outstretched. "Are you leaving me again?", said the little girl in a cute and yet sad voice.


    Michelle stopped advancing for a sec. Everyone who saw thought that she had snapped. She had lost her mind. Because nobody could see anything that she was seeing. But Lucas, although couldn''t see was trying to find out what she was feeling. "From her words, it seems like she has been chasing something her whole life, and she has always been denied it. Maybe, but maybe, that sorrow is one of the things that is driving her?", he thought.


    Michelle squat on the floor, and she patted the little girl''s head. "No, I am never leaving you. You are me. Although we may have sad memories, we have happy ones too. So, if your question is am I leaving you to suffer alone, then no. I am not. But I want you to come with me. Let us leave this place", she said with an outstretched hand.


    The little girl looked at Michelle. "But what about Mom and Dad? What will they say? What about the other people? The people who see us will talk bad things behind us, won''t they?", she asked in a naive voice. The tears were streaming down Michelle''s face, and Grenzo was near her about to make his killing strike.


    "Yes, they will. People talk behind our backs because they can never be who we are. Just by putting us down, they will achieve happiness. In their sad and pathetic lives, they do not want people to prosper. So they put us in cages. Cages, that are known as etiquettes and opinions. What is it to be lady-like? What is to feel? What is to be happy? What is to just not think about anything for one second, and just enjoy the moment?", she said.


    Lucas and everyone were on their edges. The magic that Grenzo was preparing was done. A large sword made of Light and darkness combined was floating, and he was going to let it go. "Michelle!", shouted everyone. "I''m jumping in", said Robert but he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw no one.


    But then, something happened. The scythe that was broken began to repair itself. Then, a figure appeared out of it. He was wearing the costume of the Grim Reaper. "No one will interrupt her. She has finally taken the step that needed to be taken. I, Death, will not allow it", said a voice.


    The scythe spun and blocked the large sword. The scythe grew in size, and a black Aura was surrounding it. "Kids, if Michelle saw you people hurt, I''m sure she would blame her incompetence. So, if you may hide", said Death to the others. Everyone obliged to the command and hid inside a room that was erected. Death then used his Aura and protected everyone from his deathly attacks.


    "Dance Of Death: Eight Form. A Hundred Cuts", he said and the scythe began to spin, and it generated cuts made from the Aura of Death, and every single one cut down the sword. Michelle was holding hands with her child version, and she was talking. "Remember the day, you climbed a tree and ate almost every single fruit that grew on the tree? Remember the day, you ran out of the house and went to the marketplace, just to have some fries on the street? How did you feel?", she asked.


    The kid looked at her with large round eyes. "I felt that I was, free. And happy. And there was also a tinge of fear, I think", she said as she tilted her head. "Now, what if I told you that we are going to take our first step towards the same feeling, only this time. We will face the fear head-on", she said. "So we are going to be happy? And free?", she asked as she sniffed a little.


    "Yes", said Michelle as she wiped the tears off the little kid version of hers. "I thank you. I hope that you find what you are seeking. And have a safe trip, mature me!", she said as she slowly began to disintegrate. Michelle stood up from the floor, and she wiped her tears. She looked into the place where she saw her little kid version disintegrate, and she kept looking.


    "Time to unbound me from these shackles", she thought as she took a step forward. Slowly, the room in which she had trapped herself began to crack. The room then broke apart, like an illusion. Her heart, which had been heavy all these years, felt like something had been lifted off from it.


    "Alright, you green old monster. I''m coming for you. You think you can reverse my Domain?", she said in a haughty voice. She then saw her scythe fighting against swords made of light and darkness. "About time you came back", she heard a voice from behind. She turned and saw all of the people she met on this journey. "I thank every one of you", she muttered as she resumed her fight.


    "Death, come here", she said and the scythe came back to her. She stood there, looking at Grenzo with a confidence newfound. "Will you accept me as your wielder?", she asked Death. "No, I won''t", he said in a half-joking voice. "I don''t care anyway. I am going to wield you, whether you like it or not", she said.


    "That''s the change I wanted. Now, repeat after me", said Death. "I, Michelle Cooper, hereby announce that I, be the Wielder of Reaper''s Blade. I shall command Death, the Grim Reaper. And hereby, I shall be the new Grim Reaper", she said. In an instant, the surroundings began to change.


    The darkness which had been reversed into the light was reversed back. Grenzo was shocked. He saw the strength of his opponent on a steady rise. The eyes of Michelle were glowing red, and her sclera turned pitch black. Her scythe was pulsing, and they both began to float in the air.


    "Darkness Scythe", she called out and the two scythes she prepared before came to her. She held them both, and she channeled the newfound energy into it. Red veins began to form on the handles, and she threw it towards Grenzo. He tried to reverse it. "Impossible. How can a mere human call upon this forbidden power?", he said.


    She didn''t know what he meant, but all she knew was that it was something that he couldn''t reverse engineer. "Well, seems like you''re going to die", she smiled as she saw the scythes nearing its neck. It disappeared and appeared in a different place. She once again began to redirect them, and it kept repeating the same.


    "But I thought it could only reverse and make its own magic?'', she thought as she saw Grenzo teleport around. She was frustrated, but then she did something. "This is my Domain, so let me look at it differently", she thought. "Domain Authority, Eye of Darkness", she said.


    Her eyes, which couldn''t see where he would teleport, could now predict the place according to the patterns. She began to damage it slowly, and Grenzo was losing his life to the spinning scythes. "Human, you made me do this", he said and began to chant.


    "I call upon you, Mighty Maglubiyet. Grant me, Grenzo, the Dungeon Warden, your powers to fight against the Forbidden Powers. This Humble person asks you!", he said as he knelt on the ground. The air began to change.


    "Michelle, bring out the hidden power. The one you''ve hidden for so long. He is calling upon the God of War, for the Goblins. Even I, can''t defeat them", he said. Michelle without hesitation brought out her hidden deck.


    "Domain Authority: Infinite Loop", she said. After receiving the powers, Grenzo began to reverse the domain. It was extremely slow, but he was doing it nonetheless. Michelle threw her scythe, and it cut through one of its hands. It began to regrow it and began to reverse again. The same thing kept happening again and again.


    Grenzo didn''t know what was happening, so it just thought it was something with the domain. Then, she threw her scythe, but this time, Grenzo moved his body and dodged it. Michelle smiled. "Just where I exactly want you to be", she said as Grenzo felt the scythe cut his head from the back. "I, Grenzo, have lost today", it said its last words as its head rolled down on the floor.


    "Well, if you monsters can evolve, so can we humans", she said as the scythes sliced the head of Grenzo clean off the shoulders, and it rolled on the floor. "Death, guess you have a big...", she stopped midway as her eyes fell droopy and she fell to the ground.


    "That was an epic fight.. Now, take some rest", said Lucas as he caught her before she fell.

 Chapter 66 - Tobias, Going Wild!!

    The floor rumbled before it moved to the next floor. "We are now on the seventh floor. And if we face a bunch of those Grenzo from below, It is going to be hard to deal with them", he thought as he reached the floor. The timer was ticking, and his heartbeat was rising.


    After the buzz, he then quickly used the [Inspect] to see what they were going to face.


    [Advanced Tier Beasts - Grey Orcs]


    [They are a sub-species of the Orcs who have grey skin. They are slightly inferior to the Orcs, but they have magic which compensates for their lack of power]


    [Advanced Tier Beasts - Goblin Shaman]


    [They are a type of Goblins, who can use Magic very proficiently. They can also summon spells from Ancient times, and control all five elements perfectly. Weak against physical attacks]


    Everyone got ready as they were one less person. Michelle was out cold, and it seemed like she wasn''t recovering anytime soon. Thus, Lucas made a change of plan. "Change of plans. We save our stamina. Emilia, cover me. You two, use long-range spells and attacks and keep them at bay. We will keep Michelle safe until she wakes up", he commanded.


    Everyone heeded his command. They didn''t ask him any question, and Tobias knew he could never formulate a plan. Thus, he trusted Lucas wholeheartedly in planning. They formed a triangle, with Michelle in the middle. And right above her, was a tower which was erected to give Emilia range.


    "Emilia, when I tell you to duck, you shorten the tower. When I tell you to jump, Try to levitate and let the tower fall. You clear?", he asked. "It''s time to do this", he thought as he began to channel his Aura. He pulled out his Dual Blades and activated [Chains Of Hades].


    "Let''s do the combination", he thought. The information which was transferred to his brain by Hades''s soul fragment, it was time to use it. He began with the first form. "Chains Of Hades: First Form. Spiraling Thrust", he muttered as he did the move. Once again, the swords twirled around and formed a Frost Flame spear. It thrust through every enemy, and it was piercing through heavily.


    "Chains Of Hades: Second Form. Splitting Arc", he thought as he reached the limit of the thrust. He then split both of the blades both ways, and it formed a circle as a whole. Half of it was in Ice, while the other half was burning fire. "If anyone sees this, They would think that this was some kind of show rather than an attack", giggled Emilia as she saw the beautiful circle from above.


    Lucas was mowing his enemies down. Although he was overwhelmed by the numbers and the sheer strength of them, but he knew that they were Advanced Tiers. And his weapon was the same. They were evenly matched. Thus he had confidence in his strength and his intellect to beat them. That was how he has always won.


    "Chains Of Hades: Third Form. Soaring Slash", he recalled the third move. Even though he was doing this for the first time, due to the influx into his brain, and his rigorous training for the past eighteen years, he had developed his body quite well. Thus, he could adapt to any style quite easily.


    He then threw his swords from his hands in an upward fashion, and the enemies that were on a straight line were thrown into the air. They weren''t just thrown, there were multiple cuts on them as they were cut into pieces. He then moved to the next one. "Chains Of Hades: Fourth Form. Slithering Snake", he thought as he began to perform the next move.


    Robert and Tobias were both taking a break, and the enemies began to swarm around Lucas. Every monster that was present had deemed Lucas as a threat that needed to be eliminated immediately. They wanted to fight, but they were out of stamina. "Lucas, we need a stamina potion", they said. But Lucas gave no heed.


    Lucas was in the zone. He didn''t care about his enemies, neither the tower. All he cared about was improving himself with the techniques. and that he was, and it was at a very fast pace. So fast that everyone thought that he was not a human, but some kind of a monster that lived in human skin. But Robert, he knew the effort Lucas had put behind his Copy Style. Thus, he understood that this technique was also most probably taken from someone.


    "Chains Of Hades: Fifth Form. Tornado Sweep", he thought. He was now seeing the moves in his mind, and he was performing it flawlessly. He threw the blades in both directions, opposite to each other. He then began to spin as the blades began to cut down the enemies, and anyone that was in the area of the attack was killed instantly. Fire and Ice were being produced by the attack, and almost half of them had lost to the attack as he didn''t stop in one place, but kept moving forward instead.


    After that, he was about to move to the next one, but he felt fatigued all over him. "Keeping it as a chain and expecting me to perform everything in a sequence, that''s very tiring", he thought as he looked around. There were still half of the enemies standing.


    "Let''s switch things up", he thought and he was about to do something when he felt a large hand on his shoulder. "I may not know how to counter or plan, but I do know how to fight. And let me show you something I picked up from School", he said as he pushed Lucas to the ground, forcing him to take a seat.


    Lightning sparks began to spark around him, and his hair began to move even though there was no air. His eyes, which should be normal were now emitting slight sparks of lightning. "Lightning Combat Style: Fourth Form. Supercell Thunderstorm", he said and raised his hands into the air.


    The air began to change, and huge clouds of grey began to accumulate above the group. Tobias was slightly off the ground, and he was gathering more lightning around him. "Hit me with a supercharge", he said to Emilia. Emilia was skeptical, and she didn''t do it. "Or else this attack is going to fail. I don''t have much in my reserve and don''t worry. I won''t die", he said.


    Emilia then sent a beam of pure lightning towards him. But it wasn''t enough. "I might need three more of those", he said as he was still directing the clouds above. There was loud thunder and the whole group of enemies looked up and saw a thunderstorm brewing before them. Emilia knew she had very little time, and thus she did an Intensive Lightning Blast.


    "That hit the sweet spot. Thanks", he said as his hands were covered with lightning. "But why is it white? Like, wasn''t what he was using all this while a slight hue of yellow?'', thought Lucas. "You are observant, kid. I''ll give you that. The reason it''s white is that he is using the purest form of lightning, and thus there is very less likely to be a blunder", said Valentine.


    Tobias began to direct the thunderstorm, and it stayed right above the group. He then channeled all his lightning into the clouds, and the thunderstorm began. There was heavy rain at first, and then lightning struck down. And with it, a group of them died. The lightning within Tobias was still there, but this one move took out around thirty percent.


    He did it one more time, and it once again took out a large group. Now that they began to scatter around, Tobias stood underneath the storm, and he redirected every lightning strike to hit each monster and killed it instantly. All the monsters were dead, and it signaled the end of the round.


    "What should I say as a catchphrase? Oh, this would sound cool", he thought. "I am Tobias Brown, God of Thunder. NO one shall escape my wrath", he said in a cool and menacing voice. Everyone began to laugh out loud, and he was slightly embarrassed. "Come on guys. It was a cool catchphrase", he said. He was almost about to plead.


    "Well, if there was a God for Thunder, you did look like one. So yeah, I approve", said Lucas as he was holding one side of his stomach. "I''m super serious about this", he stopped laughing and said it.


    "Now, what will the boss be? And who will fight it? Only Emilia and Robert are capable of fighting", he thought when he heard a female voice. "I''ll go. plus you guys should watch her just in case. So far everything has been good. But who knows what might happen? We are still in the unknown", she reminded everyone.


    "Yes, we are. We must be vigilant", he thought.. Then, he waited in anticipation, looking forward to the next challenge the tower was going to throw at them.

 Chapter 67 - Emilia Vs Muxus (Part One)

    The boss came out and was walking slowly towards them. The round hadn''t begun yet, but the boss was out and was walking. "And by the time it reaches zero, both of them will be in combat mode", he thought. He used his [Inspect] and looked at the monster that was walking towards them.


    [Legendary Tier Beast - Muxus, Goblin Grandee]


    [This is a Goblin Commander. He has the power to instantly summon upon a group of low-tiered Goblins, and the more the goblins attack, the stronger he gets. He can also cast powerful magic, making him formidable. Weakness: Unknown]


    "Weakness is unknown? Does that mean that no one has faced against it and lived long enough to talk?", he thought. Lucas was terrified, and he fought against the fatigue to help her. "I am not going to just sit down and do nothing. Move!", he thought but he couldn''t move.


    Lucas then remembered the way she sneaked past his detection. "She must be strong if she could do that", he thought as he took deep breaths to calm down. Emilia looked at the monster that was standing far back, and it was smiling. "Humans, you may have defeated Grenzo, but this shall be your resting place. And it will be an honor to die by my hands. I, Muxus The Goblin Grandee, shall show you what despair is", said Muxus.


    "Why is every Goblin talking now?", he thought. "Talking monsters. Although this is an E rank, it has such powerful monsters. No wonder they said that this and our world''s standards are far apart", she thought. She then began to disassemble her gun on the spot.


    "What is she doing?", thought everyone as they saw her disassemble both her revolvers and her sniper. She then began to reassemble the whole gun, and the time was nearing the end. "Click!", came a sound and she held a long gun in her hands.


    It had a long barrel, which was longer than her sniper. There were Mana channels that were joining at the beginning of the barrel, and the chambers of the revolver were changed into a magazine for the sniper. After assembling it, there were mere seconds, and she took out a set of throwing knives.


    "Telekinesis mixed with this! An ingenious plan!", thought Lucas as he saw the knives. He knew what she was going to do in an instant. The bullets still needed to be filled with Mana. And thus, she had to but time. Since she had Telekinesis, she could use the knives with it, and buy herself some time. And she could create extremely powerful bullets in the meantime.


    "Can you pass me two bullets? I could make you two potent bullets", said Lucas. She nodded her head and gave him two. Then she passed one to Robert, and one to Tobias. Michelle was still asleep. She was sleeping like a log, and any amount of tremors didn''t wake her up.


    The timer hit zero, and everyone got down to their respective work. Muxus snapped his fingers, and Basic Tier Goblins spawned all around them. "You''ve got to be kidding me. I thought she made it clear that she was the one that wanted to fight it. Intelligent monsters are truly terrifying", he thought as he looked around.


    Emilia smiled wide, and the knives that were n the ground began to float. There were ten knives, and eight were floating in the air. She held the other two in her hands, and she threw it into the nearest goblins. It sliced through them, and it kept moving forward.


    The other seven knives were floating, and she didn''t release them yet. The other goblins were about to make their move, and that was when she released all eight of her knives. They began to slice through every goblin effortlessly, and Muxus''s anger began to rise.


    He was a commander, and to slaughter, his troops in front of him were humiliating to him. He raised another batch of them again, and this time, She began to struggle. "Emilia, we''re done. Here you go", said Lucas. He then handed over four bullets, that were loaded with their Mana. She smiled as she received it, and then put them into her gun.


    "Alright, it''s game time", she smiled as she raised walls and housed made of Earth. She also made sure to hide everyone in one of the houses. This made the Goblin split up, and it was easy for her to pick them out one by one with her throwing knives. She was nowhere to be seen.


    "So this was what she was waiting for, huh?", he thought as he looked around. But then he remembered something. "Doesn''t she need to keep a steady supply of Mana?", he thought. He then looked around, and he went to look outside the window. "Woah! We are in a high place. No goblins will be able to find us here", he thought.


    He then looked around and saw seven empty spots. "What are those? I think those things need Crystals to power them up. Wait! So that''s how she is going to keep this structure up. Truly ingenious!", he thought as he looked at the power cores.


    Power Cores were a type of power generator. They are used in places where a formation needs to be powered continuously or partially. In the kingdom, there are barriers around some important cities, and they are powered using these Power Cores. And Emilia was using these to stabilize her large-scale magic spell, thus making it easier for her to battle.


    She kept moving through the place, and she was always in areas that were not visible to Muxus. Muxus was getting frustrated every minute, and he was losing his goblins at a fast pace. He was also looking at the battlefield using his spell, which showed his troops. He was trying to find out a pattern, and find where she was going.


    Emilia looked around and rolled on the ground to the nearest cover. She then peeked out and saw no one. She recalled her knives and stuck them into the Earth houses so that she could pick them up on the way. "If he is smart, then the only way is to outsmart him", she thought.


    This wasn''t just a battle of strength anymore. This was a battle of strategies. A battle between a proud Commander, and a Gunslinger. She moved towards the first Power Core and inserted an Earth Crystal into it. "I have powered it with my Mana, to make it compatible with my spell", she thought.


    She then began to move around, and Muxus was getting confused now. "Even I, Muxus, need to stay in place to sustain this spell. But this human is moving around and killing off my goblins. What kind of powers does she have?", he voiced out loud. He then began to laugh.


    The laugh resounded out to everyone, and they were shivering. "I, Muxus, am making my move now", he laughed and ordered his goblins to enter the city that she had made. "Now, let me see for how long you could hide", he thought as he smiled out wide. Emilia was at the second Power Core, and she had inserted it into it, and she withdrew her magic slightly.


    "Hand me the rest. I and Tobias can help", came a voice from behind. She turned and saw Robert behind her. He and Tobias were standing there with a smile on their faces, and she was relieved. "Thanks", she said as she handed it to them.


    "Now, remember the plan", he said as he moved out from the place. Tobias nodded and moved in the other direction. Emilia smiled and showed a thumbs up towards the tower. Lucas saw the signal, and he smiled. "Now go kick that arrogant goblin''s arse", he thought.


    Emilia stood there, and within a few minutes, she felt her city stabilizing. "That''s it. Four left. Now three. Now two. One more. And it''s done", she smiled as she withdrew all of her magic. She had regained full control of her magic, and she can now fight at her full strength. "Now, for the hunter to become the hunted", she smiled as she ran towards high ground.


    The odds, which were at first in Muxus''s favor, had now turned into her favor. After reaching the place, she bit the tip of her index and drew a complicated formation on the ground. After drawing it, she placed her hand down on it. The formation lit up, and it was emitting a dark red hue.


    "Earth Domain: War City. Activate", she said as the glow was intense. The whole city had an earthquake, and it stabilized. The seven Power Cores went deep into the ground, and it powered from underground.


    Lucas and everyone knew that this was what she was biding time for.. "Good Luck, Emilia", muttered everyone as they saw her run into the distance.

 Chapter 68 - Emilia Vs Muxus (Part Two)

    An old map popped inside the tower, and there were pins on them. One was blue, and the other was red. Lucas saw it and knew what it was. It was just like his map, except that this was used to monitor the battleground.


    There was a group of blue, and one outside. "If my theory''s correct, then this group must be us and the one must be Emilia. Then, the red ones must be the goblins. But where is Muxus?", he thought. He then saw one red dot far off in the distance, and it was calling and sending other red dots to and from them.


    "That must be him", he thought as he looked. And his theory was indeed right. Muxus was sending in his troops, to fight against her. "All is fair in love, and in war", she said as she aimed her gun. She was hiding quite far away from the other goblins.


    She shot, and it shot a throwing knife instead of a bullet. After it reached the desired distance, she began to use her telekinesis. The knife was controlled and it weaved into the goblins like butter. Muxus was shocked.


    "Where is this little human attacking from?", he thought. He was looking in all directions, but Emilia didn''t stay in one place. Some memories began to play in her mind. "Up and move, maggot! The advantage of a Sniper is to keep moving. On your feet, Maggot!", she heard a stern voice. A voice she had locked deep inside her.


    The voice didn''t stop there. "Take your aim", it said, and she turned around in instinct. She pulled out two of her throwing knives and threw them straight. Three goblins popped up, it pierced through its heads. The third one began to run towards her, but she sliced its head off with a third knife in her hand.


    She kept running. Muxus could sense her if she doesn''t hide her presence. "All right, time to use this. Domain Authority: Howling Winds!", she thought and the calm battlefield began to blow with intense winds. She placed the sniper on her back, and she took out two knives. The rest, she kept them floating behind her.


    The winds were helping in throwing off her scent, but it also helped her in picking up the scent of the goblins ahead. "Muxus, Let me come to you. Just die in anxiety for a little while longer", she thought. "Faster, Maggot. A sniper has got to be fast!", said the voice. She tried to turn it off, but it was impossible for her.


    "Oh, dear. Did I startle you?", came another memory. It was a memory she tried to run away from, but she couldn''t. The voice in her head was deafening. "Maggot! Get up! Run faster! Or else you''re dead!", said the voice on repeat. She hated it, but it was a part of who she was. "No use in running away from the past", she thought.


    "No matter what one does, no one can outrun their past. It always catches up to them, and seems like mine, just resurfaced", she thought. The smile on her face was wide, and something inside her was growing. She let the knives go forward, and they cut down several goblins. Right after, a hand smacked her right across the face.


    She went flying but wasn''t disheartened. She knew who it was in an instant. "Muxus", she smiled. Her smile was wide, and her heart was beating quickly. She knew what she was going to do. She then let go of the two knives she was holding. "Let''s fight. Commander to Commander!", she said.


    "You puny human dare challenge me?", he said in a menacing tone. He then burst out in laughter, His laughter rang around the field, and it brought chills down everyone''s spine. Lucas shivered slightly as he heard the laughter. He knew what a big showdown was about to happen.


    "Come on. There must be a way for me to look far", he thought. He activated [Eye Of Prediction] and [Mana Vision] simultaneously. Then, his vision was enhanced, and he could see two figures. One was small, while the other was a little bit larger than the other. "One must be the Goblin, while the other must be her. Be careful", he thought.


    He couldn''t see the battleground, and they were one man down. Michelle was still out cold, and Death was silent. He didn''t know what was going on, and he didn''t have time to worry about that, as he was looking at the match.


    The knives began to fly towards Muxus, and he cast a fire spell of his own. He then pulled out something from his staff, and it was a sword. He began to parry the strikes from the throwing knives. Emilia was currently loading her gun while simultaneously controlling ten of the knives. Sweat was forming on her forehead.


    "Only maggots get tired. A true warrior never gets tired. Now, are you going to become one, or just sit there and feel sorry for yourself?'', came the voice again. She was frustrated. "I am not the weak little girl. I am a gunslinger. And I will show you, you weak pathetic old self, what it means to have strength", she said out loud.


    She readied her gun and channeled her Mana. "Burnheart Style: Fourth Form. Multi-Element Blast", she muttered as she charged the gun with all five of the elements. Then, she let it out in a blast, and it hit Muxus square in his gut. "That tickles", he chuckled.


    She wasn''t mad. Her throwing knives began to shine bright, and they began to represent each element. Then, two were each one element. "Now take this", she said and she directed it to cut at the same place the blast hit. Muxus screamed. The cuts were burning his insides. "Mana infusion into the body. You will feel pain like no other. get ready, cause you are in my Domain", she laughed.


    "Domain Authority: Sound Barrier", she raised her hand. An invisible barrier appeared, and no sound was able to escape it. She began to slash across him, and slowly damage him. "I am the great Muxus", he screamed. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever", she said. She thought about the pain that she had hidden.


    "Look at her, she is so weak. I just grazed past her, and she''s bleeding. What is she?", came a voice. Countless memories clashing into each other. Countless emotions were being brought forward. Hate, Envy, Pain, Sorrow, and most of all, Anger. Just like Lucas, she was mad at herself. "I''m a strong magician, but I am a weak person. Let me shed my old skin here, and get reborn", she said.


    Muxus saw the look in her eyes. He began to cower in fear. He felt an inexplicable amount of fear. "What is this human? So much, madness?", he thought as he began to crawl away from her. He knew that he had to get away from her. His instincts were screaming. "And my instincts are the only thing that got me the title of ''Great Commander''. Otherwise, no goblin would be willing to lay their lives under my orders", he thought.


    He got up, but another cut from the knife severed something in his legs. The tendons of his muscles were being cut down, and now, he was limping. "If this goes on, I will lose", he thought. He then spread out his hands to the air and began to call upon the same power Grummsh called upon.


    "I call upon you, Mighty Maglubiyet. Grant me, Muxus, the Goblin Grandee, your powers to fight against this inhumane monster. This Humble person asks you!", he said.


    Then, a flash was seen, and all his wounds began to heal. Emilia didn''t hesitate. She sat down on the ground and took out her sniper. She loaded the bullets that were given to her by the others. "Now, let''s look at your Mana potentials, shall we?", she smiled.


    Right after the flash was over, Muxus stood there towering tall as before. Any signs of damage that was made, was vanished. Even his muscles were growing at a fast pace. He smiled. "Now, you little monster will suffer my wrath", he said as he pulled out a plethora of elements.


    "Great Commander''s First Move. Hundred Element Sword", he said as there were swords of different elements floating behind him. Then, he aimed every corner at her. "Uh oh", she thought as she saw one heading towards her. She jumped and did a backflip. As she was doing it, she aimed at its shoulder. "Take!", she said and fired a bullet off.


    The bullet lodged itself into Muxus''s shoulder. Then, he couldn''t remove it. He tried to remove it, but it wouldn''t budge. He didn''t mind it, and he sent swords one after another. Emilia''s footwork had changed. Now, it looked like she was sliding on the floor, as she was dodging every strike effortlessly.


    Muxus was panicking. Although he had called upon the power of the Goblin God, he still couldn''t beat her. And that was frustrating him. After finishing all the swords, smoke was formed around, and he lost his eyes on her. he then felt another bullet lodged in his ribs, and then blood came spurting out.


    "Muxus, time to die", she said and snapped her fingers. Muxus''s body began to freeze on the outside, and it was burning on the inside. The ice wasn''t melting, instead, it enhanced the burning of Muxus. After a few minutes, Muxus was burned down to ashes.


    "Well, time to deactivate the Domain", she thought as she called down all of the buildings, advancing to the next floor.

 Chapter 69 - The Strength Of Lucas

    Everyone reached the eighth floor. And Michelle was still asleep. But her scythe had begun to pulse. There was a red pulsing, and black aura covering it. "She is fine. She still has to absorb something from me, and it''s something related to the soul. Thus, she can only do this whilst asleep", said Death. Everyone nodded their heads.


    The countdown had begun, but this time, they could see the monsters that were there. Lucas used his [Inspect] and looked at the description.


    [Advanced Tier Beasts - Orc Eye of Grummsh]


    [These orcs have been blessed by the Greater God of the Orcs, Grummsh. They have gained the power to have foresight into the future, and they have increased strength and intellect. Can use All types of magic]


    "Well, and here I thought we would not have a hard time again", he thought. "Seems like I have to do something about this", he thought. He wanted to use Copy Style, but he didn''t have a good move. He could only use Robert''s Third Form. "Hey Death, can you lend yourself for a moment? I think with you, I will be able to pull out something", he said.


    "Wield me?", he laughed. "You are not worthy", he said. Lucas frowned, but he didn''t lose his nerve. He instead advanced towards Death. "Touch me, and you will crumble to death", he said. Lucas just smiled. He then felt a hand on his chest. "Don''t think about it. You know what happens if we forcefully wield him", came Robert''s voice.


    Lucas just put it to the back of his mind, and he took out his dual blades. BUt then, something came to his mind. He pulled out his other blade, and he used [Inspect] on it.


    [King Tier Weapon - Exploding Ice Blade]


    [Passive Skill - Able to use the Azure Flame and Flowing-Ice efficiently]


    [Active Skill 1 - Azure Flame Strike]


    [Create a slash towards your opponent made of the Azure Flame]


    [Active Skill 2 - Flowing-Ice Bind]


    [Command the Flowing-Ice to bind your enemies. The area of Effect is one hundred meters. Bind effective for ten minutes. Single opponent use lasts for twenty minutes]


    [Active Skill 3 - Burn to Cinders]


    [Use your Azure Flame to burn the enemies around you. Can be directed in a straight line or an area of effect, depending upon the will of the user. Distance in both instances, five hundred meters]


    [Combat Skill - Cryo-Blaze]


    [Freeze your opponent with your slash. Then consume the heat of your opponent use that energy to burn]


    [Mana Repair - Inject your Mana into the blade to restore Durabilty]


    "Maybe I should test this blade out. The last time, I didn''t use the attacks", he smiled. He then took the stance of Robert, but then he saw Robert do something else. "if you''re going to use that, then try copying this move", he said. Robert knew that something was hidden, but he couldn''t exploit it quite well.


    "Muramasa Blade: Fifth Form. Katana Shuriken", he said and he did the move. He crouched and he built his Aura, but it wasn''t just within his sword. It was all around him. Then, small shurikens began to form made of Aura. He released his sword strike, and a slash was sent spinning. Then, the shurikens embedded itself into the strike, and as a chainsaw, it began to spin.


    Lucas was stunned when he saw that. He wanted to use Copy Style, but for that, he needed to learn to materialize his Aura. "Alright, let me use [Mana vision]", he thought as Robert used it once again. He saw the Aura''s movements around him. "Maybe, could I make this into something more?", he thought.


    He began to turn the gears in his head, and the timer was up. He didn''t use the style yet, as he wasn''t familiar. But slowly, he was getting the hang of controlling his Aura. But he still couldn''t achieve the proficiency that Robert had. "Let''s try this. I think I''ve got the hang of it", he thought.


    "Everyone stand back. I am going to do something", said Lucas as he took the stance. Robert''s eye began to sparkle. He then did the same thing. "Copy Style: First Form. Basics", he muttered as he performed the move repeatedly. Orcs were falling, but he still hadn''t got the hang of the technique. He didn''t move to the next form, and he was familiarising himself with the movement.


    The Orcs were extremely pissed at Lucas. "One puny human thinks he can take all of us out? We, the blessed of Grummsh?", thought every orc. but Lucas was slowly and surely gaining insight into the attack. "Now, to the next form. Second Form: Honing", he smiled. He was honing his attack to the limit he could, and shurikens that were visible to the naked eye began to form.


    "You can do it!", cheered Robert. Only he knew the problems of this attack and the amount it needed. Lucas was still in utter concentration. "I will push it to the extreme", he thought as he felt vibrations around him. "NOW!", he said as he released everything behind him.


    The strike took down all the Orcs in a straight line, mowing through them. Every orc was surprised at the extent of the attack. "If that human is strong, I wonder if we can still call them humans", thought one of the Orcs. "Third Form. Rapid Familiarise", he said as he began to attack every orc, and he stood there. "A One-Man Army?", thought Tobias as he looked at Lucas''s back.


    "I am a prince of this kingdom. I have to shoulder the responsibility to protect the weak, and for that I need strength", he muttered. There were countless convictions behind his search for strength. For himself, for the people, to protect the people he cared about. But he never once thought of using it for his gain. After that, he began to move to the next form.


    "Fourth Form. Blinding Footwork", he smiled as he began to move. He began to attack every orc, and for each slash, around five orcs fell. He was mowing through them like it was nothing. His movements made it hard for the orcs to hit him, and thus he was sliding.


    "Time to test something out", he thought as he was performing the attack. he activated the [Azure Flame strike], and his Aura changed. It began to glow orange, and the shurikens were glowing orange. He sliced, and the orcs began to burn. The strike was straight, and it had more attack power than before.


    Robert was stunned. "So that is the true form of the blade? He is an awesome blacksmith", he thought. He then took out his katana and looked at it. "Will he be able to forge one for me?'', he thought. He remembered the words from the Adventurer''s Guild. "The blade chooses its master", he remembered.


    Lucas didn''t stop his massacre. He felt something grow inside him. The AUra around him was denser than before, and the shurikens were deadlier. "Fifth Form. Devour and Unleash", he muttered as he unleashed the power that was growing within him. That was when Robert saw it.


    "Yes! That was what I was talking about. Can you take it higher thought?", he thought in glee. Lucas and his Aura were so dense that everyone felt chills on them. "That much density. Just what kind of Aura does he have?", thought everyone. The slash he unleashed was big, and the shurikens weren''t lodged this time. Instead, it circled the strike around, and it was cutting down enemies with no resistance.


    "Copy Style: Sixth Form. Insight", he muttered as the Aura around him was pulled in. Everyone was wondering what was happening now. "This must mean that he is going all the way", thought everyone. The Orcs were now mowed down to a very minuscule number. The Aura which was retracted was now forming behind Lucas.


    "That!", gasped Lucas as he saw behind Lucas. Countless shurikens were floating behind him. And along with it, needle-like sharp strikes. Lucas was also building a large strike inside the sheath, and it was covered in his Aura. He then activated [Burn To Cinders], and the color change happened once again.


    The Aura burst into flames, and within was a dark purple hue. Lucas then looked at the Orcs. "I feel pity, but I just wanted to test it out", he thought as he released everything at them.


    Swoosh! Every attack was sent with precision. Every enemy was slain. And for those that still hadn''t reached death, they were burning. And there were screams all around them. The Azure Flames were jumping from one Orc to the next, burning them down. Lucas sheathed his sword back inside, and he was astonished at what he had created.


    "This weapon is going to be crucial for my adventures", he thought as he returned to the group. "Thank you, Robert", he said as he passed by. Robert shook his head sideways. "So strong, and yet so humble. He does have the makings of a fine leader. Glad he was here to lead un today", he thought as he looked back.


    Then came the Boss round, and this time it was Tobias''s turn.. "Hope they are strong", thought Tobias as he wore the gloves and cracked his knuckles.

 Chapter 70 - An Expensive Trump Card

    The floor rumbled, as usual, signaling the start of the round. "Let''s see who we are facing this time", thought Lucas as he used [Inspect].


    [Legenadary Tier Beast - Vial Smasher, The Fierce]


    [Although small in stature compared to other Legendary Goblins, his vials contain poisons and acids that could kill anyone in mere minutes. A master of the Poison element]


    Although the description was small, to say he was scared was an understatement. He knew what being a Master of the Poison Element meant. "They''re unkillable by poison. But what about lightning?", he thought. But his thought was wrong.


    Fierce then took out a vial from his belt and smashed it on his head. Tobias blinked from his place towards him, and he took the first stance. "Kyokushin: First Stance. Zen Kutsu Dachi", he muttered as he did the stance. He then began to hit the goblin, but none of his attacks were hitting him. It felt like he was punching the air. But he could see Fierce in front of him.


    He then felt something on his back. The pain was searing, and there was a cackle behind it. "Did you like it?", he asked as he laughed like a maniac. "Do not mess with me. I am Fierce, The Master of Poisoning Illusions!", he said. Tobias punched again, but he felt the same air again.


    "Damn Illusionists! Always running away like damn pests!", he said as he bit his finger. Blood was dripping from the tip of his finger, and he was letting it drop. "I guess it is time for me to do this", he thought. Then, he channeled hi Lightning into the blood that was lying around.


    They began to float behind him, and something inside everyone was stirred. "How is he controlling blood? No, he is channeling his Mana into it", thought Lucas as he was seeing the blood float like particles behind him. He then began to reshape it, and it was just like how Lucas formed his needles. "Blood Needle Technique: Stage One. Piercing Needles", he said. The needles were still shaking as he hadn''t stabilized them yet.


    But that wasn''t something he cared about. he then lined up every needle around him like a needle circle, and he shot out everything at the same time. Then, there came a sound from his left. He recalled every needle and sent them into the direction from where the sound had come from.


    Fierce was bombarded with the needles, and he had been caught. "Now that you are in my hands, let me kill you swiftly", he said. But then, a smile formed on Fierce''s face. "You are here because I want you here", he said. He then snapped his fingers, and bars made of Earth trapped him in a cage-like structure.


    Tobias''s body began to tremble when he saw the bars. "No. not again", he thought as he looked at it. An unpleasant memory surfaced in his mind. It was pitch black, and he was locked behind these bars. A plate came sliding towards him, and on it was some food. "This is not that place!", he thought as he tried to muscle through.


    The earth bars were reinforced and thus made it hard for him to break through with sheer strength. "Alright. I still haven''t mastered this yet, but I will perform it anyway", he smiled. He made a lightning blade, and he plunged it into himself. Everyone thought he had gone insane.


    "Blood Needle Technique: Stage Two. Blood Puppet", he muttered as a lot of blood spilled out of him. A puppet was made from it. It stood at the same height as Tobias, and he directed it out of the cage. "Let''s see if you can handle this", he thought as he began to check for any dysfunctions. "Hope it works well", he crossed his fingers inside.


    Lucas was stunned when he saw the spell. "But Blood techniques, aren''t they forbidden?", he thought. "Yes, kid. They are forbidden. Because to use it, one has to either kill a lot of people or injure himself. But the Blood Needle Technique is a different one altogether. Although the user damages himself, he will heal within mere seconds. See, the color has begun to return to his face", said Valentine.


    Then, Tobias stabilized the spell. He then drew something on him, and a halo of red surrounded him. "Copy!", he said. And the blood puppet turned into an exact copy of him. There were two Tobias''s on the battleground. The puppet then moved just like he did. "Alright, let''s find that son of a gun, and finish this. The longer it drags, the worse it gets for me", he thought.


    The memory was still haunting him, but he still repressed it. "What you did or where you were will not define you. What defines you, is what you do. Remember that, son", came a voice in his head. It was deep and it was filled with love. "Thanks, Dad. I hope you''re doing well in Heaven", he smiled as he was making the Blood Needles.


    But then, the illusion was split apart by Fierce himself. "Ah, a blood technique. You aren''t the only one who can do that", he cackled. "Poison Art: Solidify", he said as he raised his hands in the air. A dozen of him materialized out of thin air. to be precise, they materialized from the Poison Mist. Tobias grinned.


    "You are strong. No one made me use these techniques till now. Ther is one last thing to do", he said as his smile widened. "Lucas, you were a great leader. You are strong and have a great mind. I admire you and envy you. Just make sure that you take care of the others for me", he said.


    Lucas couldn''t understand what he was saying. "No, it can''t be", he thought. he had just met, and now they had to part ways. Lucas wasn''t going to accept this. "Whatever you''re going to do, DON''T!", screamed Lucas.


    For the first time in his life, he had people he could call friends. He had people who were willing to look out for him, and guide him. He had someone he could just goof around with. And all of this was about to end. Lucas pulled out his blades. "I will now let you die!", he screamed as a tear rolled down his cheek.


    Tobias chuckled. "Well, I am not going to die. I am just opening up something inside me", he said as he looked at Lucas. "Huh?", he asked. He then placed his hand on his chest and twisted it. "Undo Seal", he said as he fell to the floor. His consciousness was slipping. "To call upon my power, seems like you''re desperate", came a voice.


    "Yes, Raijin-sama! This Tobias Brown calls upon the small power that you had bestowed upon me", he said. He was still losing his consciousness fast. He wanted to be in control this time, so he was holding on. But the power was too overwhelming. "Let me do something", he thought as he transferred the overwhelming power to his puppet.


    The Puppet began to glow in white lightning, and it began to float. Tobias''s consciousness began to return to him, and he stood up from the floor. "Remind me to never do that again", he muttered. But then his voice changed. "Who challenges the Might of Raijin?", he asked in a bellowing voice.


    The voice had changed, and the puppet''s eyes were filled with lightning. He then flashed and disappeared from the spot. Even Lucas, with his [Mana Vision], was unable to see his puppet. It was like it had vanished. "But how? To move that fast is understandable. But how did it vanish?'', he thought.


    He didn''t understand how. But then something happened. There was a thunderstorm in the sky, and in it was the puppet. "How dare a lowly creature like you dare make me, Raijin fight", said the puppet. "He must some relative of Hades. They both have the same tone", he thought.


    "Kneel!", said Raijin and instantly, everyone felt an invisible pressure forcing them to kneel. The only one who wasn''t kneeling was Tobias. Fierce wanted to call upon the power of the Goblin God, Maglubiyet. But this was the first time there was no response from the Goblin God.


    "A Higher Being? But how?", thought Fierce. He knew that this was futile. ''If I''m going out, I might as well take a few with me", he thought as he released all of his poison mist around. But it was all in vain. "Light up!", said Raijin and sent a lightning strike. A fire was caused, burning the whole mist away.


    Raijin began to gather all the lightning in his hands and redirected it towards Tobias and Fierce. He was fried on the spot, and Tobias, who had lost all of his Mana, had regained every single ounce of it. "Consider this a favor. Get stronger, and you shall wield my power freely", said Raijin as the puppet broke down into a pool of blood.


    "I thank Raijin -Sama for helping me this time. I will never forget this kindness", he thought as he placed a fist on his heart. After that, the floor rumbled and moved to the next floor.. And Tobias lost his consciousness.

 Chapter 71 - Grummsh - The One Eyed Orc God! (Part One)

    After reaching the Ninth floor, there was a change in the rounds. ''Boss Round will commence in two hours'', it read. He looked around and saw that everyone needed a recovery potion. He pulled out the potions and handed them out to them, and saved the rest for later use. "I don''t even know what Tier we''ll be facing. Let''s just hope that it is something that I could handle", he thought.


    Robert walked up to Lucas, and he placed the bag that they received before. "Can you make a good katana for me?", he asked in a humble tone. He knew that Lucas had the skills to make a very good one. "Alright. What do you want me to do?", he asked. "Anything you want. Just make sure that it is a good one. I will be testing it out in this fight", he said.


    Lucas nodded his head at Emilia, and the room from before was prepared for him. He then took out the crystals and separated them by the elements. "Should I use the same technique from before? Let''s just follow the same. I have to familiarise myself with every technique in this book like the back of my hands", he thought.


    He then instructed Robert to channel his mana inside the wind crystals. After that, he used the same technique and began to make a katana for him. "His style kind of revolves around one-shot kills. So, a more thin and sharp cutting blade would work. And it also relies heavily on footwork. Maybe, If I could make an active skill in his Aura, and mix in my own", he thought.


    He called Robert in and began to channel his Aura. Lucas used his Aura to lock and create the blade. He took the wind element and began to shape it into a wind blade. Something durable and sharp. He had only one more Steel Crystal, and he used it to make the steel part of the blade.


    He nodded his head and asked Robert to leave. Then, he used his Aura and began to shape. Since this technique heavily relied on him to use his Aura, Lucas didn''t stop channeling his Aura. Sweat was dripping, but not as hard as last time. "I''m getting the hang of this", he thought.


    He knew his potential for Blacksmithing ever since he began it. His Master, Henry was proud of the disciple he had created. Lucas heard one of his teaching in his head. "Child, Never lose your concentration. If you do, that would be the end of the weapon", came his hoarse voice to his mind. Lucas smiled as he channeled more of his Aura, and began to separate the elements.


    "I need to learn to control my Aura more. This is very challenging", he thought. He was also trying to break through to the next stage. Only after he breaks through, will he be able to improve by leaps and bounds. But he didn''t know how long that would take. He clenched his fists. "Now is not the time to think about stuff like this", he thought.


    He took his concentration to the max, and he began to see nothing around. It was pitch black like he had dived into a well. He couldn''t hear anything that was happening around him. It was him and the weapon, all alone. Then, something floated in front of him. It was green, and it looked small.


    Lucas reached his hand out. "What are you?'', he thought as he looked at it. He smiled and saw the green light flash at him. He didn''t mind, and he just began to use his techniques. He activated [Fusion] and began to fuse both the Metal and Wind Elements. "It''s like they''re repelling each other. Are they incompatible?", he thought.


    But then, the green light that was floating began to come towards him. It was pulsing, and Lucas was awed at it. "Maybe, it wants to bind with the weapon? But what is it?", he thought. He didn''t know what it was, and thus he didn''t want to bind it. "Mister, please bind me to the weapon", came a little girl''s voice from the light.


    "But I can''t. I don''t know what you would do to the weapon. And what are you", he asked. "Time shall answer your question, Mister. But without me, this weapon will never be complete. And you would never be able to fuse them both, as you have very little mastery of fusing the elements. I can help you, Mister", said the voice.


    Lucas didn''t know what to say. "How the hell did it know I''m trying to fuse it both?", he thought as he looked at it. No matter what angle he looked at, it didn''t look like anything dangerous. "Well, let''s just say that this is an experiment", he thought.


    He then began to fuse the green light into the sword. Instantly, the difficulty went down by several notches. It was like someone was helping him in doing this. "Thank you, Mister", said the voice as the green light began to fade.


    Lucas began to see a blinding green flash, and the weapon presented itself in front of him. It was just like Lucas wanted it. It was thin and sharp. The katana had a greenish glow in the middle, and the handle was a light green. The blade was shiny silver, and he proceeded to make a sheath for it.


    The sheath was the same green as the hilt, and there was a shiny green crystal on the hilt. "But what could that green light be?", he thought. He was curious and thus used his [Inspect] on it.


    [King Tier Weapon - ???? (Growth Type Weapon)]


    [Growth Limit - ????]


    [Passive Skill - Able to use the Wind efficiently, ???]


    [Active Skill 1 - Wind Blade]


    [Create a slash towards your opponent made of the Wind]


    [Active Skill 2 -  Twirling Slashes]


    [Use Wind Element to create a Whirlwind filled with Slashes]


    [Active Skill 3 -  Wind Extension]


    [Use the Wind Element to elongate your blade. Conditions not met]


    [Combat Skill - ????]


    [??????]


    [Mana Repair - Inject your Mana into the blade to restore Durability]


    "Question marks? Is it because of the Green light? Just what in the world is that thing?", he thought. But he knew there was less time, as Robert was nearing the door. Lucas had a proud smile, and he took out a device that he knew could display the skill set of the blade.


    "Knock, Knock", came a sound from the door. Lucas opened it, and he saw Robert standing outside. "So? Was it a success?", he asked nervously. He trusted Lucas could make a fine weapon. He was still nervous though, as he thought that the technique he was using was somewhat bizarre.


    He hadn''t seen a technique in which one utilized Mana and Aura to create a weapon. But he still thought that was impressive, nonetheless. Lucas handed him the weapon and the scanner. Robert scanned the weapon and frowned. "One condition isn''t met, and the other is just a question mark?", he asked.


    "A Growth type Weapon?!", he exclaimed. "Maybe I need the tiers to go up to unlock the question mark. But I''m going to use this in the fight against the boss that is going to come", he thought. He swung it a few times, and it felt perfect in his hand.


    "Why does it feel like I''ve been using this my whole life? It''s like, I have this feeling", he muttered. "Like it has been by my side all this while, watching me, and now it has come to me. Like some sort of guardian", he said out loud. Something struck inside Lucas when he heard that.


    "Could it be? But they don''t show themselves that easily", he thought. He remembered something like this happen to his master once, and he had explained everything vividly to him. He also tried to match his experience with his, and it was almost the same. "I can''t believe it. If I tell Forge Master, he is going to be so shocked", he laughed as he hit his thigh.


    He then cleared his throat as he and Robert came out. The countdown still had a few minutes to go, and Robert was swinging his blade like a little kid who had got his very first present. Lucas had a smile on his face as he saw his enthusiasm. "Not everyone has this side to them", he thought.


    The timer buzzed, and Robert''s demeanor changed in an instant. "Let''s see who I''m up against this time, shall we", he thought.


    [King Tier Beast - Grummsh, The One-Eyed Orc God]


    [He is a Greater God. And he can look into the future. He is a Master Magician and has intellect equal to no Orc. His strength far surpasses Orcs and puts him at odds with every God. Among the Greater Gods, he is said to have a ranking among the top 100s]


    "So, that is Grummsh?", thought Lucas as he looked at him.

 Chapter 72 - Grummsh - The One Eyed Orc God! (Part Two)

    He had one eye, like the Orc Eye of Grummsh. His body was muscular compared to the other orcs, and he had a sword on his back. It was a broadsword, and he looked intimidating. "Seems like you mortals need a lesson? There will be a place for Orcs in this world! This is my promise to every brethren that has followed me for a thousand years!", he bellowed.


    Just his voice brought shivers to Robert. His body was trembling, and his heart was shaken. "What kind of a monster is this? I have to face this head-on?", he thought. He didn''t know how he would face it, and he was still thinking if facing him alone was a good choice for him.


    Then a voice came to his mind. "No matter the difficulty, we must move forward. We must learn to live on the edge, and we must protect the people we care about. Listen, son, this may be our last meeting. Remember these words. Let your blade guide you in battle. Face every opponent with everything you have. And even in death, smile that you gave it your all. And son, find your Way of the Blade", came his father''s voice.


    "Yes, father. For that is the Way of the Blade. I still have yet to find my way, thus allowing me to borrow your strength, Father", he smiled. After the memory passed, he looked at Grummsh. There was no fear in his eyes, rather there was resolution. Grummsh began to laugh. "Very well, Mortal. Let me show you the difference in our strengths", he laughed.


    He pulled out his broadsword and stood in front of him, and Robert did the same. He then placed his hand on his chest, and he chanted. "I call upon you, Spirit Of The Wind. Sylphie. Lend me your strength", he said. After the chant, there was a green light erupted from him.


    An armor made of light green appeared around him. He looked like someone Lucas knew before. "The Green Guardian", he thought as he looked at him. "That''s where the Van Hueston''s call their power from huh?", he thought as he smiled. "Wait a sec. If the armor''s green and he called upon the Spirit of The Wind, then that means, I did put in a spirit in the weapon", he thought.


    Lucas smiled as he made the discovery. He decided to keep it a secret, as the spirit within would know when to deem him worthy. He then looked at the blade, and saw it vibrating to the armor."It knows that he has called upon its power. But why is it vibrating so much?", he thought.


    Robert felt the vibrations and he thought the same thing. But he didn''t mind that for now, as he needed something to make sure he surpassed his old self. "Alright, time to do some basic testing. NO FORMS!", he thought as he looked at the monster in front of him.


    Grummsh swung his sword towards his head in a vertical slash. "You call upon the power of mere spirits?!", he laughed as he slashed. "I have slain a thousand of those!", he laughed again. But he didn''t stop his actions. He was talking as he was swinging his broadsword around. Robert was dodging everything quite effortlessly.


    "You became a God with these meager skills?", he laughed at Grummsh. But Grummsh didn''t lose his cool as any other Orc did. That was something Robert didn''t expect. He stood back, and he planned on his next move. But what he didn''t know was that Grummsh was seeing into every move that he was going to do, and thus, he thought up ways to counter it.


    This was what made him a formidable person among the Greater Gods. With his strength and his ability of foresight, he could do anything. But that wasn''t just the things he could do. There were many more. He could lock a certain future that he deems is useful to him, and make his opponent make the same move. And he was about to do the same to Robert.


    After viewing multiple futures, Grummsh looked at one and locked it down. "Well, time to toy", he smiled wide. He then moved towards Robert''s left, and he did a horizontal slash. Robert jumped it, and he ran on the sword. The smile grew eider on Grummsh''s face as he suddenly spun the sword''s hilt, making Robert fall.


    "That was something I didn''t expect. He has intelligence, and a terrifying one at that", he thought. Robert was still thinking about what to do, and he remembered the skill in his sword. "He doesn''t know the effects, thus I have to make this unpredictable", he thought. He then began to follow the footwork from before, but this time there was something different.


    "He is finally grasping the essence of the footwork", smiled Lucas as he saw the footwork. Emilia was tending to both Michelle and Tobias, and she was low on stamina too. Thus, she was recovering as she had her eye around the room. "The Boss round can''t initiate in the first place. Is this some trap?", she thought.


    Lucas was looking at Robert with intent. "Show me something. Show me the improvement that I showed you", he thought with a smiled wide. Robert was having a hard time keeping up with the footwork. "Just how in the world did Lucas do it so fast? He must have trained his body to the maximum limit while maintaining the shape, allowing for more flexibility and movement", he thought.


    He reached near the leg of Grummsh, and he activated the skill, [Wind Blade]. A slash of wind was sent across, and it cut the leg of Grummsh. There was just a slight scar, and he was laughing out loud. "You thought that would hurt me?", he laughed. Grummsh was slightly holding his stomach as he was laughing. Robert was pissed, but he didn''t show it on his face.


    "Alright, you mock me. Let me show you something", he said as he crouched. But before he could pull out a technique, Grummsh''s sword came down on him. He dodged to the left and rolled on the ground. Rubble was spread all over the ground. Robert looked at the place, and he was horrified.


    "This is his full power?", he thought. "A fraction of my power", laughed Grummsh after he displayed his strength. Robert gulped down his saliva. "Just how strong is he?", he thought. "Don''t worry, Mortal. In this place, I have been limited to only a hundredth of my power", he said. Everyone was in shock.


    "A hundredth of his power is that much?", they thought. "And I can''t be killed. Only defeated. Thus, defeat me or make me admit defeat, and you shall move to the next floor", he said. the smile on his face was gone. "So he''s serious", thought Robert. But something inside him was telling him that what he said was true.


    "Yes. He is bound to this tower. And thus, his power is not what it was before", he heard a little girl''s voice. "What? Who are you?", he looked around. "Guess the spirit has revealed itself, judging by the look on his face", thought Lucas. He chuckled slightly, and Emilia was confused as to why Lucas was chuckling.


    Robert then looked at his sword. "Are you the one communicating with me?", he asked the sword. "Yes, I am. I will help you this time. But to wield me, you will have to prove your worth in this time", said the little girl.


    "Who are you?", he asked. "I am the Daughter of The Spirit Of The Wind, Sylphie. I have been watching you for a long time, and I have decided to join you in your journey. My name is Sarah. And if I deem you worthy, you will be my wielder, just like your father who wields Sylphie", she said.


    "Then reveal yourself to me", he said. Robert knew that the spirits can bind themselves to the people they thought were interesting. But to be deemed worthy by a little girl was quite frustrating for him. "And mind you, I am almost a hundred years old this year", she said in a cute voice. Robert coughed out loud.


    "Well, I didn''t know this esteemed spirit has been watching me ever since I was born. I''m sorry for my insolence", he thought. He then looked around and saw no one was looking at him. "If anyone saw me now, they would think that I have gone crazy", he smiled. Grummsh made his next move, but it was stopped midway.


    "I didn''t see this in the future''s that I saw. What is going on?", he thought. It was like an invisible barrier was blocking him from moving his sword forward. But that wasn''t the only thing that was stopping him. He felt something stir within him.. "The last time I felt like this was when I fought against Odin and Zeus", he thought.

 Chapter 73 - Reaching The Top!

    "Those old bastards trapping me in here", he thought. Sarah began to transfer some of her power to Robert. His clothes were fluttering with the wind that was surrounding him, and his armor was shining a green halo. "Now, you can wield the wind as you wish", she said as the halo faded away.


    But then Grummsh began to laugh. "I haven''t been this excited for a long time. Come. Domain of Futures: Open!", he said. Then, a box appeared around him and Robert, and Robert saw all sorts of futures in which he made many different moves. "Domain Authority: Lock", he said and locked a future in the domain.


    The same video kept playing like it was on repeat. Robert was pissed. He was pissed at being toyed at. He knew he was no match to him, but he wanted to try. He made a move, but it turned out to be the same move that he saw. "But how, I was making a different move", he thought.


    Once again, all kinds of futures were playing, and he locked onto one again. The same thing happened again. "Just what kind of a twisted domain is this? This is more like making sure that everything goes his way!", he thought. He then looked Grummsh in the eye. "You''re a coward! Hiding behind this domain and making sure that you don''t die. That is the way of a coward", he said.


    Grummsh paused and he placed his fingers on his temples. He then began to talk. "Long ago, there was a world where the orcs and goblins left peacefully. Though we fought a lot and killed a lot, we did not disturb the economy of the world. Then one day, one of the goblins decided to explore something far beyond. And he was noticed by one of the gods", he paused.


    "The Gods decided that we were somewhat hideous, and decided to eradicate us. The goblins were killed and the orcs were killed. And with the people that remained, we sought refuge in a world unknown. There, the humans began to hunt us down. They began to skin us and use us as weapons to kill our kin."


    "Then one day, we were granted this power to exact revenge upon the Gods that did this to our kind. I am Grummsh, The God of The Orcs!", he bellowed. He then locked a future once again, and this time, Robert did something he didn''t expect. He began to fly in the air. "Woah! This is awesome!", he said as he was flying in the air.


    "Maybe, I can defeat him now? But how do I break his domain?", he thought. "You make a stronger Domain. But you don''t have one for now", said Sarah to him. Robert sighed out loud. "Guess I''m going to have to do this the old way", he thought.


    He then took a stance, and he began to channel his Aura into his katana. "Sarah, channel as much Wind as you can into this strike", he said to her. He then began to feel the air around him being sucked into the sword. The green light that was in the middle began to pulse. "Tell you what, you break my Domain, I will admit defeat", said Grummsh.


    "Muramasa Blade: Forbidden Technique. Sunp¨­ kiretsu", he muttered. He then took out a space stone and channeled his wind element into it. The stone broke into dust, and he began to control that dust. A slightly purple halo was beginning to envelop the sword. "No, you can''t. The place will become unstable", said Grummsh and Sarah simultaneously.


    Lucas didn''t think that Robert would go as far as to create a dimensional crack. "I don''t want to be stuck in some other dimension", he thought. Robert smiled as he looked back at everyone. "It might get unstable, but I have a way", he smiled as he released the slash. It went across Grummsh, and into the hologram that was playing his future. The future that was playing was not there on his list.


    "But how? He shouldn''t be able to create an alternate future. Unless he wields the power of some other element like time, or foresight", he thought. The Dimensional Crack formed, and it was sucking everything out of the tower. Lucas and everyone was inside a house made from Earth in an instant.


    He then looked at Robert, who had begun to run towards the crack. He stood in the crack, and he was holding it with his bare hands. He then cut his hands, and blood began to drip into the dimensional crack. He then quickly began to use the same footwork, and he began to draw a sealing formation.


    "Seal!", he said after he finished. There was a gaping home in Grummsh''s Domain, signaling the defeat of him. Grummsh sighed out loud. "You''re the third person to have broken my Domain. You are strong for a Mortal. And you, young spirit, have a lot to learn. I look forward to the adventures you will have. Ho ho", he laughed.


    ''Grummsh has admitted Defeat. Moving to the next floor''


    Lucas heaved a sigh of relief. "Next is going to be me. I hope he isn''t as troublesome as this guy was", he thought as the floor began to move upwards. They had reached the final floor, and the boss was standing right in front of him, even whilst the countdown was happening.


    [King Tier Beast - Kik Jiki, Mirror Breaker]


    [It can use Mirror Magic. It can create copies of anything it wishes, and make an army out of it. It is also a Commander and thus has a superior intellect. A Master Magician, and can manipulate minds, by creating illusions]


    ''Time left until Boss Round, 01:02:53''


    "Seems like there is about an hour left until the round starts. Let me see if my weapon will be effective against it", he thought. He began to analyze the situation he was in and the pros and cons of this fight. "Just how powerful is this thing, to be able to be above an Orc God?", he thought.


    "You''re mistaken. He isn''t more powerful than the Orc God, thus he is killable. But the only problem would be, to counter his Mirror Magic", said Valentine. He knew how hard it was to counter a counter that was the replica of your attacks. "How will you face this challenge, kid?", he thought as he saw the goblin.


    Kiki was laughing and cackling, as he placed a finger against his throat as a provocation. "You cannot win against me. Just give up", he said as he looked at them Everyone was exhausted from the climb, and they had finally reached the top of the tower. Lucas had one nagging doubt. "What was the record set last time?'', he asked the tower.


    ''The time, excluding the breaks that were given, is 06:12:37''


    "And what is our time?", he asked.


    ''Your current time is 05:33:58'', replied the tower. Lucas smiled. "Alright, I will finish you, and set a new record. Prepare yourself, stupid monster", he provoked it. Kiki began to cackle again as he heard the provocation. "Very well, human. Let''s see who will win", he said.


    Lucas smiled didn''t fade, as he began to play a particular move in his mind. "Master, allow me to borrow one of your many moves", he muttered as he closed his eyes. He pulled out his Exploding Ice Blade, and he took a deep breath.


    "I can''t go from the first this time, let me begin before the countdown starts", he thought as he began to perform the move. He moved and weaved, and Robert was watching his moves closely. "Who is he imitating? That isn''t one of my moves", he thought. After he reached the Fourth Form, the buzzer rang.


    "Copy Style: Fifth Form. Devour and Unleash", he said as he moved. His footwork was like a dance, and he was gliding as usual. But this time, the gliding seemed like a pattern. "Is he making a formation as he is fighting? But why?", thought Robert. Lucas was moving the way he saw his Master move, and he was cutting everything Kiki was throwing at him.


    "You call us humans weak. You call us pathetic, Yes, we are weak and pathetic. But do you know what makes us humans?", he asked as he dodged another attack from Kiki. He cackled. Lucas didn''t stop talking. "Is that we evolve. We grow from our mistakes, and we learn and adapt. That is what makes us humans formidable", he said.


    Kiki just laughed it out and pulled out a mirror from his left. He chanted something and the mirror began to grow. "Prepare yourself human. You are going to be sucked into this spell of mine, and that would make me stronger", he laughed as he began to chant once again.


    "Domain Of Mirrors: Open!", he said and Lucas vanished from everyone''s sight.

 Chapter 74 - Clearing The Tower!

    "What? What kind of a messed-up domain is that? It took him away!", exclaimed Robert and Emilia at the same time. "Ugh! Can you stop being so noisy for once?", came a voice from behind them. They quickly turned around to see who it was.


    "Tobias! You''re up!", said the both of them at the same time. Robert was about to reprimand him, but seeing the fatigued look on his face, he knew it was better to reprimand him later. "Using Blood Magic is forbidden", he thought. But then he remembered the reason of use. "Maybe the magic isn''t bad, but the caster has to be of pure intentions?", he thought.


    "I''m sorry about making you guys worry. Can you not talk about what I did here to anyone outside? It''s best if it stays secret. I''m not allowed to use it, as it weakens the seal on me. Until Raijin-sama thinks I''m worthy, he would not allow me to undo the seal. And I''m not the only one, or so I have been told", he said.


    Robert nodded his head. he knew some stuff about some of the Elemental Gods choosing someone to wield their powers. "They sort of become overpowered basically, and their powers can be taken away anytime. But there have been instances where the power that was given wasn''t able to be taken back. And if that happens, Tobias will have to face the Trials of Raijin", he thought.


    But right now, everyone''s concern was Lucas as he was missing from their eyes. But everyone could sense him. "Let''s just hope that he could defeat that thing alone", said Robert in a reassuring tone. He knew of his strength, but he didn''t know to what extent. "If he isn''t showing his cards on purpose, he is a very smart man indeed. But I think it would be best for me to befriend him, instead of making an enemy out of him, and everyone else here", he thought.


    He was always about benefits, but this time something inside him was telling him that there will be something more than just mere benefits for him in this group. He smiled as he looked at everyone around him. "A person is chosen by a God, a Legacy Weapon Wielder, an All-Round Mage, and a swordsman on par with me. Maybe I have been lacking in my training. Find the way of my sword", he thought as he sat down.


    Lucas on the other hand had finished his formation. "Copy Style: Sixth Form. Insight", he said and then dropped a small amount of his blood on the ground. The ground then gave a slight red hue, and the ground began to shift around. A clock appeared from below, and Lucas was at the center of it.


    "You can control Time?!", asked Kiki in shock. The only thing he couldn''t mirror was time. Lucas smiled. "No, I can''t. But with this formation, I can control a fraction of time in the way I want to. From this point on, I am in control", he thought. He decided to bluff it through. "Yes, I can control time", he said with a smirk.


    "When bluffing, one must believe in the bluff wholeheartedly to make it seem real", he thought. This was something he had picked up from Sam. When playing poker, one could never beat him. He was a schemer and a very good one at that. "Well, if Sam was here, he would bluff much better. Maybe I should become him", he thought.


    He closed his eyes and he thought of moving Kiki to the right, and he moved him by forcing him. "I''ve shown you proof", he said.  Kiki now began to think about his options. He knew he can''t mirror time, and if need be, Lucas could reverse time back to before he got into the domain, or so he thought.


    Lucas still stood there, building up the momentum. "Just a small push and he will take the bait", he thought. "After that, Hehe", he thought as he smiled. Kiki then looked around. "Screw this. If I''m going down, I''m taking him down with me!'', he thought. He began to channel his Mana into the Domain, and Lucas smiled.


    "Just like I wanted to", he thought as he began to move to the final form of his self-created style. This time, he said it out loud so that Kiki could hear it. "Copy Style: Seventh Form. Total Exploitation!", he said and Kiki shivered to the very bone when he heard that.


    Lucas began to move and he slashed at Kiki, but this time he missed it on purpose. Kiki was stunned. "But he didn''t miss all this while. What is the plan?", he thought. Lucas began to use his Aura in each strike, and after it reached a certain distance, Lucas placed his hand on the makeshift clock on the ground.


    "Reverse Strike", he said as he began to reverse time, but only for his strikes. The first one hit Kiki in the back, and it followed like a chain. He couldn''t avoid any of the attacks that were about to hit him. It was like he was stuck. "Stuck? But how?", he thought. He then looked to his legs and saw Ice binding him to the ground.


    "[Flowing Ice Bind]", smiled Lucas at him. Now, Kiki began to bleed and he was about to beg for mercy. "Domain Authority: Countless Reflections", he said as he looked around. Reflections appeared, but they vanished the moment they appeared. "Now, time for you to meet your maker", smiled Lucas.


    "NO!", screamed Kiki as Lucas his Combat Skill, [Cryo- Blaze]. Kiki began to freeze on the outside, but the Ice began to use his body''s heat to keep him trapped in the ice. The process of using his body''s heat was burning him on the inside. Lucas then looked around and smiled.


    "I can''t rewind past the point I created the formation, thus I have to break this formation. But how?", he thought. Kiki was still burning on the inside, thus he was considered to be alive. "Take this down, and I will make your death peaceful", threatened Lucas. Kiki was terrified of Lucas. "Is this person even human anymore?", he thought as he took down the domain.


    Everyone saw Lucas standing tall after victory, and Kiki inside a block of ice. "As promised, I shall give you a swift death", he said. He placed his hands on the Ice, and he began to direct the water particles in it. He guided it towards Kiki, and he froze him in place.


    "I have cleared the Tower, and I have cleared a part of this thing. Now, if the maze pops up right now, will I be able to solve it. I do need some rest", he thought. "Ah screw it. Let''s check the rewards for clearing and setting a record time!", he thought enthusiastically.


    He looked up at the screen that was displaying something, and he was excited to see if he beat the record or not.


    [Record has been beaten. Congratulations!]


    [New time 05:58:35]


    [Rewards have been calculated]


    [The crystals shall be distributed now]


    Then a bag appeared out of thin air in front of everyone. Michelle was still out, thus they gave the bag to Lucas to safeguard it. He was waiting for the other rewards that were supposed to come. After a few moments, came the table of points.


    [Points have been calculated. Each person has 15,400 points. Requirements for the next course have been met. Initiating Maze in 2 hours]


    Lucas was shocked when he saw that. "Time to put my brain to good use", he thought. There was time, so they waited for Michelle to get up. She finally got up after a few minutes from  Lucas''s fight, and she was shocked to hear the developments. The scythe in her hand was still the same size, but what she did next shocked everyone.


    "Shrink", she said and it became small. "Elongate", she said and the scythe became long. She then brought it back to its normal size. "Well, I guess I have become a Legacy Weapon Wielder now. But at what grade are you now, Death?", she asked. "After the last upgrade, I am now at King Tier", said Death.


    She then began to introduce everyone to Death. Lucas just smiled as he saw the happy atmosphere. He was still thinking why there were no rewards when something popped up on the hologram.


    [Due to setting a new record, you have options to choose from the following Rewards.


    1. Mirror Breaker - An Item that allows the user to be able to cast Mirror Magic temporarily. Only usable once per day. A domain can be erected once a week.


    2. Manual of Fierce - A manual written by the Master Poison Illusionist.


    3. Orb of Future - Allows the user to see the future once every day.


    4. Manual of Grenzo - A manual written by the Master Reverse Magician.


    You may choose two among the above]


    Lucas looked at everyone. He knew how important this moment was, as this would help them in their future endeavors. "So what do you guys think?", he asked. Everyone looked at each other. "There isn''t anything of use to us. Not for now anyway", said everyone. Lucas felt the same way.


    He looked at it once again, and he decided to go for the manuals. "Knowledge is always of the greatest value", he thought as he chose both the manuals. Although the Mirror Breaker sounded impressive, it didn''t have the power to counter all kinds of magic. Thus, Lucas concluded that he could keep these for the future, and if he found someone with the same compatibility, he would give it to them.


    After the selection, another reward popped up.


    [Individual Rewards.


    Robert Van Hueston - The Path of Self Discovery (Manual)


    Emilia Burnheart - A Guide to Wielding Mana Efficiently (Manual)


    Tobias Brown - Blood Needle Technique (Manual)


    Michelle Cooper - Shadow Techniques (Manual)


    Lucas Smith - A Guide to Fusing Elements (Manual)]


    Everyone was stunned at the prizes they had got. "This is priceless!", thought everyone as they were absorbed in their world of studying their manuals. Lucas was the only one who laid on the floor and closed his eyes to get some rest.. "Brain needs rest, and there are almost two hours on the clock before The Maze", he thought.

 Chapter 75 - The SSS+ Ranked Adventurer!

    (Somewhere in a chilly mountain range)


    In a small house in the mountains, under the harsh snowing weather, was a muscular man in his mid-forties. He was swinging around his weapon, which was a circular blade. It had a handle in the middle, which can be used to split the circle in two. It also had a counterpart, which was another circle, and it was attached to the backside of this circle.


    Just as he was practicing, he felt his weapon vibrate. It was emitting a white light, and the man heard a voice inside his mind. "Another one of us has been woken up", said the female voice. "Who is it?'', asked the man. "Death. I think the lost scythe has finally found its owner, or maybe that stubborn guy found someone to his liking", chuckled the voice.


    The man''s body was covered in sweat, and he went near the fireplace. "Now, is he a danger to society? Or it depends on the wielder?", he asked in a stern voice. The weapon which he had now transformed into a female human.


    "Now now. Death is an enigma. It doesn''t depend on the wielder nor him. He''s a teenager, in his mind. He likes to do what he wants, thus I expect his wielder to be someone with control over him", she said as she took a seat near the fireplace.


    The man took the seat opposite to him, and he looked at the woman in front of him. She was a beauty and had smooth clear skin. Her eyes were like the moon, and she had a very elegant posture. Her ears had pointy ends, and they were elongated slightly. "I still don''t understand why an elf like you turned into this weapon", he said.


    The elf gave out a charming smile. She waved her hand in the air, and a teapot and two cups floated towards them. "Tea?", she asked as she poured him a cup. The man began to sip the tea, and he looked at the elf as he was sipping.


    "We''ve been through a lot of battles, and you still haven''t revealed your true self", said the man. "Patience is a virtue, Mr. Ken Adams. We still have a mission of protecting the other Legacy Weapons, like you, humans call it. We need to keep them away from others to protect this planet. In the wrong hands, it will bring disaster", she said with a sad face.


    "A disaster that could destroy this planet", Ken finished the sentence. He remembered the first time he wielded the weapon. And he remembered the memories he had seen from the weapon. "Just what kind of a weapon is this? And why do these people, who are bound with this weapon, so powerful?'', he thought.


    Ken Adams was a man at the epitome of Earth. He was the First Legacy Weapon Wielder, and he is the only SSS+ Ranked Adventurer to walk this Earth. He was planning on retiring and doing this mission solo. But he had been tasked by the Adventurer''s Guild, the same one he wanted to do.


    He had a burly body, and his hair had turned gray. His ripped body had countless scars, and he hid them all by wearing a shirt. One of them is hard to hide, and it ran across his whole right forearm. He was tall and had tanned skin. "Yeah, I am the only one who can face the people who are after these weapons", he thought.


    He only wanted to be left alone while doing this mission, as he didn''t want anyone to interfere with this. If he had anyone nearby, he knew that would jeopardize not only that person but the Earth as a whole. So, he wanted no distraction in this mission.


    He was chilling in his seat, having some tea, and enjoying his quiet time. "Death, huh? You must be a scythe. And there are only a few people who wield the scythe on this whole planet. It''s rare, but I will find you. And when I do, I will find out if you are to be eliminated", he said. Just as he said that a cold glint flashed across his eyes.


    "Now, now. We shouldn''t go killing everyone that wields it. That is why we are here. And we need people by our side. I sense something big in the universe''s flow. Maybe something might be coming our way, or not. And for that, we need comrades", she said.


    "Moonheart, I don''t want to be harsh with you. But I think I don''t need comrades", he said with a sad smile. Moonheart knew why, and she didn''t disturb him. "Don''t you think they would want you to move on? And find some people to fight alongside you?", she said as she placed her hand on his shoulder.


    A calm and soothing effect was passed through him, and a single tear dropped from his eyes. He stroked the dog tags that were around his neck, and he looked up to the sky. "I hope you guys are doing fine up there. The guilt that I carry within me, I do not want anyone else to carry the same", he said.


    He then got up from his seat with a newfound resolve. "Maybe I must visit Death, and if the wielder has any comrades, I must let them know of what might happen when the wielder goes berserk", he thought as he strode up to the window to look outside.


    He had a sad smile, and he watched the snowfall from the skies. "Maybe it is time, that I find my solace", he thought. He then turned around and looked at Moonheart. "Let''s go and meet Death. I want to see how strong the wielder is. I''m itching", he smiled as he left the small wooden house.


    (At The Heart Palace)


    Ben was seated in his throne and had a face that was frowning. "Are they going to attack us as soon as we have banished Lucas from coming back? But why? Seems like there has been someone informing them of our deeds", he thought.


    He then thought of something, and he smiled. "Maybe this will smoke them out", he thought as he smiled. After a few minutes, the door to the throne room was opened. "The Emperor has arrived", announced the gatekeeper. Ben smiled as the person he needed for his plan was precisely here.


    "I welcome you, The Emperor to our humble abode", he said. The Emperor laughed out loud and smacked his forehead. "Formalities, they''re frustrating, aren''t they?", he said with a smile. The both of them hugged each other, and he proceeded towards a seat next to the throne. "Please, take your seat", he said.


    Merlin smiled at him. "I am not going to be the person to snatch your throne. The design is tempting though", he laughed. Ben laughed as he sat back on the throne, and allowed Merlin to take the seat next to him. He then ordered everyone to get out of his throne room and looked Merlin in the eye.


    "My dear friend. Remember what I said before? Are you sure you want to go through with the Beastization process?", he asked. Merlin nodded his head firmly. "You and I both know what will happen if this power was to go berserk. It would harm everyone around us, and what we stand for. I must do this not only for myself but for my people as well", he said.


    Ben nodded his head. "I''ve got some Intel, and it seems that there is a small wave of Beasts coming towards this kingdom from the North-West. The estimated arrival time is about three days. Within this period, we must finish this process, and try to stop it before it reaches the kingdom", he said in a solemn tone.


    "And I suspect there is someone in here that is working with them, providing information. All I hope is that my boy Lucas is well", he sighed. Merlin smiled wide after he heard Lucas''s name. "You haven''t heard the news?", he asked. Ben nodded his head sideways, indicating that he wasn''t up to date.


    "He has attempted the UCDM N0.99", he said. Ben smiled after he heard that. "That little brat. Does he think he can complete it? To close that portal is to live in it. Even we weren''t able to, as that son of a portal decided to up the difficult to E+", he said. But the smile he had didn''t fade away. "Well, I was the one that didn''t want to close it in the end", he chuckled.


    The both of them left the throne room, and they began to prepare for their journey ahead. They had planned to leave late at night, which would also help in smoking out the person who was relaying the information to The Omega. "Let''s see who is the traitor.. And the only punishment for traitors is a slash across the neck", he thought as he packed up.

 Chapter 76 - The Maze (Part One)

    (Back in the Portal)


    Lucas was asleep soundly when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "The time is nearing. The Maze will commence in a few minutes", came a sweet voice into his ears. He opened his eyes and looked at the beautiful face in front of him. "What time is it?'', he asked groggily.


    Emilia smiled cutely at him, and she was about to tell him the time when she noticed something. "If we add up the time we rested in between and the time we fought, it adds up to almost sixteen hours. But the watch shows only four hours. What is wrong here?", she asked him.


    Lucas looked at the time on her watch, and he looked at the timer on the hologram. "Seems like time flows differently inside this portal. If I calculate the amount of time taken and divide it by the time that we have taken in our world time, it seems to me that the flow of time in here is four times faster than the normal world", he said.


    Everyone was around him when he was speaking. He then looked at everyone and smiled. "Although we have been here only for four hours, we have been here for sixteen hours. And add the fact the rest we have taken, I would say that we have cleared this tower in one hour and forty-five minutes in our time", he smiled.


    "But if time can flow faster, doesn''t it mean that this Portal could control the flow of time? Then what if it reverses it?", asked Michelle. Lucas was concerned about the same thing. "If it could go back to the point of beginning, then all of this would have been for naught. But let''s hope that this would not happen, as we have no ways to counter when it happens", he thought.


    He then looked around at everyone, and at the timer. "If The Maze is just a path to find our way out, then this would be easy. But what does this thing have in store? I know this Portal liked to make things interesting. It''s like someone is watching us like we are some chess pieces", he thought.


    He didn''t like the idea of being manipulated by someone, but he considered that could also be a probability. And thus, he was cautious around anything that the Tower had given him. The countdown had reached the end, and a buzzer went off, signaling the start of the next round.


    After the buzzer went off, the floor rumbled and it moved down to the first floor. The doors through which they had entered were wide open. And beyond that, walls began to rise high. The walls were towering at a height of twenty meters. It was thick, and it looked like nothing could break the wall apart.


    A hologram appeared in front of them.


    [The Rules for the Maze will be as follows:


    I. Anyone trying to fly above the height of the wall will be warned thrice. After three warnings, they shall be electrocuted to death.


    II. The Maze consists of three exits. Should one be unable to solve the maze, they may use the hints. Each person can only have three hints.


    III. Any puzzle or obstacle that you face, has to be solved using your wits.


    IV. Monsters that are encountered in your way can be killed. The monster cores that have been killed shall be rewarded to you after you have exited the Maze.


    V. Should you fail a challenge or puzzle, they will be recalled to The Tower, and shall only be released after the completion of the Maze.


    VI. No breaking through the walls. Any attempt to damage them will result in instant death.


    VII. Complete The Maze before the timer runs out, or everyone shall be dead.


    Good Luck and May the best one win!]


    "Wow. Those are some tough rules", thought Lucas. He then read through it again, just to make sure to remember it. After going through it, he smiled. "A race against time, huh? Just what kind of puzzles are you going to throw at me, Portal? Whatever it may be, I will solve them all", he smiled.


    The timer was then shown, and on it was three hours. "We only have three hours", he thought. He wanted to ask one thing to the hologram. "Can I have a look at the map before I leave for The Maze?'', he asked out loud. Then, a map of the field appeared in front of him.


    "Valentine, could you take a picture or snap it from my eyes? Just quick, we will need this. And I want you to analyze the best route I can take to finish this in three hours", he thought. He then heard the sound of a snap in his head, and he smiled. "Thank you", he said as he took his first step towards the door.


    After he left through the door, he felt an invisible wall in front of him. "I can''t move?", he thought and he turned to look behind him. He saw everyone studying the map intensely, trying to figure a way out of The Maze in the given time.


    Lucas sighed. "Come on guys, I have a plan, and I have checked the route", he said. Everyone then left The Tower, and they stood in front of the invisible wall. "Is everything ready?'', he asked Valentine. "Yes, everything is ready. I must warn you, the path you''re going to take might be a little too risky", he said.


    Lucas just nodded his head in affirmation. "A bond becomes stronger only when one is faced with a life and death situation. Although this place is faster than the normal time of our world, I doubt anyone had to clear both The Tower and The Maze together", he thought.


    The look on his face was filled with determination, and he stood in a runner''s stance. "When I begin to run, just follow behind me. Or I might forget the path", he said. Everyone nodded their heads and Lucas stood, with his legs bent front. "The longer the distance I cover right now, the better", he thought.


    There was a buzz, and the timer began its countdown. Lucas took off, running like the wind. Everyone thought he had used some type of enhancement magic, but only Robert understood that this was his pure strength. All of his power, which he had trained for a very long time. "You would have made a good Olympics sportsman if you were born in the past", he chuckled as he followed behind him closely.


    Lucas had Valentine show him the way, and he kept his perception open. "Beasts", he thought as he heard a chittering behind him. He turned his head slightly to look at what was making that sound. "What in the world are those?", he thought as he used [Inspect] on them.


    [Advanced Tier Beast - Double Headed Lava Hound]


    [These beasts are made of the Element Fire. They are aerial beasts and they can shoot fireballs from their mouths. To kill them you will have to face against this, and the ones that split from these. Weak against Ice Magic]


    "Wow, these are hard to deal with. Seems like they are unkillable unless we take them down to the bone", thought Lucas. He didn''t stop his run, as he needed to get another three kilometers ahead. "Maybe I can do this", he thought as he looked back. "Keep up everyone", he smiled at them.


    He then cast [Icicle], but at his feet. The floor got slippery, but it was easy for him to move faster. He began to slide, and Emilia followed suit behind him. Robert smiled and he activated his Wind. Tobias activated his lightning, and Michelle just pulled out a skateboard made from Darkness.


    "What in the world?", thought everyone when they saw her do that. Nobody knew how she could do it, or if it was possible with other elements. Lucas smiled as he pulled ahead, and everyone followed his lead.


    After he reached the required distance, he turned around and saw ten lava hounds behind him. They were flying right above his head, and they were a bit slower than he thought. "Maybe they have lost their mobility due to their size", he thought.


    He then smiled. "Time to freeze", he thought as he pulled out two [6x Icicle]. He threw it towards two of them, and they were frozen from the inside out. His move made it impossible for them to split up into groups and overwhelming them with their numbers. But there was a limit to which he could do this too.


    "Let''s look at my stats", he thought as he pulled up his window.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 266/350]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 7950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 46]


    [Stamina: 45]


    [Agility: 46+19]


    [Perception: 43]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


    "Well, I can only pull out six more of these", he thought as he smiled wide, revealing a slight smirk.. "Now, let''s see how much my control has improved over this spell", he thought as he looked at the hounds in front of him.

 Chapter 77 - The Maze (Part Two)

    He wanted to finish them quickly, as he had only three hours to go through this maze. He looked at the ones that were frozen, and he tried to channel the water droplets that were inside to the outside. "I did it the very first time I used it, but I was also in a state of unconsciousness. Thus, I do not remember how I managed to pull it off", he thought as he looked at the hounds above.


    Lucas had now frozen four more, and he was out of Mana. The others had gone ahead and began to cut them, only to end up with more hounds around them. "They have begun to split up. If we prolong this, it will take forever for me to finish this maze. And there is the threat of death looming over us", he thought.


    "Only in the face of death, will one be able to outperform oneself", he thought as he looked at the beasts above. "If they split, we just have to make them split again. Their tiers will go down, as their sizes and their attack power has gone down noticeably", he began to analyze.


    The situation was not as bad as it seemed to be. "Let me try this", he thought and was about to jump into the middle when he looked around and saw that every beast had been dealt with. "Ever since I had used Raijin''s powers, I have a gotten slightly faster. And my lightning has become much stronger than before too", said Tobias.


    Lucas smiled as he looked at the countdown that was running right above his head. "Alright, there is a door here. Let''s see how we can open that door", he thought as he looked at it. Then he saw some pieces that were missing from the door. "What''s the theme of this Wasgij?'', read the words at the top of the door.


    "A Wasgij? Seriously? This is one of the most confusing jigsaws out there. And I need to solve this? Alright, let me get my brain cracking for this one", he thought as he looked at the door. Some of the pieces were missing, and there was a lever next to the door. He pulled on it, and a box appeared from below the lever.


    He then opened it and began to look at the puzzle. "Alright, we have seventeen missing pieces on the door, and we have almost thirty pieces here in the box. If I need to figure out the theme, I need to figure out the pieces first", he thought.


    Wasgij is the reverse for Jigsaw. Wasgij was the type of puzzle, in which the pieces of the puzzle and the picture on the cover of the box, never match. Lucas always had to use his imagination and solve it, and he never knew if that was indeed what the puzzle was meant for. A Wasgij always tended to have multiple solutions. And it all depended on the person''s imagination.


    "And if this person is asking for a specific theme, then that means the man already had a vision, and I need to complete his vision", he thought as he began to sort the pieces out. He then looked at the pieces on the door, and the pieces on his hand. "Alright, seems like each missing piece almost has two to three solutions. But which one will be the precise one?", he thought.


    He then looked at the pieces and the puzzle on the wall. "How much time do we have left?", he asked. "We have two hours and fifty-one minutes left", said Robert as he looked at Lucas. "And how much have we completed among this maze?", he asked Valentine. "I''m afraid to say that we are only ten percent through", said Valentine.


    "Crap!", he cursed out loud. "This is annoying. Wasgij''s are annoying", he said as he began to place down a few pieces he thought would be the accurate one. But nothing happened. There was no Golden or Red hue that indicated that he had done something wrong. "Maybe I''m doing it right?", he thought as he began to fix it up more rapidly.


    After he had fit all seventeen of the pieces in, the door began to glow a white hue, and it opened up. "Why a white hue? Maybe it was something that the creator envisioned and thought it to be a neutral grounds?", he thought as he began to run again.


    This time, the terrain changed from an open path to a closed path. There was a roof above their heads, and this was somewhat keeping Lucas on edge. "I don''t know why, but I think this place is more dangerous than it seems", he thought. And just as he thought, the place rumbled.


    "What''s going on?", asked Tobias, He was scared of everything that was going on here, and he needed to know what was going on. "It seems like we are in some trap, and to solve this thing, we will need to do something that is required by this place", he replied to Tobias. "And what is required to stop it from crushing us into paste", he asked in a terrified voice.


    "I don''t know. Maybe just run away from this place?", he said in a skeptical tone. he was on the lookout for something that could stop the walls from caving in. And not just the walls, the floors, and the ceiling was caving in as well. Thus, Lucas decided to run fast. But then he felt something weird happen. "No matter how much we run, the distance seems to be the same. What do I need to solve here?", he thought. He then paused and began to look s around.


    That was when he noticed something on the walls. "You find me behind the stars; or in a sixth, seventh, or third. It takes something round, a computer, and me to make a pie. I am bigger than anything you can think of. What am I?", it read.


    "A riddle. Ah, now this is something I can solve quite easily", he thought as he looked at the words. He then began to think. "Just what kind of a theme are we in? The distance is stretching for miles, and it''s like we are trapped here in this corridor that wants to kill us before we even solve the answer", he thought as he began to think deeply.


    "The distance is uncoverable. Maybe that could be a hint to finishing this riddle. If the distance can''t be covered, then this whole thing must be related to only one thing. Mathematics. The Queen of all Sciences", he smiled. He then began his breakdown.


    "Alright, we have three numbers. Sixth, seventh and third. And if I change this Pie, into the term ''Pi'' in Mathematics, then this right here has solidly four terms. Which means that this riddle''s base is Mathematics indeed", he smiled.


    Everyone was weirded out by his smile, but they knew that he was the only person smart enough to solve these riddles and puzzles. The others weren''t as sharp as him in the brain''s aspect and thus had to rely on him solely. "Alright, if I take the Sixth as a number, it doesn''t necessarily have to be the number six. It could also be in decimal points. And if it is, then this distance and the sixes could just go on forever and have no end", he thought.


    "The same could be said for the Seventh and the Third as well. Pi, well that number could also be said the same as these three. The only thing they have in common is that their numbers keep on stretching like this same thing we''re facing. It''s like we''re running on an infinity line", he thought. He then smiled as he had figured out the answer.


    "It''s infinity", he thought as he looked around for a place to write the answer. But as he didn''t find anything, he just bit the tip of his index finger, and he wrote the answer right beneath the question. The distance that they were trying to cover for so long, had been covered in an instant. The pathway opened up after they left, and they were panting on the floor.


    "That was surely intense", chuckled Robert with his chest heaving up and down. The same could be said with everyone, except Lucas. He quickly used his technique to gather up his stamina, as he remembered that time was against them. "Just what kind of a maze is this?'', he thought as he looked around.


    He then got up and dusted himself off, and began to look around. "This way should be the right way", he thought. He knew it was, but he had to keep up an act as he can''t tell then that he was an awakener to them. He wasn''t sure as to how they would respond to him being an awakener.


    "What''s the next one?", he asked Valentine as everyone had recovered enough from the rest. "I do not know. Only after you come in contact is it triggering the puzzle", he said in a confused tone. Lucas smiled. "Well, if there wasn''t a challenge, I wouldn''t have considered this in the first place", he smiled as he cracked his neck and his knuckles.


    "Alright, we will be heading down this way. Just be aware of your surroundings, as that will help us in getting out of this maze", he said and everyone nodded their heads. Lucas then took off, and everyone followed him behind, making sure that they were close to him.


    "What will the next puzzle be? This Maze is turning out to be more interesting with each second", he smiled.. He was looking forward to the next puzzle that was going to be thrown at him.

 Chapter 78 - The Maze (Part Three)

    After running for the next ten minutes, they stood in front of an enormous door. "There are no writings or anything here on this one. So let''s see if I can open this one", he thought as he pushed the door. To his surprise, the door was pushed open quite easily. "Well, if such a large door is opened up quite easily, then whatever is inside must be hard to finish", eh thought.


    After he entered, lights began to turn on, and he looked around him. He could see life-sized chess pieces around him, and there were two balconies. "Seems like a game of chess", he thought as he climbed up to the balcony to finish this quick. "Let''s just hope that this game ends sooner and I will be able to move to the next phase", he thought.


    "Emperor Lucas has taken the head of operations. Commencing match", read a hologram in front of him. "Well, only an emperor can command a king", he thought as he looked at all the pieces near him. All of them were white, and he had the liberty to make the first move.


    "What should I open up with? Since I have the opening hand, I can do a lot of things to bait them", he thought. He then began to think hard, and his eyes landed on a pawn that was standing at D2. "Let me try this technique", he smiled as a plan formulated in his mind.


    "Pawn at D2. Move to D4", he commanded. The pawn that was standing there suddenly opened his eyes. He then took a step forward, and it covered one tile on the chess board. "They''re so life-like", he thought as he looked at the pawn move forward to D4.


    The other side responded. A robotic voice sounded in the place. "Pawn at F7. Move to F5", said the robotic voice, and the same thing happened again. But Lucas noticed something happen as he looked at the other side. The King, who had his eyes closed, opened it up the instant the pawn was commanded to move.


    "Alright. I have opened up my way for the Bishop to move", he thought. He then eyes the opposite side, and he saw a hologram of a man over there. The man was covered in shadows, and it was like he was alive. "This is truly fascinating", praised Lucas as he saw the man playing against him.


    "Bishop at C1. Move to G5", he commanded once again. He waited for the other side to give out its command. "Pawn at H7. Move to H6", said the robotic voice again. Lucas was still thinking if this was a good idea. "They''re so life-like. What if something unexpected happens during this time? I hope it''s a game of normal chess and not something with supernatural powers", he chuckled.


    "Alright, everything is going according to plan for now. Let''s see if this succeeds. If not, I am going to have to make this game a little longer", he thought. He looked at the countdown and there were around two and a half hours left.


    "Bishop at G5. Move back towards H4", he commanded. The Bishop slid across the floor, and it had a staff in its hands. It was glowing white whilst it moved. Lucas was still in awe at the whole thing. "These things are so otherworldly. Then how are they following the same rules as Earth? Maybe someone from Earth created them?", he thought.


    "Pawn at G7. Move to G5", said the robotic voice again. Lucas wanted to smile wide, but he stifled it inside him. "This is a battle of wits and strategies. May the best one win", he said out loud. The move from the other side was an attempt to block the bishop from moving any further, thus trapping it in a solid place.


    "Alright. After seeing that these things are life-like, I don''t want to do what I''m about to do", he thought. "Pawn at E2. Move to E4", he commanded. He now had two of his pawns out, while the other side had three of their pawns drawn out.


    "Pawn at G5. Move to H4" said the robotic voice again. The moment the other side made its move, a loud sound was heard. "BOOM!", came a noise as he saw the Bishop being blown to smithereens.


    Rubble was flying around, and the Bishop was truly dead. Lucas looked at it and gulped down his saliva. "Well, I thought there might be blood and something like that. But this? this is truly unprecedented", he thought as he looked at the board.


    He then steeled his nerves and looked at the board. The King on his side was looking at him evident anger in his eyes. Lucas then smiled at him, which provoked more anger from the King. "Well, time to finish this thing, and move to the next round", he thought as he called out his move.


    "Queen at D1. Move to H5", he said in a commanding tone. The queen''s eyes lit up, and the crown above her head began to glow white. She then transversely moved across the board, and she quickly reached the tile that Lucas mentioned. Lucas then smiled as he looked at the play he had pulled off.


    "Checkmate!", he smiled at his victory. The Shadow that was on the other side did a bow, and they disappeared. Lucas got down from the corridor, and he ran across the board. He then saw the tiles on the opposite side come to life, and they were about to surround him. " Is this is a part of chess?", he thought.


    Time was ticking down, and everybody knelt to him. Then a notification popped up in front of him.


    [The pieces of the Wizard''s Chess Set wish to reward you]


    [Do you accept? Yes/No]


    Lucas was shocked. "Well, if it''s a reward, then I shall gladly accept it", he thought as he pressed ''Yes''.


    [Reward of the White Wizard Chess Set King]


    [Title: Master Tactician]


    [Master Tactician: Any plans formulated when equipped with this title, have a ninety percent success rate. Only usable when commanding large troops]


    [Reward of the Black Wizard Chess Set King]


    [Title: The Schemer]


    [The Schemer: This title allows the user to change his facial expression to the opposite of what he is feeling. Can be equipped and unequipped at will]


    "Well, these are good rewards. And I thought the White King must be extremely angry at me", he thought. He accepted their show of good faith, and he was about to move when another notification popped up.


    [The Shadow Tactician wishes to reward you]


    [Do you accept? Yes/No]


    "What will this be?", he thought in anticipation. He was rubbing his hands in glee as he pressed ''Yes''.


    [Reward of The Shadow Tactician]


    [Item: Wizard''s Chess Set]


    [Wizard''s Chess Set: This is a Domain-type Item. Once cast, the caster will be able to see any moves that are being made within this domain and have absolute authority on the side he commands. Rules can be altered by the caster]


    "That''s going to be very useful for me", he thought as he accepted the reward. He recalled his father''s words, and he knew this would be very crucial if things started to go south. He then moved away from the board, and he saw the pieces go back to their forms, and the Bishop that was broken was brought back.


    "Well, if it could be mended, then I shouldn''t have worried too much about this", he smiled. He then left the room and headed down the path that lead him out of the building, and he reached a fork. "Which way?", he asked Valentine. "Well, you will have to choose, and solve something that you see to open up the path", replied Valentine.


    Lucas looked and saw a board in front of him, and on it were some words. "A man kidnapped another woman and placed her in a cage. He said, he was going to set a poisonous snake loose and let her be burned to death, or he was going to drown her by filling up the cage. What decision did the woman choose?", read the sign.


    "Beware: Each answer has its path. The right answer will have a smooth path. The wrong answer will have the path filled with danger", read below the riddle. "So we must make a choice. And each choice has its consequences", pondered Lucas.


    He then began to think. "What kind of a choice I will make when I''m put in this situation? Do I have a weapon to face against the snakes? And what type of cage am I locked into?", he thought.


    He assumed the worst. "Let''s assume the kidnapper just left me with these two choices. I have no weapon. And he has the advantage.. Now, how do I fool him into thinking that I would face certain doom from his choices?", he thought.

 Chapter 79 - The Maze (Part Four)

    He then began to think about every possible option in his mind. "Whatever the case may be, poisonous snakes are never an option. With water, there might be a chance to survive", he thought. He then looked at the board and saw a line below the question.


    He did the same and wrote the answer with his blood. The path to his right opened up, and he began to run. "Seems like you have taken a shortcut, kid", said Valentine. Lucas smiled, and he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. The countdown was down to two hours, and he didn''t know how much of The Maze he had completed.


    "Around twenty-five percent. You will make it in time", said Valentine as he read Lucas''s mind. "Alright, take a right up ahead", said Valentine. And Lucas took the right, and he felt something crash into his stomach. He went flying back, and he held his stomach in pain. "What kind of a blow is that?", he thought.


    He then looked up and saw three Minotaurs. One of them had manipulated its hands into hammers. ''So that''s what hit me?", thought Lucas as he looked at the Minotaurs. The Minotaurs huffed out, and smoke was seen coming out of their nostrils. "Well. I was wondering where were the beasts", smiled Lucas as he got up from the floor.


    Robert and Michelle moved in sync and killed the Minotaurs in a single blow. Emilia shot through the head of the last one, and they began to move again. "This will save us some time", he said as he turned to look at Lucas.


    Lucas smiled at their effort, and he knew what they did was crucial. He then stood up and began to run again. This time, his run was slower than before, as he felt extreme pain whenever he tried to take deep breaths. "Seems like that one hit broke a rib", he thought.


    He then saw a vine that was growing on one of the walls, and he tore it out. He then took a deep breath and identified the spot in which the pain occurred. He tied the vine right underneath his rib, near his diaphragm. He then took a breath and felt the pain was much better.


    "No time to use healing magic. Need to run", were his only thoughts as he was running in a straight line. "Now, turn left", said Valentine. Lucas turned left, and he saw a dozen goblins. "Ah, this sucks!", he thought. He pulled out his Dual Blades, and he slashed at the nearest goblin.


    He then moved in a flow, as he cut down every goblin in sight. "Let''s move", he said as he resumed his run. The pangs in his chest grew, but he hid it quite well. "I have to guide them out. After that, I can recover", he thought.


    [Broken Bone detected]


    [If left unattended, will take away -2 HP per minute]


    "Oh wow, really had to do that huh?", frowned Lucas, Now his time had gotten much shorter. He wanted to run when he remembered the potions he had. "Will those work?", he thought. "Sadly, no. Unless you find a healer or heal yourself, it will not work", said Valentine.


    "Alright. Guess I''m going to have to stop for a few minutes", he thought. He was feeling extreme pain now, and he saw his HP go down slowly. "Anyone here knows Healing Magic?", he asked. Everyone nodded their head sideways, indicating that they didn''t have any knowledge in that aspect.


    "Well, seems like I will have to make this faster. If I lose almost 2 HP points every minute, then I have less than two hours", he thought. He was in a dire situation, and it seemed like nothing could aid his injuries at the moment.


    "Alright, there is only one way to deal with this. To be as fast as I can", he thought. He then began to run once again, with the pain still hurting him. Every minute that passed, he was losing his HP. But he never stopped to think about it. "We''ve reached fifty percent of the maze", said Valentine.


    "How much time left?", he asked again. "About an hour and forty-five minutes", said Robert as he looked at the time. Lucas smiled. "No time to stop", he smiled as he pulled his thoughts together again.


    He felt himself getting slower as he was losing his HP. He had begun to pant now, and his face was covered in sweat. "How much left?", he asked Valentine. "You''re almost there. You''ve reached eighty percent", said Valentine.


    Lucas smiled wide, and he sat down in a meditative state for a few minutes. He felt a little better from before, and his breath had stabilized. "What are the obstacles that will come now? It seems like it has been going too smoothly", he thought as he looked at the path ahead. There was no riddle or anything. Just a plain old-fashioned door.


    He smiled as he got up and went towards the door, and he pushed it open. It opened with a creak, and the room inside lit up when it was opened. "Why do I feel like I''ve seen this somewhere before?", he thought.


    He then looked at the center and saw a beast resting. It was in a state of sleep. He proceeded to use his [Inspect] and was astonished at the information he saw.


    [Legendary Tier Beast - Twin-Headed Python]


    [This beast is said to be an offspring of the Medusa. It can use poison, and its breath can make someone into stone, although partially. It isn''t as powerful as Medusa. Weaknesses: Unknown]


    "Woah, we''re facing with an offspring of Medusa? If the offspring is the Legendary Tier, just how strong will Medusa be?", he thought. A laugh sounded in his head. "Don''t worry kid. If you meet her, I''m sure you will be beaten down in twenty seconds given your pathetic stats", said Valentine.


    Lucas wasn''t surprised. Instead, his heart was fired up again. He looked at the beast that was asleep, and he steeled his nerves. "Well, by defeating you, I will have moved further in my journey to become strong", he thought as he smiled. He pulled out his Exploding Ice Sword, as it was more high-tiered than the dual blades.


