"Darkness... Do elves believe in the power of light?" Wain muttered.


    "Yes." Sven nodded, "The thing is, the attribute of darkness specially affects their bodies. I can''t call it a negative effect, but certain metamorphoses ur. However, anything forbidden is bound to be popr somewhere, and someone will take advantage of it. It''s inevitable."


    "Hmm?"


    "I''m talking about the Dark Elves. You can''t call them another race. They''re a type of elf. Dark Elves, as the name implies, use the attribute of darkness. Outwardly they are strikingly different from ordinary elves.


    They have dark skin. Their hair is ck, gray, or purple. Their eyes are the same color. Sometimes they are blood red. Many people think that the Dark Elves are stronger and more beautiful than ordinary elves, but this is a rather subjective opinion because there are High Elves." Sven pronounced.


    "High Elves?"


    "Yes, in fact, the High Elves are all Elves from noble families and whose blood purity exceeds 75%. You could call them the elite among purebloods. No special features other than an incredible amount of energy and excellent physical strengthpared to other Elves they have."


    "I see. How do the Elves have a society? What is their ideology?" asked Wain.


    "I would say that the Elves have almostplete equality. Women are a little more likely to have more powerful magical abilities, and men are more likely to be faster and stronger. These two parameters bnce each other, closing the disadvantages of each side. However, there are still more men among the leaders."


    ''Hmm, that elf who came to the aid of A and Keya possessed incredible speed. At the same time, both girls preferred to fight at a distance and use different skills. Understandably.''


    "Elves are a fairly peaceful race, they don''t mind cooperation, but it will take a long time to get close to them. They are extremely selective with those who want to be their friends or partners."


    "How numerous and powerful are the Elves?"


    "It''s hard to describe in words. They are one of the most powerful races in existence. They have excellent energy control, excellent skills, learn quickly, and live long lives. Their only disadvantage is the low birth rate. The reason is that Elves men have low libido, and women can''t do anything about it.


    However, despite the low birth rate, their numbers are huge. They are rarely born but die in battle or from old age even more rarely. You could call it a bnce otherwise, the whole world would be filled with Elves."


    "Okay, about the Elves, I learned even more than I nned. Tell me about the race with pale skin, ashy hair, amber eyes, and white mes on their arms. Who are they?"


    When Wain entered the Purgatory Zone for the second time, he first met members of another race. Ria, one of them, realized that Wain was a human and tried to capture him, but she failed.


    "Ah, you must be talking about them." Sven muttered, and the image above the crystal ball changed.


    A 3D image of a man and a woman appeared. They looked exactly as Wain had described them.


    "The members of this race are called Ashen. I must admit that they are one of those races that I have respect for."


    "Why?" Wain asked in amazement.


    "Most of the races at the top of the world have rather few limitations. For example, the Elves can use almost any attribute. Moreover, they are superior in controlling energy. Weaker races usually have a lot of restrictions and therefore are lower on the food chain."


    "What makes the Ashens unique then?"


    "Huh, that''s just it, nothing. More specifically, they have nothing but me, fighting spirit, and potential.


    Okay, first things first, let''s start with appearance. All Ashens have pale skin, and they have white mes from birth. It can be not only on their hands but on any other part of their body, even their tongue.


    Their hair can be three colors, white, yellow, or ashy. Their eyes are either amber, yellow, or orange. They are tall and have a muscr physique. In this, they are even superior to elves."


    Wain nodded.


    "However, that is where their advantages end. Ashens have one critical w. The only attribute they can use is me, and it''s white. Usually, races with severe limitations can''t go higher and are always at the bottom. However, Ashens was able to do so."


    "Why? What''s their secret?"


    "It''s quite simple. The first is their fighting spirit and character. As strange and ridiculous as it sounds, it''s true. They are born warriors, no, I would even say diators. They know how to fight, they know how to react in dangerous situations, and they never give up.


    The second reason is their potential. It lies in the fact that Ashens have only two ways to develop. The first is to increase the size and strength of the me. However, the strongest members of this race have taken the second path, reducing the me.


    They gradually bring the me closer to a state of ashes. I''m not sure, but as far as I know, if 95% of the mes turn to ash, Ashen will be so strong that no one but geniuses from other races canpete with it."


    "I see. I take it the second way is much more difficult?"


    "Of course. Only the bravest and most talented members of this race make that choice. Now let''s talk about their society and their preferences. Ashens can live anywhere except in cold and watery zones.


    Although their attribute is me, they don''t mind living in forests. They are good enough not to set fire to a tree with their power identally. Moreover, they can put out a fire at any moment."


    Sven sighed and continued, "Ashens have no pronounced matriarchy or patriarchy. Male and female rtions are about equal. However, all important decisions are made by men, and women don''t try to challenge them.


    They can be quite aggressive and bullying, but they have one quality that many people respect. Ashen never break their word and always keep theirmitments."


    "Huh, in a world where lies and betrayal reign, that''s really something incredible. How strong are they?"


    "The Ashens are on par with the Elves. They are one of the leading races and canpete with each other. "


    "I see, good. Now I know quite a bit about the two races. Tell me about the Inerians. What kind of race are they? I was recently in the Purgatory area, and I was mistaken for a member of that race and wondered about my beauty." Proimed Wain.


    "That sounds pretty funny, but considering you wear a cape all the time, it''s no wonder they thought you were an Inerian. They had no other options. How much do you know about this race?"