    He was about to move when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "You''re injured, and you need some rest. We''ll handle this one", said Robert and he looked at everyone. He then sat down in a meditative state again, and he looked at his stats.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 266/350] [-2 HP every minute]


    [MP: 312/350]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 7950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 46]


    [Stamina: 45]


    [Agility: 46+19]


    [Perception: 43]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


    "Well, seems like I still have quite the remaining HP. If I take a potion, will I be able to extend the period?'', he thought. He thought back to Valentine''s words. He remembered him saying that it will not be able to heal the injury. "But it can surely increase the duration of the time", he thought.


    He was about to down the potion, and he saw everyone fighting against the beast. Robert was keeping it distracted, and Emilia was slowly gathering damage by shooting at the beast. Tobias and Michelle were waiting for their turns. "Seems like they have a solid plan", he thought as he saw the coordination between them.


    He then saw them both jump back, and Tobias and Michelle moved forward. Tobias punched through one of the heads, while Michelle chopped the other head off of it. "Even though I need rest, it''s such a waste of EXP", he thought.


    He had recovered enough stamina for him to run towards the end of The Maze. He got up from the ground, and he began to follow the route said by Valentine again. They reached the ending in ten minutes, and they stood in front of an enormous gate.


    "What do we have here? A gate, but with no keyhole?", he thought. He looked around and saw nothing that indicated there was a method to open the door. He looked at the gate, and around it to make sure that his search was thorough.


    "Then how in the world are we supposed to escape this maze?", he thought as he looked around. Nothing was making sense to him now. "Think Lucas. There must be a way to escape this place", he thought as he began to feel the gate.


    "The gate is smooth, and there seems to be no keyhole. There are also no riddles or anything that is indicated in opening it. Maybe it has something to do with Magic?", he thought. He then activated his [Mana Vision], and that''s when he saw it.


    "What in the world is this?", he thought as his jaw dropped.

 Chapter 80 - The Rematch With Mantis! (Part One)

    Lucas couldn''t believe what he was seeing. The possibility that he could only see it using [Mana Vision] confirmed the fact that this thing which he was seeing was no ordinary foe.


    [King Tier Beast - Humanoid Praying Mantis (Inferior Mana Beast)]


    [This Humanoid Praying Mantis has exceeded the level of Beasts and has become a Mana Beast. They have formed their Mana Cores, thus making them a terrifying existence in nature. Weakness: Mana Core]


    "Well, seems like I will be having a rematch", smiled Lucas as he pulled out his sword, and he felt his HP go low again. "This is going to be a tough match, thus I will have to get ready and be in top shape for this one", he thought as he pulled out a recovery potion.


    [Advanced HP potion consumed. 200 HP points gained]


    [HP: 335/350]


    "Not in top shape, but I think this is manageable", he thought as he smiled wide. Everyone that was around him was confused as to why Lucas had his sword drawn, and what they were facing. "What is wrong? I see no monsters?", asked Robert. Lucas turned around and pointed his fingers to his eyes.


    "Channel your Mana or Aura into your eyes and you will be able to see what I am seeing. But whatever you do, do not interfere in this one", he said in a stern voice. Everybody was confused. "But your condition...", began Emilia, but she was cut short by the look on his face.


    "Very well, I understand. Just stay safe", she said with a tinge of worry in her voice. Lucas smiled as he turned his head back to the beast. He then spread his arms wide. "Looks like we meet again, Mantis", he said in an enthusiastic voice.


    The Mantis looked at him like it was looking at some insect. "Human. Who are you? Have we met before?", it spoke. And this time it wasn''t via telepathy. "Wow, so now you could speak?", said Lucas in astonishment.


    He was still taking in the fact that the Legendary Beast that he faced for the first time, now had a tier upgrade. But he wasn''t afraid. Instead, his body was trembling with excitement. He wanted to face the first opponent that he had lost to.


    "Well, it was partially thanks to you that I was able to get this system and awaken my Magic and Aura. So I must thank you for this", he thought as he smiled. He then closed his eyes and did an [Aura Slash] to test the waters of the Beast that was in front of him.


    "Pfft. Weak", it said as it slashed across it and broke it in two. Lucas wasn''t surprised. Instead, his resolve to face it grew stronger. "If this becomes a battle of attrition, then I won''t be able to win. I will have to kill it, and quickly at that", he thought. He didn''t know where the Mana Core was, and he had to find that to defeat the beast.


    "Now, how will I be able to find the Mana Core?", he thought. He was already using [Mana Vision], so he was still confused as to what to do. "Well, if this doesn''t work, then I will have to think of a way to make it expose the weak spot", he thought.


    He channeled more of his Aura into his eyes, and now he began to see some of the nerves of the mantis. "For me to use this much Aura, and still unable to see the weak spot. Guess I''ll have to go old school", he thought as he looked at the mantis.


    He then made his move. He didn''t use any styles, as he had to feel out the strength of the beast. He moved towards it swiftly, and he kept running in a zigzag fashion. The beast readied itself for the attack, and it brandished its blade-like hands, ready to rip Lucas to shreds.


    Lucas made a feint from its left and made a strike from its right. The mantis didn''t fall for it, and it parried his strike. Lucas''s smile widened, and he struck again. This time it wasn''t from his left. It parried again. "The Dual Blades won''t withstand against this type of blade", he thought as he looked at his sword.


    The Mantis was slowly chipping away at the durability of the weapon, and clangs were heard as Lucas hit to his left and right. The sword now had cracks across its surface, but Lucas still smiled. "His sword is going to break", said Michelle and Tobias in worry.


    Robert was the only one who had a smile on his face as he knew of the weapon''s abilities. Nobody noticed his smile, neither the glint that momentarily flashed across Lucas''s eyes. "Playtime''s over", he thought as he leaped back. He then began to channel his aura throughout his body, and his demeanor changed.


    He channeled his Mana into his Sword, and it began to repair itself. "You''re the only blacksmith that could make a self-repairing weapon. This means that the weapon is indestructible", thought Robert as he was, once again in awe of Lucas''s feat.


    Lucas, on the other hand, was analyzing his attack patterns. "Whenever I near his right side of the chest, it seems like he is tightening his defenses over there", he thought. He smirked as he had found the clue he was looking for.


    "This time, I shall win. With my strength", he thought. He moved fast and kicked up the rubble of The Maze. "This time, allow me to introduce you to something. I call this Advantage of the Terrain", he smirked as he jumped from wall to wall, and built his momentum.


    He then somersaulted in the air, and cast an [Icicle], and used it as a springboard to use the momentum against the Mantis. The smirk on his face grew wide, and Robert saw that he was enjoying himself. "Go, Lucas. Go all out", thought Robert in glee.


    Lucas then activated his Rage Mode. The mark spread across his forearm, and he thrust the sword right into the right side of the mantis''s chest. But the mantis deflected it easily. "Not yet", muttered Lucas as he felt his hit go off the mark. But he quickly cast another [Icicle] and jumped off it.


    He went behind the Mantis, and he stabbed it again. The Mantis just disappeared, using its camouflage. "These tricks work on me again", said Lucas as he looked around. he had some experience in dealing with camouflage from last time.


    He closed his eyes began to listen to his surroundings. He felt a move coming from his left. He dodged it effortlessly. "Come on, Mantis. You''re faster than that", said Lucas. The Mantis was mad now.


    "You human! You think you''re all high and mighty?", he said in a loud chittering voice. The Mantis''s blade began to glow green, and it began to slice the air. Lucas sensed the Wind Blades and dodged it. Lucas smirked. "Come at me as you did back then", he thought.


    He remembered the clip in which he saw him using Magic and Aura. "Let me try to recreate that situation", he thought. "I cast [Icicle], except it was from the ground, and each was larger than my average [Icicle]", he thought. "Maybe if I try it with my feet instead", he thought.


    He then smirked as he plunged his sword into the ground. "[Flowing Ice Bind]", he activated the skill. The Mantis was trapped in his bind, and Lucas didn''t step forward. He closed his eyes and stomped his feet as he activated [Icicle].


    A small spike came out from the ground, and Lucas smiled. "That was what I was looking for", he thought as he looked at The Mantis. But he couldn''t see it anywhere. He then felt a sense of danger crawk under his skin. He rolled on the ground in front, and he stood up again.


    He saw the Mantis in the place he was standing, and the blades had missed his neck by an inch. "Guess you do have to trust your instincts", thought Lucas. The Mantis licked the blade. "Dance, Human", it said. Lucas got frustrated as it reminded him of something it said in the past.


    "I''m not the same anymore", he seethed. "Let me empty the Rage Meter", he thought as he unleashed the full strength of the Rage Meter. His movements were tripled by speed and force. Robert saw him move and he was astonished. "There must be some price to pay for that strength", he thought.


    Lucas struck The Mantis this time, and The Mantis felt threatened by his strength. "This Human is growing minute by minute?", it thought as it eyed him. Lucas saw the look and smirked. "Prepare for your funeral, Mantis", he said as he jumped back.


    Lucas smiled as he then placed the sword back into its sheath, and began to load it with his Aura again.

 Chapter 81 - The Rematch With Mantis (Part Two)

    "What is he about to do? And what kind of a beast is that? For us to use the Aura in our eyes to even have a look at it", thought everyone. But Lucas didn''t falter. His concentration to the max, he looked at the beast in front of him. "I will overcome you, and grow myself", he thought.


    "I don''t know if this will work. It is said that only after the unification will it work", he recalled the words from his family. He was trying to bring out something that he was forbidden to do. "Well, I am really curious as to what will happen if I do it", he thought.


    "Heart Family: First Form. Explosive Stance", he muttered as his whole body shook. He felt his whole body erupt with Mana, and his Aura was overflowing. There was a slight amount of blood that began to trickle from the ends of his mouth. "Indeed, never try to do this again", he thought.


    His blood vessels had erupted. "Unless I go through ''that'' process, I can''t handle the backlash", he thought. "You sly kid, you are cunning. You know that I wouldn''t let you die, and to heal yourself from the damage, you decided to do this", he said.


    Lucas smiled wide. "I''m caught. Thought I could fool you", he said with a chuckle. He coughed out blood, but he didn''t falter from this. His eyes were bloodshot, and he crouched. His Mana and Aura began to intertwine, and it formed a bluish orange hue. He then made his move.


    He took a step forward and the Mana in the air surrounded him. His Aura was also rising to the point that everyone was trembling slightly. "Just what kind of a technique is that?", thought everyone. "I''m coming, Mantis", he said. He moved like the flash, and all everyone saw was an orange line in his path.


    The Mantis, on the other side, could see him move clearly. His movements were only visible to Mantis, all because it was a Mana Beast. "Trying to use Mana against me? Too Weak!", it said as it moved just like him. It then used its blade and tried to slice Lucas in the abdomen.


    "Ah, alright. I''ll use it", said Valentine in frustration. Lucas smiled, as he felt the pain from his body alleviate slowly. He then saw the notification he wanted to.


    [Regeneration has been activated]


    [Regenerating Torn Ligaments and Muscles]


    [Regenerating Broken Bones]


    [Regenerating Nervous System]


    [Regenerating Mana Channels]


    "You happy now? Even the broken bone is going to be healed now", said Valentine in frustration. "To be able to manipulate me, the one who is bound with this system", he thought. Lucas, on the other hand, felt the warmth of healing spread through his body.


    The Mantis and he clashed, and The Mantis felt itself being pushed back. "What kind of power is this?", it said in astonishment. Lucas replied with a smile. "A power that is passed down through the generations of our family. Even I, being a strong person in sword combat, can never bring out the full potential", he smirked.


    The Mantis acknowledged him with his strength. "Human. What is your name?", it asked. "My name is Lucas Heart", he said as he stepped back. He didn''t change his stance and he moved once again. His movements were like water, his strikes like waves. They were crashing against the blades of The Mantis, damaging them slowly.


    Lucas''s focus was shifted from his surroundings to only the fight. He couldn''t hear anything from anyone, and the looks that everyone was giving. Every breath he took, he could hear it. His heart racing, his adrenaline pumping, and the swinging of his sword. He felt everything. He could even hear slashes that were being made by The Mantis.


    The Mantis was also concentrated on the fight. He didn''t care about the time and any other worry. "This feeling... it''s exhilarating", he thought. "Just what is this feeling?", was his train of thought.


    For Robert and the others, they saw his eyes being filled with Mana. And his movements were leaving behind lines like they were moving too fast. Robert was in awe. "He has entered ''The Zone''", he said. Everyone was surprised like him. "Seems like it was unintentional. But how did he enter that state? Even I have entered that state only thrice in my whole life", he said out loud.


    Lucas slashed, and along with it came his explosive Aura. it cut the blade of The Mantis in two. He then thrust his blade into the right side of the chest, and it pierced into the Mana Core. "That was a good fight", said The Mantis as it faded from existence. Lucas was feeling fatigued from the destruction and regeneration of his whole body.


    "Never do that again", he said as he placed the sword into the ground for support. He then heard Valentine''s stern voice. "Never use that technique again. Not until you have finished the process of ''Channel Integration''. Got it?", he said. Lucas couldn''t speak, so he just nodded his head in agreement.


    "Don''t want to ever experience something like that again", he thought as he looked around. He picked up the key, and he placed it near the gate. A keyhole appeared, and along with it was a riddle.


    "What is the most precious commodity?


    That which when needed seemingly is never enough,


    Yet otherwise can be boringly plentiful.


    While waking is oft dreamt of,


    Whilst pining can scarcely be thought of.


    For beings, is allotted in finite but indefinite quantity.


    The more that''s given, the more is wasted.


    Freedom is akin though this is something more simple,


    Not related to virtue or sin.


    Unless perhaps, without freedom, or it''s limit.


    What is it?"


    He read it out aloud. "How many minutes left?", he asked Robert. He looked at the time and smiled. "We have ten minutes remaining", he said. "Maze, What is the record time in which this has been cleared?", he asked.


    [It is 2:58:45]


    Lucas smiled. He knew he can solve this in under a few minutes. But still, he needed to be faster. "Tobias, can you strike me with lightning, but not too potent. I want my brain to process faster", he said. Tobias was taken aback. "But that would fry your brain, and you would turn into a vegetable", he said with worry.


    Lucas knew his worry. "Just do it. I have trained myself in manipulating it internally", he smiled. Tobias nodded as he struck him with a very minuscule amount of lightning. Lucas closed his eyes as he brought the whole lightning to his brain, and constructed a net around his brain.


    "Now, let''s begin", he smiled as he placed his hands on his chin. "Alright let''s think. Line one, What is the most precious commodity? If this is a question and the next lines are a clue, then we will have to think about this very carefully. That which when needed seemingly is never enough, Yet otherwise can be boringly plentiful", he paused.


    "So, something we have in abundance, but we never use it well. There are plenty of things that we, as humans never use properly. Age, time, money, like there, is so much more. But what would fit these criteria", he pondered.


    "Which in abundance, we find it boring, and if rushed, find it less", he thought. He then smiled. "There is only one thing that we always find not enough, and yet enough at the same time. It all adds up. Age, Money, Reputation, anything you take, the base of it all. Time", he thought.


    He then put the key into the keyhole and wrote the answer right next to the riddle. The gate unlocked with a thud. The timer countdown stopped. And Lucas looked at the time that was remaining.


    [Congratulations! You have cleared The Maze!]


    [Time taken - 2:51:35]


    The time Lucas took was only a minute to solve the riddle. All thanks to the lightning given by Tobias. It helped in speeding up his thinking process and ended up being a big help in him setting a record time. "Now, what will the rewards be for setting up a record time?", he thought.


    [Rewards have been calculated]


    [The crystals shall be distributed now]


    A bag of crystals came out as the last time, and everyone took it heartily.


    [Points have been calculated. Each person has 26,800 points. Requirements for the next course have been met. Initiating Survival Wave in 3 hours]


    [Due to setting a new record, you have options to choose from the following Rewards.


    1. Elemental Mana Cores - This can help improve the Mana Potency of the person with the said Element. Will receive a bag of all Elemental Mana Crystals.


    2. Advanced HP Limit Breaker x2, Advanced MP Limit Breaker x2


    3. Angel''s Chestpiece x1 - An Armor used by the fallen Angel Beelzebub


    4. Blueprint of [Staff Of The Elves] x1


    You may choose two among the above]


    [Individual Rewards:


    Robert Van Hueston - Unlocking your Sword Intent (Manual)


    Emilia Burnheart - Domain Fusion (Skill/Manual)


    Tobias Brown - Strengthening Mana Channels (Manual)


    Michelle Cooper - Void Portal (Skill/Manual)


    Lucas Smith - Thermo Reception (Skill/Manual)]

 Chapter 82 - The Maze (Final Part)

    [Due to setting a new record, you have options to choose from the following Rewards.


    1. Elemental Mana Cores - This can help improve the Mana Potency of the person with the said Element. Will receive a bag of all Elemental Mana Crystals.


    2. Advanced HP Limit Breaker x2, Advanced MP Limit Breaker x2


    3. Angel''s Chestpiece x1 - An Armor used by the fallen Angel Beelzebub


    4. Blueprint of [Staff Of The Elves] x1


    You may choose two among the above]


    Now Lucas was in a dilemma. He saw everything was something that was needed. "The Elemental Mana Cores will help us increase our strength, and to replenish our Mana. The HP and MP Limit Breaker potions are something that can be used for me too. And the Staff, I''m sure Emilia would like one. And I don''t know what this Angel''s Chestpiece might be, but all I can say is it is a very good chest piece", he thought.


    Everything was interesting, and everything was something that everyone needed. He didn''t know about the first two, but the second two were something that would help them in the survival round. It was something he was sure about. He decided to discuss it with everyone.


    He then relayed everything to everyone. Tobias was the first to speak. "You don''t seem like you have much Mana inside you.  We have used those potions since we were kids and I think we have a lot more in store than you. So, I think you can take the potions. But the second one, I''m not too sure. My brain''s fried just thinking about this", he smiled.


    Everyone turned and looked at him. "Glad to know that the muscle head has a brain", teased Robert. Everyone began to laugh. A hologram appeared in front of them.


    [As the time has passed the hour, the Survival shall be conducted tomorrow. Initiating Rest Mode]


    Lucas was shocked. It wasn''t just him. Everyone was shocked. "But, isn''t it just like six hours since we came inside?", asked Michelle. Lucas then understood the phenomenon. "Seems like time in the tower is different indeed. Since we have been in here for twenty-four hours, it deems that we need rest. Just what in the world is this portal?", he asked in awe.


    A small building rose out from the grounds, and in it were five rooms. Everyone took one room for each of them, and they began to freshen up. Lucas was the one who needed it the most. His dress was drenched in blood again. "This is the second time this has happened. I have to improve myself", he thought.


    He took a clean shower and took out a set of clothes from his inventory. He then looked at the exclusive he had received, Thermo Reception.


    [Thermo Reception - Use the power of Flames to determine heat signatures around you]


    "Wow, this skill will be really helpful for me. Like all the time", he smiled. He remembered the times he got hit while he was running through the maze. "Does this maze reward according to the people''s performance? If it does, then I think clearing this portal will be a good thing, and a bad thing too", he dived deep into thought.


    After everyone got refreshed, everyone met up in the hall that was in the center of all the rooms. It was a large hall, with five doors. Three on the left and two on the left. The girls took the ones on the left, and the guys took the ones on the right. Lucas began his thoughts.


    "I think this portal is like a training ground. Like training to the other portals that have opened around the world. Like, everyone got things that we need the most. And it seems like the rewards are being tailored accordingly. So if it is like this, then I do not want to clear this portal", he said.


    Everyone was shocked at what he said. "But if we clear it, then our names will be recorded in history", said Emilia. Everyone agreed to what she said. But Lucas''s next line made them think. "If we clear this one, do you think there is a chance that anyone other than us will be able to clear the whole UCDM list? If this is the training ground, then I think it is best to leave it so that other people will be able to improve themselves in this place", he said.


    This struck everyone''s thoughts. "That is true. We do need other hunters to increase their strengths. And that would help us in clearing these portals quicker", said Robert. Tobias was just sitting idly. "What do you think, Tobias?", asked everyone. He looked around the room with his eyes wide.


    "Me?", he then creased his eyes like he was thinking hard. "We could become superheroes of Earth. Protectors Of The Earth! Like the Avengers!", he said with a slight rise in his voice. Robert smacked the back of his head, and everyone began to laugh. Lucas was still weak due to the use of the technique.


    He began to cough out some blood, and he wiped it off on his sleeve. Everyone stopped laughing and looked at him with worry. "Don''t worry, I can handle this. It''s something normal for me", he smiled. He then bid good night to everyone and left the place. He went outside and looked far into the sky, which had now turned dark. It was just like the night sky on Earth.


    "Just what kind of an entity are you, Portal? Who opened you up? And he more confusing question, if this is all the doing of someone, who is it?", he muttered. "Maybe someone far beyond our reach", came a voice from behind him. "Robert", he smiled at him. Robert came and stood next to him.


    "That move you used against the final beast, what move was it?", he asked. He was taking a guess, but he had to be sure if his hunch was right. Lucas sighed. "It is a move forbidden to me, at least until I reach the third stage of Aura. Unification of both Mana and Aura", he smiled.


    Robert smiled. "You''re not Lucas Smith, are you? You''re from the Royal Family, right?", he asked. Lucas sighed. "And that is why I shouldn''t have used it", he said in a low voice. Robert smiled. "Well, look who it is. The Third Prince of the Heart Kingdom, Lucas Heart. And don''t worry, I don''t think anyone would know the move you used", he smiled at him.


    "How did you recognize the move?", he asked. Robert smiled. "There was once when I saw this movie. And that one time, the pure amount of power that radiated from this move left me in awe. The reason I''m pursuing the path of the sword is to meet this person, and maybe learn from him", he said as he looked into the sky.


    Lucas looked at him and saw admiration in his eyes. The way he was looking into the sky, and the way he said it, made it seem like he was chasing the silhouette of this person. "Who is he?", he asked. "The King of this Kingdom, or your father, Benjamin Heart, I must say", he said.


    Lucas didn''t say anything. He knew about the deed of his father that was spread throughout the kingdom, but for someone to have witnessed it in action, that was something Lucas didn''t expect.


    "Well, there is something I must say then. My master once told me this. Do not chase someone, rather take them as someone as your equal. Look at the efforts that they poured. Look at their methods and the way they trained. Study them. Then, integrate it into your sword. With their efforts, and your training, you will reach the level they are at", quoted Lucas.


    Lucas just turned around and left Robert to ponder upon the words he told him. "Study them, huh?", he smiled as he looked at Lucas. "I have someone I acknowledge as my rival. I shall study you, Lucas Heart", he decided.


    (At The Heart Palace)


    Ben and Merlin had finished packing up their stuff, and they left the palace. They made they''re leaving intentional, as they wanted to sniff out the traitor among them. "Alright, I''ll be leaving. Just make sure to take good care of the kingdom",  he said to Sam. Sam understood in an instant what was happening.


    "A rat amongst us, huh?", he smiled. The code word ''take good care'', was a way of saying that there is a rat amongst us. Ben and Merlin got into the car that was parked in front of them, and he started the car. He left the palace and headed towards The Watch Guardian''s Tower.


    After ten minutes after they left, he felt a crash. He left the car and saw an elderly on the ground, clasping his leg. Ben chuckled. "Come out, this is a very old trick", he said out loud. Then emerged out a group of people with black hoods, and they were around fifty of them.. "Just a small amount of you guys think you can take me down?", he said as he laughed.

 Chapter 83 - The Beastization (Part One)

    Merlin joined in the laugh. "Don''t take us for fools! We are ''The Omega''!", said a man amongst them. Ben moved in an instant, and he reappeared in front of the man that spoke. "And that is why you must be wary of who I am", said Ben as he crushed the skull of the man that spoke.


    "Pawns", he smiled as he saw the symbol on their robes. Merlin joined in the fight, and they quickly disposed of them in a few minutes. One of the men ran towards a forest that was on the side, but they saw Ben standing in front of them in an instant. He turned and bumped into someone. He looked up and saw a smile across the face Merlin.


    "Devils! You aren''t humans! Demons!", he screamed out loud. Merlin''s smile faded as soon as he heard his words. "We are not DEMONS!", he said as he lifted the man into the air by grabbing his throat. Merlin''s eye began to turn, and Ben noticed it.


    "Merlin, you''re losing it again", said Ben in a soothing voice. Merlin came back to his senses. He let go of the man and Ben captured him. "Now, you will tell me who informed you of our movements", he smiled, and the man shuddered as he heard Ben. "No no NO!!!", he screamed as he felt his leg being twisted.


    After a few minutes of torture, He gave up and confessed. "I am the spy that you are looking for", he said as he couldn''t take it anymore. The pain he felt was excruciating, and it broke his spirit completely. "You know what is the punishment for traitors", said Ben. The man nodded his head, ready to let his life be.


    Ben slashed across his neck, and his head rolled on the floor.  He then got into the car and headed towards their destination. He passed the message to Sam, but also warned him to remain vigilant. As something inside him was telling him that this would not be the end of this.


    After an hour, they reached a tall tower on the other end of the Kingdom. It was tall, and it was covered in black. Unless someone knew the location of the tower, it looked like no one would be able to find it, as it was on the backside of a mountain. Merlin was impressed with his ingenuity.


    "You never cease to amaze me", said Merlin in awe. He then entered the tower, and there stood both Leon and Bradley. They were both wearing the scientist gear, all covered in white coats. "Never thought I would see Leon like this again", said Ben with a chuckle. "Indeed, and I think we would need to speed this up. We have a wave approaching us", said Leon.


    Ben nodded his head and got serious. Even Merlin understood the seriousness of the situation, and they quickly changed their clothes. He then moved to the bed, and countless needles were being injected into them.


    "Now, you will be in a state of half-sleep. You will feel whatever is happening around you, and you will also be able to tell that something that isn''t happening around you. You will enter the Eye of the Mind. That is where the Demon Tier Beast resides. Good luck", said Leon as he began to inject fluids into Ben and Merlin''s body at the same time.


    The fluids were blue, and they helped Ben and Merlin go into the state of half drowsiness. That was when both of them heard a voice in their mind. "Seems like you have finally decided to accept us as a part of you", said the voices.


    (Ben''s Eye of The Mind)


    Ben was looking around, and as far as his eyes could see, he saw grass. And there were some meadows in between them, but the most noticeable thing was that the surrounding looked like a place he knew. And all too familiar. "This is the pace I first Martha", he smiled as he looked around.


    He saw a swing and an oak tree with a thick branch. He went up to the place and smiled. "And this was where Sam went when he went missing for the first time. Saying that this was more fun than studying. Ah, that little brat", he smiled. Every place that he could see, there was an important memory.


    Then, he noticed something standing in the middle of it all. A Beast. With which he had merged. The Diamond Tiger Beetle. But what was shocking was that it was in its most Basic Form. "Welcome, Benjamin. It''s been a long time since I last saw you here", said a voice.


    Ben recognized that voice instantly. He looked towards the Beast that was standing in the middle, and there was an insuppressible amount of anger bursting through him. "Why? Why did you choose these places?", he asked as he seethed in rage.


    The beast tilted its head in confusion. "The reason? Let me be straight here. I do not wish to be sealed. Yes, I do have the power to take control of you at any given moment, and I can wreak as much havoc as I can. But have I ever done that? I have kept up my promise for all this while, and I wish to do the same till the end of time", said the Beast.


    Ben was moved. He remembered the deal he had struck with the beast ten years ago. The day that this Beast was about to go rampant. "I will help you, and fulfil your desires. All I wish for, is you do not harm the humans. I know they have done terrible things to you, and even killed your kin. But we will have our revenge. I beg you to be patient", he recalled.


    The memory that he was thinking about began to play in front of him. It was a dark rainy day, and it was the day after he had killed The Mad Scientist. That was the day, the first time he saw what it was like to lose control of this power. A massacre was the least and simplest form in which the scene he saw could be described.


    That day, Ben vowed to never use this power again, and he made a deal with the beast. Then using his system, he placed a lock on it, and since then he had never used the power once. But now that the system had been passed down, he needed to confront the Beast once again.


    "Tell you what. Defeat me in all of my forms, and I will be in your full control. That is, I will let you become a full Beastman", said the Beast. Ben nodded his head and he moved. He flashed from the place, and he appeared in front of the Beast. He then thrust his hand straight through its heart, killing it in an instant.


    "That was just the Basic Tier", laughed the beast as it began to reconstruct itself. Now, it had moved up a tier and was at the Intermediate Tier. The beast grew in size, and now the shell was glistening a little. Ben smiled wide. "It''s been a long time since I had gone all out", he thought as he stretched his hands and feet.


    He moved once again, and this time it was faster than before. The stats which he had when he had the system were quite a lot.


    [Status]


    [Name: Benjamin Heart]


    [HP: 3500/3500]


    [MP: 3500/3500]


    [Level: 100]


    [Job: Sword Guardian]


    [Title: King Of The Heart Kingdom, Monster Slayer, The One with Death, Beast Tamer, Wielder of The Guardian''s Sword, Guardian''s Blessing, Path to The Successor]


    [EXP: ????/??????]


    [System Level: 10/10]


    [Strength: 300+]


    [Stamina: 300+]


    [Agility: 300+]


    [Perception: 300+]


    [Magic: 300+]


    [Stat points to be used: 0]


    Three hundred-plus was the limit of his body. Every body has a limit, and thus the system which was being passed down throughout the family has the unique ability to adapt to the wielder accordingly. And with these stats, there were only a few people who could defeat Benjamin.


    He quickly finished the beast, moving to the next stage. This kept happening until it reached the Demi-God Tier. That was when he summoned his weapon. In the Eye of The Mind, one has to imagine the appearance of anything, and it shall appear before him. And now, the weapon he was holding was the one that gave him his job, Sword Guardian.


    The Beast instantly moved up a Tier and bowed in defeat. "I can never defeat you, and I have always known that. But I wanted to see if you are worthy of this power. For a righteous man like you, this power is the most suitable", said the Beast.


    Then, Ben''s eyes widened as he saw the Demon Tier Beast, turn humanoid. It turned into a complete human, and it was walking towards him. It became a man. He had a face just like Benjamin''s, only that his eyes were green, and his hair was flowing down his back.. It reached his hips, and it was shining like a diamond.

 Chapter 84 - The Beastization (Part Two)

    The legs had some Diamond protruding from the sides, and he was walking towards him in slow strides. "This shall be your final test. This, in the form you will be able to take after you become a full Beastman", said the Diamond Tiger Beetle Humanoid.


    He threw diamonds towards Ben''s face, and he moved quickly. "That was close", he thought but then saw a shiny fist in the front of his face. Ben got punched square in the face, and he was sprawling across the meadow. "Well, this feeling. I thought I had lost this a long time ago", he smiled as he clenched his chest.


    "Da-dump. Da-dump", he heard in his ears. The feeling of adrenaline, and the feeling of facing someone powerful. This was something that he had long lost, as most of the foes, he faced were either low tiered or just pawns like the one he killed. He then smiled and crouched on the ground.


    "Let''s fight to our heart''s content", he said as he moved. He whizzed past the Beast, and he quickly turned around and kicked its legs, and he felt extreme pain in his body. "Diamonds are hard", he thought as he smiled. The both of them began to fight, and blasts were heard throughout the place that was surrounding.


    The fight was leaving craters in the beautiful place, and it was now slowly turning into barren land. Ben and the Beast didn''t seem to care. Ben''s eyes were glowing orange, and the eyes of the Beast were sparkling. It was emitting all kinds of lights, and Ben was once again sent sprawling to the ground.


    He coughed up blood, but he wasn''t injured that much. He wiped it off the sleeve of his shirt, and he summoned his sword. The Beast then moved again, and it extended both of its hands into blades. And it slashed straight at his neck. Ben parried the strike. "I will not use any moves, let me just enjoy this feeling a little longer", he said.


    The beast smiled. "You''re crazy, you know that old man?", he said. Ben smiled. "Well, you''re not so young yourself, might I remind you", he joked back. Then, the two began to exchange moves once again. In a few minutes, there was fore all around, and there was nothing in sight.


    Both of them were panting hard, and there were multiple sword hilts stuck into the ground. "In the end, I win", said the Beast. "No you don''t", said Ben as he grinned wide. He disappeared from the place and appeared right behind the beast, and had a new sword right at his neck.


    "You know I can still block it, right?", he replied with a tinge of sarcasm. "But that isn''t the point, I have made you surrender", said Ben as he pointed around. The beast looked around, and he saw multiple clones of Ben, all pointing a sword at each vital point of his. "Well, you do have a point now", said the Beast as it surrendered.


    (In the Lab, The Watch Guardian''s Tower)


    Leon was watching as the hue around both of them was changing. Ben''s went from Red to dark green, and now it was Green. His body slowly began to morph into the beast which he had seen in the Eye of The Mind, and he was strapped down for emergency.


    "A steady rise in the heartbeat. No fluctuations. The integration of the DNA has begun. Begin injecting Regeneration Serum", said Leon. He was now wearing a pair of glasses, and he was giving commands to Bradley. He seemed to be listening to them without any complaints. The blue fluids were now changed to dark green.


    Ben''s body began to crumble. His bones were now breaking down, and his muscles were realigning themselves. The pain shot through the roof, and Ben grit his teeth. He couldn''t bear it after five minutes, and he began to scream at the top of his voice. "AAAAHHHH!", he screamed.


    "Inject Anesthesia, Top Grade", instructed Leon. He was the only one that knew the process of this quite well, and the step he did was needed for the body to adapt to the change. Another tube was now carrying a Dark orange liquid, and it soothed the pain that Ben was feeling.


    After a few minutes, Ben''s body had changed into the beast that was inside. His hair was sparkly, and his hands and legs had diamonds protruding out the sides. But the legs were normal humans instead of the stick-like legs of the Beast.


    After another hour, Ben''s consciousness began to return to his body, and he was about to deactivate the power. "Don''t do it. You must keep it up for twenty-four hours as we need to observe if there are any side effects", said Leon and Bradley at the same time.


    He smiled and stood there looking at Merlin, as the hue around him was a dark green. "Just what is happening, Merlin?", he muttered as he closed his eyes.


    (Merlin''s Eye of The Mind)


    Merlin''s place was different from Ben''s. The place was filled with buildings, and there were people''s voices that were heard all around him. "This is the place I grew up", he thought as he looked around. He then moved around, and he saw a beast seated above one of the highest towers. "The Peregrine Tungsten Falcon", he muttered.


    "Welcome, Human. I shall give you two choices today. One, you can let me take over and these people shall live. Two, You shall win me over in combat, and I shall become merged with you", said the Beast.


    Merlin was furious when he heard the outrageous request from the beast. He then looked around and he saw that these people, that he was seeing were all mere illusions, "Let''s fight", he said. The beast jumped down from the tower, and the scenery around them changed.


    They were now inside an arena, and there were people in the stands cheering for the falcon. "Let''s begin from the Basic Tier", it smiled and it transformed into a small falcon. Merlin chuckled. As soon as the gong went, he moved just like Ben, and he finished it in an instant. "Very impressive, but now, let me switch it up", said the beast and it moved up tiers, just like what happened for Ben.


    Merlin defeated all of them, and even the Demi-God tiered one. Next was the final stage, the Demon Tier. The beast grew in size, and it was standing at a size of fifteen meters. Merlin smiled, ad he then imagined the sword, Excalibur.


    it appeared in his hands, and he moved just like Ben. "I know all of your moves, what do you think you can do to me? I have been with you for more than fifteen years, and you think I do not know how you attack?", it said as it smiled. Merlin smiled instead, and he disappeared.


    He then reappeared behind the nape of the falcon, and he sat on top of it. "And you seem to forget that I have also been with you for the same amount of time", he said as he slashed his sword across his neck.


    He then jumped down from the falcon, and he stood rooted to the spot. "Now, you shall see my true form. Me, and the Diamond Tiger Beetle, were both Beastmen. We are not normal Demon Tier''s", he said as he chuckled.


    Merlin''s body trembles from the sheer amount of Mana that the beast was emitting during the transformation. It turned into a lady, and it was a gorgeous one at that. "Don''t tell me that I will become a lady when I transform", said Merlin in disappointment.


    "You pervy old man!", she said as she moved from her place. Her spine had wings that were attached to the backside of the forearms, and her hair was a luscious color of tungsten. she snapped, and her body was covered with a simple tee and a skirt.


    She then kicked to his head, and Merlin dodged it. "You will not be able to change the gender when you transform, old man!", she said in anger. Her face was flushed red, and she was venting out her anger by doing the only thing she knew best, fighting.


    She jumped back and she plucked out a pair of feathers, and it instantly changed into a pair of tungsten daggers. "What?!", exclaimed Merlin as he saw her fly towards his neck at high speed. He rolled on the ground and narrowly avoided it. The woman stood on the ground, and she held her head high.


    "Now, who is the weak one?", she smirked. "It''s you", said Merlin. He then placed his hand on the ground, and he cast a binding spell. "Darkness Root", he said as some roots began to wrap around her legs. She cut them down with the dagger, but the more she struck it, the less effective it turned out to be.


    "This is my place. You can''t out rule me", said Merlin. She chuckled. "I have as much authority as you do. I don''t go soft on my opponents", she said and disappeared.. In a few moments, the sky was filled with multiple Tungsten Falcons, all hovering over his head.

 Chapter 85 - Meeting Jason, A.K.A The Sphinataur

    Merlin wasn''t terrified. Instead, he felt the challenge. "It''s a good thing that this is hard. I miss the feeling of being in battle. Maybe I am getting old", he laughed. He then closed his eyes and created copies of Excalibur.


    The amount of Excalibur''s surpassed the number of Falcons that were flying. "Let''s see who shall win now", he said with confidence. Sweat was trickling down her face, as she felt the sheer amount of pressure from him.


    "This old man, I thought he might have gone senile", she thought. Merlin had his hand outstretched in front of him, and he was waiting for them to make a decision. She then charged through with all of her flacons, and Merlin just killed all the copies with the Excaliburs.


    The original one was down on the ground, and she was panting hard. "You win", she said as she looked at him. Merlin gave her a hand. "You could have just done that from the start", he said. "What is your name?", he asked. "Cassandra. And the person in your friend''s body is known as Michael", she said.


    (In the Lab, The Watch Guardian''s Tower)


    The same process began to happen, and Ben was watching it this time. He saw Merlin scream and the Anesthesia process. "Is this what happened to me too?", he pondered as he looked at him. After his transformation, he looked just like the male version of Cassandra. And he saw Ben, and he was chuckling.


    "Just what have we become?", he said as he was amused. Ben smiled as he heard the retort, and that was how he was sure that Merlin had not been taken over. They both walked up to Leon, and they both had their hands over their heads. "It can''t be", they said at the same time.


    Bradley cleared his throat and he began to elaborate on why they were shocked. "There were two Beastmen, and their tribes were one of the powerful tribes on the planet. To say that they were just strong was an understatement. The chiefs of these Beastmen had the power to turn a whole city upside down with just a fraction of their power", he said.


    Ben and Merlin nodded their heads. But inside, their expressions were different. "We merged with Beastmen and not Beasts?", was the thoughts of Ben. While Merlin just smiled, as he learned the same thing from Cassandra before merging.


    "These tribes, they lived in seclusion, away from the world. The reason was that they didn''t want the humans to be afraid of them. rather, they wanted to protect them from the shadows. And for generations they did. They never let any major threats reach the city borders, and they always kept it under wraps", he continued.


    "Then, one day, we heard the news that these tribes had been wiped out. They had been massacred for their power, by some unknown person. Everyone was killed, and they didn''t leave the infants alive either. They killed and took the chiefs away. The tribes both went missing overnight, and the cities that were under the protection of these tribes, slowly began to face dangers they had never faced before", paused Bradley.


    "This happened around twenty years ago. And if I match that timing, and the timing of your experimentation, it seems that you are the people that have merged with Beastmen. This is groundbreaking, and yet threatening at the same time", said Leon as he adjusted his glasses.


    "It seems like both DNA''s have merged, and they have created a new Beastmen DNA. You are now faster and stronger than the previous ones, and it seems like there is no drawback, as they had given up their power willingly. But, if word of this gets out, The Omega will flip out every single Beastman alive on the planet", concluded Leon.


    Ben and Merlin knew what they were about to do. "Very well. I shall lay down my life here. Just make sure to tell Martha that I love her, and please guide Sam to be a better King than I", said Ben as he stood up. Leon jumped up from his seat. "That was not what I meant, you dumbass", he said, anger evident in his voice.


    Ben then sat back down, and he was scolded by Leon. "You always go ahead and assume things. Are you waiting for your death or something, you idiot? Do you know how many things you have left to do? There is still the matter of getting your children married. And growing old. You have time to live, you are a dumbass. Just listen, and don''t assume", he said in a stern tone.


    Leon began to think, and he then told his plan. "Right now, don''t use this power unless need be. Like always, keep it under wraps. Though your body structure has changed, and thus you will have superhuman speed and strength. this applies to both of you. Not much is the change, the general body structure is same", he said as he pulled out a skeletal hologram of them.


    They both looked at it, but they didn''t see any changes in their naked eye. Their eyes widened when Leon zoomed in into the marrow, and that was when they saw it. "The bone density has increased by almost around a hundred and fifty percent. And the marrow, in which the blood cell count is, has also increased by the same amount", he explained.


    He proceeded to explain the reason for the increase in strength, and Ben and Merlin got the idea of it. Their normal bodies, which were above the average human, have evolved something above hums. They were now at the pinnacle of not only the Human race but the Beastmen Race.


    "Just thinking about it is giving me a headache", thought Ben. He wanted this to be over, and he was taking a stroll around the tower. Just as he was walking by, he saw a handsome man practicing a form of martial arts in the training hall.


    He had long hair which reached his mid-back, and it was in the color of a lion''s mane. It was golden and had streaks of orange among them. His fists were transformed into a lion''s paw, and he was punching a wooden doll. His body was like a sculpture, and his eyes were a shining blue.


    He was building up some momentum, and he suddenly let out a roar. His canine teeth extended, and they were growing. He began to growl, and he was about to jump towards Ben when he smelled something. "You''re a Beastman too?", he said as he walked up to Ben.


    Ben looked at the handsome man. "Who is he? I don''t recall any new additions to the Beast squad", he thought as he looked at the young man. He tried to remember, but he couldn''t. "Jason, do you want to fight with the King?", came a woman''s voice from the side. "Ah, Sally", said Ben.


    His voice carried a hint of fatherly love. "Yes, My King", she said as she kneeled in front of him. Ben kicked her across her leg and made her lay on the ground. "What have I told you when greeting me? How dare you kneel in front of me?", he said in a playful and yet, stern tone.


    Sally smiled as she stood up. She then looked at Jason, and back at Ben. "He is the one that we had retrieved from the forest. It seems that he doesn''t remember anything about the facility, but he remembers his life before that. So he tends to have, episodes", she said. Ben nodded his head in understanding.


    "So you''re The Sphinataur?", asked Ben in awe. He still didn''t understand how three Beast''s DNA could be mushed together into a single human. The man nodded his head. "That was what I used to call myself. Now, I have a different name. My name is Jason", he said with a charming smile across his face.


    Ben and Merlin sat across him, and they began to chat. After a while, Jason began to seeth again, and his anger was surging. "My head, it''s splitting", he said. He then pushed Ben and everyone away. "Get out of the room, NOW!", he roared. His teeth began to grow again, and his hands began to develop the fur of a lion.


    Sally dragged Ben and Merlin out of the room and activated the security door. "Recently, the episodes have become more frequent. It''s like he wants to know about his past. He has tried to leave this place multiple times, and we have always stopped it", said Sally in a whisper.


    "But why?", asked Ben. He knew that Jason deserved to know about his past. Why hide it from him? Sally began to narrate as she was walking them both down.


    "His town, the place he had grown up, has vanished from existence.. It was like it was never there in the first place", she said as she stopped in front of a room.

 Chapter 86 - The Guardians (Part One)

    Ben and Merlin were taking in the information that was shared by Sally. "But how? That tactic is definitely done by him", said Merlin. Ben nodded his head and looked around. "If what she said is true, it means that this Omega, is apparently run by him. He is alive even after twisting his head out. Then what other means do we have to kill him?", said Ben.


    Merlin began to think, and Ben laid down on the Bed. They both hadn''t transformed back to their human forms. They were still in their Beastman forms. "Maybe we can ask them?", said Merlin as he looked at Ben. They both smiled and Ben dived into is Eye of the Mind. He went into the meadows, and he saw a man seated in the middle.


    "What do you look like without the transformation?", he asked as he looked at him. The man smiled. "Seems like you have learned something about us", he said as he looked at Ben. He then turned off his transformation, and the only things that changed were his hair and eyes.


    His hair turned into a green color, and his eyes were the same. "You can ''t be him", said Ben as he looked at the man in front of him. "It can'' be... You''re one among the Guardians", he said. "You do remember, little Benjamin", smiled Michael. Ben had his hand over his mouth, and an inexplicable amount of awe and sadness was seen in his eyes.


    "What happened to The Guardians?", he asked. "After our demise, seems like they hid deep underground", said Michael as he looked at Ben.


    (A few hours before Michael''s capture)


    "Are you positive about this? That they are now targeting the Beastmen?", asked Michael as he analyzed a heap of papers and plans in front of him. "I''m positive", came a lady''s voice from his side. And he turned and saw a ebautiful woman walk towards him. She was twirling her hair around her fingers, and a playful smile was on her lips.


    "Cassandra, this isn''t the time to be flirty, you know that right?", he asked in a stern voice. His voice carried a tinge of authority, but it was also filled with love. Cassasndra walked towards him, and she placed her arms around his neck. "And what will you do if I don''t stop it?", she asked.


    Michael sighed as he looked around. The door was knocked and in came five people. They were all Elite Beastmen like him, and they were a part of The Guardians. "I have recieved some disturbing information. I will be leaving for The Kingdom, and consult His Majesty for our next move. I know we have the authority, but I need this trip", he said.


    Everyone nodded their heads. Michael smiled as he packed every available papers, and he put them in a small briefcase. "With my speed, I will be able to reach the Kingdom in a few hours", he thought as he packed.


    He looked at the team he had put together. "Cassandra, Alex, Denver, Elle and Iris. Make sure to protect this place and The Kingdom. I''ll be back in a few hours. And Denver, no snooping around", he wanred in a stern voice. "Yes, Captain", said everyone in a stern voice.


    Denver was a handsome man. He was tall, and his hair was brown. His ears, were slightly longer than an average human, and it was due to his unique Beastman Transformation, The Brown Earth Hare. And next to him, was a woman who had yellow eyes.


    Denver smiled at her, ans she smiled back at him. "Iris", he said as he looked her in the eye. Iris smiled back at him. She had red hair, and her eyes were yellow. She was short in nature than him, and she too had the same type of ears like Denver. There was a bushy tail behind her, and it was a deep red with a white end.


    This was due to her Beast Transformation Ability, The Fiery Red Fox. She had tried to hide her tail multiple times. but she ended up getting uncomfortable, so she like to keep it out in the open while in the Tower.


    "I still can''t believe that mortal enemies like you two, ended up falling in love", came a man''s voice from his right. He turned ands aw who it was. "Alex", he smiled as he embraced the man.


    Alex was tall, and had a burly body. His eyes were sunken, like he was sleep-deprived. His skin was dark, and his hair was a mix of both black and brown. His eyes were blue, and his pupil was a straight line. He had a brown beard, and it was trimmed neat. There were two humps on his forehead. This was due to his Beast Transformation, Water Wildebeest.


    And next to him was Elle. She was a short and beautiful woman. She had small eyes, and it was green. She was the second fastest person amongst the group, and she had small horns protruding out of her forehead. This was due to her Beast Transformation, The Wind Pronghorn Antelope.


    Together, these six were The Guardians of the Kingdom. This squad was a secret sqaud that protected the Kingdom from the shadows, and it was comprised of these tribes. This squad had been present for a long time, and they were handpicked by the Third Ancestor. Michael was the squad''s thirteenth leader.


    Beastmen live a longer life than an average human. And these people accepted the task that was handed down to them by their ancestors. But now, the danger that they were facing was not a threat to just the Beastmen, but to all the people that were residing in the kingdom. Thus, Michael needed to consult this in person.


    He left the place and went towards the palace, to meet the current king that was ruling. It was Christopher Heart. He ran as fast as his legs could carry, and he reached the palace within mere hours. He entered the throne room without any announcement, and he saw the king playing with a little boy. It was none other than Benjamin Heart.


    "My king, I bring bad news", he said with a serious face. Christopher nodded his head and motioned for Benjamin to leave the room, and he listened to the news in a serious manner. After the briefing, Chris''s face turned crimson. "The audacity!", he bellowed in a deep tone. He released his Aura, which began to form cracks in the throne that was behind him. "Your Majesty", said Micheal.


    Chris didn''t think for a second. "No matter what, defend. And if things go South, Initiate ''Protocol X'' ", he gave his command. "But Your Majesty, Protocol X is...", he paused. He knew the depth behind the simple words that he said.


    "Yes. Your lives are more important to me than this person who is coming towards me. No matter what, we must prevent the person from obtaining the things he wants", said Chris. He knew if the person had achieved his goal, then not this Kingdom, any Kingdom in this country will not be able to face them.


    Chris smiled at Michael. "It was great knowing you, Michael", he said as he placed his hand on his chest. Michael did the same, and did a salute. The both of them had respect for each other, and Michael had other pressing things to attend to.


    "Captain, they have arrived earlier than expected. They are attacking the towns that we live as we speak. What should we do?", came Alex''s voice from a device that Michael had. His eyebrows creased. "We may never see each other again, My Majesty. Are you sure about Protocol X?", asked Michael one last time.


    Chris smiled. "Yes, Mikey. I''m affirmative of Protocol X. Don''t worry about the Kingdom, I shall protect it in the meantime", he smiled. Michael looked at Chris and he ran up to him. He embraced Chris, and he embraced back. He looked at Michael and gave him a smile. "Now, go and protect your kin", he said.


    Michael looked at him and gave his order. "Alright. Everyone is to leave for their towns, and protect them. If anything goes South. Initiate Protocol X", he said and left the palace. As he went out of the throne room, he saw Ben standing there. "Uncle Michael, is something the matter?'', he asked in a cute voice.


    Michael was about to break down. He wanted to see this kingdom grow and prosper. He had so many wishes that he wanted to fulfill. "This might be the end, so I''ll have to let him know", he thought as he looked at Ben.


    "This Uncle, has something important to do. Now, if this Uncle doesn''t return, I want you to hold onto this", he said as he removed a badge from his chest. The badge was pitch black and had a shield and a sword. The shield had a claw mark on it. "And maybe, you will be able to lead a new generation of Guardians", he thought as he smiled.


    "Are you leaving?", asked Ben with his eyes wide. Michael smiled and patted his head, as he couldn''t and didn''t want to answer taht question.. "Farewell, little Benjamin", he smiled as he left the palace, and dashed towards the Tower.

 Chapter 87 - The Guardians (Part Two)

    This time, his transformation was in the Second Stage, as he needed the extra speed to reach the Tower. Just as he neared the Tower, he heard a scream. "Cassandra!", he thought as he moved in instinct. He sensed something around him, and he moved quickly.


    He moved towards the direction he heard the voice. In mere minutes, he reached the place. He transformed his hands into blades, and he cut everyone he saw. She had a gaping hole in her gut, and was bleeding profusely. Michael looked at her and his eyes went red. "Cassandra!", he screamed as he ran towards her.


    She turned her head towards him, and smiled. "It''s okay. You know I can heal faster than normal", she said as he reached near her. Her smile was beautiful, even in the face of death. Michael knelt by her, and he saw the hole closing slowly. He bit his lip, and blood began to flow.


    He then kissed her, and the blood which was transferred helped in the healing. She quickly got back up, and she smiled. "Now, let''s get that son of a gun", she said as she looked into the burning distance. As he saw the person that was standing in front of him.


    "Who are you?", asked Michael as he looked at him. "Many people call me by different names. But I am mostly known for my eccentric experiments that I do. I am, Fenrir the Mad Scientist", he said as he laughed.


    Michael was shocked as he heard the name. "You''re Fenrir?", he asked. At that instant, he knew what was at stake as he looked at him. "Initiate Protocol X. It was an honor staying by your sides", he said into the device as he crushed it. Cassandra turned and looked at him. "Who is Fenrir?", she asked.


    "All you need to know is that he, is like us", he said. Cassandra was shocked as she heard him say that. Michael made his first move, and he struck Fenrir right across the chest. Fenrir bled, and his Aura changed into a purple one. "You aren''t Fenrir. He is stronger", said Michael in an instant.


    This line enraged Fenrir. He laughed like a maniac, and he looked at Michael in the eye. One of his eyes turned purple, and something inside him changed. "Indeed, he was stronger. But, I am the one that killed him. Fenrir died by my hands", he said as he laughed.


    Michael jumped back. "We need to run, NOW!", he roared. He recognised the Aura that was surrounding him. "Fenrir''s Wrath", he said as he ran. He was running at a speed faster than normal, and he was carrying Cassandra under his arms. "Who is Fenrir?", she asked again.


    "Fenrir, is an anomaly among the Beastmen. Although he was among the Wolf species, he had an abnormal amount of speed and strength. It was like he was a mixture of both the Direwold and Eurasian Wolf. But that wasn''t it, he also had the toughness of a Grey Wolf. Amongst the Wolves, he was the strongest. And one of the Guardians", he said.


    "Huh? But I have never seen him?", she asked. Michael smiled. "He is only needed in special missions. Missions which require us to face against something like a Portal Break", he said. Cassandra nodded her head in understanding.


    "A few months ago, I recieved a transmission from him. He said that he was investigating something peculiar. He didn''t explain what it was, but he stressed that it was something important to the kingdom. I didn''t ask him any details, and wished him luck on his venture", he said.


    "But after a month, I recieved another transmission, stating that his investigation was going in rounds. That was when I noticed something. If something could make him go in rounds, then it means that they''re extremely smart. I warned him"


    "In just two days, I recieved his final words. They were exactly this. "The Guardians are in Danger. If you come across a man, who called himself The Mad Scientist. Do not engage. Run!", he finished.


    Michael then understood why. "To absorb and become one. That too, to be done to Fenrir", he thought. "Fenrir, if you are watching this from above, I will avenge you", he said in a loud voice. "In this weak frail body?", came a voice from his left.


    He turned and saw him running next to him. Michael threw Cassandra to the side, and he threw a Diamind punch. Fenrir blocked the punch. The Aura was spreading wildly around. He then grabbed him and did a suplex. Fenrir was on the floor. "You''re too weak to call yourself Fenrir. You will never be him", said Michael in anger.


    His whole body was shining like a diamond. He released his hard body, and began to throw punches around. Fenrir blocked them like it was nothing, and he had a smile across his face. "Indeed, I am just borrowing his power. And do you know what else I can do?", he smiled like a maniac.


    He twisted Michael''s hand and broke it like a twig. Michael''s face contorted in pain, and he was holding in his scream. Fenrir laughed in ecstasy, and he then felt a stab from his back.


    "How could I have forgotten about this woman?", he said with the same smile across his face. Cassandra was having a hard time with her stab, and she didn''t want to lose focus. "Fortunately for you, I need you guys alive for my experiment", he said as he looked at both of them. "And don''t worry about your companions, they will be joining you soon", he said.


    The Aura around Michael went wild. He began to control the Diamonds that were hidden around in the vicinity, and pulled them up and put in a barrier between him and Fenrir. Cassandra jumped towards his side, and they both were recovering from the damage that he had given.


    Michael''s hand was now completely healed, and he began to feel the ground to find the whereabouts of Fenrir. But he couldn''t feel anything.


    "That can''t be. Why can''t I feel a thing?", he thought as he lowered the barrier. He couldn''t see Fenrir nor his Aura. He had completely vanished. But something inside him told him that this was not the end, and the danger was still lurking around him.


    He then felt something wrap around his leg, and pull him into to ground. He tried to control his body, but he couldn''t. He couldn''t control the elements and himself. "Where is he? He is now controlling me!", thought Michael as he looked around.


    "My, my. Look at what the Guardians have become. A bunch of lab rats", came a scoff from his right. The purplish Aura reveled Fenrir to be hiding inside, and he was snickering at Michael.


    Cassandra was furious, and she rained down her feathers on him. Fenrir just jumped in and out of the Aura, and appeared at different places around. "He''s using Teleportation", said Michael to her.


    Cassandra understood the meaning behind his words, and she took flight into the sky. With her wings, she never stopped raining arrows down on Fenrir.


    Fenrir laughed out loud. "You will never be able to catch me", he said as he looked up at her. Cassandra smiled back. "Neither will you", she retorted back. "That''s where you''re wrong", he said as he teleported behind her.


    "But how?", she asked as she looked at him. Fenrir laughed again, and he stabbed right through her heart. "Now, let''s see if I can stab through a heart made of Diamond", he said as he neared Michael, and began to grow his claws.


    Michael had lost control over his body, and he was now waiting for his death. All he wanted now was for his comrades to be safe, as he had already initiated Protocol X. He smiled as Fenrir neared him.


    "You will never be able to get every one of us. The Guardians wil always be here to guard the Kingdom", he said as he looked at Fenrir, straight into the eye.


    "We''ll see about that", said Fenrir as he stabbed a needle through Michael''s heart, and the next moment he felt himself getting dizzy. His world was spinning, and was close to the ground.


    "Not now. Not until I make sure that the team is safe", he thought as he stood back up.


    "Oh, tenacity. An interesting thing indeed", amused Fenrir as he looked at Michael get up. Michael released his Aura, and he lashed at Fenrir. "This will buy the necessary time", he thought as he began to kick and punch straight to his face.


    Fenrir now felt the force behind his punches, and he wanted to run away. He bid his time, as he knew the medicine he had injected will begin it''s work in a few minutes. "Protocol X is complete", came a report from Alex to Cassandra''s device. After hearing that, Michael slowed down his assault.


    "Fenrir, mark my words.. I will come back, and when I do, I will have your head and present it to the real Fenrir", claimed Michael as he fell to the ground.

 Chapter 88 - The Beast Wave (Part One)

    Ben, who watched the memory was now thinking back. He went back to the day that Michael left him. "So it is you, Uncle Michael", he said as he sat next to him. Michael nodded his head and smiled at him. "Look at how old you''ve become. And for you to take such a long time to recognize me", he teased Ben.


    "Well, you never revealed yourself to me. So how would I know that it was you who was living within me?", said Ben. They both had a hearty laugh and then he looked straight across the meadow into the distance. There were pink lilies that were growing around them. "So, what do you think? You must have seen everything unfold from here?", asked Ben.


    Michael smiled at him and pointed his finger towards the tree. "To be honest, I found your choices quite amusing. And Martha, I do approve of her. But for Lucas to have something so phenomenal inside him. And I would tell you to keep an eye on both Sam and Kate. It seems that Lucas might catch up to them soon", said Ben.


    Ben smiled. "It seems that you have noticed it too", he said. Although they wanted the best for their little brother, a small part of them didn''t want to lose to him. "They will be on equal footing sooner or later. They have just hit a wall", he said as he looked at Michael. "How do I defeat Fenrir?", asked Ben.


    Michael smiled and closed his eyes. "Among us, he was the best. That was the reason why he was put as the Shadow Guardian. I do not know how to defeat or kill him. That is an answer you would have to find by yourself", said Michael. Ben turned around and he waved. "See you again soon", he said as he disintegrated.


    (Back in the room)


    Ben was back from his Eye of The Mind. He then briefed everything to Merlin, and they both were deep in thoughts. An alarm began to blare. Leon and Bradley came running into the room. "It seems that they have reached sooner than we had expected. They will be wreaking havoc in the place in about two hours", reported Leon.


    Ben and Merlin got up from their beds. "Let''s bring along Jason. I think with a real battle experience, maybe his frustrations will go away, a little bit", said Ben. Leon nodded his head and sent for Jason. In a few minutes, Jason was standing in front of them, and he was wearing a plain black hoodie and a pair of black chinos shorts.


    The three of them left, and Ben motioned for him to hop onto him. "We will be going at top speed, and thus you won''t be able to keep up", said Ben as Jason climbed his back. He nodded his head towards Merlin and began to move. Swooosh! The wind hit Jason''s face and his eyes were beginning to hurt. "Close your eyes kid", said Ben.


    Jason listened and his mind was in turmoil. "Just what kind of a Beastmen are they? One is running and the other is flying at almost the same speed", he thought as he couldn''t bear the pain any longer. Ben was in a race against time, and he needed to reach the place as soon as he could.


    Jason could care less about the speed for now. A small amount of frustration was piling up in his heart, and he wanted to know who he was. "What was my life before this? I remember a village in the mountains behind someplace in a city. I can''t recall the name. But why are they not allowing me to go and find out about my past?", he thought.


    An hour had passed and Ben still hadn''t reached the place. "Merlin, Go!", he said. Merlin nodded his head and moved faster than before. Boom! A deafening noise came from above and Merlin disappeared. The speed he was flying was much faster than Ben, as he wanted to give him company.


    "Just a little longer Jason. Hold onto that anger", he said. Jason was surprised at the remark made by Ben. "How do you know?", he asked. Ben smiled and kept running forward. "Intuition", he said. Jason didn''t know how to respond to that, and all he did was smile. "Maybe this life isn''t that bad", he thought.


    After the next forty-five minutes, they had reached the place through which the wave was about to break through. "Maybe we do need the Guardians. Guess it is time to bring them back", he thought as he looked at the wave that was coming towards them.


    "Now, let''s look at the power that has been granted to me", he smiled as he looked at the crowd that was running, and gathering smoke behind them. "Merlin, just like old times. Well, a few are missing. Let''s just hope that we do not need to call them", he said. Merlin smiled. "Indeed, my friend. If they come, this place will become blasted", he smiled as he looked towards the sky.


    Jason got down from the back of Ben, and he looked at the wave that was running towards them. "We have to defend against them?", he asked as his eyes went wide. "Well, you can now put your anger to good use", remarked Ben with a smile. Jason was baffled.


    "These old men are nuts! Just how in the world are they planning to take on an army this large?", he thought as he looked at his side. There were just three people, and in front of them were hundreds of beasts running towards them. "Ahh, seems like small fry", said Ben as he smiled.


    "Basics, Intermediates, Advanced, and some Legendaries. There is one King, and seems like he is the one leading them here", said Merlin as he came back down. "What weapons do we have at our disposal?", asked Jason. "Kid, let me teach you a lesson today. A weapon is nothing but a tool. We, are the weapons", said Merlin with a smiled across his face.


    Jason was now sure of it. "These old men indeed have a screw loose", he thought as he looked at them They had taken their battle stances, and were waiting for the wave to reach a certain distance from them.


    "300..200...100..75...50...25...0 meters! COmmence attack!", commanded Ben as he charged headfirst into enemy territory. Merlin began to rain his feathers on the wave and surrounded them. "If this wasn''t Tungsten", he amused as he looked at the feathers that had surrounded the wave.


    Ben, was slaughtering every beast he could lay his hands on. His hands had two Diamond blades on both of his hands, and he was making a massacre. Jason was witnessing all of this from the sidelines. "Protect the innocent", said Ben as he looked back. He saw a few beats escape from the encirclement, and they were heading towards Jason. Or more specifically, they were heading towards the town that was behind them.


    Jason had anger in him, but when he saw the overwhelming numbers, fear began to creep inside him. Ben noticed the change in him, and he needed him to fight. "Kid, fear is something normal. But, you must overcome it. Only by overcoming it, will you be able to discover more about yourself", he said.


    The trigger had worked, and Jason roared out loud. "I am Jason! A Guardian!", he said as he thrust his claws to the heart of a grasshopper-looking beast. He tore it apart with his bare hands, and his eyes began to turn. His hair grew longer, and his arms bulged. His feet turned into claws, and he kicked straight into the heart of another beast.


    Ben regained his concentration back at his round. "Now, who wants to make a mess out of my kingdom!", he bellowed as he threw a beast, and thrust a diamond spear into it, killing a few along with the beast. Merlin was making arrows out of his feathers, and he was providing support from above.


    Jason and Ben were defending quite well. They had killed almost every Basic and Intermediate Tier beast that was headed towards the town. "I, Benjamin Heart, swear that I will protect this Kingdom until my last breath", he said as his eyes began to shine.


    His hair grew longer, and it turned into a shiny diamond. His body was hardened, and the spiked that were protruding from the sides began to grow longer. He pulled out two spikes, and he imagined it being his sword. The two diamonds morphed into two swords, and he laughed.


    "It''s been a long time since I have been this excited. Come! Entertain me!", he laughed as he thrust his sword into the gut of an Advanced Tier beast. He removed it from the gut and slashed it into two. "This is a good choice indeed.. The sharpness of the blade hasn''t dulled", he thought as he took a drop of blood from it.

 Chapter 89 - The Beast Wave (Part Two)

    He then painted the blood under his right eye, and he moved. All Jason saw was afterimages of Ben. Every place he went, a head was rolling on the ground. The beasts that wanted to attack, had now begun to flee in all directions. "MERLIN!", he shouted and Merlin smiled.


    The feathers that were stuck in the ground began to float, and they were piercing through every beast that had begun to run away. Merlin was killing them with his feathers, and Ben was killing them with his Diamond swords. Jason now had to run and keep them from reaching the place.


    "Mr. Merlin, leave me some", he said as he ran towards a group of beasts that were fleeing towards the town. "Very well, kiddo", he amused as he made a circle with him and some beasts inside it. Ben and Merlin were done with the Advanced Tiers, and now they had to face the Legendary Tiers.


    "I shall not fall, for I, am King of this Sacred Kingdom. And I shall be the one to lead the next generation of Guardians!", he said as he brandished his blades. Merlin was now down, and he had a Tungsten feather that was made into a blade.


    "That looks just like Excalibur", commented Ben. They both smiled, and they just stood there. They were looking at Jason''s fight, and they were avoiding every hit that was being made by the beasts.


    "Seems like he does need some training. But with his animal-like instinct, I think there might be something suitable for him", muttered Ben as he squat on the ground. Jason had his hand thrust into the heart of a beast, and he was using it to defend himself against Elemental attacks from the other beasts.


    "Indeed a smart move", said Merlin. Jason was using the body of a beast to thwart off the attacks he was facing. While using the shield, he used his free hand and thrust it straight into the hearts of the enemies, and he was reducing the numbers quite well. After slaughtering the final beast, Jason''s face had sweat all over it, and his hoodie was drenched.


    "He still needs to learn a lot from them", said Ben as he turned his head to his battle. He then smiled and motioned Merlin to take the lead. "After you", he said. Merlin smiled and he thrust his sword into the heart of a beast, and it began to slash wildly. Ben jumped from behind and beheaded the beast in a single strike.


    They began to weave through them, and the teamwork between them was splendid to the point that the beasts couldn''t find any flaw in them. They fell one by one, and one of them escaped. Ben smiled as he threw his sword towards the beast that had escaped, and it pierced through his skull.


    He pulled out another sword from his body, and he began to dual wield again. They had finished the charge, and they were now facing a single beast. The King Tier that was commanding them.


    Ben smiled as he sat down on the floor. "Merlin, want to have at it?'', he asked with a smile. Merlin took the lead as he readied himself with the makeshift Excalibur. "What are you?", he asked as he looked at it.


    It was a beast that was a mix of a Dragonfly and a European Bee. It had a tail, and at the end of it was a stinger. It was at the height of seven feet, and it had compound eyes like a Dragonfly. And at the back, it had three pairs of wings which were each three feet long. Its hands and legs were both human, and on its abdomen, there were stripes like a bee.


    "A bee and a dragonfly hybrid? This is going to be harder than expected", said Merlin as he smiled. "But I never back down from a challenge", he said and moved from the place he stood. The beast with its compound eyes saw Merlin''s movements and dodged his sword that was coming towards its head.


    It laughed, and it was mocking him for missing his attack. "As expected, compound eyes are a pain in the arse", he said as he switched his speed. He threw some feathers towards its head and he moved towards the hand. The tail from behind came and intercepted his sword, and it crossed its arms. Ben laughed.


    "That punk is arrogant. I want to kick him down right now", said Ben as he laughed. Merlin was laughing as well. "Indeed, I too want to do that. But anger always clouds judgment", said Merlin. Ben nodded his head, and Jason had just reached near them. he was listening and watching them intently, as he wanted to learn from them.


    Merlin was striking and the beast was parrying, and Merlin''s brows creased. "Seems like this thing is trained as well", he amused as he took a step back. He then took to the skies, and he covered the whole vision of the beast with his feathers. He then landed next to Ben, and he held his sword right above his shoulders.


    He spread his legs wide and took a deep breath. "Pendragon Style: Third Form. Dragon''s Thrust", he muttered and he moved. The second he moved, the feathers parted, giving him the advantage of covering the whole view. He thrust the blade into the beast''s gut, and he twisted it.


    "Never underestimate your opponent", he said as he twisted it deeper. The Beast roared out loud and Merlin smiled. He then pulled out his sword, and the beast roared out loud. It began to attack, and Merlin went on the defense. "Such tenacity, that''s a good thing", he smiled as he began to parry all the strikes that were coming from the beast.


    After a few more strikes, Merlin stopped his play. "I guess it''s time to end this", he said and made his move. He used the feathers as cover again, and he circled to the back of the beast. He then appeared from behind and slit it across the throat, and it began to choke on its blood.


    "A mission well done", he said as he looked around and saw the massacre that the three of them had caused. Bodies of the beasts lied around, and Merlin took to the skies. He then directed all of his feathers towards the dead beasts, and he began to heat the feathers. "Incinerate!'', he cast his spell.


    The bodies began to burn, and in seconds the bodies were burnt to a crisp. He then waved his wings, and the bodies that were burnt now began to scatter into the ground. The ashes of the battle were spread into the ground, never to be found again.


    "Now, let''s head back", said Ben as he got up from the floor. Jason was now in awe, and he vowed to take control of his episodes of anger, and channel them into training. "One day, I might be able to become just like them", he thought as he followed behind.


    The sun began to peek out of the horizon, signaling the start of a new day.


    (Meanwhile, at the Glasgow Airport, Alexandria)


    There were two people on a private jet that had just landed. Ken Adams and his weapon, Moonheart. They had arrived at the country in which they had sensed the weapon, and they were waiting for their ride to arrive to pick them up. Ken was drinking a whiskey from a glass, and he was looking out the window.


    "What are you thinking about?", she asked as she sensed something inside him. "Is Death powerful?", he asked his question. Moonheart began to laugh. Her laugh was gentle as she had a hand over her mouth. "He isn''t just powerful, he is the weapon of a Grim Reaper", she said.


    Ken was amused as he heard her words. "Well, seems like we are looking for scythe wielders. And I think I know just where to find them", he smiled as he looked out the window. A black sedan had arrived, and they got down from the plane. They boarded the car and headed towards the place that housed the information of all the Adventurers, which was the Adventurer''s Guild.


    He took out his mobile and made a call. He spoke for a few minutes, and after that, he got a list on his mobile. He began to browse through them and someone caught his eye. "Michelle Cooper. Seems to me that she was the one that was wielding the scythe", he said. Moonheart nodded her head.


    "I sense Death''s flow from the scythe she is carrying. Seems like he was reluctant to accept her during the time of this footage", she said as she analyzed the video. "Then let''s go and meet this person, and see if they can keep it under control", said Ken as he laid back into the seat of the sedan, and enjoyed the calm atmosphere inside.


    "Well, I am eager to meet him too.. Will he be the same as back then?", she thought as she leaned back, and closed her eyes to get some sleep.

 Chapter 90 - The Survival Round (Part One)

    (Back in the Portal)


    The sun was shining through the window and a young man could be seen working out. "And done for the day", smiled Lucas as he looked at the notification.


    [Daily Task Completed]


    [Do 150 push-ups    150/150


    Do 150 sit-ups        150/150


    Do 150 pull-ups      150/150


    Run for 5 Km        5/5 Km


    Meditate for 1.5 Hrs    1.5/1.5 Hrs]


    [Rewards - +3 Strength, +3 Agility, +2 Perception, +2 Stamina]


    "Now, let''s look at the stats", he thought and pulled it up.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 7950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 49]


    [Stamina: 47]


    [Agility: 49+19]


    [Perception: 45]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


    "Let me just wait until the whole Aura thingy is over", he thought and he looked at the time. "Well, there is still about an hour before everyone is up, let me train my Aura", he smiled and began to channel his Aura. He knew he was far behind compared to everyone at the party. He couldn''t use his style due to his body not being able to handle the backlash.


    He continued from where he left off, which was his ribcage. Valentine kept the progress check, and he let him know when to move to the next bone. The process was extremely slow as this was a vital process and needed to be done slowly.


    "For the kids who have been training since they were kids, their bones were at the stage where they weren''t fully developed. And thus, they could use the opportunity to fuse it quite easily. As tender bones tend to absorb Aura faster than a matured bone. Don''t force yourself. Every body has its limit", said Valentine.


    He knew why Lucas wanted to do it quickly, but he also remembered the way he was discriminated against since he was little. "It''s a good thing he had a good family that surrounded him with love, or else who knows what kind of a path he might have walked for the sake of power", thought Valentine.


    Lucas kept reminding himself of the words Valentine told him. "Strength doesn''t come in a day or two. It takes time", he reminded himself whenever he felt frustrated. He also reminded of the companions he had surrounded himself with, although it had been just a few days. "Maybe life isn''t so bad after all", he thought as a smile formed unknowingly.


    "The kid is finally learning to enjoy himself, slightly", chuckled Valentine as he heard his thoughts. "You''re really annoying, you know that? My thoughts are private. You are not allowed to look into them", said Lucas. Valentine laughed. "I don''t care, kid", he said nonchalantly.


    In a few minutes, the door opened and Robert stood at the door. "Never stop training huh?", he said as he took a seat next to Lucas. He probed him with his Aura and smiled. "Seems like you are progressing quite well, your highness", he said cheekily. Lucas smiled.


    "You know I am banished now, right? I am nothing more than a mere commoner", replied Lucas. "You think so? Wait till the commoners catch wind of this. Then you will know what kind of treatment you get after the banishment", said Robert with a chuckle. "Just what will they do?", he thought as an alarm blared through the whole place.


    [Survival mode will commence in one hour]


    The hologram pooped up, and with it, everyone woke up. Robert and Lucas smiled as they left the room and went outside. They saw all of them prepared to fight against the coming wave. Lucas pulled up the Quest to see how long they had to survive.


    [Quest Incomplete]


    [First Mission - Portal (E+)]


    [Objectives:


    Clear the Tower 10/10


    Solve the Maze 1/1


    Survive for 6 Hours and Escape the Portal After 0/6]


    "Six hours, huh?", he thought as he looked around at everyone. He then opened the bag and pulled out every potion he had. He began to distribute them amongst everyone evenly and smiled. "The survival round is as plain as the term. Survive and fight. Every moment, your lives are in danger. A small mistake will be the death of you", said Lucas.


    Everyone nodded their heads. Lucas looked around and everyone had nothing but determination in their eyes. Tobias was smiling wide. "We have to make up something cool, like a war cry. Something like Portal, Here I come!", he said. Everyone looked at him and smiled.


    After a few seconds, Lucas chuckled. Then began a round of laughter. Everyone''s nerves had calmed down a bit, and the tense atmosphere was gone. The buzzer went off. The building in which they were staying began to shake, indicating the time allotted for rest is over. They left the building, and they stood outside.


    [Please proceed to the circle]


    The hologram appeared and along with it came a red circle. Everyone went towards the circle, and another hologram appeared in front of them.


    [Please choose the Survival Terrain]


    [1. Lush Forest


    2. Cold Mountain Range


    3. Steamy Volcano Island


    4. Underground City]


    [Note: Terrain will be changed every one and a half hours]


    "This is quite an interesting option. This means we can have the advantage and not get overwhelmed with the numbers. Let''s make a smart choice here", smiled Lucas and he turned around. "Emilia, can you control plants?", he asked. She gave his words thought and she looked at him.


    "I can, but it''s very minimal. I haven''t trained myself in the compound elements yet", she said. Lucas creased his brows. "This will be a problem then. For now, let''s go with the easiest one. One that I can control quite easily", he smiled and chose the ''Cold Mountain Range''. The surroundings began to change, and Lucas saw a range of mountains covered with snow.


    The chilly winds were hitting everyone, and Lucas smiled. "This is the best choice for now. If we have the power to change the terrain again in one and a half hours, then I think the best would be to go to places that are easy for each of us to control", he said to everyone.


    Everyone nodded their heads and acknowledged his decision. They got ready, and a hologram appeared before them.


    [Wave 1 will commence in 15 seconds]


    Everyone''s hands were trembling. But it wasn''t due to nervousness. It was rather out of excitement. Lucas pulled out his dual blades, and he then got ready. "Remember, SURVIVE!", he said as the countdown ended. And spawned an endless number of Goblins.


    "Tch. All Basics", said Lucas as he moved like the wind. His body response was slowly getting faster as he injected more aura into the bones. The lesser the impurities, the faster he was. "The efficiency of the numbers is finally beginning to show", he smiled as he charged into the crowd.


    Lucas began to cut down the goblins, and everyone did the same. Emilia was running through the mob, firing to her heart''s content. Tobias was ripping them apart as a barbarian would. Robert was using Lucas''s slipping footwork, and he was slowly getting the hang of it. "So this is why he was able to slip through. It''s because of the ice element he uses", he realized as he smoothly evaded the strikes.


    Michelle was slicing them apart with her scythe, and one of her eyes had turned red. "Is it because Death has now acknowledged her?'', thought Lucas as he looked at her fighting style. Compared to before, it was much better by leaps and bounds. "It must be", he thought as he looked back at his fight.


    "Well, let''s make sure that these things don''t get to me", he thought. "Kid, let me teach you how to use your Mana in terrain suitable to you. Follow my instructions", said Valentine. "Well, you do need to improve a lot if you want to be on par with them", he thought as he looked at the people around Lucas.


    "Close your eyes and feel the Mana around you. Mana is something that can be manipulated by anyone. And for you, Lucas. You have the biggest advantage here as you are already familiar with this chill", he said. "Yeah, I think I don''t have the luxury to close my eyes", replied Lucas as he slew another Goblin.


    Valentine chuckled. "Very well. Then try splitting your concentration in two", he said. Lucas did the same and began to focus on both the fight and the Mana that was surrounding him. He slowly began to sense the Mana that was around him, and he felt a sense of familiarity as he did with his [Icicle].


    "But that can''t be?", he thought as he was surprised. "Yes. What you''re sensing is indeed not an illusion. The Flowing-Ice is something that has both Water and Ice Mana in them. So, to be able to sense this is nothing. As these are made out of nothing but..", he was talking when Lucas interrupted him.. "Water particles", he completed the sentence.

 Chapter 91 - The Survival Round (Part Two)

    "Bingo. Now, manipulate them just as you manipulate the water within the Icicles", said Valentine and he went silent. Lucas was still fighting, and he tried hard to concentrate. "Since this is the first time, I think I need to concentrate wholeheartedly", he frowned. "Robert, I might need some cover. I''m going to try something", he said as he stepped back.


    Robert nodded his head and he slid past his crowd, and he killed everything that was nearing Lucas. Lucas was now sensing every particle that was near a hundred-meter radius around him, and he began to manipulate them. Ice needles began to form, and he wanted to ass in his element to make it powerful.


    "Just how much will I be able to make out of manipulation? Without adding in my power?", he thought. He was curious as he always depended on his own Mana a lot. He wanted to test out the efficiency of his manipulation.


    He threw the thought of adding his Mana to the back of his mind. After he made fifty needles, he decided to attack. "Thank you Robert", he said as he placed his hand on his shoulder. Robert turned around and looked behind Lucas. "So that was what you meant by terrains that are suitable to each of us", he amused as he went back to his position.


    "Come at me, you Basics. You shall be my test subject", he smiled wickedly. A lopsided grin was seen on his face, and he released his needles from behind him. They began to insert into every Goblin that Lucas had his eyes on, and still didn''t break. "It looks just like telekinesis, except that I am using the water particles in the air to make them move as I want", he smiled.


    "Seems like you are finally getting the hang of manipulation", came a female voice from his right. Lucas smiled as he recognized the voice. "Yeah, kind of. Can''t say I have learned it all, Emilia", he replied to the woman that whizzed past him. Emilia had a smile on her face as she was shooting everyone down.


    Lucas was beginning to sweat. "That is enough kid. Overworking your Mana channels can cause you permanent damage", came Valentine''s voice. Lucas didn''t want to let go, but since he didn''t want to lose his Mana channels, he reluctantly let go of the needles that were killing the goblins around him.


    He once again began his slaughter, and he tried to control five needles. It was hard at first, but as time passed by, it slowly turned into second nature. "A terrifying amount of talent, he has", amused Valentine. Lucas was slowly catching up to Emilia in terms of Magic. And in terms of combat prowess, Robert was his only equal.


    Valentine was still amusing when a hologram appeared in front of them.


    [Wave 1 has been completed. Commencing Wave 2 in 15 seconds]


    "As expected", said everyone at the same time. Everyone turned their heads and looked at Tobias. "What? I may not be super brainy, but I can think a tiny bit", he retorted. Everyone smiled, and they were still holding in their laughter. "Serious face, Lucas", he thought but couldn''t do it anymore.


    He began to laugh and began a round of laughter for everyone. After the time was up, everyone seized their laughter as they were waiting for the exact moment. Once more, goblins spawned. Lucas looked at every last one of them and smiled again. "Intermediates", he said.


    Everyone nodded their heads and readied their weapons. "Tobias, after this. I will need the crystals that you have earned in this venture. Let me make you a gauntlet", he said. Tobias''s eyes went sparkly. "Are you for real, bruh? You promise to make me one?", he asked. Lucas smiled at his act.


    "Yes, I will. Now stop acting all cute with me", he said. Tobias turned his head back. "And for your information, I am not acting cute", he replied as he went to his position. The timer went down and began another massacre. The monsters they were facing were a mix of all the things they had faced in the tower.


    "Now, if this thing goes up to King, and we need to face a horde of those. We don''t have enough weapons for it", he concluded as he looked at the horde they were facing this time. Everyone began to attack as the buzzer had gone off, and it was the same as last time. The killing spree continues, and Lucas had now improved his needles to six. He was slowly trying to increase the capacity of control, and it was working.


    Emilia was shooting with her guns, and behind her were her throwing knives. They were covered completely in Ice, and she didn''t have a sweat on her face as she controlled all ten like her limbs. "It seems so natural", he thought. He then recalled something which he had.


    "Maybe I must visit the Beginner''s Dungeon. maybe I will be able to improve myself there", he thought. "Yes, kid. You had rushed here. You must have gone there the first thing you got the key. But it doesn''t matter now, as you would be able to clear it more easily as you have accumulated enough experience", replied Valentine.


    "I hope so", he said with a tinge of worry as he cut down a Goblin. His thoughts were racing, and he didn''t want anything to distract him at the moment. After a few more minutes, a hologram appeared signaling the successful completion of the wave. A hologram popped up in front of them.


    [Please choose the Survival Terrain]


    [1. Lush Forest


    2. Cold Mountain Range (Current Terrain)


    3. Steamy Volcano Island


    4. Underground City]


    [Note: Terrain will be changed every one and a half hours]


    "Where shall we go next?'', he thought. "Volcano", said Emilia. Everyone agreed with her choice. "And you can get to train your Fire Element too", she whispered to him. Lucas nodded his head as that thought never struck him. He also needed to train his Azure Flame. "But will that environment be alright for training my flame?", he thought.


    "Kid, you have a flame. And that place has loads of it", snorted Valentine. Lucas smiled. "Then Steamy Volcano Island it is", he said as he turned back. He made the choice and the terrain began t shift, and in front of them was a large volcano. Everyone was in awe at the volcano.


    [Caution: Volcano will erupt every thirty minutes]


    "What kind of a sick twisted joke is this?", commented Robert as soon as he saw the hologram. Everyone felt the same way. But Lucas for some reason felt that this might have something to do with him having the connection to Fire Element. "Is it even possible to control the flow of the Lava?", he thought.


    "Kid, I''ll give you one small hint. Lava is nothing but Earth, Water, and Fire", he hinted and remained silent once again. Lucas smiled after he heard those words. "Emilia, is it possible for two people to use two different elements, and manipulate a single compound element?", he asked.


    "Unless there is a synergy between them, it is impossible for it to happen. What are going to?'', she asked. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what he was trying to do. "I would say we have a thirty percent chance to do what you''re trying to do", she said. "I think that would be enough for now", he smiled.


    That was the reply he needed and he began to concentrate on the Mana around him. He couldn''t sense anything. He couldn''t sense any flames. "And someone said this place is full of flames", he retorted. "If you thought sensing flames within Lava will be easy, this is to prove you wrong", said Valentine.


    "Listen to me. I will only say this once. Compound elements are made of two or more elements mixed. And you can bring out the flames from it. All you have to do is separate it and make then back to the state of singularity", instructed Valentine.


    "Harder than it''s going to be", thought Lucas as he began to slay his enemies. He needed his utmost concentration for it, and right now, it was not possible for him. "Can''t practice it now. Maybe someday in the future, I guess", he smiled. A few minutes later, a loud eruption was heard.


    "It''s coming!", announced Robert as he came back running towards them. Lucas looked at Emilia and nodded his head. "Kid, wait. Draw a formation as per my instruction", said Valentine as he saw the plan in his head.


    Lucas went next to Emilia and drew a circle around her. He motioned for Robert to come next to them, and he included him in the formation. He was following the instructions from Valentine to the letter, and he drew three lines linking in the center. Later, he drew another circle in the opposite direction, and he drew arrows to link them all.


    "This? Isn''t this Mass Elemental Manipulation Circle?", asked Emilia as she saw the circle. Lucas smiled at her and nodded his head. "Indeed it is. You have a good eye", he said with a smile.. Emilia''s eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 92 - The Survival Round (Part Three)

    "So you know formations too?", she asked. "Well, I do use them quite a lot", he said as he shrugged. He didn''t know what was the big deal behind a simple formation. Emilia on the other hand just smiled. "Well, as expected. He is not an ordinary blacksmith", she thought.


    The Lava was coming towards them, and Robert didn''t understand his role in all this. He knew his element was not necessary. "What am I here for?", he asked. "Mana supply", said Lucas as he completed the formation. He then went towards the empty circle and stood in it. "Mass Elemental Manipulation Circle, Activate!", he said as he raised his hands.


    The three of them felt a suction from their bodies, and they began to feel weak. Lucas looked at his MP and it began to go down rapidly. "What should I do?", he thought and the solution came from valentine once again. "Draw a star, and interconnect the ends. At the center, draw an M and an inverted M together", he said. Lucas drew the symbol on his hand for confirmation.


    "Yes, just like that, and it will activate on its own. You will be able to absorb the Mana faster than before. Although the effects aren''t permanent", he said. Lucas nodded his head and he instructed the others to do the same. He couldn''t move from the place now, as he was connected to formation.


    Everyone followed his instructions and they drew the same formations on their chest. After drawing, it activated immediately sensing the Mana flow decreasing rapidly in their bodies. They began to sense their bodies being the medium in the formation, and they were now concentrating on the important part.


    "Robert, I want you to direct a wind strong enough to push the Lava to the back. Which means to counter the force by force", he said. Robert nodded his head and he began to concentrate on his Wind Element, and the sword at his hip began to glow green. "Seems like the spirit wants to help too", thought Lucas.


    "Emilia, you and I are going to try and split the Lava in two, making it go past us. I want everyone to stick close to us", he said. Tobias was standing right behind Robert, and Michelle was behind Emilia. Lucas smiled. "It''s time", he said as he sensed the rising Mana in the middle.


    "NOW!", he said and Robert began his counterattack. Winds began to howl, and gusts of dust began to surround them. "[Fusion]", he activated and began to fuse the large amounts of Mana. He was beginning to feel dizzy, but there was also the refreshing sensation of the Mana entering his body.


    "This is the only thing that is keeping me from falling unconscious", he thought as he began to fuse the elements. The brown and red wisps that were in the middle began to turn orange, and slowly he began to sense a different element.


    "Weirdly, I feel some familiarity to this element", he smiled as he remembered the words of Valentine. "Indeed, there is Fire", he realized. He then nodded towards Emilia, and the both of them began to maneuver the Mana that had gathered in the middle.


    The both of them were having a hard time trying to gain control of the Mana, as controlling it seemed something impossible. "Maybe, I must take control", thought Lucas as he was about to motion to Emilia. Then something struck him. "Follow the breathing technique I showed you. Maybe that is what is throwing us off", he said.


    He looked and saw the Lava rushing towards them at a fast pace. Both Lucas and Emilia were trying very hard to merge their efforts in manipulating the Lava. Slowly, both of them felt the connection with the Lava. Lucas opened his eyes and he saw the Lava near them. "Robert. Change of Plans. Split it with one of your sword techniques, we will try to hold it in position", said Lucas.


    Robert nodded his head and he did the Third Form. The huge amount of Mana that he had gathered formed a green slash, and it cut the Lava into two. The lava was separated in two, and Lucas and Emilia began to maintain the same position. "Easier said than done", muttered Lucas as he began to pant.


    The both of them were running out of breath, and Lucas had an idea. "Robert, is it possible to push this downhill faster than normal?", he asked. Robert nodded his head, but he wasn''t sure if it was possible for him. He then heard Sarah''s voice. "Allow me to lend you a hand", she said and the mana began to one again run erratically.


    He could feel the Mana around him distorted, and he put his hands forward. His eyes began to glow green, and the wind was visible all around him. He waved his hands, and the gust of wind began to slow the Lava down. "Now, to pull it towards me", he thought as he looked at the place.


    He closed his fists, and he tucked them into his hip, as he spread his legs. "What is he doing?", thought everyone. Robert didn''t understand what he was doing either, but he felt his body move on its own. Thus, he allowed it to move accordingly.


    He took a deep breath and he let it out. Everyone felt the changes in the wind surrounding them. No one knew if it was his doing. The Lava was now speeding up quickly. Lucas and Emilia were struggling to keep up with the pace of the speed. "Michelle, cover us!", he said as he sensed his control slipping away.


    She nodded her head and called a sphere of Darkness around all of them separately. Robert systematically slid his feet, and his breathing was stable. He was like a mountain, unnerving and steady. He pushed his palms out as he let out his breath, and he moved in a circle.


    He began to move his palms and legs rhythmically, and it was calming to see. But along with his movements, the direction of the wind kept changing. It was keeping the Lava at bay, and everyone was safe. After a few minutes, the Lava began to seep into the ground, and monsters spawned around again.


    The three of them were beat due to exhaustion. Michelle and Tobias let them rest, and the both of them went on a spree. Michelle was crazily swinging her scythe, and Tobias was ripping them all into pieces. One of Michelle''s eyes turned crimson, and the scythe was pulsing. "Is Death going to evolve again?", he asked as he saw the pulsing was growing stronger.


    Michelle smiled. "You have good eyes, kid", she said. He knew it wasn''t her, but Death talking to him. Lucas smiled and he watched the massacre. After a few minutes, the pulsing was too strong, and Michelle''s body was slowly being consumed by the Darkness. "It is a process", she said as he watched.


    Lucas knew what will happen next, and he ordered everyone to come next to him. He ordered Emilia to erect a structure and they all hid inside as a red pulse was released, killing all the monsters along with it. They all left as they felt a quake underneath them. " The next eruption!", exclaimed Lucas as he ordered everyone to get back into positions.


    They began the same procedure, so Lucas and Emilia could rest more. "It was a good thing there weren''t any avalanches in the cold mountain ranges", muttered Lucas as he saw the difficulty of controlling a mass amount of Mana.


    He concentrated on the maximum, and this time, the both of them could make a slight split, but it wasn''t enough for all of them to stay safe. Robert did the same again, and they were exhausted. "We need to save our energy in the next round. And for that, I need to choose the most suitable terrain", he began to think.


    After the second round, they only had one more Lava to face, and they went back to rest. They began to recover from the fatigue of the controlling, and Lucas began to see the weaknesses of the team. "Individually, we are strong. But when we are as a team, we do not have the synergy to do things", he concluded.


    He decided that to make the team stronger, they needed more amount of time. "We need to reach the point where one does not need to communicate and execute the attacks perfectly. We need to increase the synergy between us", he began to talk out loud. "Don''t worry. For the first time as a party, we are doing quite well", said Robert as he looked at Lucas.


    The third was about to hit them and the eruption this time was three times larger than the first one. "This is going to be a challenge", he smiled.. And Lucas loved a challenge.

 Chapter 93 - The Survival Round (Part Four)

    The Lava was rushing faster than before, and he was trying to do the same thing. Sweat was seen on all three of their faces as Robert was having a hard time controlling the Mana. "Don''t worry. You have the control part ready. Now all you need to do is increase the capacity of control", came Sarah''s voice to his head.


    Robert smiled as he heard her voice. "I always tend to forget that this spirit is almost a hundred years old", he thought. The voice was that of a little girl, and that always made him think that she was a little girl. But according to the spirit world, she was nothing but a child. He began to follow his instincts, and he was doing the same thing on repeat.


    Emilia and Lucas on the other hand could now hear each other''s thoughts this time. "I have to help him lighten the load. I do not want to be a burden anymore", he heard Emilia''s thoughts. A smile formed on Lucas''s face. "You aren''t a burden. In fact, without you, I think we would not have been able to pull this far", replied Lucas to her.


    "They have reached the first stage of Synergy", thought Valentine as he could hear both of their thoughts. This time, the controlling of the Mana was much easier, and the both of them made a considerable split, which still had to be further split by Robert.


    But when they began to hear each other''s thoughts. that was when the true essence of the formation began to show. The flow and the control of Mana became much easier, and they could now move the Lava a little bit according to their will. After the split, the maintaining of the Lava was much easier, and thus came the end of the Lava.


    A hologram appeared in front of them.


    [Please choose the Survival Terrain]


    [1. Lush Forest


    2. Cold Mountain Range (Visited)


    3. Steamy Volcano Island (Current Terrain)


    4. Underground City]


    [Note: Terrain will be changed every one and a half hours]


    Lucas smiled. "Michelle and Tobias have the most energy, and the Underground city must have roads and buildings we can use as a cover", concluded Lucas as he selected the next terrain. The terrain began to shift, and there was a moonlit city in front of them.


    "I thought Underground City?", asked Michelle but then noticed the hole in the ceiling. "Maybe that is through where the monsters come in?'', asked Tobias. "Maybe. We cannot conclude anything about this Portal, as it is quite abnormal", replied Lucas as he looked around. He was making a map in his head, as that was needed if they needed rest, and advantage.


    After a few minutes, a buzzer went off, and as they had guessed, the monsters began to pour in through the hole at the top. "Everyone, use your long-range attacks to kill off as many as you can before they reach the ground", he ordered and everyone pulled out their skills, and began to kill the monsters while they were in the air. "Advanced Tiers", said Lucas as he saw every monster.


    "Why are they the same ones? Is this some kind of Den for Goblins? And are we trespassing it?'', he began to think.  His train of thought wasn''t wrong, but it wasn''t entirely right either. Everyone was shooting at the top when Lucas felt the hair on his neck stand. He ducked and he saw a blade just whiz past his head and slightly taking some of his hair. "Dodged by a hair''s length", he smiled as he quickly thrust his sword into the gut of the monster goblin.


    Michelle had no problem manipulating the Darkness to her will, and along with Death merging with her, she made throwing knives out of Darkness and threw them at every enemy that she laid her eyes on. Tobias was feeling bored, and he thus began to yawn. "Is there no job for me now?", he thought as he looked at everyone killing off the monsters.


    "Maybe I just fry them in the sky, and weaken them significantly before they reach the ground", he thought. Lucas looked at him and smiled. "The next round, you will have your turn. I''m feeling beat", he said as he was panting from using too much Mana.


    "Don''t push or else you will damage your Mana Channels", came Valentine''s voice as a warning. They quickly disposed of every monster, and they waited for the signal of the next wave. Lucas went to the back and he sat down. "Tobias, do your thing", he said and flashed a smile at him.


    "I shall not let you down, Master!", he said as he puffed his chest out and went towards the group. "Always saying the funniest of things right before doing something serious", he smiled. Lucas went inside a building, and he climbed to the top of the building. He began to scan around, as something was wrong.


    "How could a monster creep up behind me? I had my guard up", he thought as he looked around. He knew that there was some other spawn point for these monsters, and he wanted to make sure where they were coming from. "Let''s look around now, shall we", he smiled as he activated [Mana Vision].


    He then saw another spawn point at the back of the city, inside a tunnel. "What is that place? No wonder it took them so long to reach here. And also, it seems like some of the intelligent ones are waiting for the others to be fully immersed in the fight. Time to use the Art of Stealth", he muttered as he jumped down from the building.


    "Now, let me try to remember the route in which I have to reach the back of the city", he began to recall. He began to run in a straight line, and at an intersection, he turned right. "There they are", he smiled as he pulled out his blades. He moved swiftly in the darkness, and he slit their throats clean. "The Art of Stealth truly is a terrifying technique", he thought as he proceeded on his way.


    He began to follow the route he had mapped in his head and he slew all the Advanced Tier monsters he saw. "Sneaking up on them does work to do a one-shot kill", he concluded as he killed the last of the monsters that were around. He had reached the tunnel, and he stood there in wait for the next wave of monsters.


    Emilia had noticed that Lucas wasn''t around, and she assumed that he was somewhere nearby resting. But as she looked around, she couldn''t find him. "Where did Lucas go?", she asked in a voice filled with worry. Robert looked around and he smiled. "Seems like something is lurking around us. And he has found the source", replied Robert as he looked around.


    After hearing his reply, she panicked. "He went alone? But that will kill him!", she exclaimed out loud. Robert smiled. "You have seen his strength. You and I both know that he will be perfectly fine. I think you should stop worrying about him, and concentrate on the incoming wave of monsters", said Robert as he pointed his sword upwards.


    They began their round of shooting their attacks, and the monsters fell quickly. And with Tobias creating a frying chain that reduces the HP of the monsters significantly, they had an easy time killing them off in the air. And for the few that reached the ground, Michelle killed them off with a single strike.


    Lucas looked in front of him and saw the monsters appear out of the tunnel. He wanted to use the Chains Of Hades, and he activated it. He threw the blade towards a monster, and he felt it pierce through its head smoothly. He didn''t let go, and he kept pushing it forward. The blade kept penetrating the monsters.


    He pulled it back, and along with it came the monsters that had died. There were about ten monsters, and he threw the other blade in the other direction. "Now, if only I could block the tunnel''s opening using the chains", he thought. He pulled back the other blade, and he looked at the entrance.


    "What if I do this?", he thought as he placed both the blades in the opposite directions, and him in the center like the anchor. He then released his Mana through the chains, and fire began to spread from the chains. To his right, it was fire, and to his left, it was Ice. He was in the middle, channeling the Mana and maintaining the barrier.


    He then called upon his [Icicle] and began to kill the monsters one by one. Lucas was keeping the monsters in check, and one of the monsters decided to pass through the barrier thinking it was some kind of illusion. It ended up getting burnt by the fire and died. The other monsters were now wary of Lucas.


    The smile on his face grew wide. "You thought you could sneak up on us? Well, think again", he laughed as he looked at the monsters in the tunnel.. Every monster felt a sense of dread and shiver under their skin.

 Chapter 94 - The Survival Round (Part Five)

    Lucas''s smile was like the devil. The monsters felt something sinister from him, and the Aura he was releasing was denser than usual. The monsters felt something inside them stir, and it was evident in their bodies shivering. One of the monsters roared out loud and decided to attack him.


    It ran towards him, and before it reached Lucas, a hole was seen through its head. Lucas''s Icicle pierced through, and it was hovering right above its head. "Now, let''s see what you guys will do", he said in a menacing tone. He then created more [Icicle] and began to kill them.


    The monster''s coordination was disrupted by Lucas''s attack, and because they were boxed in and couldn''t escape, they were unable to react quickly. Some came to attack him, while some went to attack the barrier. Those that touched the barrier were either burnt to a crisp or frozen into a statue depending on the side they touched.


    Most of the monsters, after seeing their other counterparts get killed by the barrier stood back. They were now afraid to approach the barrier that Lucas had put up, and he wasn''t able to move as he was the main link to the barrier. If he let go, the barrier would fall. He was only using his [Icicle] spell to kill them, and he had six individual [Icicle]s around him.


    There were still half of them standing, and Lucas''s smile widened. "Let''s take the [Fireball]", he said and changed the [Icicle]s to [Fireball]s. The monsters were confused as to why the spell was changing, but only Lucas knew the reason.


    [Icicle has Levelled Up!]


    [Mana Consumption 6 -> 5]


    [Damage increased by three percent]


    This was the reason he changed the spell. He wanted to keep it even, and he needed to balance them when using. "Maybe next time, I should use three in each of them, making it easier for me to level them up", he concluded as he began to burn down the rest of the monsters.


    Screams were echoing across the tunnel, and it reached outside the tunnel. Unfortunately, no one was around for the monsters to be saved. After a few minutes, Lucas let go of the barrier, and he placed the blade back inside. "And this is why I had to block the exit", he smiled as he looked at the number of monsters he had killed.


    [Fireball has Levelled Up!]


    [Mana Consumption 6 -> 5]


    [Damage increased by three percent]


    "Even if I do not have the power, I shall protect these friends of mine", he clenched his fist. A hologram appeared in front of him, and Lucas knew he only had one thing to do. "Let''s regroup first", he thought as he ran back to his group, and met up with them. After meeting up, he cleared his throat.


    "I saw some monsters sneaking up on us, so I went to find the spawn point for them. They seemed to have been coming from the tunnel down there, so I blocked the entrance and killed them all. Now, we will move to the final terrain, Lush Forest", he said.


    [Please choose the Survival Terrain]


    [1. Lush Forest


    2. Cold Mountain Range (Visited)


    3. Steamy Volcano Island (Visited)


    4. Underground City (Current Terrain)]


    [Note: Terrain will be changed every one and a half hours]


    All of them agreed, and they stuck together as the terrain shifted. The surroundings began to fill with thick green trees, and the sun was shining bright. Lucas looked to the sky and smiled. "Finally! Although it is an illusion, seeing the sun just makes me feel much better", he said. Everyone nodded their heads to his remark, as they too felt the same way.


    [Wave 8 will commence in 2 minutes]


    After seeing this terrain, Lucas smiled. "Alright. I have a plan. Emilia, this place is perfect, and every monster will be coming to get us. And if I look at the pattern, it is going to be troublesome this time", he said.


    "We will be facing a wave of Legendary Tier Monsters. So, we can''t be facing them like before. We lack the right pieces of equipment, and we do not have the time to make some. SO, we will be using tactics against these monsters, and killing them off", announced Lucas. Everyone nodded their heads. "So, what''s the plan?", asked Robert.


    "We will make a structure, here in the middle. A dome-like one. If it is made out of Earth, and we have some holes to let the light inside create shadows, Michelle will be able to take advantage of the Darkness and kill them all. Every one of us can be sneaky, and kill them all after they enter this place", he said.


    Everyone nodded their heads as it seemed like a plausible plan. "But how will they find us?", asked Tobias. Lucas scratched his head. "It seems like before they get spawned, our general locality is revealed. After the spawn, they seem to head in that particular direction, and we will be able to lure them here. Into our den", he said


    Emilia nodded her head. "A solid plan. Should we do it like the one from before?", she asked. "I think we will need to create the Power Cores", he said. He knew that to maintain the spell for a long time would take a lot of energy out of her. So, he needed the Power Cores to be made if they needed the efficiency in this strategy.


    Emilia then first created the Power Cores, and everyone inserted their Earth Crystals into it. "All done", said Robert and Emilia then raised a dome, with some holes to allow in the sunlight. The trees that were inside cast shadows around, making it easy for Michelle and Lucas to utilize them to their fullest potential.


    "We need five entryways. Don''t worry about anything and just make it like a star", said Lucas as he looked at Emilia. She nodded her head and five pathways were opened, and through which the monsters would enter.


    "Each one of us will guard an entrance. Remember, you are not to be seen by the enemy. If seen, this whole operation will be jeopardized", he said. Everyone nodded their heads fervently. "We''re going to be the greatest assassins", said Tobias as he held his fist up high in the air. Everyone chuckled.


    "Maybe", said Lucas as he shrugged his shoulders and disappeared into the darkness. Everyone proceeded according to the plan, and the two minutes were over. Some of the monsters were spawned inside the dome while most of the other monsters were spawned outside.


    Michelle sensed the ones that had spawned inside and she went and killed them instantly. "We have to make sure that information doesn''t reach the outside of this place", she thought as she looked at the place they had built. "I will defend", she thought as she looked around.


    She felt that she had contributed less to the group, as she had passed out during the Tower and become a burden on everyone. "Death, shall we do this?", she asked as a smile rose on her lips. "Well, I am fond of that smart kid. Maybe I can co-operate for this one", he replied slyly.


    Michelle laughed as she skipped merrily in the darkness, and became one with it. Lucas was also one with the Darkness, and his title had activated.


    [Agiliy is increased by seventy-five percent]


    [Agility: 49+37]


    Lucas felt much lighter, and he was running at extreme speed. This was due to him, being in absolute darkness. There was light scattered here and there, but most of the place was dark. Lucas had also his [Mana Vision] on, and he was able to see in the dark. "Am I depending too much on these?'', he thought.


    He recalled the time he didn''t have the system, and how he was unable to use any spells. "I have to train to use the spell without the system. And to do that, I will need to learn from the basics", he thought. Valentine heard his thoughts and if he did have a face, he would have been smiling.


    "That is the attitude. Yes, you are strong with the system. But you also need to remember, what you are without the system, and improve yourself. Because one day, you will be passing it down to your descendant as well", thought Valentine as he saw Lucas running. The monsters had now slowly begun to enter the dome, and they were roaming around looking for everyone.


    Everyone was preparing themselves for the stealthy mission, and each one of them had assumed a position. Emilia was hiding deep inside with her trusted sniper, and the others were roaming around in the forest inside the dome.


    Lucas saw the monsters that were outside had begun to come into the dome. They had a confused look on their face when they couldn''t see the humans they were supposed to attack. A smiled crept up Lucas''s face as he saw the expressions on their faces.


    "Let the games begin!", he announced and everyone got into action.

 Chapter 95 - The Survival Round (Final Part)

    Lucas was hiding in the forest, and the monsters that entered were vigilant as they knew such a structure wasn''t supposed to be here. They looked around, and using their sense of smell, tried to pinpoint at least one person. But everyone was hiding, and they were looking around.


    Emilia grinned as a monster came into her view. "Steady... Fire!", she muttered as she took her shot. A headshot and the monster was down. Lucas was stealthy, and he was treading among the trees carefully. He wasn''t on the ground, but was using the branches of the trees and jumping from one to the next.


    A monster sensed his smell, and it instantly looked up, only to see nothing above its head. It tilted its head and began to sniff earnestly. It quickly turned to the left, and it only felt a slash across its neck. "Well, you''re the first one to smell me", he said as he flipped the blood off the blade.


    He then moved swiftly away from the place, as he sensed a few more monsters coming down his way. "Time to pick them out one by one", he smiled as he moved swiftly. With his increased agility, catching him was hard. The moment he moved, only a blur could be seen. The monsters that were coming down the way smelled him.


    Every monster looked in a different direction, as Lucas running around made it hard for them to detect a standard direction from him. The monsters huddled together and had their backs against each other. Lucas dashed across the group, and one of the monster''s heads rolled on the ground.


    The monsters panicking increased. They huddled together and stood next to each other. Their heads were turning around constantly. "Panicking only makes the situation worse, for you", muttered Lucas as he moved once again.


    He then made his move, and the next head was rolling. But this time, he didn''t disappear. Instead, he took advantage of the panic and slashed all the heads off their bodies. He once again jumped and landed on a tree, and he was lounging freely on it.


    Michelle was standing at the center of the forest, and she had spread her awareness throughout the whole dome. Her darkness element helped in making her sense of every monster that enters, and the ones that have fallen. This time, it was her turn to watch the back of her friends.


    She was stroking her scythe, and she was also keeping her awareness up. "I wanted to ask. Why me? You could have chosen father. He is much more capable than what I am", she said. Death chuckled and said,


    "Well, I did want to choose your father at first, but later I also understood that he was an old man, and would reach his end soon. And I saw you. That day...", he paused.


    "That day when I saw you skillfully swinging the scythe, I wanted you to wield me. I saw the potential within you. But only after wielding me did I understand the things that you were hiding. The sorrow behind that beautiful smile of yours".


    "I wanted you to let them all go. I wanted oy to become free. So I decided to be harsh on you. I wanted you to get fed up to the point that you would begin to live life as it was meant to be. As a weapon of the Guider of Souls, I have seen the resentment some of the souls have when they are sent to the afterlife".


    "And I did not want you to have those resentments. I wanted you to have that beautiful smile on your face as you are sent to the Afterlife. And you, Michelle, might be the first person that I have chosen to reveal all of these. I am not this chatty, haha", he laughed as he finished his words.


    Michelle had a smile plastered across her face and she looked towards the ceiling of the dome. "So I am the new Guider of Souls?", she asked. "No. Or not ye, should be the right answer", he replied to her question. Michelle then sensed something near Tobias, and she summoned a Dark Scythe right at that position.


    "Well, let''s focus on the task at hand", she smiled as she killed the monster behind him. Tobias saw a head roll right next to his feet from behind, he was about to scream when he saw a scythe spinning behind him.


    "Thanks, Michelle. I haven''t done these kinds of things ever", he said the scythe with gratitude. He was looking ahead, and he almost forgot that people could attack him from the back. "I must train myself for situations like these too", thought Tobias as he cracked his knuckles.


    Robert was walking around stealthily, and he was killing off the monsters with blades of wind made from his strikes. "So Sarah, you''re the daughter of my father''s spirit?", he asked.


    "Yes, that is correct", she replied and became silent. Robert wanted to converse more with his spirit and get to know more about her, but he was skeptical to ask. he took a deep breath and was about to ask when he felt something from his right.


    He quickly hid and pulled out his blade, and cut down the monster in a single strike. "They''re harder to take down only when they are in combat. Stealth killing them is quite easy. But that can''t be said for all the situations", he said as he jumped a few steps back.


    He then saw something standing in front of him, and he heard a huffing from the place the monster had landed. "The Big Muscular Green Monster", he said as he readied his grip on his sword. "I need to take this out quickly to not alert the nearby ones", he thought as he looked at his surroundings.


    There were no monsters around him, and he was confident in taking it out single-handedly. The confidence stemmed from the combat in The Tower, in which all of them had taken down several of these monsters without a single second of rest in a wave.


    He readied his stance and he made his move. A wind slash was seen, and it cut the monster in two halves. "After the spirit allowed me to use some of its power, I am beginning to see improvements in my Mana handling", he smiled as he sheathed his sword back inside.


    He looked around and saw nothing, and he began to move around and guard the area. "We all have a role to play, and no one shall cause havoc in my fortress", he muttered as he patrolled the area.


    The next hologram came up, and it signaled the beginning of the next wave. A smile was seen across Lucas''s face, and everyone began to move more quickly, as he knew that this would be the final wave.


    The excitement of clearing this portal made his blood bubble in excitement, and it was the same for everyone else. Their movements became more known, and Tobias was having the time of his life. Every monster he laid his eyes on was fried to a crisp with his lightning.


    White lights could be seen at the places he was frying them, and Michelle was now using her scythes to keep the monsters that were about to ambush her friends in check. A buzz went off, and the monsters disappeared.


    The Lush Forest disappeared, and the dome in which they were in was called down. The crystals which they had used had a bit of the element left in them, and everyone stored it back inside their bags.


    [Congratulations! You have cleared The Survival!]


    [Rewards have been calculated]


    [The crystals shall be distributed now]


    A bag of crystals came out as the last time, and there was a bustling atmosphere around them.


    [Points have been calculated. Each person has 58,940 points. The Portal has been cleared at an E+ Difficulty]


    [Due to setting a new record, you have options to choose from the following Rewards.


    1. Elemental Mana Cores - This can help improve the Mana Potency of the person with the said Element. Will receive a bag of all Elemental Mana Crystals.


    2. Advanced HP Limit Breaker x2, Advanced MP Limit Breaker x2


    3. Devil''s Chestpiece x1 - An Armor used by the Devil Damien


    4. Blueprint of [Shocker Gauntlet] x1


    You may choose two among the above]


    Lucas turned around and looked at everyone. He then chose the Blueprint and the Mana cores, as he wasn''t sure how much Mana Cores he will be needing for the process of crafting the Gauntlet.


    [Individual Rewards:


    Robert Van Hueston - Aerokinetic Constructs (Skill/Manual)


    Emilia Burnheart - Elemental Summoning (Skill/Manual)


    Tobias Brown - Electrical Telepathy(Skill/Manual)


    Michelle Cooper - Shadow Mutilation (Skill/Manual)


    Lucas Smith - Supernatural Leap (Skill/Manual)]


    Everyone was happy at what they had got. Then another hologram appeared in front of them. A smile was seen across Lucas''s face. "Well, everyone. Seems like my prediction was right after all", he said.


    [Select your choice:


    Congratulations! You have cleared the tutorial for the Portal.


    You have two choices now.


    1. Close this Portal


    2. Leave the Portal open for the Future]

 Chapter 96 - A Caught Up Past

    Everyone began to discuss what to do. Robert tried to leave the portal to discuss it with the UCDM Division. But the portal entrance was locked, meaning they get to make the choice. "If we leave this open, we will have to tell him about this part", explained Lucas to everyone. They nodded their heads. Robert voiced out his concern.


    "Then won''t they send someone in and close this down? Now that they have the information for the portal from us, they will send in a mercenary team inside, and clear it", he said. Lucas rubbed his chin hard. He was thinking along the same lines.


    Ultimately, the choice lied with them. Lucas then choose the option to leave it open and make the director see his point of view, He was determined to make sure that this portal stayed open.


    "I have decided to leave it open, and make the Director see my point of view", he said. Everyone agreed with his decision, as they thought it was the sensible thing. "Rather than lying and evading, only to be caught in the future, it would be best if we come clean", thought everyone.


    He then chose the second option and left the portal open, and they exited the portal. When they came out, it was night and they were tired from the adventure they had gone through. Robert then booked a room, and they began to rest for the night. Lucas was planning on what to say the next day to the UCDM Division when they meet them.


    (Near the outskirts of Heart Kingdom)


    It was dark all around and a few men were wearing a black hood sprinting through the forest. They were going towards the place where Ben had defended against the invading forces, and they had to be discreet about it.


    After reaching the place, the seven men that had come began to investigate. They began to scrounge for any remains of the bodies from last night, but they were unable to find any remains. Just when they thought all hope was lost, one of the men called out to the others.


    He was holding a feather that was made out of Tungsten. He was turning it around, and something inside him was stirred. His voice began to crack. "Could it be, that Cassandra is still alive?", he asked as he turned to look at another man behind him.


    The man behind him had the same expression as him. The both of them were wondering if this feather indeed belonged to the person they had known. The two who were looking at the feather were the leaders of the group that was investigating.


    The both of them turned around and looked at the other five men who had followed them. "Did anyone see any feathers like this?", he asked in a commanding tone. Everyone nodded their heads to their sides, indicating that they hadn''t seen any. The both of them nodded their heads in acknowledgment.


    "If anyone learns or sees any feathers like this, report to us immediately. And by immediately, I mean right the second. I don''t care if it''s in the middle of the night. Understood!", he commanded.


    "YESSIR!", came a chorus of voices from them. The man who was holding the feather looked at the sky and smiled. "Finally, it seems like there is hope for The Guardians to rise back", he muttered as his thoughts began to run wild.


    The man was none other than Alex. And the other man who was next to him was Denver. Both of them were still following Protocol X that was given to them. And the rest of them were under hiding. "Cassandra...", he said and Denver had the same look on his face.


    "So does this mean that the leader is alive?", he asked. Alec turned to look at him. "He is the leader. He shouldn''t be dead, not yet. I am sure of it. He must still be alive if Cassandra is alive", he said with a resolute voice.


    The team left the place and headed back to where they had come from, with hopes that they would get to meet Cassandra and Michael.


    (In an Unknown Location)


    A man has stood outside a room, and he drew a deep breath as he knocked on the door. A deep voice welcomed him. "Come in", said the voice. He opened the door and entered. "The Omega has reported", he said as he kept his head low.


    The man who was sipping some brandy placed it back onto his table and looked at the man intently. The man was afraid to look up at him, and he hesitated. "Go on", came the deep voice from him again, startling him to his core.


    "The report says that they had followed the protocol, and the defense is strong. They weren''t able to penetrate the outer level of the kingdom, and they lost the whole squad to their defenses", he reported. A purplish Aura burst out from him, and the man who was reporting shuddered.


    The man withdrew his Aura when he realized it, and the other person was slowly regaining his composure again. "Master, does this mean that there were some miscalculations?", he asked as he looked up at the man.


    The man had a furious expression on his face, and he took a deep breath as he took a sip from his brandy. The expression went back to normal, and he looked at the man who was reporting.


    "Release Zelda 1.0, Kevin", he commanded. Kevin looked at his master, confused. "But, he is a failure", he reported back. The man smiled and said, "That''s the point. We''re going to see the progress of the improvements we made to the failure. And with the results, I think we will be able to make the perfect Zelda", he said.


    "Right away, Master", he said as he left the room. The man once again took a sip and went towards a window that was overlooking the city he was in.


    "My first experiment successful experiment, Benjamin Heart. I will get you back and analyze you. I Fenrir, The Mad Scientist will find you. And when I do", a devilish smile crept up his face. Hia Aura was released, and the glass in front of him began to crack.


    "Better keep myself composed until then", he reminded himself once more.


    The assistant Kevin went to the lift and typed in a passcode. The lift began to descend, and it entered a basement that was inaccessible to normal people. He then looked around as he entered the basement, and he went towards a room.


    He entered and removed the coat he was wearing. "Release Zelda 1.0. I need to speak with him", he said as he picked up a microphone from his drawer. A sound was heard, and a series of locks being unlocked was heard.


    A thud was heard, and a man was seen coming towards Kevin. The man was normal-looking, and he was waiting for his orders to be given. "I am the King of the Beasts. What needs to be done?", he said in a deep voice.


    "Zelda, we need you to go to a specific place and wreak some havoc. Take along the beasts that you find on your way", said Kevin as he pointed out the location of The Heart Kingdom. Zelda''s eyes were fixated on the location, and he nodded his head.


    "I will honor the deal between me and the wolf, Fenrir", he said as he turned around and vanished. Kevin chuckled and muttered, "Like you made one with Master. It is all nothing but a setup."


    He went back to his desk and called someone. "When you meet Zelda, or receive information that Zelda has arrived, initiate ''Ares''", he gave a simple command and hung up the line.


    (On the other end of that line)


    The man who had picked up the call was shivering from fright. "They have released project Zelda?", he thought as he hung up the line. He quickly called up everyone who was under him, specifically the Zookeepers.


    "I have received a call from the headquarters. It seems they have launched Project Zelda. And we have been ordered to follow the ''Ares'' Protocol", he said. Everyone had their eyes wide, as they thought there was still time to before they initiated the said protocol.


    Everyone left the room and began to prepare for the protocol. They all knew that a storm was brewing, and it was no ordinary one either. One of the Zookeepers had a smile on his face, and he was humming a tune.


    "It is time to see which among my Zoo perform well", he smiled as he left the place, heading towards his so-called ''Zoo'', which was a prison for all the experiments that were being conducted.


    (At the Guardian''s Tower)


    Ben and Merlin had gone through several checks, and everything had turned up normal. Leon and Bradley let out a sigh of relief. Ben was talking with Jason, and he was teaching him how to redirect his anger into pushing him to become stronger.


    "Now, I need you to remember that this is just a temporary fix. I will talk with Leon about letting you go and learning about your past. Maybe you might find something useful there, and you will be able to control your anger further", said Ben as he prepared to leave the tower back to his residence.


    Jason nodded his head fervently, and he took an oath within him. "The next time I meet him, I will be strong enough to defend myself. And I will set out to seek my origins." Ben and Merlin left the tower, and they headed back to the palace.


    After reaching the palace, Ben bid Merlin goodbye and the both of them parted ways. For now, they had planned to keep this thing a secret, and they didn''t want their enemy, The Omega to take notice of their presence.


    "Seems like we can never outrun our past.. In the end, mine has caught up", sighed Ben as he entered his room,  and went to bed due to exhaustion.

 Chapter 97 - Ken Adams Meets Michelle Cooper

    The next day had arrived, and Lucas was done with his Daily tasks. Right after that, he began his Aura practice. He needed to achieve the third stage as soon as he could, and for that, he needed to train.


    "It''s not just because I''m weak, I received word from father on the device that was given to me. They have made their move", he reminded himself. He didn''t know who or what they were facing. But he was sure that whatever was coming, would shake the very foundation of this kingdom.


    "I''m not sure if I should include them in this matter. After all, we have just met and don''t have a very good bonding", he contemplated. The door opened and in came a beautiful woman. "Emilia", he smiled sweetly at her.


    Among the group, she was the most mysterious one to him. The fact that she had helped him in the two days they had met was making him suspicious of her. Every cell in his body was telling him that this woman was planning something, and his guts were right most of the time.


    For the time, Lucas was just keeping his guard up around her. He needed to know what her plan was, and how to counter if that ever happened. And for that, he needed to play the part to draw her closer to him.


    "Guess he doesn''t remember who I am. Maybe this might make things easier between us", she thought as she saw him being cautious. She approached him and kept her distance from him.


    "How do you plan to convince the UCDM Division?", she asked, as that was the question on her mind. Lucas let out a sigh and walked out of the room. He went towards the window in the room and took a deep breath.


    "Honestly, I am not sure how to convince them. Let''s just do our best, and leave the rest up to fate", he said as he turned around.


    Emilia flashed a beautiful smile at him and said, "Everything will be alright. Just have a little faith in yourself." Lucas nodded his head in response, and they left the place they were staying at.


    "We need to make a trip back to the Alchemy Store, and report the findings that we have made", said Lucas as he saw everyone coming together. They all left and went towards the place they had bought the medicine, and after reaching it, they were greeted by Andrea and her husband.


    Lucas began to report about the things he had found during his journey in the portal and told him about the part to choose the choice of whether to close or leave it open. He told them that he had chosen to leave it open, and the reason behind it. Kennedy nodded his head in approval.


    "You did the right thing. If that portal is indeed a tutorial, then it means that the other portals are going to be tougher than before. But for now, I am sure you must have noticed your lack of strength, he said. Everyone nodded their heads. If not for their cooperation, they knew that they would not have survived this portal.


    Everyone was determined to go on their paths and increase their strength. "And Michelle, somebody is here to see you. And I think you all must meet him as well", said Kennedy as he motioned for them to follow behind.


    Everyone followed behind, and they went to the same place Lucas was taken to last time. A man in a white shirt and a red tie was having some tea, and he was humming a tune. Everyone who saw him was shocked as to why he was here.


    "Mr. Adams. I have brought them here as you had requested'', said Kennedy in a respectful manner. As soon as everyone heard the name Adams, they knew who was there.


    "Mr. Ken Adams, The first Legacy Weapon Wielder and the only SSS+ Ranked Adventurer to exist on this planet ", said Lucas as he looked at the man. On his hip were two circles with handles in the middle, and it was shining. The look of the wheel of metal was mesmerizing, and as a blacksmith, Lucas didn''t want to lose the opportunity to study such a weapon.


    "Ms. Cooper, I would like to talk with you and the friends that you are traveling with. Please take a seat", he said in a gesture. Everyone was moved by the smile on his face. "Is he this friendly, or are the rumors of him being a battle maniac false?", thought everyone as they took their seat.


    He looked at Michelle up and down, and he smiled. "Death seems to have taken quite a liking to you", came a woman''s voice in Michelle''s mind. She wasn''t shocked by the voice, as she knew that he was a wielder of a Legacy Weapon.


    "Is that you, Moonheart?", asked Death as he heard her voice. Michelle was the one who was confused at the reunion. "I thought Grim Reapers were supposed to be lonely forever", she said with a tinge of sarcasm in her voice. Ken laughed out loud.


    "You have spunk, kid. I like you already. But the reason I am here isn''t for chit-chat. I am here to warn you about what would happen if you were to go berserk with a Legacy Weapon. Have you formed a contract yet?", he asked.


    That was his main concern. If a contract had been formed, then he would be slightly relieved as that would never allow the weapon to take over without the host''s permission. Michelle nodded her head, indicating that she had indeed made a contract with her weapon. Ken sighed in relief.


    "Then I wouldn''t have to worry about you getting taken over by Death. But, shall we have a spar to know the capabilities of Death?", he asked politely. Lucas had a feeling that whatever was about to happen, would change them as a group.


    Michelle was about to disagree when Lucas nodded his head. He needed to understand what was the danger of wielding one. He had to make sure that if she did indeed go berserk, a countermeasure needed to be placed. This spar would provide him with the perfect insight he needed.


    Michelle looked at him, and anger was evident in her looks. Lucas flashed her a smile and shrugged his shoulder. He didn''t want to tell her that he was indeed quite doubtful that she could keep it under control. The both of them turned their heads towards Andrea.


    She sighed out loud and motioned for everyone to follow behind her. Everyone followed her, and they stood in the center of the place. She typed in some commands, and the floor around them rumbled. A circular portion of the floor began to move.


    It began to move down like an elevator, and everyone looked around and saw that there were training facilities and even places to sleep. "So, there is a secretive division for this", said Emilia in awe. She even saw a room for Blacksmiths to use. Lucas''s concentration wasn''t broken or distracted by the fact there was one though.


    "I need all the information I can get, and for that, I have to watch this battle closely. No matter how hard or fast they get, I will analyze the whole battle and find a weakness to exploit. And with that, I can at least keep the people around me safe, inclusive of my friends", he thought.


    Everyone was ushered towards a room, and there was a large window. There were seats, and in the middle was an arena for fighting. The whole room was lush, and it felt like they were watching some support from a VIP stand.


    It was comfortable, and Lucas was easing into the chair. Everyone got comfortable and saw Michelle and Ken appear in the Arena. Ken had a smile across his face, and his hands were playing with the circular blades.


    "That smile, it reminds me of whenever Sam wants to have a spar with me", thought Lucas as he began to analyze the information which he had on them. He knew to fight against someone who had wielded the Legacy weapon for a long time would result in a loss, but that would also help Michelle to understand the weapon better.


    "Mrs. Hudson, is it possible for you to record this battle? It would help me in analyzing some of the stuff, and come up with suitable countermeasures", he requested to her. She flashed a smile at him and nodded her head.


    "Point one is secure", he muttered as he turned his head back to the Arena. Ken''s eyes were burning with an insatiable fire. It was the eyes of someone who wanted nothing but to battle against the opponent in front of them. Michelle noticed the smile and she had one across her face.


    "Be careful. Moonheart isn''t someone you can defeat easily. She has a lot of power, and the one who wields her seems to have assimilated some of her power into him. And for that, she must have accepted him. This fight, is going to be a tough battle", said Death to Michelle. She nodded her head.


    "I do want to find out how strong your other friends are. Or maybe they are family to you. But if I do face someone from your friends in the future, I would need to have hands-on experience on how to defeat them", she replied in a serious tone.


    "You ready to do this?", asked Ken to Moonheart. "I do want to face him after all these years. it''s been a long time since I fought him. And I also want to see the wielder he has chosen", she replied.


    The both of them pulled out their weapons and took their stances.. A countdown was heard, and when the buzz rang, both of them made their move.

 Chapter 98 - Ken Vs Michelle

    Michelle made her move the split second she saw Ken make his. She knew he was stronger than her, so she had to make the first move to gain an advantage in this fight. Ken on the other hand, only wanted to test out her potential.


    Both of them had not yet drawn out the power from their weapons, and they were just using the techniques that they had picked up in their years. As Michelle neared Ken, she saw one of the blades coming straight towards her face, rotating. She smiled as she moved to the side, and kept her charge towards him going.


    Ken smiled as he saw her reaction time. After they reached a certain distance, he flashed a smile. Michelle felt something graze by her cheek, and she jumped back. "But I thought I dodged it", she was baffled. Ken was enjoying her expressions.


    He then made his move and began to attack her. Sparks were flying all over the place as she defended against his attacks, and since he was a dual wielder, she was finding it hard to keep up with the speed of his attacks.


    She was swinging her scythe left and right, and it kept blocking his attacks. "Nice, now let''s see if you can keep this up", he said as he picked up speed. Michelle now had difficulty in blocking his attacks, and she was getting cut while she blocked one of his attacks.


    She was wincing in pain, but she gritted her teeth and pushed forward. Her willpower was something she was proud of, and she was pushing through the pain which was caused by the minuscule cuts. Ken jumped back and smiled.


    "Now, show me the power of the weapon", he said and one of his eyes turned white like a beautiful moon. If someone looked into his eyes, they would be mesmerized by the way his eyes were. There was also a mark running from his left cheek to the top of his left eye, and it was filled with white light.


    Michelle then called upon her power of Death, but unlike him, only her eyes turned black with the red iris. "Seems like you have begun to harness the power of the weapons", said Ken with a smile, and he disappeared. Michelle was now stunned.


    "How is it possible for him to disappear? Isn''t moonlight available at night?", she thought as she looked around. Her body was screaming at her, and she wanted to run. "Calm down and focus", came Death''s voice to her mind.


    She took a deep breath and regained her composure. She looked around the place differently, and she was trying to figure out his location. She felt an attack come from the left, but she was too slow to dodge it. It cut right at her shoulder, and blood began to gush out.


    Ken was invisible to Michelle, and he felt sorry that he had to do this.


    "Moonheart, are you sure about damaging the host? What if she goes bonkers, or loses her spirit? I don''t want that to happen", he said to her. All he heard was a chuckle. "Trust me on this one. Death is a stubborn guy, and he doesn''t choose someone that easily. I need him to assimilate with her as I have done with you", she said.


    Michelle looked around again, and she then sensed something in her surroundings. A glint was seen in her eyes momentarily, and her insti8nct was telling her to duck. She followed it, and she saw the blade go right past her.


    "That was close", was her only thought as she kept her eyes on the blade to figure out where he was. But the moment she saw it, it vanished. "So, even the weapon can make itself invisible", she concluded.


    It was tough for her to pinpoint an exact location, and she began to calculate the angles from which he had attacked. Although she wasn''t as smart as Lucas was, she had her fair share of fights before to know how to figure it out.


    "First from my left, then from behind, now it should come from my right back cross", she thought and tightened her grip on her scythe. She didn''t move, but she was anticipating the attack. She kept her face stoic, indicating that she was still confused.


    She was counting down the time between both of the attacks, and right when she reached zero, she turned and blocked the attack which was directed at her. Ken had a smile across his face after he saw her block the attack. She still hadn''t assimilated with Death yet, and that was their goal right now.


    "Moonheart, maybe we should take this up a notch", he said to her. Moonheart chuckled. "You just want to have fun, you battle maniac", she said. "You got me", he said as he revealed his location.


    "Congratulations on figuring out my attack pattern. But do you know something? These aren''t the only ones that I have", he said with a smile across his face. He threw two discs at her, and she dodged them both.


    "Now he doesn''t have any... WHAT!", she thought when she saw him running towards her with two blades in his hand. He jumped as soon as he reached close to her, and she put up her scythe. She felt her knees give way to the sheer amount of force behind his attack. Her grip tightened, and she began to push the blades away.


    "Too slow", said Ken as he quickly did a sweep of the foot. Michelle was on the ground, and he was about to kill her. Michelle was frustrated, and she did a backward roll. Something inside snapped, and her eye began to glow.


    "You dare, Moonheart?! You dare to kill the person I chose?", changed her voice. Ken smiled and called back the weapons he threw. His voice changed too, and the mark across his face was pulsing.


    "Yes, I do", said Moonheart. Death was pissed off. He thought this was going to be a friendly spar, and he also wanted to fight against Moonheart. A smile spread across her face, and it was an erratic one. A mark rose right below her left eye, the one which had turned.


    Death was assimilating some of his Power in her body, and the mark which had formed differently. While Moonheart''s mark went from the left cheek to the top of the eye like a crescent, Death''s mark went like a scythe and in the middle was a red line.


    She then made her move, and she was stronger than before. Moonheart was having trouble keeping up with his speed. "The first assimilation always tends to happen this way", said Moonheart, and this message wasn''t meant for Death.


    Lucas heard the message and he registered it in his mind. "Seems like until the assimilation is complete, someone needs to defend against their onslaught of attacks. Just how many stages of assimilation is there?", he thought as he looked at the fight.


    Just the first stage of assimilation and there was a major difference in her fighting style. Her movements were much more fluid than before, and she was connecting her movements like a chain now.


    Ken and Michelle, or Moonherart and Death to be exact, were fighting and laughing. Death''s laugh was erratic as he said, "You will see now, Moonheart. I didn''t expect you to be stronger than before", he said as he jumped back. Moonheart gave a smile back.


    "Me neither. I never thought you would find someone in the first place", she said as she looked at Michelle. Death was slowly giving control back to Michelle, and she was beginning to see the surge in power after the assimilation. She crouched on the floor and lunged forward.


    Ken dodged the attack, and this time it was him and not Moonheart fighting. Michelle made a vertical slash, and he dodged it. But a smile crept across her face as she twisted the scythe and pulled it back. A slash was made across his right shoulder.


    "I finally cut", she smiled as she began to push forward. She began to spin the scythe, and Ken was having a hard time keeping up with her movements. "The individual is indeed skilled", he thought as he was dodging and blocking her attacks.


    Ken was now on the defensive, and Michelle was on the offensive. He smiled once again, and he threw his blades outwards. Just as Michelle was about to place the scythe on his neck, she felt an indomitable pressure around her.


    Ken had a white glow around him, and the pressure was coming from him. "The Aura of The Night", informed Death to her. She also saw the two blades circling near her neck, threatening to cut her at any moment.


    "I give up", she said as she let go of the scythe. The weapon began to morph into the beautiful woman, Moonheart.. Michelle was stunned when she saw the beauty standing in front of her.

 Chapter 99 - Moonheart Meets Death

    "My name is Moonheart", she said as she extended her hand. Michelle shook her hand and looked at her scythe. "Does he have a form like this?", she asked. Moonheart laughed as she looked at the scythe. "Now now, don''t you go hiding behind the little girl''s back. Come out", she said.


    The scythe began to turn into smoke, and from the smoke emerged a young man. He was tall and had shiny flowing hair down to his mid-back. He was handsome, and an earring was dangling as he shook his head sideways. He had a tattoo of a skull with two scythes behind in a cross at the right of his neck.


    He tied up his hair into a ponytail and flashed a smile at her. He was wearing a simple white Henley along with a pair of shorts. "To what do I owe this displeasure?", he asked as he looked at her.


    The both of them began to laugh. She raised her hand and the both of them did a high five. Ken and Michelle began to walk out of the arena, and they were followed by the two of them.


    "I don''t know if this is their true forms, but this is the form they wish to show us. So, you can either have them by your side like this, or as a weapon", informed Ken to Michelle. She looked at the people ahead, and she couldn''t see any similarities between the both of them.


    All four of them entered the room and joined back with their friends. Lucas was looking at Moonheart and Death in a quite peculiar manner. Moonheart turned her head and flashed a smile at him, and he stopped staring at her.


    "They can also show emotions? Legacy weapons have always been an enigma to everyone. Just what, or who are they?'', he thought as he saw his group getting along with Moonheart and Death.


    After a few more minutes, they left the place and headed towards the elevator through which they had come in. After reaching the top, they were about to bid farewell to Ken and Moonheart when she motioned for Lucas to come towards her.


    "You must remember what you saw today. When she takes the next stage of assimilation, it''s going to be much stronger than before. I need you to prepare yourself", she said as she turned back to her weapon form.


    Lucas smiled as he watched them leave the place. Everyone left and began to pack up their things, ready to return to where they began from. After a hard drive, they reached the town where they had begun from, and they went to the Adventurer''s Guild to register the information of completing the mission.


    Right after that, they were summoned by the Guild to collect the crystals that had yet to collect. They had left the place in a hurry, and they hadn''t got the crystals for the beasts that they had killed in the test. Lucas and everyone got their crystals, and they parted ways.


    "I''ll look into some weapons for you guys. Meet me here tomorrow, right at the coffee shop", said Lucas as he parted ways with them. He still hadn''t got the rewards for the Quest which he had triggered, as he was caught up with a lot of stuff.


    He pulled out his tab and looked at the screen.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [First Mission - Portal (E+)]


    [Objectives:


    Clear the Tower 10/10


    Solve the Maze 1/1


    Survive for 6 Hours and Escape the Portal After 6/6]


    [Rewards - EXP +20,000, All stats Increasing Potion x5, Access to Pre-Recorded Basic Skill Books for Magic and Combat]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    "I don''t even understand why there is a no tab here. Like, who the hell would say no to the rewards?", he thought. He clicked the ''Yes'', and the rewards began to come in.


    [Accumulated EXP - 250,660]


    [You Have Levelled Up!] x7


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Rewards - EXP +20,000]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [All stats Increasing Potion x5]


    [Access to Pre-Recorded Basic Skill Books for Magic and Combat]


    [Error! Will be available after Shop opens]


    Lucas then looked at the system with blunt frustration. He wanted to scream out loud, but he knew that would get him nowhere and just end up being a nuisance to the people on the street. He shoved his hands into his pockets and began to walk down the street.


    He began to think back to the Blueprints he had obtained, and he wanted to make them. "It might not be such a bad idea to go around looking for the ingredients for this blueprint", he thought as he looked around.


    He wanted to make sure that no one was watching them, and he also needed a place to sleep for the night. He still had to master the Mana Technique which he was practicing, and he wanted to take things slowly.


    "First, let''s look for a place to stay", he muttered as he began to whistle and walk down the road. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Emilia trotting behind him. He was surprised as he saw her leave along with the others.


    "What are you doing here?", he asked as he saw her smile. His thoughts began to run wild thinking she was a stalker and was following him. "Well, I have no place to stay. So I thought I could stay at your place", she said.


    Lucas''s teenage hormones began to take over him, and he took a deep breath to suppress it. He didn''t want to tell her that he was in the same place as her, and he too needed to look for a place to stay the night. His thoughts were now out of place, and all kinds of thoughts popped up in his head.


    Emilia tilted her head as she kept looking at him expecting an answer. "I think I will be staying outside. I am new to this town. So I will have to look for a place to rent out later", he said half expectantly hoping to satisfy her curiosity.


    Emilia smiled as she came forward. The both of them walked next to each other, not making a sound to each other. Lucas was beginning to feel weird, and he wanted to talk something to break the ice.


    "Maybe it''s best to leave it this way?", he thought as he looked at the smile on her face. The smile brought some warmth inside his chest, and the way she was humming and skipping made him keep his cool.


    He didn''t know what this feeling was, but he liked the feeling. A part of him was wondering what this feeling was, and he just concluded it was down to teenage hormones. After a few minutes, the both of them reached a hotel to stay the night.


    Both of them entered and rented out two rooms, and Lucas freshened up before he wanted to crash. He was tired, and he needed some rest badly. Just as he was about to crash, a notification popped up.


    [System Upgrade Available]


    [Do you want to Upgrade? Yes/No]


    He smiled after he saw it. "I was wondering where this notification was. Seems like my calculation was right. But the level ups are going to harder from now on", he muttered as he jumped into bed.


    He selected ''Yes'', and another notification popped up.


    [You will not be able to access the System for 6 hours]


    [Proceed? Yes/No]


    "Well, it doesn''t matter as I am going to be asleep for the whole time", he laughed as he proceeded with the process.


    [Upgrading... Time left 06:00:00]


    And began to countdown for his system, and he closed his eyes as he began to feel droopy. "I hope everyone back at home is safe. And Dad, I know you''re dealing with something that is out of my scope. But please allow me to help you", he muttered as he drifted off to sleep.


    About an hour later, the door creaked open, and a beautiful woman was walking inside with her pajamas. She sat in front of Lucas''s face, and she caressed his hair. "You haven''t changed. All these years have passed, and you are still the same, Lucas Heart", she whispered.


    Her eyes were filled with nothing but love for him. If someone saw them together, they would think that they are a couple and not friends. Emilia kept looking at his face, and slowly felt her cheeks flare-up.


    "I still can''t control my emotions. I still remember the first time I met you. You can change your name, but you will not be able to fool me", she muttered as she ran her slender fingers through his hair for a final time as she left the room.


    Lucas was in a deep sleep to know what was happening around him. He was oblivious to the fact that Emilia had entered and left his room.. He was sleeping soundly and had a smile on his face.

 Chapter 100 - The Uniting Past (Part One)

    (11 years ago, Burnheart Estate)


    A little girl was seen walking around the house, and she skipping in joy. "Dad, is the King coming here?", she asked. She was thrilled with joy to know that the king was coming over to their estate.


    She didn''t know the reason, but for the King to come over to them meant that they were someone important to the Kingdom. And that was what made her skip in joy. She wanted to meet the King.


    "Now, when you see the King, you must bow and show him respect. Understood?", came a lady''s voice from behind her. Emilia nodded her head and stood rigid. "Not that much", she said once again with a sigh.  Emilia began to chuckle as she jumped up towards the woman with her hands spread wide.


    "Mother, carry me", she said in her cute voice. The woman was tall, and she had a beautiful complexion. She flashed a smile at her as she placed her onto her shoulders, and Emilia began to laugh.


    "I see a car coming", she said to her and her mother quickly placed her down. The gate opened and in came a black car. She was expecting a limousine, but what came was a normal-looking car. "Does the king use a normal car?", she thought as she looked at her parents.


    Her parents had a smile on their faces, and they were ready to open the door of the car as soon as it stopped. She just stood rooted to the spot, and the smile on her face never faded. Before her parents reached the door, it opened up and a small boy was seen coming out of it.


    The boy was slightly taller than her, and his eyes were clear. His hair was trimmed on the sides, and the top was combed neatly. After he got down, he ran his hand through his hair and ruffled it. Behind him came out the King, Benjamin Heart.


    "No need for the formalities. I need some help in a specific project of mine", he said as soon as he got down. Emilia''s father motioned for Ben to follow behind him and led him to a room to speak privately.


    "Emilia, can you take the prince around the estate?", asked her mother. Emilia had a slight frown as soon as she heard that. "I am not some entertainer", she pouted as she saw her mother run towards the room Ben was lead to.


    She then turned her head towards the boy that was standing there, and something about him was alluring to her. She was about to talk with him when he made the first move. "The name''s Lucas. Lucas Heart", he said as he extended his hand. She shook his hand and he flashed a smile at her.


    "I would like to have a tour around this place. This is my first time out of the palace, so please take care of me", he said as he kept his hands back into his pockets. She nodded her head, and the two of them began to walk around the garden that was at the front of the estate.


    She was skipping around the place, and her voice was slightly high-pitched due to the excitement of showing the prince around. Just as she was about to move to the next place, a voice came out from behind her.


    "Look who is there. It''s the weakling", said the voice. It was a boy, the same age as Lucas. He had blonde hair and had an arrogant air around him. Lucas had a frown on his face as soon as he saw the face.


    "I hate arrogant pricks like them", he muttered, and Emilia heard what he said. It was her problem, and she wanted to be the one to deal with this. She didn''t want to bring in the prince in her personal affairs.


    "I can only warn you once. Today isn''t the day. Don''t tell me I didn''t warn you", she said in a stern voice. Lucas had an eyebrow cocked up as he looked at her. He then looked at the kid and took a step back.


    The boy who was at the opposite side, had a grin on his face as he took a step forward. Emilia shuddered, but today she had to keep out of any hustles. She took a deep breath and calmed her heartbeat.


    "He is just trying to scare you. Don''t let it get to you", came Lucas''s voice as she felt his hand on her shoulder. Newfound confidence was formed within her, and she puffed her chest out. The boy came towards her, and he was about to slap her across her face.


    She brought her hand to block it, and she felt the hand pass right past her hand. She knew this was it, and she shut her eyes tight. She waited for some time but she never felt a palm on her face.


    She opened her eyes, and she saw Lucas holding the hand right before it had made contact with her face. "If you are weak, and someone has the advantage, remember to use the situation to your advantage", he said as he pushed her out of the way.


    He let go of the hand that he was holding, and he looked the boy straight into the eye. "And you, are not supposed to hit a young little girl. Where are your ethics?", he asked as he pulled out his hands from his pockets.


    "If you want a fight, I will give you one", he said as he cracked his knuckles and jumped on the spot he was standing. he was loosening his shoulder, and his eyes were filled with something Emilia found quite different.


    Just as he was about to make his move, a maid came running towards them. "Young Prince, I am sorry for this inconvenience. I will solve this right away", she said as she did a bow at a right angle. Lucas clicked his tongue in frustration.


    The boy who was in the opposite had his jaws wide as soon as he heard the honorific she called him. "Prince? He came with the king?", he asked Emilia. Emilia didn''t answer as she just humphed.


    Emilia then pulled Lucas''s sleeve. "Let''s go. I don''t want to make any more trouble for the family", she said in a timid voice. Lucas flashed a smile at her, and he began to follow behind her. The both of them left the place, and she headed towards a swing under a tree.


    She hopped on a swing and began to swing on it. A sad expression was seen on her face, and the more she was swinging, the more she felt her worries leave. She saw Lucas climb into the next swing, and he was swinging it slightly.


    "What''s on your mind?", he asked as he looked at her. She sighed out loud, as she didn''t want anything to ruin her mood right now. She jumped down from the swing and took a seat in the shade of the tree. Lucas sat next to her, and she was looking at the sky.


    "To be honest, I have been a weak child ever since I was born. So, the people around have made fun of me all the time. Some others, like the boy you met, are one of the many people that harass me. Well, it isn''t my fault that I was born weak, is it?'', she said as she smiled.


    She saw Lucas look at him with his eyes filled with determination. He stood up and took two steps forward. "I don''t know how long I will stay here, but as long as I am here, allow me to protect you", he said.


    His voice felt warm to her, and his back made her want to take shelter under him. She sighed out loud, as she knew that this meeting was a brief one. And thus, she wanted this memory to be a happy one.


    She began to guide him around the estate, and Lucas was seeming to enjoy his time with her. He was smiling, and his hands were in his pockets most of the time. "Although he is a prince, I can''t sense that air of arrogance around him like the other nobles", she thought as she was showing around.


    The night came, and the both of them headed off to their respective bedrooms. She showed him to the guest bedroom, and she was trotting along back to her room when she tripped on something.


    She turned and saw a leg sticking out from the side. The moment she saw the shoe, she knew who it was that instant. She wanted to go back to the room Lucas was in, but she pulled p her courage to stand up for once.


    "I know it''s you, Tony", she said as she dusted off.. The boy who was seen in the morning had a smile on his face as he stepped out from the darkness, and a grin was across his face.

 Chapter 101 - The Uniting Past (Part Two)

    Emilia stood her ground this time, and she knew what advantage she had over him. There was only one, and that was Magic. She was training her Magic since she had a good aptitude for it, but she was also not allowed to use it as she didn''t have control over it.


    She was determined to defend herself this time, and if she was to get into any problems about that, she was ready to face it. Tony walked towards her, and each of his steps was making a deep-rooted fear rise inside her.


    Her breath was beginning to get erratic, and she shut her eyes to control it. She took a deep breath, and she felt her heartbeat beginning to slow down. As soon as she opened her eyes, she once again saw the hand right next to her cheek.


    She quickly used a small wind spell to push the palm away, and change its trajectory so that it would miss her face. She then stepped out of the range of his hand, and she smiled at him at her small victory.


    Tony was pissed off at her, and the smile he had grew wider. He began to move towards her, and Emilia used a small movement spell to make her move faster than him. She began to run back towards her room, but she then bumped into someone.


    She looked up and saw Lucas''s face. She felt embarrassed, but at the same time, she was glad that he was here. She then stood up and turned around to face him once again, but the next thing she saw was his hand towards her face.


    "What in the..", she thought but felt nothing as Lucas blocked the palm for her. He pulled out his hand from his pocket, and let go of Tony''s hand. "Seems like you need a good lesson", he said as he looked at him.


    Emilia saw the look in his eyes, and this time there was a hint of anger hidden deep in his eyes. She was confused as to why Lucas would get mad as they had only met but looking at his back that protected her gave a sense of comfort to the Young Emilia.


    "How shall I punish you?", asked Lucas as he looked around. He looked at Emilia and smiled at her. "Don''t worry. Remember what I said in the afternoon? I meant every word of what I said", he smiled.


    Emilia''s body shuddered when she heard the tone in his voice. There was a wave of evident anger in it, and he was masking it with a smile. "Is he smiling just so that I would not worry about what would happen?", she thought as she began to think back to the experiences they had during the day.


    Lucas balled his fists as he looked at Tony. "Just because you''re the prince doesn''t mean that you are invincible", he said as he turned around to walk away. Lucas placed his hand on his shoulder and pulled him back to the place he was standing before.


    "I never said that I was invincible now, did I?", he asked in a menacing tone. Tony felt shivers down his spine as he looked deep into Lucas''s eyes, and it was evident to Emilia who was standing at the back.


    Lucas then let go of his hand on his shoulder, and he placed both of his fists close to his face. His legs were shifting places, and it was keeping Tony confused. "You think you''re all that big now, prince?", he scoffed at Lucas''s attempt to scare him.


    Tony then assumed a stance for boxing, thinking what Lucas was doing was similar to boxing. He did a jab to test Lucas, and he dodged it effortlessly. Lucas brought his knee straight to Tony''s face and smashed his nose in.


    Tony began to bleed, and he looked at Lucas with his eyes filled with hatred. He didn''t let go of his stance, and he spoke with a broken nose. "I thought there was no kicking in boxing", he said. Lucas smiled and hissed back at him.


    "Who said I was using Boxing? Did I say that, or was it your fault to assume your opponent like so?", he asked. Everything he was doing, he did with a smile on his face. Tony lunged forwards in his madness and wanted to twist that smug right off Lucas''s face.


    Emilia saw the smile on his face slowly fading away, and a sense of worry had begun to take over him. "What is he thinking?", she thought as she looked at his face. She wanted to know what was running in that little head of his.


    Right after a few more dodges, Lucas smiled once again. "Let''s finish this", he said as he caught Tony''s punch in his hand.


    "It''s too weak. I have face against stronger punches than these", he said as he held his fist in his hand, and began to apply force to it. Tony began to feel an inexplicable amount of pain, and his face contorted weirdly.


    He wanted to scream, but his pride didn''t allow him to. "I want you to apologize to this young lady, and I do not want to see you ever in my sights again. At least until I leave this place", he said as he let go of the hand.


    Tony scurried away back into the place from where he appeared, and Lucas extended his hand to Emilia. She took his hand, and the both of them began to walk back towards Emilia''s bedroom.


    Lucas stood outside the room as he watched her enter the room. She was about to close the door when she heard him call out to her. He had his hand extended towards her.


    "Can we be friends?", he asked as his hand was outstretched. She gave him a sweet smile and shook his hand. "I thought we were, with all the defending and roaming around for the whole day", she replied as shook the hand.


    Lucas''s smile widened as he looked at her. "Indeed. I didn''t think of that part", he said as he chuckled slightly. The both of them went towards the window on the corridor and looked at the moon. "She is beautiful, isn''t she?", asked Lucas.


    "Yeah, she is. And maybe something happened out of this", she said as she looked at him. His face lit up by the moonlight made her heartbeat rise slightly. She felt something inside her stir, but she didn''t understand the feeling she felt.


    "Is this what it''s like to have a genuine friend?", she thought as she looked at the moon once again. Lucas then bid her good night as he left the place and went back to his bedroom to rest for the day.


    She jumped into the bed and covered herself with her quilt. It was unexpectantly warm for her, and she fell asleep with a smile across her face. The next day arrived, and she ran outside quickly to spend her day with Lucas once again.


    The day went by smoothly as Tony was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged it off, and they spent the day by not just touring the house. They climbed trees, plucked fruit, and ate them. Ran around the house playing tag. Though she could never catch up with Lucas with her frail body.


    When evening arrived, Lucas waved her goodbye and left the estate. "Maybe we shall meet again one in the future. You might remember me, or maybe not. Until next time", she muttered as she looked at the sky. She then went back inside, ready to spend her day thinking about Lucas.


    (Back to the present time)


    ''TRING! TRING!''


    An alarm was blaring right next to Lucas''s ears. He woke up quickly, and he looked around the room. After freshening himself, he pulled up the system tab.


    [System Upgrade is Complete]


    Lucas had a smile across his face as this was the thing he wanted to see early in the morning. He wanted to check his stats and pulled it up.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 49]


    [Stamina: 47]


    [Agility: 49+19]


    [Perception: 45]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 70]


    He looked at the abundance of stat points, and he was tempted to use it right away. But he remembered Valentine''s words. He also remembered the first thing he told him when he was awakened.


    "I wish to right the wrongs of my descendants", were his exact words.


    Lucas then checked the Daily tasks, to see what changes were made to them. "If I remember correctly, the last upgrade did change the tasks by a whopping 50. But since I was doing them regularly, it felt normal after a few days", he thought as he pulled it up.


    [Daily Task Updated]


    [Do 200 push-ups    0/200


    Do 200 sit-ups        0/200


    Do 200 pull-ups      0/200


    Run for 7 Km        0/7 Km


    Meditate for 2.0Hrs    0/2.0Hrs]


    [Rewards - +3 Strength, +3 Agility, +2 Perception, +2 Stamina]


    [Shop has been unlocked]


    Lucas was thrilled after he saw the final notification.. "Now, let''s explore the store", he thought as he pulled it up.

 Chapter 102 - Modifying The Blueprints

    [SHOP]


    [Skill Books]


    [Blueprints]


    [Weapons & Armor]


    [Gadgets]


    [Crystals]


    Lucas looked through the interface and he was surprised to see that he could buy crystals from it. He wanted to browse through the whole category, but something in his window made him pop his eyebrows.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth, The Schemer (inactive), Master Tactician (inactive)]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Accumulated EXP: 0]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 49]


    [Stamina: 47]


    [Agility: 49+19]


    [Perception: 45]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 70]


    "Don''t tell me that to buy the things in the store, I will need to spend my precious EXP", he thought as he browsed through the shop. He creased his brows and was about to scream out loud.


    "Valentine, how will I be able to level up, if I am going to be spending my EXP in the shop", he asked as he was seething. "You''ll figure it out kid", he said as he looked at his expression.


    He proceeded to do his daily tasks, and after about three hours, he had finished it. He smiled as he looked at the progress, but he also knew that he needed to finish the dungeon key which he had got.


    He began to train his aura, and now he had moved to his lower body. Integrating it slowly was taking a lot of time, but with Valentine''s help, it was beginning to get easier. After about an hour of the integration, he went to take his bath. After the bath, he took out a piece of paper and sat down on the desk.


    "Well, for now, I don''t have any EXP to use in the shop for a weapon or armor. I did take two blueprints for a wand and a Gauntlet. Let''s take a look at it", he muttered as he pulled out the blueprints for [Staff of The Elves] and [Shocker Gauntlet].


    He drew the blueprints back into the sheets he had placed, and he began to analyze them. He wanted to add something unique to it, as that would give an edge over some situations. He was considering his father''s warning and wanted everyone to be prepared for what they were about to face.


    As he was immersed in his work, he barely noticed Emilia enter inside and take a set on his bed. She was looking at him and had a smile across her face. "It''s almost time for breakfast. Let me just get him some and come back up", she thought as she went to get Lucas some.


    "This gauntlet is good, but the only drawback is that the shock facilities can only be used if Mana is channeled regularly. Which could be a drawback in the case of a prolonged fight. Maybe I can make something like a reloadable Mana pellet or something, in which he can potentially store his Mana and use it whenever he needs it", he thought.


    As he was about to begin to make the changes, a nice smell wafted into his nose and a rumble was heard in his stomach. "Hunger takes over", he chuckled as he turned around. A plate was in front of him and on it were some waffles and a glass of tea. And holding it was Emilia.


    "Thank you", he said as he received it from her. Emilia''s heartbeat raised a little as she blushed slightly. Lucas gobbled down the breakfast quickly and smacked his lips. "That just hit the spot", he said as he rubbed his stomach.


    Emilia took the plate away and sneaked a glance at what he was doing. She saw the drawings he had, and how it was very detailed. She concluded that it was something that he had obtained from the portal adventure they had.


    He began to sketch out the changes that needed to be made, and he also wanted to check it with Henry. He changed the Mana Channels in the blueprint and added a small circle in the middle of the back of the hand.


    He didn''t want Tobias to get excited and crush it while swinging his hands. After the changes were made, he smiled. "This might be the best gauntlet design, but I have now a general Idea to make a good gauntlet from scratch", he thought as he rolled the paper.


    He pulled out the next blueprint and sketched it onto the paper again. He knew that something needed to be changed in this too, to make it a bit more unique. He began to sketch it out and broke down to study it.


    "I have never made a staff or a wand to be exact", he thought as he analyzed the blueprint. It was a stick, but it was supposed to be filled with Mana channels throughout it. And there were seven sockets at an equal interval. Each of them was for a specific Element, and there was a crystal that he hadn''t even heard about before.


    "Pure Elemental Energy Crystal", he read it and went deep into thoughts. He didn''t know what it was, neither where to find it. He began to think about what changes were to be made, and he found that this was nothing but a normal staff with Mana infused in it.


    "Then maybe I can add something sharp on the top and bottom to make it a weapon to defend as she uses it to cast a spell", he smiled as he began to add a sharp tip to the top and bottom. He made sure to make a marking at the place where to place the hands, and he smiled.


    "Seems like the design is done", he smiled as he looked at the staff. He rolled it placed it inside a long round case which is used to store blueprints. It was almost lunch and he had lost track of his time. He stretched his back and let out a groan.


    "That took longer than expected", he said as he turned around. He saw Emilia on his bed, with a smile plastered to her face. He stepped away from the chair, and she was still looking at the place he was seated at. He tiptoed towards her and looked straight at her face.


    She was still staring at the same place like she was possessed by something. Lucas ran his palm right in front of her face up and down, but she was still unmoving. He chuckled as he turned back.


    "Just who are you? From the way you are helping me to the way you are looking at me, it seems like we have met somewhere before, but I seem to not remember it", he smiled as he looked at her.


    The way she was looking at him was something different, and her eyes were filled with a warmth that he had only seen in his family. He had his fair share of meeting people while he was a prince, and he knew the looks that a person would normally give.


    "Well, if she likes me for being a commoner, I might have to disappoint her in the future. I have to go back to the family after the time period and help the family again. Or I could just wander around since that would not be a matter to anyone back at home", he thought.


    He was slowly getting lost in her eyes and her beautiful smile that was playing on her lips. His heartbeat was slowly rising, and the warmth he felt before was spreading through him. He turned his head away quickly, as he knew something inside him was changing.


    He cleared his throat forcefully, bringing Emilia back to the present. "How long was I looking like that", she thought as she looked around. The moment she saw Lucas looking at her, her heartbeat was erratic. "Did he find it out? Oh no. What is he going to think of me?", were her thoughts as she quickly stood up. What welcomed her back was a warm smile on Lucas''s face.


    "Let''s go. Everyone will be waiting for us. We did plan to meet at lunch, didn''t we?", he asked as he gestured for her to get ready. She remembered the meeting that was supposed to happen, and the discussion they were about to have.


    Just after she left, he felt a vibration in his pocket. Lucas pulled out the device that was given to him by his father. ''New Info received. Meet back here tonight. Love, Dad'', it read. Lucas smiled after he saw the text.


    "Have they made their move? I just hope this storm doesn''t destroy everything that we have built. Whatever happens, We will make sure to keep the people safe. For that has always been our priority", he thought as he balled his fists.


    His eyes were filled with a fire unknown, and his resolve to get stronger deepened. He needed to move to the next stage, and the sooner, the better.. He closed the door and left alongside Emilia to meet up with the others.

 Chapter 103 - Muay Thai Vs Capoeira (Part One)

    The both of them checked out of the hotel, and they went towards the place they had planned to meet up. He held the drawings which he had planned to share with them, and since Michelle was a Legacy weapon wielder, she would not need a weapon. And Robert had received his weapon in the Portal.


    He smiled as he thought of the fact that he will be making something new. "Seems like I must find a place to rent out, and a place to blacksmith. Have to make some income", he concluded as he took a seat in the shop. They were the first to arrive, and the others had yet to arrive.


    Lucas knew it was near the time, and everyone should have arrived by now. His instincts were tingling, and he felt that something was wrong since they were not supposed to be late. And for Tobias to be late was something he didn''t expect.


    "He was the one who was enthusiastic about his weapon and he should be the first to be here, given his nature", he thought. Just as he was about to go and look for them, he heard a voice call out to him. "Lucas!", exclaimed the voice.


    He turned his head quickly and saw Tobias standing there. And there was a small amount of bloodstain on his shirt. Lucas jumped and ran outside. He didn''t ask what happened as he knew from the huffing Tobias that something was serious.


    "Where? Take me", he said and Tobias began to run once again. He followed behind him and was led to an alleyway right behind the cafe they had to meet. Michelle was there on the ground, and Robert was standing with his sword drawn.


    He didn''t need to ask much to know what had happened. He took a step forward, and he began to spin his arms and jump to loosen himself.


    "Now, which one of you bastards were about to do something to my friends?", he asked as he began to go towards the group that was facing Robert. Robert smiled as soon as he saw Lucas. "You''re here", he said with a smile as he placed his sword back inside the sheath.


    Lucas stepped in front of him and saw the anger evident on Robert''s face. He placed his hand on his shoulder, and the both of them shared a look. He smiled as he put his fists up, and smirked at the gang that was in front of him.


    He motioned for them to make a move as he stood there. The man at the front was enraged and jumped to attack him. He sidestepped and moved, and the man who jumped lost his footing.


    Lucas tripped him and he fell facedown, and some dirt was visible on his face. Lucas jumped slightly, and made his move. The man who was the leader had his eyes wide as he saw Lucas go through all the four people he had hand-selected for combat. After he reached the Leader, Lucas stepped back.


    "I''ll give you grace and allow you to make three moves. Since you want to make trouble for my friends, I must give you a piece of my mind, arrogant pricks", he said as he clicked his tongue.


    The leader was pissed at his attitude. He wanted to knock him down a few pegs, so he put his fists up. He was moving from side to side, and his body was moving like a snake. Lucas instantly recognized the form.


    "Capoeira", he frowned as soon as he saw the dance. He could defend against it, but whenever an attack is made, connecting them would always be hard as their Martial Art was flexible to the point that some people thought it was a dance.


    Capoeira was a martial art that was found at the beginning of the 16th century. It''s a martial art that combines the elements of dance, aerobatics, and music. It involves complex maneuvers like handstands and inverted kicks.


    It emphasizes flowing movements rather than fixed stances, and the rocking step, the Ginga is the focal point of all the techniques.


    The dance and the music were first incorporated into the system as a form of disguise to hide the fact that slaves were practicing martial arts. After the abolition of slavery, Capoeira slowly began to gain recognition as many masters began to roam around the world to spread martial art.


    Now, it has become a martial art that a lot of people have learned. Being one of the harder Martial Arts to master due to its unconventional methods of attacking, it has fewer users. But the people who learn them are mostly flexible.


    Lucas was now standing in front of a person of such caliber. No amount of sheer force will be able to damage him, as he can either weave out of the way, or he could just minimize the damage by twisting his body in absurd angles.


    He was frustrated, but he didn''t lose his confidence. Rather he wanted to test out how effective his martial art is when used against Capoeira. He put up his fists with a smirk, and he began his footwork as well.


    "Muay Thai", recognized the other man in an instant. The smirk on Lucas''s face widened. "A master level artist", he said as she nodded his head. The man quickly placed his hands on the ground and did an inverted kick. Lucas moved back and dodged it, or so he thought.


    As soon as he dodged it, he saw another leg come at him like a whip. He put up his block, and blocked it, and count one. The man quickly change and did a low kick from a negative stance.


    Lucas raised his leg and dodged it again, only to be kicked square in the gut. Two moves had been made by now, and only one move was left before Lucas made his move. He was still observing and judging the man''s strength.


    The man went back to the base form of Capoeira, the dance which is also known as the Ginga. Lucas was still smirking, but his mind was racing as he felt the strength behind the kicks. He was waiting to see if the man used his hands, and it came.


    The man lunged forward and used a knife-hand strike straight to his throat. He felt the danger behind the strike, but he didn''t feel any killing intent. He moved his neck, and he felt a slash on his cheek.


    "Such Speed!", he thought. The speed to change the direction of attack in a split second meant only one thing, that the man in front of him was at a hundred percent mastery, like him. Lucas was itching to fight someone just like him, and the fire inside him was lit. "Let''s use [Inspect]", he thought and activated his skill.


    [Name:  Eddy Gordo]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Strength: 38]


    [Stamina: 37]


    [Agility: 33]


    [Perception: 20]


    [Magic: 25]


    "So those are his stats? Even though it seems weaker than me, I am not up to par in the numbers on my list. Seems like we are evenly matched. It all boils down to skill proficiency now", he concluded as soon as he saw the numbers.


    Lucas was sure about it now. He was a master, and he didn''t understand why a master needed to go to the distance of bullying a person who was much weaker than them. "Three moves are done. Now, let''s fight for real", said Lucas as he jumped forward.


    Eddy smiled. He had gauged Lucas''s strength after the three moves. "He''s the same as me", he smiled as he saw Lucas coming towards him. The both of them began to fight, and this time everyone was shocked.


    Lucas gave a punch straight to his face, and he weaved away. But Lucas changed his hands at the last second, and he connected. The force behind the attack was maximized due to his feint, and Eddy felt the attack.


    The smile on his face never faded, as he began to weave much faster. "Don''t you dare hold back", said Lucas as he moved again, and made a kick straight to his face. Eddy twisted his body, and he leaned backward.


    Lucas changed the leg and brought it down, and he did a handstand. With his legs split, he got a hold of Lucas''s leg and twisted it. Lucas jumped and twisted his body back as it wouldn''t break.


    They looked at each other, and the smile grew wider. To Robert, it seemed like two rivals were now facing off with each other. He wanted to finish them off, and his hands were itching to kill Eddy.


    "Argh! Why is Lucas doing this?", he thought as he looked back at him. He wanted to know the reason, but as he saw the smile on both their faces, he knew what was going on.. "They are enjoying the fight", he thought as he looked at them.

 Chapter 104 - Muay Thai Vs Capoeira (Part Two)

    "Why did you attack my friends?", asked Lucas. He knew that masters would never involve in something petty, so he was sure there was a reason behind this. "Defeat me, and you can find it out", said Eddy in return.


    Lucas knew finding it out was going to be hard, and in the heat of such a fight where both of their passions and fighting spirit was burning high, he was sure that would not get him the answer he wanted.


    He did a roundhouse kick to Edyy''s head, and Edyy just slipped away. But Lucas was prepared as he changed it into a whip kick and bent his leg to hit him with his heel. "You''re flexible too. It''s a bad thing you have not learned Capoeira", said Eddy as he looked at Lucas.


    He retracted his leg and he jumped straight towards his hip and got a hold of him. He went behind, and he did a grapple move that Sam did to him. "The Master Lock sure is troublesome, but not to me", smiled Edyy as he used his leg and attacked at the back of the knee Lucas.


    Lucas''s knee bent forwards, and he let go of the lock. The moment he let go, he saw Edyy''s backhand strike to his face. he dodged it by moving his head out of the way, but the next second he felt a strike to his gut, pushing him backward.


    "A troublesome one indeed", he thought as he looked back at Eddy. Lucas was ready to make his move. he had prepared up his timing, and the range of his attack. The same went with Eddy.


    He jumped and attacked Eddy. An uppercut to his chin, and he dodged. And brought down both of his fists to his head. Eddy began to lose his balance. Lucas quickly punched the left of his ear.


    Eddy''s world was now slightly distorted, as he was losing his balance. "Every Martial Art depends on their sense of balance", he said as he began to punch his gut.


    Lucas made sure to give in some heavy blows, and once he saw Edyy regain his sense of Balance, he pushed him away with a front kick. Eddy was now in up against the wall, and Lucas was standing as the victor.


    He got up from the corner and shook his head. He winced as he felt pain in his gut, and he knew that Lucas had got him good. "That kid has got skills", he thought as he looked at Lucas. A smile was playing on his lips.


    "Truth be told, I came here to stop my students from doing anything reckless. Seems like these punks got into some kind of gang, and are using Martial Arts to bring harm. I never meant for this to happen to your friends", he said with a smile.


    Lucas looked at him suspiciously. He was sure that this man was a master, and thus would not do something like this. But something was off, and his instinct was telling him there was something more to this.


    "We were ordered by someone to mess up with a woman named Emilia. And since she was with you, we thought of messing up everyone and taking her with us", said one of the people who were on the floor.


    Lucas was enraged as soon as he heard that someone wanted to mess with Emilia. He looked at her, but she shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she didn''t have any feud with anyone. She was sure that she didn''t have any feud from outside, neither her family.


    "Could it be that someone wants to make me vanish during the time I am away from the family? But who and what could they possibly benefit from this?", she thought as she looked around at the people that were lying on the ground.


    Lucas just waved his hand, and everyone left. Just as they were leaving, Eddy turned his head and looked at Lucas. "Kid, who is your master?'', he asked. Lucas smiled and looked him in the eye. He raised one of his eyebrows.


    "I see", he mulled as he walked out of the alleyway. He took his students and disappeared quickly. Lucas then sat on the ground instantly, and he looked at the place he had got kicked.


    There was blood trickling from the lower side of his chest, and one of his ribs was cracked. His bone was visible and it had pierced through the skin. "We need to go to the doctor now!", said Emilia. Lucas got up and placed a hand on the wall for support.


    "Michelle, get a healer here from the Guild. Don''t worry about the payment", she said. Her eyes were filled with worry. She placed his arm around her, and Lucas rest his head on her shoulder.


    He closed his eyes and wanted to rest. So Emilia stroked his head, and he felt a warmth which he had felt back at home. A smile crept up his face, and he allowed himself to be carried away along with the flow at which things were happening now.


    Robert turned back and saw him smiling. He too had a smile on his face and turned back to look forward. "Just make sure to stick to one woman, Lucas", he thought. He was feeling warm and fuzzy inside, but there was also the fact that Lucas was hurt.


    Michelle arrived with a doctor by her side, and he was also a healer. He began to heal Lucas up and bandage him as he couldn''t heal him completely. He instructed him not to do anything heavy for the next couple of days, and that was exactly what Lucas was about to do.


    "Well, I could go around looking for a house to stay", he thought as he looked at Emilia. he didn''t understand why he looked at her, but the thought of her staying alongside him was something that popped up at that moment.


    "You''re weird, Lucas", he muttered as he was still tired from the healing and everything. They stopped at the same cafe, and they began to order lunch. Lucas''s body was craving, and he needed to eat to heal.


    "Kid, although you don''t have Regeneration, you will heal yourself at a speed faster than normal people due to the HP regeneration option. So you will have to eat more than you used to, and not worry about the rest. You will be up and about tomorrow, at best", he assured him.


    Lucas ordered a sumptuous meal, and he began to eat. Everyone else was having a normal lunch, while he was having the servings for almost three people. "I have to recover soon so that I can make the weapons. Robert, you know any place that I can set up a blacksmith shop?", he asked as he was chewing on a sausage.


    Robert nodded his head. "I know a place you can rent out. It even comes along with house lodgings", he said. He was the one that knew about him being prince, and he knew why he was looking for a place to stay.


    After eating, Lucas rubbed his tummy and let out a loud burp. "Now that was a meal", he said in a satisfactory voice. The pain that he was feeling right at the place that had broken was now filled with a new kind of sensation.


    It had begun to heal, and Lucas didn''t want to move about right now. He was quite full, and he wanted to savor the feeling of healing himself. It was almost like he was enjoying being tortured.


    He smiled and got up. After a few minutes, everyone left the place and went towards a building that was quite far away from the Adventurer''s Guild. "Lucas, this is the place I was talking about", he said as he pointed to a shutter in front of him.


    Lucas pulled it up and began to inspect every corner of the shop. It was perfect for him, and the blacksmith room was also comfortable for him. It wasn''t too crampy, and neither too large making him wander around the room needlessly.


    The blacksmith room was just like the one he had worked in the portal, only a bit more refined. The fireplace still had some Earth left in them, and the whole room needed to be reinforced with Earth magic again since it had begun to wear down.


    The shop was too dusty, and it needed to be cleaned up. Renovation works were in due, and Lucas estimated the price to reach at most around four thousand gold coins. He gulped as he thought about how to raise the money.


    "Don''t worry about getting orders. I have a few in my hand right now. As soon as Father saw the katana you made, he wants training blades made by you.. You will be able to build up a relationship with my family, and grab more potential clients", he said.

 Chapter 105 - A New Home

    Lucas was stunned after he heard that from him. He thanked him in advance before asking for the lodging areas.


    Robert took him outside, and there was a staircase that was leading to a house right above the shop. The house was to his liking as well, and he thought about the things he needed to purchase.


    A total amount of five thousand gold needed to be spent to make this place comfortable living space. "Nine thousand Gold", he smiled nervously. For now, he began to clean up all the dust that was accumulated.


    After cleaning it up, he looked at Robert and smiled. He smiled back and the bot of them shook on the deal.


    "How much for the advance and rent?", he asked. A smile was seen on Robert''s face as he neared Lucas''s ears. "Consider this a gift from me, prince. This property belongs to our family, and for a long time it has been abandoned", he whispered.


    Lucas instantly turned around and left the place. He was not hurt by the words he said, but rather the behavior.


    "Trying to curry favor with me will not work. I am no longer a prince", he thought as he stormed away. Everyone was taken aback by his move, even Robert. He thought Lucas would like the present and agreed to it immediately.


    "Maybe the princes of this kingdom are truly different after all", he smiled as he ran behind Lucas to catch up with him. After a few minutes of running, and he saw Lucas sitting on a bench on the side of the road.


    he sat next to him and didn''t utter anything. Lucas turned his head and looked straight at him. "Why did you say that?", he asked. He was pissed off at first to think straight, but now that he had cleared his head, he saw there was some meaning behind his words.


    "One, I just wanted to help my friend out. Two, you will need to make money and for that, you are going to need a source of income. And Three, this is abandoned. Pretty much no one would care what happens to this place", he said.


    "Have you discussed this with your family?", he asked in a stern voice. Lucas''s voice brought a sense of fright to Robert, and he nodded his head, indicating that he had indeed discussed it with his family.


    "Have you disclosed my identity?", he asked again. Robert felt a chill go down his spine as he looked straight into Lucas''s eye. Something inside him was telling him that the Lucas from before and the Lucas right now were different.


    He once again nodded his head as words wouldn''t leave his body. It was on instinct, and Lucas sighed. "That''s good. As long as you can keep your mouth shut, everything is going to be okay. But I do not want to stay here for free", he said.


    Robert nodded his head, and he quickly began to brainstorm on the spot. An idea popped into his head, and he wanted to implement it.


    "After this batch of training swords, you can make other katanas and weapons for our family. You can be an official blacksmith for us, and that will be the payment for the rent", he said. Lucas began to ponder.


    "Well, I do get to kill off two birds in one stone. I could practice my techniques more, and I will be able to stay at a cool place like that", he concluded as he looked at Robert. He then felt sorry for getting mad at him as he didn''t mean any harm.


    "Let''s go. Everyone else will be worried about us", he said with a smile. Robert smiled and they went back to the place that Lucas had looked at. "Let''s draw up an agreement draft", he said and looked around.


    He pulled out his phone and looked around for someone who drafts contracts. Although verbal contracts can be sealed with a magic circle, they can be broken quite easily. But for the Drafters, they draw an unbreakable Magic Seal on the contract, making it a bond between two members.


    He then called up a Drafter, and they both agreed to the same terms they had discussed. A Magic Circle was drawn, and the contract had been finalized. "Lucas, I welcome you to your new home", he said with a smile across his face.


    Lucas was happy and he wanted to celebrate the fact that he had got a place after he left the palace. He wanted to call everyone from his family, but it was not possible. This made him slightly sad, and he let out a sigh at that point.


    He also had the task of going back home to receive the information that his father had for him. He was excited and worried at the same time. He didn''t want anything to happen to the kingdom, as he loved it dearly.


    He decided to hear out the information and the counter-attack he had planned. After deep consultation, he will know what to do and how to save the kingdom. That was what he had decided and stuck on for now.


    After cleaning up the house, he went and bought some pillows and a mat to rest on for now. He will make the necessary renovations as he earns more money in the future. He took the order from Robert and was told that the materials will come in the next day.


    Everyone left after a while, and he forgot to discuss the weapon with Tobias. Emilia stayed back as she wanted to make sure Lucas took care of himself. Lucas began to wonder what kind of past he had with her, and he decided to ask her.


    "Emilia, why are you helping me? It has only been a few days since we met, but you have helped me a lot these days. What is your agenda?", he asked her. She flashed him a smile and winked at him.


    "Well, if you knew, you wouldn''t be asking me. Maybe some other day, Lucas. But for now, let''s make sure you take your rest. And hey, you still have to begin to make money too", she said as she looked around the place.


    She had begun to envision the place in a new light, and she was placing all types of furniture and things in the place. Lucas sighed once again as he saw the sparkle in her eyes.


    "Aren''t you going back home? Or something happened?", he asked. She had a smile playing on her lips, and she quickly placed her face right in front of his. "Take a guess", she said with a wink.


    Lucas felt his temperature rise as soon as she saw her face in front of him. He felt an urge to lean forward, but he held it back as he gulped down his saliva. Sweat began to form the more he controlled his impulse to kiss, making Emilia smile and blush at the same time.


    "He''s cute when he does that", she thought as she looked at him intensely. Her face began to flush as the more the tension between them rose. Lucas cleared his throat to make that awkward tension go away, bringing them back to the present times.


    "You were saying?", stuttered Lucas as he still hadn''t recovered from the initial shock she had given. Emilia cleared her throat and looked at him. "My family has sent me out to gain experiences from the world, and thus I am not allowed to return home for some time", she said.


    Lucas nodded his head as that was the same situation as his. Many families tended to do the same thing which happened to Emilia, thus it wasn''t weird for him to hear it. Lucas was about to ask her to stay when he remembered the tension between the two of them a moment ago.


    "If I am going to do this, then I will have to clear up this thing that is between us. There are rooms, and separate restrooms as well. This means that each one of us can have one room, and live together", he thought.


    "Emilia, since you have no place to return to at the moment, what do you think about staying here. You can use the other room, and I will take this one", he said. She nodded her head.


    The house wasn''t really big, but it was a comfortable space for the both of them to live under the same roof. It had two bedrooms and three restrooms. A kitchen right next to the living room, and a dining area near the kitchen.


    The flooring was steady, but the paint had been peeled off as it had become old. Everything needed to be reinforced once more with Magic, and new paint was needed. Lucas smiled as he thought about the expenses this place was going to give him.


    "On the other hand, I can become a Blacksmith, and be an Adventurer at the same time.. After the business picks up, I will need to hire people to work under me", he thought and began to draft a business plan for himself.

 Chapter 106 - The Infiltration

    Emilia was brewing a herbal medicine which the doctor had prescribed for him to recover faster. She was humming a tune to herself as she had a smile across her face. After the medicine was ready, she took it to Lucas and helped him drink it.


    Lucas then felt himself get drowsy, and he fell asleep. Emilia placed him on the mat and gave him a peck on his cheek. "Maybe I will get to do this every day", she chuckled as she went back to the kitchen.


    She then began to reinforce the shop below, so that Lucas will be able to work the next day. She remembered the type of workplace he desired vividly. The place seemed to have the same structure, and she was relieved she didn''t need to change anything.


    In about an hour, the Smithy was ready and reinforced. She was exhausted, and night had fallen. She went back upstairs and laid down on a mat she had bought for herself. In a few moments, she fell asleep.


    Lucas was standing right in front of her, and he had a complicated emotion in his eyes. When he was kissed before, he wasn''t in a deep sleep and he felt it. He didn''t understand why, but he knew that this was not the time.


    "I now know that you are someone that has been in love with me. I am not sure if I should reciprocate the same feelings back to you, as I do not understand it quite myself. And this may not be the right time for me to give in to my feelings. But I do have the urge to do what you did to me, and thus I shall give you something", he muttered as he saw her beautiful face under the moonlight.


    He bent down to her, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her forehead. The feeling in his heart was heavy, but yet a smile was playing on his lips. He then jumped out the window, ready to go and retrieve the information from his father.


    Emilia had a smile on her face right after he had left. She looked at the moon that was shining outside and placed a hand on her cheek. Her heartbeat was running wild, and her face was flushed thinking about the kiss Lucas gave her.


    "I wish I could tell him everything, from the moment he left an impression on me, and to the time I began to develop feelings for him. I didn''t expect them to be the same people at first, but the way he fought and the way behaved made me figure out it was him all along. Just come back safe", she smiled.


    Lucas was walking through the streets, and as soon as he reached the outer walls of the castle, he began to use his stealth techniques to sneak in. He remembered the routine of every guard that as in the palace, and he was sure that this was the best time to sneak in.


    He quickly crossed the wall, and ran past a guard, knocking him out cold. He wanted to raise a ruckus too, as a very successful sneak-in operation will do nothing. He placed the guard in a direction to mislead the others, and he scaled to his father''s room in the tower.


    "Father", he said calmly. Ben, who was looking at his papers intently, jumped after he heard his voice. His instincts took better of him, and he pulled out his sword. He placed it on Lucas''s neck, and he felt a tip at his neck.


    "You''ve improved", he said with a smirk. Lucas nodded his head and placed the blade back inside. The both of them laughed out loud, but Lucas knew he didn''t have much time as he had to misdirect the guards below. Anytime and they will be up here.


    "Information", he said with his hands outstretched. Ben smiled as he knew the more time he spent here, the more danger he is subject to be. He still wanted to test out Lucas''s strength, and thus he began to stall for time.


    "Well, the information you need is right here, on this desk. I dare you to take it", he said. Lucas frowned as he knew what he was trying to do. He jumped, and went right past Ben, and was about to reach the papers when he saw Ben in front of him.


    "Not strong enough. If you want to defend this kingdom, this is peanuts", he scoffed at Lucas. His approach this time was aggressive, and Lucas understood why. Time was of the essence right now, and he couldn''t afford to lose this war that was coming uninvited.


    "Just who are we facing?", he asked as he huffed. He had just recovered from a broken rib, and he still felt pain at the place where he was hurt. He didn''t want to admit it, but he knew he was weak.


    He needed to put in extra hours to become strong enough if he wanted to safeguard the kingdom and its people. His effort wasn''t enough, and that was what ben was trying to teach him at the moment.


    Lucas smiled as he pulled out his Exploding Ice Blade, and looked at Ben. His eyes were wide as he saw the craftsmanship in it. He smiled as he looked at the word, and pulled out his own.


    "There were only two times that I have lost when I got serious, and it was to my father. Come, let me show you the real difference in our strengths", he said as he made his move. Lucas was astonished as soon as he made his move.


    Ben disappeared and reappeared right next to him. He was moving at such high speed that even his eyes couldn''t perceive it. He activated both [Eyes Of Prediction] and [Mana Vision] at the same time, and he barely blocked the attack that was made.


    A loud clang was heard, and Lucas was pushed back by several meters. His hands were shaking and he felt numb in his left hand. He looked back up, only to see a sword tip right in front of his face trusting at high speed.


    He tilted his face, and the sword grazed his cheek. Blood was drawn, and he had never seen Ben this serious in any spar he had with him. There was also something else on his mind, and Lucas could guess what it was.


    "Is that all you could do, father? I''m disappointed in you. I thought you were much stronger than this", he taunted. He could see some tension and worry on his face, and it seemed to have built up. And the only way his father knew to destress was to have a sword battle.


    Lucas''s eyes were on the documents that were packed neatly on the table. As soon as the guards reached the room, he had decided to flee from the palace. Until then, he would spar with his father.


    A vein popped on his father''s forehead, and anger was evident on his face. He looked like someone who wanted to beat the hell out of Lucas, but the love he had for his son made him hold back.


    "A twenty percent would do?", he thought as he exerted his strength. Lucas could feel the fear inside him increase, but he also knew that ben would not do anything that would either cripple or kill him.


    He readied his sword, ready to block any attacks from his father. Ben looked back at him, and he could see the determination in Lucas''s eyes. A smirk appeared on his face as he thought, "My son indeed".


    Ben made his move, and clashes were heard as the both of them were exchanging their moves. Lucas was only parrying Ben''s moves, and it was all thanks to his [Eye Of Prediction].


    Just as he was about to go and grab the information to make a run for it, he heard a noise in the corridor. He now had very little time to get it, and was parrying strikes from Ben. He parried a strike and went past him.


    He laid his hands on the information that was needed and grabbed it swiftly. He felt a sense of dread from behind him and ducked. Ben''s sword went past the place his head was at and made a sound of slicing the air.


    He slid across the floor and quickly climbed the window ledge. "See you later, father", he said as he jumped out of the tower. Ben had a smile on his face as he saw Lucas jump out. "Cheeky brat, you''ve improved quite considerably", he thought as he saw Lucas reach the bottom of the floor.


    The door to his room was opened, and there were guards ready to secure him.. Ben smiled and followed behind the guards as per the protocol, with his hands in his pockets and a whistle to show taht he was not in the least scared at the moment.

 Chapter 107 - Making The Katanas (Part One)

    Lucas had escaped the place quickly as he had caused quite the ruckus there. He was sure that news of a break-in would spread around the town, and sooner the people would begin to think the Kingdom is in danger.


    He blended into the crowd and made his way back to the place he had rented out. After entering, he quickly went to bed as tomorrow was going to be a busy day, blacksmithing.


    The next morning came, and a sweet smell wafted into his nose after he had finished his daily tasks. He was looking at his stats when the smell disrupted all of his thoughts.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth, The Schemer (inactive), Master Tactician (inactive)]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Accumulated EXP: 0]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 52]


    [Stamina: 49]


    [Agility: 52+19]


    [Perception: 47]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 70]


    He quickly got up from his room and went running into the kitchen. He was curious as to what was making such a wonderful smell. His thoughts got the better of him and he saw Emilia cooking in the kitchen with an apron.


    A smile formed on his lips and He wanted to embrace her, but he refrained from his thought. After what he did last night, his heart was still in a mess as to what he was feeling and how he was going to deal with it.


    "I also have to analyze the information I got from father. If it is something of grave importance, I am willing to let go of this tradition and protect the family", he said in a resolute voice as he turned away from Emilia.


    "Something wrong?", came her voice from behind, and all of his worries began to melt away. It was something he needed right at this moment, as being stressed would mess up with the quality of the katanas he was about to blacksmith for the day.


    He took a deep breath to clear his mind of all the worrisome thoughts and looked at her. He then went into the kitchen and looked at what was being made. "Meat soup and bread?", he thought as he looked at the contents that were spread on the table.


    Lucas was hungry after the workout, and he was craving some meat. Seeing her make the same meat he was craving was somewhat satisfying for him, and a thought popped up in his head.


    "Is this what it is like to have a girlfriend?", and he quickly shook the thought off. This was something unnecessary for him right now, and the primary focus should be building his strength.


    After last night''s fiasco, he understood the caliber of danger that the Kingdom was about to face. He was preparing himself for this, and thus he needed experience in combat. For that, he will need to fight against more beasts and level himself up more.


    "How much has the integration succeded?", he asked Valentine. He was now at the lower parts of his body, and reinforcing here was much easier compared to reinforcing his other body parts.


    "Your whole body has reached 80% integration. I advise you to think this through once more. you will not be able to handle the backlash from this if it were to go wrong", he said in a worried tone.


    Although Valentine found Lucas to be annoying, he had slowly begun to take a liking towards him. One, it was because he was his descendant and two, was because he never ceased to amaze Valentine.


    Lucas just had a smile on his face, and he didn''t utter anything. In a few minutes, there was a knock on his door, and it was none other than Robert. He had brought the materials in which the training swords had to be made, and he also had another request.


    "I would like to see the method in which you blacksmith. Don''t worry, this is for my curiosity", he said. He still couldn''t get over the fact that Lucas made him a spirit weapon in a span of a measly two hours.


    A normal blacksmith would take days to make a normal weapon, let alone a spirit weapon. Thus, his curiosity was piqued. Lucas smiled as he was in a dilemma now.


    "I can''t reveal that I have the Legendary Inscriptor Blacksmith''s Diary. But I do not have any choice as I wanted to practice and check if there were any methods for mass production that could save most of my time", he thought.


    He was still thinking of what to answer him. He didn''t want to refuse, but he also didn''t want him to witness the notebook. He rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment before he nodded his head.


    He then took the materials below and began to set up the furnace. He wanted to make the old-fashioned way first, to know the quality of the swords that he would get out of the materials, and the best ratio to make one.


    After entering inside, there was a screen that was hovering in the right corner of the room. Lucas eyes at it and he was confused as he didn''t see it yesterday. He walked towards it and began to inspect it.


    The screen had a circle, and it had some boxes attached to the circle. There was a scanner right next to it, and it also had a section called the output. After some analyzing it, Lucas was taken aback at what it was.


    "This is something that I have only seen in the palace. I never expected this place to have one", he thought as he ran his hand on the screen. He quickly picked up the scanner and began to scan the materials that he had brought along.


    After the scan, he brought the materials into the box and began to run simulations to see what was the best ratio to bring out the potential that is hidden within these materials. Each and everything was complementary to each other, and thus bringing out the full potential was possible for Lucas.


    After running the simulations, a smile was plastered on his face. He then picked up the equipment he had brought in as a sample and scanned it. After the scan, he compared his model and the model which was brought by Robert.


    "Let''s say we are going to make an upgrade to the katanas that you have brought back", he said as he looked at him. Robert was confused as to what was happening, but if something good was coming out of this, then he was also elated about it.


    Lucas brought out the metal that was to be used, and he began to melt it. Since it was a normal training Katana, he was sure that it would not need any special attacks. But if it did end up with one, he was sure that Robert would be the first one to be elated about it.


    He began to use the first technique he had learned from the notebook, and the weapon had begun to take shape. The extreme heat was making Robert sweat buckets, but he didn''t mind it as the Katanas were the most important things for him. Lucas''s techniques were just a bonus for him.


    Lucas was hammering away at the material that was given to him, and it slowly began to take shape. Each strike was done with his Aura. After finishing it, he swung it twice and began to test out the balance. He threw it to Robert and he swung it twice.


    "It''s too heavy", he frowned but Lucas had a smile on his face. He motioned for him to keep going, and Robert followed. Soon his facial expressions changed, and it was of glee and worry.


    "Then how will the weight stabilize? We need something for training them with. If this is an adaptable type, then making training swords with them isn''t a good thing", he said as he pondered. Lucas had an idea, and he wanted to test his theory out.


    "Take that sword to your father, and let him decide on how much weight it must carry. I am sure he will be able to do that. After that, bring the sword along with your father and I will make all the swords of the same type", he said and Robert nodded his head.


    "Lucas, just make sure that this technique isn''t shared outside. If anyone learns of this, your head will be up for an auction",  he said with worry. Lucas chuckled as he showed Robert out the door.


    He took out the black notebook and began to sift through quickly to find a technique for mass production. And there was one technique, and the formation looked the same as the circle which he used in the computer.


    "That''s strange. I thought formations are used here and that was just to make the interface look cool", he thought as he looked at the screen and the formation on the notebook.. It was the same and there were no changes made whatsoever.

 Chapter 108 - Making The Katanas (Part Two)

    He shrugged it off as a coincidence and just began to draw the formation on the ground. One thing he was sure of was that Valentine will be adding in some of his insights to complete the formation and that he did after Lucas finished drawing it from the notebook.


    He wanted to make sure that he was doing everything right, so he picked up the material and the old sample, and began to follow the steps that were given in the notebook. On the first try, he had failed and the quality of the product was much poorer than the sample he had got.


    He didn''t lose his hope, but instead, it fuelled him to do even more. He did it again and again repeatedly. A whole day had passed, and there was no sign of Robert. He sighed as he packed up for the day.


    He was thinking about what to say to Robert when he sees the waste of materials. After reaching home, he was welcomed to a new sight of the place. The place was cleaned up, and although painting was due, it was not all that shabby now.


    He turned his head and saw Emilia remove a hanky which she had tied to her face to prevent the dust, and she was using Wind magic to suck all the dust into a single place. Something funny and fuzzy was happening to him, and once more his charming smile popped out.


    "I think with this woman here, I might just go nuts. I think it is best if she looks for a place to stay by herself. Although this is nice, I cannot endanger her to the problems I will entangled in", he thought.


    She brought out some food she had made, and Lucas took a bite from it. After finishing up, he heard a knock on his door. Lucas went to see who it was, and it was Robert and his father.


    "Robert, I am sorry about today. I was trying out a new method of forging, and the materials you gave me have been wasted. I am sure that I will succeed tomorrow, and I would like to know where to procure the materials", he said in a humble tone.


    Robert laughed out loud, but his father had a stern face. He cleared his throat and introduced Lucas to his father. His father looked at him skeptically.


    "Are you sure he is the one that made the Katana? He looks... young", he said in his skeptic voice. Robert has a smile on his face, and he motioned for his father to follow behind him. Lucas followed close behind them.


    After entering the house, he pulled Lucas away from his father and began whispering.


    "Father can be stubborn at times, just make sure that you handle his temper good. I will take care of the rest. And bring out your sword, the one you made whilst in the Portal", and he took off to go next to his father.


    Lucas smiled nervously. He was never good when dealing with someone troublesome, as he would let his temper get the better of him. He was also thinking as to why his father was having so much skepticism towards him.


    "Maybe it''s because he understands the techniques behind the making? If he does, then will that make him a potential threat in the future? I must know everything about him, and quick", he thought as he looked at Robert''s father.


    Lucas''s head was now in a dilemma as he brought out his Exploding Ice Blade as a sample. Deep inside, he was chuckling.


    "To use my items as a base to market myself off. Well, I must begin somewhere, might as well use my equipment", and began to show it to his father. He inspected every nook and cranny, and he swung it quite a several times.


    "It''s heavier than a normal Katana, and it is not one. But my son here tells me that was able to use the Third Form of our school?", he asked as he raised an eyebrow. Lucas''s heart began to beat fast as he couldn''t find a satisfactory answer to that.


    "It was a dire situation, And I had one style on me. I do not have anything that I respectively follow at the moment, and if I do use the technique which I am following, my body will not be able to handle the backlash right now. Thus, I apologize if I may have offended you in any way", he said as he bowed his body in apology.


    A hoarse laugh was heard, and it was none other than Robert''s father. Lucas looked up in confusion and saw Robert smiling right next to him. He had a thumbs up on his hand, indicating that his father was impressed.


    "Kid, you may be the first person to have successfully copied our style in an instant. And it seems like it just isn''t for our style. Just what kind of mental training have you done, kid?", he asked and his eyes were sparkling with curiosity.


    "Mr. Van Hueston. They say that curiosity kills the cat", he replied with a playful smile. Robert''s father laughed again as his voice echoed through the empty house.


    "Indeed it does, but I guess not this one. This old cat has lived for quite a long time, and yet has to be killed. And I think no one is capable of killing this old cat for now", he said with a challenging smirk.


    He didn''t want to admit it, but Robert''s father was beginning to get under his skin. He wanted to show him who his boss was, as he needed the orders for his name to spread for now. And from the interaction he had just now, it seemed to him that Mr. Van Hueston was a man who valued honesty.


    "Sir, I think you are mistaken. You have yet to see the depth of the ocean, and yet you claim to have bested Death. Maybe once you reach the bottom, will I reveal my identity", he said with the same smirk.


    Lucas was challenging his authority by making such a statement. He looked him in the eye, and he saw a playfulness in it. "Glad thing I noticed it earlier and played along", he thought as he looked at him.


    The smirk on his face vanished, and he pulled out his katana. It was instantly on Lucas''s neck, but he was feeling something on the back of his neck. The tip of the Exploding Ice blade was at his occipital bone, threatening to end his life in a flash.


    "A truly marvelous warrior, and an excellent blacksmith. Just who are you, kid?", he asked in awe. The reaction time that was shown by him was present in very few people, and that was why he was stunned.


    "My name is Lucas Smith, and I am the blacksmith that will be making your training katanas and all the other weapons for your family from now", he said with a smile. Van Hueston and he shook hands and began to discuss the matters that had to be discussed.


    After a few more minutes, the weight of the Katana was discussed. Van Hueston felt like the weight was too light for him, and he wanted Lucas to give it a few swings so that He could which person''s adaptability weight suited him the most.


    Lucas gave some swings and returned them. Right after he received it, a smile was formed on his face. He was happy with the weight, and he didn''t swing it so that its weight wouldn''t change.


    "This is perfect. If this is to be implemented, then the muscle growth of the training students will increase in growth. But too much is also going to be harmful to them. I will send more materials to you tomorrow. I want one just like this, and the other one made suited to Robert here", he said. Lucas jotted it down and nodded his head.


    "Anything else I must have to note down?", he asked as it was a crucial question. And he wanted to be extra careful as Van Hueston was his first customer. He wanted to do something splendid on his debut so that it would leave a good impression not just on him, but the people that will frequent his store in the future.


    He thought for a little while and nodded his head sideways, indicating that there was nothing else worthy to note down. He and Robert left the place and disappeared into the night in an instant.


    "Wind Magic sure is convenient", he thought as he watched both of them vanish off into the horizon. Right after that, he went into the room and took out the documents that he had taken from his father.


    He was expecting a huge ruckus to be made by the end of today, but there was none made. To Lucas, this didn''t make any sense.


    "Unless the problem that we are facing is a high-level threat, news as such must have spread around like wildfire", he thought as he began to study the documents.. He pulled out all the papers that were compiled and began to read them patiently.

 Chapter 109 - Heading Towards The Beginners Dungeon

    Each page was filled with such content that if any common man had read it, they would have lost their minds. As he went through the report, sweat was formed, and his heartbeat was in disarray.


    After reading everything, he made sure of one thing. He needed to get stronger, and fast. And the best way to do that was to grind through monsters and beasts endlessly. A place that would spawn monsters infinitely.


    He looked at the key he had in his inventory. He clenched his fist and was deep in thought. Looking out the window, and seeing the peaceful place he was living, he wanted to preserve it.


    "Seems like I will have to clear this dungeon as soon as I can. And the faster I clear it, the more rewards I can have. And breaking through has become more essential now", he thought as he looked back at the papers and files he had taken.


    After the night had passed, he went back to the smithy to do the same thing he was doing yesterday. This time, his success rate was increased due to his understanding of the process and the elements. After a few more tries, the first product came out.


    "It''s the same as the one that he had given for a sample. Now, let me try and recreate the same thing with my piece. This is going to be harder than I initially thought", he wiped the sweat on his sleeve.


    It was evening by the time he had got a hang of the technique. He was disappointed in himself as he saw that it was getting harder for him to grasp the techniques now. He was beginning to have second thoughts of the path he had chosen for himself.


    "Kid, you''re the only person to have done this at such speed. The person before you, who I had watched when he was pursuing the path of this, took much longer. Cheer up, and your hard work does always pay off", said Valentine to cheer him up.


    Lucas didn''t know if what he said was true, as he had never met an Inscriptor Blacksmith. But if he did meet one in this vast world, he was willing to go to the ends of every corner of the world to meet them.


    After he made the version he was satisfied with, he began his mass production. And by the end of the night, he was done with it. The sun was peeking as he finished the final piece of the training Katana was made.


    He smiled in satisfaction as he found something that he didn''t expect. And it was the thing that he didn''t need to bind every weapon to a user, and the weight was default to the weight it was when placed. And the output was followed in the same way.


    He was elated as he found that out, and his technique would stay secret. He didn''t need to fear anyone coming after him for the techniques, and he could leave this place in peace and head towards the Beginner Dungeon key that he had.


    He pulled the key out and used the [Inspect] on it.


    [Item: Beginner''s Dungeon Key]


    [This key opens a portal to a Beginner Dungeon filled with monsters. You may use it only at Brighton Railway Station]


    Lucas was then confused about the specific place for the activation of the key. He knew the Brighton railway station, but to reach there, he would need to go on a train to that place and then activate the key, which he found a bit troublesome.


    He was exhausted due to overworking himself, and he was asleep in a chair that was in the smithy. Robert entered and to0ok the goods and began to inspect them, and he was satisfied with the quality. After a few more swings, he was about to leave when he heard a yawn behind him.


    "Hey, Robert. I presume you have checked out the katanas. Then, I will be leaving for Brighton and I won''t be back for a few days. If there are any orders in the meantime, you just keep them on pending", he said as he got up from the chair.


    Robert was sure that he didn''t make any noise and was silent so that he would not disturb his friend who had worked all night for his sake. But it seemed to him that Lucas was waiting for him just to let him know about this before he left.


    "Let me come along", he said as he watched Lucas leave the place. Lucas smiled and waved his hand at him. "You won''t have to. I am going to attend some personal affairs of mine", he said as he left the place.


    Robert came outside quickly and saw him missing. Lucas was gone by the time he had reached the door, which was a meager amount of time. He was astonished by his speed and began to wonder if he can catch up to it.


    "No use worrying now. I''ll let Emilia know about it, and just go back home to deliver these to father", he thought as he packed the katanas into a wooden round box he had brought for it. He informed Emilia of the development and left the place.


    Lucas was now waiting for his train on a platform, and there were plenty of people who were waiting for the same train as him. An announcement began to play right above his head, and the sound startled him slightly.


    "The train towards Brighton has arrived on Platform 2. Please stay away from the doors. Thank you", said a female announcer. Lucas quickly looked up and saw the train arriving, and he quickly boarded it.


    After a journey of an hour, he reached the desired location. He was standing right inside Brighton station, and he was looking for a safe place to activate the key and enter the portal. He didn''t want to alert any of the authorities and cause panic among the citizens that were commuting.


    He took a seat and began to wait for the time at which there will be fewer people, and when that time comes, he will make his move and enter the dungeon. As he was resting, he was infusing his Aura into his bones.


    "Alright, we have reached 80% integration already. Are you going to move forward bone by bone, or the whole body now kid?", asked Valentine as he sensed Lucas beginning to channel his Aura into his bones.


    "For now, bone by bone and pushing it to a hundred. Let''s begin from the skull", he replied as he began to infuse his Aura into his skull. Valentine was now keeping a close watch, as overloading a bone with Aura would make it burst open. In the case of the skull, it''s instant death.


    The progress was slow, but Lucas was feeling fatigued take over him. He was about to stop and take some rest when Valentine pushed him forward.


    "You stop now, you will lose all the progress that you have made till now", he said and urged Lucas not to rest. Lucas then gritted his teeth and pushed through, bringing the integration to 100%.


    As soon as he heard that he had reached a hundred, he stopped and panted. Sweat was evident all over his face, and the impurities were out of his skull. The sweat he had was black, and everyone that was near him moved away from him due to the smell that he gave off.


    "Young man, you should go and clean your face quickly. If not, those impurities will get back inside", came the voice of an elderly from behind him. Lucas nodded his head and ran off to wash his face, thinking who that person might be.


    "We do not know much about the ways of the cultivators. If you do meet one on your journey, absorb as much knowledge as you can", he remembered his Master''s words as he looked into the mirror after washing his face.


    He quickly ran back to his place to meet up with the person who had told him that piece of advice, but he was missing. He looked around the station, but he still couldn''t find him.


    "That''s strange. I was sure I heard an elderly call out to me before I went inside. I even saw a hunchbacked figure when I ran past him. Is it my imagination?", he thought as he took the seat again.


    He was about to continue when he remembered that he didn''t have a spare set of clothing it changed into if this one gets filled with the impurities. He didn''t move forward with the plan and began to wait for the people to leave.


    After an hour of waiting, nightfall came and the station was beginning to get empty. People were now off to their homes, and the trains that were coming in had very few people. Lucas pulled out the key and activated it.


    A dark shadowy portal opened in front of him, and he entered it.. Right after he entered, the portal closed on its own, and Lucas was trapped inside the Beginner''s Dungeon Portal.

 Chapter 110 - The Beginners Dungeon (Part One)

    Lucas was inside a place the same as before, except that in front of him was a cave opening with a board outside of it. He smiled as he neared the board and saw the words "Beginner''s Dungeon" on it.