    "Quite a bit, from what I understand, it''s a matriarchal race where women decide everything. That''s where my information ends." Said Wain.


    "I see..." Sven muttered and touched the crystal ball.


    The image changed to two people, a man and a woman, but it was slightly different this time. Elves and Ashens had men and women of about the same height and looked simr, but the Inerians didn''t.


    The silhouette of the girl was tall, almost two meters tall. She had a beautiful bodyparable to the Greek goddesses. Every curve of her body was perfect.


    She looked like the creation of a mythical sculptor. Her hair, like Erza''s, was divided into two parts. One was blue, and the other was green.


    However, the man beside her was short, unattractive, and even ugly. He was barely one and a half meters tall. His skin was dark and swarthy, his eyes, legs, and spine were crooked. His hair was dark, and his eyes were brown.


    "As you can see, even in appearance, the Inerians have significant differences. You''re right. The women there are dominant from birth to death. However, one must admit that the Inerinas are very loyal and appreciate love, though it is strange and iprehensible to others.


    The girls are more beautiful and stronger, but their matriarchy is for a different reason. It''s all about their physiology and body structure. If you''ve ever met an Inerian, you should have noticed that there are energy threads on their bodies."


    "Yes, I met a woman. She had three threads and three bracelets on her arms. Below her neck was a circle where six threads were intertwined."


    "Three threads... That''s impressive..." Sven muttered.


    "Hmm?"


    "Wain, the Inerians, like all races, have a hierarchy. The Elves have it based on pure blood, magic, and physical strength. Ashens have it based on the purity of blood, the power of me, or the amount of ash.


    With Inerians, blood purity is just as important, but equally important is the number of energy threads. The least can be one, the most can be three. I''ve heard of there being an Inerian with four strands, but that sounds more like fiction than the truth."


    "Huh, it looks like I was pretty lucky to be able to get away from her. I don''t know why, but this girl wanted me to be her lover, even after she saw I had no strings."


    "Yeah, that''s truly unusual. Okay, back to the subject. Inerians have women in charge because they take energy from men. Women can only receive, while men can only give.


    Considering that in strength and beauty women are superior to men, they simply had no other option but to be in charge."


    "I see. Does the color of their hair have something to do with their abilities?" Asked Wain.


    "Yes." Sven nodded, "Usually, Inerian women have split hair. In most cases, hair color is indirectly rted to the attributes they use. For example, the girl in the image would have water and the attribute of nature.


    However, their hair color is not so from birth. The metamorphosis takes ce at the age of seven, at which time each girl is first taught to take energy from a man. When they receive someone else''s energy, a new, random power is awakened in them."


    "It''s interesting... Initially, I thought they were just taking power, but it''s actually a dictate of nature. Their men are out of luck..."


    "Well... That''s not quite right. Sure, it seems uneptable to us, but their men don''t know that it could be any other way. They''re used to having a woman decide everything. They''re just an addition to them. However, I must admit that the girls treat the men well despite the matriarchal system.


    First of all, Inerians are famous for their faithfulness. Even though women are more beautiful and stronger than men, they never abandon their chosen one. Sure, they take advantage of their position and can sometimes seem cruel, but that''s from our subjective point of view. For them, it''s the norm."


    "Unexpectedly, I thought such unshakable power would turn their heads. I must admit that few people are capable of such a thing."


    "Everyone has their peculiarities and shorings. We''ve talked about women, now let''s move on to men. They are weaker, not as beautiful, and have to give their energy, but they are just as capable of fighting.


    However, men don''t usually participate in wars and battles. Womenpletely take over the role of defenders and warriors, they protect their lovers, but there is one more thing.


    Men also have power, rank, and position in society. The higher this is, the better a man works as an energy conductor. It depends on how much energy a man can transfer to a woman. The more, the more valuable the man is and the stronger the woman." Sven pronounced.


    "Clearly, men act as a support or even a battery. In some ways, it''s even better than if they were fighting alongside the women. They are safe and, at the same time, replenish the energy of their mistress. That way, a woman can fight several times longer." Wain concluded.


    "Okay, moving on. Inerians can live in any terrain, but they prefer deserted des near forests or mountains the most. They''re also quite technologically advanced. They have electricity but no transportation. They prefer to use beasts or monsters to get around."


    "Wow, that''s unexpected."


    "You shouldn''t be surprised. Some races prefer to forgo technology and focus on energy. Others, on the contrary, see nothing wrong with mixing the two things.


    The Inerians are rather closed folk. They are even less willing tomunicate with outsiders than the elves. Of course, it is possible to contact them, but it takes time. However, it''s almost impossible for women to make friends with Inerians."


    "Why?"


    "As strange as it may sound, despite the matriarchy andplete control over men, the women of this race are extremely jealous. One girl has been known to attack and kill another just because she saw her lover talking to her. Their jealousy has long since escted into a kind of madness.


    I don''t know if their men are jealous, but probably not. Since their mistresses never look at other men. What''s more, a man will never be used of cheating if he talks to someone. It will always be the other women''s fault since they have all the responsibility." Sven pronounced.


    "What an interesting race. I take it the Inerians are on par with the Elves and Ashens in power?"


    "Yes, that''s right. I must say that some women are so strong that it surprises even me."


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    Hey, thank you all for reading this story. I want to apologize thattely, the release of chapters has been unstable, and there have been quite a few chapters. But now it looks like I''m back on pace. Have a nice day!