    He had a smile across his face as he entered the dungeon. A notification popped up and a quest was triggered.


    [Quest Initiated]


    [Clear the Beginner''s Dungeon]


    [Previous record time: 02:12:30 seconds]


    [Rewards: Intermediate Dungeon Key]


    [Set a new record]


    [Additional Rewards: A piece of Armor]


    Lucas was now looking at the screen in front of him. He was sure that with his stats, he could clear the dungeon quite quickly and set a new record time like no other. As soon as he entered past the cave entrance, another notification popped up.


    [As your stats are above the needed, they will be brought down to the necessary reqiurements]


    Lucas was stunned as soon as he saw the notification. He was thinking about clearing the whole thing with his stats but seemed like the Dungeon had other plans for him. He pulled up his stats to see what kind of restriction was imposed on him.


    He was disappointed as soon as he saw the stats, and decided to activate the armor set stats, and the title stats activated as he was in a dark place. It was favorable to him at the moment.


    [Transformable Armor Set 2/6]


    [Equip the full set to acquire bonus effects


    Equip 2/6 - Increase Strength by Twenty Percent when Activated


    Equip 4/6 - Increase Stamina by Twenty Percent when Activated


    Equip 6/6 - HP +350, MP +350. All stats Increase by Twenty Percent while normal, and Increase by Forty Percent when Set is activated]


    [Master Of Stealth - Due to being in a dark place, Agility has been increased by seventy-five percent]


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 24]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth, The Schemer (inactive), Master Tactician (inactive)]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Accumulated EXP: 0]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 52+10(20)]


    [Stamina: 49 (20)]


    [Agility: 52 (20)+37]


    [Perception: 47 (20)]


    [Magic: 43 (20)]


    [Stat points to be used: 70]


    He was smiling as he looked at the stats now. He was stressed that he was back to square one, but now he had gained back his advantage by a little bit. He was still sad about the restrictions he had gotten, but he was sure about his strength now.


    "Is my numbers and the strength I have the same, or slightly higher?", he asked Valentine as he looked at his numbers. Valentine laughed out loud as he replied, "Kid, you have caught up with your numbers now. After breaking through to the next stage, you will be on par with the numbers that are shown on the stats."


    Lucas smiled after he heard the reassurance from Valentine. And as he was bound to the system, he was sure he knew the value of the numbers and how they measured. He planned to ask about it in the future, as a quest was waiting for him to clear.


    He entered the place, and there was a typewriter in the front of the dungeon. And on it were the names of the people who had attempted the dungeon before him. Each one of them was a Heart family member, and he read through the names.


    "Think of this as a save point that you have in games. You can save your progress and leave the dungeon. Upon return, you will be brought to the last stop that you had saved, and you can continue from that place", he said.


    Lucas was amazed after he heard that. He was still wondering how portals had come by, and now something like this was possible, which made him truly a frog at the bottom of the well. He typed in his name, and the sound that was made by the typewriter was satisfying to him.


    The click that it made when he pushed the slider back into place made something inside Lucas tingle. The experience was refreshing for him, and he was thinking if it would be possible to make one.


    "If I could make one, and put it up for auction or something as they are antiques, I am sure many collectors will flock to buy them", he chuckled at his thoughts. His mind was filled with ways to make money, as it was something he was in dire need of now.


    He made his way into the first floor, and he was faced with all kinds of Basic Tier Beasts. From the Roach Family to the Ant Family, he was facing all kinds of beasts head-on. he had also sensed his movements had become much more fluid than before.


    "My response time has shortened. It''s more instantaneous now", he thought as he cut down a termite that was twice the size of him. He was also sensing the beasts more clearly now, and floor one was cleared in no time.


    He was expecting a boss room at the end of the floor, but there was nothing. Only an elevator that led down to the next floor that was below him.


    "Seems like the floors go downwards instead of upwards here", he concluded as he got on the elevator and went down to the next floor. As soon as he reached the next floor, he heard a screech and a blade was headed his way.


    He quickly cut the blade and saw the head of cricket in front of him. It had its mouth wide open and was about to eat him whole, but Lucas thrust his blade into its mouth and ripped the head open, killing it in an instant.


    "As soon as I made my appearance, these things come for me. Seems like I might have to stay vigilant after all", he thought as he got off the elevator. He steadied his hands and began to slash at his opponents again, and they ended up falling prey to his blades.


    The place he entered was more like a room rather than a floor. It didn''t have any corridors or pathways to navigate through, and this reminded him of the colosseum that was available for the players to participate in duels outside.


    He smirked after he recalled that, and after killing them he went back to the elevator and it moved to the next floor. The third and the fourth were the same and he killed them all as soon as he stepped foot inside the arena-like room.


    On the fifth floor, it was eerily silent and this made Lucas stay extra cautious. He was on his toes looking around for his enemies when he spotted a big cockroach sitting in the middle of the place.


    [Basic Tier Beast: Cricket-Roach]


    [This is a mutation from the Cricket and the Roach family. It has the legs and agility of a Cricket, and the mobility of a Roach]


    Lucas frowned after he saw the description given. He was skeptical if it was the same he thought it was, and it turned out to be true. He was confident in his strength, but he needed something that would help him when it uses its ability to fly.


    He then remembered that he could use the [Chains Of Hades] skill to pull it down and finish it off, and his plan became solid as he stood in front of the Beast, ready to kill it swiftly.


    Right past it, he saw the typewriter that he had seen on the first floor and began to calculate. He concluded there will be one every five floors, and he didn''t know how many floors this Dungeon had.


    He dashed right from the start to take the beast by surprise. He only had one chance, and he didn''t want to waste it. As soon as he appeared, the beast began to flap its wings. It saw that he was coming towards its head, and the best course of action was to fly.


    Lucas smirked as he threw both of his swords towards the wings, and cut them off. The beast fell back to the ground with a screech, and Lucas quickly got on top of it. He was about to pierce through its eyes, but he felt his balance amiss.


    The beast had jumped and moved around to throw Lucas''s balance off on its back, and it was working. Lucas had missed its eyes whenever he tried to stab, as it made its move right when he made his. It was hard to predict as it moved by instinct.


    He jumped down and saw its front legs coming towards his neck like a guillotine, and he blocked it with his blades. He didn''t have this as part of his plan, but he was still improvising as he fought against it.


    The blades were tough and it wasn''t the same as the other beasts he had faced against. He was sure about one thing.


    "This thing is wither a boss or a sub-boss that has been placed here to disrupt the timing of the intruder. But not mine. I have faced against stronger enemies than you, and you shall die by my hand", he said as he slashed the blade-like hands off its body.


    The head fell to the floor as it lost its sense of balance, and he used this chance to behead it.. He went towards the typewriter and typed in his name before he made any move, as he wasn''t sure as to how long he might take inside the dungeon.

 Chapter 111 - The Beginners Dungeon (Part Two)

    He moved down, and the beasts had changed this time. They were from the Fly and Mosquito families. He was annoyed as the moment he cut down a mosquito, he was splashed with blood all over him. The Flies were more annoying with their 360-degree vision.


    This was making it harder for him to slay them and the mosquitoes were interrupting his attempts if he neared killing any one of them. He was slowly getting pissed off by their attitude toward them as he reached the lower floors.


    "Just what is their deal? It''s like they both have a deal, and someone is commanding them from the shadows. Could it be that the boss of this one is controlling them from behind the scenes?", he thought.


    All left now were the flies, and he was sure that being a cluster of them, it would be harder for them to maneuver in such a small space. He smirked wide and began his massacre as one dodged while the other got attacked.


    After thinning down their numbers, that was when he felt the struggle kick in. Each of them had enough space, and they could now dodge his attacks quite easily. In his imagination, he felt the flies were mocking him for the lack of strength.


    He tried to activate the Rage Mode he had.


    [Activation is unavailable due to restrictions]


    This pissed him off more, but it also made him realize something within him. He realized that he was relying too much on the system and that he had to gain his strength. In the future, he was expecting the upgrades to take longer, and he would need his strength to defeat anything he faced at that said particular moment.


    "This kid has finally figured it out. The more you rely on your system, the lesser your growth. Now, let me see how you overcome this situation when all the odds are against you", thought Valentine as he watched the situation unfold in front of him.


    Lucas didn''t want to use the spells, as he was sure that without learning to channel Mana from the outside into his Mana channels, he would need to rely on the system until then. So, he used the only thing he was good at, combat.


    The Flies had a weakness even with their vision. It was their wings. It was their strength and their weakness at the same time. Once the wings were out of the picture, they will not be able to dodge the attacks that are directed towards them as they do not have the agility.


    Only some of the flies had developed the agility aspect, and Lucas had concluded that there was nothing of the sort in this place. He put his dual blades back, and pulled out his Exploding Ice Blade.


    He did the same move that he picked up from Robert, the Third Form. The slash that he sent was dodged by the fly, but Lucas had added something new to it. The slash turned to the right and cut down one of the flies that were not expecting an attack that had gone past it.


    "Unpredictability is the only way to take these things down", he smiled as he saw his plan succeed. Now, he sent a bunch of slashes and all of them were overlapping each other in all directions, leaving no place for the flies to escape.


    After every fly was dead, he got back into the elevator and went down to the tenth floor. If his predictions were correct, that was the place where there was going to be a save point. He needed to finish this quickly.


    "If the difficulty level is going to be on the rise, then it would surely make this harder for me to complete within the record time. Just what kind of an inhumane person is my father?", he thought as he remembered the record time.


    He was thinking if his father also had a restriction placed on him when he came inside. Of he did, and it was the same amount of restriction, what kind of items did his father has for him to finish them off in such a small amount of time.


    A jerk brought him back to reality, and in front of him was a Basic Tier Beast, and it was something that Lucas was expecting.


    [Basic Tier Beast: Fly-Quito]


    [A Basic Tier Beast mutation created from the merging of the Fly and Mosquito. Has the ability to communicate and order both Mosquitoes and Flies]


    Lucas smiled as he read the description. He was sure that this was the beast that was behind the organized attack that was made towards him. This was one of the beasts in the Basic Tier category that could command Basic Tiers.


    He used the same attack he used above, and there was a buzz from behind him. He smirked as he saw them head towards him. As soon as they reached a certain vicinity of him, the slashes he had sent had turned.


    It was now headed towards the creatures that were coming towards him. The flies and mosquitoes died real quick, and now there was nothing that was between him and the boss monster.


    "Didn''t expect me to know about your secret stock, did you? I know that you are nothing without your army, and thus I made sure to attack you and make you call for them. And since they are dead right now, let''s see how you will fare against me", he smiled.


    His smile extended on his face and he did the same move again, and the more he did the move, the deeper his understanding was of the move. At first, he thought that this was something that was a quick draw.


    But now, he saw that it was just a base and anyone can make something from the base form. And it was the same for every move that Robert had used. He was in awe of the person who wrote the techniques.


    "Such adaptability. The basics are to be learned, and then the move can be developed into something that the person desires. If anyone learns of this deep truth in the style, there will be all kinds of people flocking towards the place to learn it", he thought.


    He was astonished by the realization. Even with his copy style, he had found out. And since Robert had learned it since he was young, there was only one possibility as to why he had yet to unleash the full potential of it.


    "He is unaware", he thought of it as he began to look back at his moves. It was fluid, and there was hard work behind it. But what he lacked was the ability to adapt it to his style. He was trying to fit himself into the style.


    Lucas planned on telling him the news he had found out and wanted his friend to improve. He was the first friend he made when he came out, and it seemed like he didn''t have any ill intentions towards him. And he had also figured out his secret.


    He walked towards the typewriter and entered his name, and moved to the next floors. This time, the species was changed. It was grasshoppers and dragonflies which he had to face. Lucas clicked his tongue in frustration.


    "Now, if only I had moved to the next stage, I would have been able to use the family''s techniques", he thought as he looked at the number of insects in front of him. It was enough for him to kill them off with his newfound understanding of the Third Form.


    He began his killing spree again, and it continued down until the fourteenth floor. After clearing it, he sat on to catch a bit of his breath as he needed that. He had begun wondering if his father was human at all.


    "I''m exhausted. Just what did my father have?", he thought as he looked around at the bodies that were scattered all around the place. He was now browsing through the shop and looking if he could find any recovered potions.


    "If I do find some, I am going to need a couple of those to clear this place without rest. And to deal with this mental fatigue, Argh!", he grunted in frustration. His frustration was at its peak right now, and he felt like ripping something apart with his bare hands.


    He got up and went to the next floor with the same frustration. He was sure that with his condition right now, it was suicide to face the Sub-Boss on his own. But he was sure that if he was too tired, the title would activate.


    He bet everything on that title, and he wanted to stand right next to his father. Even it was through something like this, he still wanted to stand right next to his father.. His resolve was resolute, and he went to the next floor.

 Chapter 112 - The Beginners Dungeon (Final Part)

    [Basic Tier Beast - Dragon-Hopper]


    [A mutation of the Dragonfly and Grasshopper. It has the speed and vision of the Dragonfly, and the power of the Grasshopper]


    Lucas looked at it and smirked. He was looking forward to the title activating on its own, but it didn''t. His face was now contorted in a different angle, showing the shock and anger he had.


    "This damn system! Can''t you see that I am exhausted?", he cursed out loud. He heard a chuckle in his head. He was about to snap at Valentine when he saw the front legs of the Dragon-Hopper coming towards him.


    He moved a step back and pulled out his dual blades as he wanted to finish this quickly. He quickly tried to chop it off, but it just phased through the hands. Lucas was shocked as soon as he saw this.


    "This thing is vibrating at this speed?", he thought and clicked his tongue. He was frustrated, but he was sure now. He changed his sword and activated his weapon''s skill, [Flowing-Ice Bind].


    Right after activation, the beast was frozen to place. It tried to vibrate out of it but it couldn''t vibrate, no matter how much it tried. He then made a slash, and all the limbs were cut off. The beast was left struggling on the ground, and Lucas finished it off.


    He was panting, and he looked at the amount of time he had taken so far.


    [Time elapsed: 01:23:45 seconds]


    He was satisfied with the time he had taken so far, but he was worried as he had less than forty-five minutes to finish the dungeon to beat his father. His browsing through the shop came fruitful, and he downed a Recovery potion.


    A warmth was felt throughout him, and he felt the energy he had lost return back to him. He was skeptical at first if his energy had increased, but he was sure of it now. His stat increase had indeed made his stamina increase.


    And since there was a restriction, he was feeling the backlash of it. But if he could down a recovery potion and restore it, he was sure that he would be able to finish this close to his father''s time.


    He made his save and went to the elevator. The next four floors were filled with nothing but centipedes. Their hides were weak, and thus slaying them was easy for him. He made past them and into the twentieth floor. The sub-boss this time was not as tough as before and finished it off with his [Cryo-Blaze] skill.


    After that, he moved to the next floor, the twenty-first floor. A smell was entering his nose, and he found it annoying. The odor was pungent, and he covered his nose with a cloth he had in his pockets.


    "It should not be those nasty things", he thought as he looked past the door. And what he was dreading was right in front of him. There were stink bugs and stink badgers at the same place.


    "Two stinkers at the same place? No wonder the stink reached halfway to the top", he muttered under his breath. He tightened the cloth around his nose, and he made sure that he was not inhaling them.


    Right after entering, he went on a frenzy. He pulled out the dual blades, and with the [Chains Of Hades] active, he began to kill off every single beast. Some of the stink badgers were preparing to use their move, Corrosive Stink Bomb.


    Lucas quickly sensed something and moved out of the way. He saw the smoke and sighed in relief.


    "That could have been the death of me", he thought as he turned around and killed some of the stink bugs. The blood that was leaked from them was stinkier than the stink they released. He killed off everything and moved to the next floor.


    The same thing happened on repeat, and he reached the twenty-fifth floor this way. He was now standing in front of a beast that was the boss of this dungeon.


    [Basic Tier Beast - Stink Bugger]


    [This is a mutation of the stink bug and a skunk. Watch out for its spit and fart, as they are both corrosive]


    Lucas was still having a cloth over his nose, and he was thinking about making himself a mask that emits a good smell just to counter situations like these. As soon as he placed his foot on the ground, the beast spits in his direction.


    He dodged it by moving to the left and dashed forward. As his stats were nerfed down, he was just at the speed of the best, and he was evenly matched with it. The only way he could overpower it was with his weapons.


    He made a slash towards it, and it used corrosive air to block the attack. As soon as his slash and the corrosive air touched each other, the slash was negated and he was shocked. He then thought of the only way to kill it, and that was to go near it.


    "Endure this smell", he thought as he began to charge right into its territory. right after entering, he was counting down his time and slashed off one of its hind legs. It used its tail to balance itself, and released its attack, Corrosive Stink Fart.


    Lucas jumped back and quickly dashed out of the place, as he knew that any longer and it would be the death of him. To beat his father, e must stay alive. He was nearing the outside and the fart was chasing him.


    He saw that it was impossible to outrun it, and thus activated his [Ice Shield]. He shoved it into the ground, and he began to manipulate the shield. he turned it into an ice dome, and he was hiding inside it. The corrosive fart began to eat away at the ice, and Lucas''s time was running out.


    As soon as he saw a small hole in the Ice, he broke it apart and ran straight towards its heart.


    "Let me see who is faster. My legs or your fart", he muttered as he ran with his sword held straight. The moment he entered its territory, it released a fart once again. Lucas didn''t stop, and he pierced his sword right through its heart.


    His skin was beginning to feel tingly, and he was sure that he would die in a few moments. Right after killing the beast, he went towards the typewriter and wrote his name swiftly. A potion appeared out of thin air, and he downed it in an instant.


    "Phew. That was close. If I had hesitated at the last second, I would have been dead", he thought as he looked at the beast behind him. A book began to float in front of him and a feather appeared.


    [Congratulations! You have cleared the Beginner''s Dungeon]


    [You have set a new record!]


    [Previous record time: 02:12:30 seconds]


    [New Record Time: 02:10:45 seconds]


    Lucas smiled as he saw the record he had set. Although it was just by minutes, he was happy that he was now a step closer to becoming strong and near his father. As soon as the book closed, he felt his body being sucked out of the dungeon. The force was too much, and he closed his eyes.


    The next moment, he was at the same place he had entered the place from. He was sure that the portal must have opened up and let him out. That was the only plausible explanation he had.


    He then looked around and saw no one next to him. A sigh escaped his lips, and he took the seat that he was during the morning. It was night time, and he needed to get back home soon. There were no trains, and thus he had to stay the night in a hotel.


    He booked a room, freshened himself up, and crashed into the bed. He was mentally tired from the run that he had gone through the whole Dungeon in a single run. He still had to check the rewards, and thus he pulled it up.


    [Quest Completed]


    [Clear the Beginner''s Dungeon]


    [Previous record time: 02:12:30 seconds]


    [New Record Time: 02:10:45 seconds]


    [Rewards: Intermediate Dungeon Key]


    [Set a new record]


    [Additional Rewards: A piece of Armor]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    "I just don''t understand why it is always a yes or no question. Will there be a time when I will choose no?", he thought as he selected ''Yes''. The rewards began to come in.


    [Rewards - Intermediate Dungeon Key]


    [A Key that opens a portal to an Intermediate Dungeon]


    [Additional Rewards: A Piece of Armor]


    [Mechanized Calculator Helmet - Advanced Tier]


    [A helmet with an inbuilt AI. It can calculate anything you tell. Upgradeable to Demi-God Tier. Needs a Programmer and Blacksmith to upgrade]


    "A programmer", mused Lucas as he saw the description of the item he had received. Programmers, or better known as Engineers, were a rare bunch of individuals that dabbled in the programming section. The reason is, learning to program something from a Beast Crystal was something that was extremely hard.


    They make micro chips from the crystal that is used to make the program out of it, and then they give their design to a blacksmith to craft it.. They then insert their chip into the piece they have received and make it run.

 Chapter 113 - Striking A Deal With Henry

    Lucas was still wondering if he will meet a programmer in his journey. He was curious about the ways they make the microchips from the crystal, as they do not have access to a furnace to melt them down as the Blacksmiths do.


    He fell asleep as he was thinking about it, and the morning had arrived. He had gone through his routine, and he was getting ready to check out and head back to his place. His thinking was still about the kingdom, and he wasn''t sure as to how effectively they could defend against the invasion that was coming towards them.


    He soon reached back to his home, and he was now sitting in his shop. And in front of him was Robert with three bags of gold. It had a total amount of 1500. He was thinking about the agreement that he had made, and the amount was not in the agreement.


    "What''s this?", he frowned. He was sure this was going to turn out into some favor in the future, and might even turn into a partnership in this business. He was thinking of ways to reject this fund, as he wanted to work his way up.


    "This is the payment for the katanas that you made for the academy. Although the agreement was made between my family and me, the academy was never included. It is only fair that the academy pays for their orders", he said cheekily.


    Lucas began to think of ways to reject this money. A bright idea then struck his mind, as he rubbed his hands in glee.


    "If that is indeed the case, then this is not the price. You see, normally it takes about one to two weeks to complete mass production of the same weapon. But I did finish it within two days. And at a better quality than the sample at that. This is not enough", he said as he folded his hands across his chest.


    Robert had a smirk after he heard that. He pulled out another three bags just like the first one and placed them right next to the other bags.


    "You are right indeed. For your quick service and not compromising on the quality, we would need to up the payment. Maybe this might be enough for you, I presume?", he said with a smirk. Lucas didn''t expect this development, and he sat back down.


    "Why are you doing this? What is the reason behind this?", he asked. The smirk on Robert''s face was still there, and it was like a challenge to him, calling him to face him now. A smirk formed on Lucas''s face, and he was sure this time.


    "I do not take business partners. Only clientele is allowed. Some people have to earn the right to become my clientele. They will have to become members of this shop, and with that, they will get the treatment they deserve", he said.


    Robert now took a step back. The reason he was confident was that he knew Lucas''s need for money for the renovation of the house and the shop. But if he is now imposing memberships and clientele like a real business, he was sure this was going to become a problem.


    "But Lucas, we are your first clients. Don''t we get any discounts or something?", he asked. He was scared of Lucas extorting money from him. But what Lucas did next shocked him.


    "Since you are indeed my first client, you will have the highest membership of the shop, a Golden Black VIP card. Will be making them soon, and will send them your way when it is ready. The cards have criteria to meet, and not everyone can get them", he said with a wink.


    "You''d make one great businessman, you know that?", he said half-joking. He lost his nerve for a second and was about to turn back home and get more money to pay him. Lucas took two bags and put them under the counter.


    "Well, I can''t be sure about that", he replied as he returned the other four bags to him. Robert took them back and placed them inside his ring. Lucas smiled as he showed Robert out of the place, and he began to plan what to do with the money he had got.


    He had a thousand pieces of gold, which was enough for him to renovate his shop, and place some stands to showcase some of his fine works. He didn''t have any, as all of them were either for his self-use or for someone else.


    He first had to invest his money in buying the basic materials, and get his shop running. He looked through all the things he had obtained from the portal, and it was a good haul. He still had to make Tobias''s gauntlet and the staff for Emilia.


    He wanted to make two pieces now, one for display and the other one for the person. He didn''t understand the whole business aspect and thus he decided to seek the advice of Henry, his Master.


    He knew how to blacksmith, and he was sure that he would be one of the best materials out in the market. But the only problem was getting his name out into the market, and for that, he needed Henry''s help.


    He decided to meet up with Henry and went to the branch that was in the city that was a part of the Iron Forge. None of them knew who he was, as they were in the city and never allowed into the palace.


    The office was a shop, which had the samples from the Iron Forge. It was a medium-sized one, and there were boards in which the swords were hanging. And some bows were there too. Shields were put to the side, and there were some other weapons that Lucas couldn''t quite make of.


    He walked up to the counter and there was a bell on it. There was no one around, and he rang the bell twice. Soon, a girl came running out into the place, and she adjusted her glasses. "How may I help you sir?", she asked as she did a curtsy.


    "I would like to have a meeting with a blacksmith as I want a custom order. The Blacksmith''s name is Henry", he said in a calm tone. The girl was taken aback right after she heard him say Henry''s name.


    "How dare you call The Iron Hammer by name! Give him some respect!", she demanded. Lucas had his hands in his pockets, and the smile he had never faded away. He saw a chair right next to the counter, and he took an arrogant posture as he sat down.


    The girl was now flaring, and she called in the guards. Lucas fumbled around in his pocket and he pulled out something that he had for a long time.


    "The Golden Black Card? And you''re a blacksmith at that level?", she gasped right after she saw the card. It was the highest level there was in the Iron Forge, and he was a Blacksmith at that level in the Iron Forge. Her attitude did a total flip and she bowed.


    "I am sorry for my behavior earlier. I apologize for it. I shall arrange a meeting right away, Mr. Smith", she said as she quickly began to dial from her phone. A few minutes later, she led him through the counter and into a vehicle.


    Lucas took his seat and the girl sat opposite to him. He was pondering his options about how to make business at his shop, and what kind of tips he could get from Henry. And if in the future he needed to expand, on what basis must he recruit people.


    There was so much on his mind that the drive which should take forty-five minutes seemed like a short time. The door was opened by the girl, and he was standing in front of the Iron Forge.


    It was a tall building, and it had chimneys and smoke coming out of it. The smoke, which should be black was filtered and was white. It had a glass entrance, and there was a castle behind it.


    "Mr. Smith, I am sure you know that this place is inside the Royal Palace''s compounds. Please do mind yourself if you meet the princess or prince. I heard that the prince who was here was a blacksmith, and he got banished for stealing a secret blacksmithing technique from the family", she reported to him.


    Lucas was chuckling on the inside while he had a serious face on the outside. The person she was talking about was walking right next to her, and he didn''t want to destroy her moment, so he let her go on.


    "I also do know that my father, Henry was the mentor him and he was devastated when he learned that.. He was wishing for the prince to succeed him, but it seemed like the plans were broken", she paused and looked at his face.

 Chapter 114 - The Blacksmiths Warehouse

    Lucas was listening intently from the moment she mentioned Henry as her father. "I never knew he had a daughter", he thought. He followed behind her and saw Henry making something.


    "Father, there is someone there to see you. He holds a Golden Black card", she said as she informed her father. She motioned for Lucas to greet him, and he did as he was told. She was asked to leave and the two of them went into Henry''s study.


    Right after he closed the door, he pulled Lucas into an embrace. His eyes were filled with love as he looked at him.


    "How have you been? How''s being a commoner like?", he asked as he let him go and poured him a cup of tea. Lucas had a smile across his face as he received the tea from him.


    "Until now, I can say that it has been good. The only problem seems to be money at the moment. I have rented out a  shop and a house along with it. The payment method for that is quite simple for now. I have to be their exclusive blacksmith, and make things for their family", he said.


    Henry was scratching his beard as he was listening. His face was scrunching, and it was evident that something was on his mind.


    "If you have agreed to their deal, I want to know which family they are, and what are they asking for. I was in your position once, but since I was in a good family, they were willing to let me go work in the Royal Family", he said.


    "They''re the Van Hueston''s", he replied. Henry''s hands were shaking right after he heard the name. His eyes became moist and he placed the cup back on the table.


    "You have found a very good family, Lucas. They are the ones I had worked with before I came into the Royal Palace. They are quite generous with money, and if my memory serves me right, you must use a place which has a house attached at the top of the shop", he said.


    Lucas smiled in response. The place was the same as he had described, and it seemed like after Henry left the family, the place had been left as it is for the sake of Henry. And since they have allowed Lucas to stay, it meant that they must have acknowledged him.


    Lucas then began his story of how he had to make something in the portal, and how he had made Robert a Katana, and proved his worth as a Blacksmith. Henry listened to every detail, to the point of him starting his own business.


    "The problem I have is getting my name out there. I know Iron Forge has a reputation, and I would like to work on something together like we used to. This time, just give me the credit for it", he said with a cheeky smile.


    Henry let out a hearty laugh and began to think deeply. He didn''t know how to collaborate with him, as he didn''t have any designs that he could make him work on. Something popped up in his mind as he thought deeply.


    "We are planning to make a competition for Blacksmiths, and there is a minimum level entry for this. But before all of this, you should go and get licensed to open up a shop. Any unlicensed person who runs a shop will pay a hefty amount of penalty to the Palace. Oh wait, you already have one", he sighed.


    He was sure that the license was going to be a problem as he had taken it under his real name, Lucas Heart, and not Lucas Smith. And if he did retake the test and the credentials matched, he would be expelled from the place.


    "I have someone from the department who owes me something. Give me your license and I will get the name changed. Don''t worry about your identity leaking out, she is trustworthy", he said. Lucas nodded his head and gave him his license, and was about to leave.


    "About the partnership, I will send you a blueprint in the next two days. I need ten pieces first, and if the sales are going well, we can split it 51-49. Fifty-One percent for me, and forty-nine percent for you", he said.


    Lucas snickered as he knew as to why he was making such a split. It was because he was a newbie to the scene according to the masses, and this was something he was doing out of consideration.


    He left the room and headed outside, and he saw the girl waiting for him. She nodded her head in acknowledgment, and he followed behind her. They boarded the car and returned to the shop, and Lucas bid farewell to the girl.


    "Just who is he? I have never seen him here before, and that was the longest time I have seen Father talk with someone. And he looks young too", she began to think. Lucas was far gone from the shop, not knowing about the girl''s thoughts behind him.


    He reached back to his place and laid out the blueprints he had made for Tobias. He took out the money he needed to purchase the materials and left for the Blacksmith''s warehouse.


    The Blacksmith''s Warehouse was the place where Blacksmiths gathered to buy materials in bulk, and it was quite cheap compared to other places that sold the materials at high prices. It was a wholesale market, and it always worked on a first come first serve basis.


    It was a place that was open only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Scruffles were inevitable in this place, and at times a full-out brawl might even happen. At that time, the people who run the warehouse intervened and solve the issue so that it doesn''t create any problems for the other customers.


    Lucas ran past the crowd and arrived at the heart of the place where all the metal was sold. He was sure that this would be the busiest place, and he made haste towards it. Just as he reached the place, he heard the sound of fervent bidding.


    "Three hundred Gold going once! Going twice!", said the announcer. Lucas was about to raise his hand when the hammer struck the table and the item was sold off. There were sounds of disappointment, but due to the need for it, everyone understood.


    This was an unspoken agreement between the Blacksmiths. That if two people want the same thing, then they shall bid with each other and the winner shall take the item or said material. He saw a bag of metal given away to him, and the announcer brought forth the next material.


    "This here is another batch of metal. The purity of this one is much higher than the one that was sold before. It is seventy-five percent pure. The bids shall begin at a hundred and seventy-five coins. The weight of the package is twenty kilograms", finished the announcer.


    There was a roar amongst the crowd, and the bids began to grow higher. Lucas was still counting the other materials he needed to buy, and he would only have seven hundred gold left to spare.


    The bids were fervent until they reached five hundred, and the people who called out now were fewer. Right after it reached six hundred, there was only one man who had bid. Everyone was sure that he would be the winner, and Lucas decided to make his move.


    "Six hundred and ten", he said as he raised his hand. The man who was sure that he would be winning now had a frustrated look on his face. He quickly turned his head towards Lucas and marched towards him.


    "Kid, know your place. This is not somewhere you can mess around", he said with a seething tone. His face was inches away from Lucas''s, and he had a smirk. Lucas looked back into the man''s eyes with confidence.


    He quickly turned around and raised the bid, "Six hundred and fifteen". Lucas now raised the bid, as he had little money left. And it seemed like the man who was in front of him had neared the end of his funds.


    "Six hundred and fifty", he raised. Many people around him shook their heads sideways. Everyone was sure that he was now going towards a loss, and the materials were not worth that much. But Lucas didn''t give any mind to that as he picked up the metal he had won.


    He made his way to the stores that sold paint, and he bought some colors he thought would be fitting for Tobias. After his purchase, he was left with a mere amount of fifty gold.


    "The materials have become pricey. I wonder if there is any place where I can mine out Titanium or any other metals. The people who mine are truly making a killing", he thought as he packed up everything and went back to the shop.


    He was now ready to make the [Shocker''s gauntlet] for Tobias.. He went into the forge, ready to face a challenge as this was going to be his first time to make a gauntlet.

 Chapter 115 - Creating The Mana Channels

    Lucas began to first separate the parts as they needed to be carefully done. A gauntlet has a lot of joints in the fingers which needed to be forged delicately. He then looked at the Mana Channels that he had planned on adding to it. He also had a different design for the pellets.


    The gauntlet''s length was from the fingertips to halfway up the forearm. The design had lost delicate parts from the fingers to the wrist. After making out the parts and marking from where to begin, he took out the metal and began to heat it.


    Mana Channels had to be made using the crystals, and it was a very delicate process. One must have very steady hands and a great amount of patience. He left the metal to heat up, as he still needed to remove the impurities in it. He took out the crystals he had gotten from Tobias and began to melt them in the furnace.


    Right after melting the crystals, he took a minuscule amount of it and began to add silica sand, soda ash, and limestone into it. This was to make the process of making a channel quite easier, and it was also the raw materials used to make glass.


    He began to melt them again, and this time the temperature was raised than before. It was at a firing of 2150 degrees Celcius, and the mixture was bubbling. Lucas kept close watch as he pulled out his tools and put goggles over his eyes.


    After a few minutes, he pulled out a cast from the side, and he poured the mixture into it. While pouring, he placed a long rod in it and closed the cast. He had made this cast specifically for this gauntlet''s Mana Channel, and the work he had done was just the beginning.


    He began to blow into the tube he had inserted, which began to make the liquid mixture bulge until it hit the end of the mold. He kept blowing, as he was sure that it had reached the desired shape.


    He opened it up, and he saw the Mana Channel glowing orange. He needed a Kiln, a place where he would let the glass cool off for the next 24 hours.


    The Kiln was a container in which people would let glass cool off at a heat of 900 degrees celsius. It looked a lot like a fridge, and through the heat that was generated from the back, it was evenly spread throughout the Kiln and allowed it to cool off slowly.


    The glass needed a hot environment to cool down, and that was why a Kiln was found. If let to cool down at room temperature, it has a very low chance of succeeding and turning into glass.


    The mold he was using was slightly different from a normal mold, and it had a magic circle underneath it. The magic circle would reset the mold into a block, and he would have to begin carving all over again.


    Although one would say this was time-consuming, it had its advantages. Each Mana Channel mold doesn''t suit some others, and each has its unique purposes.


    And thus, one mold could only be used for the same thing over and over. And if he could reset the mold and make a new one out of it, this was an investment worth it for him. He let the Channel cool outside for now and called for Emilia.


    He quickly showed her the plan and made her make a Kiln out of Earth. She followed the plan and made a Kiln as shown. Lucas thanked her and get back to work. He placed the Mana Channel in the Kiln, and he had to make five more Mana Channels.


    The metal was all heated up, and the impurities need to be removed. Lucas began to hit the metal, and the impurities began to fall off as it cooled down. He put the metal back inside, and he lowered the heat to cool it down slowly.


    He made another mold and did the same process again. It was repetitive, but it was needed and thus he didn''t slack off. After placing all six pieces into the Kiln, he took a seat in the chair. He was sweating buckets, and his breath was quite off due to all the blowing.


    After an hour of rest, he began to pour the metal into molds of different shapes. There were four hexagon-shaped molds and five molds that looked like nails on a finger. It had a sharp end and was thin.


    There were other shapes, and each and everything was a part of the gauntlet. He was making two pairs, as one was for the showcase in which he would show his works to the customers of the future.


    He allowed the metal to cool down, and after that, it was the process of shaping every piece. He wiped his forehead on his sleeve, and he huffed out loud.


    "This is going to be hard to make. I just hope that the staff is much easier to make, even with the Mana Channels that I have planned to insert. And that crystal, I need to find it", he thought as he took a break.


    A grumble from his stomach was heard, and he rubbed his tummy. He was famished, and he still needed to keep an eye on the things that were on cooldown. He looked at the Mana Channels he had placed in the Kiln, and one of them had begun to crack.


    Lucas sighed loud. The one that had cracked was none other than the one that was left at room temperature to cool when the Kiln was being made. He still kept it inside, as it could be used in something else in the future.


    He began to make the same mold again and hoped that this time none of them cracked. After placing them in the Kiln, he left the room and went back home. He was hungry and needed some rest. The metal needed time to cool down too.


    By the time he had left the Smithy, it was dinner time. He had missed lunch and was working through the whole afternoon. Emilia had made some dinner, and the days were going by smoothly for them.


    Lucas was still worried about the attack that will be made in the future, and he was thinking about the options he could take to make the people safe.


    "There are the tunnels that lead to a temporary underground city that we have built, but what will become of the people in the outskirts of the kingdom? We need to save everyone we can, and then fight the war. What is Father thinking right now?", he thought.


    He was formulating a plan, and if only he knew the time when the enemy mount an attack. If he can calculate the timeframe it would take for multiple expert Earth magicians to build underground cities in the nearby places around the Kingdom, that would lead to them saving a lot of lives.


    "But the loss of lives in war is inevitable. That is what Master always said to me. I just hope that they are people who fight the war, and not the people who are bystanders", he concluded his thoughts as he began to gobble down his food.


    Emilia had noticed the worry on his face, and she wanted to reassure him that everything will turn out okay. But she wasn''t sure if that was her place to say and ended up keeping it to herself.


    Right after he had his dinner, he went to his room. He was still getting used to the fact that he was living with a woman in his home, and the feeling he had in his heart was strangling him. He was sure this was something related to his hormones, and thus ignored it completely.


    He had a lot of things to think about, and right now his feelings were the least of his concern. He bottled it down and began to draw a map of the whole kingdom on a large sheet of paper.


    He knew some of the Royal Court Magicians were at the Expert Level, and if they joined their hands together, many of the lives could be saved. But he also knew that they never cared about the people, as they lived in their world of glory and pride.


    Right after he drew the map, he began to mark the places where Underground Cities had been built, and the places that were closest to it. He had to make sure he remembered a great amount of detail, and that he did.


    After sketching the plan out, he began to draw tunnels that were already available, and those that needed to be dug out for the sake of survival. As a Prince, it was his duty to save as many lives as he could.


    The tunnels had been sketched out, but now the manpower was lacking if the Kingdom needed to execute this plan quickly. Just as he was about to wrap it up and lie down, he felt his pocket vibrate.


    He pulled out the phone that was given to him by his father and saw a single text on it.


    "They''re coming.. ETA 5 days", it read.

 Chapter 116 - Enemy Presence

    (In the evening, The Guardian''s Tower)


    Bradley was watching the screens, as usual, keeping an eye out over the Kingdom. There were multiple screens, and a program was running in the background which would help in identifying any threats that are heading towards the Kingdom.


    The surveillance expanded to a 100 Kilometers radius outside the Kingdom so that they could prepare for any unforeseen events. Any person visiting the Kingdom will be registered here, and the algorithm will run a check on their records.


    This was how the Kingdom had always been safe. But sometimes, to be on the safe side, Bradley and Leon go through the records twice every week. They were doing the same today when one of the screens went red.


    Leon pulled it up and saw a horde of beasts heading towards them. Just as he was about to take action, all of the screens began to glow red.


    "What in the world? So many beasts and the coordination is impeccable. Where is the Mastermind behind this?", looked Leon quickly. He and Bradley got down to business and began to sift through.


    This was something that even Leon didn''t expect. He heard a warning from Ben before he left, and if he saw a horde or anything to let him know. But for something of this scale to appear, he was wondering if Ben foresaw this.


    He responded quickly and sent the word to the palace. The warning had reached Ben, and Leon estimated that the arrival will be in five days. That was the speed the horde was progressing. And along with them were some balls that were floating in the air.


    The balls had the symbol of ''The Omega''. Right at that second, Leon''s blood began to boil. He balled his fist up and banged the table which was nearest to him and broke it into pieces.


    "Calm down brother. You need to keep your anger in check. We have a better place to use that in five days. Let''s just hope that we can evacuate the people within the time limit. We have to activate Code Red now", he said and Leon nodded his head.


    He began to type in some commands, and a barrier was erected around the whole Kingdom. The barrier was unbreakable by a small force, but by a force that large, he wasn''t sure how long it would hold out.


    He was looking at the places to which the people could retreat, and he saw that there was not enough space to accommodate all of the people inside. And there were very few.


    "How I wish Lucas was with me here this moment. He would have some plan and it would help in reducing the casualties", he thought. He ran a scan through the entire kingdom when something unprecedented popped up.


    "I am sure these two places are not meant to be here. The plan doesn''t have them. Have we been infiltrated?", he thought as he jotted down the location of the places. He also saw a tunnel connecting both the underground towns.


    He loaded the location on his device, and picked up his sword, and left the tower. He was heading towards one of the places that he had seen.


    "Let''s just hope they are not with ''The Omega''. Even if they are, I think wiping them out of existence is something that I can do quite easily", he said as he looked at his sword.


    "Santa Maria. Let''s go on a journey like old times", he said as he stroked the sword. He went into the basement and got onto a motorcycle.


    It was a bike designed like a Harley, but also had a sense of comfort in it. The engine was modified to have three modes, cruise, sport, and stealth. Each mode had its pros and cons, and they always came in handy in all types of situations.


    He left the tower towards the place that he had marked, and it was a long journey. He breathed in the fresh air as he revved the engine, fading into the horizon.


    (In The Heart''s Palace)


    Ben was pacing up and down as soon as he heard the news. He was expecting an attack from ''The Omega'', but he thought it would be a small-scale war. He didn''t think that they would plan to surround the Kingdom from all sides, boxing them in.


    He was thinking about it when the door was opened and he saw Sam and Kate enter. He had called for them, as he needed some advice as to what to do right now.


    "We are getting boxed in as we speak. I don''t want the people to get caught in the crossfire of something from my past. And if I could, I would have told you to hide. But you do remember our duties, don''t you?", he said in a solemn voice.


    Sam and Kate did a salute with their fists on their hearts. "Your order will be our command", they said in unison.


    Ben smiled as he saw them do that. Something inside him was stirred, and he looked at them with worry. "They are willing to lay their lives for the Kingdom. I just hope that it doesn''t come to the situation", he thought as he took his seat back at the throne.


    "I want every member of the family to meet me at this same place tonight. Any ideas and plans are welcome. And if push comes to shove, we fight. We protect the people and save as many we could. That shall be our aim in this war", he said in a loud voice.


    Sam and Kate left the room quickly. They relayed the message quickly to everyone in the Palace, and they began to discuss what to suggest tonight.


    "I do not know how much time we have. But if we have an ample amount of time, then we could begin to evacuate the citizens in the square. I also heard that some people are willing to raise a ruckus here", said Sam with a clenched fist.


    Kate looked at him in confusion. She didn''t understand what he was saying, but she could catch the gist of what he was trying to say.


    "You mean there are spies among our ranks? But who would work with someone against the Kingdom? You cannot go and raise a ruckus because of your suspicion", she replied.


    The both of them were standing on a balcony that overlooked the kingdom. They were taking in the peaceful atmosphere that was around the kingdom right now.


    "In a few days, there is going to be bloodshed here. I am sure of it. I smell traitors amongst us", he said as his eyes were filling with rage. Kate placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.


    "And if we find them, we will slaughter them. You need to have a calm head to analyze what''s going on right now, and how to save our people", she said in a calm and soothing voice.


    Sam looked into the horizon and began to think. "I just wish he was here. With his brain, he would have found a way already", he muttered. Kate heard it and just nodded her head.


    Night came and everyone was gathered in the room. Everyone saw a smile on Ben''s face when they entered, and they thought he had a solution.


    "Now, the army we are talking about is made up of all kinds of Beasts. There are several Demi-God Tiers and a handful of Demon Tiers. And if the Demon Tiers are following something, it means they are a Tier above them", he said.


    Everyone gulped right after they heard the analytics. Everyone thought this was the doing of a Demon Tier, but if it''s a tier above them, no one knew how to face it. This was the first time they had even heard about something above the Demon Tier.


    "The Half-Angel Tier", came Chris''s voice. Everyone turned their heads towards him, expecting an explanation. He came forward and began to explain.


    "We all know the Tiers up to Demon. Which goes from Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Legendary, King, Emperor, Demi-God, and Demon. But what you all don''t know is that there are Beasts above the Demon Tier".


    "They are Half-Angel, Angel, Ascended Angel, God or what we better know as, Mystic Tiers. There are quite a few Mystic Tiers that are in hiding on Earth, and they are the ones that have kept these Tiers in check".


    Everyone was in awe of the information they were hearing. No one knew about the Tiers that existed above Demon Tier.


    "The reason is that we as humans, cannot face against these Tiers. But what if humans found a way to recreate these Tiers? Is it even possible, you might ask. But it is indeed possible".


    "When I was King, there was a threat that was coming towards us. I had averted them using The Guardians at that time but seems like it has come back after quite a long time. And if you guys are wondering if I have ever met a Half-Angel Tier, I have".


    Sam and Kate felt their heads spinning. They were about to fall to the floor when they felt a hand support them. This was too much information for them. They turned and saw a familiar face.


    "Lucas!", they exclaimed as they both embraced him.

 Chapter 117 - Lucass Plan

    (Nighttime, Outside The Palace)


    Right after he saw the text, he knew that executing this plan is going to be a full-time job. Only if they worked around the clock and found a lot of Expert Magicians, will it be possible to execute the plan.


    He quickly packed up the things he had planned and left the place in a hurry. All this time, he thought there was still time, but now it seemed like there was not enough time for him. The sooner his plan was executed, the more citizens they could save.


    He was now outside the palace, and this time he didn''t want to cause a ruckus as this was something too important for him to play around with. He made his way to the room, and he saw everyone gathered there.


    He came in right at the moment Chris began his explanation. He was hiding in the shadows and listening to what he was saying. He was shocked when he heard that there were Tiers above the Demon Tier, and The Mystic Tier Beasts were the ones that were keeping them in check.


    When he saw Sam and Kate were about to fall, he stepped out of the shadows and helped them up. And that was how he ended up being discovered.


    Right after they jumped on him, a smile crept up his face. He had been away for more than a month, and the feeling of homecoming was heartwarming for him.


    Chris cleared his throat and began to continue with his explanation.


    "The Half-Angel Beast I met, isn''t just a beast. He was a part of The Guardians, and I placed him as the Shadow Guardian. There were two reasons for that".


    "One, I didn''t want anyone of them to think that they were inferior to him, as evolving to a Half-Angel has a lot of restrictions. That was the only thing he had told me. And the second reason, was because their existence is to be kept a secret".


    "The Association and every other organization know them as the Demon+ Tier. They always avoid these kinds of places, as that would end up in sure death. And since the Humans have created a Half-Angel Tier Beast, it seems like this war is inevitable".


    "And I am thinking that if we do not root this organization out from the ground, this beast is going to be a show-off about their product. Or maybe it could be something defective, and they are working on an improved version based on the performance of this war".


    Lucas stepped forward. If he let his grandfather talk anymore, everyone in the room would lose their composure, including him.


    "Grandpa, let me take over. I have a plan here that could help in saving a lot of lives in this war. But We do not have much time. Right after this discussion, this plan needs to begin execution", he said as he pulled out a paper in which he had drafted the drawing.


    He placed it in front of everyone, and he began to explain. Right as he was about to, a notification popped up.


    [Title: Master Tactician has been activated. Will be active until The War ends]


    Right before he began his explanation, he saw many loopholes in his plan that he had laid on his way here. The influx of information was in seconds, and Lucas had a smile as he began to explain.


    "Now, we have five underground cities. And one of them is here. We begin the evacuation the next morning and initiate Code: Red. We do not know how long it will take for us to restore the Kingdom to normal, thus Code: Red will be the best call".


    Everyone nodded their head as what Lucas said did make sense.


    "And for the places that we cannot evacuate, I have marked places on this map to make Underground cities for living. After the evacuation is done, we activate the barriers. This is to prevent anything from the battle to bring damage to the people that are inside".


    "If we are facing such a large invasion, I am sure there would be some people who must have infiltrated our ranks or the Kingdom. If this is the case, they would make sure that the excavation is a failure".


    "I do not know what is their objective, but I can guess their target is us. It tarnishes our name by making sure the losses are too much and making us wallow in guilt. If they want to play this game, I can play it better than them".


    Everyone was confused as to what he was pointing out.


    "We lure them by giving out a fake entrance. And if we have someone in the high positions, I am sure they would attack the main entrance. But if not, we can lure them away and evacuate successfully".


    "And if they are extremely careful, we need to defend both the gates. And that is what I am going to do. The disposables will be sent to the fake gate, as they are nothing but pawns. But the real ones will be sent to the main gate".


    "We kill them all, and have one alive to extract information. If they do not want to cooperate, then we make them talk. No one messes with our Kingdom and gets away without paying the price".


    Everyone nodded their heads when they heard his statement. They were sure about that one thing. No one messes with them and gets away.


    "Now, while the evacuation is happening, we make the Underground Cities in these places. In two days, they need to be done. Or else, there is no way we can save the people. And Father, every group needs to have someone from the family or someone you trust".


    "The city''s evacuation plan, I am going to need Sam and Kate. Other than them, I can make up for the loss of people with some of the people I have met. They are quite talented, and I am sure they can work under pressure".


    The people he was referring to were none other than his friends. he didn''t want to include them in the war, but now was not the time for personal feelings. Every help he could get was one step closer to victory.


    "For now, this is the plan. If this is executed well, we can save everyone in the Kingdom. After that, we let all hell loose".


    Right after the statement, he released his Aura and everyone felt the growth he had experienced during this past month. Ben had a smile and he released his Aura, which suppressed his instantly.


    Lucas withdrew his Aura, and Ben withdrew his back. Both of them had wide smiles. Ben nodded his head and took the paper from Lucas.


    "I will make sure to pass the message. And don''t worry about any funny business happening, I have some people around here who are just a call away", he said as he took a seat on his bed. Ben was revising the plan that Lucas had told him, and it seemed solid to him.


    After spending a few minutes, Lucas took off from the palace back to his place in the city. Right after he reached home, he went to the Smithy to check on the Mana Channels and the metals.


    The Mana Channels had cooled off and there were no cracks which was a good thing. The metal had taken shape, and it still had to cool off completely. He threw them all into the oil to cool them off quicker.


    After that, Lucas went back upstairs to take a nap. He needed rest and needed time to complete the gauntlet. He was sure that if he begins early in the morning, he would be able to finish this right before the announcement.


    "The staff is quite easy to make. I just have to make the Mana Channels and find that one Crystal. I forgot to ask about that when I was in the Palace. I am such an idiot", he thought as he facepalmed.


    He fell asleep in a few minutes right after he laid down. He was tired from all the planning, and he needed all the energy he could muster the next day as he was smoking out all the people who had infiltrated the Palace Ranks.


    "I am sure of it. this plan has been in the works for a long time, and they have finally executed it. Just how patient, is the Mastermind behind this Organisation?'', thought Lucas. He was terrified just by the thought of facing against such a person right before he fell asleep.


    His alarm woke him up, and he began his workout routine. After that, he was thinking if he should distribute the stat points, but once again stopped from doing it. He went down to the smithy as he was looking at his stats.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 24]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth, The Schemer (inactive), Master Tactician (inactive)]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Accumulated EXP: 0]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 61]


    [Stamina: 55]


    [Agility: 61+28]


    [Perception: 53]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 70]

 Chapter 118 - Assembling The Gauntlet

    Right after he reached the Smithy, he continued from where he had left off. He picked up the pieces he had left for cooling and began to reheat them. Right after that, he picked up a pair of tweezers and held the small parts, and began to make a hole in the middle.


    After that, he did the same to the other pieces. He was slowly making each piece fit into each other, and the gauntlet had now begun to take shape. After he was sure that he could assemble them, he brought out a leather cloth and began to cut.


    He then began to weave it and made a base. And attached each piece above the leather, to make the wearing it comfortable. He thought of this part yesterday when he thought about the war and the duration that this would last.


    After deep thinking, he thought of adding a piece of leather to make it more comfortable. After he cut and made the necessary stitches, he began to assemble the pieces. The pieces began to take the shape of a gauntlet.


    He then pulled out the paints he had bought and began to paint the gauntlet. The part on the forearm had the place where the pellet would be inserted, and it began from the wrist in the shape of a semi-oval.


    He painted that potion white and carved his signature. The parts that extended around it were painted blue. There was a streak of silver in between the blue in the ends of the gauntlet.


    He picked up the hexagon-shaped pieces and placed them each at a knuckle, and there was a line of hexagons. It was slightly protruding outside, making it a sharp thing that could pierce through when punched.


    Lucas then picked them up and wore them, testing out their effectiveness. He knew that Tobias used the Kyokushin Karate, which involved a lot of punching and kicking. He was sure that these hexagons would come in handy for him quite a bit.


    He then placed the small pieces and assembled the fingers, and painted the nail-like attachments blue, while the rest of them was painted white. The wrist was painted silver, and the attachments to the thumb were incomplete blue.


    After the completion of the process, he tested out the effectiveness as he made a few punches in succession. He smiled with satisfaction as he packed it up, and he began to think about the plan that needed to be executed today.


    "If only the staff could be made today. There is the Portal where time flows differently, but I don''t know if anyone could make a Portal just like that", he thought. The time was nearing, and the announcement would be made anytime soon.


    He quickly packed his things and made his way to the Palace again, and he used the shadows to his advantage. Right after he reached the Palace, he jumped into his father''s room.


    "Father, you do remember the plan, don''t you?", he asked as he saw his father nod his head in reply. "A small change. Announce the movement will be made tonight and not in broad daylight. It would help in smoking out everyone", he said.


    Ben nodded his head as he had the same thoughts. Lucas was about to leave as he remembered the main reason he was here.


    "I need two things. One, a Pure Elemental Energy Crystal. Two, a place where time flows ten times faster than here. If I have these two, I can make one more piece of equipment and prep up my squad for the night raid", he said.


    Ben''s face began to sweat when he heard that Lucas wanted to go into a place where time flowed ten times faster. It meant that every 2 hours 24 minutes ended up making a day. The more time he spent inside, the faster he will age.


    The worry was clear on his face, and a reassuring smile spread across Lucas''s face. Ben was still worried, and Lucas explained.


    "I am making a piece of equipment with Mana Channels, and it needs to be cooled down for 24 hours. So, if I can make it in the portal, I can save up a lot of time. And I am sure that the productivity will also increase in the portal", he said as he looked at Ben in the eye.


    He sighed out loud and shrugged. He motioned for Lucas to follow behind him, and he took him to The Treasury. Right after he entered, he entered a code and a lot of crystals were in front of him.


    "You see the one with a prismatic color? Those are the Pure Elemental Energy Crystals. There isn''t much to be found in the first place, and thus we have them in cases of emergencies. If this weapon needs this, I am sure this is of great quality", he said.


    "If I am not wrong, it must be something of the Elven Origin. Those are the only weapons which use these crystals", he took a guess. Lucas''s jaw dropped at the accurate guess he had made.


    He quickly picked up three crystals, as he didn''t know the properties and things he could do with them. He wanted to experiment with it but now was not the time. There was still a considerable amount of crystals left for the kingdom, and he smiled as he placed them in his inventory.


    He was lead to the end of the place, and another door was here and it was shut tight. Ben began to scan his fingerprints and retina, and a voice activation was required. After all the checks, the door hissed open.


    A Royal Magician was called forth, and he did as he was instructed, creating his Smithy in the place. He was left alone, and he pulled out his plans from his inventory. Right as he was about to begin, he felt a stare at his back.


    "What are you doing here Father? You have an announcement to make!", exclaimed Lucas. Ben didn''t budge from the place as he kept smiling at him.


    "There are still two days according to this portal. And I can get to see an Elven weapon being made", he said with a cheeky smile. Lucas sighed out loud as he turned back to light and set everything up.


    Right after that, he began to melt one of the Pure Elemental Crystals. He did the same process and completed each Channel with a great amount of precision. Whilst he left them to cool down, he began to think of the best material that would suit them.


    The original material needed was a branch from a 1000-year-old tree that was imbued with Magic for the whole time. Lucas was sure finding something like that is going to be very hard, and he was thinking about a replacement that would bring out the potential.


    He racked his brain and he couldn''t find any solution. He wanted to ask his dad, as he was the only person who had made an accurate guess to the nature of the weapon.


    "Father, what would you say is a good replacement for a 1000-Year-Old Branch imbued with Magic for the said amount of time?", he asked. Ben laughed out loud as he rubbed his belly in delight.


    "Are you sure that is an ingredient for your weapon? Because if it is, I suggest you give up. Bending and making a shape out of a branch of that caliber is something impossible for you. At least for now", he said.


    He knew of the said ingredient, as a weapon was crafted for the Kingdom from an Old Elf that resided in a place that was inaccessible to the humans. Ben had to make a deal with them to make the weapon, and it was only taken out in case of emergencies.


    Lucas smiled wide. He loved a challenge, and the harder it was, the more he will hard work. And with the notebook with him, he was sure there should be a technique to break it down.


    He nodded his head and took out the notebook. He began to sift through the notebook, and at the ending was a complicated formation. Lucas couldn''t make heads or tails of it, and he began to study in earnest.


    After about an hour, he was still confused and he wanted to ask Valentine about it. A laugh was heard as he asked his question.


    "You see the words near the outer circle? It is of the Elven Language. And the circle with four small circles which has the X, Square, Triangle, and Circle symbols? They are the commands for the circle", he said.


    "And the circle within which has two trapeziums opposite each other with triangles hanging above and below? They help in breaking down the ingredient that you have given it. This is how the Elves make their weapons from the bark of the tress", he said.


    "And if you are worried about them losing the Magic properties, they won''t. They tend to stick into the branch and can be maneuvered around quite easily. I am not a Blacksmith, and that part must be done on your own.. I have only witnessed this once before", he said with a tinge of pride in his voice.

 Chapter 119 - Creating The Staff Of The Elves

    Lucas was stunned at the amount of knowledge Valentine had. He had almost infinite knowledge due to him being around for a very long time. Each of the Hearts was interested in different walks of life, but all of them had one common trait. They never gave up no matter what.


    He too carried the same trait, and whatever trails he faced in his life, he never gave up. He always found a way to overcome the situation, and this was how he had grown to be a good Blacksmith.


    He never called himself a Great Blacksmith, as he knew that there was always someone better out there. He was learning and improving his skills every day, and the notebook was one of the ways to better himself as a blacksmith.


    He began to draw the circle as he told his father to bring him the branch he had. he was sure that a piece of it would be enough to make the staff, as he didn''t know how large of a branch they were talking about.


    He was sweating as he was drawing, as he was told to inject his Aura as he was drawing. This was a method taken from the Elves, and they injected Mana as they drew. But Lucas was well versed in Aura, Valentine told him to do so.


    Right after he finished the drawing, he looked at it with a smile. He then wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the time he had taken to draw it. It cost him twenty minutes in the portal, which means it had cost him nearly three hours in real-time.


    The fatigue from the drawing was making his breathing erratic, and he quickly began to use his breathing techniques to recover his stamina. His father was back with the branch, and he was dragging it behind him.


    Lucas saw the piece and his eyes widened in shock. The branch was as thick as an elephant''s foot, and its length was a whopping thirty meters. His his father was pulling the tree branch with just both his hands was a mystery to him.


    "Maybe the stats he gained using the system are retained even after passing it down? If that is a possibility, I wonder what kind of numbers dad had", he thought as he watched his father pull the branch with ease.


    After placing it down, Lucas was expecting him to huff and pant. But all he saw was him wiping the sweat off his forehead with his index finger. He flicked it off like he was doing it after a heavy workout, unfazed.


    Lucas was amazed by the strength his father possessed, and he was now curious about the weapon that was crafted using the branch. He was about to ask as he needed to study that to make sure he didn''t make any mistakes.


    Right when he was about to ask, a sword appeared in front of him. Lucas jumped in joy and he got it from him.


    "You are not allowed to use [Inspect]", said Ben right after he gave the sword to Lucas. He sighed as he began to study the mixture in it, as it looked like the sword was made of steel.


    His insight was indeed true, but at the same time, it was false. The reason the Elves used the branch from such an old tree was that they could turn the wood into any materials they wished for. That was what the formation was all about.


    Lucas now had all the information needed to process the branch. But he didn''t need a whole branch. He looked at the branch and pulled out his sword. He covered it with Aura and used the slash he had used back at The Banishment Test.


    The slash made a small dent in the branch, and Ben''s eyes widened in surprise. He didn''t expect him to put a dent in the branch, as he was sure that it would not damage it one bit.


    "That is quite an improvement. He is going to play a crucial role in averting the crisis that we are facing now", he thought as he pulled out the Elven sword he had brought with him.


    The part which Lucas was trying to cut was not much compared to the size of the branch. It was a mere six inches thick, and he was sure that would be more than enough for him to make two samples out of it.


    After the cut, he asked his father to cut it once more in the middle, making it two circles. Lucas rolled one of the circles right into the middle of the formation.


    After placing it down, he began to think of how to use the shapes on the side to make a staff out of it. The Magic in the branch was immense, and to compress it into a staff was something that he was going to try for the first time.


    "Father, if I lose control, I want you to help me gain control of myself. I am ninety percent sure that I will lose control and go haywire", he said as he looked at Ben. He had a lovely smile on his face.


    "Glad I could be of help, son", he said as he placed his hands on Lucas''s back. He was going to help him guide the immense amount of Magic inside his body and back to the reshaped branch, which will begin to take shape.


    The Magic was the only way he could carve the Mana Channels that he needed, and almost an hour was up for the preparations. During this time, Ben had finished his announcement and returned to assist him.


    Lucas took a deep breath to steady his wildly beating heart. He then activated the circle, and a deep red hue covered the entire space he was in.


    His heartbeat began to get faster, and he was now thinking of the next step. He needed to activate the shapes on the side, and for that, he needed to chant a spell.  "Activate Formation -o Smithing!", he chanted and he felt the circles in the middle make the sound of gears turning.


    He then began the process of draining the magic out of the piece and using his body as a medium to hold in all the Magic. Within a few minutes, he felt his body bursting open. Right when he had that feeling, he felt a soothing sensation on his back.


    The Magic he was trying to hold in was shared with Ben and now he could hold in more Magic than he had planned. He never thought of the idea of using his father as a vessel to hold the Magic, and it was working well for now.


    After a few minutes more, he felt the Magic he was sucking from the branch had weakened. He then began to shape the circle.


    As he needed a staff, he was sure he needed to pick up a square and make it an elongated version. He just needed to think of it, and the circle did it for him. Right after he thought about the rectangle, he saw the circle being lit up with a laser.


    He thought of placing it in the middle, and it happened. He derived from this that the circle worked on thoughts, and he began to do his thing.


    In a few minutes, he had a smooth staff in the middle of the circle. He began to next step of the process, and that was to infuse the Magic he had taken out from the branch.


    He began to do it, and the smooth staff began to glow with a sky blue hue. Veins were popping all over the staff, and he kept thinking about the crystal sockets and the Mana Channels.


    He was sure that if he kept his thoughts of the final product clear, it would bring out the same thing he was thinking. The veins were now pulsing and the anxiety in his heart was growing intense.


    The pulsing began to slow down now, and the staff settled down as he and Ben both felt the Magic sucked out of them. They began to pant and Lucas was drenched. He lay on the floor and was looking at staff.


    His eyes were filled with an unknown feeling, as he went towards it step by step. Each step he took towards it, he felt his heart beat faster.


    He placed his hand on the staff, expecting something to happen to him. But he felt nothing. He began to spin it around and saw that it was extremely light.


    "And here I thought I would have to make some kind of spell to make it light when I saw the size", he thought. The staff was still pulsing as he was holding.


    There was a crack in the center, and he opened up in two, and he saw the things he thought about. The place for the crystals and the Mana Channels.


    Two hours had passed, which meant it was time for the plan to begin. He took out the Mana Channels and began to make the Staff, and he placed the Crystals in the places that were needed.


    After the process, which he had done in a few minutes as the Channels had been carved with his thoughts precisely. But this method did not apply to any other material than Elven ones.. He was disappointed when he learned that fact.

 Chapter 120 - Prepping Everyone Up

    After the completion, he placed it back in the formation and began to chant in the Elven Language again to seal the staff.


    "I, Lucas Heart, take a solemn vow that this weapon shall be used for not harming people but for saving them. This weapon shall stand against forces of evil, and I shall be the sole Blacksmith for this weapon".


    After the chant, the weapon began to float mid-air. It took shape, and it was something he didn''t expect. The crystals he had placed inside began to come outside, and his Mana Channels were now connecting.


    He never planned for something like this to happen, and he was shocked when he saw this. He didn''t know how to respond, as now even compound elements could be commanded using the staff.


    "This is like an upgrade to my original plan", he exclaimed like a little kid. He didn''t have time to make another one, as there was very little time for the plan to begin. He also needed to inform everyone of the mission for tonight.


    He had asked Kate to come as a missionary to avoid suspicion. He knew that if he went in with a mission from the King from out of nowhere, it would sound extremely suspicious. Thus he had a solid plan.


    "Remember, the reason you are seeking us out is due to us clearing the Portal of UCDM. They had recommended us when The Royal Family asked for someone competent to carry out the mission. Understood?", he asked one last time before he brought Kate inside his house.


    She nodded her head as she too understood the importance of hiding his identity. The two of them entered, and they saw that everyone was gathered.


    Lucas went to the table and took a seat along with his friends. Everyone looked at him and the woman who had entered. Emilia felt something in her heart tug, but she took a deep breath and suppressed the feeling.


    Kate looked around at everyone and she was taken aback at first. But as she remembered the individuals she had met during her two-year journey, she smiled. "Seems like he has found a good bunch", she thought.


    "Everyone, I thank you all for gathering here on such short notice. As you must have heard the announcement in the afternoon, we are now at war, and the enemy is coming towards us as we speak".


    "We have a suspicion that someone from within the Kingdom has been working alongside them and feeding them with important information. We are planning to smoke them out, and we will need your help in this operation".


    "The leader of this operation will be Lucas here. We have seen your performance in the Portal, and we are impressed. We have related the plan to him, and it will commence this midnight".


    "Make sure that you are ready. Our people will be here to guide you to the location on fifteen", she finished and turned around. She left the place and an eerie silence fell upon everyone.


    Lucas looked around and saw all the eyes on him. He thought he would avoid such a situation by bringing Kate as someone from the Royal Palace. But seems like it had the wrong effect.


    "You have a girlfriend from The Royal Palace?!", exclaimed Tobias. Lucas wanted to smack the living lights out of him right after he heard that.


    Robert on the other hand a smile across his face. He knew he was the Prince, and if he also knew the Royal Family had a Princess.


    He didn''t want to interrupt the fun that was going around, and the expression on Emilia''s face was different. It was a smile that was trying to hide the pain behind it.


    Lucas noticed it, but it was best left for the time as there were more pressing matters at hand right now. He laughed and went to the Smithy to retrieve the weapons he had made for them.


    He brought up two boxes, and he placed them in front of them. Tobias''s eyes were shining right after he saw the boxes. He was rubbing his hands together like he was a kid waiting for his birthday present.


    Lucas wanted to laugh but he held it in. He opened up the shorter box and in it was Tobias''s gauntlets. He also brought the device to see the specifications of the Gauntlet.


    [King Tier Weapon - Shocker''s Gauntlet]


    [Passive Skill - Lightning Manipulation effectiveness increased by 50 Percentage]


    [Active Skill 1 - Lightning Blade]


    [Create a blade made of Pure Lightning from your fingertips]


    [Active Skill 2 -  Lightning Blast]


    [Create a blast of Lightning. Can be used on single targets or multiple. Has a five percent chance of Chain Lightning]


    [Combat Skill - Hidden Aura Blade]


    [Inject your Aura to activate the Hidden Blade in the Gauntlet]


    [Mana Repair - Inject your Mana into the Gauntlet to restore Durability]


    Tobias was elated when he saw the specifications of his Gauntlet. he quickly wore it and began to perform his Martial Arts. He was engrossed in his world, and the sparkle in his eyes was increasing with every punch he threw.


    "If only there was a matching pair of boots", he muttered and Lucas heard it. He was planning the same thing, and he placed his hands on his shoulder. He didn''t want to let him know of his plans.


    "Tobias, in this world there are a lot of things that you can attain. While some others are just out of reach. Instead of looking at the ''if I had this'', look at what you have and be happy with it", advised Lucas.


    Robert nodded his head in approval. Although Tobias acted like a kid most of the time, he was sensible enough to understand the meaning behind Lucas''s words. He smiled as he received the gauntlets with gratitude.


    Next came the long box he had placed. He opened it up and everyone saw the staff in it. The staff was three-foot-long, and it was light.


    He handed it to Emilia, who received it with a smile on her face. She was happy about him making something for her, and this made the knot in her heart go away temporarily.


    [King Tier Weapon - Staff Of The Elves]


    [Passive Skill - Elemental Manipulation effectiveness increased by 50 Percentage]


    [Active Skill 1 - Elemental Warrior]


    [Summon an elemental Warrior to fight alongside you. Maximum number of summons at a single time - 3]


    [Active Skill 2 -  Multi-Element Blast]


    [Create a blast with all the elements. Can be directed at a single target or a group. Has a 5 Percent chance to cause Stun for three seconds]


    [Combat Skill - Extend/Shrink at Will]


    [The Staff can be extended or shrunken down at the user''s will. Limit of extension is three feet]


    [Mana Repair - Inject your Mana into the Gauntlet to restore Durability]


    Emilia was delighted the moment she saw the specifications.  The happiness she felt was off the roof. She was spinning the staff around, and she was about to extend.


    "Don''t do that here. Although we have space here, let''s do that outside. Shall we?", said Lucas with a smile. Emilia followed behind him and they left the house.


    She extended the staff, and it was taller than her now. She still felt that it was extremely light, and she still couldn''t find the material from which it was made of.


    Just as she was about to voice her doubts, Lucas cleared his throat.


    "The material for this staff and the Pure Elemental Energy Crystal inside are the payments that I had received from them. Think of this staff as a reward for the defense of the kingdom. The material used to make this stuff is extremely rare, and it cannot be found that easily", he said.


    He didn''t want to reveal too much right now, and keeping it under wraps was the best for them all. It also had one other function that Lucas had found out using his [Inspect].


    [Compatibility - This Staff is now compatible with all kinds of Armor that are made by Lucas Heart. Synergy with the pieces will be 100%]


    This was something he didn''t expect. He was thinking that he needed to make an armor practically out of the branch once again, but it seemed like the words in the formation did something to make it compatible with only pieces made by him.


    This was a piece of good news for him, as he didn''t need to ask his father for the materials again. He knew that if he asked again, he would receive it without question. But something inside him was making him feel guilty about it.


    Right after he had distributed the weapons and everyone was smiling, he began to elaborate his plan about how to draw them out. He had split them into two teams.. Tobias, Michelle, and Emilia were to defend the main entrance, and Lucas and Robert were to wait in ambush near the fake entrance.

 Chapter 121 - Luring Out The Spies (Part One)

    Kate arrived as soon as he had finished explaining, and they left towards the entrance where the people were gathering around. People were slowly entering through a gate into an underground tunnel that was lit.


    Lucas saw it and he clenched his fist in anger. He never wanted war, and he knew that many losses were going to happen tonight if the plan is not carried out carefully.


    He looked around and saw bags and suitcases were being dragged. People had a gloomy look on their faces, as they could not part from their homes. he wanted to give a pep talk, but then he saw a guard roaming around.


    "Aren''t they supposed to be near the entrance? Why is a guard here?", he thought as she signaled Emilia to follow behind him. She nodded her head and the rest of them headed towards the entrance.


    Kate introduced them to the guards and told them that they were here to help as volunteers. The guards nodded their heads and showed them the ropes. Tobias quickly got down to work, as he helped the elderly carry their luggage.


    Tobias and Michelle were doing volunteer work while keeping their eye out for attackers. They saw some other guards roaming around the place to make sure the process was smooth and there was no disturbance.


    Lucas and Robert have led away from the place and they heard something that was not in the plan.


    "Originally, the plan was to lure most of them here, but there is still suspicion that we have been infiltrated in the Highest Order. And thus, we made the fake entrance a real one", she said nonchalantly.


    Lucas stopped his footsteps right after he heard that. He didn''t include that in the plan, if something like this is happening, then he was sure they would need more manpower to protect the people around here.


    He sighed as he saw tonight was going to be a long one, and with the change in plans, it was going to be hard to defend everyone here. He also did send off Emilia to track that guard, as he felt that something was wrong.


    He began to do the same as Tobias was doing, and they were helping the people to get along quickly. The quicker they moved, the more they could save. Lucas carried the children towards the entrance, while Robert did the same for the elderly.


    An hour had passed, and now the crowd had doubled. Panic was also beginning to spread among them, and the crowd was slowly going out of control. Right when he thought that this is going to go haywire, a loud boom was heard.


    Dust was spread throughout the place from the place where he heard the sound, and a figure was seen walking towards them. It was a curvy figure, and Lucas was trying to figure out where he had seen the figure before.


    His memory was vague, but he remembered seeing this figure somewhere before. He was racking his brain when he heard the soothing voice.


    "Seems like I am a little bit late. Sorry about me making a mess right now", she said as she appeared out of the smoke. Lucas''s eyes brightened right after he saw who it was.


    "Miss Van Dyke", he said right after he heard the voice. Jasmine stood in front of him and smiled. She extended her hand and the both of them shook it.


    "You can call me Jasmine. Miss Van Dyke makes me feel like I am an old lady", she said with a smile. Lucas nodded his head and looked around for someone else.


    "Where is Mister Steve? I was hoping to see him here alongside you", he said as he was still turning his head around.


    Jasmine giggled as she saw his actions. He was being too cautious and paranoid about the whole situation. She placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.


    "He has gone to the other entrance. I heard from the Princess that this place needed more help than there, and we both decided to lend a hand to our Growth Zone Adventurers", she said as she looked around.


    She saw the people around and she had a frown on her face. She quickly pulled Lucas and Robert to the side and began to whisper.


    "I thought this place was a lure and there were supposed to be no people. So why are they here, and there is even an entrance? How did this happen?", she asked. Lucas became suspicious that instant.


    "I told her of the plan too. So, you can just speak normally", came a voice from above and he saw his mother hovering above them. He smiled and told her what he had learned.


    "That does seem possible", she pondered for a moment. She then nodded her head and left the group as she had something to do to calm down the crowd.


    Pink flower petals began to float in the air, and a sweet fragrance began to linger in the air. There was a pink hue around her, and it seemed like it was a spell from her. As she lowered her hands, the crowd that was about to cause a ruckus calmed down and went about their day.


    Lucas was amazed at the level of skill she had shown the minute she had arrived. The element which she controlled was not Nature. She could command the Wind and the Plants as she wished. And as this entrance had a whole lot of trees, retraining the intruders would be much easier with her around.


    The plan was going smoothly, and a tight knot was forming in his heart. He was worried about Emilia, as he had heard no news from her.


    "Please be alright, Emilia", he thought as he carried another heavy piece of luggage to the entrance of the tunnel.


    (Before Two Hours, inside the City)


    Emilia had begun to follow the guard whom Lucas had pointed out. While every guard was out there helping them, this person was sneaking away somewhere that was suspicious to her.


    They had gone through the center of the city and were now on the outskirts of the city. Right after the guard reached the forest, he donned a cloak over him. It had the symbol of ''The Omega'' on it.


    The moment she saw him don the cloak, she was sure about the words she had heard before. She never thought that the kingdom could be infiltrated, but it seemed like they had made their way through.


    She followed behind him earnestly and was keeping her distance as she followed. She knew that she must not get caught, and reported back to Lucas as soon as she could. This was something of vital importance.


    "But if I could learn of their plan and inform him, then it would be much better", she thought as she was following behind him.


    The man stopped in the middle of the forest and whistled in a rhythm. It was like a person calling to a pigeon that he had trained, except that this time there were a lot of people who had appeared from the shadows of the trees.


    There were almost a hundred and fifty men there, and each of them was a part of something. Some of them were wearing commoner clothing, and most of them were a part of the Royal Family.


    Guards, Magicians, and even strategists were present. And one of them was wearing a different colored robe. Right after everyone saw the man in the robe, they kneeled.


    "WE HAIL THE COMMANDER", they said in unison. Just their voices made her tremble from the inside. Her heart was about to leap out of her mouth, but she calmed it down as quickly as she could.


    The man who was called the Commander turned his head towards her. She quickly hid behind the trees, and she moves away from the place. Any longer and she would have been discovered.


    She moved to a different position to hear what their plan was, and by the time she came back, they were reaching the end of their plan.


    "Everyone will enter through the tunnels that have been newly made on the outskirts of the cities and access the inside of the Underground City. And once you reach there massacre everyone in sight", he said and disappeared into the shadows again.


    Emilia gulped right after she heard the words massacre. She knew how much the Kingdom valued its citizens that they are evacuating them before the start of a war. And without discrimination.


    She looked at the time and saw that two hours had passed ever since she began to follow the guard. She began to make haste as the plan they had mentioned was about to be put into action in about an hour from now.


    She used the Wind Element on herself to increase her speed to make it back to the place. Her heartbeat was wild, and anger was welling inside her.


    "After everything this Kingdom has done to achieve Peace, you guys want to ruin it? We will not allow it.. I am weak now, but you will see what will happen if you mess with the Kingdom", she muttered as she left the forest.

 Chapter 122 - Luring Out The Spies (Part Two)

    She had reached the place from where she was asked to leave and she looked around. She made haste towards Lucas''s position and she was panting hard. After reaching Lucas, she began to convey the message she wanted to tell.


    "We... can''t pro... all... them", she said and her words were missing due to her panting. Lucas asked her to calm down and take a few deep breaths. She then began to narrate what she had seen in the forest.


    Right after learning the information, Lucas knew what his sister told was true. Only the Royal Magicians were the people who knew of the tunnels and the layout of the Underground City. And if the attack is being made from the inside, he was sure they would not have enough time to defend.


    "Jasmine, is it possible for you to make them go a tad bit faster? And in order?", he asked right after he thought of something. She nodded her head and cast her spell on everyone. They began to move at least fifteen percent faster than before.


    "How much time do we have until the plan initiates?", he asked. "Fifteen minutes", she replied and Lucas began to make his move.


    He and Robert carried the elderly inside, and the kids were next, Within thirteen minutes, Lucas had sorted out everything inside the Underground City.


    "If what they said is true, I am sure they will create a diversion in the front to keep us occupied. But we need to clear them before that happens", he said as he placed his fingers on his chin.


    Jasmine nodded her head and took out an earpiece. She gave one to each of them, and they heard Steve''s voice on the other end.


    "I received the news and we have sorted out everything on our end. If what you''re saying is true kid, it means that you kids will need to defend the opening with your very lives. Are you up for the challenge? And you kids keep the device to keep the communication going", said Steve.


    Lucas nodded his head at Jasmine and she left the place with the both of them to defend. They were on the lookout, and anything that was coming had to go through them first.


    "I am Tobias Brown, and no enemy shall get past me", came a voice in the earpiece. A smile began to spread across their faces, and they looked at each other. A curt nod was all they needed to communicate with each other.


    They had their hands on their swords, ready to draw them out anytime to attack the enemies that were about to come. Right when they were about to ask if the other saw anything, they heard Michelle''s voice.


    "Are you guys seeing what we are seeing?", she asked. Right after her statement, men with cloaks appeared out of the shadows. They pulled out staffs from behind them and began to chant, and the ground rumbled.


    "Royal Magicians", muttered Lucas in frustration. He then pulled out his dual blades, and Robert was ready with his Katana. But another rumble threw them off their feet, and in front of them were some Golems.


    There were three Earth Golems, Two Fire Golems, and one Water Golem. Each of them was towering at the height of ten meters. Lucas now understood what everyone meant with their shocked expressions.


    Just as he was about to make his move, the Magicians began to chant again, and this time the Earth and the Fire Golems began to merge.


    "We need to stop them, NOW!", he said as he quickly made his move. Robert understood the haste behind his voice, as neither of them was strong enough to take down a normal Golem, let alone a Compound Element one.


    Their only option now was to stop them before they had merged their Golems and thus destroying them both in the process. Just as they were nearing the Magicians, an arrow whizzed past his ear.


    Lucas dodged it instinctively and took a step back. He was more frustrated now. He thought only the Magicians were working together, but now they were being protected by the archers.


    "A good thing they aren''t the Royal Archers though. Dealing with them is harder than one can imagine", he said as he looked at Robert. He was someone who knew of his identity and kept it a secret, and thus he felt like he could trust him.


    One of the Magicians had a face of realization right after he saw Lucas''s face.


    "You are the Third Prince! You are supposed to be an outcast!", he said as he took a step back. Lucas was enraged the moment he heard the man call him ''Third Prince''.


    Everyone was on the other end of the line. He wasn''t sure if anyone heard that, but he had to keep that under wraps for now.


    "Don''t worry. Unless we activate it to speak, no one can hear us. And I already know of it", said Robert as he saw the worry on Lucas''s face. He nodded his head and looked back at the magician that called him out.


    "You have no right to call me that! You have betrayed this Kingdom!", he bellowed out loud. The anger was boiling inside him the more he looked at them, and he did everything he could to keep it under control.


    After a few deep breaths, he had it under control and jumped towards the magician who had called him out. He placed his sword at his neck and locked eyes with him.


    "Any last words?", he asked in a cold voice. The man shuddered when he saw this side of Lucas. Even Robert was taken aback. This one was merciless, and there was no emotion in his eyes when he was looking at the magician.


    "I just chose the winning side. Nothing personal, Third Prince. HAIL OMEGA!", he said and foam began to form in his mouth. Before Lucas executed him, he had taken his life with poison.


    Lucas turned to attack the next magician, but he felt a whip of water lash out at him. He tried to parry the strike but was thrown back by several feet right after the hit.


    He was caught by Robert, and the both of them looked up above. The merging had been successful, and now above each Golem stood a magician controlling them.


    Lucas was skeptical about his strength, and he didn''t have much time to do a breakthrough. He turned his head to Robert to ask him if he had any ideas.


    "Hey, you''re the brains of this squad. I do not have any idea how to face these kinds of things. Monsters and Humans, I might have an idea. But this, don''t even think about it", he said. Lucas sighed.


    "How much time can you buy me? I will breakthrough right now", he said. Robert looked at him from head to toe like he was looking at a crazy person.


    "You have to be kidding me right? How is that possible for me? And you, how are you going to break through right at this moment? It will take hours to reach the point of breakthrough to the Third Stage! At most, I can buy you three minutes", he said.


    Lucas smiled as he looked at him. He knew that was the time he needed to initiate the process. After that, he can move freely and attack and defend while keeping the process on the go.


    He sat down on the ground cross-legged as he began to inject the Aura into every part of his body. As he was doing this, he began to draw a formation that would suck in the Mana from the outside and convert it into his Aura, creating a never-ending supply.


    After he finished the process, he smiled. The time Robert had to buy was about to be over, and he activated the formation on his abdomen.


    The Aura began to create a hue around his body, and he began to redirect the excess Aura into something he had used before. He created Aura whips and began to counter the water whips that were directed at them, and it was working.


    The whips were both of the same sizes, and Lucas was controlling two of them. The moment a small problem occurred in the whip, he used the Aura to repair it. This was crucial to the defense.


    "Is this what Steve meant when he said we had to defend this place with our lives? I didn''t think he would mean it literally", he thought. He pulled down one of the Golems using the whips and was now attacking the Golem.


    They were now facing against One Earth Golem, Two Lava Golems, and one Water Golem. Lucas didn''t have the time to sense and separate Lava into fire as he didn''t have enough training with it.


    Right after he blocked an attack from the Lava Golem, he felt a pang in his abdomen.. "I am going to breakthrough", he said as he took a meditative state again.

 Chapter 123 - Attack Of The Spies (Part One)

    Robert was shocked when he heard that. He was sure that breaking through battle was possible, as he was someone of the same case. But when Lucas took the meditative state, he understood why.


    "He needs time to form the Storage Core. The more effort he puts into it, the better Core he could form. Anything above Silver is great", he thought as he was defending. Lucas was now in deep concentration, and the Aura around him was running wild for a few moments and became calm again.


    The cores that were formed were of five grades. The most common were Bronze and Silver. Gold was formed once in every hundred people. Above those were Diamond and Platinum Grades. These were rarely found, and cultivating those Grade Cores is much harder than Gold.


    One needed a lot of resources to break through from the Third Stage. Just integrating the Aura will not be enough anymore. There will always be a bottleneck one faces and when they reach it, they will need Limit Breaker potions which are made specifically for them.


    Robert was a Gold grade, and hence he knew the resources one must need to improve themselves further. He was looking forward to Lucas''s Core formation.


    It was taking longer than he had taken, and the scrunch on his face was evidence of that. Robert was now curious as to why he was taking this long, and in the midst of it, he lost his concentration.


    He was flying back when he did a flip in the air to land on the ground. He was skidding on the floor, and dust was spread all around him. He felt a hand stop him from moving any further behind, and he saw Lucas standing with a smile.


    "That took longer than expected. You okay there?", he asked as he looked at Robert with concern. His Aura was much denser now, and he was still converting the Mana into Aura for the time being.


    "You need to stock up as much as you can. I will monitor the inflow rate and keep it from overloading your body. Now go and show them what happens when they mess with The Heart Kingdom", said Valentine.


    Lucas had a notification up and his smile widened when he saw that.


    [Aura has been promoted!]


    [You are now a C Class!]


    [Aura: C Class]


    [Capabilities: SSS Class]


    [New techniques have been learned]


    [Aura Tentacles- Lvl 1]


    [Aura Tentacles - Create tentacles from your Aura to attack or defend against your foes]


    [Aura Blades - Lvl 1]


    [Aura Blades - Create Blades from your Aura and use them to attack or Defend against foes]


    He then pulled up the skills he had right now under his Aura, as he was sure he would be needing them.


    [Skills List]


    [Aura: C Class]


    [Capabilities: SSS Class]


    [Aura Slash - Lvl 1][Mastery - 75%]


    [Aura Jump - Lvl 1][Mastery - 89%]


    [Aura Skin - Lvl 1] ][Mastery - 12%]


    [Mana Vision - Lvl 1] ][Mastery - 90%]


    [Aura Tentacles- Lvl 1][Mastery - 50%]


    [Aura Blades - Lvl 1][Mastery - 0%]


    Lucas was stunned when he saw that he had a fifty percent mastery over a skill he had just received. He then recalled that he had used this move when he was in the Portal, and it was on a larger scale.


    After he saw everything, he began to formulate a plan. And since his title ''Master Tactician'' was still active, it meant that his plan was almost foolproof.


    After his analysis, he was sure about one thing. He needed to take out the Golems first, and then remove the Magician from the picture. He tapped Robert on the shoulder and moved his eyes towards the woods.


    Robert caught on immediately at what he was saying. He nodded his head and the both of them began their counterattacks. Robert moved to the side, and he drew the attention of the Earth Golem towards him.


    The Earth Golem was the easiest to distract at the moment as the Magician above it was abusing and cursing the evading Robert. He was now using the same footsteps Lucas used before, and his feet were glowing green.


    "Seems like he indeed found his way. But let''s see how far he will be able to improve the step I showed him", thought Lucas as he activated [Aura Skin] and [Aura Blades].


    A dark blue hue covered him from the head to bottom and it stuck onto him like his skin. The blades were now forming behind him, just like how he forms the icicles. The Blades were short in length, and Lucas wanted to extend them in length.


    A single thought was all he needed to extend it and it was now the same length as his blade. He then took a step forward, and the Magicians felt fear inside them.


    Lucas had a wide smile, and he was jumping from side to side. He was rotating his shoulders and loosening up, as he was moving towards them.


    The Lava Golems directed Lava blasts at him, and he dodged them effortlessly. The panicking tactic he thought worked.


    [The Schemer has been activated]


    The reason for his scary grin and the bone-chilling sensation everyone felt was due to his activation of the title. He was gleeful inside, but the glee was turning into a scary grin on the outside.


    The Lava Golems began to charge towards him, and he charged straight at them. The others who were seeing this thought he was a lunatic for doing this, and this included his friend Robert.


    He then slid under the Golem and ran towards the Water Golem. The Golem began to blast Water at him, and the Lava Golems that were chasing behind stepped on it.


    The moment they stepped, a sizzle was heard and the leg turned into rock. There was no Lava flowing through them. The smile widened on his face when he saw it.


    "This is how you fall, Magicians. My brains versus your firepower. Let us see who is superior", he muttered as he jumped towards the Lava Golem. He couldn''t rum up the Golem, as he still didn''t have a grasp over his Azure Flames yet.


    He then began to attack the Water Golem, and when it made its attack, Lucas dodged it. He slowly began to turn one of the Golems into stone, but it was not a permanent solution.


    In a few moments, the parts that were stone became Lava again. Lucas was now huffing in his never-ending struggle against the Golems, and Robert was holding him down against the Earth Golem.


    He activated [Chains Of Hades] and plunged both of the swords into the ground. The moment he did that, the chains began to wrap tight around his forearm.


    "Hell''s Domain: Activate!", he said and the terrain around them changed. The trees began to burn, and the heat rose significantly. Lucas was now at the center of it, and he walked confidently in it like he was walking around his place.


    "Mortal, it seems like you wish to command this Domain. Clear my test, and I shall hand over a small portion of control over this particular Domain", came the voice of Hades''s Soul Fragment.


    Lucas scowled as he saw the mission that was initiated by Hades''s Fragment. "Do you want me to die?", was the first thing he thought the moment he saw the mission.


    [Mission Initiated]


    [A fragment of Hades''s soul wants to test you. Pass its test and prove that you are worthy to command a part of its Domain]


    [Kill the Golems in Front of you without using [Chains Of Hades]]


    Golems killed 0/4]


    He was about to refute but he knew that the reward was worth it. Thus, he needed to kill, but it didn''t matter who damaged the Golems. If that was the case, then Lucas was sure that he could manage to defeat them.


    Right after entering Hell''s Domain, the Earth and the Water Golems lost fifty percent of their strength. They were something that Lucas couldn''t deal with before, but now he could make sure to kill them.


    He made his move and dashed towards the Water Golem and he jumped on top of it. He used the Flowing-Ice to manipulate the water to change to Ice the moment he stepped on it. The Magician on top was astonished when he saw the movements.


    "But he doesn''t have any Mana!", he thought and that was the last thought he had. The next moment, his head was in Lucas''s hand as he jumped down from the top.


    He dashed towards the Earth Golem and did the same thing he did for the Water Golem. Two of them were down, and the most troublesome one was now in front of them.


    The both of them didn''t know how to deal with them, as their strengths had increased due to all the fire was around them. Lucas recalled all the properties of Hellfire, and something struck him.


    "They can never be extinguished. Now, since this is my Domain, let''s see if they can handle the heat", he thought as he tried to command the Hellfire that was surrounding them.


    [Error! Unable to manipulate Hellfire as Authority has not been given]

 Chapter 124 - Attack Of The Spies (Part Two)

    Lucas was shocked when he saw that notification. He was thinking that since this was a test, Hades might go slightly easy on him. But what he saw was quite the opposite.


    He was frowning, and Robert understood that instant what was happening.


    "First time using the Domain?", he asked and Lucas nodded his head in reply. Robert began to explain about the Domains.


    "The Domains are the places where the Gods and other Mystical Beings reside. It seems like the Domain you have summoned is a place filled with Hellfire. If I am not mistaken, the owner of this place must have contacted you", he paused and looked at Lucas for an answer.


    He nodded his head in approval and Robert continued.


    "Then until you finish the task that has been given to you by that said person, you will be unable to command the Domain like the back of your hand", he said.


    This news was astonishing to him, and he was thinking about how to deal with the two Lava Golems. They had indeed been strengthened, as he could see that from their movements which had become much more fluid.


    He also saw the Lava color had changed from orange to a scorching red. Lucas wanted to deal with them using Hellfire, but it seemed like he had to make sure that they were weakened.


    He made his move and used the [Icicle] repeatedly. He didn''t stop suing [Aura Skin], [Aura Blades], [Aura Tentacle] and [Mana Vision]. The more he was using, the more he understood the concept behind it.


    A notification popped up and he was elated right at that second.


    [Congratulations! Aura Skin has Levelled Up!]


    [Aura Skin - Lvl 2] ][Mastery - 56%]


    [Damage increased by Three Percent!]


    [Congratulations! Aura Blades has Levelled Up!]


    [Aura Blades - Lvl 1][Mastery - 70%]


    [Damage increased by Three Percent!]


    [Congratulations! Mana Vision has Levelled Up!]


    [Congratulations! You have achieved 100% Mastery of Mana Vision!]


    [Mana Vision - Lvl 2] ][Mastery - 100%]


    [Damage increased by Three Percent!]


    [Congratulations! Aura Tentacles has Levelled Up!]


    [Aura Tentacles- Lvl 2][Mastery - 74%]


    [Damage increased by Three Percent!]


    He didn''t know that he could level up these skills. He was thinking that these skills needed much more work to level up, and it would be harder for him to level these up. But when he saw how he was quick to grasp the essence of the skills quickly, he was elated that he could now catch up to his brother and sister.


    Lucas was now using his new [Mana Vision], and he could now see the Mana flow quite clearly than before. He could also see some of the vulnerable spots of the Golems which were marked in different colors.


    "Nice timing for the upgrade. There are yellow, orange, and red spots. If I assume that the red is the death spots, then I must strike them first", he concluded. The red spots were at three places which were the heart, the neck, and the head.


    The head was where the magician was and that was a given. But he never knew that the Golems had a heart. He smiled as he activated [Aura Jump], and jumped several meters into the air. It still was not enough for him to reach the heart, but he was now near the stomach.


    He plunged his sword into the stomach and thickened the [Aura Skin] around him. He was constantly supplying it Aura as the heat was eating away at the skin at a rapid pace.


    "Without this, I am sure I would have become toast", he thought. Robert tried to do the same, but the moment he tried to near the Golem, he backed away because of the heat.


    Lucas began to climb the Golem using both of his swords, by stabbing it and pulling himself up slowly. The Lava Golem began spitting flames at the place Lucas was at.


    The [Aura Skin] was protecting him, and he was sure that it was going to be impossible to keep the speed up. He pulled out one of his swords and threw it into the Golem.


    It pierced through and he pulled himself up using the [Chains Of Hades]. He was now moving around like a monkey, not staying in one place.


    Robert was amazed at the flexibility he was showing, and he didn''t lose his concentration because of it. He was keeping the Golem distracted, and his speed had now doubled as he was facing both of them.


    He was glowing with a green hue, and one of his eyes was turning green slowly. He was using the Spirit''s power and slowly merging. Right after Lucas reached the heart, he stabbed his Exploding Ice Blade into it as he activated both [Flowing-Ice Bind] and [Cryo-Blaze].


    The both of them began to freeze the heart, but the Mana was not enough. He began to pour in all of his MP and the heart began to freeze successfully. It was slow, but it was a successful process as the movements of the Golem began to slow down successfully.


    When he felt that it was enough, he stopped pouring him his Mana and began to swing to the head again. He had only moments before the Magician once again uses the Golem to his advantage.


    Right after he reached the head, he cut the head off and slid down the Golem. As he was sliding down. He aimed right at the back of the other Golem''s heart and retrieved his Sword.


    He activated his armor and put on the helmet he had received. He was half looking like someone who had come out of a sci-fi novel, but he didn''t mind. The statistics were showing on a screen in the helmet, and he made the jump at the right moment.


    He threw the blade once more and pulled himself to the other Golem. He did the same thing this time, but only it was on its back.


    After making sure that the movements were slow, he jumped atop the Golem and cut off the Magician''s head, and slid down the Golem to the ground. He landed right next to Robert, who had one of his eyes green.


    "We meet again, Kind Blacksmith", he said. Lucas knew who it was in an instant and he placed his sword at his throat. Robert dropped his Katana to the ground and raised both of his hands in the air.


    "I have not taken over. He is fatigued spiritually by controlling me for a long time, and I have left him to rest in his subconscious. For now, I will be the one in control, Kind sir. Let me introduce myself".


    "My name is Sarah, and I am the Daughter of the Spirit of The Wind, Sylphie. I am the person spirit that spoke to you while you were making this Katana", he said and picked the Katana back up.


    Lucas nodded his head and looked him in the eye. He still didn''t lower his blade, and his guard was still up.


    "He fatigued mentally? That is impossible. He has the best mental fortitude after me in the group. I will not believe that", he said in a threatening tone. A notification popped up right at that moment.


    [Mission Completed]


    [A fragment of Hades''s soul wants to test you. Pass its test and prove that you are worthy to command a part of its Domain]


    [Kill the Golems in Front of you without using [Chains Of Hades]]


    Golems killed 4/4]


    [Rewards: Hellfire Domain]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    [Compatibility: User has Azure Flame, and thus Compatibility is increased to 110%]


    He didn''t understand the term compatibility, but what he understood was that his Azure Flame properties were giving him an edge over others in this place. He accepted the rewards, and he began to feel and sense something around him.


    With just a flick of his finger, he could command the Hellfire that was around him. He wanted to use this situation and make sure that Robert was safe.


    "Mortal. You have passed two out of my three tests. If you ever come down to the Nether Realm, I will give you my final test, and you will have full control over the Chains. Until we meet again", said Hades''s fragment and faded away again.


    Lucas wanted to ask a lot of questions, but it seemed like he couldn''t do that. He commanded the Hellfire to surround Robert, and he was trapped in the middle.


    "What is the meaning of this, Kind Blacksmith?", asked Robert as he saw the Hellfire surround him. Lucas had a smirk across his face.


    "Separate", he said and the flame began to burn Robert. The main thing was that Robert wasn''t the one burning, but Sarah. Lucas was trying to separate the both of them and interrogate them separately.


    A blob of green was slowly emerging from the back of Robert, and his plan was working.. The moment the light came out, Robert fell into Lucas''s hands.

 Chapter 125 - Attack Of The Spies (Part Three)

    "You indeed meant no harm", said Lucas as he saw the movement she made in the split second during the end. The light was pulsing, but it didn''t take its form. Lucas wasn''t frustrated by that, as all he needed was to ask it some questions.


    "Who woke me up? Sarah did you...", he paused when he saw that he was in Lucas''s arms. He cleared his throat and was trying to get up, but he felt his body give in. A smile was spread across Lucas''s face as he looked at Robert.


    He then looked at the green light, which was Sarah. Robert then nodded his head at Lucas, and he closed his eyes again.


    "Seems like he still wants to rest. I was just being precautious. Do not be offended, Miss Sarah. Some Spirits tend to take over the host and cause a ruckus, and thus I wanted to be sure if this was a mutual agreement. I thank you for your cooperation", he said in an apologetic tone.


    A humph was all he heard as a reply as he saw her get back into his body and regain control of Robert. The same was happening, and Lucas called down the Domain.


    Right after that, he saw the archers and a whole lot of Magicians trying to enter the Underground city through the tunnel that they were guarding.


    Just when a Magician was about to step into the tunnel, he felt a piercing pain from behind him. He looked down his chest and saw a blade sticking out from it, and the life in his eyes began to fade away.


    "Anyone who wants to step foot inside this tunnel, needs to pass through us", said Lucas as he pulled himself towards that place. Robert, or to be more precise, Sarah followed close behind him.


    "KILL THEM ALL!", commanded Lucas and that was all Sarah needed. The moment he gave the announcement, the both of them went on a killing spree, and bleed was painted on the floor of the entrance of the tunnel as screams were heard all around them.


    The teamwork between the both of them was impeccable, and Lucas was able to keep up with Sarah''s speed. A smile was formed on Sarah''s face as she saw that Lucas was keeping up with her speed.


    "Not only are you a good blacksmith, but it also seems like you are a great swordsman. As all swordsmen say, it is an honor to fight by your side, Kind Sir", he said as he cut down the last of the archers.


    One of the Magicians was running away from the field, and Sarah was about to cut them when Lucas held his hand up, stopping her from cutting the Magician.


    He let the man go running with his tail between his legs, and he was whistling with his hands in his pockets. The man who went running away came running back to Lucas, and behind him was a woman with a rapier in her hands.


    The woman was none other than Kate. She was walking towards him and her eyes were spewing fire in all directions.


    Lucas stood in front of the man and stopped her from taking his life. She stopped and looked at Lucas with hate in her eyes when she saw him wink at her.


    "As you can see, the Kingdom is quite upset with your betrayal. Now, I would like to know who is the person behind this whole operation. Just nod your head as the answer, alright?", he asked as he looked the man in the eye.


    The man, who was now on the floor felt a terrifying presence from Lucas. He felt like he was looking at a tiger that was suppressing its urge to feast, and presenting itself with a smile. He just nodded his head, indicating that he will comply with the said request.


    "Is it the Leader of The Omega?", he asked. He was having his doubts as to who it will be, and the leader was one of them. He had just learned that his Father has some history with them, and it seemed like it was not a good one.


    The man nodded his head sideways, indicating that they were not the people who were leading this operation. Lucas now had one more person in his mind, and he prepared to ask the question.


    "Is it one of the Branch Families?", he asked. The moment he said the word ''Branch Families'', the man shuddered. This small movement made sure that Lucas''s hunch was right.


    "They''re trying to usurp the throne and take it all for themselves. This isn''t just war, they''re planning a coup d''etat! This is bad", exclaimed Lucas.


    "HAIL THE OMEGA!", said the magician and he committed suicide just like the one he had seen before. Lucas''s head was beginning to think, and the gears were now in full motion.


    "Guys, I hope that you are all right. This is getting more complicated than it first seemed", he thought as he began to sort out his thoughts.


    (Underground City, Main Entrance)


    "Are you guys seeing what we are seeing?", asked Michelle. The scene she was seeing was the same as Lucas had seen, only that the Golems that were in front of them were different.


    There were Three Earth Golems, Two Water Golems, and One Dark Golem. The moment the Dark Golem arrived, it covered for the other Golems as they began to merge. Two of the Earth and the Water Golems began to merge, and the remaining Earth and Dark Golem began to attack.


    Michelle and Emilia began to defend, and the Staff she had received helped her in creating the spells faster than her normal time.


    Tobias was wearing the gauntlets, and he was smiling wide. He jumped past the both of them, and he ran straight at the Earth Golem.


    "You, fight me!", he said in a taunting manner. The magician on the top of the Golem saw him and was easily enraged by his taunt. The Earth Golem let out a roar, and it shook the place.


    The Dark Golem was facing Emilia and Michelle together. With Michelle''s affinity to darkness, taking care of a Golem of the same Element was easy for her. She was trying to get the Golem under her control, and Emilia was keeping the Golem distracted.


    After a few minutes, Michelle gave up about gaining control of the Golem. She pulled out her scythe and assimilated with Death.


    "Let''s do this", she muttered as she spun her scythe and attacked the Golem''s legs. It didn''t take any damage, and Emilia was confused as to why.


    "She is definitely along with Death, then why doesn''t it do any damage?", she thought. Just as her thoughts were about to run rampant, she felt a hand come her way. Mud was dripping from the hand, and she jumped back to avoid the strike.


    "They have merged", she thought as she saw two Mud Golems standing right behind the Dark Golem. They now had to face four Golems, and Mud Golems are very difficult to face.


    Tobias was dancing with the Earth Golem and the magician on the top of the Golem was getting mad. No matter how quick he moved, Tobias just vanished from the place he was standing.


    The Earth Golem raised Earth walls on all sides of Tobias, trapping him in the middle. He then closed the top, and Tobias was trapped inside. A smirk formed on his face, and he began to charge his body with Lightning.


    "Lightning is ineffective against Earth, but I am sure that my strength and if I develop enough speed, I can break this place", he thought as he began to run around in circles.


    He was building up momentum, and when he thought that it was enough to break through the wall, he ran straight at it. His speed coupled along with his insane strength blasted the wall and a gaping hole was visible.


    The Earth Golem turned its head towards him, and a smile was seen on Tobias''s face. He stood his ground and motioned for the Golem to come at him with two fingers.


    The Magician was mad, and with the lightning passing through his body, Tobias made his move. He ran straight at the ankle of the Golem, and it shattered. He didn''t stop and moved to the next ankle, doing the same.


    After shattering both of the ankles, the Earth Golem was losing its balance. It tried to heal itself, but the Earth which tried to fix itself was shattered the moment it made contact. The magician was stunned at the development.


    "What in the world is this?", he asked as the Earth Golem fell to the ground. Tobias smiled as he neared the man that was now grovelling on the ground.. He put his face right in front of his, and the smile on his face was sending chills down his spine.

 Chapter 126 - Attack Of The Spies (Part Four)

    "Lightning Net. Something I picked up on my journey. How was it?", he asked as he activated [Lightning Blade] and created a blade from his index and middle fingers. The man who was on the ground shuddered.


    "You can''t be him", he said with deep-rooted fear. Tobias didn''t have time to amuse the man''s doubts, as he slashed his head clean off his shoulders.


    "I am not the person you think, and I will reach the same level as my Master someday", he muttered as he clenched his fists. He looked at the others that were facing against the three Golems, and a smile formed on his face.


    He moved and appeared right next to Michelle and Emilia. They were defending against the Darkness and the Mud Golems, and now he had joined in with them.


    "One for each of us?", he asked with a smile. Michelle looked at him and an idea struck in her head.


    "Tobias, Mud is a good conductor of electricity as there are more ions present in them than normal water. And since there are more ions, it will conduct electricity much quicker. I think you understand where I am going with this", she said as she blocked an attack from the Dark Golem.


    Tobias understood what she was trying to say, but it was something that he was unable to do at the moment. He still had a lot to learn, and if he needed to do something like he had done in the Portal, he would have to call upon Raijin-sama.


    His body hadn''t healed up from the previous time he had called upon Raijin, and if he did that once more, he was sure his body would tear apart into atoms. He was still thinking about any ways to create a good shock when he remembered something.


    "My gauntlets have [Lightning Blast]. I just don''t know how potent they are going to be. Will it work?", he thought as he took a deep breath. He wasn''t the kind of person to use brains while fighting, but since everyone was relying on him, he needed to succeed.


    He activated [Lightning Blast] on both of his gauntlets, and the pellet began to drain the lightning that was inside it. After totally draining it, he aimed at one of the Mud Golems and shot out two blasts of Lightning.


    Two white balls emerged from his palms, and they headed straight at the Mud Golem. Tobias was crossing his fingers and hoping that this attack would do something to the Golem.


    The Lightning Balls hit the Mud Golem and it was stunned for a second, but that was all that his blast did. He was disappointed at that, and he wanted to do something to kill them off.


    He was sure that his attack did something to stop them for a second, and he wanted to make that last longer. He was thinking about what to do when he heard Michelle call out to him.


    "Hit right at its stomach or heart. Those are the weak spots of a Golem", she said as she went back to fight against the Dark Golem. Tobias nodded his head in response, and he was sure that to make the attack successful, he needed to be close.


    He did have good aim, but if what Michelle said was true, then it meant that he needed to get close to the spot as possible. He was sure that their defenses against the vital parts would be good.


    He did the same as before, and he charged himself with lightning. Right after he did that, he took out two pellets and loaded them in the Gauntlets again.


    He needed everything in his arsenal if he was going to stun the Mud Golem. Due to its larger size, the amount of Lightning needed to shock it would be massive.


    He jumped onto the Golem, and he felt his legs get sucked. He needed to move faster than normal, and streaks of lightning began to spark around his body.


    He began to think about all the things that they had done together, though they had been together for a very small amount of time. Tobias never felt like this before, and something inside him was welling up.


    Parts of his hair began to turn white, and the Gauntlets were overloaded with Lightning now. He moved and a streak of lightning was seen all around the Mud Golem. The Magician on the top could not keep up with him and his speed.


    He jumped from the knees and began to run upwards. The speed he was showing was shocking even to him, but he didn''t slow down to admire it.


    The moment he reached the heart, he activated [Lightinig Blade] and pierced through the Mud skin that was protecting the heart. Right after revealing, he used [Lightning Blast] on it.


    He jumped from the Golem to the next one and did the same to it. The Dark Golem was the only one left from the Golems, and the other Magicians who were on the Golems were on the floor, dead.


    The Dark Golem had a smile across its face, and Michelle understood what it was going to do.


    "Tobias, fry them all NOW!", she warned. But all she could see was a streak of lightning buzzing past her. The Dark Golem had sent a piece of it to merge with the other dead Golems and was trying to revive it.


    "Weak!", he said as he reached the Dark human that was walking towards the Mud Golem. He thrust his hand right through the gut and saw it slither away. He was frustrated, and he stood right in front of the Golem, blocking the path.


    The Dark human which was in front of him disappeared into the ground, and the next second the Earth Golem that he had killed began to be wrapped by the Dark Human.


    "They''re weak to light! Use your lightning!", said Michelle as she saw the dilemma Tobias was in. The moment she said that he went supersonic. The Dark Human that saw him coming towards him began to hasten the process of bonding.


    Tobias slammed his hands that were overloaded with Lightning right into the head of the Golem. The moment he did that, and sizzle passed through the Golem and the Dark human came out like smoke.


    The Dark Golem saw this and marked Tobias as a threat to eliminate. He raised his hands, and there emerged an army of Dark Human with a lot of weapons in their hands. Michelle and Emilia were overwhelmed.


    Michelle opened up her Domain, and the area was covered in Darkness. She had full authority as to what could and not stay inside the Domain, and thus she pushed out all the Dark Humans and the others out of the Domain.


    It was just her and the Dark Golem facing each other, and a smile spread across her face. She raised her hand, and restraints appeared from within the Darkness.


    "You think you can control me here?", said the Dark Golem, and with a snap, the restraints were off and he was moving freely again. Michelle just smiled when she saw him being arrogant.


    She didn''t say anything, and a magic circle appeared from her hand. A larger version of the same circle appeared beneath the Golem, and he was now locked in place.


    The more he tried to move, the less he could. He tried to break off from the circle, but it seemed like it was impossible.


    "It seems like you need to learn who is the ruler of this place", she said as she took a step forward. The Dark Golem shuddered when he saw the look in Michelle''s eyes.


    She began to turn the magic circle clockwise, and the Golem began to disintegrate. Slowly, something from inside was eating it and killing it.


    The moment the Magician saw this, he tried to move away from the Golem. But no matter what he did, he couldn''t move away from the Golem. It was like he was locked in place, and anything he did was futile.


    "All I did was fuse The Aura Of Death and this magic circle can forward or rewind time. I am just forwading it faster so that your Golem will suffer from the consequences of the implanted Aura of Death", she explained to the puzzled Magician.


    The Dark Golem reached its death slowly, and the Magician began to summon another one. Just when he finished the circle of summoning, he felt a disturbance in the surroundings.


    He couldn''t understand what these changes were, but he could not summon another Golem. He tried to disappear into the Darkness, but what he met was a scythe at his neck.


    Michelle was holding her scythe at the Magician''s neck, and the man looked into her eyes. He was pleading to be left alive, but what he saw was a pair of emotionless eyes.


    He closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate and die. The scythe was pressing into his neck, and blood was slowly trickling down.


    "Any last words?", she asked as she squat down straight to his face. The man looked back at her and nodded his head sideways, indicating he didn''t have anything to say.


    "Very well then", she said and slashed his head clean, and left it rolling on the ground as she deactivated her Domain.


    The moment she did that, she saw Archers and swordsmen coming towards them.. "They have prepared well", she scoffed as she spun her scythe and joined back with her friends.

 Chapter 127 - Attack Of The Spies (Part Five)

    (Underground City)


    Jasmine and Steve were standing next to each other, and in front of them were three entrances. The moment they came in, they helped the people who were coming in settle down quickly.


    The both of them were now playing cards, and laughing like they were on a vacation. Loud booms were heard from the other two entrances, and they had assumed that the fighting had begun.


    "To think that they would plan to this extent", she muttered as she threw down her card and revealed her hand. Steve smiled as he revealed his.


    "A royal flush?! But how?", she said in a dejected tone. Steve had an evil glint in his eyes and the smile that he showed only confirmed that fact.


    "Whatever you''re thinking, just don''t. We are outside and we need to have proper professional etiquette", she said with a straight face. Steve cleared his throat and his ears began to pick up something.


    "I think we have some guests that are planning on intruding on our party", he said with a smile as he cracked his neck. Jasmine got up and the both of them were now standing next to each other.


    Jasmine activated a Magic circle, and from it came out a copy of her. She then placed her hand on Steve, and another Steve popped out.


    "Go!", she said to the copies and the both of them disappeared from the place. Jasmine snapped her fingers and a holographic screen appeared in front of her.


    Both of them could see how many enemies were present, and it was not a small number. Each tunnel had more than a hundred people, all armed to the teeth.


    Each of them had a plethora of weapons, and the armor they were wearing was above the Legendary grade. But that didn''t mean anything to the both of them. Steve smiled as he looked at Jasmine.


    "You sure you can create an illusion of this whole place in seconds?", he asked skeptically. She just nodded her head, indicating that it was indeed possible for her. He shrugged as he sat back and she began to do her thing.


    She began to send out more copies of her, and the whole city was being marked with Magic circles. After a few minutes, the copies came back and they vanished into smoke.


    She began to chant, and the enemies that were in the tunnels had now neared the city. They were being cautious of any guards, but when they saw that there was only one person in front of them, they were relieved.


    "I welcome you, my dear friends. What brings you here to our humble kingdom?", he asked with his arms spread wide as he did a bow to the enemies. Jasmine who was in the circle was invisible to the enemies.


    One of them pointed their fingers at Steve in realization. He was shaking in his boots when he saw who it was that they had to deal with.


    "That''s Steve Hudson, a SSS Class Adventurer. We have to fight him?", he asked with a shaky voice. The moment everyone heard the name, they stood rooted to the spot.


    Nobody moved from their places until one of them spoke up.


    "He is just one man, and we are an army. How many of us do you think he can take out? Eventually, he will get tired and die in our hands. Everyone, CHARGE! HAIL OMEGA", said the man and he sounded like the leader of the group.


    Steve clicked his tongue and looked at Jasmine. She was still in the process of the illusion, but the copies she had made at first now came into play.


    Steve was in the front, and after the tunnels were empty, the other Steve and Jasmine appeared and blocked the entrance. The men who saw this were confused as to how there were two Steve''s at the same place.


    One of them charged straight at the copy, while the others charged towards Steve. He just had a smile across his face and clapped his hands together.


    A gush of wind was brought forth from the single clap, and all the enemies that were advancing were pushed back by several steps. Jasmine had finished setting up the illusion, and she appeared out of thin air in the middle of the army.


    The army was stunned when they saw her in the middle and one of the men exclaimed. He was about to say who it was when he felt a slash at his throat.


    "It''s the leader of the Adventurer''s Guild. We''re doomed!", said one of the men, and everyone began to scatter around, trying to run away from the place.


    The attack which they thought would involve just the guards, turned out to have two powerhouses as guards. The moment they saw the two powerhouses, they began to flee.


    None of them had the vigor to continue with the attack, and just when they were about to leave the place, a voice spoke in the air.


    "It seems like I have underestimated the lengths to which the Kingdom would go to protect its citizens", and a snap was heard. The moment the snap was heard, the people who were running away stood rooted to the spot.


    They had a pink hue around them, and one of their eyes turned pink. It was the same for everyone who was running, and now every head turned towards their direction. Steve had a bad premonition about how the event was transpiring at the moment.


    "A Master Mind Manipulator", said Jasmine as she saw the scale at which the spell was taking effect. All the people were now under mind control and anything that the voice said they did.


    "Kill them", said the voice, and the army moved. Steve, who was thinking about how to save them now threw the thoughts out of the window.


    His hands began to glow green, and he rubbed his palms together. Two blades made of pure Mana appeared, and he wielded them both.


    He was channeling Wind throughout his body, and that made his movements much faster than a normal person''s eye could keep up with. He went straight at the first person that was leading the charge, and he cut off the head.


    He thought that if the leader''s head was cut off, then the charge would slow down, or even better, the spell would break. But it didn''t happen, and the frenzy that was around was growing.


    Jasmine gave out the commands to her copies, and the two who were guarding the tunnels began to attack from behind. They had to thin down the numbers as quickly as they could and find the main culprit behind this.


    In just a few minutes they had killed every single one of them, and there was a laugh in the air.


    "Ho ho. As expected of the Elites. But what would you do, if I sent here something other than human? A Beast, perhaps?", said the voice.


    "You wouldn''t DARE!", roared Steve into the air. Even Jasmine was mad when she heard the statement from the person.


    "Yes, I do. And not just one, maybe a horde would be right", said the voice, and the moment the sentence ended, he felt a rumble across the floor.


    "Please tell me that they are all headed our way and not towards the others", prayed Steve as he felt the rumbles get more intense, and there was dust coming from the tunnels. He wanted to take the fight outside, but it seemed like that was something impossible for him.


    "It seems like we have to do something to stop this horde. No matter what, we will save these people. How strong is the barrier around the City?", he asked as he began to think of a solid plan of defending against those Beasts.


    "Not very strong as I had to join the fight. And if I were to strengthen the barrier at this moment, then you will have to face them head-on for at least fifteen minutes. You sure you can handle that?", she asked with a tinge of worry.


    Steve nodded his head and created his blades again. He was about to charge into the Beast horde that was coming towards them when he felt a soft sensation on his lips. He responded with a kiss of his own, and they broke after a few seconds.


    "Come back safely", she said in a coaxing voice. Steve nodded his head and disappeared from the place, and he erected a Wind Barrier in front of two tunnels and allowed only one of them to have an entrance.


    "I am going to have to thin down the numbers as much as I can. There is only one way that we can stop this, and that is to play this to my advantage", he thought as he erected the barriers.


    The ones on his right and left were blocked, and he had left the middle one open.. The moment he saw the head of a beast, he made his move and charged straight into the horde.

 Chapter 128 - Attack Of The Spies (Part Six)

    He pulled out both of his wind blades and began to slash down the beasts, and the horde was comprised of Legendary Tier Beasts. Steve was killing them all on his own while Jasmine was strengthening the barriers of the City.


    The movement he made was fluid, and there was no room for any extra movement. He never wasted his energy and was cutting them all down.


    He took a step back and analyzed the situation. He needed to save up his Mana reserve, but he also needed to kill them swiftly. He clicked his tongue at his dilemma.


    "Screw this. Let me go all out", he muttered as he snapped his fingers and a hundred Wind Blades appeared out of thin air. His clothes were fluttering as he took a step forward, and the Beasts seemed to have realized something, as they were cowering in fear.


    "Kneel!", he said and the moment the words left his mouth, the beasts began to kneel in front of him. They were submissive to the point that his power had successfully overridden the Mind Control.


    But that didn''t last for long, as after a while, the beasts began to get up and pounce towards him. Steve just dodged them all and raised his hands in the air.


    "DIE!", he said as he brought down his hand and the blades began to stab the beasts in the heads, and they died effortlessly. There was blood and bodies strewn across the floor, and Steve was standing in the midst of it all.


    He dusted himself and walked back to the entrance and looked at the other two tunnels which he had blocked. Both of the barriers were holding up well, and any beast that neared the barrier was cut into pieces.


    So, the beasts were quite a distance away from the barrier, and Steve was now thinking which group he should face first. He checked the time and it had been twenty minutes since the battle had begun.


    He turned his head towards Jasmine and saw that she was still casting her spell, and it seemed like it would take longer than she had expected.


    "Illusion Magic sure is tough to handle", he muttered as he passed through the barrier on his right, and he altered the left barrier to allow her entry into the tunnel when she was done with the spell.


    He wanted to take his time and deal with them slowly as he wanted to analyze the depth of mind control. He was sure that he had overridden the mind control for a moment, but it was regained once again.


    "Whoever is behind this, seems like they are good at this", he said as he pulled out his Wind Blades. He didn''t bring his weapon along as he knew that he would be dealing with something insignificant to him.


    He yawned as he cut the head of another Legendary Beast, and thrust his blade into another, He didn''t use the technique he used before, instead, he was biding his time and cutting them down slowly.


    "It seems like the Mind Control on them is not pretty solid. In the last moments, they tend to have the normal violent behavior they usually have. It seems like the higher the grade of the beast, the lesser the control. With this fact, I can confirm that anything above Emperor is impossible for this person to control", he concluded his theory.


    Right after he had finished off the last beast, he came out of the tunnel and saw that Jasmine was done with the preparations. She was now in the final tunnel, and Steve just stood outside the barrier looking at her.


    She was now weaving her way through the mobs of Beasts with her daggers, and nothing was stopping her from killing them. Her fighting skills were top-notch, and she hadn''t begun to use the power of her Magic yet.


    Illusion Magic was specific magic that was a complex form of the Light Element. People who have the Light Element are rare, and if someone is related to the complex elements, then it makes them a formidable foe to face against.


    Even the Darkness element had some people who were affluent in some complex forms, and if someone with just the Light or Darkness Element tries to master these complex forms without the affinity to it, it would take the said person several years just to master a few of them.


    Jasmine was using her daggers, and they were attached to a ring that she was wearing on her middle finger. She threw the dagger towards a beast that was charging towards her and it pierced through the skull, and she flicked her finger to pull the dagger back.


    "She has an impeccable aim, as usual", he thought as he was admiring her from afar. He had a smile across his face, and his eyes were filled with love and admiration for her. After a few minutes, she flicked her daggers to remove the blood that was on them.


    She came running back to Steve when she saw him standing right outside the tunnel. he took down the barrier and embraced her, and she was just in his embrace for quite some time.


    A laugh resounded again, and the voice spoke once again.


    "Seems like these are just small fry. Maybe I should indeed up my game. What shall I send out next, Stevie?", said the voice and it disappeared. Steve was shaking in his boots in anger the more he thought about the person behind the attack.


    "Princess, the attack seems to have come from someone within the Kingdom. Please keep watch over the King. We can deal with whatever comes our way", said Steve as he pulled out a device from a pouch on his hip.


    Jasmine tensed up the moment she heard him inform the Princess. She wasn''t sure but she did have her speculations. She looked up at Steve and saw something she had never seen in his eyes before.


    "You have come here too? But when did you enter this Kingdom?", thought Steve. The emotion Jasmine saw in his eyes was one of pain, sadness, anger, hatred, but most of all, it was a thirst for revenge.


    (Deep in the Woods, an Unknown Location)


    A man was humming a tune as he was walking down the stairs. He had a pink hue around him, and he was spinning a bunch of keys in his hands. One of his hands was in his pockets when the pink hue went off.


    "Ohh? They have killed them all? Well, I shouldn''t expect less from the SSS Class Adventurer, the Steve Hudson", he smiled as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He put one of the keys into a keyhole, and the sounds of the locks turning could be heard.


    The gate in front of him was opened and he walked past it. There were cages all around him, and in it were men and women. And even children in some of the cages. The man reached in front of a cage, and he looked at the man that was trapped inside of it.


    The man who was inside looked at the man that stood in front of him. He was shaking with anger and the first thing he did was get up and try to attack the man.


    The man pointed a finger at him, and the pink hue began to cover him around again. The man who was running towards him stood motionless. The man began to speak.


    "Haven''t you done enough to this Kingdom? What more do you want! I am the head of the Royal Magicians!", he bellowed. The man that had the pink hue around him just picked his ear with his little finger, showing he was annoyed.


    "Oh well, I have come here to destroy the Royal family, if that is what you are looking for. And if you want to know who I am", he paused and clicked his tongue.


    "Not that a dead man will be needing it, but I will have uses for you too. It''s best to keep you alive, and thus we must get acquainted. I do not have a name, for I was not born of this world. I am a higher entity, and people call me ''ARES''", he said with a smile.


    The head of the Royal Magicians was now looking at the man with fear in his eyes. He was quivering and his lips were shaking. He threw his head back and began to laugh out loud.


    "Ares? You are nothing but a cheap imitation of the God of War", he spat on his face. Ares was furious, and he clenched his hands. There was killing intent in his eyes, and the bloodlust he released made everyone in the cage tremble.


    "IMITATION?! KNOW. YOUR. FUCKING. PLACE. MORTAL!", he said with contempt. He began to control his anger, and the bloodlust was brought down.


    He motioned his finger and the man was brought forward, and he placed his hand on his forehead.. After a few moments, Ares began to change.

 Chapter 129 - Leons Investigation (Part One)

    The Royal Magician Head was astonished at what he was seeing. He couldn''t believe his eyes, and he was sure that if anyone saw Ares right now, they would mistake him for the Head.


    He left the place and went back to his room. He sat down at his study table, and he was looking at his laptop. There were some profiles, and he was smiling as he looked to the right of the screen.


    He picked up a microphone and began talking into it.


    "I welcome everyone that has joined this stream. Today, we shall be witnessing an event. This event is called ''ARES''. All the people from every Zoo will be participating, and we will see which Zoo has the most kills. The more the kills, the more likely we win".


    "The odds for every Zoo is on the side, as you can already see it. We are from Zoo Six, and our odds are not the highest as we have the least number of fighters in this project. But fret not, we prefer quality over quantity", he said.


    His voice for the others was nothing but robotic. He had masked his voice, and this War which they had instigated, was like a play to show some goods off to the other people around the world.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, place your bets. Let the event, COMMENCE!", he said in a dramatic voice as he closed up the laptop and left the room. Money was pouring in from all sides, and he had a smile across his face.


    He pulled out a remote and looked at the countdown that was running on his watch. Time was ticking, and his anticipation was growing within.


    "Only thirty-five minutes left until every Zoo releases their ''Animals''. May the best win", he muttered and licked his lips in excitement.


    (Leon, Out in the Deserted Plains before the Chaos began)


    He looked at the map and double-checked the details he had taken from the computer in the Guardian''s Tower. It had matched, but he couldn''t find any entrance nearby.


    Being a Beastman had several advantages, and as he was from the Wolf Species, he had a keen sense of smell. He began to sniff the air and began to differentiate between different types of scents.


    A few scents were lingering around, but some of the scents were much stronger than the others. His nose had transformed into that of a wolf, and he kept sniffing as he walked around.


    After a few minutes of sniffing around, he reached a place that was quite open in the Plains. It was an abandoned well, and the smell was going inside the well.


    "This scent, it is from the Wolf Family, but there is also some other scent mixed with it", he muttered as he looked into the well. The well was deep, and he could not see deep into it.


    He transformed both of his hands and feet, and he used the claws to slowly scale down the walls. Right when he was thinking if he needed to go any further, he felt a hole in the wall.


    He jumped into the tunnel that had been dug out and was astonished at the amount of secrecy the place had.


    "No one would even dream of a place that would exist down a well. Are they friends or foes? Who are they, and if they are a threat, I shall take care of them", he thought as he advanced.


    He was sniffing the air, and his hand was on his blade. He was now transformed back into a human but left his nose just so that he could have his keen sense of smell.


    He was nearing an opening, but he then felt a blade near his neck. He was about to slash when he felt another right at his spine.


    "Who are you? And how did you find this place?", came a voice from behind. Leon now raised his hands in defeat and unbuckled his sword from his hip.


    He placed both of his hands on the back of his head, and he faced the wall. Although he wasn''t instructed, he was sure this was what they wanted.


    He felt a cloth cover his vision, but his smell was still picking up the scent that he had followed. It was deeper inside the place, and he wasn''t sure what kind of place they were living.


    "I want to meet your chief or king. Whoever is the highest person. I come here in peace", he said. the scent he had picked up was fresh, but something else was troubling him the moment he went past the opening.


    All of the scents he was smelling were Beastmen. He would never harm another Beastmen unless they meant bad to him or the Kingdom. Right after he knew they were Beastmen, he lowered his defenses slightly.


    He was lead on, and after what he felt like an eternity of no vision, he felt the cloth slip off from his eyes. He was hit at the back of his knees, and he felt it give way.


    "Chief Denver, we saw this man snooping around near the South Entrance. Since he is Beastman, we have brought him for you to confirm the punishment", said the guard. Leon saw the man nod his head and the guards that were behind him left the room.


    Denver was scanning Leon and his nose was sniffing all around him. After a few seconds, he paused and began sniffing around again.


    "A Direwolf huh?", he said as he went back to his seat. Leon was astonished when he saw the way the man had distinguished his scent.


    Each Beastman species had a unique smell. But the problem of identifying the scent is that the family tended to have the same scent which has a very slight difference that if unless one has years of experience sniffing it out, they would never be able to differentiate between each wolf.


    Even Leon, with all the experience under him, could never confirm what kind of species they were unless he saw the initial transformation. he tended to have a theory using the smell, but there were moments where his guesses had gone wrong.


    He was looking at the man in awe, and he knew that whoever this person was, they had more experience than him. He was having a walking stick, but he was using it just as a tool of dominance.


    Denver turned around and looked Leon in the eye.


    "I have two questions for you. One, Who are you? And Two...", he paused as he saw something shining on Leon''s chest. He came closer to him and took a closer look at the shining thing.


    "It can''t be...", he thought and he rephrased his question. He cleared his question and turned around.


    "I have two questions for you. One, Who are you? And Two...", he paused and turned around to look Leon in the eye. He now had Leon''s sword right at his throat.


    "If you break me, I do not stop working. If you touch me I may be snared. And if you lose me, nothing will matter. What am I?", he asked.


    The moment Leon heard the question, he knew the answer. It was something that was passed amongst the Guardians, and he knew that the man before him, was a Former Guardian.


    "My name is Leon Heart. And the answer to your question, your heart", he said. The moment he said the answer, he felt the restraints on his wrists loosen.


    Denver handed the sword back to Leon and had a smile across his face. He still had his suspicions as to why the Guardians were here, but one thing that he was certain of what that he would not harm him.


    Leon took a deep breath, as he had a lot of questions to ask him. One of those was why were they in hiding? Weren''t they supposed to be above the surface?


    "I know you have been a part of the squad, and thus I have to ask. Why are you hiding? What is the reason for all this burrowing and creating a city deep inside?", he shot his questions in succession. Denver smiled in response.


    "I think the best to answer would be my wife Iris. Let me call out for her", he said and tapped a button on his watch that he had. The next moment, he heard a kid''s voice come from behind him.


    "Dad, why did you summon me?", asked the kid. Leon saw the kid and he was astonished at what he was seeing. He turned his head back at Denver and looked at the kid again.


    "Nothing, I just wanted to know where your mother might be at this moment?", he asked. The kid''s face turned sour as she huffed and turned around to avoid looking at her father.


    "You never call me just cause you want to see me. Do you remember that you have a daughter here?", she pouted her face, and her ears went droopy. Denver began to laugh out loud.

 Chapter 130 - Leons Investigation (Part Two)

    He scooped her up and snuggled her close to his face, and began to rub his fingers at her nose, and her face had a tinge of satisfaction.


    "Of course Daddy misses you. We have an old guest here that has come after a long time, and he wanted to meet Mother", the kid turned her head at Leon and her eyes were filled with curiosity.


    "What was Father like when he was young? Was he fierce? How much anger did he have? I have heard all kinds of stories from him and Uncle Alex, but this is the first time someone from outside has come to visit Father. Are you truly, his friend?", she asked as she began to sniff around him just like Denver did.


    Denver was about to pull her away, but Leon held his hands up to stop him as he wanted to see if his theory was correct. The girl, after sniffing for a while stepped back.


    "You are the same as Mother, but there is a slight difference in the scent. There must be no mistake then. You are a Wolf, and you must be Mother''s sibling! Come, let me take you to Mother", she said enthusiastically and pulled his hand.


    Denver pointed to the brooch he was wearing, indicating that he must show that to her. Leon nodded his head in response and he followed behind the kid.


    She was leading him through the city, and it was something he thought was not possible to exist. The place had technology that was available everywhere, and it even had a market inside.


    People were standing in a line somewhere, and kids were playing on the streets. Some of the other kids were engrossed in their books, but most of them were kicking a ball around and laughing.


    Looking at them brought back countless memories he had in his childhood. He was having a nostalgic feel when he was suddenly brought to a stop in front of a building that read, ''Magic Combat Academy''.


    She pulled Leon''s hand, but he was unmoving. She turned around and saw Leon looking towards a certain direction, and a couple of kids were ganging on up a single kid.


    The little girl that was with him saw it and she flared up.


    "These jerks. I swear I have to tell them off every time they try to pick on these kids", she huffed and stormed off in the direction of the kids. The moment she left, Leon felt a claw right at his neck.


    "What is with this place? Everyone seems like they just want to kill. My neck", he thought as he raised his hands again and turned around.


    He saw a woman looking deep into his eyes, and after a few seconds, she removed her hands from his neck. She then noticed the Guardian''s Brooch and looked back at him.


    "The Guardians are back?", was her first question. There were a lot of emotions behind her words, and one of them was extreme happiness. Her face was flushing the moment she mentioned the Guardians were revived.


    Leon nodded his head, as he didn''t know why they were disbanded in the first place. He thought they were the new Guardians, but when he entered the Tower, he saw records of many previous Guardians.


    That was the moment he learned that The Guardians had been around for a long time, and Ben was just reviving a dead project. He had always wanted to meet the Previous Guardians, but he never left in search of them.


    The woman motioned for her to follow behind him. Leon nodded and followed along, and left the kid to deal with the problems on her own.


    "We were disbanded. And if I presume correctly, little Benjamin must be the one who must have revived the project again. We were given ''Protocol X'', and from that day, we were in hiding. Only my husband and another person from the Guardians do in search of two others that were part of the Guardians."


    "But they were never found. Not till this day. But recently, my husband came back with a feather that was a part of the person that was missing. And I have been running a whole lot of tests on it. And it seems like something interesting has happened".


    By this time, they were in front of a building that had the words ''Labaratory'' on it. She opened the door and the smell of chemicals blasted into Leon''s nose.


    He scrunched up as being a person of the Wolf Family, he had very keen smelling senses, and something like this tends to make him nauseous.


    "Even Bradley won''t be able to handle this smell", he thought as he took a whiff. Iris continued forward, and in front of him was a feather that he had seen before.


    "You see, the person that was the owner of the feather was a female. But now, the same feather belongs to a male. And the most interesting fact is that the feathers match the same size she had when she was in her prime."


    "Now, I don''t know if you are sure with this, but before we were disbanded, we were investigating a man who was experimenting on beasts and creating a new type of Beastmen", she finished.


    Leon was shocked when he heard that news. He didn''t know that ''The Omega'' that they were facing was something that dated back to the times that the Former Guardians were present. That was almost 50 years ago!


    Leon didn''t think at that moment and knew that if they were facing forces that had built slowly over 50 Years, then an attack from the outside wasn''t the only possibility.


    He looked at her, and worry was evident in his eyes. He was about to turn around and run to catch up with the things that were happening outside, as he could not receive a transmission on his device.


    "I know about that feather. I will come back soon and bring the person who is related to the feather. I have to run, RIGHT NOW!", he said and accidentally roared the ending a little.


    The woman who was looking at him and his expression understood something. She took calm steps and came near him.


    "Is the Kingdom in danger?", she asked as she locked eyes with him. The trick didn''t work for him, but he decided to tell the truth anyway.


    "Yes, as we speak. I need to contact The Tower, but I can''t get reception", he said and a smile spread across Iris''s face. She motioned for him to follow behind him, and took him to a corner of the room.


    There was a computer, and on it was a device that burrowed up to the surface. Iris sat on it and extended her hand to Leon.


    "The Device?", she asked and Leon handed out his device. She attached a cord to his device and connected it to the device. A radio appeared, and Leon grabbed the microphone that he saw.


    "Bradley, update?", he asked in nervousness. He was sweating and his heart was beating out of his chest, and worry was evident all over his face.


    "The Army hasn''t arrived yet. But an attack has been commenced from within the Kingdom. Seems like this has been planned for a very long time. And most of them are the Kingdom''s Magicians, Archers and others", he reported.


    "Where are the others?", he asked. He knew that Bradley had the brains and that was the reason why he was back at the table rather than the battlefield. Leon was waiting for an answer.


    "I have dispatched all three to protect the King. Since there are traitors within the small ranks, I am sure there should be someone on top pulling the strings to commence this attack. And seems like this is just the beginning", he said in a low voice.


    Leon was frustrated and mad that he wanted to punch something at that moment. He began to transform unknowingly, and his breathing was getting erratic.


    "Calm down, Leon. Control that anger", he thought and the next moment he began to take deep breaths and calm down a little.


    "What do you mean by ''beginning''?", he asked and right at that moment, he saw a timer pop up on the screen. It had ''The Omega'' symbol on it, and there was a timer counting down.


    It had thirty-five minutes, and it was counting downwards. The words written beneath it were something that he had to worry about more.


    "Wave 2? Do they think the lives of all these people are a mere joke?!", he bellowed out loud, and his shout knocked the wind out of Iris. She had her hands over her ears, and the kid that was outside came running to see what was happening.


    "Mother, why is the Uncle howling?", she asked right after she had entered. She hid behind Iris timidly and was peeking at Leon.. She had a good impression of him, and his shouting was something she never expected from a calm man she had seen before.

 Chapter 131 - Leons Investigation (Part Three)

    Leon''s eyes were red from rage, but the moment he heard the kid''s voice, he softened down. Something inside him was stirred, and his heart was feeling heavy. He turned his head towards the kid and smiled at her.


    "Hey, kid. I almost forgot to ask your name", he said with a smile. Although he had a smile, a tear was rolling from the corner of his eyes. Leon was squatting to the girl''s height, and the girl saw the tear.


    "Why are you crying, Uncle? Are you sad?", she asked in her innocent and cute voice. The weight in his heart doubled, and the tear that one, turned two.


    "Mother always does this whenever I am sad", she said and she wrapped her tiny little arms around his neck. She was hugging him tightly, and she didn''t let go.


    She began to hum quietly, and it seemed to help him in calming down. The weight was now unbearable, and he was sure if he spent a minute extra, he would burst open.


    He felt the little arms around his neck loosen, and the smile on the kid''s face brought back a lot of memories for him. A lot of painful memories that he had buried deep inside him.


    "You feeling better, Uncle?", she asked as she stretched her hand out. Leon smiled and shook her hand.


    "My name is Nora. Nora Limestone" she said as she flashed her innocent smile. Leon looked at her and replied to her.


    "My name is Leon Bradley. And if you ever need to reach out to me, you can use this computer here to reach out to me", he said as he left the place and waved his hand at her.


    Right when he was outside, he saw Denver standing right in front of him. He was cracking his neck, and there was another man next to him.


    And behind the both of them were men who were wearing a hoodie with the symbol that he had on the brooch. The hood covered their faces perfectly.


    There were around two dozen men behind them, and they all were standing silently waiting for orders from the two of them. And the two of them were waiting for orders from Leon.


    "But Mr. Limestone, you...", he said and was paused mid-sentence.


    "You are the current Guardian, and thus you have the right to command the Former Guardians. And these are the best people we currently have. The rest of them are out exploring the wilderness and gaining experience", he said.


    Leon nodded his head and took a deep breath. He looked at all of them, and he thought of himself as the commander of the army.


    "I warn you, there will be many of you who will not return after today. Are you prepared to lose your life in stoping the enemies, or will you cower in defeat? What are you willing to do?", he said in a deep and commanding tone.


    He had his hands strapped to his back, and the air he exuded was that of a leader. Everyone was astonished to someone exude the same level of power to their chiefs.


    Everyone looked at Leon with newfound respect. Everyone had their fists on their hearts, and they said in unison.


    "Yes Sir."


    "Louder."


    "Yes SIR."


    "Louder."


    "YES SIR!!!"


    Leon was satisfied with the answer he had received. He looked at everyone, and he smiled at them.


    "Get ready. Wheels up in ten", he commanded and everyone scattered around. Denver and Alex were impressed by the feat he had shown them, proving to them that he was indeed fit to lead the Guardians.


    The both of them nodded their heads and stood beside him. Leon looked at them and smiled.


    "Haven''t you informed your families about your departure?", he asked. A snicker was all he heard as an answer.


    "It seems that you haven''t noticed our presence. Seems like we still have it", said two women and fist-bumped with each other.


    Leon was shocked when he saw who it was. One of them was Iris, and the other was Elle. Though both of them had aged, they had still retained their beauty.


    All of them were wearing the hood, and Leon looked like he was the odd one out among them. He was wondering if he should get one, and he felt a cloth getting wrapped around his shoulder.


    "Well, the commander should have a different color, shouldn''t he?", said Elle as she draped the cloak around him. While the others had a deep purple cloak, he had a pitch-black cloak.


    It had the same symbol behind it, and right after ten minutes everyone had assembled and were ready to move. They had informed and spoken to everyone that they had to.


    "If every one of you leaves, who will protect this place? Someone should stay behind", said Leon. He was concerned because of two factors.


    One was that they had been attacked some time ago and had been forced into hiding. Two was that if what was coming was the second wave, just how many waves have they planned until they exhausted and killed them all?


    "We are leaving our children behind to guard. We, as experienced fighters are itching to have a good fight. It has been a long time since I had gone all out", said Alex as he cracked his neck.


    Leon just smiled at the preparation they had made. The four of them made their introductions, and Leon understood the depth of the attack that was carried out fifty years ago.


    He ordered for them to move, and Denver showed them the way out. Around the corner from where he had left, a little girl was seen praying with her eyes closed.


    "Just come back safe, Mom and Dad", she muttered. It was none other than the girl Leon had met, Nora.


    (The Guardian''s Tower, The moment of the Attack)


    Bradley was staring at the screens that were overlooking the Kingdom. He was calculating the risks he had to take and countermeasures for the horde that was coming towards them.


    He called for an announcement, and everyone was present. Sally, Anthony, and Jason. They were the only three people who lived in the Tower as they were needed to be around anytime.


    "We have a Code: Red. We have multiple enemies heading towards us, and we have initiated Protocols to protect the citizens", he said and there was a sigh from Sally.


    "Do not relax, for that is seems like just an icing. As we speak, an attack is being carried out at the entrance of the Underground City. We do not have enough people, and I will need to look for more people. As for now, no need to head to the Underground City."


    "I am going to notify some people, and I hope that they will move quickly. With them, we will be able to save the number of lives lost. This is an all-out war, between this Kingdom and The Omega. Any person you see with this symbol, or fighting against the Royals, you are to intervene and stop the fight", he said.


    Everyone nodded their heads and was in deep thought. Jason was still trying to understand what was happening and looked at the only people who would explain everything to him. Anthony sighed out loud.


    "Jason, we have people here who want to kill people and kill the King. Do you want something to happen to him?", he asked. Jason had a very good impression of Ben, and he smiled.


    "No one would be able to kill him. He took care of a horde with just me and another man. Are you sure they will be able to?", he said sarcastically. Bradley pulled up the screen and showed him the horde that was heading towards them.


    Jason''s eyes went wide when he saw the sheer size of the army. It was at least fifteen times larger than the horde they had faces, or that was what he thought.


    But what he didn''t know was that the horde was much larger than he had thought. The horde was a whopping thirty times larger than the one that was sent before.


    And with a few Demon Tiers present amongst them, this made the power of the Horde much powerful. Bradley was still trying to split the power level of the Horde.


    "There are three Demon Tiers. And if I assume they are the commanders, then they will each head for an entrance of the Kingdom from the setting I see here. And the rest have the same hierarchy, I suppose", he thought as he looked at them.


    He looked at the people he had with him. The best they could face against was a King Tier, and if they were lucky, an Emperor Tier. He was sure that anything above that, they will end up in pieces.


    "Alright, you three are to guard three people respectively. Anthony, you will guard Sam. Sally, you will guard Kate. And Jason, you will guard both the King and the Queen.. And take these", he said and handed Jason a small box.

 Chapter 132 - The Programmer

    He opened it and saw there were five injections. And it was filled with a dark greenish-blue liquid. He looked back at Bradley with confusion in his eyes.


    "The DNAs that you have each have their advantages and disadvantages. We haven''t thought you to change between the DNAs as you wish, and this serum will help in the process of calling forth a single DNA. You won''t need to lose your rationality, and even if you do, I am giving the counter to that. Pass it to the King the moment you arrive at the Palace", he said as he handed him another case.


    Jason looked at all of them, and a smile formed unknowingly. He didn''t understand what this was, but he was liking the feeling of it.


    He nodded his head and the three of them got ready to move. Anthony and Sally had their talks, and Jason was staring at a mirror at his reflection.


    "I don''t know if my parents are alive, or even if I had one. But I just want to know about my life before this. And after going out with the King, I have realized that I am not strong enough to face the trials that this world has in store for me", he muttered.


    "I need to control this power that I  have and make it second nature to me. I will have to ask the King what he did to achieve that state of control", he thought as he kept staring at his reflection.


    He splashed his face with water and looked at his reflection again. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath.


    "I wonder if I will be allowed to take a weapon along with me. I have never seen them with any weapons before. They have strength and speed, but I wonder how much more combat prowess those two will have with their weapons", he thought as he walked out of the room.


    The both of them were looking in his direction when he walked out, and they saw the stress on his face. Both of them placed their hands on his shoulder.


    "Don''t worry too much. Consider this as training. There are moments that you will need to do undercover missions and protect people without them noticing. And even if something dangerous comes, the King is powerful enough to stop it, and you can slay them", said Anthony.


    This brought a smile to Jason''s face. He was worried that he would need to do everything and prove his worth to be a part of the Guardians. But what he had failed to notice was that the moment they had taken him in, and from that moment they had considered him as a part of the Guardians.


    He placed his hands on theirs, and the three of them had a smile. Sally pulled out a box and handed it to him.


    Jason received the box, and his eyes were shining stars. he was guessing what was inside, and he opened it up like a kid opening his Christmas Present.


    There was a jacket inside with the Guardians symbol on the back, and there was a brooch. It was the same that Leon and Bradley had, and that was the symbol for the GUardians.


    He then picked up a pair of nunchucks. They were black, and the handles had a silver circle at the end. He hadn''t used the weapon before, and he was wondering he should use it.


    Anthony took those from him and he spun them skillfully. When he was spinning, Jason took notes of every move he had seen.


    It was something Jason had as an innate talent. He will be able to pick up any style of fighting as long as he could see it. His eyes were transformed, and he was seeing every motion in a fluid motion.


    He was taking note of every muscle that Anthony moved, and he was imitating them in his brain. The way he was watching would give anyone the creeps, with his eyes glued to the person.


    After a few minutes of showing him, something came out of the end of the nunchucks. It was a foot long, and it was like a blade.


    The range of motion changed at that moment, and the way he was moving changed drastically. The times when he would pause the movements were now lessened, and he was keeping the spinning more fluid.


    Jason took note of the change after the ejection of the blade, and he made a mental note of that part. Anthony stopped the demonstration and gave it to him.


    "This is how you use it. Use them only if necessary right now as you do not have sufficient training. But if you get proficient in this, then no one will be able to near you as you will have a cover around you, which would be almost impenetrable", he said.


    Jason nodded his head and placed it at his hip. The three of them left, and Bradley was looking at the screen, with his fingers tapping on the table.


    He then saw them off, and he was looking at Leon''s transmission on the screen. He was now standing at a particular place and he was worried about what was going on, as he could not reach him no matter what he tried.


    Just as he was about to check it for himself, he saw something pop up on the internet. A timer was running with the words ''Wave 2'' underneath them. He was pissed when he saw this, and his right hand transformed.


    "The Audacity!", he huffed and smashed his hand and broke the table that was next to him. Just when he thought about tracing the source, he received Leon''s signal. And the both of them spoke.


    After speaking with him, he had calmed himself down. He looked at the screens now, and he was sitting back as he sipped from his coffee.


    "Leon has begun to move, and everyone is out now. How should I make the most out of this situation, and make ''The Omega'' take massive losses? If they are live-streaming this to every server around the Kingdom, or even the Empire, I have to backtrack the source", he thought.


    He cracked his knuckles and took out his glasses. He pushed them up to his nose ridge, and a smile spread across his face.


    "Let us see who is the better hacker. Now, let''s send the track bots that I have made", he smiled as he began to type a command.


    (The Omega Branch Headquarters)


    A guy was looking at the screens in front of him, and he had a nervous smile across his face.


    "Just getting this live stream across all these servers and making a complicated net to stop backtracking took the energy out of me", he thought as he opened a drawer on his right. He was feeling around, but he couldn''t find the thing he was looking for.


    "Where are all of my chips?", he asked in a loud voice. The door was blasted open, and in came two burly-looking men. One of the men grabbed him by the hair and pulled him out of the chair.


    "You think just because you can hack you are the boss of us? No one is the boss of us. We ate the chips, what will you do about it", asked one of the men with a smile. The other man gave a punch right across his face.


    The man who was punched felt a salty taste in his mouth, and he held it in. The both of them punched him black and blue, and they let him stay there.


    "You needed chips? Here you go!", they said as they threw him two packets of chips and left him. The door was slammed shut and the man groaned as he coughed out the blood that he was holding in his mouth.


    The coughing was intense, and his shirt had been soiled with the blood. His vision was hazy in one of his eyes.


    His glasses were broken and it was lying on the ground, and his fingers were broken. He pulled himself up and stood with his legs shaking.


    "My dear family, just wait a little longer. I will make sure that these guys free you, even if it cost my life", he thought as he pulled himself to the chair, with a pack of chips in his hands.


    "Light Heal", he muttered and the damage that was done to his body had begun to recover. A light was enveloped around him, and he was healing himself slowly.


    After a couple of more Light Heals, his fingers and eyes that were swollen and broken had returned to normal. His shattered teeth had grown back, and he pulled out another pair of glasses from the drawer.


    "This is the two hundredth time they have broken my glasses.. I only have so much money in my hands to buy another one", he muttered as he tossed a chip into his mouth.

 Chapter 133 - Attack On The Palace (Part One)

    He was looking at the screen, and on the bottom right corner, there was a notification blinking. He clicked it open and a smile spread across his face.


    He cracked his knuckles and straightened his back. He once more pushed up his glasses, and a glint flashed past his eyes.


    "I welcome you to my maze. Let''s see how you will be able to backtrace to me, Victor The Calculator", he smiled and began to play defense from the hack.


    He began typing commands, and a battle between hackers began.


    (The Heart Palace, After Jason, had arrived)


    Jason was now looking at the Palace, and he was in awe at the vastness of the place. He was beginning to wonder they were going to defend against such a large force in such a vast place.


    The place was bustling with people all around, and there was also the Royal military. They were taking positions all around the place, and he had to sneak past them. The GUardians are a branch that was unknown to everyone.


    He looked around and saw a path that was totally in the shadows. He headed straight into the path, and he saw the tower that was the place the King was supposed to be. He used his Lion''s claws and dug into the wall as he ran up the wall.


    After he reached the top, he stood in a corner and watched the King have a calm seat, and have his hands on his chin. After a few seconds, a smile spread across his face.


    "You can come out, Jason. You have improved significantly", he said which startled Jason. He was sure the King didn''t look in his direction, but he had sensed him.


    Jason appeared out of the shadows, and right when he stepped inside the room, he was surrounded by Icicles all around him. Ben turned his head and looked at him.


    "Now, answer me this. If you break me, I do not stop working. If you touch me I may be snared. And if you lose me, nothing will matter. What am I?", he asked. Jason was stumped when he heard that question.


    He was about to think about it, but the icicle which was near his throat was now piercing slowly. Blood was trickling, and he felt the pressure to answer immediately.


    "Tell them its ''Your Heart''", came Anthony''s voice from his earpiece. Jason was confused, but if that would bring him out of this situation, then he was willing to take the gamble.


    "Your Heart?", he said in a skeptical voice. The moment he said the answer, the Icicles pressed deeper. He was confused as to why this was happening.


    "Did I answer wrong?", he thought as he looked at the Icicle slowly drawing his life. It was hanging by a thread, and he was thinking about how to save himself.


    He looked at the person that was controlling the Icicles, and it was a woman. Although she was looking slightly old, she was pretty.


    "Who is in front of you?", asked Anthony hearing the panting on Jason''s side. Jason was stuttering now.


    "A woman and Icicles are around me with on in my neck. Any way to get out of this, I would appreciate it", he said with sweat falling down his face.


    A laugh was all he heard from the other side. There was a chuckle of a girl, and it was Sally''s. Jason was confused as to what was going on.


    The Icicle pressed, and now he was coughing. The was a trickle of blood from the side of his mouth, and his vision was darkening.


    "Is this how death feels like? I don''t want to die", he thought as he tried to transform his arms. He couldn''t transform it, and he felt drained.


    Just as he was about to pass out, he felt the Icicle pull out from his neck. His healing took over and the wound was covered up in a second.


    Ben had a smile across his face. That was when he noticed something around the both of them. There were dead bodies all around them, and all of them was Leon''s.


    "They aren''t the real deal. They took the shape of him, and just died by our hands. That was why had to investigate you. Sorry you had to go through that", said Martha to him.


    Right after he understood the situation, he knew why they had to do that. He didn''t hold it against them and smiled back at them.


    "The moment we had drained enough blood, they showed their true natures. That was why he had to drain the blood and see if you turned. But when she was sure that you were the same person, she stopped", explained Ben further to him.


    Jason understood their concern, and after what they had faced, they were sure to be on edge. He smiled and stood guard next to them.


    He was overlooking from the window that was present in the room, and he saw all the troops taking positions to take their shots at any intruders. The way they had set up now, Jason was sure he would have got caught the moment he stepped inside.


    He turned and saw the both of them relaxing, and they were discussing something. He tried overhearing it.


    "According to our sources, it seems like all of the Head Royals are missing. They have been missing for the past week, but they were present here in the Palace. And if I match it with this attack", said Martha.


    Ben nodded his head in realization. He took his hands from his chin, and he was sure that if they had disguised like the Royal heads, they will have access to this place.


    "Jason, it seems like we will have to work together. We have been infiltrated on a deeper level than we had thought. And thus, we will need to smoke them out", he said. Jason nodded his head as he thought he would not get a piece of the action.


    "There are Six heads of each Department. Head of Magicians, Head of Archers, Head of Swordsman, Head of Assassins, Head of Military, Head Of Strategies. And among these, we will face only four, and the other two will be hiding".


    Jason nodded his head after he heard the names of the heads. He was sure that the Head of Assassins would be a tough opponent to deal with, and the Head of Strategies will be attacking from behind the scenes.


    The moment this realization hit him, he understood what he was going to do. He had his fair share of training in The Guardian Tower about strategies, and how to understand tactics.


    "You are going to be bait?", he asked as his eyes went wide. He looked at Martha, thinking that she would stop his madness. But the smile she had was something he didn''t expect.


    "Stop him! If something happens to the King, you know what will become of this Kingdom?", he exclaimed out loud. He was worried sick about the insane plan he had.


    Martha smiled and placed her hand on Jason''s back. He felt a slight sting, but after that, he felt nothing. He turned around and saw nothing behind him.


    She nodded her head and Ben walked out the door, and Jason followed behind. He didn''t understand how to protect both the Queen and the King, but to him, it seemed like The King needed more protection.


    The moment the both of them left the room, a chill hit Jason''s face. The room which they were in was now covered in Ice, and in the middle was Martha. It was like a room in an Ice Cave, and she was the ruler of the said place.


    The door closed in his face, and he tried to push it open. He was confused as to why she would lock herself inside the room alone, and in Ice.


    "Don''t worry, in that environment, her attack power increases by thirty percent by every hour. After the boost reaches a whopping one hundred and fifty percent, she will not be able to gain extra power anymore.


    Jason didn''t understand the plan, but it seemed like their plan relied on Marthe quite heavily were the train of his thoughts. He followed behind ben and they were looking at the assembly of the army around the Palace.


    He was making small adjustments as he was looking around. Right after a few minutes, a loud boom was heard from the Southern side of the Palace.


    Jason was about to run in the direction when he felt a hand on his shoulder stop him from moving. He looked at Ben smiling, and his eyes were twinkling.


    "Seems like Father had received the transmission", he thought as he stepped away from the army, and an arrow whizzed past his head.


    Jason was right behind, and he caught it with his hands.. His eyes had now transformed to that of a lion, and he was looking at the direction from which he saw the arrow come.

 Chapter 134 - Attack On The Palace (Part Two)

    There was a small figure on top of a building far away, and he was looking at the said person. Their face was covered, but with his vision, he was able to make out that the person was a woman.


    A glint and he was quick on his feet. Ben was standing in place, and Jason jumped in front of him as he caught all three of the arrows.


    "Your vision has improved too", he said in response. He was testing out Jason and until now his performance worthy of a Guardian.


    More arrows were coming towards them, but he felt another threat come from the sides. He jumped as he lifted his legs towards his chest. He caught the arrows and narrowly avoided a sword that was about to cut his legs.


    He landed on the ground, and he punched the swordsman straight at his chest. He was pushed back, and the strength behind the punch was astonishing for him.


    Jason looked around, and he heightened his senses. He threw a briefcase at Ben and repeated what Bradley had told him.


    "If I go berserk, inject me with that. I know you are strong and that is why I ask this of you", he said as he looked at the swordsman.


    Ben nodded his head and held it in his hands. He didn''t open it and Jason now took his stance to fight against the swordsman. The man who was opposite him laughed out loud.


    "You think you can fight me with just your bare hands?", he mocked Jason. Jason kept his cool, and he had his fists ready and his eyes were darting around, anticipating any attacks from around him.


    He was wary of the archer, and he was sure that there was an assassin hiding somewhere around him. He was up against masters, and he was sure he would not fare against all of them.


    But taking one of them with him, he was sure he could do that. He couldn''t reach the archer as he didn''t have that amount of exploding speed, and the nearest one to him was the swordsman. He stepped back and another man appeared.


    "Head of the Military. Also a Master of Martial Arts", said Ben from behind. Jason nodded his head and put his fists up, and was moving his feet differently than a normal fighter would. The man clicked his tongue, as he could not recognize the style in which his opponent was fighting.


    Jason had a smirk across his face, as he remembered something he had learned back at the Tower. "Only a very few know the different styles we Beastmen use", he remembered Bradley telling him.


    He was sure that the man before him must have not seen his style, but if he is a master then he will test and feel him. He did a forward kick, and the man slid to the side. Jason didn''t study many styles while he was at the Tower, and thus he couldn''t identify them.


    Just like how he was feeling around, the man was waiting for him to initiate the attack. When he dodged the attack, he was sure about one thing. "One attack from him, and I will end up with broken bones", he thought.


    The wind he felt as he dodged was something he had never felt before. Jason was now getting frustrated, but he had his fair share of battles like these in the Tower to understand that any hasty movements will end up disadvantageous for him.


    He was using Kitty style, which was a swift and nimble Beastmen Martial Art. This Martial Art depended on speed and precision. The attacks are always aimed at vital spots.


    But as he was merged with the Ape and Minotaur DNA, he had the advantage of the power in the said Martial Art. Even amongst the Beastmen, there aren''t many who use the Kitty Style.


    The footwork he was using was also a part of the same Martial Art, as cats have the habit of circling their prey, and confusing them from which direction their attack will be coming.


    The Kitty Style was founded on that said basis, and the attacks had a lot of Feints and luring traps in them. The Military Head took a step forward, and he had his fists right in front of his face.


    He took the stance of a boxer, and he inched closer to Jason. Just when he was inches away from him, he gave a quick left jab.


    Jason avoided it narrowly, and it was all thanks to his Beastman DNA. He was sure that if he was a normal human, there was no way he would have been able to dodge that punch.


    He followed it up with a right uppercut, and Jason moved his head slightly to the side. The fist grazed right past his cheek, and he felt the place turn numb just from it.


    He was now on high alert, as the distance between the both of them was closed. He quickly used his knees and did a straight drive, pushing his knee towards his stomach.


    Just when he thought he had connected, he felt his momentum stop. He looked down and saw both hands blocking his knee, and he was unable to push past it.


    Jason immediately twisted his body and wrapped both of his arms around his neck. He pulled him down as he slammed the bridge of his nose against his shoulder as he pulled him to the floor.


    There was a crack, and blood was flowing down the nose. The military head''s lower face was now gushing blood, and he just blew his nose and cleared of the blood. But the thing he didn''t expect was a broken nose.


    Jason, who was on the ground, quickly used his legs and wrapped them around his opponent''s legs, pulling him into an ankle lock. He pulled him down to the floor, as he twisted his ankle.


    The military head was now deep in the lock, and he knew the only way to get out of this was to make him feel the same pain. He did the same, and the both of them were now on the same lock.


    The move that Jason was using was used mostly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This Martial Art is composed of grapples, locks, and submission. And cats do have the same tendency too.


    Since he had the DNA of a Lion, he had a very flexible body. And what the Military head was doing to him felt like nothing but a pat.


    He was smiling while the opponent was losing his wits against Jason''s combat prowess. he began to reassess his opponent.


    "I thought he was some amateur, but it seems like he has several Martial Arts under him", he thought and decided to tap out.


    "Did you forget this was a death match?", was the response he got for tapping. That was when he understood he made the mistake of taking him as a naive kid.


    Jason changed his hold on him.


    He was now one leg wrapped, and the other was pushing the chin upwards, making him have a steadier grip onto his oesophagus. The Military Head was choking, and his vision was fading.


    That was when he felt something around him. He quickly let go of him and shot away from the place.


    There was a blast in front of him, and smoke covered his vision. He was looking past it, and he saw six figures appear from it.


    All six were standing next to each other, and they had their hands together. A pink hue was surrounding them, and they began to chant something.


    "ARES WILL BE BACK!", said the six of them, and they vanished from the place. Right when he thought that the crisis was over, he heard a transmission from Bradley.


    "You are not to leave the King and Queen and to stay by their times at all times. We have a crisis, and a plethora of enemies will come from any side at any time. Be prepared for anything", he commanded.


    Jason was confused about what he was talking about, but his duties were meant to be here in the Palace. If that was what he was to do then that was what he will do. He smiled and acknowledged the orders he had received.


    He stood beside Ben and had his hands in his pockets. He was looking at Ben like he was expecting something from him. Ben just smiled and nodded his head.


    He didn''t have to say anything to him to make him work hard. All he needed was a single nod, and Jason was over the moon. He was now on cloud nine, and he was walking with a skip.


    "I protected the King!", he thought. But when he began to think deeply about it, it dawned on him that the King wanted this to happen, and he was just watching if he should intervene when the fight got too dangerous.


    "This is going to be a long night", he muttered as he looked up to the sky.. Just as he was about to say something to Jason, he felt a vibration in his pocket.

 Chapter 135 - Arrival Of The Guardians

    (Underground City, Main Entrance 2)


    Lucas was thinking about what was happening back at the Palace, and he was sure Sam was somewhere around here if Kate was here. He was about to ask the question when he heard the revving of an engine.


    He pulled out his blades, and everyone was prepared to face off against the person who had come. The man got down and lowered the hood on his face, and it was none other than Leon.


    Lucas was elated to see Leon was here, but when he saw more vehicles arrive behind him, he became wary. He knew of The Guardians Division, and they did not have that many people.


    He quickly made his move, and he threw his blade toward Leon''s face. He moved and avoided the blade, but that was when Lucas activated [Chains Of Hades], and wrapped it around Leon''s neck.


    He felt the searing of his skin, and the smell of burning flesh was entering his nose. He wanted to barf, but he also understood why he was on edge.


    "It is me, your Master. Loosed it this instant", he said as he pulled out his sword and tried cutting it. The sword deflected, indicating that it was tough to cut through it.


    "Prove it", commanded Lucas. He was the leader right now, and he had to make sure that the person he let through was indeed his master and no fake who was in disguise.


    Leon began to think about how to remind Lucas that it was indeed him. A smile quickly spread across his face.


    "On your 8th birthday, you went missing when the cake had to be cut. While everyone was searching where you were, you were in the wine cellar, arguing with the guards that you were the Prince and needed to be let in", he said.


    Lucas smiled. He remembered that day very clearly, and it was Leon who had found him and covered it up for him. It was a secret that was between the both of them, and this solidified the fact that he was indeed his master.


    Lucas released the grip on Leon''s neck, and he ran up to him to check the wound that he had made. By the time he had arrived, it had begun to heal up.


    "Good thing I didn''t tighten it any further", he sighed in relief. Leon was thinking along the same lines, and he saw his disciple with a smile.


    Lucas pulled him up and asked the question that was burning in his mind.


    "Who are they? And how did you get so many people?", he asked. Leon told him the short version of what had happened, and he understood the gist of the events that had transpired.


    "So, you have split into three groups. One is lead by you, and one by the Former Guardian Denver, and another one by The Former Guardian Alex?", he asked to clarify his question. Leon nodded his head in response.


    Lucas counted the heads that had come along with Leon. There were nine including Leon. he had some idea of the line of work of the Guardians.


    "I want every one of you to cover this area in a semi-circle of a radius of a kilometer. And connect to this specific frequency. It was given to me by Miss Van Dyke who was here, and this is how we keep up with the developments all around us", he said.


    Leon nodded his head and changed everything. Though Lucas had lost his status as Prince, right now he was the leader for this entrance. And as his master, it was his job to guide him.


    "Do not eliminate the enemies if they are wary. Let them through, and we will sandwich them", he spoke into the microphone. Everyone was shocked at his train of thoughts.


    Everyone who was following behind Leon now had a newfound respect for him, as they saw the way his disciple was handling the situation. Right after Leon had gone, Sally arrived. She was given a device.


    "Your task is to mask your presence. Any enemy that flees from here, kill them", he said. The way he was talking made Robert think he had handled a situation like this.


    "But how can he say kill so easily? The Lucas I had seen for the past two weeks was kind and benevolent. But he is so calculative", he thought as he admired his friend''s face.


    He was thinking if he was the same person, and Lucas turned towards him as he was thinking of what to tell him.


    "If you are thinking who I am, or why I have coldness, that is how it is in wars. If you are not ready to take a life, you will lose yours".


    "There is no mercy in a battlefield, and every second you breathe, you must stay vigilant. I am still the same person, and if it was possible I would like to have a negotiation with the opposing party."


    "But sadly, the opposing party is someone who treats humans as nothing but lab rats. Countless lives have been taken by them, villages burned down, nightmares created for infants. Do they deserve to live?", he asked.


    Robert felt something inside him move, and anger was welling from inside him. He had his hand on his Katana and looked Lucas in the eye.


    There was something in his eyes that made him lose himself in it. He saw something inside his eyes the deeper he saw in it.


    "You meant every word, didn''t you?", he asked as he pulled himself out of the trance. Lucas nodded his head and placed his blades back inside.


    Robert came back to the important part which was about his core.


    "Lucas, you must have formed your core, right? If you have, activate your Aura and I will see what kind of core you have", he said.


    Lucas was also curious as to what kind of core he had formed. He was thinking something around Bronze or Silver, and if it was Silver, he would be more than happy. With that thought in his mind, he activated his Aura.


    Robert had a hand over his mouth when he saw a small thread of shine in the Aura. His eyes were screaming out something amazing, but his mouth was unable to say what he wanted to.


    He finally pulled himself together and took a deep breath. After reorganizing his thoughts, he had calmed down a bit.


    "Lucas, what I am about to tell you might shock you. But you have to take this seriously. Your core...", he paused to create tension for Lucas. "Is a FREAKING DIAMOND CORE!", he exclaimed in happiness.


    He was jumping up and down on the inside, but since it was a war, he was keeping a composed figure as the Vice leader around.


    Lucas on the other hand, had his mind blown. He was wondering how he had a Diamond core when both his Brother and Sister had Silver and Gold Cores respectively. he was sure about the fact that he will be Silver just like Sam.


    "Maybe I can ask them about this later", he thought and was looking around. He heard a voice on the other end. It was none other than Sam.


    "Lucas, you have awakened the Diamond too?", he asked. Lucas was stunned when he heard the statement.


    "What do you mean by too? Don''t tell me that you and Kate...", he paused, as he didn''t want to finish that sentence. He was in disbelief as the thought of him being fooled for such a long time popped into his mind.


    He was not mad at them for lying to him. he was rather mad at them for not trusting him. He wanted to turn off the communications, but he couldn''t let his personal feelings get in the way of this war.


    Thus, he took a deep breath and sorted out his thoughts. He now knew that he and his siblings all has the same Diamond Core, which made him happy.


    But as he was rejoicing with the fact that he had gotten stronger, one work from Robert broke all of his hopes.


    "Don''t think that you will be able to breakthrough easily anymore. Yours require a lot of resources, and in some cases, Magic Circles. Luckily we have someone who has a little bit of knowledge on formations and the like", he said


    Lucas smiled as he took in the information.


    "My broke arse can''t afford my living expenses, let alone breaking through expenses. And this is more reason as to why I must have to increase the business of my shop", he thought.


    A tremor came from below him, and it shook the whole ground. Everyone was shocked, and smoke was seen rising from far away.


    He was looking through the smoke, and he was unable to see anything. He waited for a few minutes, and the smoke began to clear up.


    He wasn''t the only person looking at this scenario. There were seven spots in the kingdom, in which the same phenomenon was happening.


    "What in the world is that building?", he thought as he looked at it in awe.

 Chapter 136 - Prison: The Zoo (Part One)

    (Inside the Building, right before the timer countdown began)


    The prisoners were going about having a normal day, which was nothing other than eating and reading something. It was not a Fight day, meaning that their only form of Entertainment, which was the Arena will not be happening.


    Everyone was doing what they liked. Some of them had the habit of reading, while some others write. While some others just sketched. There were different ways to while away their time there, and they were just doing that.


    Whenever it was Fight Day, they would be excited. That was because the fighter that was selected, would have to face another. If won, they would be called upon to be given an upgrade to their Beast DNA.


    This was the reason why most of them fought. And if someone, who was at a disadvantage took down someone, they could have a double upgrade, meaning they will be able to move up two tiers completely.


    And when they had reached the Demi-God Tier, a new round will be initiated, which was the survival mode. In that mode, anyone can challenge him, and if the person keeps winning, he will be left alive. If he loses one match, he will be killed immediately.


    Every person in this prison had their thought connected to a supercomputer by a chip. And the thought of escaping, or trying to leak the information to the people outside, will end up being dead on the spot.


    They will get three warnings in the form of electrocution. An electricity charge of 160 watts of electricity throughout their body, stunning them. They will be put in White Torture.


    White torture is a technique where they imprison a single person in a room, which is covered in white. The lights in the room are placed strategically around so that when the lights are turned on, there will be no shadows of the person that is inside.


    The form of torture begins from visual to psychological. Visually, the person loses sense of all color, as the only thing they can see is white, and not even their shadows. Even the clothes they will wear are white.


    The second is by sound. There will be no sound in the room as it will be made completely soundproof, not allowing any sound to be entered into it. Even the guards who will be placed inside will be wearing padded shoes that allow them to move around without making any noise inside. There is no ether sound other than the prisoner inside.


    The third is by taste. The prisoner is fed white food, meaning the food is bland and doesn''t have any taste. Making the person lose their sense of taste, and these three factors would slowly drive a person towards the edge.


    This form of torture is psychological, making the prisoner lose their sense of self-identity, invoking hallucinations and psychosis.


    The warnings that are given will be in this room, in the form of time. The first warning, they will be imprisoned here for an hour. The second is for six hours, and the third will be for an entire week.


    After that, if the said prisoner still refuses to follow, he will be electrocuted to death. The electricity will run throughout their whole body, and blood will come out of their orifices due to an overload of electricity.


    Most of the time, this results in the melting of the brain, turning the said person to mush. In some extreme cases, the head has exploded due to the overload of electricity.


    The reason for this was they all had a chip connected to their cerebrum, the part of the brain that was responsible for thinking. They had an algorithm that could accurately translate those brain waves into what they thought, and that was how the supercomputer kept track of all the thoughts.


    Everyone was going about having another day, and they were being closely monitored by the cameras and the supercomputer. Just as they were having a calm time, a countdown appeared in front of them.


    Everyone was confused as they were sure today was not a fight day. Unless someone had made it to Demi-God Tier, there would not be such notification was the train of thoughts for everyone.


    After the timer appeared, The Zookeeper began to speak.


    "As you all can see, a timer has appeared before you. But this is not about the regular ones. And today is a special event."


    "Today''s event shall be between the Zoo''s, and you all shall be released from here. You are to kill every opponent you see, and the more you kill, the higher you can get an upgrade, we will show you the kill count needed to be achieved", said The Zookeeper, and a count was displayed to everyone.


    [100 kills - Basic -> Intermediate


    250 kills - Intermediate -> Advanced


    500 kills - Advanced -> Legendary


    750 kills - Legendary -> King


    1000 kills - King -> Emperor


    1250 kills - Emperor -> Demi-God


    1500+ kills - You will be able to leave ''The Zoo'']


    Everyone was looking at the screen that was hovering above, and some had a smile across their faces. While some others had a frown on their faces for the number of kills they had to make to get a Tier Upgrade, most of them had their concentration on one number.


    [1500+ kills - You will be able to leave ''The Zoo'']


    That was what everyone that was in ''The Zoo'' wanted. They wanted to be free of this place, and they were willing to go to any lengths to achieve that purpose.


    Everyone huddled around, and there was one person to whom the whole of the prison listened. He was the top ''Animal'' in the prison, and his name was Zen. They were waiting for any decisions from the top.


    Alongside Zen, there were three other people. They followed Zen diligently, and their positions were solidified in the prison. They were Bruce, Alfred, and Ichiro Ren.


    Zen was a lean man who had a smoke in his mouth, and he was swinging his tail as he was walking into the middle of the circle. A chair was brought forth, and he took his seat in it.


    To his right was Ren, and he was also a lean man like him. Both of them were Chinese and Japanese respectively, and they had mastered some Martial Arts.


    To his left was Brice, and he was a burly man with dark skin. His hair was in dreadlocks, and he had a tattoo of a word down the middle of his back. It was written in Japanese, which read ''Gi, Yu, Jin, Rei, Makato, Meiyo, Chugi''.


    These words were the ''Seven Virtues of Bushido'', or also known as the ''Samurai Code Of Chivalry''. The words translated to ''Justice or Integrity, Courage, Mercy or Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Honor, and Loyalty''.


    In the middle of these two was Alfred, and he was a middle-aged man. He was just standing there silently observing the atmosphere, and he cleared up his throat.


    "As you can all see, we have been here for far too long, and we now have a chance to leave this place. And if what we heard was true, and there were other places like ours, and we are pitted against them, then we will need a code", he said.


    Everyone nodded their heads. Even Zen had a smile on his face as he heard the idea. He was thinking along the same lines, and for one of his trusted men to come up with the same was something he had expected.


    "So what will the code be?", he asked, and everyone was confused as to why he was asking them when they thought he had one. Alfred shrugged his shoulders, and everyone began to think and give their suggestions.


    Alfred was rejecting everyone as he was sure they could be easily figured out. One small person came forward and pulled at his pants.


    Alfred looked down and saw the person. It was a little girl, and she was looking at him with expectant eyes. Alfred had looked at her and smiled as he squat down to listen to her suggestion.


    "What about a question, mister? A question that would make everyone think a lot, but only our people will be able to figure out the answer?", she asked. She thought it was something good, and pitched it to him.


    Alfred nodded his head as he was sure that was s good answer. He gave the girl a head pat and showed her to go back to the crowd.


    She went back with a wide smile, and Alfred had a smile on his face. He then looked at everyone, and his face turned serious.


    Everyone now had their game faces, as they knew from this moment onwards, it was a battle that was inevitable.. The place that was bustling quieted down, and pin-drop silence was present.

 Chapter 137 - Prison: The Zoo (Part Two)

    "This little girl here came up with a good suggestion. Something that is a question that makes people think. If the person thinks, we will know that they are our enemy. But if they answer immediately, we will know they are our friend."


    "Now, I don''t know at what kind of place we are going to be dropped in, but if we come to face against any humans, what do we do?", he asked.


    "WE DO NOT ENGAGE! WE DO NOT FIGHT HUMANS UNLESS PROVOKED!", chanted everyone. This was something Zen had drilled into everyone, and they had also come to believe it.


    Zen believed that not every human was bad, and everyone deserved their chance. Many people here had hatred against the humans that had done this to them, which was indeed justifiable.


    But when everyone was faced with the question of what they will do after they had killed the humans who did this to them, they had no clue. Some wanted to settle down and live a peaceful life, while others were blank.


    This was the point where Zen began his preaching. The reason he was this respected was not because of his strength, but rather because of his ideals. And the first three to follow him were none other than Bruce, Alfred, and Ren.


    After Alfred made his announcement, he moved back. Zen let out some smoke and took a deep breath.


    "Everyone here has been waiting for this moment. The moment that we will be able to roam this world. The day that we will bring death to the people who did this to us. The day of our revenge."


    "But today, we will dominate the battlefield. We will show everyone why we are to be feared, and how desperate we are to win. Everyone will be desperate, and we will use that to our advantage."


    "We will fight! And for the ones that had died before us, May their souls Rest in peace", he finished his peace. Alfred stepped forward again, and he announced his riddle.


    "I reply when you call, but if you want me to talk, I say nothing at all. What am I?", he asked. He didn''t answer, as he wanted them to solve it with their intellect.


    "If they could, then I would need to come up with something more complex. If not, I can leave it at that", he thought. Everyone began to think hard, and no one could come up with the correct answer.


    Even the little girl who had given the suggestion didn''t know the answer to it. She shrugged her shoulders and had a smile on her face.


    Alfred looked at everyone and he was slightly disappointed. He was hoping someone would solve it, but it didn''t matter to him now.


    "The answer is ''a letter''. And this will be our codeword. Only after someone asks the question should you say the answer. If they say, ''what''s the password?'' or something along those lines. you are not to answer and execute them immediately. The question is to make sure that the person is indeed from our group, and the answer is an affirmation to say that you are of the same group", he explained clearly.


    Everyone was amazed at his thinking. They then began to memorize the question and the answer, and the timer was now at five minutes.


    Everyone had prepared the question and the answer and was ready to attack the people outside.


    "Everyone mast rack 1500+ kills, so that we may all be free. After you have hit the mark, just stop after you have killed ten more just to be on the safe side. You can also hunt in groups, as each Beast has its specialty", sain Zen.


    Everyone nodded their heads and they were ready to head out when the floor began to rumble. Everyone felt it, and the tremors only increased as time passed by.


    Some of them were seated on the ground, while the rest were using their Beast abilities to stand still. Everyone felt the floor moving, and after a few minutes, they felt the movements stop.


    "Alright. The time has come. May we all grasp victory!", Zen gave his battle cry.


    "MAY WE ALL GRASP VICTORY!", cried everyone right after him. A door opened, revealing a path in front of them.


    Everyone began to head out the place, into the world that was going to be their battlegrounds.


    (Underground City, Main Entrance 2)


    Lucas, Robert, Sally, and Kate were standing right there when the building had emerged from under the ground. It was like something out of a Science Fiction movie for them.


    The building was white, and it had veins of blue running all across it. They were like pipes that were supplying the building with Mana.


    Lucas was still thinking about how to face this situation when he heard a transmission from Emilia.


    "What is going on? Why are there building emerging out of the ground? And this is, not the only one", she said.


    "Robert, use your Wind and have an aerial view of the place", he said and he followed. He charged his legs with Wind and jumped into the air.


    After a few minutes of gliding in the air, he reached back down with an astonished look on his face. Lucas was anxious right after he saw the face.


    "There are four as far as I can see. And each of them has an army of men coming for us", he reported to Lucas. He let out a long breath.


    "What I did not want to happen. This is going to be a long fight today", he said as he looked at the people with him. He had to give the commands, and this time the same will apply to Emilia''s people who are holding down the fort there.


    "Listen up. We have multiple people inbound towards us. This is war, and thus I assume that they are our foes. Attack them right after they get in your line of sight. And if you receive aid from anyone, do not refuse. We need all the help we can get at the moment", he commanded.


    Everyone understood what he was saying. He was taking precautions to fight against them, and he was also testing out if there are friends among these foes that he could exploit.


    "Two strikes in one move. As expected of my rival", beamed Robert''s face with pride. Lucas was now deep in thoughts, and he was wondering how to use Leon''s group to his advantage.


    "I can use them as my first line of defense, but I will lose many precious soldiers as their strength lies in sneaking up from behind. What if I let them through, and then make them attack from behind?", he thought.


    He was sure that this plan was much better than the previous one, as that would make the losses way lesser than his first plan. He passed the commands to Leon and was waiting for the army that Robert had pointed out to come towards him.


    "They are coming", came Leon''s voice from the other side. Lucas held a fist up in the air, and everyone had their weapons ready. Sally was a dagger user, while Kate was a sword user.


    He was looking at his stats, to see if he had enough EXP to buy something that he could use in the shop.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 24]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth, The Schemer (inactive), Master Tactician (inactive)]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Accumulated EXP: 12,500]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 70]


    [Stamina: 61]


    [Agility: 70+28]


    [Perception: 59]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 70]


    He saw the points which he had stored for all this while. He remembered Valentine''s words, which were not to use until he had reached the Third Stage.


    "Should I use them now?", he thought and he heard the answer from Valentine.


    "Kid, your Core still hasn''t stabilized. It is about seventy percent past the stabilization mark, and another hour and it will be stabilized. You can use the points after the hour is up", replied Valentine.


    "I can''t speed up the process any faster kid. Any faster, and your body will break down into atoms, making the Aura burst out and kill you", he thought as he answered Lucas. Lucas had a smile across his face, and he was figuring out how to distribute the points.


    "Let me make the stats even for now. That should make 9 points to Stamina, eleven points to Perception, and twenty-seven points to magic. I would end up with twenty-three points as a remainder. I can use that to increase the Magic stat slowly as I increase my strength every day", he concluded.


    Right after he had finished the calculation, he heard a cry from somewhere around him.. There were eyes all around him, and everyone stepped out from the shadows of the trees.

 Chapter 138 - Facing An Army!

    "There should be at least a hundred of them", said Kate as she looked at every one of them. There were only four of them and hundreds of opponents.


    "Hold it", commanded Lucas into the earpiece. He still had to buy time to make them commence the attack, thus driving all their attention towards the four of them.


    "How long do you think you can hold?", he asked. Everyone looked at him like they were looking at a mad person. Sally chuckled as she eyed him.


    "Seems like Junior brother plans to deal with them all with just the four of us", she said. Kate had a smile, as it had been a while since she had gone all out.


    Robert was now looking at Lucas with doubt, thinking if the feat they were about to try will be the end of him.


    "Mother and father, I hope I did you guys proud", he muttered as he readied his blade. Everyone had pulled out their weapons, and they were waiting for the opponents to advance.


    Everyone was on edge, and the opponents were licking their tongues.


    "ATTACK!", came a voice from within the group, and their opponent made their move. Lucas clicked his tongue.


    "It was great knowing you guys!", he said as he pulled out his blades, and activated [Chains Of Hades] immediately. He threw the blade and pierced through some of the enemies, killing them instantly.


    Robert made his move and sent a strike towards them. He had improved his strikes, and each of them were now wider and much sharper than before, all thanks to his connection to the spirit.


    Lucas felt the change in him once again and knew it wasn''t him fighting now. "Sarah, you better take care of him", he said as he pulled more of his enemies towards him.


    "Sandwich now", he muttered into the microphone and the reinforcement arrived. Kate was holding her sword, which had the middle filled out with blood.


    Sally was jumping from one to another, either slashing at their throats or twisting their heads with her insane strength. The enemies were taken aback when they saw that four humans were standing their ground against their numbers.


    "Unleash your inner Beast!", came a command, and everyone began to turn. Just as they were about to make their move, they felt an attack from behind.


    "They''re Beastmen", said Lucas and every one of the Guardians turned. Some of them were rabbits, while some others were wolves.


    The enemies were now in a pinch, and when they saw Beastmen working together with humans, they were enraged. One of them began to shout at them.


    "We are superior to them, the measly humans! How dare you work side by side with them?", he said and went forward to punch at Leon. Leon moved to the side and kicked him.


    "Fight that human, and you will know if they are weaker than us", he said in reply as he was flying towards Lucas. Lucas was about to slash at another person when he felt an attack coming from above.


    He jumped back and let the attack land, as he heard Leon saying something in the earpiece.


    "Show him that Humans are not weak, and they can defeat the Beastmen on their own", he said and Lucas had a smile on his face. He placed his blades back inside, as he needed to overpower him.


    Just as he was about to move towards him, a man came jumping at him. His snout was about to bite Lucas straight in the face when he ducked and punched right at his temple.


    Lucas never lost eye contact with the man who had landed in front of him, and the people who came at him were dead as he punched at every vital spot he could.


    Bones cracked and heads were twisted, as he moved forward towards the man. He had hidden his aura for all this time, and he released it all as he stood in front of him.


    The man who had spoken was now breaking a cold sweat. He didn''t expect Lucas, who was now walking towards him, to have an intense Aura.


    He scoffed at him and transformed his hands into sickles. They were sharp, and it was slicing the air around him as he made his move.


    [Rage Meter is full. Activate it? Yes/No]


    Lucas had a devilish smile on his face as he saw the notification. He looked at the man who was slightly shivering in front of him from fear.


    "Let''s change up the stakes", he thought as he stepped forward.


    "Yes", he said and the Rage Meter was activated. He slowly use it to rise his Aura density, and the man was now losing his cool.


    [Rage Mode has been Activated]


    [All stats have been increased by a hundred percent]


    "This is a human? What is with this insane strength? He is at par with the boss! I can''t defeat him!", he thought as he wanted to turn tail and run. He was turning around when he felt someone behind him.


    He turned with his blades aimed at Lucas''s neck, but he held it with his fingers. The man had a shocked look on his face, and he was now stunned at his development.


    "But how..? How can a human be this strong?", he asked as he was quivering in fear. Lucas broke the sickle and held it in his hand.


    "Die in suspense", he said as he stabbed it through his stomach. The man lost his life without knowing the secret behind his strength, and everyone was now looking towards Lucas''s direction as they felt an intense Aura from him.


    They were about to make their move, and Lucas took out his Exploding Ice Sword. With his Rage Mode running through him, he jumped straight into the ranks of the enemy.


    "Take this chance!", he commanded and everyone took this chance to kill them off. In a few minutes, everyone was huffing, and around them were bodies of all the enemies who were about to attack them.


    He nodded his head and Leon and their team retreated into the forest. Kate was now walking towards them and was checking up on them.


    "They are all from the opposing army. It seems like the buildings that were risen was related to them, and if possible we should investigate it. But we do not have enough people to hold down the fort, and we might lose any people if we were to lessen our numbers", she said.


    Lucas had his fingers on his chin, and he received a transmission.


    "Lucas, someone is here and requests to have an alliance. He says he would like to speak with the leader. Should I put him on?", came Emilia''s voice. Lucas was stunned when he heard someone wanted to talk about an alliance.


    He was thinking who in their right mind would think about allying with them, and if they had a good cause, he would take them as a temporary ally. But he had to make sure that they were on his side first.


    "Put him on", he said and heard a man''s voice on the other side.


    "Mr. Leader of the troops, we have seen the might of your people, and we do not wish to harm the humans. We have a different goal right now, but I can assure you that we are against the Beastmen who will attack you any given moment", he said.


    With this statement, Lucas had derived the information he had needed. He was thinking about how to increase the numbers to defend against the attacks that might come towards them.


    "First, he has made sure to mention that he has a different goal but it also aligns with ours. This means that the buildings that have been raised are against each other, and there are no allies within them."


    "And we are the collateral damage. We are the defenders, and the more we have to defend, the better. We will lose our stamina soon, and the military needs to stay near the King. I just hope nothing has happened to Father", he worried.


    "Second, he said the word ''we''. This means that there are more alongside him. How many only he knows, but any number is good for me."


    "And finally, he said he had seen the might. They might have arrived during the time they had been fighting against whatever had come towards them. So, the leader is an observant one. And I am sure the person that I am speaking to, isn''t the leader", he concluded.


    "Tell your leader to come to the Second Entrance. Tell him to bring along you, and two of the strongest fighters in your group", he said.


    The man who spoke to him agreed and gave the piece back to Emilia.


    "Are you sure they can be trusted? They seemed strong", she said with worry in her voice. Lucas had a smile playing on his face, and he stopped Kate from doing what she was about to do.


    "Don''t burn them. We need them to show the people who are coming towards us that we are not as easy as they think", he said and Kate stopped. She had a smile on her face.


    "Lucas, you have impeccable thinking.. Just make sure that you make them agree", she said as she took her seat on a rock that was next to the entrance.

 Chapter 139 - Temporary Partnership

    After a few minutes, he received a report from Leon''s group that four individuals were heading towards them, and their strength was on par with them. He had a smile on his face as he was waiting for them.


    A few minutes later, four people were in front of him. It was none other than Zen, and his three men.


    Alfred stepped forward, and Lucas scanned him.


    [Name: Alfred]


    [HP: 420/420]


    [MP: 300/300]


    [Strength: 45]


    [Stamina: 51]


    [Agility: 37]


    [Perception: 50]


    [Magic: 65]


    "He seems strong, and what about the others? For now, let us discuss the terms of this said agreement", he thought and was waiting for Alfred to begin.


    "My name is Alfred. I was the one who spoke with you on the microphone. Are you the leader?", he asked with a skeptical voice as he stretched his hand out. Lucas smiled and shook his hand.


    "I am", he said with confidence. Alfred squeezed his hand and found that Lucas was indeed strong despite the way he looked. He was thinking how could a kid be the leader of the defense team, but now he was rethinking his words.


    "So, I have two questions. What is your goal, and what do you wish to attain from this partnership?", he asked. Alfred was taken aback by the two questions he had put forth.


    "This kid, he isn''t just brawn and no brain. He has more brains than the four of us combined. Let me try to spin this around", he thought. He never thought he would meet someone who would outsmart him.


    "Our goal is to get our freedom which has been promised by the Prison Keeper. What we wish to attain from the partnership is just the means to our freedom", he said. He was saying it in a normal voice.


    "So, you have been kept there against your will. Seems like this prison is nothing but a place where they store their specimen. And if each building is a prison, and each of them is against each other, then this partnership is a good opportunity indeed", he thought.


    He looked at the Zen who was standing behind, and he saw something in him. He was still having his doubts, and he decided to check it for himself.


    Lucas smiled as he looked at Alfred, and moved a few steps back. "Let''s see, one hour is up", he smiled.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 24]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth, The Schemer (inactive), Master Tactician (inactive)]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Accumulated EXP: 45,750]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 70]


    [Stamina: 70]


    [Agility: 70+28]


    [Perception: 70]


    [Magic: 70]


    [Stat points to be used: 23]


    Alfred was confused about what he was doing and was trying to figure it out. The next moment, he felt a wind rush past him.


    "What in the..!", he thought and was about to give chase. The moment he moved, he saw Lucas right next to Zen. "My liege!", he exclaimed.


    "I knew it", he thought as he stopped right in front of Zen. He had a smirk on his face, and Lucas shared the same smirk.


    "You are sharper than I thought kid", he said as he extended his hand. Lucas shook his hand and the partnership was sealed.


    "I want to test out the three under you. The three of them against the three under me. I am sure you want to know the strength of the people you are working with", he suggested with a smile.


    "Indeed. You are a capable leader, since you passed through one of my people, and found out that I am the leader. People don''t see through it that easily. How did you, kid?", he asked. He was impressed with the feat Lucas had pulled.


    "Simple. The man you sent had confidence around him, but there was a tinge of fear the moment I made my question. A slight movement and it gave away. But he is a very good one, I don''t think anyone would have been able to notice it", he replied.


    Zen had a smile on his face. His decision to make a partnership with Lucas seemed to have a lot of perks. The both of them sat at a corner, and Bruce and Robert were going to go at each other.


    Both of them were swordsmen, and it was apparent that both of them would have a go at each other. Robert was in control now, but he was slowly learning to switch with the spirit in the sword.


    "I don''t know when Sarah will decide to make a pact, but I am sure that would only be when I am strong enough", he thought. He looked at Bruce, and he was built quite differently than Robert.


    He was scared a little, but the excitement in his body was at its peak. He had always wanted to face a Samurai, and he was standing in front of a person. Except that the person''s blade was his hand.


    Robert had his hands on his blade, and Lucas was standing on the side.


    "GO!", he said and the moment he said that a clang was heard. Robert and Bruce had slashed at each other, and they were standing at equal strength. Bruce changed his other hand and was about to stab from the side.


    A smile formed on Robert''s face and he summoned his Wind Blade, blocking the strike from his side. Bruce had his eyes wide, as he didn''t expect this to happen.


    The both of them jumped back, and Bruce had a smile across his face. Robert too had the same smile.


    "Seems like Bruce is going to go all out", said Zen. Lucas knew the meaning behind the smile, and it was nothing but confirmation about the strength of the opponent.


    "Seems like he is on par with Robert. But the others are what I am worried about", he thought as he turned his head towards Kate and Sally. The both of them were now moving faster and quicker, and their strikes were getting deadlier.


    Wind was being generated from their movement, And Robert had begun to gain advantage as time was passing.


    He began to manipulate the Wind that was surrounding them, and he made small blades that were now pointed at Bruce from every angle. He raised his hands in the air, surrendering the fight.


    "That was a good fight. I look forward to working with you", he said. His voice was quite hoarse, and they both shook their hands.


    Zen now saw why he had suggested the fight. He turned and looked at his face, and he saw him deep in thoughts.


    "Is this what he was trying to do? To make them face each other and acknowledge each other so that they will work together much more smoothly? If that was his thoughts, I am sure this guy is much smarter than he shows to be", he thought.


    Lucas had a smile on his face as he saw the outcome of the fight. Who won was not the issue for him, he was trying to create an interpersonal relationship with the people with who they were partnering.


    "This is all a precaution so that we could make sure they have no bad intentions. This fight was a pure spar, and there was no killing intent", he concluded as he looked at the next two who stepped up.


    It was Sally and Alfred. The expression on his face was different than the one Lucas saw, and there was a glint in his eyes. Lucas jumped down from the rock he was seated on and stood on both of his legs.


    "A predator meets another predator", he muttered. Zen heard his words and stood up, and looked towards him. "You mean...", he paused.


    "Yes. Both of them are of the Same Family. Beastmen, they both are", he said. Zen was now on edge, as he was sure about Alfred''s outbursts when he was facing a predator.


    He was about to give a command to Alfred, but Lucas held his hands up. He shook his head sideways, and he was using [Mana Vision] to analyze the situation.


    "The both of them do not have killing intent, but the second I see it, I am jumping in", he said. Zen nodded his head, as he was sure what will happen if Alfred went on a killing spree.


    Lucas was worried that Sally might unleash something that she was hiding, and thus wanted to change the opponent. But if he did that, Alfred would be at a disadvantage as he was also a dagger user like her.


    "GO!", he said, hoping that nothing bad comes out of this duel.

 Chapter 140 - Alpha Vs Alpha Mate

    Sally felt the eyes of a predator the moment she stood in front of Alfred, and the scent he was releasing was also something she was very familiar with. A scent of familiarity and slight hostility.


    "A Wolf, and an Alpha at that. I guess he could sense the Alpha Mate scent from me, and it will trigger the aggro from him", she thought. She knew whenever an Alpha met a mate of another Alpha, they would always try to assert dominance, showing that they were someone not to be messed with.


    She was wondering how this fight would go, and the moment Lucas said go, something inside her snapped. And it was the same for Alfred.


    They both clashed their daggers, and sparks were flying from their attacks. Their movements were faster than normal, and Alfred had turned a little. His feet were that of a Wolf, and he was now snarling at her.


    "Why don''t you transform? I know you are just like me", he said. Sally had a smile on her face, as she taunted him. The playful smug on her face pissed Alfred off, as he was sure she wasn''t taking this as seriously as him.


    He jumped at her and brought down the daggers at her. They were close to her neck, and she dodged it by the hair. He was pissed more, as he could see that she was holding back fighting against him.


    Lucas saw the same, and he knew the more she taunted, he would get more aggressive. He concluded that it was in his nature, and meeting someone of the same family had triggered the anger.


    "Sally, go all out. I am sure that time, he would see the difference", he said. The smirk on her face disappeared, and a serious look appeared.


    "Alright, Junior Brother. I will take it seriously", she said and transformed both her legs and hands, and Alfred''s eyes changed. She let out her tail and was now waving it around. Taking a deep sniff of the surrounding environment, she looked at Alfred with fire in her eyes.


    "Let me show you the difference. The difference in our power", she said in a menacing tone to him. Alfred felt the contempt behind her voice and the tinge of arrogance. The moment he saw her transform, he felt something inside him stir.


    "Did I stir something that I should not have?", he thought and the next second, he saw a foot in front of his face. It stopped inches from his face and lowered.


    "This would have been your death", she said as she lowered her leg. Alfred felt the power behind the attack, and he was sure if it was connected, a broken skull would be the least of his worries.


    Zen who was watching from the side, had a worried look but yet a smile on his face. He was tapping his feet on the ground, and he was humming a tune. Secretly, he was hoping Sally to win now.


    "You never listened when I told you that there are stronger people out in the world. Let this be a lesson for you", he muttered and Lucas heard the words he said. He was sure that since Alfred was a stuck-up and arrogant person, it would be hard to win this fight as he would not give up that easily.


    Alfred now knew he had done something that he shouldn''t. He was arrogant and stuck up, but he knew when he was faced with an obstacle. He was willing to challenge still, and he transformed his whole body.


    It was not at the level where he was a complete wolf, but he was now a humanoid wolf. He was standing on two legs, and his hands were completely changed. He was huffing through his snout, and he still had his sanity intact.


    He jumped forward with his daggers and threw one of them at Sally. She deflected it with a click of her tongue, and the next moment there was another dagger in front of her.


    "What in the world?", she thought when she saw him using a dagger with his snout. She stepped back, and a cut was made on her cheek. She was furious and was about to burst into anger when she turned to look at Lucas.


    "He is working so hard, I must do something as his Senior Sister", she thought and made her move the next moment. She jumped right above the head of the person and had her arms around his neck.


    She pulled him down with her and was now choking him. He stabbed his dagger through her arms, but that didn''t stop her from slamming his head into the ground before choking him again.


    She repeated the same move three times and he began to lose his edge, and finally submitted to her strength. The match was over the moment he submitted, and he transformed back to his normal state.


    "You have great strength and speed, just like a Wolf should. But you do not know to utilize them properly. Hope to work with you in the future", she said as she extended her hand to him. Alfred was embarrassed that he was schooled by a woman and someone who was younger than him.


    But he took the valuable points to heart and vowed that he would not lose to this person once more. There was only one more person, and that was Kate and Ren.


    The both of them stood opposite to each other and bowed. It was a custom followed by a swordsman, and Kate was an excellent swordsman, and Lucas had seen her beat a lot of people with her sword.


    She had lost only to some people, and they were much more experienced and skilled than her. She took their advice to heart, and she implemented them into her sword, bringing it up further.


    She was still looking for ways to improve her sword, and to see someone with a sword in front of her as an opponent was something she didn''t expect. She thought that since they were Beastmen, they would use their beast powers to fight her.


    "Seems like they are a bunch of people who value honesty quite highly. And there is a person who follows the ways of the Bushido", she thought. She was very observant just like Lucas, and both of them were good at deriving information from looking.


    "Though I am not as good as Lucas is with this deduction stuff, but I am sure they do not mean harm to the humans. And if they have reached towards us for co-operation, I am sure that they intend to help us", she concluded.


    She then pulled out her sword and took her stance. She was using the same sword she had given Lucas during his first hunt,  Harbinger Of Death.


    The both of them turned to look at Lucas, and he was now gulping. He could see the Aura around the both of them, and they were itching for a fight.


    "Since when did Kate become a fighting maniac?", he thought as he watched her Aura being released. He saw the same happening to Ren, and that was when he understood what was going on.


    "They are testing each other out", he smiled. He was sure that if he left the both of them, the mind battle would keep going on.


    "They''re both veterans", he thought as he saw the Aura test. He then raised his hands in the air, ready to make the announcement.


    Ren was now making a sword out of feathers, and they were colorful. The hilt was a deep red, and the blade was a cat green with some sapphire blue mixed in between.


    "The Gemmed Peacock? But isn''t that very rare?", he muttered and Zen heard his voice. He was sure that Lucas made a spot-on observation, and he was now becoming wary of him.


    He changed his nails and placed it at Lucas''s neck, and hissed out loud.


    "What is your goal in this partnership? And how do you know so much about Beastmen?", he asked. Lucas still had a smile on his face, and now turned his head towards Zen.


    "Do not worry, as I do not wish harm upon the person with whom I had agreed to have a partnership. But if you make one more move, I assure you, that your head will be rolling on the floor", he said.


    He released his Aura, and Zen felt the pressure from it. He was sure that Lucas was on par with him, and if they both faced off, he was not sure who would emerge as the winner.


    "Let me fight you. I want to understand you", he said. Lucas told him something that he did not expect.


    "Sure, as that was my intention as well", he replied throwing him off. He was expecting him to reject, and the smirk on Lucas''s face was a confirmation of his theory.


    "The kid has a screw loose, I am sure of it. He is crazy, but a hell lot confident. I like this kid", he thought as he lowered his hands.


    "GO!", he said, and the both of them made their move.

 Chapter 141 - Kate Vs Ren

    Kate was now running towards her opponent Ren, while he was standing still and anticipating the direction from which she would attack. She went for his face, and Ren ducked the attack.


    Right after ducking, he thrust his sword towards her gut, and she twisted her body to avoid the attack. Right when he thought he had her, he felt a slam to the back of his head. His face was now into the dust, and Kate jumped back.


    He got up and dusted himself off, and was now looking at her in awe. He never expected such a move from her, but he also knew that any body part was allowed in a sword fight, as it was not dependant on the swordplay.


    He now had a serious look on his face and rushed towards her. He began to take the lead in striking, and Kate was parrying every strike that was made towards her. The both of them were at an equal level of strength, but Kate felt her hands going numb from the parrying.


    "Unless I do something to throw his attacks off and get one in, I am sure my hands would be unable to handle the sheer strength behind his strikes", she thought. Sweat was now forming on her forehead, as she used some footwork to make the impact of the strikes less for her.


    She didn''t have the strength advantage, but she did have the speed advantage. She now used it to her advantage as she slipped out of his attack, and gained distance between the both of them.


    Kate was now using her speed, and with the Fire element channeling through her, she was moving across the floor like dancing. Her sword strikes were not lethal, but they were slowly building up damage to her opponent.


    Ren was feeling the attacks now sting him, as they were just grazing his skin. He had restricted himself from using the healing function as he was fighting against a human. He knew he had to be at a disadvantage and fight, to be fair.


    Kate was now striking at his gut, thrusting her sword. He twisted out of the way, but he felt a stab at the place where he thought he had dodged.


    "But how?", he thought. He was sure he had dodged her attack, but when he saw the small hole that was made at the place, he could see that he didn''t avoid the strike she had made.


    A smirk was on her face as she saw the confusion on Ren''s face. She was sure her attack had connected when she saw the look and was elated inside. She thought he would be able to evade it, but it seemed like he was not as fast as she was.


    "Everyone has their own unique set of skills, and when faced against those traits, it will be hard to overcome the obstacle unless they understand what they are fighting against", muttered Lucas. Zen heard his words and began to ponder upon the meaning behind them.


    Lucas was still observing the fight with [Mana Vision], and a notification popped up again.


    [Congratulations! Mana Vision has Levelled Up!]


    [Mana Vision - Lvl3] [Mastery - 100%]


    [Vision Prowess increased by Three Percent!]


    He was now elated when he saw the notification. This was one of his most used skills, and to have it at the maximum was something that would be of help to him in the future. And in this war, the more he increased his strength, the more he would be able to defend his Kingdom against the incoming Invasion.


    He was sure that he only had about a day before the invasion hit the Kingdom, and wreaked havoc upon them. Within that time, he had to make sure that the attack that has been initiated from within must be annihilated.


    "Just where is the base of operations for these?", he thought, and he was still trying to make a derivation.


    "Master, I want you to check the whole Kingdom, for any suspicious activity for the past month. If any, let me know immediately", he said into the earpiece. There was a confirmation from Leon''s side, and he was now back to concentrating on the fight.


    Kate and Ren were now focussed in their fight, and the both of them were too absorbed to notice anything that was happening around them. Lucas was still keeping a check on the Aura that the both of them were emitting, and he was now sure that the both of them were on the same level.


    Ren had his strength and Kate had her speed. She was now using her speed against his strength, as each had their set of advantages. Kate was faster than him, and thus it had become harder for him to avoid her strikes.


    Now she had increased it further, making it impossible for him to track her sword movements. She was like the wind, making strike after strike and pushing him back.


    "I prided in my strength and look at me here, unable to face against speed. Let me see what she will do when faced against sheer strength", he thought as he pulled back his hands and was ready to make his attack.


    The moment Kate went in for an attack, he made his move. He did a plain vertical slash, but that slash brought chills to Kate. She dodged it instantly, and saw the strike that he made had plunged into the ground, and a crack was running up the place.


    "Remind me to never get hit by his full strength", she thought and the next second, the sword was right in front of her face. She twisted her body and moved out of the way, but barely. The sword made a cut right across her face, and she was panting hard.


    She was slowly losing her stamina, and she was sure that a prolonged fight would not benefit the both of them. She stepped back, and looked at Ren. Both of them gave a nod at each other, and they prepared their best attack.


    Ren was gathering all of his strength into the strike, and Lucas could see some of the Aura being mixed into the attack. Kate was doing the same, and she was intertwining both of her Mana and Aura into it.


    It was now a test between speed and strength. Everyone that were looking at the fight only had one thought.


    "Who will come out victorious?", as the fight had kept them all on their toes, making the most unpredictable turns. One moment Ren would have the upper hand, but the next second it would be Kate.


    And since this battle was unpredictable and blood pumping, they were looking forward to the showdown that was about to happen. The both of them had their attack ready, and once more made eye contact.


    Kate and Ren both made their move at the count of three. Kate took in a deep breath as she left with a bang. The same was with the other side, and the place from where she had left had a small fire burning in the place.


    The both of them passed each other in a flash, and were now standing with their backs facing each other. Ren was huffing as he held his sword, and there were multiple cuts across his chest.


    Kate was having a bleeding left arm, and it was bleeding profusely. Ren was standing tall, when he suddenly felt his vision blur. Kate was going through something similar, and it was only a matter of time before one of them fell.


    Ren fell with one knee to the ground, and his huffing increased. He was now looking in front of him, and he could not see anything. Due to him now using his healing powers, he was now at a loss of blood, which had accumulated over time.


    Kate on the other hand was about to pass out, and the only thing holding her in place was her willpower. She was down to her knee as well, and now Lucas could see her Aura slowly dissipating.


    "If this went on, then I am sure that healing her would be the least of issues, and at this moment, I need to declare a winner", he thought as he stepped forward. With his [Mana Vision], he was sure who the winner was.


    "The winner of this match is Ren", he announced as he raised Ren''s hand into the air. Zen and his people were overjoyed at this fact, as they were sad to lose twice in a row. This had also solidified the fact that they were indeed partnering up with strong people, and not someone weak.


    He then motioned for Zen to come forward to help him, but to his surprise he saw all the wounds on his body heal at a rapid speed.


    "He has regeneration and didn''t use it? A very honourable person indeed", he concluded and shook their hands. He went forward to help Kate up, and saw her wounds were not fatal.. But she did need some healing, and he was about to ask someone.

 Chapter 142 - Unable To Delete. Please Skip!

    "It''s alright, I learned a new spell", she said and small fireball appeared at the tip of her index finger. There was a small fireball at the tip of her finger, and she pointed it right at her wounds.


    There was a slight sizzle and the cut which was supposed to be there was missing. The fire had healed the cut, and she was proceeding to do the same to other wounds that she had suffered in the fight.


    "Why didn''t you use it in the fight? You could have used it in the fight, right?", he asked with worry. He was sure his sister had her reasons, but he didn''t want to just let it be.


    "Because it needs time. The flame has to be tempered to a certain degree for every wound, and it is a very tedious task. One must keep monitoring the temperature, and it always fluctuates."


    Unlike the Light Element which is known for its Healing Prowess, the others do not have such properties."


    "But what if there was a way to heal with each element? The process would be different, and it would involve in testing it out several times."


    "And if we are to test it out, then the only place to test would be oneself. The reason would be, because they are the only person that is immune to their own element", she explained.


    Lucas now nodded his head as he had a grasp of the spell she was talking about. And the reason she was using it on herself was because she was immune to fire, and this was the perfect opportunity to test it out.


    He smiled as he learned that each Element had their own ways of healing, and if possible, he would like to learn them. He was thinking that since he had two elements, learning it would be much easier when compared with others.


    "Yours will be much harder to even find someone with the talent to teach you, let alone know self-healing spells. It is best you put this thought to the back of your mind", she said and chuckled.


    "I am sure you will figure one out if given the time. But that is what we do not have, and we need your brains at this battlefield. The field is spread out wider and more complex this time, and I think we are the centre that is connecting this web", she thought as she looked at his face.


    Ren came forward and offered his hand to her. It was a Swordsman''s Shake, which was something they gave to the opponent that they respected. And Kate, had just earned his recognition.


    The both of them shook it, and a smile formed on both of their faces. They began to walk back together, and now it was the leader''s turns.


    Lucas and Zen had a smile on their face as they walked into the place where every fight had taken place, and Zen was looking forward to fighting with him. Lucas took off all of his weapons, and walked into the space to fight bare handed.


    Zen had a wide smile now, as that was something he didn''t anticipate. A move which he thought was extremely bold, and yet somehow foolish.


    The both of them were now ready ti fight, and it was Sally''s turn to keep a watch on the match. Lucas had his [Mana Vision] on, and he activated his other skill, [Eye Of Prediction].


    He was sure that he would be able to read the moves that were being made, but he needed to end this very soon. And thus, he needed to make sure to go allout right from the start.


    ....


    Kate was now running towards her opponent Ren, while he was standing still and anticipating the direction from which she would attack. She went for his face, and Ren ducked the attack.


    Right after ducking, he thrust his sword towards her gut, and she twisted her body to avoid the attack. Right when he thought he had her, he felt a slam to the back of his head. His face was now into the dust, and Kate jumped back.


    He got up and dusted himself off, and was now looking at her in awe. He never expected such a move from her, but he also knew that any body part was allowed in a sword fight, as it was not dependant on the swordplay.


    He now had a serious look on his face and rushed towards her. He began to take the lead in striking, and Kate was parrying every strike that was made towards her. The both of them were at an equal level of strength, but Kate felt her hands going numb from the parrying.


    "Unless I do something to throw his attacks off and get one in, I am sure my hands would be unable to handle the sheer strength behind his strikes", she thought. Sweat was now forming on her forehead, as she used some footwork to make the impact of the strikes less for her.


    She didn''t have the strength advantage, but she did have the speed advantage. She now used it to her advantage as she slipped out of his attack, and gained distance between the both of them.


    Kate was now using her speed, and with the Fire element channeling through her, she was moving across the floor like dancing. Her sword strikes were not lethal, but they were slowly building up damage to her opponent.


    Ren was feeling the attacks now sting him, as they were just grazing his skin. He had restricted himself from using the healing function as he was fighting against a human. He knew he had to be at a disadvantage and fight, to be fair.


    Kate was now striking at his gut, thrusting her sword. He twisted out of the way, but he felt a stab at the place where he thought he had dodged.


    "But how?", he thought. He was sure he had dodged her attack, but when he saw the small hole that was made at the place, he could see that he didn''t avoid the strike she had made.


    A smirk was on her face as she saw the confusion on Ren''s face. She was sure her attack had connected when she saw the look and was elated inside. She thought he would be able to evade it, but it seemed like he was not as fast as she was.


    "Everyone has their own unique set of skills, and when faced against those traits, it will be hard to overcome the obstacle unless they understand what they are fighting against", muttered Lucas. Zen heard his words and began to ponder upon the meaning behind them.


    Lucas was still observing the fight with [Mana Vision], and a notification popped up again.


    [Congratulations! Mana Vision has Levelled Up!]


    [Mana Vision - Lvl3] [Mastery - 100%]


    [Vision Prowess increased by Three Percent!]


    He was now elated when he saw the notification. This was one of his most used skills, and to have it at the maximum was something that would be of help to him in the future. And in this war, the more he increased his strength, the more he would be able to defend his Kingdom against the incoming Invasion.


    He was sure that he only had about a day before the invasion hit the Kingdom, and wreaked havoc upon them. Within that time, he had to make sure that the attack that has been initiated from within must be annihilated.


    "Just where is the base of operations for these?", he thought, and he was still trying to make a derivation.


    "Master, I want you to check the whole Kingdom, for any suspicious activity for the past month. If any, let me know immediately", he said into the earpiece. There was a confirmation from Leon''s side, and he was now back to concentrating on the fight.


    Kate and Ren were now focussed in their fight, and the both of them were too absorbed to notice anything that was happening around them. Lucas was still keeping a check on the Aura that the both of them were emitting, and he was now sure that the both of them were on the same level.


    Ren had his strength and Kate had her speed. She was now using her speed against his strength, as each had their set of advantages. Kate was faster than him, and thus it had become harder for him to avoid her strikes.


    Now she had increased it further, making it impossible for him to track her sword movements. She was like the wind, making strike after strike and pushing him back.


    "I prided in my strength and look at me here, unable to face against speed. Let me see what she will do when faced against sheer strength", he thought as he pulled back his hands and was ready to make his attack.


    The moment Kate went in for an attack, he made his move. He did a plain vertical slash, but that slash brought chills to Kate. She dodged it instantly, and saw the strike that he made had plunged into the ground, and a crack was running up the place.


    "Remind me to never get hit by his full strength", she thought and the next second, the sword was right in front of her face. She twisted her body and moved out of the way, but barely. The sword made a cut right across her face, and she was panting hard.


    She was slowly losing her stamina, and she was sure that a prolonged fight would not benefit the both of them. She stepped back, and looked at Ren. Both of them gave a nod at each other, and they prepared their best attack.


    Ren was gathering all of his strength into the strike, and Lucas could see some of the Aura being mixed into the attack. Kate was doing the same, and she was intertwining both of her Mana and Aura into it.


    It was now a test between speed and strength. Everyone that were looking at the fight only had one thought.


    "Who will come out victorious?", as the fight had kept them all on their toes, making the most unpredictable turns. One moment Ren would have the upper hand, but the next second it would be Kate.


    And since this battle was unpredictable and blood pumping, they were looking forward to the showdown that was about to happen. The both of them had their attack ready, and once more made eye contact.


    Kate and Ren both made their move at the count of three. Kate took in a deep breath as she left with a bang. The same was with the other side, and the place from where she had left had a small fire burning in the place.


    The both of them passed each other in a flash, and were now standing with their backs facing each other. Ren was huffing as he held his sword, and there were multiple cuts across his chest.


    Kate was having a bleeding left arm, and it was bleeding profusely. Ren was standing tall, when he suddenly felt his vision blur. Kate was going through something similar, and it was only a matter of time before one of them fell.


    Ren fell with one knee to the ground, and his huffing increased. He was now looking in front of him, and he could not see anything. Due to him now using his healing powers, he was now at a loss of blood, which had accumulated over time.


    Kate on the other hand was about to pass out, and the only thing holding her in place was her willpower. She was down to her knee as well, and now Lucas could see her Aura slowly dissipating.


    "If this went on, then I am sure that healing her would be the least of issues, and at this moment, I need to declare a winner", he thought as he stepped forward. With his [Mana Vision], he was sure who the winner was.


    "The winner of this match is Ren", he announced as he raised Ren''s hand into the air. Zen and his people were overjoyed at this fact, as they were sad to lose twice in a row. This had also solidified the fact that they were indeed partnering up with strong people, and not someone weak.


    He then motioned for Zen to come forward to help him, but to his surprise he saw all the wounds on his body heal at a rapid speed.


    "He has regeneration and didn''t use it? A very honourable person indeed", he concluded and shook their hands. He went forward to help Kate up, and saw her wounds were not fatal. But she did need some healing, and he was about to ask someone......

 Chapter 143 - Zen Vs Lucas

    "It''s alright, I learned a new spell", she said and a small fireball appeared at the tip of her index finger. There was a small fireball at the tip of her finger, and she pointed it right at her wounds.


    There was a slight sizzle and the cut which was supposed to be there was missing. The fire had healed the cut, and she was proceeding to do the same to other wounds that she had suffered in the fight.


    "Why didn''t you use it in the fight? You could have used it in the fight, right?", he asked with worry. He was sure his sister had her reasons, but he didn''t want to just let it be.


    "Because it needs time. The flame has to be tempered to a certain degree for every wound, and it is a very tedious task. One must keep monitoring the temperature, and it always fluctuates."


    Unlike the Light Element which is known for its Healing Prowess, the others do not have such properties."


    "But what if there was a way to heal with each element? The process would be different, and it would involve testing it out several times."


    "And if we are to test it out, then the only place to test would be oneself. The reason would be because they are the only person that is immune to their element", she explained.


    Lucas now nodded his head as he had a grasp of the spell she was talking about. And the reason she was using it on herself was that she was immune to fire, and this was the perfect opportunity to test it out.


    He smiled as he learned that each Element had its ways of healing, and if possible, he would like to learn them. He was thinking that since he had two elements, learning it would be much easier when compared with others.


    "Yours will be much harder to even find someone with the talent to teach you, let alone know self-healing spells. You should put this thought to the back of your mind", she said and chuckled.


    "I am sure you will figure one out if given the time. But that is what we do not have, and we need your brains on this battlefield. The field is spread out wider and more complex this time, and I think we are the center that is connecting this web", she thought as she looked at his face.


    Ren came forward and offered his hand to her. It was a Swordsman''s Shake, which was something they gave to the opponent that they respected. And Kate had just earned his recognition.


    The both of them shook it, and a smile formed on both of their faces. They began to walk back together, and now it was the leader''s turn.


    Lucas and Zen had a smile on their face as they walked into the place where every fight had taken place, and Zen was looking forward to fighting with him. Lucas took off all of his weapons and walked into the space to fight bare-handed.


    Zen had a wide smile now, as that was something he didn''t anticipate. A move which he thought was extremely bold, and yet somehow foolish.


    The both of them were now ready to fight, and it was Sally''s turn to keep a watch on the match. Lucas had his [Mana Vision] on, and he activated his other skill, [Eye Of Prediction].


    He was sure that he would be able to read the moves that were being made, but he needed to end this very soon. And thus, he needed to make sure to go all out right from the start.


    He looked at Zen, and it seemed to him le had the same thoughts as him. Leon was now watching the match from the shadows, and he saw him take a different stance than before.


    Leon was wondering what it was, as he remembered seeing it somewhere. He then remembered where he had seen it.


    "During the Test Of Banishment! But isn''t that style an incomplete one? Why is he using that?", he pondered. The fact that Lucas was taking a risk was the only words that were in his mind.


    Lucas on the other hand was confident as he took the stance. He could see the visible confusion on his face, and he was waiting for the signal to come from Sally to begin the match.


    Zen on the other side, had crouched his body. He was looking like a person who was ready to run a sprint, and his legs were bursting with power.


    Lucas was trying to predict in which direction Zen was going to attack, and without having a slight movement, he was unable to predict the movement. The both of them had their heartbeat raised, and the anticipation in the air was thick.


    "GO!", announced Sally and the next moment, Zen was right in front of Lucas''s face. His hand was about to grab his face, but he saw a smile form as he sidestepped the attack. Zen also had the same smirk as he landed past him.


    "No wonder you are the leader to everyone here", he said as he moved again, and this time his feet were right in front of his face. Lucas was dodging them barely, and he was sure that he could go much faster.


    "Is he testing the waters before committing to the fight?", he thought as he saw the hit and run tactics that he was using. Zen now made his next move, and this time it was a straight to his face.


    Lucas grabbed the hand that was coming straight at his face and felt the force behind the strike. He was sure that if he had decided to punch it head-on, he would have ended up with some broken bones.


    "Seems like he had the strength and the intellect to back up as the leader of the people he is commanding", he concluded. The blows that they had exchanged had set up the pace, and it was his job to pick it up further.


    He did a straight, and it was quicker than Zen''s. He didn''t punch him, but he grazed his cheek. Zen felt a sting in his cheek and felt a warm liquid flow out from it.


    He began to laugh out loud, and now the playfulness in his eyes disappeared. The look in his eyes meant business, and that was the same vibe Lucas needed for the match.


    He released his Aura, and Lucas did the same. Leon, who was on the sidelines used his Aura to shield everyone to stop the potency of their Aura from attacking them. Lucas and Zen moved, and everyone saw their afterimage in the same place.


    The punch Lucas made was precise and fast, while Zen''s had brute strength. But the issue was that both of them had technique behind it. It was no wild swing, and Lucas felt that from the punch which he had stopped using his hands.


    He placed a kick to his head, and Zen ducked it. He was coming from below with an uppercut, and Lucas was in mid-air unable to dodge the attack. Using his other leg, he deflected the attack, making it miss his chin and graze past his face.


    Zen was impressed at his reaction speed, as he did not expect that from him. He was expecting him to take the brunt of the attack and fall, and he would then be able to defeat him. But something inside him had begun to burn, something he had long lost.


    "What is this feeling?", he thought as he was now moving, making punches as he found openings. Neither of them had attacked, and every move they made was a near miss. Leon who was watching was impressed.


    "To be able to keep up with that speed, seems like you have improved again. Well, you do have ''that'' with you, and it is only natural that you improve at such a fast pace", he smiled as he looked at the fight.


    He was watching it closer than the others, and his trained eye was able to see them move clearly. It was nit at the speed that he was unable to track them, but he was sure that for the others, it would seem like a fight out of their scope.


    The others were slightly sweating from seeing the both of them move at such speeds. They had seen people move at such speeds, but to see their leader at this speed, they knew that it was unachievable for them.


    Robert was clenching his fist on the side, and he was looking at him in awe. He was thinking that he was still hiding his strength, and that was why he was able to unleash such speeds.


    What he didn''t understand was that he was only able to after reaching the Third Stage of Aura, and Valentine was slowly strengthening his body to handle the Aura that he had gathered.


    While Lucas was busy fighting, Valentine was slowly circulating the remaining Aura around the body and was using it to strengthen his muscles and bones, which was something that should be done by him.


    "This process is very crucial as the Aura now would be the strongest, and thus using this to make them strong will help him in the long run", thought Valentine as he was keeping an eye on the progress that he was doing to Lucas''s body.

 Chapter 144 - Assigning The Squads

    Lucas didn''t know about what was happening within the body, but he was slowly beginning to see his speed and strength increase. And it didn''t stop at the moment, and he was glad for that.


    "Maybe since I had invested the points in a single timing and not slowly, the increase rate is slow?", he thought as he evaded another kick from him. The fight was not over yet, but both of them were dodging the attacks quite effectively.


    Lucas was analyzing his movement patterns, and he could not find a suitable Martial Art that used his footwork. It was quick, but it had quite long strides, and his legs were like they were floating on water.


    Right after he dodged his kick once more, he saw Zen twist his body and two fists were approaching him. He was sure he would be unable to block it, and thus he took the attack as he blocked the fist that was heading for his face.


    His hands had blocked the attack that was coming towards his face, but the other punch was aimed at his gut and it was a heavy blow. The form was something he had not seen before, and now he was sure about it.


    "This is a form amongst the Beastmen. Seems like he had come across this somewhere before, or someone must have taught it to him", he concluded. Just when he was thinking what kind of form it might be, he heard Leon''s voice.


    "That is the Crane Style. This style is only used by people with fast agility, and for someone with such insane strength to use it is something unseen. Be careful, as this style involves some very tricky movements and a lot of feints", he warned Lucas.


    Lucas took the warning to heart, as he needed more information on the fighting style he was facing. He knew that each of the Beastmen had their respective fighting style, and he wanted to learn more about them so that he could face them better in the future.


    "This could be a moment in which I could learn more about this Crane Style", he thought as he blocked a kick that came straight to his face. He was pushed back a few feet from the impact, and he was still thinking of a way to counter the attacks that he was facing.


    Right after the kick was over, another one came. It was a roundhouse and he didn''t have the luxury to block it. He ducked instantly and switched up his speed.


    "This is the only way I can counter this style right now", he thought as he brought his elbow straight to Zen''s face. The hit connected, and Zen felt his vision go hazy for a second.


    The second was all Lucas needed to recover and make a counter. The moment his vision returned, a leg appeared in front of his face. Zen moved his body sideways, but what he saw next was something that he didn''t anticipate.


    Lucas bent his kick and connected his heel to the back of Zen''s ear. He once more felt his vision go hazy, but this time he lost his sense of balance. His legs went wobbly, and he fell to the ground.


    Lucas moved swiftly and began to poke at his body. Sally who was seeing this was shocked at the technique he was using.


    "That technique, I didn''t know Master had taught him that one", she awed as she saw him use Zen''s hand as a weapon and pointed his claw right at his neck. Zen recovered from the shock and saw his hand pointed at him, and he tried to move it.


    "I can''t move my arm? But how is that possible? And he is using my arm as a weapon against me?", he thought and tried to move but was in vain. He was about to move his other arm but felt that his strength had been reduced by three-fourths.


    "What did you do to me?", he asked Lucas, and fear was evident in his eyes. It was like he was looking at a demon, and the smile on Lucas''s face seemed sinister to him.


    "Do you surrender?", he asked in a threatening voice. Zen felt the person in front of him was not the same person he was smiling with a moment ago, and the Aura that he was emitting now was much denser than before, and the density was still rising.


    "I surrender", he said as he looked at him. The moment he said that he felt Lucas poke him at several places, and he twisted them anti-clockwise. The strength loss that Zen felt was recovered, and everything was back to normal.


    He was elated as he thought that what Lucas did was permanent, and worried that he would need to work hard to increase his strength once again. He extended his hand to Lucas and had an amiable smile on his face.


    "I look forward to working with you", he said and Lucas shook his hand. The both of them had smiles, and Zen was waiting on any demands from Lucas.


    "Zen, how many people do you have?", he asked the next instant, planning out on how to defend against the incoming wave. He was now formulating a plan to counter the people that were going to pour in from all sides to attack.


    "We have four hundred people strong", he said. Lucas beamed the moment he heard the numbers, as that amount of people would be very essential to defend against the incoming attacks.


    He began to split the people and was thinking of sending each squad to one specific location, with the task to defend and protect the people he needed.


    "Alright, I am going to split these into four squads. Squad Zen will be led by Zen. Squad Alfred will be led by Alfred. Squad Bruce will be led by Bruce. And finally, Squad Ren will be led by Ren", he commanded.


    The four of them did a salute like they were in the military, and Lucas was wondering where to assign each squad, as each had their strength and weaknesses. He was analyzing which place needed what, but he understood the most they needed right now was people.


    "Alright, Zen. You are to head to the Palace and defend against any attacks that are headed that way. All Beastmen are yours to take", he commanded, and Zen nodded his head.


    "Alfred, you are to go to the place that you contacted me from. Meet up with them and follow the instructions of Michelle. She would know what to do", he said and Alfred nodded his head.


    "Bruce, you are to head inside this tunnel and meet up with Steve. I will let them know of your arrival, and follow his instructions. He is a SSS Level Adventurer, and he has much more strength than me", he said in a warning tone.


    Bruce nodded his head, as he knew the might of the SSS Level Adventurers. He was an adventurer before he got kidnapped into ''The Omega''. He nodded and ran past him into the tunnel.


    "Ren, you are to follow my lead and join my Master outside in the forests. Any attacks that go past you will be handled by us. You are to stop every intruder as stealthily as possible", he said. Ren had a smile on his face.


    "Stealth is something I am good at", he thought as he turned around to look at the person he had to join. The moment he saw Leon, he felt fear from within. It was his instincts telling him not to mess with the man in front of him.


    He saw Zen was still standing there, and his team hadn''t moved from the place. Lucas didn''t understand what was going on, and he was about to ask him what was wrong.


    "Where is this Palace that you told me?", he asked. Lucas remembered that he wasn''t from here, and they were roped into this war just as much as they were. He pointed his finger towards his left and explained to him how to reach the Palace.


    After hearing the instructions, Zen disappeared and everyone followed behind. Lucas now had a good amount of people to defend, and he was now thinking of his next step.


    "How many hours till the horde is here?", he asked Leon. "About thirty hours", he replied to him, and Lucas was now beginning to think of countermeasures to slow down their advance.


    "Squad Bruce has reached the assigned designation", reported Bruce.


    "Squad Alfred has reached the assigned designation", reported Alfred.


    "Squad Zen reporting. We have spotted enemies heading towards the path that we are heading. What is the course of action?'', asked Zen.


    A smile was spread on Lucas''s face. He was happy that he had made the right decision by sending them towards the Palace, as they did not have enough power to handle every one of them.


    "Finish them off, every single one of them. If there are any humans amongst them, send them back here", he commanded. Zen acknowledged the command, and he slowed down his advance towards the Palace.


    "Boys, remember. Kill without hesitation.. GO!!", commanded Zen, and shadows zipped past him.

 Chapter 145 - Sams Wrath! (Part One)

    (Underground City, Main Entrance)


    Every one of them was shaking in their boots when they saw the number of people that were in front of them. Emilia was readying a spell with which she could take them all out, but she felt two hands on both of her shoulders.


    "We are here along with you", they said. Just as they thought this was the end, two other people emerged from the shadows. They were walking alongside each other, and something told them that they were here on friendly terms.


    "I am the Prince of this Kingdom, Samuel Heart. And this here is my companion Anthony. We are here to assist you on the King''s orders", he said. The part of the King''s Orders was all a lie, but he was sure they would buy the part.


    And that they did. They thought that the castle had sent in reinforcements, but when they saw nothing, they were confused. Tobias stepped forward, and he pushed both of them to the back.


    "If you are trying to con us into doing something, I will make sure you learn your lessons", he warned and was about to contact Lucas when Emilia stopped him. She recognized Sam as she had seen his picture before.


    "They are the Prince, but is this all the Kingdom could give us?", she asked as she looked at him skeptically. Her doubt was within reason, as she was expecting something more from the Kingdom she served.


    "They are at the Palace, and when the horde arrives, they will be dispatched. We are currently looking for the traitor in our midsts, and they have not been identified. Until they are identified, The King refuses to let them join the battle to not mess up the strategy that has already been set into motion", he explained and Emilia understood what he was implying.


    She wanted to ask more, but the timing did not seem right. Sam stood alongside everyone, and Anthony transformed into his First Stage. Sam had a smile on his face, and he looked at the enemies in front of him.


    "You are not a match for me, bring me someone stronger",  he said and lead the charge. Emilia was confused when she heard him say the words, but his spell-casting speed amazed her.


    The moment he snapped his fingers, Icicles were floating all around him. The people who they had to face took a step back, and one among them took a step forward.


    "DIE!", he said and one of the Icicles pierced through him. Anthony ran across the floor, and he plunged his claw right into the heart of his enemy.


    "ATTACK!", he commanded, and that was when everyone came back to reality. The four of them moved forward, and Sam was left to look at the defense, not allowing anyone inside of the tunnel.


    Tobias was once again using his Lightning and moving quickly, but he was slow when compared to Michelle, who was much faster as it was dark and she could jump right to her opponent''s back and kill them instantly.


    Emilia was using the staff as a weapon, but she was not trained in the ways of the Staff, and she was sloppy with the attacks. Sam was observing everyone as he was sure that they needed guidance to improve in strength.


    Anthony was just using his instincts and attacking them. On some occasions, when he was surrounded by multiple enemies, he used the Needle Technique to kill them.


    By piercing some of his needles, he was able to inflict frost among them, freezing their blood and making them akin to a statue. It was something he had found out recently, and he was sure that if Sally did the same, they would be able to increase their fighting prowess much more.


    They were fighting when one of the Beastmen stepped past them and headed for Sam''s head. He thought that since they were all fighting and he was the one that was at the back, he would be weak and he could break past them.


    "Just how wrong were you to come for my head", he smiled and withdrew all of his Icicles. He was planning to toy with him a little, and finally show him who is the boss among them.


    The man was now right next to his face, and he have a left hook. His hand was transformed at the final second, and it was that of an Ape. Sam was hit square in the face, but he didn''t budge.


    The man who thought he would see Sam fly was now looking at the man standing right in front of him, and with his fist right on his left cheek. Sam was grinning wide, and the man felt something quiver inside him.


    Sam now took a step back and brushed off the punch like it was nothing to him. The way he was looking at the man was terrifying him, and he was furious now.


    "I am much stronger than you puny humans!", he exclaimed as he ran straight at him. Sam, who was having a cool head was pissed the moment he heard him call humans ''puny''.


    "Uh oh", said Anthony the moment he heard the line, as he knew that was the point that would make Sam go berserk. He looked back, and it was at this moment he saw something inside Sam unleash.


    "Everybody, step back!", he commanded and the next moment, the man who was in front of Sam was sent tumbling behind. Sam was taking one step at a time, and the pressure around everyone was increasing.


    "I will take all of you on, come at me you punks!", he announced. His voice was filled with rage, and there was something inside him that was boiling.


    His fists were covered with Ice, and Ice began to take shape around him. A body armor appeared around, and it covered all the parts. While everyone thought how versatile the armor would be, Sam demonstrated that it was just like clothing.


    His face was covered with a helmet, and there was an icy chill emanating from him. Everyone was now afraid and cursed for the guy who had woken up something he shouldn''t have.


    Sam was now ahead of everyone, and Emilia was thinking that she had seen this somewhere before. The back, in particular, seemed familiar to her. That was when a realization struck her.


    "No wonder Lucas has the same attitude when he is pissed. You are his brother", she realized. When she heard the name, she was skeptical if they had any relations.


    But after seeing this demonstration, she was sure that they were indeed related. From that moment, she just watched closely to see what he was doing.


    The enemies were now looking at Sam with fear, and one of them began to convince the others.


    "What are you doing? There is only one of them and sixty of us. We have the advantage. Attack!", he said and everyone charged at him.


    "Big mistake", muttered Anthony. He had only seen Sam angry once, and it was something he would never forget. A sight to behold, he was thinking as he saw a glint flash across his eyes.


    His expressions were hidden by his helmet, as he didn''t want anyone to see the smirk that was across his face. He grabbed one of them by his throat and twisted his head, breaking his neck and killing him.


    Everyone was charging, and their aims were not at him. They were sure that he would not be able to protect everyone, and this was the best time for them to run past him and enter the tunnel.


    "NO ONE RUNS PAST ME!", he said and raised an Ice Wall right behind him with a stomp. The ground rumbled, and an Ice wall was raised to the height of fifteen meters.


    He snapped, and the people who were trying to climb were pierced with Icicles from the wall, and they fell to the ground with holes in their bodies.


    He began to count how many of them were there, and there were not many as most of them were dead from trying to climb across the wall. The few that were struggling were killed instantly.


    He lowered the wall, rubbed both of his palms together. Right after that, a blade made of Ice was brought out from it. He was holding it and looked at all of them.


    "I will give you a chance of three strikes. If you manage to kill me within then, my life is yours", he announced as he took a defensive stance. The remaining fifteen men looked at each other and nodded.


    The man who was sent tumbling was not killed yet, and he was watching everything with fear from the back.. He was looking for a chance to run away from the place, and he thought that this was the perfect opportunity.

 Chapter 146 - Sams Wrath! (Part Two)

    A man came running towards him and kicked right at his face, and the helmet cracked a little. He was satisfied with the strike and jumped back, and the next moment another punch landed at the same place.


    The place that was struck now had more cracks, and with another punch, it was broken. The helmet shattered and a smirk was seen on his face.


    "My turn", he said in a sinister voice. He used the blade and the ground was now covered in Ice as he moved across the floor.


    His blade was striking them from all angles, and his strikes were invisible to the naked eye. The Beastmen that were claiming Humans to be weak, was now stunned to see someone so strong amongst them.


    The man who was sent flying began to recollect his thoughts and was about to run away when he felt the floor turn slippery. He turned around and Sam right in front of his face.


    "Are we still considered weak?", he asked as he squat on the ground, and was face to face with the Beastman. He was shaking in his boots, and his clothes were filled with his sweat.


    Sam withdrew all of his Ice and allowed him to stand up from the place. Right after he did that, he held him by the collar and asked him one question.


    "How would you like to die?", he asked. The man felt the stare penetrate through him, and he knew it was no use trying to hide anything from him.


    "A spar. On equal terms", he said. Sam let go of him and pulled back all of his Mana, allowing the armor to dissipate right in front of him.


    He motioned for Anthony to come forward and be the judge of the spar. He agreed and the rules for the spar were announced.


    "If one loses his or her life during this spar, revenge shall not be sought. There will be no other rules in this spar", announced Anthony. Sam and the man that was opposite to him nodded their heads.


    "FIGHT!", he announced and the moment he did that, the Beastman transformed his hands and feet, taking off into the air. Sam looked up at him and had a face that was filled with smiles.


    He snapped and the next moment, a Bow made of Ice was in his hands. A quiver filled with arrows appeared behind him, and he took his aim at the flying Beastman.


    The Beastman was shocked, as he thought that he would not be able to make something out of Ice that easily. The more terrifying thing for him was the fact that he was able to counter the flying in an instant.


    Sam let go of the arrow, and the man dodged it. Sam was now using the Bow skillfully, and he was wondering how much he would be able to damage him.


    The man now swooped down towards him and using his wings scratched his face. He once again took to the air, and Sam was back to aiming at him.


    He released the next arrow, and the man dodged it this time. But what he didn''t account for was the arrow that followed behind, and hit him right in his shoulder.


    He broke the arrow and threw it, leaving the arrowhead inside. He was unable to remove it no matter how much he tried and gave up.


    Sam was taking his time with the aim, and he was making sure to make the hit count every time he attacked. The man was flying in the air and was weaving to make Sam confused.


    Sam was reading his movements and had a grasp of the pattern. He was now locking onto the place where he would move next but kept his aim on the person.


    As soon as the Beastman made his move, Sam shot out his arrow. The arrow went straight for the same place his arrowhead pierced and connected.


    The moment the arrow connected, he felt the loss of control. No matter how much he tried to flap his wings, he could not and was losing his edge in the air.


    "But how?", was his only thought as he fell to the ground. Sam pulled out his next arrow and aimed it right at his head.


    "Any last words?", he asked. The man, in his desperate attempt to victory, made his final move.


    He lunged straight at Sam, and using his other wing made a cut straight for his neck. Sam who was holding him by the neck, saw the wing coming for him. He tightened his grip around his neck and pulled him towards his shoulder.


    A snap was heard, and the wing which was headed towards him was stopped. The Beastman had lost his life, and Sam threw him to the ground.


    "Humans are not weak. We are strong enough to defend ourselves", he said to the dead Beastman. He then turned around to head back, but a sudden presence made him pull his guard up.


    And a man came out of the shadows behind the trees. He had his hands up in the air and took his steps cautiously towards the five of them.


    "I do not wish to harm you. I would like to speak with the person in charge. We want to make a partnership", he said.


    The man who walked out was none other than Alfred. Sam shrugged it off and pointed his fingers towards Emilia.


    She was flushed as she saw him pointing towards her. Her heartbeat was erratic, and she did not know what to do.


    "Are you the leader?", he asked Emilia. The moment she heard that question, she took a deep breath to calm down her jittering nerves.


    "No, the leader is another place, defending another gate just like us. There are a lot of things going on, and if you want to meet our leader, I can patch you through. Is that okay?", she asked. Alfred nodded his head in acknowledgment.


    "Lucas, someone is here and requests to have an alliance. He says he would like to speak with the leader. Should I put him on?", she spoke into her earpiece.


    Her anxiousness was eating her from the inside, and she could sense the strength that the individual possessed. If any of them were to face him head-on, only Tobias and the other two would be able to take him.


    As for her and Michelle, she was skeptical. Minutes were passing by and there still was no answer. She was about to tell the man that Lucas was not willing to talk when she heard his reply.


    "Put him on", he said and heard a man''s voice on the other side.


    Emilia passed her earpiece to him, and Alfred placed it in his ear. He was now thinking about what kind of a person he was going to be dealing with and chose his words very carefully.


    "Mr. Leader of the troops, we have seen the might of your people, and we do not wish to harm the humans. We have a different goal right now, but I can assure you that we are against the Beastmen who will attack you any given moment", he said.


    There was no reply from the other side, and he was wondering if the person he was speaking to had heard what he had said. This was the first task that he had received from Zen after leaving the building, and he wanted to complete this successfully.


    "Tell your leader to come to the Second Entrance. Tell him to bring along you, and two of the strongest fighters in your group", he said.


    Alfred nodded his head and passed the earpiece back to Emilia. Her worries were escalated when she heard the reply in another earpiece.


    "Are you sure they can be trusted? They seemed strong", she said with worry in her voice. She had seen the strength that he was emanating, and she was wondering if Lucas will be able to handle such power levels.


    "Don''t burn them. We need them to show the people who are coming towards us that we are not as easy as they think", he said and Emilia understood that they had faced something like she just faced.


    "Just how are they attacking at the same time?", she began to wonder and went back. Michelle was seated right next to her, and Tobias went to mingle with Sam and Anthony.


    The three of them just kept looking at each other, and Tobias broke the Ice by talking first.


    "My name is Tobias Brown, and these women are Michelle Cooper and Emilia Burnheart", he said. Sam had a smile as he looked at the three of them.


    "So these are your friends that you have met during your journey till now, huh? You even made friends with the Coopers.. Quite a tough task indeed", he thought as he looked at all of them.

 Chapter 147 - A Tight Spot (Part One)

    After looking at them and memorizing their faces, he then gave them advice on how to improve their efficiency in battle.


    "Tobias, you are a user of Lightning. And it seems like yours is much purer than what the others have. I have a suggestion for you. Try to channel the lightning throughout your body, and that includes your bones and muscles", he said.


    Tobias was confused by what he said, as he thought he was doing the same thing. He was about to brush it off, but what Sam said next struck him.


    "Right now, you are only channeling it through your Mana Channels, and you have to integrate your Mana into your body. Not every kind of Mana can do this. Only the purest forms of Mana can do it", he explained.


    Right after he finished the explanation, something inside Robert clicked. It was like he was searching for something for a very long time, and the door had just been opened.


    The moment he realized the impact behind the advice, he thanked Sam profusely. Sam just acknowledged him and let him go, and looked at Emilia.


    "As for you, the same applies. But you would have to infuse the purest form, as you are a user of all kinds of Magic. The purest form is the Pure Elemental Energy, which is very scarce".


    "It can be extracted from the Mana that we have surrounding. For instance, let''s say we have a liter of Mana right now. The amount of Pure Elemental Energy taht could be extracted from it is a mere hundred to a hundred and fifty milliliters."


    "There are some places where this Elemental Energy is very dense. If you ever come across someplace like that, use it to your advantage. For now, I can get you some crystals from the Palace, and you can begin to integrate them into your body. And learn some Staff Arts, it would help you in the long run", he finished.


    Emilia didn''t know what to say. She was wondering how expensive that crystal would be as she wanted to replay Lucas back for using it in her Staff.


    After learning about it, she began to wonder if she would ever be able to repay him for using such a crystal as a base for her Staff. Sam was now headed to the next person, and that was Michelle.


    "I do not have any advice for you, as you are much stronger than me. The only thing I would say is to familiarize yourself with your weapon, and increase your proficiency with Darkness", he said as he shrugged his shoulders.


    Michelle knew why he was saying that, and if he could sense the strength within her, she was sure the enemies would sense it as well. She withdrew back some of her Aura and looked at him, to which Sam nodded his head.


    "These are the advice I can give you right now. These will help you in the long run, and let us set up the defenses around this place. I do not want to face another army of this size. It is exhausting", he said.


    Everyone nodded their heads, and Emilia was wondering what was going on back at Lucas''s, and she began to pray.


    "Please be alright, Lucas. They are very strong", she muttered. The five of them began to discuss how to set up the defenses to fight against anyone that might come for them.


    After about half an hour, Anthony felt the presence of multiple people heading towards them. He snarled a bit as he sensed the strength was much more than the last horde they had faced and was about to warn them.


    "I have sent a hundred men towards you, and a man named Alfred amongst them will be the leader. He is the one that contacted me before from the place you are guarding at, Emilia", came Lucas''s voice from the earpiece.


    "Alright, I will see to it. Are they going to help us?", she asked him to which he gave an affirmative answer. Emilia relayed the message to everyone, and they got ready to greet the people who were coming towards them.


    "Seems like you are still planning the next move, my dear brother", thought Sam as he went along with the others.


    (Inside the Underground City)


    Steve and Jasmine were just waiting for the next thing that the voice had said that he would send their way. Steve was worried about what kind of powerful beasts he would send, and he was secretly praying nothing serious to happen.


    Jasmine pulled out her GlassPad and was looking at something on it. Steve peeped over from her shoulder and saw several dots scattered around.


    "Seems like they have been put in a pinch, should I give them any commands?", she muttered when she saw Steve peeping over her shoulder. She was about to reprimand him, but she also wanted his input on the situation.


    Steve analyzed the situation and was wondering if Lucas could pull off something that he did at the test. He had his fingers on his chin, and a smile was seen on his face.


    Jasmine now smiled and understood what he was about to say. She kept mum and wanted to hear him say those words.


    "As they are in The Growth Zone, let them experience this. And if need be, let us give them some pointers", he said. Jasmine nodded her head and placed the GlassPad back inside, and Steve''s face turned serious.


    "Seems like we have some enemies to deal with of our own. Let''s hope they will survive without our guidance", he muttered as he pulled out his Wind Blade. Jasmine had her daggers in her hand, and both their eyes emanated a fire within them.


    The enemies were coming towards them from all the tunnels, and they had to make sure to draw all of them towards them. The moment they lose their concentration was the moment they had failed The Kingdom.


    Steve took off towards the tunnel on the left, and Jasmine took off to the tunnel on the right. Both of them set up a barrier for the middle tunnel, making the people who come through it not able to reach the city.


    "Good Luck", said Steve as he set off towards the tunnel. "The same goes to you", she said as she gave him a peck on his cheek. Steve had a smile wide on his face as he went towards the tunnel.


    Right after he entered, he raised the Wind Barrier he had used the last time. He was sure that the people who were headed towards him would use every tactic in the book to attack, and he had to make sure he didn''t give any room to those tactics.


    The barrier was raised, and this time it was much more powerful. He had moved it up a notch, as he sensed that these foes are not the average foes that he had faced all this while.


    With his Wind Blade in his hands, he was waiting for the enemies to appear. The moment they appeared, he made his move.


    All they saw was a green blade in front of them, and the next moment they would be able to see their body.


    He began to weave through them, and he called upon another blade to make his slaughter much easier. He was keeping his strength under wraps, as he was skeptical whether the tunnel will be able to handle the pressure of his attacks.


    And that was why he was sticking to basic attacks and combat. He had extreme control over his Element, which gave him an edge to fight in all kinds of situations.


    He was spinning like a dance, and blood was his partner. If anyone was watching this from afar, they would think that Steve was an artist and he was making a mural on the walls.


    Steve had now mowed down the numbers and they were down to a mere thirty. The Beastmen who were there were looking at the Lone man that was attacking them.


    Steve was looking at them and waiting for them to make their move, and the moment a person stepped forward, he moved from his place.


    He cut the man''s arms, and he was left waiting on the ground. But after a few seconds, both of his arms returned and they looked brand new. It looked like they had never been cut in the first place.


    "Ultraspeed Regeneration. What an annoying ability", he scoffed as he jumped a few steps back. He made his blades vanish and was now pulling out green needles.


    He was keeping them in the air around him and was looking at the man that had regenerated from the damage he had done. The Beastman was skeptical about making his next move after seeing what was being prepared.


    "The moment he or anyone makes their move, I am going to riddle them with all of these needles", thought Steve as he looked at them. His look was fierce, and his opponents felt the anger behind the stare.


    The Beastmen looked at each other, and another man among them moved forward. He didn''t make his move, as he had his hands above his head.


    "We are willing to talk this out. Why are you helping the humans? Aren''t they the ones who despise us Beastmen?", he asked.


    Steve began to laugh out loud as he replied, "I am a normal human."

 Chapter 148 - A Tight Spot (Part Two)

    The Beastmen thought that since he was someone with immense strength, he was sure to be a Beastmen. But when he said that he was a normal human being, they were shocked and taken aback by his strength.


    They made the mistake of underestimating him, thinking he was weak. But after seeing his display of strength, they were sure they had to bring their game up.


    Everybody transformed that instant, and there were Beastmen of all kinds in front of him. Steve clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    "While some among you have decided to cooperate with us, the majority of you guys are still coming at us. If this keeps going on, how do you think we can co-exist?", he put forth his question as he watched them closely.


    He was buying as much time as he could and extracting as much information he can. One of them came forward, and he was the one who had put forth the question.


    "I am sorry, strong human. We are unfortunately at crossroads here, and we will continue to be unless you take our life, or we take yours. For that has always been the law of the jungle", he said as he looked at Steve.


    His eyes were filled with mixed emotions, as the deeper Steve saw into those man''s eyes, the more unclear he was of his decision to kill them. Everyone amongst the Beastmen turned and looked at the man with clear sadness in their eyes.


    The Beastman with the regeneration looked at him, and after a few seconds, his eyes widened. He stood in front of him and stopped him from moving forward.


    "Boss, you cannot be serious. Unless we win the points, we will be unable to leave that place. Do you want to go back to that place again?", he asked.


    The line that he had spoken piques Steve''s interests. He now wanted more information about whatever the place was, and where they had emerged from.


    The Boss amongst them made his move and went past him. Right as he reached next to Steve, he punched and Steve blocked it with his palms.


    "FOR FREEDOM!", said The Boss and there was a cry amongst them all. "FOR FREEDOM!", chanted everyone as they moved.


    Steve made his move and sent his needles straight at the people who were advancing. While he was keeping the Boss occupied by fighting with him, the others were being ripped apart by his needles.


    The needles were not normal, as they were always twisting in a constant axis. The speed of rotations can be increased and decreased at will, and right now it was spinning at three hundred and fifty rotations per minute.


    Once the needle made contact, nothing was stopping it from coming out the other side of the body the next moment. The rotations made it hard to deal with their penetrating strength, and the wound that it caused would take some time to heal for a person with Ultra speed Regeneration.


    This was the reason why Steve had chosen these needles and was specifically giving company for The Boss amongst them. He decided to fight him to his heart''s content, as that was the way of a warrior.


    The Boss brought his knee straight to his face, and Steve dodged it barely. He was getting slower as his concentration was on the other people who he had to attack and kill.


    Except for the one with Ultra speed Regeneration, everyone else had died. Steve had left him alive so that he can watch The Boss duke it out.


    Steve now had his concentration on the fight at hand, as he made sure that the other guy did not make his move. The Boss''s movements were getting faster by each second, and it was getting harder for him to keep up.


    Unless he began to use Wind, he was sure he would be unable to keep up. Thus, he withdrew all of his needles and a green hue enveloped his body.


    His movement speed increased by three times, and he was now much faster than The Boss. Right before The Boss could make another punch, he deflected it and gave him a quick hook.


    The speed and the precision behind the hook threw him off balance, and Steve used this opportunity to knock him off his feet. He threw his over his shoulder and was down on the ground, panting.


    Steve then looked at the person in front of him, and the other man was looking at his boss with a worried expression. The Boss was getting up from the ground slowly, and his strength was something that Steve was wary of.


    "Each of his hits is like slamming a tree trunk against my body", he thought as some parts of his body were aching from the attacks he had received. He was sure if he took another punch at the same place, he would end up with a broken bone.


    The Boss swung his hands and cracked his neck, and took his fighting stance once again. He was back for more, and this time Steve took him seriously.


    He didn''t have any weapons ready, but his Mana had already been channeled throughout his body. The Boss made his move, and Steve began to deflect the attacks.


    He was much more precise in this round, and all the spots he went for were vital. One hit and Steve would end up with some permanent damage.


    He didn''t want that to happen and thus was always on his toes, dodging every strike that was made. While he deflected some of them, he dodged the rest of them.


    He could not see an opening through which he would be able to make an impact and chain his attacks. The attacks that were coming his way were a chain, and if he got hit by one, he was sure the follow-up attacks would break him.


    "Time to increase the difficulty", he smirked and swerved right through his punch. He slid right under the arm and went around, and was now at the back of The Boss.


    Since he had decided that he would not use any weapons, he covered his arm with Wind and gave a quick jab to the back. The jab was quick and precise, and he ended up coughing some blood from the impact of the punch.


    The Boss now had a smile across his face, and he held his hand on his chest. With that smile, he looked at Steve.


    "My name is Trevor. What is your name, strong human?", he asked. Steve now understood why he was saying that.


    "My name is Steve Hudson", he replied. Trevor nodded his head in acknowledgment, and once more took his stance.


    "It was nice knowing you, Mr. Hudson", he said as he came towards his face in an instant. Steve deflected the punch to the side and threw in a powerful uppercut.


    After the both of them finished their attack, Trevor fell to the ground and began to cough hard. Steve went towards him and held him close.


    The other man came running and squat next to Trevor, and tears were running from his eyes. He was emotional and unstable, and his eyes began to turn red.


    "Martin, listen to me. This was a spar, just like The Arena. If I were to die there, who would take revenge against?", he asked the other man. Martin clenched his fist and looked at Steve.


    "Against the people who kidnapped us and experimented on us. For they were the same as us, victims to their madness", he replied. Trevor had a smile and looked at Steve.


    "I do not wish to send him back to the place where we came from, and I do not know if they will keep up their words. They are filled with hypocrisy, and I am sure only death awaits us even if we fulfill the tasks they had given us. I ask of you, Mr. Hudson. Please kill us", he said.


    Martin''s eyes were wide when he heard his statement. He did not expect him to be so welcoming of death, and after he heard his sentence, something inside him stirred.


    "We both are nothing but a victim to our circumstances. It was great knowing you, Boss Trevor", said Martin as he hung his head low. Steve pulled out his Wind Blade, and in one swift motion, cut their heads off.


    "Seems like there is more to these people than random attacks. If they are planning to put this Kingdom in a pinch, then I have to make sure that when the Horde arrives, all the internal problems have been taken care of", he thought as he walked out of the tunnel.


    Jasmine walked out of her tunnel, and the both of them were standing right in front of the middle tunnel. They could see the Beastmen looking all around them, and some of them were even on the ground taking a leisure nap.


    The both of them looked at each other and had a smile on their faces.


    "Let''s go and kill them all quickly", she said as the both of them stepped past the barrier into the tunnel.

 Chapter 149 - The Combative Illusionist!

    Right after entering the tunnel, Jasmine snapped her finger and every one of them came back to reality. They were all in an illusive world, in which it was a calm garden with a breezy wind.


    This Magic was all the work of Steve''s Wind and Jasmine''s Illusive techniques combined into one. They had worked alongside each other a lot, and they had their ways of creating combined techniques.


    This Barrier was one of their combined techniques, which they called ''Immersive World''. The Illusion would be too real that the person who was trapped in it would never know if they were in the real world or an illusion.


    When Jasmine had snapped her fingers, she had removed her Illusion from the Barrier, making them come back to the tunnel they were in. The Wind Barrier was still up, and now both of them had to defend against all the people who were in the tunnel.


    Jasmine and Steve had each dealt with seventy-five Beastmen, and in front of them were a hundred and seventy-five of them. The numbers were massive, and both of them had a smirk on their faces.


    "No wonder the King sent us here, and let the others guard the main gates. Seems like they are keen to wipe out the population here. What a bunch of arrogant people", she said. Steve nodded his head and looked around.


    He pulled out his blades and had his needles active. He just needed to think and the needle would move on its own. Both Steve and Jasmine took their stand, and the Beastmen began to snicker at their foolishness.


    They moved and in an instant, they were in the middle of the enemy ranks. Jasmine was swinging her daggers around, and slashing at every throat she could reach. Steve was using his blades and cutting heads off.


    While they were cutting through the enemy ranks, the Beastmen saw this as an opportunity to go past them and into the city. They were sure that there were many people inside, and with them killing the required number, they would be able to go free.


    Steve and Jasmine didn''t mind them running towards the Barrier, and the moment they reached the Barrier, they were sliced into pieces. Blood was splattered across, and the body parts were cut down to small chunks.


    The Beastmen who saw this turned their heads towards Steve, who had a smirk across his face. He extended his other hand, and another blade appeared.


    "You should finish off the enemy within your ranks first, then concentrate on creating chaos. And you can''t create chaos, for we are chaos", he said and moved.


    A wind went past the men, and the next moment their heads were left rolling on the ground. The others who saw this charged towards him, hoping to avenge their fallen brethren.


    Jasmine had a smile on her face as she saw him go fast and try to finish them off. She jumped a few steps back and threw her dagger past the enemies.


    "Can''t let you have all the fun now, can I love?", she said with a wink. The dagger went past many enemies, and she yanked it using the ring on her index finger.


    A string appeared out of thin air, and it was entangled around thirty necks. The dagger slid across them all, slicing through them like butter and killing them instantly.


    Their numbers had begun to dwindle, but the difficulty began to rise. The weak people amongst them were the ones that had fallen, while the strong ones were slowly coming out into the open now.


    They had seen the tricks they had used, and they were now being cautious of the both of them. Steve now began to understand their motivation, but what he didn''t understand was why were they attacking even after their Boss was dead.


    "Boss, they seem strong. But the woman is beautiful, and they seem like a couple. I think you understand what I am saying", said one of the men. The Boss of the group nodded his head and vanished right in front of everyone''s eyes.


    Jasmine and Steve were shocked to see someone with Camouflage skill amongst them. Steve was beginning to think what kind of a pain it was going to be to deal with them.


    "Gale Storm", he muttered and a strong wind began to blow within the tunnel. The man who was camouflaged could not move a step further and felt himself being pushed back.


    Steve was using the wind to push him back, and not allow him to reach Jasmine. He had overheard what the henchmen had told to him, and he was furious.


    But his rationale side kept him in check, allowing him to use his brain to make sure that the tunnel was left undamaged as he dealt with them. The Gale Storm he was using was of less intensity, just making them immovable from their place.


    Jasmine took this opportunity and threw the dagger once more, and it whizzed past them due to the boost of the wind. Right after it had reached the end, she once more tugged and the string appeared.


    It was wrapped around their necks, and they were confused as they knew that the dagger had just gone past them. It never spun and intertwined, and Steve loved the look of amusement on their faces.


    "Allow me to entertain you guys. You see, this string has a special property. It is linked with the person, and she can wield it however she sees fit. No matter what you do, you will not be able to escape from the clutches of this string", he explained.


    Jasmine pouted her face as that was her part to do. She wanted to strike fear into them, but Steve was doing it.


    He began to look around and tried to find the one that had camouflaged, but he couldn''t. He couldn''t use the Wind Tracking skill as he was low on Mana now.


    Jasmine tugged and the dagger once more sliced them all down. The man who was camouflaged appeared right behind her and held her by the neck.


    His hands had transformed into claws, and they were about to slash across her throat. Right after slashing, he saw Jasmine fall to the ground with blood pouring out of her neck.


    "That is what you get for killing my subordinates", he snickered. He was about to make his move and attack Steve but felt something wrapped around his legs.


    He looked down and saw a string was wrapped around his leg. But he was confused about how she could be alive after he had slit her throat.


    He saw the body disintegrate in front of his eyes, and footsteps from behind him. He turned his head and saw her smile at him.


    "You thought that I would allow myself to be captured that easily?", she asked. Her tone was much more menacing than Steve''s now, that he felt a chill run down his spine as he looked into her eyes.


    "But how?", was his only question. Steve who was watching all of this had a smile across his face, and he didn''t say anything as he allowed her to explain.


    "I am an Illusion Magic Master. Do you think I would allow myself to be killed by someone like you? Since you are going to die, let me explain how you fell for my trap."


    "The moment you camouflaged and were resisting against the Gale, I switched. Creating an Illusion to lure you to this place, and his myself using the same Camouflage. With the Illusive Puppet in place, all I had to do was kill to make it look more real."


    "I hid at an angle that would make you perceive that the Puppet was the one that did the killing, and you fell for the trap. The moment you let yourself be seen, was the moment I sprung the strings on your legs, wrapping them and trapping you in place", she finished her explanation.


    Steve was amazed at her Illusive Magic. NO matter how many times he had seen it, he was amazed at the Illusions she used, and the ways she used it.


    Most of the Illusion users were non-combatants, and they used it to create defenses for Kingdoms. They were highly valued individuals.


    While most of them were non-combatants, some of them had found more uses of it in combat. Turning a non-combat Magic into something that can be used for combat was something that required a lot of research and time, and Jasmine was one of them.


    She had learned Illusive spells and began to tune them into something that she could use for fights. After twelve years of testing and perfecting her Illusive Magic, she had reached this level of prowess.


    Her research never stopped, and it was always ongoing. This was the part that amazed Steve a lot and eventually made him fall for her.


    The moment he heard the statement from her, The Boss understood his mistake. He knew he was about to die.


    "FOR FREEDOM!", he said as he felt the daggers cut him up, and kill him instantly. Jasmine pulled them back towards her, and she turned to Steve.


    "How was that? Intimidating enough?", she asked as she looked at him. Steve had a smile and nodded his head.. Both of them had their hands together as they left the tunnel and headed back inside.

 Chapter 150 - Zen, A.K.A Shadow Fang

    The moment they reached inside, both of them felt the presence of hundred men coming towards them. Steve pulled out his blade, and Jasmine pulled out her GlassPad.


    "Isn''t that the direction Lucas was guarding?'', she thought as she looked at the direction from which she sensed the enemies coming. Right when she was about to ask what was going on, a voice sounded in her ears.


    "I have sent a group of men your way. They are partners for now until the war is over. Use them as you see fit. The group will be headed by a man named Bruce", came Lucas''s voice.


    Jasmine smiled and looked at Steve. He was beginning to plan on how to use them to his advantage, as he needed to this down the enemies as much as he could before they made it into the tunnel.


    He saw the men appear, and the way they moved reminded him of his days as an Adventurer. He still was, but he couldn''t move as freely as he did back in the days.


    He was tasked with many things to watch over ever since he became an S Rank Adventurer. Climbing up to SSS Rank was hard for him, and it was even harder for his brother to move up the ranks as he had to keep watch over the portals all day.


    One look at Bruce and he knew Bruce followed the path of Bushido. He then looked at the others, and he saw the strength they exuded.


    "Bruce reporting for duty, SIR!", he said as he did a salute to Steve. Bruce could sense the Mana fluctuations within Steve, and he knew he was no match for him.


    Steve nodded his head and began to split them up into four groups. Three groups consisted of thirty people each, and the final group consisted of ten. Bruce was amongst the group of ten.


    "Each group is to venture into these tunnels and reach the outside. After reaching, you are to defend the tunnels. If anyone runs past you, do not worry. That is why we are staying back here."


    "If any one of you feels that the threat is too much to handle, relay the message and retreat back here to this point. Your lives are much more important, as every person that contributes to this war is essential."


    "UNDERSTOOD?", he asked in a raised voice. The three groups saluted him, and everyone replied in chorus.


    "YES SIR!"


    "LOUDER!"


    "YES SIR!!!"


    "LOUDERRR!!!"


    "YESSS SIRRRR!!!!"


    "Disperse!", he commanded and the next second, every group dispersed and left from the place towards their designated areas, and Steve was hoping that nothing bad happens right now.


    "Stay safe everyone", he prayed silently. He felt a hand on his shoulder squeeze, and it was Jasmine reassuring him that there was nothing he could do to stop this war now.


    (Deep in the forest, Before the Heart Palace)


    Zen was following the direction that Lucas had shown him, and the people he had brought were good in stealth attacks. They were moving swiftly through the woods, jumping from tree to tree silently when they heard footsteps heading in the same direction as them from below.


    Zen observed the situation and saw that they were the same as him, coming out from The Zoo. His sense of smell picked up their scents and he held his hand up, commanding everyone to stop.


    "Squad Zen reporting. We have spotted enemies heading towards the path that we are heading. What is the course of action?'', asked Zen.


    Zen was waiting for a few minutes, as he was now under Lucas''s command and could not do anything that would jeopardize them.


    "Finish them off, every single one of them. If there are any humans amongst them, send them back here", he commanded. Zen acknowledged the command, and he slowed down his advance towards the Palace.


    A smile was spread across his face right after he heard the command. He was wondering if his decision was the right one, and right now it seemed to him like the right one indeed.


    "Boys, remember. Kill without hesitation. GO!!", commanded Zen, and shadows zipped past him. Everyone was walking stealthily in the woods, and with their speed and technique, the Beastmen that were advancing began to fall.


    One of the men turned and saw the men that were supposed to be behind him were not there. Instead, in their place was an eerie emptiness that he felt unsettling.


    "Everyone, half of the people that were among us are...", and he stopped. The men that were running towards the Palace now stopped and turned around, only to see the man hanging upside down from a tree.


    All the others that were killed were left in the same way, and everyone became wary of their surroundings. No matter what they tried, they were unable to sense anybody around them.


    The leader among them stepped in front, and he placed his hands on the ground. After a few minutes, he stood up and frowned.


    "We have a lot more enemies. Much more than we can handle. And it seems like they are good at Stealth. Stay vigilant everyone", he commanded and everyone huddled together in a close-knit circle.


    Zen was watching this from above, and he smiled. He was waiting for such an opportunity, as picking them out seemed to be a tedious task for him.


    He then motioned for his men to appear, and they came out of the shadows. Zen walked in front of them with his hands spread wide.


    "I welcome you, people, to my humble abode. As you can see, you are trespassing our property. Step back, and you shall live. Fight, and you shall join your comrades", said Zen.


    He was doing something for fun, and he liked to intimidate his opponents to determine their strength. Right after Zen had finished his sentence, the people who were hiding deeper emerged out from the shadows.


    The leader of the group was now scared, but he began to weigh his pros and cons.


    "People who use stealth are generally quick and agile. But what they lack is strength and that is our strong suite. I have to make them face us head-on, and we can overpower them", he thought.


    He walked in front of his people and looked Zen in the eye. He was challenging Zen''s authority by trying to look intimidating.


    "Who said the Forest is yours? Do you own it? This is public property", he said as he looked at Zen. He clicked his tongue as a reply.


    "Don''t tell me I never gave you a chance to escape", he said as he grabbed his neck. His vice-like grip made it hard for him to breathe, and he was struggling to escape from his grip.


    No matter how much he tried, he was unable to escape. Zen let him go, and held him by the collar, making him watch his henchmen.


    "Now, let''s do this again. Do you agree to leave?", he asked. The leader was determined and turned his head back at him.


    "In your dreams", he replied. Zen threw him to the ground and held his face towards his subordinates. One of the men went straight for his neck and killed him.


    The leader shuddered as he looked back at Zen. The more he looked at him, the more he thought that the person was a demon than a human.


    "You''re a demon", he muttered as he saw the look in Zen''s eye. Everyone was depending on their leader to make the call, while some of them were burning with hate for revenge.


    "EVERYONE! ATTACK!", said the leader and closed his eyes. He was sure that he would be killed instantly and was waiting for his death.


    But what came in return was a laugh. And it was none other than Zen''s. He turned his head and looked at the leader with disappointment.


    "A good leader must know when to advance and when to retreat. Unfortunately for you, you do not have the makings of a leader", he said and gave a low whistle. Right after that, blurred movements were all he saw.


    "Who are you?", asked the leader as he looked at Zen in dread. Zen smiled at him and gave him the reply he wanted.


    "My name is Zen. But you may better know me as Shadow Fang", he said. The leader, who wanted to kill him as soon as he was released, shivered the moment he heard the name.


    "It can''t be... you''re Shadow Fang? The number three among the Top Ranks of The Zoos?", he asked. Zen just nodded his head in reply.


    The man understood who he had gone up against.. He was an insignificant nobody in front of Zen''s strength, and his ignorance was the reason he had lost.

 Chapter 151 - Training Jason (Part One)

    "I didn''t know who you were and messed with you. I am sorry!", he groveled on the ground. Zen was about to kill him when something popped in his head.


    "Who is your Boss?", he asked. The leader looked back up at him, and once more began to grovel.


    "Our Boss is the Fourth Rank, Silver Wings", he replied. He was hoping that would get him some amnesty, and he might even spare his life.


    A snap was heard, and he saw Zen snap a twig in half as he closed his fist. He was amazed by the strength and understood that the rumors he had heard did him no justice.


    "The man without a single loss, Shadow Fang. It was rumored that he was quick and decisive, and his strength was unmatched. The reason he was number three was that he had the least number of matches fought", he thought as he waited for his verdict.


    "Any last words?", he asked as he took a step towards him. The leader nodded his head sideways, and Zen slashed his head clean off his shoulders.


    "Just you wait, Silver Wings. I am coming for you", he muttered as he followed the path Lucas had shown him. After a few minutes, he reached the Palace.


    He saw a lot of men scattered around, and they were placed strategically so that no one would be able to enter. If someone placed his foot inside, the next moment he would be bombarded with bullets and killed.


    He was thinking of a way to enter the place, and how to divert the situation and make it favorable to him. He was formulating a plan, and all of his men were behind him.


    He wanted to let Lucas know that he was near the Palace, and was wondering if he should. Just when he thought he would need his help, he got an idea.


    He jumped down from the tree and moved towards the Palace with his hands behind his head. The sounds of guns clicking were heard, and he stepped forward slowly.


    "I come here in peace. I seek an audience with the king. I and my people are here to aid you in this war", he said as he stepped forward. One of the men was skeptical and fired a warning shot right at his feet.


    "Stay where you are. We will inform the king of your arrival", said one of the men and began talking into the earpiece he had. The next moment, there was a loud thud, and from the dust came Ben and Jason.


    Zen was shocked when he saw the King. He quickly kneeled and bowed his head, and sensed the strength from him.


    "Just his Aura is enough to make me bow down to him. If this person is the King, the people who have waged war against them are screwed", he thought as he kept looking at the ground.


    "Rise", said Ben, and the words carried a magic sense within them. Zen was unable to resist the words and stood up instantly.


    "What is happening to me?", he thought as he stood up on his own. He was now looking at Ben directly, and confusion was visible in his eyes.


    "State your purpose", he commanded and Zen felt the urge to disobey it. But he couldn''t do it and ended up stating why he was here.


    "I was sent here by Lucas. He told me to assist in defending the Palace against any incoming attacks, and we found some intruders while we were on our way. We took them out on Lucas''s orders, and I now stand before you", he replied without hesitation.


    Ben smiled right after he heard Lucas''s name. He was wondering how he was doing amid all this chaos, and it seemed to him that he was doing well.


    "For him to find allies amongst the enemies, he has shown me once again that he is fit to be out in the world", he muttered as he turned around.


    "Release", he said and Zen felt the control over him being released. He wanted to ask what that was, but before he could voice out his question, Ben gave his answer.


    "I am sorry about what I just did. It is something that had to be done, and I had to make sure that you are not a threat to my Kingdom. After making that sure, I have released the spell hold that I had over you", he explained.


    Zen began to ponder upon the words that were spoken by Ben. Something inside him clicked, and he looked around.


    "Call your men in, I can sense them standing around", he said and everyone appeared out from the shadows. There were a hundred men, and each of them was sneaky as they appeared all around the entrance.


    One of them even had his weapon drawn, but he placed it back as soon as he sensed Zen''s eyes on him. Ben smiled as he looked at them.


    "Everyone of you is to guard the Forest, and if anything goes south, you are to retreat into the Palace. We have almost thirty hours before the Horde marching towards us strikes. Until then, I would like to keep every person safe", he said.


    Zen had a smile across his face right after he heard the final words.


    "A man who is honest and careful. And a man who cares about lives more than winning. Seems like this person is worthy of being a King", he concluded from the little information he had obtained at the moment.


    He snapped his fingers and every person that had appeared vanished back into the shadows. Ben, who was watching this had his hands behind his back.


    "Son seems like you have brought in some worthy allies", he muttered as he watched them go back into the forest, and stay camp there. He motioned for Jason to follow behind him and entered the Palace.


    He brought him to a room and closed the doors behind. After closing it, he looked at Jason and smiled.


    "I am going to teach you how to keep your power in your total control. Since you have three beasts DNA within you, it is going to be hard. For now, let me teach you how to harness the power within you", he said and motioned him to sit right next to him.


    Jason was excited to be learning from someone much stronger than him, and the King at that. He had learned how to transform to the First Stage and to transform certain parts of his body.


    He was now looking forward to the lessons from him and sat down in anticipation. Ben placed his hands on his back, and Jason felt something inside him.


    "Sense the Beast that resides within you, and try to communicate with it. It is a dangerous task, and it might even try to take over your body. If that happens, I have the serum to inject", he explained.


    Jason nodded his head and began to follow the flow that Ben was showing him. He slowly began to catch on, and Ben withdrew his efforts and allowed him to circulate it within him.


    "For now, you need to make the Beast awaken. When it does, it will go on a rampage, and that is why I have locked you here. And I am sure that I can subdue it with my strength."


    The First full transformation is the only time you will be able to communicate and form a bond. After that, you will need to subdue them in The Eye Of The Mind. But that is something you can''t do unless you make the three Beasts that are within you reach an agreement", he muttered.


    Everything he muttered was heard by Jason as his ears had begun to transform into that of a Lion. His hair began to grow, and his body began to change.


    "This is going to be tough. How much I wish Merlin was here with me now", he smiled as he looked at a fully transformed Jason.


    He had turned into a full lion and was now roaring at Ben. Ben had entered Partial Transformation, and he looked at the Aura that the Beast was exuding.


    "Now what kind of twisted experiment were you trying, Mad Scientist? Let me find it out", he muttered as he came back to the ground and looked at the beast in the eye.


    The lion began to circle him around, and Ben was in the middle. He was waiting for it to make the attack, and Jason, who was now a lion looked at him and was analyzing him before making his attack.


    His rationale was lost, and the Lion was now in control. But inside, Jason was trying to find the Lion that had control over him, and communicate something with it.


    Ben had a smug smile as he looked at the Beast in the eye, and it enraged the Beast further. It roared right at his face and jumped back.


    "COME AT ME!", he said out loud and the Lion came running towards him, with its mouth wide open, ready to bite him down.

 Chapter 152 - Training Jason (Part Two)

    Jason, who was now the Lion that was circling lunged at him. Ben who had transformed held its mouth by the fangs, was holding the lion in place. A smirk appeared across his face as he held the lion.


    "Is that all you have Jason? I was expecting more from you", he said as he took a deep breath. The lion roared out loud as it began to slash at him.


    Ben was moving from side to side, dodging the slashes as he was looking at the momentum that the lion was gaining. The more he dodged, the faster it became.


    "Come on Jason, I know you can do it. Find the Beast that is residing within you", he muttered as he kept dodging the attacks that were made at him. The lion was slowly getting exhausted, and he kept looking at the place where it was standing.


    Ben was watching as the lion was slowly losing its momentum, and the moment he saw it stand still in a place, he wrapped his arms around its neck. He began to whisper inside its ear, trying to guide Jason through.


    "Jason, if you can hear me, let a small roar", he said. A low grumble was heard, and it was still as a kitten. Ben still help it in place as he knew the moment the two of them began to fight for control, the Lion would begin its rampage.


    "Let me bind it to the ground", he thought and bound all of its legs to the ground by covering them with diamonds. The lion was now bound, and now the only thing left was for Jason to find the Beast within him and strike a deal.


    (Inside Jason''s Mind)


    The moment he transformed into a lion, he began to feel the loss of control. Panic began to take over him, and he didn''t want to become the mindless Sphinataur once more.


    "No!", he thought but then he saw something in front of him. A path had opened up, and at the end of it was a white light. He had never seen this, and he began to follow the path that was leading to the light.


    He kept walking, and something didn''t seem right to him. He felt like the more he walked, the distance never shortened. He still walked for a few minutes and found that was the case.


    He began to walk backward and saw that he was moving farther away from the place in an instant. He was wondering what it was, and how he would be able to reach the entrance of the light.


    The light began to pulse, and a male voice came from the light. Jason was confused as to who the voice belonged, but tears were forming in his eyes unknowingly.


    "Welcome, we have been waiting for your arrival. Pass our tests, and we shall reveal who we are. This will be your first test. Are you willing, to walk through the unknown to reach your goal?", came the question.


    Jason clenched his fists and let out a deep breath. He was about to make his move when he heard Ben''s voice.


    "Jason, if you can hear me, let a small roar", said Ben, and he was wondering how to do that. He roared like he always would, except that this time it was mildly. He didn''t know what he had done, but it seemed to him like he had given Ben what he needed.


    Jason was now motivated to keep walking towards the light, as he had many questions running through him. And the voice which he had heard was so familiar and yet strange to him.


    The more he pushed forward, the more he felt like giving up. The walk was slowly breaking him down, and the panic was once more beginning to settle in.


    He didn''t stop his ascending though and he kept pushing. The light was pulsing, and he kept his hands right next to him. Some emotions were beginning to resurface, and there were bubbles all around him.


    They were vague at first, but the more he pushed forward, the clearer they became. He turned his head to look at one of them, and a little kid was running through some meadows. behind him was a woman chasing him with a plate in her hands.


    "Is that me?", he thought as he reached his hands out towards the bubble. The moment his finger connected, he felt a wave of emotions.


    He didn''t understand the emotions that he was feeling, and the more he looked at the bubble, the more they were bubbling. He felt something slide down his cheek, and he placed his finger to see what it was.


    "Tears? Am I, crying?", he thought as he looked at the memory once more. This time, he tried to remember who it was in the memory. The person was quite hazy, but the voice was crystal clear.


    "Is that you, Mother? Did I have a Mother?", he thought as he looked at the memory once more. He tried hard, but he couldn''t remember her face. It was hazy, but he could see the amount of love she had for him.


    The way she was chasing him throughout the meadows just to feed him some food, and the way a man was watching all of this with a smile on his face.


    He had a cap on his head, and it was lowered to cover up the face. The only thing that he could see was his smile and a cigarette that was playing on his lips.


    He did not have any idea about who the man was, but the voice that he spoke was the same that came from the light. He was now determined to reach the place and know who the both of them were, and with his newfound ambition, he stepped forward.


    This time, the more he moved, the light seemed to be getting closer to him. He had a smile across his face as he reached the light, and entered it.


    The path that he was on was still extended, and there was a door within the light. The light was all around him, but he sensed the emptiness that was within the light.


    "What is this feeling? Why is it so empty?", he pondered as he moved towards the door that was on the other side. He kept walking forward, and never stopped his advance.


    All of his energy came from the motivation of finding out who those two people were, and in the process learn something about himself. For the longest time, that was the answer he was seeking.


    His eyes were filled with fire as he kept moving forward and slowly began to embrace the emptiness that was surrounding him. He did not feel anything, no joy nor sadness.


    But the door was something that kept him fuelled, and the more he embraced this emptiness, the closer he came to the door. After what seemed like an eternity, he reached the door and had embraced the emptiness wholeheartedly.


    "If this emptiness is a part of me, then will I ever be able to find joy and love?", he began to wonder. Right before he could open the door, he saw another bubble. He reached out to it and grabbed it in his hand.


    He watched the memory and heard the sweet voice of his mother once more.


    "Son, you will always be loved. And in days when you doubt if love exists, remember that I, and your father, will always love you. No matter where you are, and how far you may be, you are always loved", she said as she wrapped her arms around little Jason''s body.


    Jason looked back at the door and took in a deep breath. He was wondering what kind of Beast he will meet, and if they knew something about his parents.


    "Here goes", he muttered as he opened the door. A blinding light hit his eyes, and he felt his surroundings change. After some time, he opened and saw himself standing in the middle of the meadows he saw in the memory.


    "This is the place I had seen in one of the bubbles. Does this mean that the Beasts that are residing within me are related to my parents? Will I be able to learn more about my past?", he thought.


    "That is not possible, as we are not related to your parents. After going through the memories that we could access, this seemed like a good place to stay, so we chose it", came a voice and he turned around.


    He saw a majestic lion standing behind him, and it had the face of a beautiful woman. There were some wings attached to her body, and it was standing right behind him.


    "You''re a Sphinx, aren''t you?", he asked as he looked at it. The Sphinx turned its head towards him and smiled.


    "Indeed I am. I know you do not like riddles, but I would like you to answer one of mine.. If you answer it correctly, then you will be able to use my power freely", she said.

 Chapter 153 - The Sphinxs Riddle

    Jason frowned as he heard the request. He was not great at thinking, but he did have some experience with riddles. He wanted to ask something, but the Sphinx stopped him.


    "You have three chances to give the right answer. So far, the progress you have shown to reach this place is commendable, and I would like to see if you are worthy enough to use my power."


    "If I deem you worthy, then you will be able to use it freely, and with no restriction. I will also help you to find a way and fuse that other two with you", she said as she turned her head towards her left.


    Jason looked in the same direction and saw an Ape and a Minotaur quarrel with each other. They were fighting like children over some fruit, and the Sphinx sighed.


    "And here I am just to baby-sit them", she muttered as she looked back at him. The next moment, she transformed into a beautiful woman, and she looked nothing like the Beast she was.


    She had wings folded behind her, and a tail that came out from the end of the spine. Her hair was golden with streaks of red, and it flowed down to her back. She snapped her fingers and clothes appeared on her body.


    She had a curving figure, and Jason was attracted towards her the moment he laid his eyes on her. She coughed once just to bring him back to his senses and make him stop staring at her.


    "A contronym is a single word that has two meanings that are contradictory in nature. What is a contronym for having "watchdog" responsibility vs. the result of failing to be watchful and responsible?", she asked as she took her seat next to him.


    "There is such a thing as a contronym?", he exclaimed, having learned something new. He was astonished that such a thing even existed in the first place.


    "So the question is, What is a contronym for having "watchdog" responsibility vs. the result of failing to be watchful and responsible?", he repeated. The Sphinx nodded her head and looked at him.


    "So, a watchdog is an animal that keeps watching all the time. And let''s say that the animal has failed in keeping watch. Doesn''t that mean it is neglecting its duty?", he muttered. He was rambling, and all of his thoughts were heard by The Sphinx.


    She just chuckled as she heard his thinking process. It was something she did not expect from him, but she found it amusing that he had caught on quickly.


    "So, if it is being lazy, and neglecting its duty, then there is only this word", he thought as he turned his head towards the Sphinx.


    "It''s irresponsibility", he said with confidence. The Sphinx chuckled at his confidence, and the way he answered was amusing to her.


    "You have two chances left", she said as she smiled at him. He was flabbergasted when he heard that he was wrong, but he didn''t give up.


    He then began to rethink the options that were available in the riddle.


    "So, he is irresponsible. But is there another word for it, that is close to responsibility, and matches with something that I need right now? And there is also the circumstance of me receiving the strength of the Sphinx", he began to grind his gears.


    He didn''t understand much about the riddle in particular, but what he understood was that the answer was a word that had polar opposite meanings. And the answer which he gave before was something that had a distinct single meaning.


    He began to wrack his brain for any synonyms that he could remember for irresponsible, and he remembered two words.


    "Now which one will it be? Is it overhasty, or insouciant? I only have two more strikes, and I do not want to lose both of them to both the words. Let me choose one, and if it is wrong, I will have to reanalyze the riddle again", he thought as he fixed his answer.


    "The answer is insouciant", he replied. The Sphinx, who was holding up two fingers folded one of them, indicating he had only one final chance.


    He threw the possibility of the other synonym out the window and began to reanalyze the riddle that was given to him.


    "What is a contronym for having "watchdog" responsibility vs. the result of failing to be watchful and responsible?", he repeated and once more began to break it down.


    "So, if a watchdog has the responsibility to watch, it means it is supposed to keep watch, which is related to sight. And the next sentence says that the opposite of it is when it fails to keep watch, and that is not keeping sight."


    "Now, is there a word with the sight that has two meanings that are directly opposite to each other, and yet exist in the same word? If there is, then what would the word be?", he thought.


    The Sphinx now had a smile plastered across her face as she watched him being deep in thought. She placed her hands on her cheek as she watched him think, finding him to be cute.


    "Let me see, sight. And then there is another word which is related to sight, oversight. Oversight is when someone fails to keep sight, but does it also mean that there is another meaning to the same word?", he thought.


    His pondering was deep, and all of his thoughts were being heard by the Sphinx. She chuckled, and it distracted him from his thoughts.


    "Beautiful", he thought and it was once more heard by her. A slight blush appeared on her cheeks as she turned around, and Jason had a smile on his lips as he was confident this time of his answer.


    "The answer is Oversight", he said. The Sphinx raised one of her brows, and she looked at him skeptically.


    "Elaborate as to why you think that would be the answer", she asked with a chuckle. She knew it was the correct one, and yet she demanded an explanation from him.


    Jason frowned as he knew she was now testing him to make sure that he was not making a guess, and had derived the answer with his efforts. He smiled and began to elaborate on how he derived the answer.


    "The key to the riddle lies in the word watch. If one were to misunderstand it as a word, and not take the action that is being made, they would arrive at the wrong answer, like I did the first and second time."


    "The action in the word watch is sight. Now, sight is a word that has a lot of meanings. And words that are related to it are very few. And one among them is the word, oversight."


    "Oversight is a word that differs according to the sentence. One is the action of overseeing something, which is related to supervision, and thus the word, watchdog."


    "The other meaning is the unintentional failure to notice or do something, which is related to the failure of being watchful or responsible. This was how I derived the answer and came to this conclusion", he finished his sentence.


    The Sphinx nodded her head earnestly as she was satisfied with his answer. She never thought of him to break down the riddle and pick up something from within the word ''watch''.


    "Well, I am satisfied with your answer, and as I had promised, I will allow you to use my powers freely. There is a catch though, as it will take me at least a month to configure your DNA and mine to be compatible with each other", she said.


    Jason nodded his head and was waiting for an alternative answer. He was sure as a very smart being that was alive, it would have a solution to his problem.


    "For now, I will allow you to use the part lion within me, as that is the only thing compatible as of this moment. And I am sure it would be very useful for the situation you are stuck in", she completed.


    Jason smiled and extended his hands towards her. The both of them shook their hands, and a golden hue enveloped him. "Done", she said as the both of them broke their handshake.


    Jason felt a surge of strength, and his muscles were growing at a fast pace. His hair was flowing, and his eyesight had increased exponentially.


    "Learn to control this first, and when I find a way to insert the bird part of my DNA, I will let you know. Now, go and have a look at yourself", she said as she placed her hands on his chest, and Jason felt himself being sucked out of the space that he was in.


    "Someday, we will figure out how to unlock your memories, but for that to happen, you will need strength.. Good Luck, Jason", she muttered as she watched him being sent out of The Eye of The Mind.

 Chapter 154 - Jasons First Transformation!

    (Outside, back in the room)


    Ben was watching the progress of Jason, and the Lion was now in a state of deep sleep. He had his fingers crossed, as he knew where he was at the moment.


    "The Eye Of The Mind. Seems like you have reached that place without the need of my help", he muttered. He was now watching the lion closely, and any movements that were made, he deemed them a threat.


    "Let''s just hope that the Beast that is inside has reached an intelligence, and is willing to communicate", he crossed his fingers and prayed. He didn''t want the Beast to go on a rampage.


    Although he was sure he would be able to contain the damage that would be done by keeping the room locked, he was also worried if he would be able to win it over. Once he bested the Beast, he was sure it would sit down and listen to reason.


    After watching over it for almost an hour, he didn''t see any movements made. He assumed that the Beast was intelligent, and Jason was now having a talk with the Beast that was within him.


    A few minutes later, he saw the lion transform back into Jason.  He didn''t stop and now tightened his Diamond Bind around Jason.


    Right after he had done that, Jason''s eyes began to turn and he screamed out loud. The scream was shrilling at first, and it slowly turned into a roar.


    His canines began to grow, and the roar was getting louder by every second. His arms and legs began to turn, and his hair grew long.


    "Why does it seem to me that he taking a complex transformation form right now? And I do not have the required materials to see if it going on well!", he panicked. He wanted to reach out to Bradley, but a voice sounded in his mind right at that moment.


    "Don''t do anything. This is indeed a complex transformation, and I am sure the Beast that is merging has only given part of its DNA", came the voice of Michael. Ben was confused as to what he was saying, but then the next sentence from him shattered every doubt he had.


    "That is a Sphinx. And someone must have extracted it from several Beasts that are its descendants and used it to create him. And we both know who is capable of doing these kinds of things", said Michael.


    Ben frowned and was amazed at the same time. He did not expect Jason to have the DNA of a Sphinx, and he was sure if he was trained well, he could surpass him given the time.


    He watched the process, and with the help of Michael by his side, he would be able to know if anything went wrong. After the transformation was over, Ben felt the overwhelming presence from him.


    He used his Aura to counter it, and slowly the pressure was off him. If he was skeptical at first, he was now sure that the person in front of him was much higher than him in strength.


    Jason opened his eyes, and he saw Ben standing in front of him. He realized that he must have transformed into something, and asked for a mirror to see how he looked.


    Ben obliged his wishes and brought forth a mirror from within the room. Jason felt his eyes pop out of their sockets the moment he laid eyes on the reflection.


    "This is me?", he asked Ben. He saw him nod his head like he was schooling a little kid, and that was how Jason felt at heart. He felt immense joy, just like the time he saw the memory of the little Jason running across the meadows.


    His hair had grown longer, and it was the same as the Sphinx. His eyes had turned yellow, and his vision was much sharper than a normal person''s.


    He punched and saw that his speed had increased a lot than before. He wanted to test out his strength, and jumped towards Ben to punch him.


    He blocked the attack and stood in place, but he felt the increase in strength. He slid a few inches back, and that was proof to Jason that he had grown stronger than before.


    He was checking out his claws and saw them pop out from the ends of his fingers. They were not long, but the sharpness was enough to cut any living thing to shreds.


    "Do I need a weapon?'', he muttered and Ben heard it. He sighed as he was in the same thoughts the moment he found out the power that he had.


    "You will need a weapon, as the Transformation takes a lot of energy out of you. And for you, who has just gone through their First Transformation, it is going to be more energy-consuming", he said.


    He omitted the fact that the more powerful the beast he merged with, the more energy he would use for each transformation. He was thinking about something, and he had a theory as to why he could merge with a Sphinx.


    "Maybe he is a descendant of the Sphinx, and like most of the species, he had the DNA within him. I am sure The Sphinx that is inside must have figured it out, and that is why it is slowly merging with him", he thought.


    He left the theory aside for now and watched as Jason was getting used to his new transformation. Since there were no threats at the moment, both of them were using this time to train.


    "Lucas, there is only very little time. Once we raise the barriers, it is going to be hard to root them out. Make sure to pluck the weeds by then", he thought as he sat down to take a break from the training.


    (The Guardians Tower)


    Bradley was now cracking his knuckles as he was typing fervently on the keyboard. The backtracing was not going as he expected, as he was now jumping around like a monkey all over the globe.


    "I am sure you have to be originating from someplace. Don''t try to hide from me", he muttered as he cracked his knuckles again. He took a sip of coffee from his cup that he had, and was playing around.


    "And it seems like the live stream is going well. They are raking in a ton of money. Just what kind of psychopaths are they, watching people kill each other?", thought Bradley as he saw the number of bets on each ''Zoo''.


    "And for them to use their experiments as a selling point. And it seems like Wave Two is over. I just hope that Wave Three is not much more intense than this one", he thought as he was watching the multiple screens in front of him.


    On each screen he had a live feed running, and he was astonished by the amount of coverage they were getting. Every possible angle was covered, and the places that were not covered were left in the dark, and there was seldom action in that section.


    The action was concentrated on the Underground City, and Everyone was defending well. What he was shocked about was Lucas turning the foes into allies.


    "I just hope that he knows what he is doing", he thought as he saw him give commands to them, and saw them separate and head towards a direction. After a few minutes, he saw them join up with the others and set up defenses.


    Bradley stopped worrying about the defense as he knew they were all against each other, and the moment they spotted someone, it was a death battle. He was keeping track of the points that were being displayed.


    [100 kills - Basic -> Intermediate


    250 kills - Intermediate -> Advanced


    500 kills - Advanced -> Legendary


    750 kills - Legendary -> King


    1000 kills - King -> Emperor


    1250 kills - Emperor -> Demi-God


    1500+ kills - Up for grabs to the highest bidder in ''The Auction'']


    He was keeping his eyes peeled, as he wanted some people to be recruited for the Guardians. He will not be able to free everyone, but if he could buy them off, he was sure to use them to strengthen up the Kingdom''s defenses.


    He was following the traces that were being left behind, and he was beginning to wonder something as he looked at the traces.


    "They seem to be jumping around, but these three places have been frequently visited. Kingdom of Rio from Country Macau, An unknown location from Country Namata, and the First Empire from Alexandria", he thought.


    He was keeping a close eye, and the algorithm he was running popped up the number of times these places were frequented. The places he observed were the top three most frequented places, and he was now sure one of those places is where they were operating from.


    Just as he thought he would not be able to get anything, an alert popped up on one of the screens. A big smile spread across his face, and he stretched his back.


    "A black box with triple-layer encrypted security? Let''s see what you have in store for me", he thought as his fingers began to fly around the keys.

 Chapter 155 - Defending Guardian City! (Part One)

    After an hour, Bradley was looking at a list of all the villages that had been raided, and the number of failed experiments. He was shocked as he went down the list and saw that most of them had become Blackguards and were roaming around.


    ''While some of the Blackguards showed signs of sanity, the rest were the same as done. They were dispatched and left to roam all over the planet. The ones that had shown sanity were then genetically modified to make them join forcefully, resulting in a half-successful experiment.''


    He was going through every report that was there in the Black Box, and it seemed like he was led to it. He knew that without the help of whoever was behind this, he would be unable to find this information.


    He wanted to find out more about the organization, but there was no other file. He was sure that if he began to dig around more, he would be able to find something much more detailed.


    He had locked down the three places, and he needed to make sure that there was something solid as proof for him before he began his investigation from here.


    Just as he was about to make another move on the net, he saw a horde of Beastmen heading towards the place from where Leon had brought the former Guardians. He was asked to keep an eye on the village, and to inform him if anything happens.


    He was keeping a keen eye, and the moment he saw danger heading towards them, he warned Leon and began to type the secret key that was given by him.


    It was the access code through which he would be able to contact the Underground place they had built for themselves. He tapped the microphone before he began to talk.


    "I am reporting from the Guardian''s Tower. It seems like you will be having a situation in your hands. Multiple people converging near you. Possible threat to the place", he said and waited for a reply.


    "Let me get my brother here. I did not understand a word you were saying", came a small girl''s voice. Bradley was stunned when he heard the voice, and it brought back something to his mind.


    "She sounds just like Lisa. They must be around the same age", he wondered. Memories began to resurface, and tears were formed in his eyes.


    "Grandpa Brad, are you sure about this? Won''t Grandpa be mad at me if he saw me climbing trees?", sounded a cute voice in his ears as he was waiting for a response. His lips trembled and moved on their own.


    "Don''t worry about Grandpa, I will talk to him. Make sure to reach the top and pluck the fruit from the tree. Leon loves those", he said out aloud. Right after he said that he heard a man''s voice from the speakers.


    "This is Mike Limestone reporting. Father has gone out and left us to protect the village. We have around fifty elite trained people and a hundred rookies. How many are we facing against?", asked the voice.


    "Anywhere between a hundred to two hundred", replied Bradley as he watched the crowd heading straight for them. He zoomed in and saw three people leading ahead, and they had their noses stuck into the air.


    "They seem to have three trackers. Take them out, and you will be able to stop the advance. Right now, they are three kilometers away from the city. Estimated time of arrival is six minutes", he said.


    "Noted. Anything else we must keep in mind?", asked Mike. Bradley looked through and saw nothing else to report.


    "No. Dispatch now and keep in touch with the Tower''s frequency", he said and ended the transmission. He was sure that until they got out from the place, he would not be able to have any communications with them.


    "Let''s see how this one goes", he smiled as he pulled up the live stream that was showing the group that was heading towards Mike.


    (Inside the Guardian''s City)


    Nora was watching a man pace the room up and down, and he was clearly in panic. He was scrunching his face and was grinding his teeth together. He was no one other than Mike Limestone.


    He was a handsome guy with tan skin. His long bunny ears which were on top of his head were twitching due to his panicking, and his reddish-brown tail was swinging around.


    "Alright, calm down. What would Dad do?", he began to think, and slowly the twitching and the waving calmed down. He opened his eyes again and looked at Nora, who was looking at him with her eyes round.


    "Are you going, brother?", she asked in a timid voice. She knew the answer deep inside her, but she wanted to hear it from him.


    "Call up Rachel. She is going to be in charge until I return", he said and turned around. It was hard for him to answer his little sister, and thus he decided to avoid it altogether.


    Nora jumped down from the chair she was standing on and ran towards Mike. She pulled his pants, and Mike turned to respond to her.


    He looked at her and squatted down to her height. She was tiny, and he was a grown adult. The moment he squat down, she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.


    "Stay safe, brother. I know you have to do this so that we can remain safe, and there is no one better suited for this than you. Have some faith", she said as she gave him a peck on his cheeks.


    Mike hugged her back and smiled. The both of them were in the embrace when they felt another pair of hands wrap around them.


    "Rachel", said the both of them and continued to stay in each other''s embrace. After a few minutes, Mike let go and left the place. He was wearing the robes that his dad wore before leaving.


    "Faith, huh?", he pondered upon his sister''s words as he went towards the entrance, where every person of the squad had gathered. Upon reaching the place, he could see them look at him with a fire in their eyes.


    "A lot of you people might be wondering why we have been gathered. Do you see this peaceful place around you? The place where you had grown up?"


    "This place is in danger now, and we are the ones who will be stopping it. Will we return alive? I do not know. But what I do know is this, I would give my life to protect this peace that we have achieved for ourselves."


    "Anyone afraid of death is allowed to leave this expedition. I will not force you, for this is matter of life and death."


    Everyone looked around at each other, and no one moved from their places. The fire burned passionately, and Mike could see it as he stood in front of everyone.


    "We will defend this place to our last breath. We will maintain the peace that we have found. We will fight anyone who threatens this peace."


    "Today, we will fight. Today, we will conquer our fears. Today, we will protect this City. TODAY, WE WILL RISE!!!!", he finished his speech.


    "WE WILL RISE!"


    "WE WILL RISE!"


    "WE WILL RISE!"


    "WE WILL RISE!"


    "WE WILL RISE!"


    There were chants all around him, and a smile was plastered on his face. This was the atmosphere he wanted to set before he left, and the fire was set ablaze.


    Anything that comes their way, they will stop. They were more than willing to fight, and protect the innocent people of the City who had nothing to do with the outside.


    "FOR GUARDIAN CITY!"


    There were chants all around as they left the place, and everyone was out of the city and into the open. Mike tapped his earpiece and connected to The Guardian''s Tower.


    "This is Mike Limestone reporting. We are outside, and ready to commence attack", he said as he held his hand like a fist in the air.


    "Head South-West from your direction. You will meet them in three minutes", said Bradley and Mike nodded his head. He began to run down, and everyone followed behind him.


    Mike was leading them and as soon as he saw dust in the distance, his rabbit instincts kicked in. He stopped everyone, and they looked at the dust that was gathering.


    "Everyone, disperse around, and attack my signal", he commanded. Other than the elite fifty, the rest dispersed and hid in the forest that was surrounding them.


    "I can see almost two hundred of them, and they are much stronger than us. Seems like not many of us will return ", he muttered as he looked at the cloud of dust nearing them.


    He raised his hands in the air and held his fist. He was waiting for the right time, and the moment he saw it, his rabbit ears twitched.


    "Everyone, ATTACK!", he said and moved from the place.

 Chapter 156 - Defending Guardian City! (Part Two)

    Mike and the other elites made their move. The rookies were hiding in the trees, and they would only be called out when it was an emergency.


    Mike wanted to save as many lives as possible, and if push came to shove, he would need to but time until everyone from Guardian City had evacuated. He was willing to lay his life if it meant the safety of others.


    Everyone charged straight into the dust, and the next moment Mike let out a loud howl. The other elites felt a surging strength within them, and with this increased strength, they attacked vigorously.


    Every elite pulled out their daggers and began to slash at their enemies. Their skills were quick and precise, and they slashed at their throats.


    Mike never stopped, as he had his claws ready as he slashed. It was for emergencies, as he knew he would need that more than ever.


    He looked around and saw that they were now attacking fervently, and if this kept going, he was sure they would be able to turn the tides. He let out another howl, and everyone sped up their attacks.


    They were now moving faster than before, and the hares that were in the unit were the fastest. They jumped from person to person and ended their lives with a slash.


    The commotion was quick and took their enemies by surprise, and thus it was successful. Mike had taken down the trackers that were leading them towards Guardian City, and it had confused as no one knew where to go to.


    They wanted to take it out on Mike''s group, but they were too fast for them. While they were using this to their advantage and killing them off quickly, the rookies were using this moment to study their seniors and learn something from this battle.


    They did not know what was going on due to the dust, but they could make out sparks and shadows jumping around in the dust. After a few minutes, the dust cleared, and they saw their leader running out of it.


    "FALL BACK!", commanded Mike as he ran. The plan had worked, and now all he had to do was lure them into the forest, where he could pick them off one by one.


    The enemy''s numbers had thinned down to a mere fifty, and they were running back. Among the elite fifty, six of them were injured but not to the level where they could not escape.


    All of them began to run towards the forest, and Mike tapped his ear.


    "Alright, this will be the second phase. Let''s play hide and pick", he said with a smirk. Everyone understood what he meant, and they had their weapons ready.


    The rookies were excited as this was their turn to shine. They thought they would not be able to contribute, but they were now sure that their contribution meant a lot right now.


    Right after he entered, the elite fifty split into groups of five. After each of them headed towards a direction, Mike tapped the device once more.


    "Converge back at point B. I repeat, converge at Point B", he said as he was leading his group of ten. The newbies split up as well and kept following behind them.


    The strongest among the enemies were following Mike, while the others were following the others that had split up. Mike knew that he had to wait until there was a lesser number before he brought the fight to them.


    He then began to run faster, and everyone sped up. The enemies were stunned when they saw that the people they were chasing were holding back all this while.


    One by one, the enemies dropped to the ground as they followed behind him. The group of ten that were following were now down to three.


    "It is done leader", came a voice from the device. Mike was about to run out of energy and was wondering when he would be able to attack them.


    The moment he heard the report, he nodded his head to his subordinates and everyone disappeared from the enemy''s sight.


    Mike stood in front of the three people and smiled. They stopped running, and they were out of breath.


    "Just how long can this guy run? What kind of a beast is he?", they thought as they looked at the hooded Mike in front of them. One of them punched his knuckles and stepped forward.


    Mike was now looking at the man like he was looking at a fool, and the next moment a shadow came out of the trees and slashed his throat.


    Blood was spurting out of his neck, and the man gasped for air as he fell to the ground. His eyes were filled with horror, and there was a small hint of surprise in them.


    His companions didn''t understand how he died, but they saw the shadow that moved like a wind, which came and disappeared in an instant.


    "Come and fight us like a man, if you dare!", said the other man as he stepped forward. The one in the middle was observing everything, and he kept his hand in front of the man who spoke.


    "If you move, you will die. Didn''t you see him stand there and kill one of ours? I am sure he has more people around this place", said the middle man.


    The man next to him nodded his head and stood his ground. He did not move and kept looking around to see where the next attack would come from.


    Mike raised his hands and pointed them like a gun at the man who spoke. They became wary and began to look around in a much-alerted state.


    "Bang", said Mike, and the man fell to the ground. There was a hole at the back of his head, and there was a silver barrel right in the place where he fell.


    The man tried to grab the person that shot him, but the moment he reached his hands, the barrel disappeared. He didn''t sense when someone was here and was wondering how they were able to get past him.


    "They are very silent that my sensitive ears are unable to pick up their movements", he thought as he looked at Mike. He snarled and huffed, and anger was coursing through him.


    "I WILL KILL YOU!", he said as he ran towards Mike, and this time there was no one that stopped his advance. He was happy that he would be able to kill the coward that hid behind his subordinates and killed his brethren.


    A smirk appeared on Mike''s face, and he crouched on the ground. He was standing like he was about to run a sprint, and was counting down.


    "Three... Two... One... GO!", he muttered and jumped forward. He had his claws out, and his jump left his footprints on the solid ground.


    He went past the man in a flash, and he felt nothing as he saw Mike go past him. Mike was standing behind him, and he stopped to turn and run towards him.


    Right after he stopped, he felt his breathing become heavy, and his vision was getting dark. He felt a warm fluid run down his neck, and he placed his finger on it.


    "When did you...", he muttered as he fell to the ground, and everyone left the place. Mike was waiting at Point B, and he was counting the heads that had arrived.


    "Where are the other ten?", he asked as he saw that the other men who had been left behind were the group that was injured. He was worried as he knew that they would be unable to fight in their full strength with their injuries.


    Just as he was worried, a person came running towards him.


    "Leader, the others are fighting as we speak. But something seems to be off about this group. They are abnormally strong, and they are switching Beast forms", reported the newbie.


    Mike''s heart trembled after he learned of the news. He ran towards the direction and followed behind the newbie, and he took along with him five of the best elites.


    "I will distract, and you will kill. The quicker you kill, the better. These kinds of Beastmen are very intelligent and they will catch onto our tactics real quick", he explained to the five who he had brought along.


    They had reached the place, and he saw many of the newbies were defending against the Beastmen who were attacking. While some of them were tending to the wounds that were made on the elites.


    Mike watched the patterns closely, and he began to think hard. After a few minutes, he figured out a way to take them down, but that would involve every trick he knew.


    "It''s better now than later. I do not want to lose any men, and if this goes on, many will die.. Let''s go", he thought as he moved from his spot and brought the elites along with him.

 Chapter 157 - Meeting His Savior!

    Mike and the others moved from their spot, and they appeared right behind the newbies. Mike tapped one of them on the shoulder and whispered into their ears.


    "We will take it from here", he said as he blocked the strike that was coming towards them. The newbies were relieved that the elites were here, and that they would be saved.


    The moment Mike laid his eyes on them, he saw how powerful they were. He thought that the strongest amongst them had followed them, but it seemed to him like one of them got separated from the group.


    And that one person was the one who was giving trouble to almost thirty of the others. Mike clicked his tongue in annoyance as he jumped back.


    The man felt the strength behind Mike''s block, and he decided that Mike was his opponent. The others were killed by the few he had brought the instant they arrived, and he was the only one left.


    "Seems like you are strong", said Mike as he exchanged blows with the Beastmen. The Beastmen had a smirk across his face as he was fighting him.


    He jumped back and looked Mike in the eye. He licked his lips and snapped his fingers, and the moment he did that, something happened.


    His flat chest was now busted. He had a mask on his face, and he removed it. His hair which was flowing was now tied into a ponytail.


    "You are a woman?", asked Mike as he saw the changes that she made to her body. The moment he saw the face, he remembered who she was.


    "No way! You are her! The one who saved me before!", he said. The woman had a smile on her face, and Mike went on one knee.


    "I looked all over the place for you. I could never express how thankful I am for you saving my life that day. If not for you, I would not have been able to meet back with my family that day", he said.


    The moment everyone saw that he was kneeling to someone, they began to kneel. They didn''t know why but seeing their leader kneel made them acknowledge the person''s strength.


    "Kid, it seems like you have grown in strength from the last time I met you. My name is Aileen, and nice to meet you once again kid", she said.


    "My name is Mike Limestone", he replied with his head down and didn''t dare to look up at her. He was not afraid of the person, but it was his way of showing respect to her.


    Aileen chuckled as she saw the way he behaved. She expected something like a fight, but she never expected him to remember her face.


    "And you are the only person who has seen my face", she thought as she was chuckling. She had a hand over her mouth, and Mike was wondering what kind of family she had come from.


    "All of you, rise", she said and everyone stood up. Mike followed the order, but he didn''t dare to look at her face and kept looking at the floor.


    Aileen placed her fingers on his chin and lifted his face. The way she looked into his eyes was mesmerizing, and he felt like she was staring at his soul.


    Mike moved a step back and looked at the woman, and placed his dagger back inside. The both of them began to walk side by side.


    "He has become much more handsome than the last time I saw him. Although I did call him kid, I never got to ask how old he was", she thought as she was glancing at him sneakily.


    The others that were following behind caught the vibe that was going on between them, and one of them chuckled.


    "Wait until Miss Nora hears of this. She is so protective of her older brother", he thought as he saw them walking.


    "I am sorry about injuring your men. I did not know that they were your men", she said in an apologetic tone. Mike wanted to say it was alright, but he was sure that would damage his reputation as the leader.


    "What were you doing amongst the people that were heading towards our city?", he asked. Aileen had a look of confusion on her face.


    "Your city? We were heading towards a place where we smelled a group of Beastmen. We didn''t know it was a settlement", she said. She was not the leader amongst them, but she was sure to not harm people who were living peacefully.


    "Something is going on, and I think your City might be caught up in the middle of it. I do not have the manpower to give you, but I do have the strength that I can contribute to your cause", she said as she looked at him expectantly.


    Mike began to ponder upon her words. He was trying to understand the underlying meaning behind the words, and he also remembered the place she was from.


    "You mean that the place you are from is facing some sort of crisis, and you are not able to differentiate friend from foe?", he asked as he looked at her. She nodded her head, as she did not expect him to catch on to what she said.


    Mike was now rubbing his hands together, and he was deep in thought. Every one of the squad was silent as they knew that anything they did would irritate him, and Aileen followed the same.


    She did not know why they were silent, but she understood the depth of the matter that she had handed over to him. She was expecting a good answer, but she was also ready to accept if she is excluded.


    "I did attempt to kill his men, after all", she thought as she looked at his face. She was slowly being attracted towards him, and there was only one reason she was out here in the wild today.


    "I did come to see you, and that I have", she smiled. After what seemed like an eternity to her, Mike turned his head in her direction and smiled.


    "Alright everyone, listen up. We have a situation in our hands. We are the sole line of defense for our City, and thus we need to be prepared for anything. And it seems like this person has information regarding the upcoming attacks that might happen."


    "We will be needing her help, and thus I am going to spare her from the punishment. Does anyone have any objection? If you do, feel free to let me know", he said.


    Right after he finished, the people who were injured and some of the newbies raised their hands. Mike pointed towards one of them and told them to speak.


    "I understand as to why you are doing this, but we would like to know one thing. Will she be allowed to go scot-free, and never receive punishment? Or will it be delayed until the situation in our hands has been dealt with?", he asked.


    He was one of the elites, and he knew Mike''s temper quite well. And thus, he rephrased his voice of rejection into a suggestion, subtly hinting at his displeasure in the situation.


    "The punishment will indeed be carried out after the situation has been dealt with, and I will be the one to personally issue the punishment. If the contributions during this temporary partnership help us, I will be holding a vote to decide what kind of punishment will be given. Any more objections", he asked.


    The man who voiced it out nodded his head sideways, meaning that he was satisfied with Mike''s answer. He sat back down and closed his eyes as he was tired from the wounds that he had received.


    Mike turned to look at her, and Aileen had a smile on her face. He even saw a tear was rolling down her cheek.


    "Thank you", she said as she bowed to him. Mike placed his hands on her shoulders and stopped her from bowing. He motioned for her to speak in front of everyone.


    "My name is Aileen. I will be joining you to help you on this mission. Although I am not strong amongst my peers, I am one amongst the top five from my hometown", she said.


    Everyone began to turn their heads and look at each other. They were shocked to know that she was in the top five, and began to wonder what would happen if the top person showed up in front of them.


    She placed a hand on her heart and began to take an oath.


    "I, Aileen Hopkins, swear that I will abide by any rules that are set for me, and protect to the best of my ability", she said in a loud voice. Mike smiled as he looked at her.


    "Now, begin to explain how many groups we can expect, and how will they attack", he asked as he sat down behind her, allowing her to take command and let everyone know of the situation they were in.


    She began to elaborate on what was going on.

 Chapter 158 - Aileens Past

    "The place where I am from are divided into six factions right now. I am sure one of these factions is quite friendly, while the rest are not. If we come across the friendly faction, I am sure we will be able to avoid the danger."


    "But the other factions are very hostile towards Beastmen and Humans, and one of them is the kind that would kill anything they see. They are the ravaging kind", she said.


    They were listening to what she was saying intently. They did not understand why there were people who were seeking them out when all they did was live in seclusion all these years.


    "Most of us have been living somewhere secluded, and when chaos broke out in our place, we were scattered. Right now, we are trying to avoid any kinds of conflict with each other and keep our distance, and I do want to find the reasonable one and talk to him about how to handle this smartly", she finished.


    Mike smiled after he heard the explanation. Now he understood what was going on and why there were people that were headed for the City.


    He was determined to protect the City, and this time it was left on his shoulders. He wanted to show his father that he was capable of taking care of the place in his absence, and he wanted to grab this opportunity.


    "So, you said you are amongst the top five. Who else is present?", asked Mike. He remembered a quote he had read before.


    "Know thy enemy, and know thy self", he remembered as he thought about defending the City. Aileen nodded her head and began to elaborate on her peers.


    "At the fifth place, there is me. Aileen Hopkins, also known as Shadow Wings", she said as she spread her wings from her back.


    They were pitch black, and they had some scales on top. She retracted them back and looked at all of them.


    "At the fourth place, there is Silver Wings. We do not know our real names, as the only place we meet is The Arena, and we are mostly known by our stage names", she said. Everyone was stunned.


    "So they only know each other from fighting? Maybe the city is a very big one, unlike ours", concluded Mike as he looked at her. He then began to calculate the power difference across both of them.


    "At the third place, there is Shadow Fang. He is a man who follows honor more than anything, and I am sure he would be open to reason", she said. Mike took note of what she had said.


    "At the second place, we have Martial Monkey. She is someone who likes to fight, but she never kills. She likes to cause destruction and is easy to buy off. Call her a hitwoman of sorts", she explained.


    "At the top, we have Crimson Samurai. Rumors have it that he is a person who likes to leave destruction and death wherever he goes. And thus the name Crimson Samurai", she said. Mike had a crucial question and he raised his hand.


    "Aren''t Samurai''s very honorable people though?", he asked. Aileen had a smile on her face after she heard his question.


    "He was indeed once a man of honor. They say that the day he lost his wife and three kids to someone, he turned to the Devil''s Path to gain strength. How many more lives will he take to achieve his goal, only God knows", she said as she looked at everyone.


    Mike was stunned when he heard the words ''Devil''s Path''. It was uncommon, but it was a shortcut to gain an immense amount of strength in the shortest while.


    After learning of everything, he decided that everyone would make camp here, and that the next day, they would plan a strategy to tackle any incoming enemies.


    While everyone was asleep, Mike was looking at the beautiful moonlight as he was running his hand through the lake next to him. He didn''t know why, but this seemed to calm him down a bit.


    His jittery nerves as he thought about tomorrow began to act up again, and he was looking forward to spending some time here to calm himself down.


    "Can''t sleep?", came a charming voice from behind him. He turned his head and saw Aileen standing behind, with a cloak on her.


    She had lowered the hood of the cloak, and her face was mesmerizing under the moonlight. Mike stared at her for a few seconds, but then lowered his gaze.


    She sat down next to him, and they were in each other''s company in silence. After a few minutes, he decided to ask something that was bugging him from the moment they met.


    "Why were you hiding your gender?", he asked. Aileen had a smile as she looked up at the sky.


    "They began to kill every woman they could find. Many were raped repeatedly, and they were used as sex toys for the men to find pleasure in."


    "As I was a little kid, no one knew what gender I was. A kind Illusionist taught me the way of masking my gender by making me hide my breasts, and gave me something down there."


    Mike was disgusted when he heard the things she was saying. He wanted nothing more than to torture these people and kill them horrendously.


    "The Illusionist was caught one day and was led to an inspection. They stripped him naked and checked him in front of everyone. Some of the men, who were addicted to sex used him as a toy to satiate their carnal desires."


    Her body was shaking uncontrollably, and Mike didn''t know what he could do to comfort her. He remembered how he felt whenever he was hugged by Nora, and placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close.


    She rested her head on his shoulder and felt a warmth inside her.


    "It''s been a long time ever since I have felt this feeling", she thought as she continued her story.


    "One of the people, while he went up to the Illusionist, asked him to change into a young woman. He did not want to give in, but they held his daughter as a hostage in front of him, and made him oblige."


    "And ever since that day, he was used repeatedly to the point where he had to be healed multiple times a day. Even Regeneration spells were ineffective, and only high-level healers were able to heal him."


    Mike began to feel sorry for Aileen, and he vowed that he would protect her secretly. She continued her story for him to listen.


    "Before he died, he wanted to meet and called for me. He held my hands and pulled me close to him, and whispered these words. ''If you have someone you like, cherish him. And get out of this place when you have the chance''."


    "And when the outbreak happened, I ran. I ran along with the people that were headed towards your City, but I never stopped. Now that they are dead, I hope that I am free", she finished.


    Mike had a mix of emotions as he looked at her. He was angry at the men who had done such filthy deeds, and pity towards a woman who had to fear for her every second in her life.


    He turned his head towards the sky and muttered under his breath.


    "If I ever come across that person, do give me the strength to face him. And kill him, yeah that would be better. They have to be wiped away from existence", he said the last sentence out loud.


    Aileen was stunned as she heard the line. Although she was telling all of this and wanted to feel better, she was now more drawn towards him.


    "He has grown indeed", she thought as her heartbeat quickened. A blush appeared on her face, and she asked the question she had on her mind.


    "How old are you? I don''t want to feel bad by calling you a kid if you are older than me", she asked. Mike''s mood changed, and a smile appeared on his face.


    "I am twenty-four years old", he said. The blush which was on her face thickened, and her face was red as a beet.


    "No way! He is three years older than me! How do I cover this embarrassment when I called him ''kid''?", she thought as she looked at his smile. The way he was looking wasn''t helping her either, and she wanted to find a place to hide right at that moment.


    Mike stopped teasing her and turned his head away, as the smile that he had was a cover-up for the blush that was about to form on his face. There was a tension building up between them, and Mike didn''t want it to escalate any further.


    He coughed and let go of her, and she realized how close she had gotten to him while she was talking about her story. She got up and turned around to head back to where she came from.


    "Good Night", she said before she went into the woods, and a smile was on her face. She remembered her Master''s final words.


    "Cherish him, huh?", she thought as she took one final look at Mike looking at the sky, and jumped into the tree to get a good night''s sleep.

 Chapter 159 - Unexpected Inheritance

    Mike tapped his ear and spoke through the device. He was giving a report back to Guardian''s Tower on how it went, and Bradley listened intently.


    "I see. So you have turned one of the enemies into a temporary ally. And you also have some information on some individuals. And you would like me to look into them?", asked Bradley.


    "Affirmative", said Mike as he was listening intently.


    "Very well. I will look into them. in the meanwhile, I will let you know if any attacks will be coming your way", he said and finished the connection.


    Mike smiled and reconnected back to the City, and spoke with his family, and gave them an update. Rachel listened in on everything and took note of some important points to report back to her Dad when he returned.


    After finishing the report, he chatted with them for a few minutes and spoke with Nora. She was enthusiastic at first, but when she heard that Mike had to stay outside for the night so that they can remain safe, her face turned to a frown.


    "Well, it''s not like I want to stay away from my cute little adorable sister, you know?", he said in a teasing tone. Nora laughed as she replied.


    "Well, take care of yourself out there. And remember, come back here if anything turns bad", she said. Mike smiled wide as he knew that was not possible.


    "I can''t promise you anything, Nora. But I will tell you this, I will protect this City, just like how Dad did. And for that, I will need to grow stronger, and smarter", he said. Nora sighed as she knew it was no use trying to talk him out of something like this.


    "Just don''t die out there", she mumbled as she passed the microphone back to Rachel. Mike heard her mumbling, and he wanted to tell her that he wasn''t planning on dying anytime soon.


    "Rachel, I want you to let everyone know what kind of a situation we are in, and prepare them for migration. Get the Diggers ready", he said. Rachel was stunned as she didn''t expect this kind of an answer from him.


    "Are you sure?", she asked for confirmation. Mike gave his words some thought, and he recalled all the things he had learned this evening.


    "I am certain that if Dad was here, he would have made the same decision. This is just for precautions, and I am going to make sure that everything is smooth for now. If it escalates, evacuate on my signal", he said.


    Rachel acknowledged his command, and she hesitated to say something. Mike sensed the uneasiness in her silence, and he urged her to talk.


    "Well, it''s normal for everyone to say, but I don''t know why I find it so hard to tell. Don''t die on me, brother", she said in a choking voice.


    Mike was now trying to hold back his urge to speak his heart out, and the more he tried, the more tears flowed from his eyes.


    He clenched his fist and his eyes were filled with an unknown fire. He released his Aura around, and the grass began to flutter.


    "Don''t worry Rach, I won''t die. I refuse to die when there are so many lovable people waiting for me back at home", he said with a fierce tone.


    The temperature around him dropped, and there was a slight frost on the lake that he was next to. The pebbles that were around him were floating, and he realized he was doing something without his knowledge.


    The moment he looked around and noticed what was going on, he was shocked beyond words. The pebbles fell to the ground, and the frost on the lake was gone.


    "Did I just awaken something within me?", he thought as he looked around. He finished the transmission and began to meditate like he was taught by his Dad.


    He was looking into himself, and the moment he did that, he saw a thin blue string within him. He followed along the line and saw it leading him towards something.


    The more he was nearing the place, the colder it got. He was slowly getting covered in a blue hue, and the string that he was following was wrapping him up from his legs.


    "What in the world is this? Dad didn''t tell me anything about this!", he thought as he struggled to get out of the string that was wrapping around him. He imagined a dagger and it appeared in his hands, and he began to cut the string.


    "Boy, it seems like you are compatible with my Mana. Not many people could control this Telekinetic Lunar Ice", came a voice. Mike was stunned when he heard the voice.


    "Aren''t you the Guardian Of The Lake? Why are you giving me your powers?", he asked as he let himself be wrapped with the strings.


    "Ho ho. I am giving you this power so that you will be able to defend your City. I owe your Dad something, and it''s time I did something to repay my life debt to him. And he would say, ''It was my duty''. But I want to gift you something", said the voice.


    Mike didn''t stop as he let himself be wrapped by the Ice Strings, and they began to penetrate him. His skin and muscles were tearing apart, and they were being strewn back with the Ice threads.


    "Seems like you do have the ability to Regenerate, except that it is slow. Not a worry, as the strings, will merge with your body. Now, you will feel extreme pain, please bear with it", said the voice as it began to stitch his muscles back together.


    Mike gritted his teeth and felt the string penetrate through his muscles, and some of them were wiggling through his bone marrow. His skin began to turn blue, and he was generating a freezing chill.


    "This ice powers will be strong during a Full Moon, and weakest during a New Moon. You have to remember this point when you are fighting. And you can use Telekinesis separately too. This is something that was created by your Father, a Mana that is not available anywhere on this planet", said the voice.


    Mike was stunned when he heard that. He knew that everyone had the element compatibility, but he never knew that it was possible to create a new Mana type.


    "But how?", he asked. He knew that if his father knew of a method, he would have taught it to him a long time ago.


    "I had two separate Mana. Telekinesis and Ice. My Mana Channels were mixed and messed up, thus I could never use Mana efficiently."


    "I always leaked the majority of Mana, and never able to store it in my body. When I met your father, he rectified the problems in my body, and in that process, created this new type of Mana."


    "This was unprecedented and unforeseen of. He had never heard of something like this happening before, thus I traveled alongside him. In one situation, he saved my life."


    "I, someone who was unable to be someone in my life am here now. It was all thanks to your father''s help. And it seems like I have found someone compatible with my Mana."


    "At long last, my search for a successor might be over", finished the voice. Mike was learning something about his Father''s past days, and he was surprised that he had helped someone and even kept him along.


    The final line stunned him, and he was confused as to what he meant by the word successor.


    "Does that mean the Guardian doesn''t have any descendants?", he asked. There was a laugh and that was all he got as an answer.


    "You will meet them soon. Can''t give too much away now", said the voice and after finishing the process, he felt the chill leave from his surroundings.


    "Or maybe, you could have met someone already. My name is Ethan Hopkins, The Guardian Of The Lake", he said. The moment he heard the name, there was someone who came to his mind.


    "Ethan Hopkins... Aileen Hopkins... Don''t tell me you two are related?", he exclaimed. The voice left him to his own speculations and went away.


    "Until we meet again, young man", Ethan said his goodbyes and left. Mike was awestruck that the person who had saved his life was the descendant of someone who his father had saved before.


    He looked at himself in the lake and saw his skin covered in blue. He looked like a new person, and his skin color freaked him out.


    "Hey, you never told me how to turn the skin back to normal!", he shouted at the lake, hoping to hear Ethan''s voice. But there was no response.


    He was amused about how his Father''s deeds during his days as a Guardian was helping him now.


    "The world works in mysterious ways indeed", he chuckled as he went back into the forest, ready to take a nap until sunrise.

 Chapter 160 - The Zoo Keepers

    (In an Unknown Location)


    There was a slight vibration in the air as six men appeared out of nowhere. Pink particles were being spread all around the room, and the men were holding hands with each other.


    Right after reaching, everyone looked at each other and a smile appeared on their faces. One of the men came forward and looked at The Military Head in the eye.


    "Why did you prolong the fight? The timer was up almost a minute ago. We have work to do, remember?", asked the Royal Magician Head.


    All of them had shape shifted, and they had a plan that they had to follow strictly. If any mistakes were made, he was sure it would screw up the upcoming things that were supposed to happen.


    The Military Head shrugged his shoulders as he walked away from the place. He kept his hands in his pockets and walked away, waving his hand as he left the place.


    "I remember we do have a mission, but does that mean I cannot have my fill of fun? By the time the Military set up, I could have had a good fight. They hadn''t et up yet, from the knowledge I had gathered from the man''s faint memories", he thought as he tried to access them.


    The moment he did that, he felt a splitting headache and didn''t want to probe any further. He reached the living room of the house and began to sip his coffee. He turned on his television and watched the stream that was going on.


    "Now, let''s see how my ''Animals'' are doing", he thought as he looked at his Zoo in particular. He was switching through the cameras, and he was looking at everyone just standing and loitering around.


    "But why? I am sure Shadow Fang is within this group", he thought as he began to use the zoom-in tools and saw Zen''s face. He saw it show a lot of emotions, and one of them being frustration.


    He turned the camera manually and saw one man kill them all with his strength. His Aura levels were increasing rapidly as he fought, and his Mana was something that he had full control of.


    "Computer, bring up this person''s profile", he commanded and a profile appeared next to his face. He began to read, and he was astonished.


    "If that is the prince, I wonder what level the King will be at. And we are tasked with killing the King. Well, if we use the final card, we will be able to kill him", he thought as he looked at the screen.


    He then began to calculate all of the risks that his Animals had to take, and the number of kill points they could rake in.


    "And boss just had to cut off the communication and let them off be on their own. Let''s just hope that they do the right thing", he thought. After the killing spree of Sam, he saw one of his men go up to the people that were fighting before.


    "Turn on audio privileges", he commanded and he began to hear the contents of their conversation. The more he listened, the more he was astonished about the plan they were doing.


    "But that is TREASON! HOW DARE YOU BETRAY ME AND THE ORGANIZATION!", he bellowed and banged the table. It broke into pieces, and the loud bang created more anger within him.


    When he turned the camera to Zen, he saw a smile on his face. For just a moment, he saw Zen smile at the camera that he was looking through.


    "Huh? Does he know something that I don''t?", he thought and began to look at Zen''s face closer. Zen was moving his lips, and there was no sound coming from it.


    "The Auction will be screwed", he read the lips carefully. He was doubtful at first, but when he ran an algorithm to check if what he had interpreted was wrong, it said that it matched ninety-three percent.


    The Military head was pissed off. He wanted to kill off Zen, and he flipped open another laptop that was connected to the supercomputer that was connected to their chips. He began to type in some manual commands to give him a shock.


    [Processing...]


    [Command failed. The subject does not have any thoughts of escape]


    He didn''t stop and tried again. He kept on trying when he saw a notification appear.


    [Commander has been blocked Authority from Supreme General]


    He sighed out loud after he saw who it was that had blocked him. He snapped and a new table appeared, and along with it was a cup of tea.


    "If he is involved, then I won''t be able to get anything out of this. Let''s just hope that ''The Auction'' isn''t screwed. Else, I can kiss my arse goodbye", he sighed. He didn''t want anything to get out of hand and thus wanted to give Zen a shock.


    After seeing the plan being hatched, he watched the fight they had with Lucas''s team, and he was stunned that Zen and he were on the same level. He pulled up Lucas''s profile and was more astonished when he saw who he was.


    "He has been banished? Just what kind of deed did this kid do to be banished? Oh wait, there is also that Roaming Hermit who has a pendant with the same symbol around his neck. If they are the same family, I am sure it is going to be trouble this time", he thought.


    He remembered meeting the Roaming Hermit once, and he was defeated with just two strikes from him. His attacks were so strong that he, who was once a Master had to grovel for his life.


    That day, he vowed to have his revenge against that Hermit and trained relentlessly. That was when he had met Fenrir, who promised to give him unparalleled strength for him to attain his goal.


    "But I had to finish one mission of his, and that has already taken eight years away. One day, after this mission is over, I am coming for you, Roaming Hermit. And that day is coming closer as we speak", he muttered under his breath.


    After he saw Zen''s move and began to analyze it from his standpoint, he understood that was the best chance of survival, and he could easily rake in a lot of points. But he was bound to lose some, as others around him would deal alongside him.


    "So, you plan to fight alongside humans, and stand against all five of the other Zoos", he amused as he sipped his cup of tea, watching the drama unfold in front of him. He also didn''t miss Zen''s eye that was on the camera all the while.


    After the group split up, he split the screen into four parts, and each of them showed the place where they were headed to. When he saw Bruce''s group head into the tunnel and join up with Steve, his hands trembled slightly.


    "That man, he is the SSS Rank Adventurer. Just what in the hell is he doing here!", he exclaimed and coughed out the tea that was in his mouth. He didn''t understand what was going on.


    He then aw their group split up, and he now had seven different streams running in front of him. There was no commentator for the live stream, and the bets were still raking in.


    "Now, since it has come to this, I can only hope that they succeed. And the best people will be off in the Auction. I do want to buy some of them off, and keep them around as my bodyguards for safety", he chuckled.


    But his thoughts were different, as he wanted to keep them around as his prized Animals and use them to do his every work. In the name of releasing them and giving them freedom, he wanted to keep them in slavery.


    The number of bodies that were around Steve and Jasmine was something that he took note of, and thanked his lucky stars that Zen had decided to join up with the humans.


    "It seems like Zen still has the foresight to analyze and predict the future. If only I had such smartness, I would have outsmarted the Supreme General a long time ago", he muttered as he placed his empty teacup back.


    The Military Head looked at the number of bets, and there was a new section where comments were popping up. Amused by this, he began to read the comments.


    ''A truly great leader that Shadow Fang is. Who would have thought of joining the opposite side, and helping them win the battle? And along the way, rake in a lot of points'', read one of the comments.


    He was amused by this comment and saw that it had a lot of replies. He began to go through all of them, and the more he read, the more he was convinced that Zen was much smarter than him.


    "You better do well in this and get out of my Zoo. I don''t want you loitering around. I want you next to me", he muttered as he saw that his Zoo had the highest kill count at the moment.


    "While the other Zoo''s have more than a thousand people in their Arsenal, mine has four hundred strong men", he smiled.. The fight was still on, and he was placing bets on his Zoo winning, while some money on the others for safety.

 Chapter 161 - The Roaming Hermits

    (The Sahara Desert, Border of Egypt)


    Four people were roaming the places, and their robes were filled with sand. One of them had a conical hat on their head, while the others followed behind him.


    He was looking at something that was on his hand, and when he reached a certain place, he stopped. He took a seat and was looking around the place.


    "Seems like it", he muttered as he sat down. The other three that were following behind sat down, and one of them began to massage their legs.


    "You never told us why we were here", he asked as he looked at the man under the conical hat. The other three were wearing normal straw hats, as they had to shield themselves from the heat that was around them.


    "You will understand at nightfall", he replied. He pulled out a sac in which he had water and sipped on it. He circulated it through his mouth, and wet his lips. After thorough circulation, he swallowed it.


    It was one of the tips he had picked up while roaming this desert for the past two years. And along with him were his three companions, who were family to him.


    He looked at the person who was next to him, and she was holding onto his arm tenderly as she laid her head on his shoulder for rest. He looked at the woman, and his eyes were filled with nothing but love.


    "Hey, that''s not fair. I don''t get that look ever", said another woman who was behind him. The man placed a finger on his lips, indicating her to be silent.


    "Sister-in-law is asleep", she muttered as she nodded her head in understanding. The man looked at her, and he was reminded of home.


    "Are you sure little brother will be able to awaken his innate traits here?", she asked. The both of them were out here on the search of something, and after their long search of eight years, they had finally reached the place.


    The man pulled out a pin from his pockets and stroked it with his fingers. A longing was seen in his eyes, and the way he stroked the pin was slow and heavy.


    The pin had the symbol of the Heart Family, and the man and woman who were speaking were part of that family.


    "Zephyr, we have been searching for eight years. And the last time we spoke with Dad, he told us he didn''t awaken yet. And his eighteenth birthday has passed. I am sure he must have gone through the Test", said the woman.


    Zephyr nodded his head and began to think about his brother. He looked at the woman and flashed a smile.


    "Well Maxine, seems like he has grown up now. Maybe he could have awakened, it has been eight years since we last saw him", said Zephyr to her. Maxine smiled, and the both of them began to think about the beautiful times they had back at home.


    "Vanessa is asleep, and she needs that a lot. Since we have been in this place for the past two years searching for the entrance. And now that we have found it, I can''t see Jasper anywhere", he said.


    A man came up the dune they were on, and he was panting hard as he reached the three of them. After reaching next to them, he plopped down and laid his head on Maxine''s lap.


    "How in the world do you guys walk so fast? And I have been traveling with you for the past two years ever since you guys entered this desert!", he exclaimed whilst panting. Maxine began to stroke his hair as she covered his face with the hat.


    "Just take a nap, and we will switch after a while. Even we are tired too", she said to Jasper and gave him a little peck on his forehead, and he went to sleep with a smile.


    "So, what are you planning to do? You guys have been together for like two years now", asked Zephyr with a chuckle. Maxine smiled as she looked at the sky.


    "I don''t know, Dex. I do love him, but I think I am not ready to get married yet. Unlike you, I want to enjoy my youth", she said with a wink. Vanessa yawned as she woke up, and Zephyr made her sleep on his lap, using his legs as a pillow.


    He took out his GlassPad and looked at the picture that was on it. It was an old picture, and it was the only picture he had of everyone from his family together.


    There was Martha, Ben, Zephyr, Maxine, Sam, Kate, and Lucas. It was a picture he had taken before he left the palace. He missed everyone in that picture, and he wanted to meet his little brother soon.


    "Let''s just see what Fate has in store for you, little brother", he muttered as he looked around and saw Maxine falling asleep. He smiled and laid her head on his shoulder, allowing her to get the rest she needed.


    "And I am the only one left on watch again", he chuckled. There was plenty of time for nightfall, and he was waiting for something to happen at the right time.


    The hours passed by smoothly, and he was now sleeping while Vanessa and Jasper were keeping watch. Jasper was wondering why they were roaming a plain desert for two years, and whenever he asked Zephyr, he would divert the question.


    "There exists an Ancient Legend in this desert. Legend has it, that there is a legacy that has been left behind by some great Master, and that legacy will help in a person''s awakening."


    "If the person is deemed worthy of the legacy, then they will be able to learn all the knowledge of the Master. But if not, then they will need to satisfy one of the Master''s requests."


    "If the conditions are not fulfilled, then the Master will take us to the Nether Realm, and let us rot there for a few years if they were lenient. For now, this is all but a legend", she said. She looked at the person she was in love with and stroked Zephyr''s golden brown hair.


    Jasper was shocked when he heard they were looking for an Ancient Legend. But something didn''t click for him, and he decided to ask the question.


    "But then why does the entrance appear on a specific night? Why not every night?", he asked. Vanessa looked at him like she was looking at a fool and smacked the back of his head.


    "The Master is said to be killed by someone she trusted the most in this very desert, on a cold and windy night. Today is quite windy, and you know how chill it can get on certain days in here", she explained.


    Jasper now understood why this was happening. He understood that he was looking for a way to awaken something, and to awaken it he would need the help of this Legend.


    He knew that he had Mana and Aura, so he was wondering what he was trying to awaken. He concluded in his brain that if it wasn''t for him, then it was for someone else that was close to him.


    They were both keeping watch when Jasper noticed something. He tapped Zephyr on his shoulders and he sat up quickly.


    "Who''s there?", he asked in his deep voice. His robe was fluttering in the cold wind, and he pulled the conical hat to cover his face from the sand that was blowing in his way.


    There were five shadows headed towards them, and he was looking at them intently. His eyes began to glow crimson, and his palms turned orange.


    "The Roaming Hermits, and you must be their leader, Crimson Hermit. I can tell by your eyes that you are the one", said one of the shadows.


    In a moment, the five of the shadows had surrounded the four of them, and Zephyr was calm. The other five were astonished by his calmness.


    "Aren''t you too calm for someone who is surrounded?", asked one of the people. A smile spread across his face, and everyone behind him was ready.


    "Well, seems like the Shadow Bandits have found us. But I would suggest you use body doubles instead of real ones", he said and left a trail of fire.


    He had his palm on one of the men''s faces and held him high into the air. The man was squealing in pain, and Zephyr didn''t leave him.


    "Incinerate", he muttered and the orange glow turned to a blue one. The man was burned to death, and there was nothing that was left behind from the encounter.


    "The time has come, and I was wondering how I would be able to open up the doors", he said and spread his arms wide. The sand that was around them opened up, and from inside came a person made of sand.


    "Who is trespassing my lady''s property?", came the voice, and from the sand emerged a birdman. He was covered in golden armor, and his wings were spread wide.


    "Those who seek knowledge shall gain prosperity, while those who seek conflict shall perish.. We, The Roaming Hermits have come here seeking knowledge from Her Majesty" said Zephyr and kneeled before the Birdman.

 Chapter 162 - Xerxes, The God Of Sand

    The Birdman was waling towards the five of them, and the way he was looking at them sent chills down Zephyr''s spine. He was terrified of the strength that was shown, and the Aura exuded by the birdman was something he would never be able to counter.


    "I will give you one chance. Leave or perish", he said as he stood with his arms folded across his chest. He took to the skies with one flap of his wings, was looking down on the five of them.


    One of the five put his blade back and began to walk away. He sensed something that the others didn''t, and he knew it was futile for him to warn them.


    "I''ll just wait for them to realize that they are no match for that person in the sky. And seems like the legend is true. I must let the leader know of this", he muttered as he walked away.


    The other four readied their weapons and took their stances to fight against the Birdman. He laughed out loud as he looked at the four fools that were beneath him.


    The four of them were mad that someone was laughing at them, and they were about to make their move. One of them teleported right next to the Birdman and was about to cut him when a shield made of sand stopped his attack.


    "You dare attack Xerxes! The God Of Sand!", he bellowed as he held his neck with just two of his fingers. The man was choking for his breath, and his eyes were turning red.


    Xerxes looked at the other three and held his hand out. With it, he controlled the sand that was around them and locked them in balls made of sand.


    They tried to break it with all their might, but they couldn''t. The more they tried, the more the sand strengthened.


    "It''s futile to struggle. Now, Die!", came Xerxes''s voice as he pierced their body with sand and killed them instantly. Zephyr and the others witnessed this as they were kneeling and hoped that they would not be next.


    The man who withdrew from the fight stood there with his mouth wide open. He expected the person to be powerful, but not someone to be so powerful.


    It was then he realized that Xerxes was someone not to be messed with, and telling this to his leader would mean that the whole of the Shadow Bandits would die. He was smart enough to know what would endanger his group, and he kneeled quickly.


    "Mortal, let this be a lesson for you to not mess with us. Now, GO!'', he said with his loud voice, and it was booming for the man to hear. He turned around and left the place quickly.


    Xerxes came down and looked at the four of them still kneeling. He smiled with satisfaction and snapped his fingers.


    His armor which was covering his body went away, and he walked past them. "Rise, and follow behind me. I will take you to Her Majesty", he said as he motioned for them to follow behind.


    Everyone got up, and Zephyr kept to the front so that the others would stay in line. He knew how important this mission was, and he would do anything to fulfill this for his little brother.


    "Everyone, I want you to remain silent, and I will do all the talking. Just stay silent, and follow my lead", he said. Everyone nodded their heads, especially Vanessa. She understood how much this meant for him, as she had been with him for the past six years.


    Zephyr followed behind Xerxes, and the rest of them followed behind him. They were now going underneath the desert, and the stairs were disappearing as they moved forward. The four of them moved forward to keep up with Xerxes, afraid that they might fall.


    He laughed heartily and was about to begin to talk with them when a door was in front of them. He opened and a blinding light was emitted.


    Zephyr closed his eyes shut, and the next moment he opened, he felt his mouth open along as well. It wasn''t just him, it was the same for the rest of them.


    Xerxes looked at their amused faces, and he was holding in his laughter. He was a playful person, and the persona that he showed outside was so that others would not come troubling them.


    He couldn''t hold it in anymore and began to laugh. Zephyr and the others were looking at him skeptically, and he turned his head at them.


    "Oh, I am sorry about that. It is just, no one has been able to come here for a very long time. I wonder, how were you four able to come here?", he asked. Zephyr looked at Xerxes, and the both of them had a staring contest until he blinked.


    "Well, seems like you are quite the brave one, young man. You have spunk, and I am sure Her Majesty would like to welcome you", he said as he began shrinking his body.


    He was now the same size as Zephyr, and his wings were smaller and they were just used as something to move around freely. The world in front of him was something that he had only dreamt of before, but it was much better than what he had dreamt.


    There were lush green trees, and buildings made of brick and clay. The way they were placed also indicated that the people loved nature, and thus tried their best to preserve it.


    He was looking around and found everything fascinating, to the clean air, and the water that was sparkling. He began to wonder if it was something that should exist under the desert, which was a dry place.


    He couldn''t wrap his head around the fact that there was water under such a vast desert, and as far as he could see, he couldn''t find any flaws with it. He was astonished like many others who had come before him, and he also found humans who were living alongside some Beastmen.


    Xerxes took off to the skies, and he commanded the sand to carry the four of them alongside him. They were surfing through the air, and the people who saw him were waving their hands in the air.


    Zephyr found everything unreal, and they reached a palace that was made of sand. It was shimmering in the light that was around, and the sand was glittery. Zephyr assumed that this was the palace, and he was right.


    Xerxes now landed the four of them down, and he was looking around before he made his way to the palace. Zephyr took note of this, as he thought something was suspicious.


    "Your Majesty, I have brought them as you have requested. It seems like you were right about them", he said as he knelt. Zephyr followed behind and everyone did the same.


    Zephyr was confused about what he was talking about at first, then he remembered who he was facing. He remembered what kind of terrifying person she was, and the rumors about her ruthlessness.


    But what he saw was nothing like that. The woman who was on the throne was laughing as she was looking at the GlassPad and she resumed her stoic nature quickly and looked at the four of them.


    "Zephyr Heart, Maxine Heart, Vanessa Phoenix, and Jasper Quill. Seems like I got the names correct", she said as she saw the look of astonishment on their faces. She places her hand over her mouth and chuckled slightly.


    Xerxes was looking at her, amused at her behavior. She stepped down from the throne, and she looked at them.


    She moved quickly and stood face to face with Zephyr. Their faces were inches away, and he could feel her breath on his face.


    "Seems like you have come here seeking something for someone precious to you, but I can guarantee you that we would not be able to help, for the person''s Mana has been awakened. And even if we did, we would be unable to, as the rank of the Mana, is Mystic", she said as she turned around.


    "But, I can show you what he has awakened", she said as she snapped her fingers. A crystal ball appeared out of nowhere in her hands, and she began to chant a magic spell.


    Zephyr held his breath as he was not sure what to think of the information he had received. He didn''t understand how he could have awakened without anyone''s help.


    An image was shown on the ball, and she lifted her hands into the air. The image that was playing was visible to everyone now, and they were looking at Lucas fighting off hordes of enemies off on his own.


    Zephyr and Maxine instantly recognized the Mana he was using. And his Aura was something they took note of, and Maxine turned to Zephyr with tears on her eyes.


    "He has awakened. Finally, no one would look down on him", she said choking on her voice.. Zephyr was much more emotional than her, and he was holding back his happiness as well.

 Chapter 163 - The Lunar Flame (Part One)

    "The Azure Flame and the Flowing-Ice. And The Weapon Master''s Aura. Seems like his body was unable to handle all at once, and maybe something triggered his awakening", he muttered.


    Everyone was looking at a single boy, with dual swords and holding off a bunch of Beastmen that were attacking him. The way he was spinning and the chains attached to his forearms, made the woman scrunch her face.


    "He can''t be using the Chains Of Hades, can he? But how? Isn''t that in the deepest part of the Nether Realm, locked away by Hades himself?", she thought.


    "It is still locked there, for your information, Athena. That kid made something Identical to it, and thus it is just an inferior version of it. And it does not have the mind corruption on it", came Hades''s voice to her head.


    Athena was taken aback. She didn''t understand what he was saying, but if he made an inferior version of the Chains of Hades, she was sure he was someone she had to keep an eye on.


    "Zephyr, this is the condition of your hometown right now. There is a war going on, and They are lacking a lot of power. I am sure with your help, they would be able to turn the tides", she said.


    He knew what was going on the moment he saw the projection. He was analyzing what was going on and heard a laugh from Athena.


    "Oh? What''s this? You have something dormant inside of you?", she said with curiosity as she made her way towards him.


    Zephyr was confused about what she was saying something was dormant.


    "What do you mean, Your Majesty?", he asked with a worried look. She placed a hand on his chest, and her eyes turned yellow. A hue developed the both of them, and after a few seconds, it dissipated.


    "You have the Lunar Flame. Something that has been lost for a very long time. Tell me, when you fight during the night, does the color of the flame change?", she asked.


    Zephyr was shocked when he heard that. He never understood why he had something like that, but it only happened when he was extremely mad, and specifically at night.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. It happens when I am extremely angry, and during the night time", he replied to her question. She laughed out loud, and this time was an unruly laugh.


    "Seems like the Lunar Flame has been dormant inside you, and only awoke when you were extremely angry. What if I tell you that you could wield it, just like your normal flame?", she asked.


    Zephyr knew the strength of his Blue Flame, but he didn''t know that it had a name to it. He also was wondering how he would now awaken something that came when he was angry.


    The moment he would get angry, his Blue flame would be unleashed, and his enemies would be burned to a crisp. He had used the same flame to kill one among the Shadow Bandits.


    The reason he got the name, ''Crimson Hermit'', was due to his eyes that turn crimson orange when he was using his flames. the Lunar flame in particular, would turn his left eye blue.


    Athena was now looking at him, and she gave a punch straight at his gut. Zephyr was pushed back a few meters, and he felt a stinging pain where he was hit.


    He then looked back at Athena, who was now standing with both her fists and her legs spread wide. She was balancing herself, and she wanted to fight Zephyr.


    "Come at me. Show me how powerful your Lunar Flame is", she said as she jumped straight for him. Zephyr blocked her punch and threw a punch of his own.


    He was much faster than before, and his whole body was now erupting with flames. His clothes didn''t catch fire, and he was punching her.


    "Not fast enough kid, I know you can go faster. Show it to me, I want to know if you are worthy of that flame", she said to him as she was deflecting his punches. Zephyr was pissed as he saw that all of his punches were being deflected by her.


    His speed doubled, and his body was covered with a slight blue flame. He didn''t unleash his full speed yet, as he was worried that he might anger her instead. She gave him a kick across his face and sent him flying backward.


    Maxine was about to jump in when she was held back by Xerxes. His look told them not to move, and also reassured them that Zephyr was fine.


    He got up and coughed due to all the dust he had kicked up. He closed his eyes and opened them again, and this time his left eye turned blue.


    The blue flames were now erupting all around him, and each of his steps made a thundering explosion as he walked. The ground trembled as he moved, and the blue flames were enveloping him.


    A smile spread across Athena''s face, and she readied herself. This time, there was a pair of gloves wrapped around her hands, and she was unleashing something that she was holding back all this while.


    Zephyr didn''t talk and just made his move, and this time it was too fast for anyone to see. But it was slow for both Xerxes and Athena, and they could see him coming straight for her like a missile.


    A punch was all he gave, and Athena was pushed back a few meters. A smirk was seen on her face, and she put down her fists.


    "You are indeed worthy to wield that Flame. But you will never be able to unleash its potential without something", she said as she stopped him from making his next move.


    Zephyr was of a clear mind, and thus he deactivated the flame that was around him and walked towards her. She held her hand out, and Zephyr took it.


    The next moment, all of them were in front of a large circle with pillars around it. There were engravings on it, and Zephyr was once again overcome with emotion.


    "Can I send this to someone? I would like them to know that I have tried to find the solution, and I succeeded. But his awakening was something that I didn''t expect to happen", he said. Athena nodded her head and allowed him to take a snap of the place.


    He took the snap and sent it to Ben. He sent a voice note along with it, and he didn''t do anything more. He placed it back inside and was now directed to stand in the middle of the large circle.


    "Now, let me tell you something. The more powerful the Mana, the more pain you will feel. And since you could partially use this Mana, the pain would be significantly reduced."


    "The next thing is, yours is a Half-Mystic. I can awaken it as you could use it partially, if it was something like your brother for whom you had come here, I would not be able to help. Even for you, the same applies."


    "Now, I want you to grit your teeth and remember everything that you went through to reach here. Determination is very important, as the Mana would try to take over your body. You must suppress it, and overcome this obstacle to become stronger than before", she finished.


    Zephyr took a deep breath and reminded himself as to why he was here in the first place. He began to recall all the good times he had spent with his family, and of the times he had spent with the group he travelled with.


    After a deep breath, his eyes were filled with determination to get through this. He was also worried about the war that was going on back at home, and he wanted to get back as soon as he could to help out with it.


    Athena smiled as she saw the determination in him, and her hands and eyes began to glow. They emitted a yellowish glow, and she was slowly floating in mid-air.


    A small magic circle appeared in between her hands, and she began to turn the dials that were on it. It seemed to everyone like she was setting something up, and after she finished it, a circle appeared right underneath Zephyr.


    "This is going to be a bit painful", she said as she looked at him with a smile. Zephyr nodded his head, as he was ready to go through anything to protect the people he loved.


    She activated the circle, and a yellowish light began to rise underneath his skin. It reached his belly, and the Lunar Flame began to spread throughout his body.


    His eyes turned the same, but this time both of them turned blue. He was clenching both his fists and teeth to not scream in pain, and it was something that he could hold on to.


    "Now to move to the next step", said Athena as she cranked up the setting, and everyone heard a scream from the platform.


    "AAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!", screamed Zephyr from the top of his lungs, and everyone was startled.

 Chapter 164 - The Lunar Flame (Part Two)

    Everyone saw him screaming and holding on to his head. He was on his knees, and the way he was clenching his head made everyone concerned for him.


    "It is the process of a Half-Mystic Mana. It invokes great pain, as it was never able to attain the Mystic Realm. But the beauty in this is, they might attain the Mystic Realm only during awakening, and I am trying to make just that", she said.


    Maxine was very worried about her brother, and she wanted nothing more than to stop it. When she was about to step onto the platform, a hand stopped her.


    "You are no match for him right now. He is at the epitome of strength and power, and I can sense it reaching the limit. That is when I am going to send in Xerxes to attack, and help boost it to the Mystic Realm", she said.


    "Please be safe, Zeph", she prayed inside. She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Jasper and Vanessa looking at her. She leaned back into Jasper, and he wrapped his arms around her as she closed her eyes, unable to see what her brother was going through.


    Vanessa had her eyes peeled open on him, and she was looking at every subtle change that was happening to him. She noticed something on his forehead, and it was a horn made of the blue flame.


    "What is happening?", she thought, and to that Athena gave her answer.


    "This is the true might of the Lunar Flame, and the previous wielder of the flame has descended. Now, the fight for control begins. Let''s just hope that his mental fortitude is as strong as him", she said.


    "Xerxes, pin him down now. If the other guy gains control, it is not going to look good for his friends",  she commanded, to which all of his arms and legs were wrapped with sand, and was fortified to the point it was unbreakable.


    "If this succeeds, I can give him The Eye", she muttered. Vanessa heard what she said and kept silent, as she was wondering what the eye she talked about was.


    (Zephyr''s Eye Of The Mind)


    He was laying on the side of a lake, and the serene atmosphere made him want to relax. But everything changed once he felt the Lunar Flame devour everything around him, and the scenery was slowly changing into something he never wanted to see.


    The place was now burning, and everything in sight was chaos and destruction. And from it emerged a person, who had two horns on his head.


    One of his hands had the Lunar Flame, and he had a sinister smile across his face. There was a glint in his eye, and the way he was walking was menacing to him.


    "Finally, we meet. My name is Aldreus, The Lunar Demon. I do not know how you manifested my flame, but I will make sure to take back what is rightfully mine", he said as he walked towards him.


    With just a flick of his finger, he began to burn Zephyr down. His body was burning, and he began to feel immense pain.


    "AAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!", screamed Zephyr from the top of his lungs, and he was laughing at the sight. He moved and was in front of him in a split second, and kicked him straight in his face.


    Zephyr was flying towards the empty ground when a pillar came from underneath. He crashed into the pillar, and it was blown to bits.


    He coughed out blood, and the flames had died down from his body. He looked at Aldreus and had a smile on his face, which startled him.


    "You are not the only one who can use flames. Let me show you how much I can crank up the heat", said Zephyr as he released the flames all around him. Bright orange flames began to devour him, and his skin began to crack.


    Both of his eyes were crimson, and Aldreus had a smile across his face. He liked the person he was facing now, and he was ready to unleash his flames.


    "Let''s go, Aldreus. May the stronger person win", said Zephyr as he dashed, leaving a line of flames behind him.


    His speed was tripled to that of which he had shown before at the desert, and Aldreus couldn''t keep up with his speed. The faster he went, the more he was unable to keep up.


    Zephyr had built up enough momentum for him to strike and went in. He had his fist out and punched him in the face.


    The force from the punch sent him backward, and he was rolling on the ground as he was moving. He felt something crack inside him and began grinning.


    "You are the first person to injure me to this extent. And by that I mean, human", he said as he disappeared in a smoke of blue flames, and reappeared behind Zephyr. He ducked and avoided the attack that was headed for him.


    Aldreus was impressed with his reflexes and felt a punch land on him the moment he dodged. He was now taken aback by the speed he showed and decided to unleash everything inside him.


    He was erupting with flames the same way Zephyr was, and he began to math Zephyr''s speed, and his strength was much higher than before. The advantage which Zephyr had over Aldreus was lost in a second, and it was now a one-sided pummelling.


    Zephyr was sent into the ground more times than he could keep count. But his determination was unwavering, and the will to become stronger was burning like an unending flame. This impressed Aldreus even more, and he stopped attacking him.


    "You remind me of my younger self, Mr. Heart. And for that, I have the utmost respect. Now, summon your weapon of choice and I shall summon mine. Let''s see who shall win in one strike. A battle of Honor, and technique", he said as he looked at Zephyr in the eye.


    He never stopped the flames erupting from his body, but right now there was a tinge of blue hue within the flame. Aldreus had a smile on his face, and he was willing to share everything with Zephyr after the duel.


    Zephyr had a smile and he imagined his weapon of choice, which was a Ninjato. It was a sword that was one and a half feet long and had a very sharp blade. It was light and durable and used very prominently by Ninjas.


    Aldreus summoned his weapon, which was a double-sided battle axe. He twisted the handle and the battle axe split into two, which he was holding with both of his hands.


    He spun it twice and adjusted to the weapon before he looked back at Zephyr with a smile on his face. He took his stance and was ready to make his move the moment Zephyr made his.


    Just like they had some sort of agreement, both of them moved at the same time. Zephyr used the power of his flames to propel forward and was moving at high speeds.


    Aldreus was doing the same, as his skin turned the same way Zephyr''s skin was. The both of them were a few meters away from each other when Aldreus began to spin around with his arms outstretched.


    The flames around his body began to protect him in a tornado, and Zephyr was looking at it intently as he was nearing it. He pulled out his Ninjato, and made a quick slash as he circled past the Flaming Tornado.


    The both of them stood after their attacks, and neither one of them was falling to the ground. This confused both of them, and they turned around to see what the results would be.


    Aldreus didn''t expect the human to be standing after facing against his Flames, and Zephyr thought that his attack had gone through. The both of them laughed out loud and took their stances again.


    "Seems like until there is a clear winner, the fight must go on. I, for one, am curious as to how this will turn out to be", he said with slight blue flames coming out from his mouth as he spoke.


    Zephyr smiled as he took his stance, and pulled out his blade. He nodded his head in agreement, and the sword was covered with bright orange flames.


    Aldreus did the same and covered the edge of his axes with Blue Flames, and the moment he did that was when Zephyr made his attack. He slashed straight at his chest but was blocked with one of the axes handles.


    Aldreus then unleashed a wave of attacks, which were expertly deflected by Zephyr as he was pushed back. The smile on both of their faces never faded, and the skies began to change around them.


    Aldreus was channeling all of his might into the fight, and his past was being revealed to Zephyr who was fighting against him.

 Chapter 165 - Aldreuss Past (Part One)

    There was a single man who was standing in front of a burning village, and alongside him was a woman and two kids. One of them was a baby, while the other was a little child. The four of them were watching the village burn down.


    "I have to go honey. If I can save one life, just one. It would be worth it", he said. The woman was holding onto him, and not letting him go. The man was wearing a top hat and a long tailcoat.


    He had a chain around his neck, and he removed it as he knelt towards his kid. He placed the necklace around the kid''s neck and looked him in the eye.


    "This is a gift from me to you, kiddo. Think of this as your birthday present, and Father now has to go and save our people", he said as he stood back up. The kid was standing still and looked at the man walk away from him, into the flames.


    The man who was walking was none other than Aldreus. He dashed into the village and began to look around for survivors. He had just arrived, and he was taken aback at the state of the village.


    His wife didn''t want to go into the flame as she was afraid that he might die. He heard screams and cries for help and tried to help them. But the moment they saw him, they came running towards him.


    "Mayor! Please save my wife!", came a man running towards him. He ran into the house and brought out the woman who was burning, and he put out the flames. Unfortunately, shortly after he brought her out, she was dead.


    He followed the same routine and pulled out as many people as he could, and his skin was turning red. He was burning in the fire whilst saving them, but the moment he brought them out they were either burned beyond recognition or they had died in the flames.


    He was angry at the person who had done this and wanted to find the perpetrator. He used his speed which he was quick in and brought out the last person he could find in the burning houses.


    He was devastated when he saw the states they were in. He didn''t know how to save them or even heal them. The village had no healer, and the ones who had survived were pleading for death.


    He fell to the floor and looked at the skies, breaking down into tears. He recognized each person that was burnt, and the more he saw the people that had died, the more heartbroken he was.


    "Whoever you are, I swear I will get my vengeance. What did my village ever do to you!", he bellowed in anger and extreme pain. His eyes had turned red from the anger and tears he was holding back, and the people now gathered around him.


    Everyone fell to their knees, and some of them even had their foreheads to the ground. No one uttered a single word and they began the procedure to send off those that had been burnt in this unfortunate incident.


    As a result of saving every one of them, his skin had turned red. The left half of his body was in bright red skin, while the other half was a normal white.


    He tried everything to recover the outer layer of the skin that had been burned away during the incident, but no healer could heal him. The whole village tried their best, and he had lost the sense of touch on the side that was burnt.


    He tried to create a spell that could replicate the feeling of touch, but nothing worked for him. Every time he went out, he wore a mask on his face, and the top hat covered the rest that were exposed.


    Some time had passed from the incident, but Aldreus never forgot the vow he took that day. He trained youngsters from the village and sent them out to collect information about that fateful day.


    He trained himself to the limit, and his family began to worry for him. His anger and hate were fueling his will to live, and his sense of vengeance had given him a purpose to live.


    "Did you find him?", asked Zephyr as he stopped an attack from Aldreus. He pulled back his axes and cut across his cheek, making Zephyr jump back.


    "Do not ask questions. Learn to be patient. Patience is a virtue, Mr. Heart", he said as he went back to attacking him, revealing more from his past.


    Many years had passed from that fateful day, and both of his children had grown up. His son being the child that was the kid during the incident, and his daughter being the baby during that day.


    He was playing with them when a man came in with a parchment in his hands. He was one among the troops that he had trained, and he went to receive the parchment.


    He opened it and his eyes turned into slits. The information on it was something that he was searching for all this while, and he saw it heading towards him this time.


    "Inform everyone and evacuate the place. I will handle the people who are coming. And the troops too. This is an order", he said. The man who had a mask over his face could not say anything to him.


    Aldreus looked at both of his kids and informed of his wife. She was stunned when she heard the information from him and advised him to come along with her.


    "You think I am going to let them go? After what they did to the people and me?", he said as he removed his mask and hat. The woman had her hands on her face, as she could not bear to see his face.


    Although he looked very unlovely to everyone that was around, the woman''s heart skipped a beat. She placed her palm on the side where he would feel her touch and caressed his cheeks.


    "I know of all the things you have done for these people, my love. But aren''t we, your family too?", she asked lovingly. The man had tears in his eyes, and in that brief second, prioritized himself over others.


    He shook the thought out of his mind and looked at her back. He pulled her close to him, and the both of them stood in each other''s embrace.


    "If I have to, I would. But you know about my temper", he said. The woman laughed in a cute voice and pulled him closer to her.


    She took in a whiff of his scent as she grazed her lips against his. The both of them had a passionate kiss, and she broke free from it. He looked at her, and this time he was choking on his words.


    "I love you, Elaina", he said as he let go of her. The woman smiled as she returned the words to him.


    "And I love you too, Aldreus. Now go and kick their butts", she said as she turned away from him. Aldreus picked up his axe and walked out of the door.


    "And stay safe", she muttered as she heard the door close shut. Right after the door was closed, she broke down into tears, bawling her eyes out.


    Aldreus stood at the door and heard his wife''s cries, and he was tempted to go back inside. He clenched his fists and moved away from the door, and a tear was rolling down his cheek as he walked away.


    "The more I stay here, the more I would lose my will to fight. I have to do this, not for them but for me", he muttered as he began to head towards the village.


    The place was now empty, and he pulled a chair out of one of the houses. He sat on it with his axe right above his shoulder, exuding an Aura that was filled with authority.


    The men who were coming had torches in their hands, and they cam riding their horses and saw the village deserted. It was something they had not expected to happen, as they planned to kill every single life that was in the village.


    "Search every place. Find anyone that had survived the last time, and make sure that they stay dead. And if you find that Mayor, make sure to bring his...", and his sentence was stopped as his head was separated from his shoulders.


    "You want my head? You would have to be much stronger than that", he hissed as he disappeared from the place. The men were in disarray, and he took this opportunity to kill as many as he could.


    "This is for the last time you burned down the people that were living peacefully", he said as he rammed his axe into the skull of a person that was on horseback.


    The rage that he had suppressed for all these years began to pour out, and they were unable to keep up with his speed.


    "Just what in the world is the Mayor?", thought everyone as they jumped down from their horses to attack him.

 Chapter 166 - Aldreuss Past (Part Two)

    Aldreus was now standing back from where he had jumped from and took his seat on the chair that he had set up. The people that had got down were looking at him with awe in their eyes.


    "That man is the Mayor? And is this why we were asked to attack specifically when he wasn''t in the village the last time? Man I wonder what he would have been like in his prime", said one of the soldiers as he pulled out his sword and shield.


    Most of them were the same, and they formed a defense line to stop him from advancing any further. There was a mocking smile on Aldreus''s face, and they were wondering what kind of tricks he had up his sleeve.


    "I, Aldreus Alistair, welcome you to my battlefield", he said as he stood up from the chair. He cracked his neck and flicked his finger, and an explosion erupted right behind them.


    He clicked his tongue and looked at them once more, and the smile widened. Everyone broke the line of defense, and they were now wide open.


    He took this chance and broke straight for the first person he laid his eyes on and split his axe in two. He struck down with one, and it was blocked as he had expected.


    He swung the next one and attacked from the right, but he didn''t expect it to be deflected by him. The strike hit the ground, and his axe was stuck there.


    The man took this chance to stab him, and right when his sword was about to connect to his body, the man disappeared from his sight. He reappeared behind him and slashed his head off.


    Blood was spurting, and it splashed on his clothes. His mask had some blood on it, and the eyes that were underneath it were bloodthirsty.


    "Come at me, you cowards. Didn''t you miss some people last time!", he bellowed as he looked at the people in front of him. The men felt the pressure he was exuding, and some of them shivered unconsciously.


    "He is just one man, what are you waiting for? Take him down!", one of the commanded. And that was when the real battle began.


    Troops emerged out from the woods that was around them, and he smiled. The smile on his face never faded, and he charged straight towards the people that were heading towards the village.


    It was one man against an army that consisted of over a hundred men, but the plan he had in his mind evened out the odds that were against him. He threw his axe, and the moment one of them deflected the attack, he dashed towards it.


    He killed them and threw his axe once more. But this time, he threw both of his towards two different directions. Right after it was blocked, he jumped towards one of his axes and killed the person using their sword, thrusting it into their nape.


    The man who was commanding saw the way he was massacring them, and he understood how he was doing that. He smiled right after he had figured out his trick.


    "Do not allow his axe to come in contact with any of our shields. He will use it to teleport around you and kill you", he commanded. The next moment, everyone began to avoid his axes.


    "It doesn''t make a difference even if you have figured it out, because I will kill you, and the entire army that has descended upon my village. And when I find out the person behind this, I will make sure to kill them too", he said with bloodlust oozing all around him.


    Everyone could feel his anger and rage, and one of them tried to bash their shield into him. He took the shield from him and covered himself as he made another explosion by snapping his fingers.


    The explosion took down twenty men, and now seventy-eight men were remaining. He was keeping count of the people that he was killing, and he was sure that this would be his final battle.


    "Elaina, take care of the kids for me, will you?", he muttered as he looked into the sky. He picked up his axes and took his stance.


    "Now, let us see who will win", he said as he disappeared from his place, and reappeared behind another soldier. He cleaved his axe right into his shoulder and killed him by cutting across his body.


    He felt a stab from behind him and saw a sword stuck into him. He smiled as he cut the man''s head off and broke the sword with his hands, leaving the tip within his body.


    The sun was setting, and he was covered in blood. The battle was still going on, and he hadn''t fallen. His body was filled with the broken tips of the sword, and he had taken off his mask to breathe.


    The moment the commander saw his face, or rather the remaining half of it, he was shocked.


    "Seems like the rumors are true", he muttered as he looked at Aldreus. He did a salute from the army and pulled out his swords.


    "The traitor, Blitz has been found. I will put an end to the traitor and his family", he said in a righteous tone. Aldreus laughed out loud as he shuddered in his anger.


    "So, that was what that bastard of a King has told you, huh?", he said as he looked at the man in front of him. His vision was now hazy, but he could outline the man in front of him.


    The commander pulled out his sword and had his shield on his back. He didn''t place it down and readied himself to attack.


    Right when he was about to attack, Aldreus felt a presence around him and held his axe upwards, deflecting the attack that had come towards him.


    He lost the strength to stand and fight, but his willpower was something that fuelled him. he twitched as he tried to hold back onto his axe.


    He closed his eyes and accepted his fate. He had a smile on his face, and was looking at the beautiful moon that was shining in the sky as he closed his eyes.


    "Do you want power", came a voice from around him. He tried to open his mouth to talk but he couldn''t.


    "Don''t worry. You can speak in your mind", said the voice. Aldreus then began to ask the first question that had come to his mind.


    "Who are you? And what is the catch for this power?", he asked. The voice laughed as it was amused by the question.


    "And this is why I like working with smart people. They know what they want, and would do anything to achieve it", said the voice and began to answer his question.


    "I am a Demon, and my name is Rah. I am the wielder of a unique flame, and I am willing to pass it down to you in one condition. You should only do justice, and never cause injustice", he said.


    "They came to kill me. If I kill them in return, would that mean justice?", asked Aldreus. He was sure he would die in a few minutes, and if this power would help him in those few seconds, he was willing to do anything to finish off what he started.


    "Indeed it is justice. You can punish them with this Flame, and for the final step, drink my blood", said Rah, and he felt a fluid go inside his belly. The moment he felt that his eyes snapped open.


    The skin which he had tried to recover for all these years began to grow back, and horns made of flame began to grow on his head. Rah was amused at his creation and disappeared.


    His eyes turned blue, and he picked up his axe which he had dropped on the ground. The man who was about to fight him was shuddering as he saw Aldreus stand up from the ground.


    "But he was dead!", he thought as he picked his sword back up. Aldreus didn''t make his move, as he remembered the words that were told to him by Rah.


    He made sure to make him take the first move, and he came for the killing strike. He went straight for his neck, and Aldreus dodged the attack easily.


    He kicked the man on his belly, pushing him back by a few meters. Aldreus was astonished at the increase in his strength, and he knew this was not the time to test it out.


    The man got back up and looked at him with fear. The awe which he previously had was gone, and a deep-rooted fear was visible on his face.


    "DEMON! I WILL EXTERMINATE YOU!", he bellowed as he came running towards him. Aldreus threw his axe past him and teleported behind him. He cleaved his head off, and he was standing amidst dead bodies.


    He didn''t understand why Rah had given him this power, but he knew that he had to do something.


    "If not contained, I am sure that I will do something catastrophic to the village that I had built", he thought as he looked around the place.


    Part of the village was safe, and the other parts were damaged as he had triggered the hidden explosives which could only be done by him.. He had set those for emergencies, and it came in handy for him when he was facing multiple enemies.

 Chapter 167 - Aldreuss Past (Final Part)

    He had averted the crisis that had come for him, and he was now clear who sent the people who had attacked him. He clenched his fists, and let the people escape as he had wanted.


    His horns were still burning, and there was an unsurmountable amount of rage building within him. He needed to get that out of him, and he was now searching for the man that had given him this power.


    "I am sure there was a much bigger cost than what he let me believe. For now, I will complete the vengeance that I had sworn to complete. But not now, there is still time", he thought as he turned around.


    There was a blue fireball headed towards him, and he dodged it quickly. He then looked towards the direction that the flame came towards him, and he saw a man with a black mask.


    "Since this is your first time using that flame, until you get it under control, you will fight me, Rah", he said as he threw another fireball at him. He once again deflected the fireball and looked back at him.


    He tilted his head towards the sky and let out a scream. It was deafening and spread around the place. Rah had his hands over his ears and looked back at him.


    "That''s all it took for him to bring the fire under control?", thought Rah as he looked at him. Both of his eyes were blue, and the horns that were made of flames were burning intensely.


    "Or maybe not", he smiled as he looked at Aldreus. He was now standing in a wild pose, and the way he was looking at Rah was how a beast looks when it was hungry.


    "Now that is more like the flame. Do not let it consume you. I know you can fight it, I saw it in you. The perseverance", he muttered as he dashed from the place towards him.


    He connected his shoulder right at his gut and tried to tackle him to the ground, but after a short slide, he didn''t budge. Rah didn''t stop as he lifted his right foot off the ground and connected his heel right at his nose.


    The blow was crushing and Aldreus roared as he moved back, the look in his eyes getting crazier. His nails grew outwards, and he slashed right at Rah''s face.


    "ROOOOOOAAARRRR!", was the sound he made as his face was punched once more. This time, Rah held him down and had him pinned.


    "Fight the urge of destruction, and overcome it", he whispered as he looked at Aldreus struggling to free himself. A few footsteps were heard, and the faint sound of a woman crying was heard.


    "Don''t come any closer. Not right now!", said Rah as he turned his head and saw Elaina and two kids running back towards the place. He restrained Aldreus more, as he knew first-hand about how terrifying that flame was.


    "It will make him go after the people he loves, and empty him from the inside. Fight the craze, human!", he thought as he looked at Elaina who was inching closer towards them.


    "Mister, could you hold him for me?", she asked as she came close to him. She then pulled out a dagger and began to chant something. It began to glow with a purple hue, and she plunged it straight at Aldreus''s heart.


    "That dagger, where did you get it?", asked Rah as he looked at it. Elaina smiled at him and lifted her sleeve, and that was when he saw it.


    "You''re one of the formal Guards of the gate!", he was astonished as he looked at the woman in front of him. She stood up and did a curtsy as she introduced herself again.


    "Hello, Your Majesty. It is good to see that you are doing well. I am Elaina Flintwood, or now known as Elaina Alistair", she said as she looked at Rah. He had a smile on his face as he looked at her, and the lifestyle she had chosen for herself.


    "So this is the man you had fallen in love with, and left the gate for this person", he muttered as he looked at him. Aldreus''s body was riddled with Purple lines, and the Lunar Flame which had built up inside him was now being released.


    A huge pillar of flame erupted, and both of them shielded the kids from the impact of the flame. Aldrues was at the bottom of the pillar, releasing the flame. After a few minutes, he stopped releasing the flame and was panting hard.


    The horns that were flickering on his head had stabilized, and he was in a deep sleep. Rah removed his mask and had a smile on his face as he looked at him.


    "I have finally found the right successor to the flame. Maybe this flame might be passed down by genetics in the future since he is a Half-Demon and not a complete one. And should I let your family know that I met you, Mrs. Alistair?", he asked with a smile.


    She nodded with a smile on her face as she exuded her aura to Rah, and he felt chills from her. He chuckled as he took off from the place, and left him at her care.


    "Does he know who you are?", he asked his final question as he was about to leave, and she gave him a smile in response. He persisted as he wanted to know the answer. She sighed out loud and gave him what he wanted.


    "Yes, he does know what I am. I revealed to him the moment I decided to become his bride. And he accepted me for who I am", she said with a smile. Rah had a smile on his face as he looked at her, and knew that she was happy and content.


    "Till we meet again, Mrs. Alistair", he said as he took off. The kids came close to him, and one of them tried touching the flaming horns on his head.


    "Viola!", exclaimed both the boy and Elaina. But she was fine and was playing with the small amount of flame that was in her hand, tossing it around like a ball.


    Elaina was surprised when she saw it and realized that she was a Half-Demon just like Aldreus. While her brother, Silas was a human. He looked at her and back at her father, and was shocked at what he was seeing.


    After a few minutes, a groan was heard and they saw Aldreus wake up. Everyone began to tend to him, and Rah was watching from the shadows, feeling a warmth in his heart.


    He got up and summoned the flame, and activated every trap that he had installed. He burnt the whole village down and took his family with him to flee.


    "After everything I did for him, he sure is heartless to first banish me. And now he wants me dead. Seems like I have to keep up with the happening in the city", thought Aldreus as he was running with everyone.


    "Can we escape to that realm?", asked Aldreus to Elaina. She nodded her head and opened up a portal with her magic, and the four of them went into the portal.


    There were still clashes and the sparks were flying as the both of them were panting and looked at each other with a smile. Zephyr was now convinced that the man was an honest man who had unfortunate circumstances in his life.


    "So, were you safe? What happened next?", he asked as he looked at him. Aldreus smiled and he raised his hands in the air.


    "I give you thirty minutes to make this power yours. All this while, you were borrowing just a fraction of this power, and you made your enemies tremble with that. I am sure with the full extent in your hand, you will be able to unleash the full potential", he said.


    Zephyr took a meditative pose and began to draw the flame towards him, and Aldreus began to fade away from existence. He didn''t notice anything as he was meditating deeply, and he drew all the flame towards him in twenty-eight minutes.


    He opened his eyes, and there was a small ring of orange in a deep blue circle. Aldreus was impressed with the way he had merged the flames, and there was no horn protruding from his head as he had expected.


    "Seems like you have retained your humanity while making this yours. Thank you for freeing me, and I wish you luck in your endeavors", he said as he looked at him. Zephyr got up and saw only his face was visible.


    He felt a tight knot in his heart, and something was rolling down his cheeks. He had just met Aldreus, but he was sure about the feeling that he was feeling.


    "This, the last time I got this feeling was when I was leaving the Palace", he thought as he ran towards Aldreus to stop him from fading away.

 Chapter 168 - Going Back Home

    "Take care, kiddo", he said right after Zephyr was near his face. The smile on his face never faded, and just as Zephyr reached out his hand, Aldreus faded from existence, and he was the only one who knew about him.


    He clenched his fists as he looked around him, and the scenery began to change back to what it once was. He was once more standing in the serenity of a green garden, but the knot in his heart got tighter.


    "It''s so lonely", he muttered as he looked back at the sky and left his Mind.


    (Back at The Awakening Circle)


    Everyone was waiting for him to return, as this was something only he could achieve. Maxine had begun to pace up and down, and she was about to ask if he would ever come out when she heard a gasp from the platform.


    Everyone turned their head towards him, and Vanessa ran towards the circle. She jumped and circled her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. A warm smile spread across his face as he wrapped his arms around her neck, returning her embrace.


    The both of them laid in the embrace for some time until they let go of each other. He stood up and looked at Athena, and pushed past everyone that was coming towards him in a second.


    His right forearm was covered with the blue flame, and he directed a punch right at her face. He stopped inches before her face, and the wind that was behind the punch startled her.


    There was a boom right as he stopped his punch, and Athena was pushed back a little bit. It was very subtle, but both Athena and Zephyr felt the change.


    "Congratulations on obtaining the Lunar Flame. I have something that will help you as well", she said as she pulled out an exquisite box from her side. And inside it was a shining blue ball.


    Zephyr took it out and began to look at it, and the more he looked at it, the more he felt a certain connection to it. He was confused why he felt that way, and he wanted to know the answer to it.


    "That is the Eye of Horus, which has a connection to the moon. With this eye, you will be able to wield this flame to its fullest potential, and Rah will be at peace", she said. The smile on her face was one of sadness, as it seemed like Rah was someone close to her.


    He was ready to implant the eye into his left eye socket when she brought out another eye. A smile was on her face as he opened it, and it was another eye.


    This one was a crimson orange in color, and he was confused why she was giving him both. He was extremely lucky to have obtained one item, but two was something he was suspicious of.


    "What is the catch?", he asked instantly. Athena had a smile on her face as she turned around, leaving him in a confusion about her actions.


    "Set was a person who wanted to be at the throne, and for the sake of power, he had killed his brother and ripped out the Eye of Horus from Horus. While this legend is indeed true, I would also say it is false."


    Zephyr was confused when he heard her say that. He had read of the legend of the battle between Horus and Set and heard the rumors that without the power of the moon, Horus would not have been able to recover one of his eyes.


    "For Horus had two eyes, The Eye of Horus and The Eye Of Ra. Like you humans like to call it, this is a set item. One can''t bring the full potential without its counterpart. Though you have the Lunar Flame and the affinity to it, you also wield the Normal Flame."


    "Which should have been impossible for you. I do not know why, but I feel that these items would be best if I give them to you. Both the eyes were a request from Horus to me, to find a successor."


    "You might rise to our positions sooner, or you might not. It depends on the user''s will, and we will see what kind of things will happen. I am a God Of Knowledge. and not of predictions, after all", she said with a chuckle.


    Zephyr laughed as he returned the items to her. She was confused as to why he would return it to her, and she refused to take them back.


    "I understand in your search for the successor, but I have no interest in becoming more powerful than I am now. All I want is to protect my family, and live a peaceful life from now. And these eyes, I am sure people would wage wars for this", he said.


    Athena had a subtle smile as she took the items back. She placed it back to her side and showed them the way to another room.


    "Allow me to help you reach your hometown", she said as she reached the room and waited for their response. Zephyr looked at everyone, and they had a smile on their face.


    "Anything if I could leave this place. I don''t want to eat monster meat ever again!", said Jasper and everyone laughed. It was a hearty laugh, and Zephyr nodded his head to her.


    They were led into a teleportation circle, and she chanted the spell. The four of them disappeared from the place, and a smile was on her face.


    "It seems like you are the correct one for Horus''s eyes. I will wait for the day you will return here, looking for these", she smiled. The smile was a gentle one, and she left the room back to take her rest.


    (South of The Heart Kingdom)


    There was a blue glow that appeared out of nowhere, and in it were four individuals that appeared. They were none other than Zephyr and his friends, and the first thing they saw was flames.


    A switch flipped in Zephyr''s mind, as it seemed like the same memory he had seen when Aldreus was showing his memories. The houses were empty, and there were no sounds that he heard.


    "How could there be no humans in a settlement this big? And here I thought we would be able to kill some humans to get the numbers up", came a voice from behind him. Zephyr lowered his hat on his face and dashed towards the man that was talking.


    His hand had a shuriken, and he threw it accurately right at the parson''s knee. It pierced through and the man was on his knees. he jumped towards the front and pulled out his sword as he cut the man''s head without any question.


    There was nobody around to question, and he left the place that was burning, bringing his companions alongside him. The four of them exited the village, and what awaited them was a group of people that were ready to cut them down.


    All four had their hats tipped on their heads as they did in the desert, and Zephyr was the only one to talk. The people had many weapons, and they were all covered in a single cloak with the symbol.


    "Seems like something has happened in these eight years while we were away. How is it that ''The Omega'' is here?", asked Zephyr as he ignited both of his hands with the Lunar Flame.


    The men that were gathered were shocked to discover someone other than themselves and turned around to see who the voice belonged to. When they saw that it was four individuals with hats and weird dresses, they laughed out loud.


    "You think you can take us down? With just the four of you?", laughed one of the men as he looked at Zephyr. He scoffed as he turned around, and walked back towards the other three that were behind.


    "They''re just pawns, nothing important. Jasper, do your thing", he said as he walked towards the back and stood silently.  Jasper had a crude smile on his face and disappeared from the place.


    "What? Where is the man?", asked one of them and felt a stab from his back. There was a dagger lodged from his back, and the man''s neck had a hole in it.


    "That''s one", he muttered as he pulled the dagger out. The blood that was around the dagger began to float, and one of his eyes had turned red.


    "You see, Jasper is someone who is not human. If you think he is an average human, you would never be able to beat him", said Zephyr as he talked to them.  The men were in a disarray, and one of them tried to attack him.


    He disappeared again and appeared right behind the man. He did the same thing and drew blood out from him. There were now two small orbs of blood floating around him, and he licked his dagger.


    "What in the world is he? The blood that is floating around and the use of Complete Darkness, don''t tell me...", said one of the men. Zephyr laughed out loud as he revealed the piece he was hiding.


    "He is a vampire", he said with a smile, and Jasper began to go on a rampage.

 Chapter 169 - Zephyrs Interrogation (Part One)

    The men were shocked the moment they heard the truth. Jasper turned the two small orbs into shurikens and hardened the blood.


    He threw it and killed two people along with it, and slashed at another person''s neck with it. The blood that he had drawn again added to the orb, and there was a new orb that was floating now.


    The shurikens were growing in size, and the smile on his face sent shivers down everyone''s spine. One of them began to run away, and he felt that he was running slower than he usually would.


    "No way I am letting you get away. Now, who among you knows what business you have here?", he asked as he looked around. He heard a certain individual''s heartbeat rise, and he was none other than the man who had tried running away.


    "Oh? How amusing. Let me save the best for last", he muttered as he moved around. He stabbed and slashed at everyone he could see, and now had four orbs of blood behind him.


    He was weaving through the people like they were butter, and his dagger went only for one strike. Right after he had struck, he began to manipulate the blood flow of his opponent, drawing out blood he needed for the shurikens.


    The shurikens were growing in size, so he converted them into daggers and stood in place. The group, who were around a hundred people had been reduced to thirty people.


    He put his hands into his pockets and pulled down his hat again. He was covered and he looked around. There was a slight tint of orange in the sky, and he clicked his tongue in frustration.


    "And here I thought I could have some fun tonight", he thought as he looked at the orange hue in the sky. He controlled the daggers and began to kill the remaining thirty, leaving the only man who knew the information alive.


    He watched as the blood daggers were piercing through all of his comrades, and was shivering in fear. The way he looked at Jasper was filled with fear, and the thoughts of escape which he had were thrown out of the window.


    Jasper squatted right in front of his face and asked the same question again. The man who wanted to run last time began to spill the beans.


    "We are here to kill the Beastmen that are living underground in this vicinity. They have long been in hiding, and who knows what they will do to humanity!", he exclaimed. The look in his eye was telling different, and Jasper knew the right man to extract the information.


    "Zephyr, seems like the sun is up. I''ll let you have a go", he said as he got up. Zephyr removed his hat and cloak. He was wearing a white shirt tucked into a pair of brown pants.


    He rolled up his sleeves as he brought out his kunai, and sat right to the opposite of him. The man who had talked was now shivering as he saw the look in Zephyr''s eyes, and that look said it all.


    "This is a violation of human rights! I call the Human...", he was stopped with a slap from Zephyr. His eyes were spouting fire, and the Kunai in his hand was shivering.


    "You have no right to talk about humanity! After what you had done to my best friend! You fucking bastards! Humanity can kiss my ass!", he bellowed. The Aura that he was hiding was released all at once, and the man shivered from his fear.


    Everyone felt it and didn''t stop him, as they all knew what had happened. It was an event that had happened way before they had become The Roaming Hermits when Zephyr was in his Adventurer Days.


    The way he was holding his kunai and the look on his face was different from before, and he stabbed right through his thigh. The man screamed as he felt a twist inside, and the muscles began to twist along with it.


    "AAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!", he screamed in pain. The pain in Zephyr''s heart was so much that tears began to shed as he was torturing him.


    He removed one of his buttons, and there was a dog tag around his neck. The color of it was a deep purple, and that was the first time everyone saw it. It was none other than his best friend''s.


    "No way. They took an S Class Adventurer away? But that is impossible!", thought Maxine as she looked at the tag. Zephyr''s eyes had turned red, and the tears didn''t stop.


    He pulled the Kunai across his legs and tore the muscle. Blood was spurting and the man had fainted from the pain, and Zephyr noticed that.


    "Didn''t you torture him while he was awake? I can wait until you wake up. You made me kill him with my hands! How can I ever fucking wash those away, huh?", he said as he put the Kunai back inside.


    He sat right next to the man and slowly began to curl into a ball. He was on the ground, and after curling into a ball, he was watching the man through the gap between his knees.


    "Let me show you guys how much pain I can inflict. You shall know pain like no other, and I will make you beg to kill you", he muttered. Vanessa who was coming next to him was taken aback when she heard his words.


    She wrapped her arms around his head and began to stroke it lovingly. He began to calm down, and Maxine began to heal the man who had fainted.


    "Athena was right. I am going to need those eyes and the power to fight against these guys. If their experiments are like what I had to face before, I am sure that my current strength will not be enough", he concluded.


    The way Vanessa was stroking his head calmed him down, and he was now looking at the man that had fainted. He had regained back his calm composure, and this was the first time she had seen him lose it.


    "Honey, you know these guys are nothing but pawns. We need to find someone of high authority and interrogate them. That is the only way we will be able to get some kind of information about these guys, and who their leader is", she said in a calm and soothing voice.


    Zephyr had a clear head now, and his anger had gone. He had suppressed it for a long time, and after crying for some time on Vanessa''s shoulder, he began to sleep.


    Jasper and Maxine had tied the man up as Vanessa was watching over Zephyr. She was the only person who could keep him calm, and they left this task to her as they went around to gather some food for them to eat.


    Things were not smooth for them right now, but both of them were hoping that Zephyr doesn''t break out like that ever again. They were wondering if they will be able to control him if he was ever to go berserk.


    After two hours, Zephyr woke up with a groggy head. He was looking around as he was thinking about the things he had done.


    "Hey there, you feeling better?", asked Vanessa as she looked at him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.


    At first, she blushed slightly, but then she wrapped him back. He then looked into her eyes and placed his hands on her cheeks. She felt her heartbeat rising, and there was a flush on her face.


    He leaned in to kiss her on the lips and had a passionate kiss. After a few minutes, Zephyr broke from the kiss and turned his head abruptly at the man that was tied and on the ground, and went towards him.


    "Let me start again. My name is Zephyr Heart, First Prince of the Heart Kingdom. Trained in Kyoto in the Ways of the Ninja, and leader of the Shizukana Yoru. I think you must have heard of them", he said.


    Right after the man heard that he was the leader of Shizukana Yoru, he began to shiver in fear. That was because the group he was a part of, was the terrifying group in Kyoto, and was part of one of the leading powers there.


    "How can an outsider become part of Hyogi-Kai? This is a lie!", he exclaimed. Zephyr had an amusing smile on his face as he looked at them. He brought out his kunai and stabbed him right in the shoulder.


    "I didn''t say I was part of the Hyogi-Kai, now did I? Seems like you know more than you let us know. Now, shall we begin the extraction process?", he said with a smile. He turned his head at Maxine, and she had the same look as he did.


    Both of them were now in front of him, and Zephyr pulled out more of his Kunai and Shurikens. They dragged him across the floor towards a tree and slammed his head on the trunk.


    "Shall we begin?", said Zephyr as he picked up his Kunai.

 Chapter 170 - Zephyrs Interrogation (Part Two)

    "Keep it steady", said Zephyr as he looked at the slightly greenish hue that was enveloping the man he was about to interrogate. The smile on his face didn''t fade as he tested it out by making a small cut on his cheek.


    The cut healed instantly, and he did multiple cuts. The speed of healing was slower than before, and the wounds that were formed stung slightly. He winced in pain but didn''t run away.


    "Perfect, keep it the same until he spills the beans", said Zephyr as he sliced right across his shoulder. Blood began to pour out of the cut, and he clenched his teeth not giving in to the pain.


    "So, what is the real reason for this attack? What are you trying to achieve?", he asked in an icy cold voice. The man didn''t know what was happening and kept mum, as he knew the moment he opened his mouth, he would lose his life.


    "Not going to talk? Oh wait, I almost forgot", he thought as he pulled out a vial from his pouch. He placed it in front of him, and the man looked at it with interest.


    "This contains an antidote to the poison that would be administered right after you reveal something about your organization. It is effective, as I have tested it out against many members who had been caught by us in Kyoto", he said with a smile.


    The man who had a resolute mind felt tempted to talk, and Zephyr cut right at the elbows and the back of his knees. The pain was too much, and the man began to scream now.


    "No screaming. I can break the antidote any moment", he said as he picked it up and pressed both ends with his fingers, and cracks began to form. The man immediately closed his mouth and endured, as this was the only way for him to live.


    In his eyes, the vial was the only hope for him, and he would do anything to retain his life. That was the kind of man he was, and he opened his mouth to talk.


    "The real reason we are here is to cause a ruckus, and reach the center of this place and meet up with some of the best people we have cultivated. If this attack is a success, we would be able to get ourselves more power from the organization", he said.


    "What kind of power?", asked Zephyr. He knew of their experiments with Beastmen and the cores of beasts, and he wanted to know if this was related to the same incident.


    "I do not know of the name of this power, but it is said to make a human break their limitations and reach a higher class. That is all I know about that", he said. Zephyr was confused when he heard that part.


    "What does he mean by breaking limitations?", he thought. He knew that each human had their limits, and through vigorous training, one can overcome their limits, but they will hit a wall no matter how they develop.


    "Does this mean that they have found a way to break it? But there should be no way to do that, for that is the law of Mother Nature", he thought.


    "I know what you''re thinking. ''It is the law of nature'', am I right? But what are laws for? Aren''t they meant to be broken at some point in time?", he said. Zephyr nodded his head, for that did seem reasonable enough to him.


    "But what is the method? If I am thinking along the lines of your organization, it should be something sinister and evil", he said. The man shrugged his shoulder and looked at Zephyr with confusion.


    "I have not seen the process, thus I do not know. But what I do know is this, the Six Zoo Keepers have been through that process, and they have become much stronger than what they were", he said. Zephyr had a shocked look on his face and threw the kunai right between the man''s legs, and it missed by an inch.


    The man sweated profusely as he thought that his manhood would be done for today. The look on Zephyr''s face was different from before, the smile had vanished and there was a look of pure anger.


    Maxine increased the output of the healing, as the only way Zephyr knew to take out his anger was to injure him to an extent that would take a long time to heal. Zephyr picked up his Kunai and kept it back.


    "Seeing as to how you have revealed so much information and the medicine hasn''t been activated, it seems like they want me to know of this information. So, tell me this. Will I be able to find the Zoo Keepers here?", he asked as he clenched his fists.


    The man nodded his head, indicating that they were here. He also added the point that after he had finished his task, he would meet up with them so that they would be able to return to the building through the teleportation circle in the Zoo.


    Zephyr nodded his head, and he walked away from him. He threw the vial on the ground next to his feet and turned around.


    "What is your leader''s name? The real name?", he asked. The man''s eyes widened and he grabbed the vial quickly before he answered.


    "His name is Mat... HAIL THE OMEGA!", he said and fell to the ground. In the few seconds he had, he downed the potion that Zephyr had given him, with the hopes that he would be alive after that.


    He felt a searing pain in his heart, and it began to beat rapidly. Adrenaline was rushing throughout his body, and he got up from the ground slowly.


    Zephyr looked at him and had a smile on his face. The man was about to take a step when he began to burn from the inside, and fire enveloped his whole body.


    "Try to live a better life next time", he said with a smile as he looked at the burning man who fell to the ground and turned to ashes. The potion he had given was a type that burned their bodies right after it came into contact with the poison that was administered by the organization.


    "Vanessa, I want to talk to my Dad. Is that possible for you?", he asked. She nodded her head and indicated that it was possible, as long as she was in range with the person. She tried and couldn''t reach anyone.


    "Seems like we need to go further, as your Dad seems to be out of range", she replied to him after multiple attempts. He sighed as he looked at Jasper, as he knew he was much slower in the morning.


    He looked around and saw a forest, and walked into the shades of the trees. Jasper''s speed turned to normal, and the group began to run straight, while Zephyr was holding a compass in his hands for direction.


    After running for a few minutes, they came across a village which was deserted just like the ones before. He was thinking about where everyone was, and that was when he remembered something.


    "But that place can''t hold the whole Kingdom! It isn''t that large, and I am sure the nobles wouldn''t sit around allowing Dad to develop something this big", he thought as he was running much faster than before.


    His speed didn''t slow down and began to pick up, as he saw nothing in the vicinity. Not one soul was in sight, and even the houses had been cleaned up very efficiently.


    "It seems like my guess was right. Just when did Dad make something like this? And the resources must have cost a lot", he began to calculate the amount that must have taken from the Treasury.


    "It''s not that we lack money or anything, but if it was to save the lives, then I am sure not just dad, even I would spend the money in a heartbeat", he concluded from his research. He turned around and looked at Vanessa.


    "Can you try now?", he asked. She tried once more, and she could connect it to someone in the vicinity. But it wasn''t Ben, and Zephyr was taken aback.


    "Maybe I should just call him", he thought as he pulled out his GlassPad. He was about to call him, but he heard footsteps from behind him.


    He placed it back inside and looked around. His senses were telling him to run, but he didn''t and pulled out his sword and Kunai. The others did the same, with Jasper in the center of them all due to him being weakened.


    From the shadows stepped out a team of Beastmen, and Zephyr had a smile on his face.


    "And I was just getting bored with all this silence", he said as he looked at the number of people that had surrounded him.

 Chapter 171 - Maxines Rage (Part One)

    Zephyr had a smirk as he looked at the group that had surrounded them, and he was thinking of the best method to utilize his strengths. He knew that his flame was strongest at night, and this was the worst time for him to use the flame.


    Maxine had her weapon out and it was a whip sword. It was a flexible weapon, and once Mana was injected into the weapon, it would become sturdy like a sword.


    Vanessa had three daggers going around her at high speeds, and it formed a silver ring around her. It was her shield and weapon, and the way she was controlling was Telekinesis.


    Maxine was a healer, but her Mana had twin purposes. She could heal someone, and she could suck their life vitality out of them slowly. This was one of the reasons why she was a powerful person in the group.


    Jasper was at the back, and he was assessing the situation, and since they were in the trees, he could use the shadows to his advantage. The four of them had their weapons ready, and Maxine was the first to express her doubt.


    "Will we be able to deal with them?", she asked skeptically. Zephyr had a smile on his face as he looked at all of his opponents and scanned their strengths.


    "I am sure we can, and we have taken many more people down than this bunch of ragtags", he said in a scoff, which enraged the people that were around him. Everyone began to huff in anger, but they were waiting for someone to give the command for them to attack.


    The leader, who was in front of Zephyr looked him in the eye and extended his finger towards him. The smile on his face faded, and Zephyr had a serious face right after he saw the finger.


    The moment the finger was extended, everyone began to make their move. They all charged in ready to kill the four of them and gain their points which they were so desperate for.


    Jasper began to use Darkness Hop, which was to move from one place to another with the help of shadows. This was helping gain an advantage over the others as he was appearing and disappearing randomly, and as he was covered completely which cast his shadow, he used it as the base to begin his jump.


    Vanessa didn''t move from her place, and she picked out four more knives. The three that were spinning around her were not for attacks but only for defense. The other four knives were now weaving through the enemies, cutting them down slowly.


    "I thank you for the shadow", came a voice from behind her and went away. She knew who it was and the reason, as Jasper had a limit to how much he can use it in the sunlight.


    He went on massacring, and he was unable to use the blood control as he could during the night, as it also needed his full strength to use it. Maxine was just standing there looking at everyone going on a killing spree, and a smile had formed on her face.


    "A buff would be nice", said Zephyr as he ran past her to kill another opponent. The smile widened and she used her dagger to cut a small wound on a person that was coming towards them. She began to chant a spell, and everyone was covered in a green hue.


    The man who was the leader saw this and his instincts were telling him to kill Maxine first. But the moment he made his move, he felt a chill from his back and ducked. A blade went past his hair, slicing it in the split second.


    "You''re fast. Fight me", said Jasper as he looked at him. The man did a partial transformation, and he turned his hands into that of an ape.


    "The Martial Ape. I wonder if you have the qualifications to be one though", he said as he looked at him. The man was furious as he launched himself towards Jasper, and he did a punch straight to his face.


    Jasper avoided it quite easily as he moved to the side and gave him a punch of his own, and he felt his hand go numb from the punch. He was astonished at first, but he saw that in that split second, he had transformed the part of his face that was going to receive that attack and defended against his punch.


    He had a wide smile as he began to go wild, and the both of them were throwing punches around. Zephyr saw it and was about to condemn him, but the smile on his face made him stop.


    "Seems like he is enjoying this. It has been a long time since I have seen that smile on his face", he thought as he slashed another one of his opponents down. Maxine had given her buff, and it was agility.


    Although the three of them were fast, an increase in agility helped them even up the speed to catch up with every opponent, making them stay back and attack cautiously now. Many bodies were lying around, and every one of them had a green hue around them.


    Maxine''s eyes had trend green, and she was now buffing everyone with all kinds of stats that she could think of. Most of them were directed towards Jasper, as he was the weakest at the moment due to the sun being out.


    He was punching and analyzing his opponent, and the fight had just begun. There were blasts in the air as his strength was increasing rapidly, and the leader saw that Maxine was giving him boosts which were making him unable to cope up with Jasper.


    He commanded his people to attack them and to kill the ''witch'', which was none other than Maxine. The moment she heard the word, something inside here snapped, and Jasper quickly moved to the side.


    "You should not have done that", he said as he moved away from him. She was now in front of him, and her hair was fluttering in the wind as she moved towards him menacingly.


    The man felt chills as he looked at her, and the moment he made his move, he saw her disappear from the place. She reappeared behind him, and he turned around to hit her once again.


    This time his punch went through, but what he saw was something that confused him more. His attack went through her, but there was no blood or anything. Maxine faded from his hands in smoke, and he began to look around him.


    "Seems like the buffs I have used myself is working. This is the first time I used the skill successfully", she thought as she was on top of a tree. She was looking below, and everyone was looking for her.


    "Don''t attack them. Finding the woman is the priority", he said as he looked around. Jasper chuckled as he sat alongside Zephyr and Vanessa, and the three of them had a smile on their faces.


    "What''s so funny?", asked the leader, trying to look tough in front of his crew. The smile on their faces never faded, and Zephyr just taunted him more.


    "Well, It''s just funny that you, a great leader are afraid of a mere woman", he said in a nonchalant voice, irritating the leader more. His face twitched, but he knew better to engage in a fight with them and risk exposing his back to Maxine.


    Vanessa saw through his technique ad smiled, and it had worked. The people were now beginning to have second thoughts about searching for her, and right when they thought they could attack Zephyr, a figure zipped past a few people.


    The people that the figure zipped past were now on the ground, and there was a green hue around them. They were not dead, but they were slowly dying as their life force was being sucked out of them.


    Slowly, people began to fall one by one. The leader was stunned as he saw the people that were falling to the ground, and he looked at the woman who was now holding two daggers in her hands, and the blade was pulsing green.


    "Why is it pulsing though?", he thought as he looked at the blades. The smile that was on her face was striking a chilling fear inside him, and he geared himself to face against her.


    "This is my battle. Anyone who comes in between shall be dead", she hissed as she stepped forward. Zephyr and the others took a step back, and there were a lot of people still standing around the leader.


    "Is this woman crazy? She is going to face all of us alone?", he thought. She was still holding onto the daggers, and the amount of pulsing was increasing rapidly.


    The people that were on the ground now began to writhe in pain, while some others were vomiting blood on the ground.. One of them even ran up to her and grabbed her leg, begging for mercy.

 Chapter 172 - Maxines Rage (Part Two)

    "Please, just kill me. I don''t want to be tormented like this!", he said as he was hugging her knee. He coughed once more and there were bits of meat that were coming out from his mouth.


    The cold look in her eyes faded for a moment, and she knelt to look at the man square in his face. She placed the blade right at his throat and raised her eyebrows, indicating if the man was sure of his decision.


    "I am already old. These experiments did make me young, but I have no attachments to this world. Everything that I cared about has been taken away from me. The only purpose I am here today is to die", he said.


    Maxine was a little sad that such a man preferred death over being alive. Even though she was in a rage, her heart was moved and she nodded her head in acknowledgment.


    A slash was done and the body slumped to the ground. Rather than having a frown, the man had a smile, as if he was relieved from a very heavy burden. "Thank you", he mouthed his last words as the life in his eyes faded away.


    She stood up and was now looking at the crowd of people that were standing before her. The look in her eyes was menacing, and everyone felt something tremble within them.


    "Now, shall we begin?", she said as she made her move and appeared in front of the man that was the nearest, and she slashed across his shoulder. The same glow was around him, and the man aged very quickly.


    He was now an old man with a hunchback, and he was unable to move from the place. His body was too frail, and the leader looked at her with deep fear.


    "Everyone, transform and kill her. Do not let her blades touch you!", he commanded as he transformed into an Eagle and took to the skies. Most of them were aerial creatures, and each of them began to fly as they transformed themselves into something.


    The few that were on the ground had transformed, and they were all creatures who had very tough skin to cut through. The people who had died were the people who had very little control over their powers, and these were the people who trained the most and mastered the Beast Powers within them.


    Maxine now looked around and saw the predicament she was in. She clicked her tongue in annoyance, as she was not looking forward to such a development. The blades that were pulsing disappeared, and the hilts were joined together.


    "I didn''t want to use this, but what gives?", she muttered as she injected the life force she had sucked away from the people she had cut. The Bow was formed and the same pulsing green was seen.


    The leader who was watching this from above saw it and he understood why the blade was pulsing just now. He looked at the bodies of his comrades that were lying around, and he knew that as long as they were kept alive, she would have the power to fight them.


    The people that were on the ground saw that she had switched to a long-range weapon, and they saw the chance they were waiting for. If she was aiming at the people that were in the sky, they were sure of beating her down.


    They saw her aim for the sky and made their move. There were seven of them around, and each of them came from a different direction to make it hard for her to aim.


    "A big mistake. When it comes to a bow, my sister is the best", said Zephyr as he saw them charge towards her recklessly. Maxine took in a deep breath and she looked at them coming towards her.


    She pulled the green string of the bow, and three arrows appeared out of thin air. She closed one of her eyes and aimed at the people that were running towards her.


    She let out her breath as she released her grip on the arrows, and it whizzed past the people who were running, grazing their cheeks. They were aimed at the people who were flying in the air, and they dodged it effortlessly.


    The people on the ground that were grazed began to slow down their running, and they began to feel exhausted. Their transformation began to go away, and they began to turn into humans again.


    The arrows dispersed in the air, and she pulled the bow once more. The leader laughed at her stupidity without noticing his people that were on the ground.


    Once more, arrows were launched and they hit the people in the sky. One by one, they began to feel extreme fatigue. Some of them began to descend, as they could not sustain their transformation.


    The people that were on the ground had a smile on their faces. They knew that as long as they could heal themselves, they would be able to escape the grasp of Maxine, which was the only weakness she had with her healing prowess.


    They waited patiently, while Maxine began to feel a strain in the life force she was receiving. The moment she felt that her head turned towards the people that were on the ground, and she saw them standing on their feet again.


    "Self-regeneration, truly a pain in the arse", she muttered as she looked at them and jumped from her place. The bow didn''t change and she went close to the first person she could reach.


    The moment she reached next to him, her hands began to work quickly. She aimed and shot the arrow, one at a time. She was quick to the point that her enemies thought that she had a gun.


    The man who was in the skies was noticing everything, and he took a deep breath. He activated his innate trait and began to see the flow of the life force that was around Maxine.


    "That is the fastest reload speed I have seen. I am sure no one would be able to take her head-on with a bow and to be able to use it both as a close-range and long-range weapon, I truly admire her skills. But all good things must come to an end, and I am truly sorry about that", he muttered as he looked at her skills.


    Maxine was now jumping around from tree to tree and shooting arrows continuously. The people who had tough skin felt the penetration force of the arrows that were shot and backed away from her.


    "That shot, I am sure the arrow is spinning. But why does it look like it is still though? Surely it can''t spin at such a speed, can it?", thought one of them as his shoulder got pierced. He was not the only one who thought that.


    "That is my Penetration Shot. It spins at a speed of nearly 600 rotations per minute. I am sure that much force would be enough to penetrate your skins", she said with a smirk on her face.


    There was sweat on the leader''s face the moment he heard the speed of the rotation. That was a speed that was not achievable by a normal person who uses a bow, or so he thought. The only person that came to his mind was a person from the leaderboard of the Zoos, and he was thinking if they were both on the same level.


    Maxine was now smiling wide, and she was running throughout the place, The leader didn''t want to go down without a fight, and he steeled his heart to fight against the obstacle that was blocking him from Freedom.


    He looked around at his men, and everyone had the same thoughts as him. The smiles on their faces showed their nervousness, but their eyes said otherwise. The resolve that was written in them was firm and absolute.


    "Alright men, it is do or die. FOR FREEDOM!", he said as he raised his hands above his head. The people around him, and the men on the ground heard his words.


    "FOR FREEDOM!", roared everyone as they began to move together. They were all headed towards one person, and that was Maxine. She scoffed as she looked at their attempt to overwhelm her by sheer numbers.


    "I am Maxine Heart, First Daughter of the Heart Kingdom! I shall defend this place, till last breath", she said out loud as she aimed her arrows at the people who were headed towards her.


    She ran away from the place, and the arrows kept raining at them. She increased her speed to the max, and everyone felt the struggle of moving forward. She was extracting Lifeforce at a much faster rate than before, as she knew she had t finish this off quickly.


    Zephyr and the others had their hands on their weapons, but a look from her made them shiver. Her eyes were filled with anger and there was a smile on her lips.


    "She is enjoying this", said Jasper as he placed his hand on Zephyr''s shoulder. He calmed down and looked at her face, but he was still ready to attack at any moment.


    "Father, We will be back soon.. Just hold on a little longer", she muttered as she took her shot.

 Chapter 173 - Maxine Vs Roland (Part One)

    The arrows were increased, and some of them were pushed back due to the sheer force of the arrow that was penetrating through them. She was now jumping around them, and the arrows were coming in from all directions.


    People now began to fall much faster than before, since she had become more serious than she was before. She had to finish this quickly and get back to the Palace to help out the people that were stuck in the war.


    The Beastmen began to fall under her arrows, and the leader tried to save as many people as he could. He didn''t want everyone to die, and he remembered the promise he had made to his subordinates before he came here.


    "If this is all an ambush and there is no freedom, I guarantee that none of you will ever go through this hell again. I will lay my life for this promise", he remembered the words that he had said before.


    He looked at the sky and his people that were on the ground. Some of them had a smile on their face, and one of them had crawled next to him and grabbed his leg. He looked down and saw her face.


    "Lynda...", he trailed off as he saw the smile on her face. There were three arrows on her back, and she was nowhere in the condition to fight. She could self-heal, but she didn''t remove the arrows.


    "Why?", he asked as he looked at her. The woman had a smile on her face as she looked up at his face. He began to pull out the arrows, but he felt a soft hand on his that made him stop.


    The man was now choking as tears began to form in his eyes. The woman was someone he was close to, and he was planning on marrying her after they had escaped this place together.


    He fell to his knees and scooped her up. She laid her head on his thighs and coughed out some blood. It was black and there were bits of meat in it.


    "Leader or I''ll call you by your name. Roland. Do you know why I am unwilling to pull those arrows off my back?", she asked as she looked at him in the eye. He didn''t answer as he wanted to let her continue.


    "It''s because I know there will be no freedom in the end. It''s all a game to them, and we are pawns in it. Disposable pawns, which are of no value to them. After this whole thing is over, I am sure they will kill us all in the most humiliating way."


    "I don''t want to go back to that place and get humiliated again and again. They have no humanity, and you remember the kind of treatment those bastards gave to every woman in the Zoo", she said.


    Roland clenched his fist as he thought about the first time he heard the story from her. It made him feel sorry for her, and he wanted to stand up against them for the injustice that was done to the women.


    "But I ended up getting sent away on missions and grew my strength to the point that I became a figure in the Zoo. I am still not powerful enough to defend for all of them", he thought as he looked at her face.


    There was a soft hand on his cheek, and he looked down to see Lynda holding his cheek tenderly. The look in her eyes shifted from relief to sadness, and Roland felt his heart tremble from it.


    "You don''t have to fight for us, or yourself. I just want you to know that whatever happens, just don''t ever give up", she said. Roland placed his hand on hers and quickly turned her around.


    "What are you... AAAH!", she screamed as Roland pulled out the arrows from her back. There was no coughing, but the look in his eyes had changed. Lynda didn''t know what had gotten into him, but she was sure it was something like taking a last stand.


    "Didn''t you say just now, to never give up? Then why did you give up just now?", he asked the question right back at her. She looked at him and saw him clenching his fists, and the look in his eye changed.


    He stood back up and saw the remaining of his men fighting against her, and the resolve inside him was lit up. He was standing in front of Lynda, and his wings sprouted from his back.


    He didn''t do a full transformation, but rather he transformed the parts that he needed to increase his speed. He flapped his wings and looked at his dead comrades. He picked up a sword and held it in an underhand grip.


    "Now, let''s see who is the faster person. You with the bow or me with the wings", he said as he crouched to the ground. His men felt the ground rumble slightly, and some of them stumbled back onto the ground.


    He pushed past everyone and headed straight towards Maxine, and the moment he reached her there was a loud clang. The bow and the sword clashed, and to his surprise, neither of them moved an inch.


    "She is strong. No wonder everyone was falling to her this fast though she is a human", he thought as he looked at the bow that was blocking him. He jumped back quickly and readied his stance, and Maxine looked at him.


    The rage which she had was gone now. She was no longer bothered by the fact that he had called her ''a witch'', and was now intrigued as to what drove him to fight against her.


    "Even after seeing that the situation is hopeless, you are not giving up and are standing for your subordinates. I would like to know why", she asked as she changed her bow into dual swords.


    The man smiled wide, and there was a hint of determination in his eyes. The way he looked reminded her of herself, and she just couldn''t stand back. A smile spread across her face as she gripped her swords, and made her move.


    "I will now use my powers anymore. Let''s have a test of swords, and see who is the better swordsman", she said as she came near him. Roland had a smile on his face as he gripped his sword in reply.


    "With pleasure", he replied as he blocked her strikes with his hilt. She swung the other sword but it was blocked with the blade, and she was impressed by his control of the sword.


    "He blocked by using just a single sword. This man is no ordinary person", she thought as she pulled back her swords and began to attack him. Clashes were heard, and some sparks were coming from the fight.


    Some of Roland''s men decided to attack her from behind when a knife landed right in front of them. The fierce gaze from his eyes made them shiver, and they stopped from making a move.


    "This fight is something between us. Make a move and I will personally skewer you guys into pieces", he said in a threatening voice as he blocked her attack once more.


    Maxine''s attacks were stopped by him regardless of how she attacked. She had made a few scratches, but as she had promised, she didn''t draw out the Lifeforce from him.


    Roland winced from the cuts, but they were not threatening to him. He didn''t sense any drain from him, and he had confirmed this from his eyes through which he could see the Mana Flow.


    "If this fight goes on, I am sure she will not have much Lifeforce to manipulate, and thus, the swords will cease to exist", he thought. That was one of the reasons why he was making this fight a prolonged one, and he was sure of his victory over this.


    The swords were now shorter than before, and Maxine had taken note of this point. She was sure that there was no more Lifeforce for her to manipulate, and thus needed to look for some people from who she could extract some Lifeforce.


    Just as she was about to make her move, a sword plopped into the mud right in front of her. She turned around and saw Zephyr with a smile, and he had shrugged his shoulders.


    "You crazy idiot", she thought as she looked at the smile on his face. She picked it up and held it in one of her hands, while the other was behind her back.


    Roland found her pose similar to that of a squire, and he nodded his head in response to her. Green wings appeared from behind Maxine, and he was astonished at what she was doing.


    "No way!", he thought as he looked at the person in front of him. She was the same copy of him, except that the parts that he had transformed were made of Lifeforce.


    "I would like to know your name", she said as she readied herself. The man nodded his head in approval, as this was the toughest person he had come across all this while.


    "My name is Roland Fletcher", he said as he took his stance.

 Chapter 174 - Maxine Vs Roland (Part Two)

    By asking the man''s name, she had acknowledged him a worthy opponent. She nodded her head in approval and revealed her name to him.


    "I am Maxine Heart", she said. The man''s eyes widened when he heard the name, as the surname was something that made him shocked.


    "Heart? As in the Royal family, Heart?", he asked. She nodded her head and the man smiled back at her. She didn''t expect such a response, and she was wondering what she should do in such a situation.


    "It is an honor to meet the Princess of the Heart Family. Bear no grudges against us, as we have no choice but to do this", he said as he grabbed the hilt of his sword.


    Maxine did the same and they were both standing there, not making a move. Lynda was confused as to why the both of them were standing there, waiting for the other to make a move.


    She was about to talk when she felt a hand over her mouth, and it stifled her voice that was about to come out. Nothing but a muffle was heard, and she looked back at the person that was having their hands over her mouth.


    It was Vanessa, and Lynda wanted to break free from her. She had a finger over her mouth, and it was a signal as to remain silent right after she had removed her hand.


    She nodded her head in response and felt the hand that was covering her mouth slowly slither away. She turned around to her and saw her looking at Maxine with great intent, and it was confusing her as to why all of them were silent.


    "This is a mental battle. Though we are seeing them standing there, they are making hundreds of moves in their minds, to find the right move to attack their opponent. This is the most dangerous battle that will be fought. Keep watching", she said.


    She looked closer to Roland''s face and saw a bead of sweat trickle down his face. His eyes were wandering around, but his grip on the sword was not faltering.


    Both of their swords quivered slightly, and their eyes were now out of concentration mode. A smirk was on both of their lips, and they slid their legs to a stance.


    Roland was standing with his feet wide apart, and his sword was right above his right shoulder, glimmering in the sun rays that were shining around them.


    Maxine on the other hand had both of her legs close to each other, and with her left hand behind her back and the right hand extended with the sword, it was a stance that was composed of balance.


    Roland looked at her and smiled, as he jumped from the place and ran towards her. His wings flapped which further increased his speed in reaching towards her.


    For Maxine and the others, it was something they could trace with their eyes. While for the others, this was the first time they had seen their leader move at such a speed. Lynda was astonished at the movement speed.


    "This... but how?", she muttered as she had her hands over her mouth. Vanessa who was still next to her smiled as she grabbed her hand.


    "That is something that not everyone can attain. It seems like he has finally surpassed the wall that has been blocking his growth all this while", she said as she looked at the fight intently.


    Roland''s smile widened as he saw the move that she made. It was a perfect counter to the move which he was going to make, but he didn''t care about that.


    "I will fight to my heart''s content. If this is going to be my last fight, then let me make sure it is a battle worthy to remember", he thought as he reached right next to her. The moment the two swords collided, there was a slight shockwave.


    "That is... Aura?", thought everyone as they looked at the color that was enveloping Roland. There was a green hue around Maxine, while there was a golden hue around Roland. The shockwaves were something that neither of them expected, and thus they braced themselves for the impact.


    "That man has the Holy Aura? But how?", thought Zephyr. He was racking his brain for a solution, as it was something that was bestowed by the Royal Family to the most honorable knights in the Kingdom.


    "If this name is something that was there before I left, then it means that Maxine must know. But looking at her reaction seems like she doesn''t know either. Did he say his surname was Fletcher?", he thought.


    He racked his brain as the both of them stood there without making a move. Their swords were still clashing, and the shockwaves had begun to subside. Something clicked inside his mind as he quickly asked his question to him.


    "Is your father''s name Draco Fletcher?", he asked. The man turned his head towards Zephyr and smiled. It was a smile that was filled with loneliness, and sadness.


    "Yes, he was my father. Our family was abducted while he was on leave, and I grew up in The Omega. When he was dying, he passed down this Holy Aura to me, saying that I will be reunited with the people that had given this Aura to him. Seems like he did speak the truth", he said.


    Zephyr was shocked when he heard his father''s name, Draco Fletcher. It was a name that he knew very well, due to him being one of the people that had trained him when he was little. His knees gave way as he plopped to the ground.


    "No way, my first teacher was taken and killed? Just how much are you going to take away from me, Omega?", he muttered as he looked at the man that was standing in front of him.


    For a second, he saw another face overlap Roland''s, and it was Draco''s. A voice echoed in his ears as he looked at him.


    "Little one, take care of yourself", said the voice as he saw Draco fade away. A hand was on his shoulder, and a voice woke him up.


    "Are you alright?", asked Roland, and it was evident that their fight had paused due to the mentioning of his father''s name. Although he wanted to fight more, he wanted to learn how this man knew his father''s name.


    Zephyr had immense respect for his first teacher, as he was someone who had taught him everything that he had known until now. Draco was a father figure to him, and he could not believe that such a man was killed by Omega.


    He got back up and looked Roland in the eye. The look in his eyes had changed, and he was now holding back his sorrow.


    Maxine threw his Ninjato back at him, and he caught it mid-air. Roland jumped a few steps back, and he withdrew his transformation. He did the same stance again.


    "Come at me. Let me see what my father had taught you, and see who the better one is", he said. Zephyr pulled out his blade and stood in the same stance as him, and made his move quickly.


    Swords clashed, but there were no shockwaves this time. The moves were fluid as the both of them exchanged moves again and again, and Zephyr felt his mood improving once again.


    The both of them saw their moves being read, and Roland stopped for his ultimate move. He smiled as he looked at Zephyr do the same.


    "Senior Brother, please guide me", he said in a slightly sarcastic voice. Zephyr nodded his head in response and readied his sword. Both of them released their Aura, which they had been holding back for quite some time.


    "It was nice seeing you", said Roland as he jumped and had his sword at his waist. Meanwhile, Zephyr sheathed his sword and ran towards him. A click was heard, and the movement of Roland was stopped by his hilt.


    "Rule number one. Always restrict the movement of your opponent", he said with a smile. Roland sighed out loud as he raised his hands in defeat.


    "You are right indeed. Seems like father has taught you well. So, what are you going to do?", he asked as he looked around.  Some of his strongest subordinates had fallen, and there were fewer people than they had come here with.


    Most of them had had their Lifeforce sucked out of them by Maxine in her rage, and the rest of them were people who could self heal, though it was quite slow when compared to Maxine''s ability to heal.


    "What do you say about a proposal that I might have?", said Zephyr with a smirk on his face. Roland was amused with what his Senior was thinking and wanted to hear it.


    Everyone turned their heads towards Zephyr, some confused and some stunned at the remark that he had just made.

 Chapter 175 - He Is Back!

    (At The Heart Palace)


    Ben and Jason were both huffing loudly, as Ben''s hands were transformed to block Jason''s attacks. He looked at him and the room that now had a lot of cracks on the walls, with some of them even beginning to fall off.


    "Good work. You have now begun to learn to control your strength, and you can release it depending on the opponent. You still need more practice, but I think this should do it for now", he said with a huff.


    Jason nodded his head with a smile and he looked back around the room. He saw the mess he had made and was now being more careful in controlling his power.


    "If this is just a fraction of the power that I have received, then I wonder how much stronger I will be when I have received the full powers?", he thought as he looked back at his hands that were more covered in Lion''s hair.


    "Can I transform back into my form?", he thought when a voice sounded in his head.


    "No, you can not. Your DNA has not yet been merged completely, and the process is still ongoing. At most, you must remain in this state for the next six hours", said the voice. It was none other than The Sphinx.


    He smiled as he thought of her, and the way she was looking after him was also something that he didn''t expect. But he didn''t want to lose this strength, as this was something that he had achieved after losing most of his memories of his past life.


    "After I gain the strength to defend myself, I will leave on the journey to discover my past. I have been having some weird dreams lately, and I wonder if these are all connected", were his thoughts as he felt a slap on his back.


    "Come on, don''t be gloomy. You are doing well, considering how I went on a rampage when I first transformed", he chuckled. There was a slight sorrow that Jason could see in his eyes, but then a sound interrupted them from proceeding their conversation further.


    "There is someone here that says that they are a part of this kingdom and requests an audience with the King. What should we do?", asked the man at the end of the speaker.


    Ben pondered on who it would be that had come to look for him in the middle of the war. He thought it could be Lucas and decided to meet him outside, as that would save him and the others some time.


    He and Jason left the room and ran towards the front gate, and there were four people standing with cloaks and conical hats on their heads. While behind them were a few men that had come along with them.


    The four people that were standing with cloaks exuded a fierce Aura, and Ben felt some similarity with the Aura. A man and Woan lowered their hats from their heads and stood without uttering a single word.


    "Is that really you? Zeph and Max, are you guys back?", he said as he walked past all the guards that were standing in front of him.


    The army officers that were standing in front of him placed their hands on his chest and pushed him back. One of them began to warn him, and the look in Ben''s eyes turned cold.


    "Your Majesty, this is a time of war. They might be enemies, we are not sure, so I advise you not to approach them", said the Army Officer that had his hand on Ben''s chest. The moment he saw the look in Ben''s eyes, something inside him made him regret his actions.


    "Are you saying that I, Benjamin Heart, cannot identify my own kids?", he asked in a menacing tone. The Officer backed down the moment he heard the sentence and stumbled on his own foot to the ground.


    Zephyr and Maxine both walked towards Ben and hugged him. He hugged them back and tears began to roll down his eyes. He looked at the other two that were standing there with a smile on their faces, and he nodded his head towards them.


    After a few more minutes of the embrace, they let go of each other and walked back into the palace. Ben began to explain the plan that Lucas had given them, and how it was being executed.


    "It seems like we will not have any work until the ambush has been cleared up. And there are still two hours down on the clock, isn''t it? Maybe we should wrap it up with the manpower that I have brought here", said Zephyr.


    He dispatched his men towards the direction Lucas and the others were fighting, and began to talk with Ben, and introduced him to Vanessa. He looked at her and then at the stomach that was slightly bulging out.


    "Is she...", he dragged out the words. Zephyr nodded his head with a smile, and Ben was once more into an emotional turmoil.


    "I am going to become a grandpa", he said with excitement. Martha was still in the room that was covered with ice, and she was keeping in check with Ben''s vitals. She nodded her head as she saw that he was not in any kind of danger, and was on the lookout from the top of the tower.


    Ben smiled as they chatted leisurely, and looked at the countdown that was running down. "Hope everyone is doing fine", he thought as he looked back at his son and daughter who had come back home after a very long time.


    (Main Entrance 2, Underground City)


    There were a lot of bodies surrounding the place that Lucas was standing, and the others were in a similar position as him. Sally was in a humanoid state, while Kate and Robert were panting hard.


    Brandishing and flicking the blood off his blade, Robert walked towards Lucas and sat on the ground. Kate was exhausted and needed some shut-eye. Sally was drained, and the most she needed right now was food.


    Lucas was the most drained out of everyone, but luckily with Valentine just finishing the last steps of his Aura Circulation, he had stabilized his core and was now a Third Stage Aura User.


    Everyone''s weapons were blunt, and the enemies were coming again. He needed to make sure that they were now held back, and Leon and the other were doing the best they can to keep the majority of the people from coming inside.


    Lucas pulled up his stats.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 350/350]


    [MP: 350/350]


    [Level: 24]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth, The Schemer (inactive), Master Tactician (inactive)]


    [EXP: 29,620/40,000]


    [Accumulated EXP: 125,650]


    [System Level: 3/10]


    [Strength: 70]


    [Stamina: 70]


    [Agility: 70+28]


    [Perception: 70]


    [Magic: 70]


    [Stat points to be used: 23]


    He was pondering on what to do to make sure everyone got the rest they needed so badly. He was sure he could take some out with the magic spells he cast, and he looked at the three of them.


    "No shuteye, but I will allow you to recover your strength. We will be needing it soon. There are only a few hours until the attack hits the Kingdom. Be ready", he said as he stood in front of the three of them.


    Robert refused to rest, and he switched with his spirit, Sarah. The both of them stood next to each other, and Lucas knew that he had gone back to recover his strength inside his body.


    They both nodded their heads and pulled out their swords, and the way they were looking around was wary. Lucas cast an Icicle and a man was frozen in the spot. Sarah, using Robert''s body, jumped forward and cut across his head.


    A head was rolling on the ground, and he looked around again. Ever since his perception hit 70, he was perceptive to all kinds of movements and sounds. He could hear anything within 300 meters around him, and if he focused, he could expand it to 500 meters around him.


    That would need his utmost concentration, and he would be left vulnerable. It was something he tested out when they were fewer enemies, but the range for him right now was pretty handy as that was the same they had to protect.


    "Lives are to be protected and cherished, and for that, I will kill these people who are trying to disturb the things that our family has accomplished for a lot of years", he thought.


    He was thinking of a way to counter the invasion now, as he had placed measures to seal up the Underground City and save the people that were trapped inside. If push came to shove, he had a backup plan.


    Right after killing them, a transmission came from Leon, informing him that there were more people that had vowed to join them, and he was skeptical as to who had sent them.


    "They say that they were sent by Zephyr Heart", said Leon with a shaky voice. Lucas and Kate both fell to their knees the moment they heard the name that Leon had said to them.


    "He is back!", they both exclaimed at the same time.

 Chapter 176 - Will Be Uploading Tonight. Working On It

    Zephyr had a smirk as he looked at the group that had surrounded them, and he was thinking of the best method to utilize his strengths. He knew that his flame was strongest at night, and this was the worst time for him to use the flame.


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    Maxine had her weapon out and it was a whip sword. It was a flexible weapon, and once Mana was injected into the weapon, it would become sturdy like a sword.


    Vanessa had three daggers going around her at high speeds, and it formed a silver ring around her. It was her shield and weapon, and the way she was controlling was Telekinesis.


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    Maxine was a healer, but her Mana had twin purposes. She could heal someone, and she could suck their life vitality out of them slowly. This was one of the reasons why she was a powerful person in the group.


    Jasper was at the back, and he was assessing the situation, and since they were in the trees, he could use the shadows to his advantage. The four of them had their wepaons ready, and Maxine was the first to express her doubt.


    After running for a few minutes, they came across a village which was deserted just like the ones before. He was thinking about where everyone was, and that was when he remembered something.


    "But that place can''t hold the whole Kingdom! It isn''t that large, and I am sure the nobles wouldn''t sit around allowing Dad to develop something this big", he thought as he was running much faster than before.


    His speed didn''t slow down and began to pick up, as he saw nothing in the vicinity. Not one soul was in sight, and even the houses had been cleaned up very efficiently.


    "It seems like my guess was right. Just when did Dad make something like this? And the resources must have cost a lot", he began to calculate the amount that must have taken from the Treasury.


    "It''s not that we lack money or anything, but if it was to save the lives, then I am sure not just dad, even I would spend the money in a heartbeat", he concluded from his research. He turned around and looked at Vanessa.


    "Can you try now?", he asked. She tried once more, and she could connect it to someone in the vicinity. But it wasn''t Ben, and Zephyr was taken aback.


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    "Maybe I should just call him", he thought as he pulled out his GlassPad. He was about to call him, but he heard footsteps from behind him.


    He placed it back inside and looked around. His senses were telling him to run, but he didn''t and pulled out his sword and Kunai. The others did the same, with Jasper in the center of them all due to him being weakened.


    From the shadows stepped out a team of Beastmen, and Zephyr had a smile on his face.


    "And I was just getting bored with all this silence", he said as he looked at the number of people that had surrounded him.


    "Will we be able to deal with them?", she asked skeptically. Zephyr had a smile on his face as he looked at all of his opponents and scanned their strengths.


    "I am sure we can, and we have taken down many more people down than this bunch of ragtags", he said in a scoff, which enraged the people that were around him. Everyone began to huff in anger, but they were waiting for someone to give the command for them to attack.


    The leader, who was in front of Zephyr looked him in the eye and extended his finger towards him. The smile on his face faded, and Zephyr had a serious face right after he saw the finger.


    The moemnt the finger was extended, everyone began to make their move. They all charged in ready to kill the four of them and gain their points which they were so desperate for.


    Jasper began to use Darikness Hop, which was to move from one place to another with the help of shadows. This was helping gain an advantage over the others as he was appearing and disappearing randomly, and as he was covered completely which cast his shadow, he used it as the base to begin his jump.


    Vanessa didn''t move from her place, and she picked out four more knives. The three that were spinning around her were not for attacks but onlty for defense. The other four knives were now weaving through the enemies, cutting them down slowly.


    "I thank you for the shadow", came a voice from behind her and went away. She knew who it was and the reason, as Jasper had a limit to how much he can use it in the sunlight.


    He went on massacaring, and he was unable to use the blod control like he could during the night, as it also needed his full strength to use it. Maxine was just standing there looking at everyone going on a killing spree, and a smile had formed on her face.


    "A buff would be nice", said Zephyr as he ran past her to kill another opponent. The smile widened and she used her dagger to cut a small wound on a person that was coming towards them. She began to chant a spell, and everyone was covered in a green hue.


    The man who was the leader saw this and his intsintcs were telling him to kill Maxine first. But the moment he made his move, he felt a chill from his back and ducked. A blade went past his hair, slicing it in the split second.


    "You''re fast. Fight me", said Jasper as he looked at him. The man did a partial transformation, and he turned his hands into that of an ape.


    "The Martial Ape. I wonder if you have the qualifications to be one though", he said as he looked at him. The man was furious as he launched himslef towards Jasper, and he did a punch straight to his face.


    Jasper avoided it quite easily as he moved ot the side and gave him a punch of his own, and he felt his hand go numb from the punch. He was astonished at first, but he saw that in that split second, he had transformed the part of his face that was gong to recieve thw atack and defended against his punch.


    He had a wide smile as he began to go wild, and the boht of them were throwing punhces around. Zephyr saw it and was about to condemn him, but the smile on his face made him stop.


    "Seems like he is enjoying this. It has been a long time since I have seen that smile on his face", he thought as he slashed another one of his opponents down. Maxine had given her buff, and it was agility.


    Although the three of them were fast, an increase in agility helped them even up the speed to catch up with every opponent, making them stay back and attack cautiously now. There were many bedies lying around, and every one of them had a green hue around them.


    Maxine''s eyes had trned green, and she was now buffing everyone with all kinds of stats that she could think of. Most of them were directed towards Jasper, as he was the most weakest at the moment due to the sun being out.


    He was punching and analysing his opponent, and the fight had just begun. There were blasts in the air as his strengthw as increasing rapidly, and the leader saw that Maxine was giving him boosts which was making him unable to cope up with Jasper.


    He commanded his people to attack them, and to kill the ''witch'', which was none other than Maxine. The moment she heard the word,omething inside here snapped, and Jasper quickly moved to the side.


    "You should not have done that", he said as he moved away from him. She was now in front of him, and her hair was fluttering in the wind as she moved towards him menacingly.


    The man felt chills as he looked at her, and the moment he made his move, he saw her disappear from the place. She reappeared behind him, and he turned around to hit her once again.


    This time his punch went through, but what he saw was something that confused him more. His attack went through her, but there was np blood or anything. Maxine faded from his hands in smoke, and he began to look around him.


    "Seems like the buffs I have used myself is working. This is the first time I used the skill successfully", she thought as she was on top of a tree. She was looking below, and everyone was looking for her.


    huidshf iusatgiu iusagfi oisydfiao oshafkl wperaeuiwv

 Chapter 177 - Still Sick

    A boy was seen walking down the corridor of the palace. He had long black hair up to his shoulders. His deep blue eyes were mesmerizing and shining. Around the deep blue eyes, a thin circle of fiery red could be seen. He wore a pair of glasses and had a trimmed beard. He had fair skin and was wearing a white shirt tucked into a pair of shiny black pants. He had his headphones and was humming a tune to himself.


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    As he walked through the palace, many people were seen bowing to him in respect. He acknowledged them with a slight nod of his head. He kept humming to himself as he kept moving forward, towards the throne room. "Today is an important day for me. I might finally get to leave this place and get to explore the outer world", he thought and began to smile.


    ''odfjsipjao9wy 7rtiouahoifhaiosury v9ewya 8oyeow8yh


    As he neared the doors of the throne room, he saw two figures standing in front of him. It was a man and a woman. "Well, look who is here. It''s my dear little brother, Lucas Heart. The boy who can''t use a single ounce of magic", the man said with a laugh.


    The man was tall and handsome. The beard highlighted his features and he had deep blue eyes just like Lucas. His body was slightly muscular than Lucas''s. His hair was a deep brown and had a mix of deep blue hair within them. He had medium-length hair and sported a quiff style.


    Lucas smiled. "Well, I can still beat your ass anytime, big brother Samuel. And yeah, nice to see you", he said with a smile. They both embraced each other with a hearty laugh. They turned their heads towards the woman. She sighed. "For once, not once could you say something nice to him. You know what day it is today, right?", she said as she approached them.


    The woman was a little bit shorter than both of them. She had long and smooth black hair with a lot of streaks of fiery red mixed within them. Her delicate facial features and her red lips would draw any man towards her. Her smooth and fair skin, coupled with the hourglass shape figure she maintained, made anyone who saw her utter a single word. Extraordinary.


    "My dear sister, Catherine Heart. You know this is how we always greet each other, right? And yes, I do know what day it is today", said Sam. Catherine''s face showed a tinge of red as she corrected him. "Kate, you dumbass. It''s Kate. Only people I do not wish to be associated with are allowed to call me by that name", she said.


    She shook her fists at Sam and joined the group hug. Kate was wearing a long white dress, with a tinge of red at the hem and the cuffs of her dress. "You look exceptional today", said Lucas. Kate smiled back at him and later it turned into a frown.


    "Where is the coat you were supposed to be wearing? It''s an official meeting, and you show up dressed like that?! Sometimes, I wonder if you are my brother. You have no sense of fashion", she scowled at him. Lucas smiled. The door in front of them opened up and the three of them walked inside. There were two figures seated at the throne. The three of them quickly kneeled on the floor.


    "We greet Your Highness, The King and the Queen", all three said in unison. "Ah, you should not have done that, now it makes me want to punish you three", said a deep and booming voice. The three of them looked up to find the man looking at them with a smile on his face.''


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    He signaled them to move forward to them as he embraced them, one by one. Lucas was the last person to be embraced. "Happy Eighteenth Birthday, my dear son. Today, you shall set out into the world, and you shall learn what it is like in the outside world", said his father.


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    He was tall and has a muscular build. He had a thick beard, with grey hair in them. His deep brown hair had also started to turn grey and had fiery red in them. He had deep green eyes and a fiery red circle around them. He was the king of the kingdom known as The Heart kingdom. He was wearing a formal suit and had his hair trimmed on the sides. There was a sword on his waist, which he always carried around him.


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    Lucas nodded his head. He was about to turn around, but then he felt a slender hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw his mother, looking at him with sadness in her eyes.


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    She had long and smooth black hair which had started to turn grey, with a lot of streaks of deep blue mixed within them. Her delicate facial features had a few wrinkles on them, and her lips were a deep red color. Her smooth and fair skin, and her figure which she maintained, made her look young and beautiful.


    He smiled as he held her hand with his, and he embraced her. She let out a sigh as she accepted the fact that he was leaving the palace. "But before you leave, you shall be taking the Test of Banishment. Only then will I be able to rest assured that you will be safe in the outside world", she said. Lucas nodded his head without saying anything.


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    He had heard the dangers of the outside world from his brother and sister who took the Banishment test before. He had also heard about the beautiful places outside which always made his imagination run wild, always dreaming of this day. He looked at his father and he smiled. "But first, before the test, we''ll have to celebrate the fact that our youngest shall be leaving the palace. Where is the cake, dammit?", he said with annoyance.


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    "Ben, you will have to find it yourself", came a sweet voice from next to him. He turned and saw his wife smiling at him. "I hate it when you do this, Martha", he said to her. He smiled at her and then left the room to go in search of the cake.


    Martha began to giggle slightly. Lucas knew what was going on. He pulled his mother next to him and whispered, "You didn''t do that, did you, mom?" She smiled and pointed to the ceiling. All three of them looked up and saw small ice spikes stuck to the ceiling.


    Ben reached the center of the hall and looked around. He knew some of her tricks and looked around. He was waiting for her to do something like she always does. Martha looked at his face and saw him being cautious. "Nothing to be cautious about, my dear", she said and smiled at him.


    Ben knew that was it. His vigilance increased and looked around frantically. Martha snapped her fingers and the ice fell onto his head, freezing him in place.


    Ben grunted from within the ice. He looked at Martha with eyes filled with anger. His body began to glow a faint red and the glow began to get stronger. The ice began sizzling and Martha quickly took her stance, instantly surrounding herself with icicles. Her hand was raised as she waited for him to come out. "I come in peace. I can''t overpower you, Martha. I never will", he said with a wink. Martha smiled and let her hand down.


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    "I can''t believe I''m going to be leaving you guys soon. I''m going to miss everyone. Dad, is there any leeway in the banishment?", he asked with his eyes watery.


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    His dad shook his head sideways. "This test is not just to make you stronger, son. This test is also a way of making you not rely on the power of being a prince. The hardships of being a commoner are, complicated. You will experience a lot of things at this time. You will learn and grow not a prince, but as a person. That is why our ancestors made this mandatory. You will learn when you set out in the world, son", he said as he placed his hand on his shoulder.


    mioadfsj iugiuoafgh uighapuio


    "On the other hand, you can call us anytime. Send us letters, through the contact points we have set up around the Empire. Just let us know where is the next point you will be heading and we will send you a reply back to that point", he said with a smile.


    Lucas nodded his head. Then there was a knock on the door. "Old Master Leon is coming in", said the announcer. Leon came in and stood in front of the king.. "My Liege, it is time", he said in a deep voice.

 Chapter 178 - I Have Finally Recovered.. Lets Begin.

    He began to walk towards the treasury that was located within the palace. The guards outside bowed to Lucas and he went towards a man that was seated at the table. He was wearing a pair of reading glasses and reading a book casually. "Ah, the Third prince is here. you must have come to choose a weapon for your test", he said as he took out a key. "Yes, Guardian of the Treasury. I am indeed here to choose a weapon", Lucas replied.


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    The guardian stood up from his seat and walked towards a double door. He was short and muscular. His hair was wavy and trimmed on the sides. His face was young for a man who had reached the age of forty. He was exuding an aura of serenity around him that made Lucas feel at peace. The distractions he had in his mind were slowly going away.


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    The key he took out was peculiar. The treasury was the most protected place of the palace. It had tight security measures such as security cameras, retina scanners, and a fingerprint scanner. The key was made in a way that it can only be activated by a certain number of people.


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    The guardian pricked his index finger and drew a little blood and placed it on the key. The key began to glow and then inserted into the keyhole. "No matter how many times I look at this, it always fascinates me. The way this key works. Magic is truly fascinating", he thought as he looked at the way the door was being opened.


    The door then opened with a hissing sound. Lucas''s heartbeat began to rise as he began to imagine all the kinds of weapons he would see in the treasury. The thought was just exhilarating for him. "To witness all the legendary weapons that have been stored in the treasury. Just what kind of a weapon will be the perfect fit for me?", his thoughts ran wild.


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    The treasury was a high ceiling room. It was massive and it had eight doors within, four on the left and four on the right. In front of him was a large round table, and there were chairs around it. "Well, in times of war, this was the room where they prepared strategies, and that''s why there are so many rooms", he thought to himself.


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    He skipped in joy as he followed the guardian towards a room. The room also had some security measures as that was the room that stored all the legendary weapons that were available in the palace. He didn''t know why though. "There are even higher level beasts than them and the weapons made from them will be more valuable than them", he thought.


    The guardian opened the door in front of him and motioned for Lucas to enter. "Third Prince, here you will be able to see all the legendary weapons that we have. Please choose your weapon and register them on the computer over there. I will be standing right here", he said as he pointed at the keyboard that was at the corner of the room. Lucas nodded his head and began to look around.


    He walked towards the first weapon he saw. It was a pair of dual-wielding swords. One was in dark black while the other was a shiny silver in color. The hilts were both black with a line of red twisting around them. The blades wren slightly curved at the end and were sharp on only one side. He picked it up and gave it some swings.


    "These pair are quite the extraordinary one. They have one active skill each sword and even have a move combined. Your grandfather was the first person to activate both active skills of the sword at the same time. It is rumored that dual blades that have active skills like these couldn''t be activated at the same time", said the guardian. Lucas nodded his head and looked at the hovering screen in front of him.


    [Legendary Tier Dual Blade]


    [Active Skill of the Silver Blade: Thirty percent increase in Agility]


    [Active Skill of the Dark Blade: Thirty percent increase in Strength]


    [Combat Skill: Whirlwind - Increases the attack while spinning around. Sends out blades made of the Wind Element, making it easier to deal with multiple foes]


    "It''s quite interesting. Let me see the rest and then decide which one to use", he said. "For a person like me who is void of mana, this weapon could be a good match. But it is also said that most weapons of the Legendary tier have combat skills. But not all of them are made of the elements", he thought.


    Lucas made his way to the next weapon. It was a pitch-black dagger. The dagger was curved just like the blades at the end. It had a dark purple hilt. But the thing unique about it was a switch that quickly made a blade of the same size come from the other side of the hilt. It was retractable and the active skill was quite good.


    [Legendary Tier Dagger]


    [Active Skill: Surreal - Makes a copy of the Dagger to make it easier to dual wield. Increases fifteen percent of Agility]


    [Combat Skill: Shadow Copy - Creates multiple copies of the dagger when thrown. Copies stay in target for five seconds]


    Lucas was amazed when he saw the combat skill. "It will be useful if I end up with beasts that are weak but come in overwhelming numbers. There is nothing wrong in being prepared for the worst-case scenario", he thought as he moved to the next weapon that was on the wall. It was a spear.


    The spear was long and had a long sharp tip instead of the normal small head. The handle was also a silver handle instead of a wooden one. He picked it up in intrigue and began to swing it with both of his hands. The spear was very light, in contrast to its look. He spun around, holding the spear at his waist. He then turned his head to the screen that was below.


    [Legendary Tier Spear]


    [Active Skill: Channel of Lightning - Channel the Lightning Element through the spear]


    [Combat Skill: Strike - Direct the lightning that has been stored within the spear towards your opponent. Stuns them for three seconds]


    "In a battle of life or death, three seconds will decide a lot. Man, all these weapons are so good. Now only if they allowed me to take all of these weapons", he thought as he clicked his tongue. He placed it back and went to the next weapon. There were three swords.


    The first one was a broadsword. The sword was in deep silver and there was a line in a dark purple color embedded in the middle. The hilt of the sword was gold in color and there was a symbol of a lion''s head at the end of the hilt. He looked at the screen below and saw the skills of the sword.


    [Legendary Tier Broadsword]


    [Active Skill: One with Lightning - Store lightning in the channel, only compatible with a lightning type user]


    [Combat Skill: Summon - Summon lightning companion to fight alongside you. Companion depends on the quality of the lightning stored]


    The second one was a longsword. It was quite long and looked ordinary. Nothing special stood out about the sword. The edge of the blade was coated in red, and the hilt was black. He looked at the screen below to know the quality of the sword.


    [Legendary Tier Longsword]


    [Active Skill: One With The Sword - All sword related skills increased damage by forty-five percent]


    [Combat Skill: Aura slash - A slash that is imbued with the aura of a swordsman]


    "It''s quite good. But the bad thing is that I can''t use aura too", he muttered to himself. The third sword was quite different. It was a kendo wooden sword. Lucas was confused why that sword was a legendary tier weapon. He looked towards the guardian to know more information about the sword.


    "That sword is something that your grandfather used a long time ago. It was made by an inscriptor blacksmith that was here in this palace", he said. "An inscriptor blacksmith? We had one? Where is he now?", he asked in excitement. Lucas always wanted to meet these kinds of hidden figures in the kingdom.


    An inscriptor blacksmith was someone that used ancient inscriptions on weapons. These people came by when a person experimented with a weapon, making the first inscribed weapon in history. They are very rare and only a few of them existed even in these times.


    Unfortunately for him, the inscriptor blacksmith that the guardian talked about had passed away. "That''s sad. I always wanted to meet these people", he said in rejection. He looked at the screen underneath the sword to see what the status was


    [Legendary Tier Weapon]


    [Active Skill: Change Class - Changes class according to the opponent it faces. Max limit: King Tier]

 Chapter 179 - Will Be Mass Releasing On Thursday

    Lucas didn''t move, as he waited for the Ape to make the first move. It came flying towards his head, performing a jump kick. "So soon?", Lucas thought as he dodged it by moving to the side. He then did a foot thrust as soon as the Ape landed, and it budged from the place. Lucas began to do a combination.


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    "Low kick, Switch kick, Straight Foot Jab", he thought as he did it. It was one of his combination techniques to throw an opponent off balance. And it was working with the Ape too. But sadly, it wasn''t enough for him to win.


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    "Just one, and I will be able to move to C Rank", he thought. He didn''t want to use anything, not yet anyway. He wanted to see if there was any strength difference between these Martial Apes according to the Martial Arts they practiced. Using his shin, he did a roundhouse to the back of the Ape''s head, but his leg was stuck there.


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    He was unable to move past the head, and it was like he was hitting a rock. He turned and looked at Emilia. "Just what kind of person are you to be able to damage this kind of Ape by hitting it repeatedly? I can barely damage one!", he thought. He then channeled his Aura throughout his body.


    "Guess I''m still too weak. I have to improve myself, and since Father said a Storm is Brewing, it means that there must be something big happening there. And he has never given a device to anyone before. Not to Sam, and neither to Kate. This means that this is quite serious", he concluded.


    And for that, he needed strength. He was preparing himself to face the threat that his father was referring to, but only when he came face to face with an Emperor Tier did he know his weakness. The Ape lunged again, and this time it performed a Double Collar Tie.


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    Double Collar Tie is one of the clinching moves in Muay Thai. It is executed by placing both of your hands to the back of your opponent''s head and pulling it down. This locks his opponent''s head and shoulders in a dominant position, allowing him to perform some serious damage on them.


    "The Double Collar Tie. This is going to be hard to break, especially against such a big stature", he thought as he was already deep into the lock. He moved his body lower and closer to the Ape, making it lose its momentum to kick using its knee. It grunted and let go, and he quickly moved away.


    "I can''t do a suplex to this big guy. I am not strong enough to do that anyway", he thought as he moved backward. The Ape spun on place and kicked him in the gut. It pushed him away for many meters, and he slid and rolled away. He coughed up blood.


    "Maybe this Aura isn''t enough", he thought as he began to channel more into his body, pushing it to the limit. He then moved from the place and performed a back elbow right at its left ear. It stumbled back, and he didn''t miss this chance as he did the same to the right ear, a second later. The Ape began to experience dizziness for a moment.


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    Lucas wanted to finish this quick, and he performed a Double Under Hook. He lunged at the hip of the ape, and he was clenching it with all his strength. "Man, these Apes are tall", he cursed as he was clinching. The Ape snickered at him as it moved its hip backward, and Lucas went along with it. "This is not even an Under Hook. Damn", he thought.


    He wanted to use his swords now. Then he remembered something. "When fighting someone bigger and stronger than you, remember to always maintain your cool. You lose that, you lose your only advantage against them", he remembered. This was one of his Master''s many teachings, words of wisdom.


    He then took a deep breath, and he called out to Valentine. "Activate the Rage Mode at fifty percent", he said. Valentine did it as he complained. "You know you can activate it yourself, right?", he complained.


    [Rage Mode has been Activated]


    [All stats have been increased by fifty percent]


    [Eye of Prediction has been activated]


    [Eye of Prediction - Will be able to perceive the next move of your opponent. Skill used to maximize the effect of Rage Mode]


    [Mastery - 50%]


    [Rage Mode activated at 50% intensity]


    The mark began to pulse as his eyes began to see the movements of the Ape much more fluently. He was dodging them quite easily, but he still hadn''t built any damage. "Maybe the increase in stats will help this time", he thought as he did a diagonal knee strike to its guts.


    The Ape moved back slightly. This was a win for the already struggling Lucas. "Maybe this is the edge I needed to stand against this", he thought as he jumped again, this time doing a curving knee strike to its head.


    He followed it up with a hook punch to its eye, temporarily blinding it. He then felt his Aura level increase, and he was happy about that. "Maybe I ranked up?", he thought as he felt the surge of newfound strength. The Ape was howling as it grabbed its eye. Emilia woke up from her previously fainted state.


    "What''s going on?", she thought as she looked around. She then saw the Ape that she had killed and Lucas fighting against the other Ape. when she was about to jump in, she heard Lucas talk. "No problem, I can take care of this on my own", he said as he landed.


    He then moved swiftly, and the speed this time baffled the Ape. It was threatened, yet it smiled. It did a Back Fist Strike, and Lucas got hit and went sprawling to the ground. He coughed up blood.


    "Not yet", he thought as he was seething with Rage. The intensity of the Rage Meter began to go up, as his rage increased. He was mad. For being weak. For being underestimated. And finally, for being unable to protect himself. "How will I protect my family, when I can''t protect myself?!", he seethed.


    The pulsing of the mark became stronger, and his eye was getting better. He didn''t realize it, but he was slowly mastering control over his Rage Mode, increasing his mastery along with it.


    "More. I need to become stronger", he thought as he dodged the strikes. The Ape which was threatened was now feeling terrified. It sensed the sudden surge of strength in him, and it wanted to eliminate him as soon as it could. Lucas performed a roundhouse kick again, and this time, he heard a crack in the Ape''s legs.


    [Congratulations! You have obtained Complete Mastery over Rage Mode]


    [You can use Eye Of Prediction freely. You will not have to enter Rage Mode to access it]


    Lucas saw the notification, but he didn''t feel happy inside. Although he had complete mastery over it, he was still mad. He wanted to be able to stand next to his family without any of this. "I will become stronger", he vowed as he channeled his Aura into his fists and feet.


    The Aura that he had channeled began to take shape. It shaped itself into knuckle busters with spikes on it. And the ones on his legs took the shape of a military boot. His eyes were red, but his sanity was still intact.


    "You Ape. I thank you for making me realize how weak I am. But I can''t let you win, not today. For I have a dream, a goal to achieve. I have people that I want to stand next to proudly someday so that they can hold their heads high. I hope you will understand", he said as he jumped from his place. The Ape began to look around, but it couldn''t see where he was.


    Lucas was high above his head, and he was coming down crashing with an Axe Kick. The Ape which wanted to fight, let down its guard. Lucas pierced through its eyes and made it blind in one of its eyes. The Ape then stopped Lucas and said the same things as the Boxing Ape said.


    Lucas imagined the shape of a blade and his right hand''s aura changed into one. He then moved back three steps and came running. He jumped and thrust his fist outwards, and twisted his hips for more momentum. The Ape stood there, satisfied that it had met someone stronger than him.


    Lucas''s Aura blade pierced through its heart, bringing it near to death. Lucas''s vision began to fade, and he was about to pass out. "Not Yet", he muttered as he went towards the Ape. He held out his fist, and the Ape did the same.. "Hope you find someone to spar with up there", he said as he fist-bumped with the Ape.

 Chapter 180 - Working On It...

    Lucas was feeling groggy as he woke up after a few minutes. He then got up from his sleeping position and saw Emilia sitting next to him. He quickly sat in a meditative pose and began to recuperate himself. "Those Apes, I wonder if there is any way that I can recreate this immersiveness", he thought as he was recuperating.


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    He then looked up to her, ad smiled. "How was the test?", she asked as he was still feeling dizzy. He needed some rest, and he closed his eyes as he lay on the wall that was behind him. There was a buzz, and in came the same man that lead them the last time. "All of you fledglings, listen up!'', he said in a commanding tone.


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    "Your performances were at most, average. Some of you will be scouted by Guilds right now, while the others will have to wait and prove later. All of your Ranks will be displayed in order. We will be going in the descending Order", he announced as he pulled up a projection of the F Rank.


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    "Let''s look at the quest and see what Rank I have achieved", he thought as he pulled up the screen.


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    [Quest Completed]


    [Place D Rank or above in this test


    Beasts Killed


    Demon Tier Beast 0/1


    Demi-God Tier Beast 0/3


    Emperor Tier Beast 1/5


    King Tier Beast 7/7


    Legendary Tier Beast 9/9


    Advanced Tier Beast 12/11


    Intermediate Tier Beast 15/15


    Basic Tier Beast 24/20]


    [Rewards, EXP x2 for every Beast you kill. According to your placement, EXP will be as follows.


    S Rank - EXP +10,000


    A Rank - EXP +8000


    B Rank - EXP +6000


    C Rank - EXP +3000


    D Rank - EXP +1500


    E Rank - -1 Level


    F Rank - -3 Levels


    Intermediate HP Limit Breaker Potion x1


    Intermediate MP Limit Breaker Potion x1]


    [Rank Placed: B Rank]


    [Claim Rewards? Yes/No]


    "Let''s see how many levels I will move up this time", he thought as he claimed the rewards.


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    [Rewards Claimed]


    [Accumulated EXP: 64,500 EXP]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [You Have Levelled Up!]


    [EXP for B Rank]


    [EXP: 6950/20,000]


    [Received Intermediate Limit Breaker HP Potion x1]


    [Received Intermediate Limit Breaker MP Potion x1]


    Lucas was satisfied with the level up. "Well, I''ve moved up six levels. But for now, until I harness my full potential, I''m not going to use it. Well, I can bring them all to the nearest round number and leave it there though", he thought and shook his head. "Maybe it will be better for later", he thought and threw it to the back of his mind.


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    He then opened up his status window.


    [Status]


    [Name: Lucas Heart]


    [HP: 68/220]


    [MP: 52/220]


    [Level: 16]


    [Job: None]


    [Title: Defying The Odds, Master Of Stealth]


    [EXP: 6950/20,000]


    [System Level: 2/10]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Stamina: 43]


    [Agility: 43+19]


    [Perception: 41]


    [Magic: 43]


    [Stat points to be used: 30]


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    "Impressive, kid. Although you could have done better, it''s your first time and you did use your wits and overcome this obstacle. But remember, don''t add your stat points until you have passed Stage Three of Aura. But the Limit Breaker, Hehe", Valentine snickered and left it at a mystery.


    Lucas was pissed off. "Always keeping secrets even from your descendants. Then how will you right your wrongs?", he scoffed. Valentine didn''t respond. It was like he had turned his voice off. He just dusted himself off and got up, ready to go and get his badge.


    "Next up, we have B Ranks", said the announcer. Lucas smiled as he looked at the list. Emilia was also looking at the list. But their names weren''t there. Even amongst the lowest. "That can''t be right?", thought Lucas as he was about to ask the announcer. He saw the system grade him a B Rank Adventurer.


    As he and Emilia went up to the announcer, the screen changed. ''Due to their performances, they have been given a special rank. They shall be amongst the rarest Adventurers'', it read and their names were below. "A B+ Rank? Is there even one?", he thought.


    "Yes, there is. These ranks are for the people who surpass the B rank but are slightly lower than the A rank. Hence the term, B+. There are a lot of Adventurers out there in this category. They will be on a period of cooldown, and later they will have to come for the second test. The cooldown for you people is six months", he informed them.


    Lucas was stunned when he heard this. "So there are ranks like this, huh? And after six months, we will attempt the test again?", he asked curiously. The announcer nodded his head and then gave him a black card. "This is a one-time card. You will be allowed to meet the head of this branch, as she has summoned for you", he said and motioned for them to wait.


    Lucas and Emilia nodded their heads and waited. After many people had left, Lucas, Emilia, and three more people had been asked to stay behind. All of them had the same card as he had. Lucas looked at them and was about to socialize when he heard the announcer ask him to follow behind.


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    "Man, I thought I could form my party now. But no problems, maybe I will, when I''m much stronger", he thought as he followed behind. Emilia was behind him and they were the last among the five. All the other three were A+, meaning that they lacked something to become an S Ranked Adventurer.


    Lucas was wondering who would the head of the branch be. He knew some of the famous people around the world, and they were either SS Ranked or S Ranked. There were only Seven SSS Ranked Adventurers around the globe, and one SSS+ Ranked Adventurer for the whole planet!


    They entered a lift and went all the way to the top. They waited outside a room and the announcer knocked it in a rhythm and waited. The door then buzzed open and in went all of them.


    The office, should it be called that was an understatement. The ceiling was high and it was in the corner of a building, making there be two sides of clear glass instead of walls. The sunlight which shone through was making the office look more like a penthouse. The table and the chairs that were placed overlooking the city, made it look like someone lived here.


    "Is this an office?", thought Lucas as he looked around. And in that chair was a beautiful woman, who was sitting with her legs crossed over, and casually sipping some coffee from her cup. The aroma of the coffee was strong and it made Lucas crave for some.


    The woman then got up from her seat and got everyone a cup of coffee. Lucas began to sip his coffee and he waited for the woman to introduce herself. "I am Jasmine Van Dyke. I''m sure you must have heard of my name", she smiled at them. It was pleasant yet threatening at the same time.


    Lucas nodded his head. "Jasmine Van Dyke. A.K.A The Beastly Beauty. Born and raised here in Alexandria. An S Ranked Adventurer. Made a name for herself during the Monster Wave that hit the Kingdom around ten years ago", Lucas thought. He then looked at her and saw that the nickname did do her justice.


    Then in came another man. He was tall and handsome, and he had long jet black hair which flowed down his neck. His face was sharp, and he had a very deep voice. He had a scar, that ran across his left cheek, which was peeking out of his beard that he used to cover it. A toned and muscular body, and he had slightly tanned skin.


    "Hello everyone. My name is Steve Hudson. I will be explaining to you why we had categorized every one of you in a rank that is not told outside. This ''plus category'' also has another name in the guild. It is known as ''The Growth Zone''", he said.


    Lucas shook his head as he was drinking his coffee, listening keenly. He wanted to know what he did wrong, or to be more precise, what were the places he needed improvement. He wasn''t disheartened by the fact that he had got a B+ Rank. He was elated when he saw that. But something inside him was telling him that this wasn''t enough, telling him that he could have done better.


    "What''s done is done, kid. You can''t dwell on the past, for that will hinder your sight into the future", said Valentine as he read his thoughts. "But I am surprised as well. I never expected him to get a B. I thought that the most he could do is get a C", thought Valentine.


    Lucas sipped his coffee as Steve began his explanation of how, and why The Growth Zone was implemented.

 Chapter 181 - Two More Days For Mass Release

    "The Growth Zone is the zone, in which there will be immense growth in your performances. As you guys have must have noticed, you must have aimed for something, but you were just a teeny bit away from achieving the goal. This is why The Growth Zone was found by The Adventurer''s Guild", he explained.


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    "In this time, we will review every one of your mistakes here, and we will tell you what you could have done better and saved a bit of time. We will start a bit later. But for now, just take a minute and think what you might have done to perform better", he said and everyone began to look at each other in confusion.


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    Lucas began to think back to all the things he had done since the start of the test. "Well, if I had mastered Mana Manipulation, or maybe moved up in the Stage of Aura, I might have been able to perform better. Or if I had more spells?", he began to think hard and he began to crease his brows, which was something he usually does when he begins to think.


    After five minutes, the glass that they could see through turned translucent. Then, a projection was faced on that glass, allowing them to look at their performances. "Now this will be a learning moment not only for each of you individually but as a whole too. Make sure to pay close attention", he said as he began to play the first recording.


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    It was of a boy who was in the A+ Rankings. The boy was tall as Lucas, and he was a swordsman. He used a katana, and he had impeccable skills with the blade. He swiftly killed all the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Tier Beasts. He struggled very little while killing the Legendary Tier Beasts. When he went to the King Tier Beasts, that''s when he started to struggle. His weapon was unable to cut through and it made him get hit quite often.


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    "This is your problem. You are skilled with the blade, but you do not have a good blade that suits you. As much as you have mastered the path of the sword, the blade chooses its master and not the other way around. Try finding the right weapon for you, and you go a long way ahead in the future", said Steve.


    The boy that he was talking to was quite handsome and had fair skin. He was similar to Lucas in terms of height and stature, but his hair was tied into a man bun. He had round deep green eyes and had an earring on his right ear. His hair was black, and there were streaks of maroon in them. His eyes were sharp, and he quickly turned and flashed a smile at Lucas.


    "That''s quite the perception. He has indeed mastered the way of the blade. Only a master will be able to sense what I was trying to do", smiled Lucas as he turned his head away. He was trying to use the [Inspect] skill on him to see what his stats were. He had never tried it on people before, and he was curious how it would work.


    skdfkljhdsfl;k ;lsdfy


    But before it could complete its analysis, the boy sensed him. "I should be wary of this guy. Should he be friend or foe, only time will tell", he thought as he shifted his attention to the screen again.


    It once again lit up, and another recording began to play. This time it was a girl. She was swinging around her scythe, cutting through any enemy that stood in her way. "Put on a black hood and she''ll be the female version of a Grim Reaper", whispered Emilia as she was watching the clip. The same thing happened with her, and she began to struggle at the same level as the previous boy.


    Lucas smiled as he heard the comment. "Well, if she''s the reaper, then I guess many guys would be willing to die in her hands", he chuckled. "Hmph, boys will be boys", retorted back Emilia. She was concentrating on the screen and whispering with Lucas. When she was about to fight against the Emperor Tier, her weapon was the same, but something weird happened to it.


    The weapon began to bend and twist flexibly. Lucas instantly recognized what it was. "That metal! Ingenious!", he laughed out loud as he began to hit his thighs in amusement. He quickly cleared his throat and apologized for his actions. "Should stop this bad habit that I picked up from Forge Master", he thought as he watched. Soon, the clip ended and Steve turned towards him.


    "Mr. Smith, would you happen to know the metal that was used in this weapon? And the method that this metal could achieve this?", he asked as he eyed Lucas with suspicion. "If he knows, then that means he is truly a Blacksmith", he smiled as his thoughts began to run wild. His lips curved upwards, revealing a challenging smile.


    "You''re challenging me? I have studied under the Iron Forge''s Top Master, and you think you can challenge me in Blacksmithing?", he thought as he gathered his thoughts. "This is an alloy, made from Titanium and Copper being mixed in a specific ratio. Titanium is very hard and durable, while Copper helps to add the flexibility required to the metal. If the ratio is too much, then the weapon will become like rubber, making it hard to wield", said Lucas as he answered. A smirk formed on his face as he returned the look Steve gave him.


    Steve nodded his head, acknowledging his answer. "As you can see, the same goes for you. The weapon that you use is indeed good, but the problem is your style. It still hasn''t adapted to your scythe''s design. Work on it, and you will be able to surpass your limits", said Steve.


    The girl was short and cute. She had long hair, and it was dyed pink. She tied her hair into twin tails. She had round pink eyes, and her stature made her look like a middle school student. She had a round face and slightly chubby cheeks. "I think I''ve seen this face somewhere. I just can''t seem to remember where though", thought Lucas as he looked at her intently.


    The next recording popped up, and this time it was a boy fighting with his bare fists. He had white hair, and there were streaks of flashy yellow in between them. His fists and legs were covered in lightning, and he was moving fast. His hands ripped through his enemies, making anyone who stood in front of him feel extreme fear. "He doesn''t need a weapon. He is the weapon", gulped Lucas.


    Everyone in the room gulped in fear as they looked at the recording. It finished quickly than anyone else''s that was played. "You should have a weapon on your fists. Going bare fists here is alright, but going bare fists in the real world, you can crack your knuckles against a King or Emperor Tier", advised Steve as he watched the vicious way he killed the beasts.


    He was tall and muscular. The shirt he was wearing was barely fitting him. His face had minor scars here and there, but the most noticeable one was the one above his left eyebrow. It was an x shaped scar, and it cut through his eyebrow, reaching near his eyes. He had a slight beard, and his skin was tanned to a light brown.


    "Wow, what did that guy go through to have become like this? But those techniques, are definitely from the School Of Lightning Combats. I''ve seen those moves before. My eyes can''t be mistaken", thought Lucas as he analyzed him. "A pair of gauntlets would seem cool on him", he thought. Lucas was already sketching in his mind a design of gauntlets for him.


    Next up was Lucas''s recording. While Lucas was imagining the gauntlet, his recording brought shock to the whole room. Although the three of them performed extremely well, they were taken aback by Lucas''s performance. The way he analyzed his situation and acted accordingly was what shocked them.


    "A warrior with brains. This guy is scheming and dangerous", they all thought. Little did they know that Lucas was the opposite of the people he cared for and cherished about. After the recording was over, Steve turned to Lucas.


    "Your problem lies in your weapons. You have impeccable skills, and you have mastered the way of the blade like this guy. You have also mastered Martial Arts too. But the problem lies in you not using your Magic and Aura often. You only use it late and thus end up getting damaged beforehand. You must overcome these points to move further ahead", he advised.


    Next came Emilia. They saw the way she killed her opponents with her Gunslinging skills. "Badass!", thought everyone as they were watching. Emilia then tagged along with Lucas, and there they saw even more of her shooting skills. Some even piercing through the head of the enemies. "She knows Boxing too?", they thought as they watched her fight toe-to-toe with the Martial Ape.


    "Now, this meeting will come to an end. You may leave from here, and may you have great adventures ahead of you.. Good Luck!", he said as he sent them off.

 Chapter 183 - One More Day To Mass Release

    She had reached the place from where she was asked to leave and she looked around. She made haste towards Lucas''s position and she was panting hard. After reaching Lucas, she began to convey the message she wanted to tell.


    "We... can''t pro... all... them", she said and her words were missing due to her panting. Lucas asked her to calm down and take a few deep breaths. She then began to narrate what she had seen in the forest.


    Right after learning the information, Lucas knew what his sister told was true. Only the Royal Magicians were the people who knew of the tunnels and the layout of the Underground City. And if the attack is being made from the inside, he was sure they would not have enough time to defend.


    "Jasmine, is it possible for you to make them go a tad bit faster? And in order?", he asked right after he thought of something. She nodded her head and cast her spell on everyone. They began to move at least fifteen percent faster than before.


    "How much time do we have until the plan initiates?", he asked. "Fifteen minutes", she replied and Lucas began to make his move.


    He and Robert carried the elderly inside, and the kids were next, Within thirteen minutes, Lucas had sorted out everything inside the Underground City.


    "If what they said is true, I am sure they will create a diversion in the front to keep us occupied. But we need to clear them before that happens", he said as he placed his fingers on his chin.


    Jasmine nodded her head and took out an earpiece. She gave one to each of them, and they heard Steve''s voice on the other end.


    "I received the news and we have sorted out everything on our end. If what you''re saying is true kid, it means that you kids will need to defend the opening with your very lives. Are you up for the challenge? And you kids keep the device to keep the communication going", said Steve.


    Lucas nodded his head at Jasmine and she left the place with the both of them to defend. They were on the lookout, and anything that was coming had to go through them first.


    "I am Tobias Brown, and no enemy shall get past me", came a voice in the earpiece. A smile began to spread across their faces, and they looked at each other. A curt nod was all they needed to communicate with each other.


    They had their hands on their swords, ready to draw them out anytime to attack the enemies that were about to come. Right when they were about to ask if the other saw anything, they heard Michelle''s voice.


    "Are you guys seeing what we are seeing?", she asked. Right after her statement, men with cloaks appeared out of the shadows. They pulled out staffs from behind them and began to chant, and the ground rumbled.


    "Royal Magicians", muttered Lucas in frustration. He then pulled out his dual blades, and Robert was ready with his Katana. But another rumble threw them off their feet, and in front of them were some Golems.


    There were three Earth Golems, Two Fire Golems, and one Water Golem. Each of them was towering at the height of ten meters. Lucas now understood what everyone meant with their shocked expressions.


    Just as he was about to make his move, the Magicians began to chant again, and this time the Earth and the Fire Golems began to merge.


    "We need to stop them, NOW!", he said as he quickly made his move. Robert understood the haste behind his voice, as neither of them was strong enough to take down a normal Golem, let alone a Compound Element one.


    Their only option now was to stop them before they had merged their Golems and thus destroying them both in the process. Just as they were nearing the Magicians, an arrow whizzed past his ear.


    Lucas dodged it instinctively and took a step back. He was more frustrated now. He thought only the Magicians were working together, but now they were being protected by the archers.


    "A good thing they aren''t the Royal Archers though. Dealing with them is harder than one can imagine", he said as he looked at Robert. He was someone who knew of his identity and kept it a secret, and thus he felt like he could trust him.


    One of the Magicians had a face of realization right after he saw Lucas''s face.


    "You are the Third Prince! You are supposed to be an outcast!", he said as he took a step back. Lucas was enraged the moment he heard the man call him ''Third Prince''.


    Everyone was on the other end of the line. He wasn''t sure if anyone heard that, but he had to keep that under wraps for now.


    "Don''t worry. Unless we activate it to speak, no one can hear us. And I already know of it", said Robert as he saw the worry on Lucas''s face. He nodded his head and looked back at the magician that called him out.


    "You have no right to call me that! You have betrayed this Kingdom!", he bellowed out loud. The anger was boiling inside him the more he looked at them, and he did everything he could to keep it under control.


    After a few deep breaths, he had it under control and jumped towards the magician who had called him out. He placed his sword at his neck and locked eyes with him.


    "Any last words?", he asked in a cold voice. The man shuddered when he saw this side of Lucas. Even Robert was taken aback. This one was merciless, and there was no emotion in his eyes when he was looking at the magician.


    "I just chose the winning side. Nothing personal, Third Prince. HAIL OMEGA!", he said and foam began to form in his mouth. Before Lucas executed him, he had taken his life with poison.


    Lucas turned to attack the next magician, but he felt a whip of water lash out at him. He tried to parry the strike but was thrown back by several feet right after the hit.


    He was caught by Robert, and the both of them looked up above. The merging had been successful, and now above each Golem stood a magician controlling them.


    Lucas was skeptical about his strength, and he didn''t have much time to do a breakthrough. He turned his head to Robert to ask him if he had any ideas.


    "Hey, you''re the brains of this squad. I do not have any idea how to face these kinds of things. Monsters and Humans, I might have an idea. But this, don''t even think about it", he said. Lucas sighed.


    "How much time can you buy me? I will breakthrough right now", he said. Robert looked at him from head to toe like he was looking at a crazy person.


    "You have to be kidding me right? How is that possible for me? And you, how are you going to break through right at this moment? It will take hours to reach the point of breakthrough to the Third Stage! At most, I can buy you three minutes", he said.


    Lucas smiled as he looked at him. He knew that was the time he needed to initiate the process. After that, he can move freely and attack and defend while keeping the process on the go.


    He sat down on the ground cross-legged as he began to inject the Aura into every part of his body. As he was doing this, he began to draw a formation that would suck in the Mana from the outside and convert it into his Aura, creating a never-ending supply.


    After he finished the process, he smiled. The time Robert had to buy was about to be over, and he activated the formation on his abdomen.


    Kandi aisbb aiaba izbsk


    The Aura began to create a hue around his body, and he began to redirect the excess Aura into something he had used before. He created Aura whips and began to counter the water whips that were directed at them, and it was working.


    Jsns jx did sis


    The whips were both of the same sizes, and Lucas was controlling two of them. The moment a small problem occurred in the whip, he used the Aura to repair it. This was crucial to the defense.


    Jsjsj aus is sibdkaid


    "Is this what Steve meant when he said we had to defend this place with our lives? I didn''t think he would mean it literally", he thought. He pulled down one of the Golems using the whips and was now attacking the Golem.


    Jana is xidbs is s


    They were now facing against One Earth Golem, Two Lava Golems, and one Water Golem. Lucas didn''t have the time to sense and separate Lava into fire as he didn''t have enough training with it.


    Hshs us s is ak d


    Right after he blocked an attack from the Lava Golem, he felt a pang in his abdomen.. "I am going to breakthrough", he said as he took a meditative state again.

 Chapter 184 - Updates Begin Soon. Get Ready, From 171

    There was a single man who was standing in front of a burning village, and alongside him was a woman and two kids. One of them was a baby, while the other was a little child. The four of them were watching the village burn down.


    oksdhf ;aslfh of


    "I have to go honey. If I can save one life, just one. It would be worth it", he said. The woman was holding onto him, and not letting him go. The man was wearing a top hat and a long tailcoat.


    He had a chain around his neck, and he removed it as he knelt towards his kid. He placed the necklace around the kid''s neck and looked him in the eye.


    ishodfkl osdhfljk sildfhl


    "This is a gift from me to you, kiddo. Think of this as your birthday present, and Father now has to go and save our people", he said as he stood back up. The kid was standing still and looked at the man walk away from him, into the flames.


    The man who was walking was none other than Aldreus. He dashed into the village and began to look around for survivors. He had just arrived, and he was taken aback at the state of the village.


    His wife didn''t want to go into the flame as she was afraid that he might die. He heard screams and cries for help and tried to help them. But the moment they saw him, they came running towards him.


    "Mayor! Please save my wife!", came a man running towards him. He ran into the house and brought out the woman who was burning, and he put out the flames. Unfortunately, shortly after he brought her out, she was dead.


    He followed the same routine and pulled out as many people as he could, and his skin was turning red. He was burning in the fire whilst saving them, but the moment he brought them out they were either burned beyond recognition or they had died in the flames.


    kjsdfbjl lsdjfkl ;lsidhf


    He was angry at the person who had done this and wanted to find the perpetrator. He used his speed which he was quick in and brought out the last person he could find in the burning houses.


    He was devastated when he saw the states they were in. He didn''t know how to save them or even heal them. The village had no healer, and the ones who had survived were pleading for death.


    He fell to the floor and looked at the skies, breaking down into tears. He recognized each person that was burnt, and the more he saw the people that had died, the more heartbroken he was.


    "Whoever you are, I swear I will get my vengeance. What did my village ever do to you!", he bellowed in anger and extreme pain. His eyes had turned red from the anger and tears he was holding back, and the people now gathered around him.


    Everyone fell to their knees, and some of them even had their foreheads to the ground. No one uttered a single word and they began the procedure to send off those that had been burnt in this unfortunate incident.


    ;kndsfkl ;lkskdfklhl sdf;


    As a result of saving every one of them, his skin had turned red. The left half of his body was in bright red skin, while the other half was a normal white.


    He tried everything to recover the outer layer of the skin that had been burned away during the incident, but no healer could heal him. The whole village tried their best, and he had lost the sense of touch on the side that was burnt.


    He tried to create a spell that could replicate the feeling of touch, but nothing worked for him. Every time he went out, he wore a mask on his face, and the top hat covered the rest that were exposed.


    Some time had passed from the incident, but Aldreus never forgot the vow he took that day. He trained youngsters from the village and sent them out to collect information about that fateful day.


    He trained himself to the limit, and his family began to worry for him. His anger and hate were fueling his will to live, and his sense of vengeance had given him a purpose to live.


    "Did you find him?", asked Zephyr as he stopped an attack from Aldreus. He pulled back his axes and cut across his cheek, making Zephyr jump back.


    "Do not ask questions. Learn to be patient. Patience is a virtue, Mr. Heart", he said as he went back to attacking him, revealing more from his past.


    Many years had passed from that fateful day, and both of his children had grown up. His son being the child that was the kid during the incident, and his daughter being the baby during that day.


    He was playing with them when a man came in with a parchment in his hands. He was one among the troops that he had trained, and he went to receive the parchment.


    He opened it and his eyes turned into slits. The information on it was something that he was searching for all this while, and he saw it heading towards him this time.


    "Inform everyone and evacuate the place. I will handle the people who are coming. And the troops too. This is an order", he said. The man who had a mask over his face could not say anything to him.


    Aldreus looked at both of his kids and informed of his wife. She was stunned when she heard the information from him and advised him to come along with her.


    "You think I am going to let them go? After what they did to the people and me?", he said as he removed his mask and hat. The woman had her hands on her face, as she could not bear to see his face.


    Although he looked very unlovely to everyone that was around, the woman''s heart skipped a beat. She placed her palm on the side where he would feel her touch and caressed his cheeks.


    "I know of all the things you have done for these people, my love. But aren''t we, your family too?", she asked lovingly. The man had tears in his eyes, and in that brief second, prioritized himself over others.


    He shook the thought out of his mind and looked at her back. He pulled her close to him, and the both of them stood in each other''s embrace.


    "If I have to, I would. But you know about my temper", he said. The woman laughed in a cute voice and pulled him closer to her.


    She took in a whiff of his scent as she grazed her lips against his. The both of them had a passionate kiss, and she broke free from it. He looked at her, and this time he was choking on his words.


    "I love you, Elaina", he said as he let go of her. The woman smiled as she returned the words to him.


    "And I love you too, Aldreus. Now go and kick their butts", she said as she turned away from him. Aldreus picked up his axe and walked out of the door.


    "And stay safe", she muttered as she heard the door close shut. Right after the door was closed, she broke down into tears, bawling her eyes out.


    Aldreus stood at the door and heard his wife''s cries, and he was tempted to go back inside. He clenched his fists and moved away from the door, and a tear was rolling down his cheek as he walked away.


    "The more I stay here, the more I would lose my will to fight. I have to do this, not for them but for me", he muttered as he began to head towards the village.


    The place was now empty, and he pulled a chair out of one of the houses. He sat on it with his axe right above his shoulder, exuding an Aura that was filled with authority.


    The men who were coming had torches in their hands, and they cam riding their horses and saw the village deserted. It was something they had not expected to happen, as they planned to kill every single life that was in the village.


    "Search every place. Find anyone that had survived the last time, and make sure that they stay dead. And if you find that Mayor, make sure to bring his...", and his sentence was stopped as his head was separated from his shoulders.


    "You want my head? You would have to be much stronger than that", he hissed as he disappeared from the place. The men were in disarray, and he took this opportunity to kill as many as he could.


    "This is for the last time you burned down the people that were living peacefully", he said as he rammed his axe into the skull of a person that was on horseback.


    The rage that he had suppressed for all these years began to pour out, and they were unable to keep up with his speed.


    "Just what in the world is the Mayor?", thought everyone as they jumped down from their horses to attack him.

 Chapter 185 - Mass Release

    Lucas began to first separate the parts as they needed to be carefully done. A gauntlet has a lot of joints in the fingers which needed to be forged delicately. He then looked at the Mana Channels that he had planned on adding to it. He also had a different design for the pellets.


    \\\\dfhjlk sld;fhlk sdf''s


    The gauntlet''s length was from the fingertips to halfway up the forearm. The design had lost delicate parts from the fingers to the wrist. After making out the parts and marking from where to begin, he took out the metal and began to heat it.


    Mana Channels had to be made using the crystals, and it was a very delicate process. One must have very steady hands and a great amount of patience. He left the metal to heat up, as he still needed to remove the impurities in it. He took out the crystals he had gotten from Tobias and began to melt them in the furnace.


    ;djf sdlhflkshf''psdf


    Right after melting the crystals, he took a minuscule amount of it and began to add silica sand, soda ash, and limestone into it. This was to make the process of making a channel quite easier, and it was also the raw materials used to make glass.


    He began to melt them again, and this time the temperature was raised than before. It was at a firing of 2150 degrees Celsius, and the mixture was bubbling. Lucas kept close watch as he pulled out his tools and put goggles over his eyes.


    After a few minutes, he pulled out a cast from the side, and he poured the mixture into it. While pouring, he placed a long rod in it and closed the cast. He had made this cast specifically for this gauntlet''s Mana Channel, and the work he had done was just the beginning.


    He began to blow into the tube he had inserted, which began to make the liquid mixture bulge until it hit the end of the mold. He kept blowing, as he was sure that it had reached the desired shape.


    He opened it up, and he saw the Mana Channel glowing orange. He needed a Kiln, a place where he would let the glass cool off for the next 24 hours.


    lkdnfkln;kvjhn;


    sdkf


    The Kiln was a container in which people would let glass cool off at a heat of 900 degrees Celsius. It looked a lot like a fridge, and through the heat that was generated from the back, it was evenly spread throughout the Kiln and allowed it to cool off slowly.


    The glass needed a hot environment to cool down, and that was why a Kiln was found. If let to cool down at room temperature, it has a very low chance of succeeding and turning into glass.


    The mold he was using was slightly different from a normal mold, and it had a magic circle underneath it. The magic circle would reset the mold into a block, and he would have to begin carving all over again.


    Although one would say this was time-consuming, it had its advantages. Each Mana Channel mold doesn''t suit some others, and each has its unique purposes.


    And thus, one mold could only be used for the same thing over and over. And if he could reset the mold and make a new one out of it, this was an investment worth it for him. He let the Channel cool outside for now and called for Emilia.


    kdfjkljnsd; f'''';jdf ''


    He quickly showed her the plan and made her make a Kiln out of Earth. She followed the plan and made a Kiln as shown. Lucas thanked her and get back to work. He placed the Mana Channel in the Kiln, and he had to make five more Mana Channels.


    The metal was all heated up, and the impurities need to be removed. Lucas began to hit the metal, and the impurities began to fall off as it cooled down. He put the metal back inside, and he lowered the heat to cool it down slowly.


    He made another mold and did the same process again. It was repetitive, but it was needed and thus he didn''t slack off. After placing all six pieces into the Kiln, he took a seat in the chair. He was sweating buckets, and his breath was quite off due to all the blowing.


    After an hour of rest, he began to pour the metal into molds of different shapes. There were four hexagon-shaped molds and five molds that looked like nails on a finger. It had a sharp end and was thin.


    There were other shapes, and each and everything was a part of the gauntlet. He was making two pairs, as one was for the showcase in which he would show his works to the customers of the future.


    He allowed the metal to cool down, and after that, it was the process of shaping every piece. He wiped his forehead on his sleeve, and he huffed out loud.


    sdmfknjsdk;lf ''sdhf


    "This is going to be hard to make. I just hope that the staff is much easier to make, even with the Mana Channels that I have planned to insert. And that crystal, I need to find it", he thought as he took a break.


    A grumble from his stomach was heard, and he rubbed his tummy. He was famished, and he still needed to keep an eye on the things that were on cooldown. He looked at the Mana Channels he had placed in the Kiln, and one of them had begun to crack.


    Lucas sighed loud. The one that had cracked was none other than the one that was left at room temperature to cool when the Kiln was being made. He still kept it inside, as it could be used in something else in the future.


    He began to make the same mold again and hoped that this time none of them cracked. After placing them in the Kiln, he left the room and went back home. He was hungry and needed some rest. The metal needed time to cool down too.


    By the time he had left the Smithy, it was dinner time. He had missed lunch and was working through the whole afternoon. Emilia had made some dinner, and the days were going by smoothly for them.


    Lucas was still worried about the attack that will be made in the future, and he was thinking about the options he could take to make the people safe.


    "There are the tunnels that lead to a temporary underground city that we have built, but what will become of the people in the outskirts of the kingdom? We need to save everyone we can, and then fight the war. What is Father thinking right now?", he thought.


    He was formulating a plan, and if only he knew the time when the enemy mounts an attack. If he can calculate the timeframe it would take for multiple expert Earth magicians to build underground cities in the nearby places around the Kingdom, that would lead to them saving a lot of lives.


    "But the loss of lives in war is inevitable. That is what Master always said to me. I just hope that they are people who fight the war, and not the people who are bystanders", he concluded his thoughts as he began to gobble down his food.


    Emilia had noticed the worry on his face, and she wanted to reassure him that everything will turn out okay. But she wasn''t sure if that was her place to say and ended up keeping it to herself.


    Right after he had his dinner, he went to his room. He was still getting used to the fact that he was living with a woman in his home, and the feeling he had in his heart was strangling him. He was sure this was something related to his hormones, and thus ignored it completely.


    He had a lot of things to think about, and right now his feelings were the least of his concern. He bottled it down and began to draw a map of the whole kingdom on a large sheet of paper.


    He knew some of the Royal Court Magicians were at the Expert Level, and if they joined their hands together, many of the lives could be saved. But he also knew that they never cared about the people, as they lived in their world of glory and pride.


    Right after he drew the map, he began to mark the places where Underground Cities had been built, and the places that were closest to it. He had to make sure he remembered a great amount of detail, and that he did.


    After sketching the plan out, he began to draw tunnels that were already available, and those that needed to be dug out for the sake of survival. As a Prince, it was his duty to save as many lives as he could.


    The tunnels had been sketched out, but now the manpower was lacking if the Kingdom needed to execute this plan quickly. Just as he was about to wrap it up and lie down, he felt his pocket vibrate.


    He pulled out the phone that was given to him by his father and saw a single text on it.


    "They''re coming.. ETA 5 days", it read.

 Chapter 186 - Updated 171

    Zephyr had a smirk as he looked at the group that had surrounded them, and he was thinking of the best method to utilize his strengths. He knew that his flame was strongest at night, and this was the worst time for him to use the flame.


    hdsgfj dlskhflk; dfs


    Maxine had her weapon out and it was a whip sword. It was a flexible weapon, and once Mana was injected into the weapon, it would become sturdy like a sword.


    Vanessa had three daggers going around her at high speeds, and it formed a silver ring around her. It was her shield and weapon, and the way she was controlling was Telekinesis.


    lhsdfkl sdl hflkas;fdh


    Maxine was a healer, but her Mana had twin purposes. She could heal someone, and she could suck their life vitality out of them slowly. This was one of the reasons why she was a powerful person in the group.


    Jasper was at the back, and he was assessing the situation, and since they were in the trees, he could use the shadows to his advantage. The four of them had their weapons ready, and Maxine was the first to express her doubt.


    "Will we be able to deal with them?", she asked skeptically. Zephyr had a smile on his face as he looked at all of his opponents and scanned their strengths.


    "I am sure we can, and we have taken many more people down than this bunch of ragtags", he said in a scoff, which enraged the people that were around him. Everyone began to huff in anger, but they were waiting for someone to give the command for them to attack.


    The leader, who was in front of Zephyr looked him in the eye and extended his finger towards him. The smile on his face faded, and Zephyr had a serious face right after he saw the finger. ]\\\\


    lkjdfhljk sdfjhblk; sdafl;


    The moment the finger was extended, everyone began to make their move. They all charged in ready to kill the four of them and gain their points which they were so desperate for.


    Jasper began to use Darkness Hop, which was to move from one place to another with the help of shadows. This was helping gain an advantage over the others as he was appearing and disappearing randomly, and as he was covered completely which cast his shadow, he used it as the base to begin his jump.


    Vanessa didn''t move from her place, and she picked out four more knives. The three that were spinning around her were not for attacks but only for defense. The other four knives were now weaving through the enemies, cutting them down slowly.


    "I thank you for the shadow", came a voice from behind her and went away. She knew who it was and the reason, as Jasper had a limit to how much he can use it in the sunlight.


    He went on massacring, and he was unable to use the blood control as he could during the night, as it also needed his full strength to use it. Maxine was just standing there looking at everyone going on a killing spree, and a smile had formed on her face.


    hsdfj sdlkhfkl s


    "A buff would be nice", said Zephyr as he ran past her to kill another opponent. The smile widened and she used her dagger to cut a small wound on a person that was coming towards them. She began to chant a spell, and everyone was covered in a green hue.


    The man who was the leader saw this and his instincts were telling him to kill Maxine first. But the moment he made his move, he felt a chill from his back and ducked. A blade went past his hair, slicing it in the split second.


    "You''re fast. Fight me", said Jasper as he looked at him. The man did a partial transformation, and he turned his hands into that of an ape.


    "The Martial Ape. I wonder if you have the qualifications to be one though", he said as he looked at him. The man was furious as he launched himself towards Jasper, and he did a punch straight to his face.


    Jasper avoided it quite easily as he moved to the side and gave him a punch of his own, and he felt his hand go numb from the punch. He was astonished at first, but he saw that in that split second, he had transformed the part of his face that was going to receive that attack and defended against his punch.


    He had a wide smile as he began to go wild, and the both of them were throwing punches around. Zephyr saw it and was about to condemn him, but the smile on his face made him stop.


    "Seems like he is enjoying this. It has been a long time since I have seen that smile on his face", he thought as he slashed another one of his opponents down. Maxine had given her buff, and it was agility.


    Although the three of them were fast, an increase in agility helped them even up the speed to catch up with every opponent, making them stay back and attack cautiously now. Many bodies were lying around, and every one of them had a green hue around them.


    Maxine''s eyes had trend green, and she was now buffing everyone with all kinds of stats that she could think of. Most of them were directed towards Jasper, as he was the weakest at the moment due to the sun being out.


    He was punching and analyzing his opponent, and the fight had just begun. There were blasts in the air as his strength was increasing rapidly, and the leader saw that Maxine was giving him boosts which were making him unable to cope up with Jasper.


    He commanded his people to attack them and to kill the ''witch'', which was none other than Maxine. The moment she heard the word, something inside here snapped, and Jasper quickly moved to the side.


    "You should not have done that", he said as he moved away from him. She was now in front of him, and her hair was fluttering in the wind as she moved towards him menacingly.


    The man felt chills as he looked at her, and the moment he made his move, he saw her disappear from the place. She reappeared behind him, and he turned around to hit her once again.


    This time his punch went through, but what he saw was something that confused him more. His attack went through her, but there was no blood or anything. Maxine faded from his hands in smoke, and he began to look around him.


    "Seems like the buffs I have used myself is working. This is the first time I used the skill successfully", she thought as she was on top of a tree. She was looking below, and everyone was looking for her.


    "Don''t attack them. Finding the woman is the priority", he said as he looked around. Jasper chuckled as he sat alongside Zephyr and Vanessa, and the three of them had a smile on their faces.


    "What''s so funny?", asked the leader, trying to look tough in front of his crew. The smile on their faces never faded, and Zephyr just taunted him more.


    "Well, It''s just funny that you, a great leader are afraid of a mere woman", he said in a nonchalant voice, irritating the leader more. His face twitched, but he knew better to engage in a fight with them and risk exposing his back to Maxine.


    Vanessa saw through his technique ad smiled, and it had worked. The people were now beginning to have second thoughts about searching for her, and right when they thought they could attack Zephyr, a figure zipped past a few people.


    The people that the figure zipped past were now on the ground, and there was a green hue around them. They were not dead, but they were slowly dying as their life force was being sucked out of them.


    Slowly, people began to fall one by one. The leader was stunned as he saw the people that were falling to the ground, and he looked at the woman who was now holding two daggers in her hands, and the blade was pulsing green.


    "Why is it pulsing though?", he thought as he looked at the blades. The smile that was on her face was striking a chilling fear inside him, and he geared himself to face against her.


    "This is my battle. Anyone who comes in between shall be dead", she hissed as she stepped forward. Zephyr and the others took a step back, and there were a lot of people still standing around the leader.


    "Is this woman crazy? She is going to face all of us alone?", he thought. She was still holding onto the daggers, and the amount of pulsing was increasing rapidly.


    The people that were on the ground now began to writhe in pain, while some others were vomiting blood on the ground.. One of them even ran up to her and grabbed her leg, begging for mercy.

 Chapter 187 - Updating 172+ Soon

    Zephyr had a smirk as he looked at the group that had surrounded them, and he was thinking of the best method to utilize his strengths. He knew that his flame was strongest at night, and this was the worst time for him to use the flame.


    hdsgfj dlskhflk; dfs


    Maxine had her weapon out and it was a whip sword. It was a flexible weapon, and once Mana was injected into the weapon, it would become sturdy like a sword.


    Vanessa had three daggers going around her at high speeds, and it formed a silver ring around her. It was her shield and weapon, and the way she was controlling was Telekinesis.


    lhsdfkl sdl hflkas;fdh


    Maxine was a healer, but her Mana had twin purposes. She could heal someone, and she could suck their life vitality out of them slowly. This was one of the reasons why she was a powerful person in the group.


    Jasper was at the back, and he was assessing the situation, and since they were in the trees, he could use the shadows to his advantage. The four of them had their weapons ready, and Maxine was the first to express her doubt.


    "Will we be able to deal with them?", she asked skeptically. Zephyr had a smile on his face as he looked at all of his opponents and scanned their strengths.


    "I am sure we can, and we have taken many more people down than this bunch of ragtags", he said in a scoff, which enraged the people that were around him. Everyone began to huff in anger, but they were waiting for someone to give the command for them to attack.


    The leader, who was in front of Zephyr looked him in the eye and extended his finger towards him. The smile on his face faded, and Zephyr had a serious face right after he saw the finger. ]\\\\


    lkjdfhljk sdfjhblk; sdafl;


    The moment the finger was extended, everyone began to make their move. They all charged in ready to kill the four of them and gain their points which they were so desperate for.


    Jasper began to use Darkness Hop, which was to move from one place to another with the help of shadows. This was helping gain an advantage over the others as he was appearing and disappearing randomly, and as he was covered completely which cast his shadow, he used it as the base to begin his jump.


    Vanessa didn''t move from her place, and she picked out four more knives. The three that were spinning around her were not for attacks but only for defense. The other four knives were now weaving through the enemies, cutting them down slowly.


    "I thank you for the shadow", came a voice from behind her and went away. She knew who it was and the reason, as Jasper had a limit to how much he can use it in the sunlight.


    He went on massacring, and he was unable to use the blood control as he could during the night, as it also needed his full strength to use it. Maxine was just standing there looking at everyone going on a killing spree, and a smile had formed on her face.


    hsdfj sdlkhfkl s


    "A buff would be nice", said Zephyr as he ran past her to kill another opponent. The smile widened and she used her dagger to cut a small wound on a person that was coming towards them. She began to chant a spell, and everyone was covered in a green hue.


    The man who was the leader saw this and his instincts were telling him to kill Maxine first. But the moment he made his move, he felt a chill from his back and ducked. A blade went past his hair, slicing it in the split second.


    "You''re fast. Fight me", said Jasper as he looked at him. The man did a partial transformation, and he turned his hands into that of an ape.


    "The Martial Ape. I wonder if you have the qualifications to be one though", he said as he looked at him. The man was furious as he launched himself towards Jasper, and he did a punch straight to his face.


    Jasper avoided it quite easily as he moved to the side and gave him a punch of his own, and he felt his hand go numb from the punch. He was astonished at first, but he saw that in that split second, he had transformed the part of his face that was going to receive that attack and defended against his punch.


    He had a wide smile as he began to go wild, and the both of them were throwing punches around. Zephyr saw it and was about to condemn him, but the smile on his face made him stop.


    "Seems like he is enjoying this. It has been a long time since I have seen that smile on his face", he thought as he slashed another one of his opponents down. Maxine had given her buff, and it was agility.


    Although the three of them were fast, an increase in agility helped them even up the speed to catch up with every opponent, making them stay back and attack cautiously now. Many bodies were lying around, and every one of them had a green hue around them.


    Maxine''s eyes had trend green, and she was now buffing everyone with all kinds of stats that she could think of. Most of them were directed towards Jasper, as he was the weakest at the moment due to the sun being out.


    He was punching and analyzing his opponent, and the fight had just begun. There were blasts in the air as his strength was increasing rapidly, and the leader saw that Maxine was giving him boosts which were making him unable to cope up with Jasper.


    He commanded his people to attack them and to kill the ''witch'', which was none other than Maxine. The moment she heard the word, something inside here snapped, and Jasper quickly moved to the side.


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    "You should not have done that", he said as he moved away from him. She was now in front of him, and her hair was fluttering in the wind as she moved towards him menacingly.


    The man felt chills as he looked at her, and the moment he made his move, he saw her disappear from the place. She reappeared behind him, and he turned around to hit her once again.


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    This time his punch went through, but what he saw was something that confused him more. His attack went through her, but there was no blood or anything. Maxine faded from his hands in smoke, and he began to look around him.


    "Seems like the buffs I have used myself is working. This is the first time I used the skill successfully", she thought as she was on top of a tree. She was looking below, and everyone was looking for her.


    "Don''t attack them. Finding the woman is the priority", he said as he looked around. Jasper chuckled as he sat alongside Zephyr and Vanessa, and the three of them had a smile on their faces.


    "What''s so funny?", asked the leader, trying to look tough in front of his crew. The smile on their faces never faded, and Zephyr just taunted him more.


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    "Well, It''s just funny that you, a great leader are afraid of a mere woman", he said in a nonchalant voice, irritating the leader more. His face twitched, but he knew better to engage in a fight with them and risk exposing his back to Maxine.


    Vanessa saw through his technique ad smiled, and it had worked. The people were now beginning to have second thoughts about searching for her, and right when they thought they could attack Zephyr, a figure zipped past a few people.


    The people that the figure zipped past were now on the ground, and there was a green hue around them. They were not dead, but they were slowly dying as their life force was being sucked out of them.


    Slowly, people began to fall one by one. The leader was stunned as he saw the people that were falling to the ground, and he looked at the woman who was now holding two daggers in her hands, and the blade was pulsing green.


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    "Why is it pulsing though?", he thought as he looked at the blades. The smile that was on her face was striking a chilling fear inside him, and he geared himself to face against her.


    "This is my battle. Anyone who comes in between shall be dead", she hissed as she stepped forward. Zephyr and the others took a step back, and there were a lot of people still standing around the leader.


    "Is this woman crazy? She is going to face all of us alone?", he thought. She was still holding onto the daggers, and the amount of pulsing was increasing rapidly.


    The people that were on the ground now began to writhe in pain, while some others were vomiting blood on the ground.. One of them even ran up to her and grabbed her leg, begging for mercy.

 Chapter 188 - Soon...

    here was a single man who was standing in front of a burning village, and alongside him was a woman and two kids. One of them was a baby, while the other was a little child. The four of them were watching the village burn down.


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    "I have to go honey. If I can save one life, just one. It would be worth it", he said. The woman was holding onto him, and not letting him go. The man was wearing a top hat and a long tailcoat.


    He had a chain around his neck, and he removed it as he knelt towards his kid. He placed the necklace around the kid''s neck and looked him in the eye.


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    "This is a gift from me to you, kiddo. Think of this as your birthday present, and Father now has to go and save our people", he said as he stood back up. The kid was standing still and looked at the man walk away from him, into the flames.


    The man who was walking was none other than Aldreus. He dashed into the village and began to look around for survivors. He had just arrived, and he was taken aback at the state of the village.


    His wife didn''t want to go into the flame as she was afraid that he might die. He heard screams and cries for help and tried to help them. But the moment they saw him, they came running towards him.


    "Mayor! Please save my wife!", came a man running towards him. He ran into the house and brought out the woman who was burning, and he put out the flames. Unfortunately, shortly after he brought her out, she was dead.


    He followed the same routine and pulled out as many people as he could, and his skin was turning red. He was burning in the fire whilst saving them, but the moment he brought them out they were either burned beyond recognition or they had died in the flames.


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    He was angry at the person who had done this and wanted to find the perpetrator. He used his speed which he was quick in and brought out the last person he could find in the burning houses.


    He was devastated when he saw the states they were in. He didn''t know how to save them or even heal them. The village had no healer, and the ones who had survived were pleading for death.


    He fell to the floor and looked at the skies, breaking down into tears. He recognized each person that was burnt, and the more he saw the people that had died, the more heartbroken he was.


    "Whoever you are, I swear I will get my vengeance. What did my village ever do to you!", he bellowed in anger and extreme pain. His eyes had turned red from the anger and tears he was holding back, and the people now gathered around him.


    Everyone fell to their knees, and some of them even had their foreheads to the ground. No one uttered a single word and they began the procedure to send off those that had been burnt in this unfortunate incident.


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    As a result of saving every one of them, his skin had turned red. The left half of his body was in bright red skin, while the other half was a normal white.


    He tried everything to recover the outer layer of the skin that had been burned away during the incident, but no healer could heal him. The whole village tried their best, and he had lost the sense of touch on the side that was burnt.


    He tried to create a spell that could replicate the feeling of touch, but nothing worked for him. Every time he went out, he wore a mask on his face, and the top hat covered the rest that were exposed.


    Some time had passed from the incident, but Aldreus never forgot the vow he took that day. He trained youngsters from the village and sent them out to collect information about that fateful day.


    He trained himself to the limit, and his family began to worry for him. His anger and hate were fueling his will to live, and his sense of vengeance had given him a purpose to live.


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    "Did you find him?", asked Zephyr as he stopped an attack from Aldreus. He pulled back his axes and cut across his cheek, making Zephyr jump back.


    "Do not ask questions. Learn to be patient. Patience is a virtue, Mr. Heart", he said as he went back to attacking him, revealing more from his past.


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    Many years had passed from that fateful day, and both of his children had grown up. His son being the child that was the kid during the incident, and his daughter being the baby during that day.


    He was playing with them when a man came in with a parchment in his hands. He was one among the troops that he had trained, and he went to receive the parchment.


    He opened it and his eyes turned into slits. The information on it was something that he was searching for all this while, and he saw it heading towards him this time.


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    "Inform everyone and evacuate the place. I will handle the people who are coming. And the troops too. This is an order", he said. The man who had a mask over his face could not say anything to him.


    Aldreus looked at both of his kids and informed of his wife. She was stunned when she heard the information from him and advised him to come along with her.


    "You think I am going to let them go? After what they did to the people and me?", he said as he removed his mask and hat. The woman had her hands on her face, as she could not bear to see his face.


    Although he looked very unlovely to everyone that was around, the woman''s heart skipped a beat. She placed her palm on the side where he would feel her touch and caressed his cheeks.


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    "I know of all the things you have done for these people, my love. But aren''t we, your family too?", she asked lovingly. The man had tears in his eyes, and in that brief second, prioritized himself over others.


    He shook the thought out of his mind and looked at her back. He pulled her close to him, and the both of them stood in each other''s embrace.


    "If I have to, I would. But you know about my temper", he said. The woman laughed in a cute voice and pulled him closer to her.


    She took in a whiff of his scent as she grazed her lips against his. The both of them had a passionate kiss, and she broke free from it. He looked at her, and this time he was choking on his words.


    "I love you, Elaina", he said as he let go of her. The woman smiled as she returned the words to him.


    "And I love you too, Aldreus. Now go and kick their butts", she said as she turned away from him. Aldreus picked up his axe and walked out of the door.


    "And stay safe", she muttered as she heard the door close shut. Right after the door was closed, she broke down into tears, bawling her eyes out.


    Aldreus stood at the door and heard his wife''s cries, and he was tempted to go back inside. He clenched his fists and moved away from the door, and a tear was rolling down his cheek as he walked away.


    "The more I stay here, the more I would lose my will to fight. I have to do this, not for them but for me", he muttered as he began to head towards the village.


    The place was now empty, and he pulled a chair out of one of the houses. He sat on it with his axe right above his shoulder, exuding an Aura that was filled with authority.


    The men who were coming had torches in their hands, and they cam riding their horses and saw the village deserted. It was something they had not expected to happen, as they planned to kill every single life that was in the village.


    "Search every place. Find anyone that had survived the last time, and make sure that they stay dead. And if you find that Mayor, make sure to bring his...", and his sentence was stopped as his head was separated from his shoulders.


    "You want my head? You would have to be much stronger than that", he hissed as he disappeared from the place. The men were in disarray, and he took this opportunity to kill as many as he could.


    "This is for the last time you burned down the people that were living peacefully", he said as he rammed his axe into the skull of a person that was on horseback.


    The rage that he had suppressed for all these years began to pour out, and they were unable to keep up with his speed.


    "Just what in the world is the Mayor?", thought everyone as they jumped down from their horses to attack him.

 Chapter 189 - Updated 172

    "Please, just kill me. I don''t want to be tormented like this!", he said as he was hugging her knee. He coughed once more and there were bits of meat that were coming out from his mouth.


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    The cold look in her eyes faded for a moment, and she knelt to look at the man square in his face. She placed the blade right at his throat and raised her eyebrows, indicating if the man was sure of his decision.


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    "I am already old. These experiments did make me young, but I have no attachments to this world. Everything that I cared about has been taken away from me. The only purpose I am here today is to die", he said.


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    Maxine was a little sad that such a man preferred death over being alive. Even though she was in a rage, her heart was moved and she nodded her head in acknowledgment.


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    A slash was done and the body slumped to the ground. Rather than having a frown, the man had a smile, as if he was relieved from a very heavy burden. "Thank you", he mouthed his last words as the life in his eyes faded away.


    She stood up and was now looking at the crowd of people that were standing before her. The look in her eyes was menacing, and everyone felt something tremble within them.


    "Now, shall we begin?", she said as she made her move and appeared in front of the man that was the nearest, and she slashed across his shoulder. The same glow was around him, and the man aged very quickly.


    He was now an old man with a hunchback, and he was unable to move from the place. His body was too frail, and the leader looked at her with deep fear.


    "Everyone, transform and kill her. Do not let her blades touch you!", he commanded as he transformed into an Eagle and took to the skies. Most of them were aerial creatures, and each of them began to fly as they transformed themselves into something.


    The few that were on the ground had transformed, and they were all creatures who had very tough skin to cut through. The people who had died were the people who had very little control over their powers, and these were the people who trained the most and mastered the Beast Powers within them.


    Maxine now looked around and saw the predicament she was in. She clicked her tongue in annoyance, as she was not looking forward to such a development. The blades that were pulsing disappeared, and the hilts were joined together.


    "I didn''t want to use this, but what gives?", she muttered as she injected the life force she had sucked away from the people she had cut. The Bow was formed and the same pulsing green was seen.


    The leader who was watching this from above saw it and he understood why the blade was pulsing just now. He looked at the bodies of his comrades that were lying around, and he knew that as long as they were kept alive, she would have the power to fight them.


    The people that were on the ground saw that she had switched to a long-range weapon, and they saw the chance they were waiting for. If she was aiming at the people that were in the sky, they were sure of beating her down.


    They saw her aim for the sky and made their move. There were seven of them around, and each of them came from a different direction to make it hard for her to aim.


    "A big mistake. When it comes to a bow, my sister is the best", said Zephyr as he saw them charge towards her recklessly. Maxine took in a deep breath and she looked at them coming towards her.


    She pulled the green string of the bow, and three arrows appeared out of thin air. She closed one of her eyes and aimed at the people that were running towards her.


    She let out her breath as she released her grip on the arrows, and it whizzed past the people who were running, grazing their cheeks. They were aimed at the people who were flying in the air, and they dodged it effortlessly.


    The people on the ground that were grazed began to slow down their running, and they began to feel exhausted. Their transformation began to go away, and they began to turn into humans again.


    The arrows dispersed in the air, and she pulled the bow once more. The leader laughed at her stupidity without noticing his people that were on the ground.


    Once more, arrows were launched and they hit the people in the sky. One by one, they began to feel extreme fatigue. Some of them began to descend, as they could not sustain their transformation.


    The people that were on the ground had a smile on their faces. They knew that as long as they could heal themselves, they would be able to escape the grasp of Maxine, which was the only weakness she had with her healing prowess.


    They waited patiently, while Maxine began to feel a strain in the life force she was receiving. The moment she felt that her head turned towards the people that were on the ground, and she saw them standing on their feet again.


    "Self-regeneration, truly a pain in the arse", she muttered as she looked at them and jumped from her place. The bow didn''t change and she went close to the first person she could reach.


    The moment she reached next to him, her hands began to work quickly. She aimed and shot the arrow, one at a time. She was quick to the point that her enemies thought that she had a gun.


    The man who was in the skies was noticing everything, and he took a deep breath. He activated his innate trait and began to see the flow of the life force that was around Maxine.


    "That is the fastest reload speed I have seen. I am sure no one would be able to take her head-on with a bow and to be able to use it both as a close-range and long-range weapon, I truly admire her skills. But all good things must come to an end, and I am truly sorry about that", he muttered as he looked at her skills.


    Maxine was now jumping around from tree to tree and shooting arrows continuously. The people who had tough skin felt the penetration force of the arrows that were shot and backed away from her.


    "That shot, I am sure the arrow is spinning. But why does it look like it is still though? Surely it can''t spin at such a speed, can it?", thought one of them as his shoulder got pierced. He was not the only one who thought that.


    "That is my Penetration Shot. It spins at a speed of nearly 600 rotations per minute. I am sure that much force would be enough to penetrate your skins", she said with a smirk on her face.


    There was sweat on the leader''s face the moment he heard the speed of the rotation. That was a speed that was not achievable by a normal person who uses a bow, or so he thought. The only person that came to his mind was a person from the leaderboard of the Zoos, and he was thinking if they were both on the same level.


    Maxine was now smiling wide, and she was running throughout the place, The leader didn''t want to go down without a fight, and he steeled his heart to fight against the obstacle that was blocking him from Freedom.


    He looked around at his men, and everyone had the same thoughts as him. The smiles on their faces showed their nervousness, but their eyes said otherwise. The resolve that was written in them was firm and absolute.


    "Alright men, it is do or die. FOR FREEDOM!", he said as he raised his hands above his head. The people around him, and the men on the ground heard his words.


    "FOR FREEDOM!", roared everyone as they began to move together. They were all headed towards one person, and that was Maxine. She scoffed as she looked at their attempt to overwhelm her by sheer numbers.


    "I am Maxine Heart, First Daughter of the Heart Kingdom! I shall defend this place, till last breath", she said out loud as she aimed her arrows at the people who were headed towards her.


    She ran away from the place, and the arrows kept raining at them. She increased her speed to the max, and everyone felt the struggle of moving forward. She was extracting Lifeforce at a much faster rate than before, as she knew she had t finish this off quickly.


    Zephyr and the others had their hands on their weapons, but a look from her made them shiver. Her eyes were filled with anger and there was a smile on her lips.


    "She is enjoying this", said Jasper as he placed his hand on Zephyr''s shoulder. He calmed down and looked at her face, but he was still ready to attack at any moment.


    "Father, We will be back soon.. Just hold on a little longer", she muttered as she took her shot.